PCOS
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
What I Have Learned
Definitions:
- Syndrome associated with the metabolic syndrome, obesity, and hyperandrogenemia in young women.
- A genetically-linked hormonal imbalance that prevents ovulation. PCOS also may cause overproduction of estrogen, abnormal thickening of the uterine lining, very heavy and/or irregular periods, as well as acne and facial hair. The latter are caused by an overproduction of male hormones, including testosterone.
- A syndrome associated with bilateral polycystic ovaries and insulin resistance. Symptoms frequently include decreased menstrual flow, irregular menses, anovulation, and infertility.
Symptoms:
- Excessive facial hair growth, or hormone related hair growth such as stomach, back, chin and neck.
- Decreased menstrual flow, irregular menses (the one symptom all PCOS patients have in common), anovulation, and infertility.
- Infrequent or no ovulation
- Infertility...since it stops ovulation.
- Irregular bleeding
- Cysts on ovaries
- Increased levels of male hormone, like testosterone
- Chronic pelvic pain for six months or more
- Increase in weight or obesity
- Diabetes; over production and inefficient use of insulin by the body
- Lipid abnormalities (high or low cholesterol, high triglycerides)
- High blood pressure
- Male-pattern baldness or thinning hair
- Acne, oily skin, or dandruff
- Dark-colored patches of thick skin on neck, groin, underarms or skin folds
- Skin tags in the armpits or neck or skin folds such as bellow the breasts
Getting Diagnosed
This can be the hardest part!
- If you have more than a few symptoms from above GO TO THE DOCTOR!
- Talk to your doctor... really talk. Tell them you think you may have PCOS and give them all the facts about your body.
- Some women have normal hormone and insulin levels and still have PCOS! Remember doctors use a very wide range of statistics when deciding what's "normal". A lot of women with PCOS fall inside of that "normal" range.
- You may have to get a second opinion. Many doctors still don't know enough about PCOS to make a proper diagnosis. You may have to find one who does.
- Your doctor can also order an ultrasound, or any other number of expensive image tests, but it is important to remember that women without PCOS may also have cyst on their ovaries.
Treatment
If you are not trying to get pregnant
- The most common treatment is birth control.
- "Speaking from experience" after trying a few different brands and hormone levels I was able to find a birth control pill that took care of almost all the symptoms (even the excess facial hair and PMS) But if you trying to get pregnant this wont work for you (see below)
- Diet and exercise has shown to improve the chances of keeping your glucose levels in check as well as the physical symptoms, this can be harder for some more than others, But it will help you to feel better and can increase your chance of fertility
Getting Pregnant
- It is Possible, Don't give up!
- Your doctor may put you on a number of different medicines that level out how your body uses insulin such as: Metformin a diabetes treatment drug, by itself or in combination with Clomiphene, an infertility drug, Rosiglitazone (an insulin sensitizer), or Actos, a type 2 diabetes drug treatment.
Other Great Sites
Here is a list of websites I found very informative about the disorder. The more research I do- the more I will add. The first one is my favorite. It has message boards, links and lots of personal stories.
My Story
Getting a doctor to listen
The Short version
- My first sign of PCOS happened way before I was ever diagnosed and right before I got pregnant (yes I got pregnant). About a year after my son was born the symptoms came back (long periods, skipped periods, severe PMS, ect). I wasn't officially diagnosed until February 2007. I was misinformed by more that one doctor along the way. In 2003 all of my symptoms got worse. I started gaining weight, my face broke out in acne, I grew more facial hair (I already had some),and the PMS was ridiculous. My husband thought I was crazy! I'm not sure we could call it PMS because there was no "pre" I got all the symptoms that I would start my period and then I wouldn't. I went to an OBGYN, a dermatologist and a laser hair removal specialist. The OBGYN recommended birth control which I was against. It wasn't offered any other treatment or explanation. The dermatologist told me to drink more water and exercise more. It wasn't until I went to get laser hair removal that I found out about a rare disorder called PCOS. The lady gave me a pamphlet and told me that if I had PCOS the hair would just grow back. After reading, I was excited. Finally, a reason for all the weirdness my body had put me through! I immediately set an appointment with a new OBGYN. I had a pap and some blood work done. I went in for my results only for the nurse to tell me all of my hormones and levels were "within normal range."
- That happened twice a year until this February (2007) I finally just went in and told the doctor "I think I have PCOS and here's why" I gave him all my reasons. So my blood is still "within normal range" and I was able to get pregnant 8 years ago but not now. I have learned that there are a large majority of women who only get half the symptoms. There is no tale-tale way to diagnose.
- I am currently waiting on some lab work and then will begin some sort of treatment to kick start my body to ovulate (we are trying to have a baby).
- Check out my PCOS Blogs for the latest on my progress
This Site Is Dedicated to My Loving Husband For always Understanding... or at least pretending to.
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