Question from West Virginia, USA:

I suspect PCOS and insulin resistance. I recently had my doctor do a glucose tolerance test (GTT) with insulin. Due to an error, the blood sugar was back, but not the insulin yet. My fasting blood sugar has always been 91 to 94 mg/dl [5.1 to 5.2 mmol/L] up until two weeks ago. Then, I became sick just before the GTT. I was started on Albuterol inhaler. My fasting sugar was 126 mg/dl [7.0 mmol/L]. I read this was due to the inhaler.

I have acanthosis nigricans under my arms and at the base of my neck. I also have high triglycerides, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hair loss on my scalp, facial hair, which is increasing, and skin tags. Several years ago, I also had a ruptured ovarian cyst and prior to my hysterectomy about 12 years ago, my periods had almost stopped and my estrogen level was high. I am 44 years old. My father has diabetes and heart disease. If a person has acanthosis nigricans, are they always insulin resistant? My cortisol levels and thyroid were all normal.