24 year old daughter is tired all the time and she suffers from spots on her face, chest and back, which are getting worse

[shoemad]

She also has been to the doctors six times in the last year with low abdominal pain and low backache. She has been tested for STDs and has had a scan, which showed a small cyst on one of her ovaries, but nothing else, and nothing that would account for her symptoms.
She is now despairing of ever feeling well again and has lost all faith in our doctors who she feels just want people in and out of the surgery.
As her mum, I feel I want to help, but don't know how. I can hardly march down to the surgery with her, but i am so worried that there is something seriously wrong which is not being picked up.
Does anyone have any suggestions, or know of anyone who has had similar symptoms?

[China Doll]

I had spots when I was younger and I still have cysts on my ovaries, it's called polycystic ovarian syndrome. It's not life threatening although in the worst case scenario could leave you infertile (I've never known anyone with it not be able to have kids). Other symtoms include, irregular periods, excess hair on body and face, very painful periods and it can be harder to lose weight (but not impossible by any stretch of the imagination).

Losing weight can help the management of it but so too can the oral contraceptive pill dianette which I found to be fabulous when I was younger.

If any of the above sounds familiar then go back to your GP, ask for an investigation in to PCOS including a scan. It took a year or so for me to get diagnosed and I had to have one of those scans where they put the scanner inside you that looks like a big tampon.

[horseshoes]

My son had that type of acne - face, chest, back and arms absolutely covered with spots. It made him SO unhappy and embarrassed. Ask for a referral to a skin specilaist at the hospital. GPs begin by prescribing the cheaper remedies which can and do work for some, but going back time and time again and nothing is working needs something prescribed by a specialist. I wouldn't mind betting her tiredness is part of the depression she's feeling from having acne. Oh and by the way - yes it did clear up, but I can't help thinking that the referral at an earlier stage would have saved him a LOT of unhappiness. Hope she's better soon.

[Sqad]

shoemad....I must say that I agree with China Doll.

We have a 24yr old girl with a diagnosis confirmed by scan and a rapidly progressing skin disorder.

Go to your GP with her and ask if he would consider excluding PCOS.

[Sqad]

should have typed. " ovarian cyst confirmed by scan"

[shoemad]

thank you all for your help, I'll pass on the information to her and ask her to talk to the doctor about PCOS

[weeal]

Oh, all this is familiar to myself and Ive been waiting for years to be sent for a scan (going in next thu) its only now that Ive had a Mirina fitted that a skin condition has arisen, my scalp feels like its on fire all the time and Im picking up a steroid lotion this morning (Betacap) Squad could the scalp problem, and general itchy skin, be caused by the Mirina coil?

[jno]

gooogling Mirena+itchiness produces lots of results, so it looks like you are not alone, weeal

[weeal]

thanks jno, I did have a quick look in the booklet and on the web, just thought it strange that it was mostly my scalp which was inflamed but yeah itchy skin is listed, its unbearable actually

[Sqad]

weeal, as jno said, there is a relationship between skin disorders and the coil.

The results of your scan will interest me.

[wolf63]

I have PCOS and have had problems with my blood sugar levels and lack of energy. I am now diabetic.

It is actually quite a complicated syndrome - this site will enable you to work out if it is likely that your daughter has it. http://www.verity-pcos.org.uk/home

[weeal]

Thanks Squad. I may report back after the scan.

Shoemad - best wishes for your daughter x

[shoemad]

thanks again everyone, for the advice, and the good wishes.