PCOS- As researched by LaDonna

I have been hearing more and more lately about friends and family that are being diagnosed with PCOS. I was diagnosed in 2002 when we were having difficulty with pregnancy. I tried to talk to every one I could about it, but people don't really listen, I mean what is the chance that you have the same problem that I do when our symptoms don't match? Well, LaDonna is the most recent friend who was diagnosed and has done her research. I stole her last blog entry for all of you to read. Even if you don't think you have it, read about it anyway and think if you know anyone else who may have it...lol. It's better to be informed than ignorant! Thanks for the info LaDonna.

LaDonna said-
"This is part one of several that I'll be posting about PCOS. It's been a learning process for John and I as well, and we're still learning more all the time. The more that I talk to people, the more I realize that most people don't even know what it is, or what it does to your body, and I think more people should be aware of it, and what better place to put it out there than my own blog? Besides I would hope most of you would want to know what it is too, since that's what I have.
I have some of the symptoms, but not all of the symptoms. They actually consider mine on a scale of mild, moderate and severe to be moderate.

What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (say "pah-lee-SIS-tik OH-vuh-ree SIN-drohm") is a problem in which a woman’s hormones are out of balance. It can cause problems with your periods and make it difficult to get pregnant. PCOS may also cause unwanted changes in the way you look. If it is not treated, over time it can lead to serious health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (or PCOS) is common, affecting as many as 1 in 15 women. Often the symptoms begin in the teen years. Treatment can help control the symptoms and prevent long-term problems.
PCOS is the leading cause of infertility in women. New studies estimate that 5-10% of women at reproductive age have PCOS.

What are hormones, and what happens in PCOS?
Hormones are chemical messengers that trigger many different processes, including growth and energy production. Often, the job of one hormone is to signal the release of another hormone.
For reasons that are not well understood, in PCOS the hormones get out of balance. One hormone change triggers another, which changes another. This makes a vicious circle of out-of-balance hormones. For example:
The sex hormones get out of balance. Normally, the ovaries make a tiny amount of male sex hormones (androgens). In PCOS, they start making slightly more androgens. This may cause you to stop ovulating, get acne, and grow extra facial and body hair.
PCOS develops when the ovaries overproduce androgens (e.g., testosterone). Androgen overproduction often results from overproduction of LH (luteinizing hormone), which is produced by the pituitary gland.
Research also suggests that when insulin levels in the blood are high enough, the ovary can be stimulated to produce more testosterone. That is, the combination of having ovaries that are responsive to insulin and high insulin levels in the blood, can result in the overproduction of testosterone.
The body may have a problem using insulin, called insulin resistance. When the body doesn't use insulin well, blood sugar levels go up. Over time, this increases your chance of getting diabetes.

What are the symptoms?
Symptoms tend to be mild at first. You may have only a few symptoms or a lot of them. Rarely do two women have the exact same symptoms.
The most common symptoms are:
Acne.
Weight gain and trouble losing weight.
Extra hair on the face and body. Often women get thicker and darker facial hair and more hair on the chest, belly, and back.
Thinning hair on the scalp.
Irregular periods. Often women with PCOS have fewer than nine periods a year. Some women have no periods. Others have very heavy bleeding.
High Triglycerides.
Fertility problems. Many women with PCOS have trouble getting pregnant (infertility).
Anxiety (from dealing with the issues of PCOS. ie: infertility, weight gain, medications with side effects, etc.)
Depression.
Most women with PCOS grow many small cysts on their ovaries. That is why it is called polycystic ovary syndrome. The cysts are not harmful, but lead to hormone imbalances.

In addition, women with PCOS appear to be at increased risk of developing the following health problems during their lives:

Insulin resistance
Diabetes
Lipid abnormalities
Obstructive sleep apnea
Cardiovascular disease
Endometrial carcinoma (cancer)

Because there is such variability in the clinical presentation of PCOS, there is not universal agreement among health professionals on how to best define the syndrome. What is clear, however, is that women with the disorder do not ovulate in a predictable manner and that women with PCOS also produce excessive quantities of androgens (particularly testosterone).
Polycystic ovaries are not present in all women diagnosed with PCOS. Also, many women with regular menstrual periods and normal testosterone levels have cystic ovaries."
Posted by iluvmyairman at 22:26