I was diagnosed with PCOS after 3 years of pain, never-ending periods, acne and major facial hair growth. Doctor upon doctor had no clue as to what was wrong with me, yet this is one of the most common female diseases out there ! The word needs to be spread. Help is there, you just need an educated doctor to help you get it.
Your Cybercyster in space,
Jennifer
"In PCOD the ovary is symmetrically enlarged and is riddled with
small follicular cysts of about 0.5-1.0 cm in diameter. As many as
30 cysts may be seen at one time. PCOD is a hormone problem
defined by the collection its symptoms."
It is thought to be a lifetime female hormonal imbalance where
maturing eggs fail to be expelled from the ovary, creating an ovary filled with immature follicles (somewhat misleadingly labeled "cysts"). The cysts then contribute to the hormonal imbalance…which causes more cysts… What causes this cycle to start is not well understood, and probably varies from patient to patient: Insulin? Diet? Stress? Fat? Glandular & hormone problems? Are all implicated in the causation.
The most common symptoms and/or indicators of PCOD are:
*Lack of periods, or extremely irregular periods
*Male body hair patterns - Head hair thinning, excess growth on face (upper lip and chin) & pubic region.
*Early development of breast.
*Male fat storage patterns -- Abdominal storage, rather than standard female pattern on thighs, hips and waist. (Apple shape instead of pear shape)
*History of infertility, despite regular, unprotected intercourse (irregular ovulation reduces the odds of pregnancy each month)
*Abdominal pain, usually mid cycle.
*Positive Family History - A sister, mother or grandmother with similar symptoms.
*Adult acne
You may have only one or two symptoms, or like me, have almost all. Either way, if you feel like this could be talking about you, PLEASE contact your ob/gyn, an endocrinologist, or a reproductive doctor to be tested.
Full of information, helpful links, and best of all, Cybercysters !!!