Needle phobia and blood taking

[Emgm96]

Hello,

I’m 25 and have irregular periods and facial hair. I’m convinced I have pcos but and terrible needlephobic. Is there another way to get a diagnosis?

Thank you x

[Emelisa]

Hey, from the NHS website below

"Diagnosis criteria

A diagnosis of PCOS can usually be made if other rare causes of the same symptoms have been ruled out and you meet at least 2 of the following 3 criteria:

1)you have irregular periods or infrequent periods – this indicates that your ovaries do not regularly release eggs (ovulate)

2)blood tests showing you have high levels of "male hormones", such as testosterone (or sometimes just the signs of excess male hormones, even if the blood test is normal)

3)scans showing you have polycystic ovaries

As only 2 of these need to be present to diagnose PCOS, you will not necessarily need to have an ultrasound scan before the condition can be confirmed."

So maybe speak to your gp about whether you can have ultrasound instead of blood test as they can still diagnose you without blood tests.

Take care

[Missy100]

Hi Emgm,

First off, there is nothing wrong with having a phobia of needles. You deserve to have your concerns identified and respected. Anything I suggest is purely a possibility to consider. Only you can decide what you are comfortable with trying and what is the best decision for your mental well being.

I was diagnosed with PCOS in my mid twenties. It was a combination of scans, blood work and my period cycles and behaviours.

There is more than one 'type' of PCOS. Different factors come into play in diagnosing different individuals, depending on which markers class them as having PCOS.

While technically an ultrasound technician can check your ovaries for the PCOS type cysts (there are different types of cysts that can show up on a woman's ovaries) and the type of periods you have can be added to diagnose you with PCOS it doesn't mean it will result in a clear diagnosis. You might not have PCOS type cysts on your ovaries. To be clear. I'm NOT saying rule out the scan as not needed, as it can be helpful and informative.

I use to be frightfully scared of any type of needle -panic attack frightened- so I can understand how it can make having blood work done seem impossible. If you talk to your GP and explain your circumstance they should be willing to prescribe something to help you be able to have the work done with much less upset. I've had to resort to taking medication in the past myself. The only thing to consider is you should ideally have someone to be with you just incase you are a bit loopy with it. When meds fully kick in they can leave you sleepy and extremely relaxed - so much less responsive than usual. You won't be able to trust being able to drive safely and you possible might not make clear headed decisions. You should have someone you trust who can make sure you get back home safely if you are strongly affected.

The reason I suggest trying for the blood work if you can is they will check hormone levels via your blood work, which could be what triggered symptoms like facial hair growth. You can also ask to have any outdated routine blood work updated at the same time to make sure everything else is like it should be, so you are addressing two things at once without having to face it twice.

At the end of the day you need to think about what is right for you and make your decision based on that. Emotional scarring and terror are not good starting points on any journey for a diagnosis.

Whatever you choose is best for YOU I wish you luck in receiving a diagnosis and the best possible care and treatment for YOU.

[Emgm96 in reply to Missy100]

Thank you x