POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME - A WEIGHTY SUBJECT

Before I catapult myself into a true, unsightly and overpowering pity-party about how frustrated I am with absolutely everything right now, I thought I would use this negative energy and channel it into something productive. Therefore, I am going to talk about something that I've been diagnosed with and have struggled with for over 15 years. I think it's important to talk about because so many women may have this syndrome but no one either a) speaks about it or b) knows anything about it!

It's called PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Although the medical term sounds quite misleading (not everyone with PCOS has polycystic ovaries), it's a serious endocrine disorder with a host of serious consequences if not diagnosed and treated accordingly.

This endocrine disorder affects approximately 7% of all women. It occurs amongst all races and nationalities and is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age. And it's the leading cause of infertility. PCOS is an inherited disease.

Why discuss PCOS in a weight loss blog? Good question! While the causes are unknown, insulin resistance, diabetes and obesity are all strongly correlated with PCOS. Therefore, not only am I battling my body over losing weight and becoming healthy in general, I also struggle within the confines of PCOS which makes the journey a little more difficult to climb...and more frustrating! Once you read further about the syndrome, I think you'll understand better why losing weight and becoming healthy is an even MORE important goal for me, my future health and my family due to the serious risk factors I will likely face as I grow older.

What are the symptoms? Another excellent question! :)Irregular, few or absent menstrual periods. Infertility usually due to lack of ovulation. Hirsutism. Hair loss. Acne. Obesity (one in two women with PCOS are obese). Depression. Polycystic ovaries. Hormonal imbalances.

Risk factors include: Heart disease risk factors of weight gain, cholesterol problems, high blood pressure, stroke, insulin resistance and diabetes. PCOS may also increase the risk of developing endometrial cancer. Miscarriage. Infertility. Depression.

Here are some startling facts:

• More than 50 percent of women with PCOS will have diabetes or pre-diabetes before the age of 40.
• Women with PCOS have 4 - 7 times higher risk of heart attack than women of the same age without PCOS.
• Women with PCOS are at greater risk for having high blood pressure.
• Women with PCOS have high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.
• Women with PCOS have a greater risk of getting endometrial cancer.
• Suicide attempts are 7 times more common in women with PCOS.

Here is a nerdy flow-chart about insulin resistance and PCOS.....


What is the treatment? Unfortunately...there is no cure for PCOS. It needs to be managed to prevent problems such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. Some treatments involve birth control pills, diabetes medication, fertility medication, surgery and lifestyle modification.

Lifestyle modification includes keeping a healthy weight by eating healthy foods and exercising. Eat few processed foods and more whole-grain products, fruits, vegetables and lean meats to help lower blood sugar levels, improve the body's use of insulin and normalize hormone levels.



For more information on PCOS: PCO Support or Soul Cysters