Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome & Lifestyle

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a lot more common than most women think. If you have recently been diagnosed, it's important to understand the disease, how to manage it, and what it means for the future.

What is PCOS?

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is shockingly prevalent — up to one in 10 women in their reproductive years are believed to live with this condition. Up to 2 million women live with PCOS just in the UK. The condition affects how a woman's ovaries work and causes three main problems:

1. Cysts that develop in the ovaries (small and polycystic)
2. Your ovaries do not release eggs on a regular basis
3. Having high levels of "male hormones" called androgens in your body

These cysts are produced from under developed sacs from where eggs have grown, where the eggs are unable to be released — meaning ovulation does not occur. As a result, a woman with PCOS may not experience menstruation on a regular basis, as most women do.

More and more people have been describing PCOS as an intersex condition (disorder of sexual development) in recent years. It is not. PCOS only affects biological women, as the fact that ovarian cysts are one of the main symptoms already suggests. PCOS is a syndrome rather than a disease, in reference to the fact that a specific set of symptoms occur together, but it can also be described as a hormonal condition.

Signs and Symptoms of PCOS

PCOS can cause many different symptoms, but many women have polycystic ovaries and have no symptoms at all. If you do start to experience them, they usually make an appearance in your late teens or early twenties.

The most common symptoms of PCOS include:

• Irregular periods or none at all. It is hard to diagnose PCOS on the basis of this symptom alone, as a lack of periods can be caused by many factors. Many women who have irregular periods never get it checked out because they put it down to external factors such as stress.
• Difficulty getting pregnant. Now obviously this symptom only becomes apparent when trying for a baby and again it can be left undiagnosed because every woman understands it can take time to become pregnant.
• Excessive hair growth. This is caused by the extra male hormones or androgens that are present when you suffer from this condition. The hair growth usually appears on the face, chest and back.
• Weight gain. Again very hard to associate weight gain with PCOS but combined with other symptoms its a key factor.
• Acne. Many PCOS sufferers have acne in their late twenties, when it should have cleared up by then.

As you can see from the list there are lots of reasons for each of the individual symptoms so diagnosing PCOS can be difficult.

See Also: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

If you think you have any of the symptoms above you should consult your GP as they can often rule out other causes and will check your blood pressure. Usually if your doctor suspects PCOS, a blood test is ordered to determine your hormone levels, and an ultrasound scan will also be used to see if there are cysts on the ovaries. However, diagnosing PCOS is normally the last option as many other causes are found for the symptoms.

Accurate Diagnosis Of PCOS

The above mentioned signs and symptoms are often related to a multitude of conditions so to be accurately diagnosed with PCOS you must show at least two of the following to fit the criteria for PCOS:

• Irregular or infrequent periods and anovulation — not releasing eggs
• A blood test that shows high levels of male hormones such as testosterone
• Scans that show you have polycystic ovaries

Only if you have 2 out of 3 of these results will a doctor diagnose PCOS, as the symptoms alone are not enough to warrant such a diagnosis.

Living with PCOS

PCOS cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be controlled and managed. There are lots of different treatments available as many people suffer from a combination of symptoms and not all.

Measure your BMI to establish if you are at a healthy level and if not take steps such as diet and exercise to improve the symptoms of PCOS. Include lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet to get the vitamins and minerals that you need as well as switching to wholegrain varieties of bread and pasta.

In terms of medication there are a few options that can be taken depending on the severity of your symptoms. Outlined below are the options your doctor may discuss with you:

• Irregular or absent periods. Usually patients are advised to take the contraceptive pill to induce regular periods or the alternative is to take progesterone tablets which are taken intermittently to induce an immediate period. This also reduces the long term risk of developing cancer of the womb lining which has been linked to not having periods.
• Fertility problems. When the time comes where you want to try to get pregnant, you should see your doctor as fertility treatment is the most common form of treatment sought after by PCOS sufferers. There are a range of fertility boosting drugs that your doctor can try.
• Unwanted hair growth. There are some medications that can help to control excessive hair growth and they are usually found in the combined contraceptive pill.

See Also: PCOS Treatment Options

Living with PCOS does not need to be life changing but there are going to be elements of your life that are different. Many people are glad to have a lack of menstruation but take responsibility and seek treatment to induce periods because this can have complications later in life. Also don't be afraid to seek help from others as its estimated that 1 on 5 women have some element of PCOS symptoms so join an online forum or ask friends if you think you may have the condition or are newly diagnosed — or if that fails comment below, as I am a PCOS sufferer myself!