Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Awareness

In my previous post, I briefly mentioned that I have polycystic ovarian syndrome. I would like to share more about the syndrome, not to draw attention to myself or have a pity party, but to spread awareness because, if left untreated, PCOS can become life threatening. I want to do my part to help others, and awareness is the first step to finding a solution.

What is PCOS?

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (also called polycystic ovary syndrome) is the most common endocrine disorder, affecting 5-10% of the female population. PCOS is also the number one cause of infertility among women.

In a nutshell, here’s what happens: In a normal female body, hormones are produced that signal the release of eggs from the ovaries (ovulation). Once the egg is released, progesterone is released from the mature follicle (a follicle is a fluid-filled sac in the ovary that releases the egg). The progesterone causes the uterine lining to thicken, leading to menstruation. In a female with PCOS, the body doesn’t make enough hormones for an egg to mature. The follicles grow, but none fully mature. These immature follicles can become cysts. Because no egg is released, no progesterone is released, and the uterine lining doesn’t thicken. The exact cause of PCOS is unknown, but many now believe the disorder is genetic.

Complications

Because PCOS causes many women to be overweight, and because it interferes with metabolism, having PCOS can increase your risk of the following:

• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Cardiovascular disease
• Endometrial cancer
• Breast cancer
• Gestational diabetes or pregnancy-induced high blood pressure
• Metabolic syndrome
• Infertility
• Miscarriages

Women with PCOS are 4 to 7 times more likely to have a heart attack, regardless of if they are thin or not. More than half of women with PCOS will have diabetes or pre-diabetes by age 40. Most women with PCOS crave sugary foods, and eating those sugary foods only increases your risk of other health problems.

The more I read about PCOS and the long-term conditions it can cause, the more I come to realize is this: PCOS makes it very easy for you to gain weight (i.e. sugar cravings), but it makes it very difficult for you to lose weight. PCOS puts you at risk for other serious problems, then makes it harder for you to reduce that risk.

As For Me…

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 16. Early diagnosis is very beneficial because it can help lower your risk of long-term complications. An ultrasound was done during the initial diagnosis and no cysts were found. I have been on medication since then and I hope that because I’ve been on medication, I won’t have any cysts develop… But it is called polycystic ovarian syndrome, so I’m sure I’ll have to deal with cysts at some point.

I’m not sure why I didn’t take better care of myself when I was first diagnosed. When I first started taking the medication, I lost quite a bit of weight… 60 pounds in about three months, actually. I felt great and was proud of my dramatic weight loss. Because I was young and ignorant, I guess I felt that if I continued to take the medication, my weight would no longer be an issue. So I didn’t really make any efforts to change my eating habits. I slowly gained back all of the weight I had originally lost, plus a little more.

So why now? What changed? In my previous post, Motivation, I explained how various health factors encouraged me to lose weight. Then…

I was cruising through Pinterest the other day and I saw a pin that said, “I wear teal for me. Support PCOS awareness.” Wait, what? PCOS awareness? I had no idea there was an awareness ribbon. When I was first diagnosed, PCOS wasn’t a well-known disorder. I did do some online research back then, but I mostly found medical information on sites like WebMD.com. I didn’t find any sort of awareness or support sites. After seeing that pin on Pinterest, I googled PCOS and found all kinds of new information. I even ordered a workbook from one site so I can learn how to take better care of myself. Now that I know there is a whole community of women with PCOS who support and encourage each other, I feel empowered.

When I was 16 and told I needed to change the way I ate, I was overwhelmed by the thought of such a dramatic change. My doctor was suggesting all kinds of foods I had never heard of. And since I was already losing weight thanks to the meds, I figured I didn’t need to change after all. But now, since I’m already learning healthier eating habits because of Weight Watchers, I know I can take it one step further and learn how to eat as a woman with PCOS. Diet is so crucial with this disorder. I now want to learn how to eat properly. I never wanted that before.

I want to be proactive. My health is in MY hands, no one else’s. I am responsible, ME. No one else. I’m determined to take good care of myself and live a healthy lifestyle. PCOS will NOT determine my future. I will.  

For More Information

If you’d like more info on PCOS, I’ve found WebMD and Mayo Clinic helpful when trying to understand the physiology of the disorder. For nutrition information, I've found the PCOS Nutrition Center to be particularly helpful. If you'd like PCOS awareness wrist bands or other jewelry, Aerabella's Boutique has some great stuff.