As always with my medical related posts, I am going to talk about what said condition is, the symptoms, how it's diagnosed and finally what the treatments are.
What is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?
According to Mayo Clinic, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS for short), is a disorder common amongst women of reproductive age. Cysts form on the ovaries which mess up the hormones associated with the menstrual cycle. The cysts prevent the ovaries from regular releasing an egg. Women with this condition may have irregular or prolonged periods or a large amount of the make hormone (androgen).
Symptoms & diagnosis.
Symptoms of PCOS are irregular or prolonged periods, elevated levels of the make hormone which causes excess facial and body hair, and occasionally severe acne and baldness. You may also have enlarged ovaries with cysts on them which prevent the ovary from doing is job. Other symptoms include elevated insulin levels, anxiety, depression, infertility, and weight gain.
The only real way to see if you have PCOS or not is a simple blood tests. The test will measure hormone levels. This will exclude causes of menstrual abnormalities. If you have an elevated androgen levels, you most likely have PCOS.
Alternative testing include a pelvic exam to look for abnormal growths in your reproductive organs, and an ultrasound to see if you have any cysts on your ovaries. The thickness of the lining of your uterus is also measured during this exam.
The number one treatment medication wise is birth control pills that contain estrogen and progestin. These two hormones together decrease androgen production ad regular estrogen. Making sure your hormone levels say regular lowers your risk of endometrial cancer, excess hair growth and acne.
If you've been on birth control before to regulate your menstrual cycle (like I was) and you had a bad reaction to it your doctor may suggest progestin therapy (which is what I do). Taking progestin (aka minipill) for 10-14 days every three months can also regulate your period and protect against endometrial cancer. Unfortunately, progestin therapy doesn't decrease androgen levels and won't prevent pregnancy.
And that concludes my post on PCOS. If you liked this post don't forget to give it a +1 on Google+, share with all your friends and leave me a comment below if you also have this condition or you know someone who might. See you all in a week.
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