Polycystic Ovary Syndrom or PCOS happens in one in ten women. I am one of ten women who have this. It's a silent condition because many of the symptoms are hidden. For that matter, many women don't have the visual symptoms at all. PCOS is a complicated condition. Doctors don't know the causes, but WebMD and Womenshealth.gov claim that it is more common if the woman's mother, sister, or aunt has it.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a hormonal imbalance that causes women to exhibit symptoms such as, irregular cycles, excessive facial or body hair, cysts on ovaries, insulin resistance, anxiety and depression, infertility, weight gain, and male pattern hair loss.
A woman who has all or most of these symptoms have classic PCOS, but some women don't have cysts at all. Any combination of these symptoms makes PCOS. Though I knew something was wrong, especially after it took me five years to get pregnant with my daughter, I was not diagnosed until after she was born and they found cysts on my ovaries. I have had some combination of symptoms since I was young.
It took being in my thirties with cysts before it was discovered. At that point, it had progressed to classic. Some of the hair on my face is dark and course (hirsutism) which causes an obsessive tendency for me to pluck. I had insulin resistance which progressed to type 2 diabetes, anxiety and depression, weight gain, and the male patterned hair loss. In fact, the only symptom I don't exhibit is the acne
Here is the science behind it: Your hormones control the functions of everything in your body. PCOS deals with androgens, progesterone, and insulin. Androgens are the male hormone, and though women make small amounts, larger amounts can cause irregular hair growth hair loss and infertility.
Progesterone is the female hormone, and if there is not enough of this is causes your cycle to become irregular, they could be shorter, longer, heavier, or lighter. Last is insulin, this manages how your cells absorb sugar. With insulin resistance, your body makes the insulin it should, only your cells can't absorb it and the sugar, causing it to stay in your blood which can be dangerous.
If you think you have any combination of these, call your doctor and make an appointment.You can have this checked by a physical or pelvic exam, and ultrasound or a blood test. It never hurts to check and be positive that you do or don't have it. PCOS can cause other issues like Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, sleep apnea, anxiety, depression, and endometrial cancer.
If you do, here are some tips to help you manage your PCOS from home.
1. Change your lifestyle
I won't sugar-coat it for you, it will take a lifestyle change. It won't be easy, but the benefits are worth it. If it has caused you to gain weight, a loss of just 30lbs can make a difference in the way you feel and the amount of energy you have.
2. Find support
As with many things, there are support groups for PCOS. Other women who have gone through the same thing tell their stories, talk about their woes, ask questions of their own. It's a great way to feel like you are not alone.
3. Find your supplements
Vitamin deficiencies are common, especially when you are taking the medications for PCOS if the doctor tells you to take certain vitamins, do it. The deficiencies can become dangerous.
4. Take your meds religiously
The doctor will tell you and it is no joke, if you don't take your medicine as prescribed, it can make things worse. Also, have your thyroid checked, hypothyroidism is common among women with PCOS.
5. Stay positive
Though there is no known cure for PCOS, you can still keep control of the symptoms and live without much complication, and working towards your own wellness will increase your health greatly.
Many of us have dealt with infertility, hirsutism, insulin resistance, hair loss, irregular periods, the whole-nine-yards. If you know someone with this, be understanding, just because you don't see the symptoms, doesn't mean they are not there.
