October 8th, 2012
A common debilitating symptom for those of us with PCOS is a frequent sense of exhaustion.
Given this feeling, regular exercise may seem like the last thing that you want to do. But making the effort to include physical activity like brisk walks in your daily routine can reward you with great benefits surprisingly quickly.
Exercise gives you an opportunity to release sapping stress while giving you new energy to lose weight. These factors, in turn, can invigorate you and begin to banish fatigue.
Take control of your tiredness by making exercise a habit most days. After consulting your doctor about any new activity regime, try, if possible, to schedule your activity for the same time. That way, your body will come to expect healthy exercise and look forward to it. You’ll soon feel an improvement in your energy levels.
October 5th, 2012
Did you know some women do not have polycystic cysts yet suffer from one or more PCOS symptoms? The latter are huge in range and can include excess facial and body hair, skin conditions, menstrual irregularity and infertility, thyroid problems and chronic fatigue?
Conversely, many women have cysts on their ovaries but don’t suffer from the symptoms of PCOS. As many as 25% of the female population are thought to have polycystic ovaries, though only around half of them are diagnosed with PCOS symptoms.
This confusing state of affairs is why it’s so important to learn as much as you can about PCOS and polycystic ovaries, relate that information to the way you feel, personally, and then ask your doctor for advice if you think you may be suffering from either condition.
Fortunately, PCOS and polycystic ovaries are reversible.
October 2nd, 2012
If you suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome and feel exhausted all the time, you may also have autoimmune thyroiditis.
Some 40% of women with PCOS also have autoimmune thyroiditis and are six and a half times more likely to have autoimmune thyroid damage than women without PCOS, according to a study in the European Journal of Endocrinology.
The increased risk may be linked to low progesterone levels, leading to over stimulation of the immune system. It may also explain the increased risk of inflammation and other examples of autoimmune disease in women with PCOS.
Thyroid hormones are important to almost every major function in your body. They impact your cardiovascular system, metabolism, fertility and energy levels.
Make sure your doctor does a complete thyroid test along with your PCOS tests. Be sure he or she tests your thyroid antibodies as well as your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) levels.
Ensure your doctor is using the most recent TSH standards. Many women have been told they don’t have a thyroid problem when in fact they DO under the most recent guidelines.
October 1st, 2012
Those of us with PCOS can be prone to an under-active thyroid gland – a condition also called hypothyroidism.
This disorder may lead to an increase in free testosterone, the latter being one of the factors contributing to PCOS symptoms such as infertility, polycystic ovaries, excess facial and body hair, male pattern hair loss and acne. Women with hypothyroidism are also more likely to have the classic PCOS symptom of velvety, hyper pigmented skin folds called acanthosis nigrans.
The thyroid gland is located at the base of the neck in front of the windpipe. It makes, stores and releases two hormones – T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). Thyroid hormones set your metabolic “thermostat.” If hypothyroidism has switched that thermostat to “low”, it can be very difficult to lose or control weight for better management of PCOS.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism can include fatigue or weakness, weight gain, menstrual problems, lower body temperature, cold hands and feet, inability to focus, constipation, depression, muscle aches, brittle nails, dry skin and hair loss.
Thyroid disease is usually diagnosed by a combination of symptoms, a doctor’s exam to screen thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and lab tests, though TSH doesn’t always respond correctly to low thyroid hormone levels.
Consult your doctor if you think you may have undiagnosed hypothyroidism because it could be complicating your PCOS problems, especially if you have a weight problem in spite of consistent efforts with diet and exercise.
