November 28th, 2012
One of the most insidious aspects of PCOS is that it has so many diverse and apparently unrelated symptoms.
Up to 20 have been counted. The symptoms include everything from weight gain and an inability to lose weight, absent or irregular periods (amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea), infertility and excess facial and body (hirsuitism) to thinining hair, acne and ovarian cysts. The list can also include fatigue, mood swings, sleep apnea as well as high levels of heart-damaging cholesterol and blood pressure, which, if neglected, can lead to metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
As if all those weren’t enough, there’s a new sympton to look out for: urinary problems.
Researchers in Turkey were studying 140 women with PCOS when they discovered a link between high testosterone levels associated with the disorder and increased urinary urgency, incontinence, a need to urinate at night, bladder or pelvic pain and pain during sexual intercourse.
So if you’re having trouble with your bladder and your doctor has not found an infection or other clear cause, it could be that high levels of testosterone brought on by PCOS are contributing to the problem. Be sure to report this possibility to your doctor.
There are at least three self-help measures you can take to bring your hormones, including testosterone, into better balance. First, consume more whole foods and minimize processed, manufactured foods of all kinds. Second, reduce your exposure to chronic stress. And third, get regular exercise and be physically active.
November 7th, 2012
To control the symptoms of their condition many women with PCOS take birth control pills. But research has raised concerns regarding the long-term safety of seeking relief from PCOS in this way.
Newer “third generation anti-androgen” birth control pills contain a synthetic constituent called drospirenone, which mimics the essential female hormone called progesterone. These pills are often prescribed to women with PCOS because their condition can play havoc with hormone levels, lowering progesterone and producing excess levels of androgens – male hormones which include testosterone.
Yasmine is one of these newer birth control pills and it was included in a study by the University of Wisconsin, where researchers tested mental agility among a group of women who were taking various oral contraceptives or none at all.
Women using the older types of a birth control pill with an androgenic effect performed the mental test better than anyone else, including women who were not using birth control pills.
However, Yasmin users not only performed more poorly on the mental task compared to older generation pill users but they performed significantly worse than women using no birth control at all.
The researchers concluded that “visuospatial performance is hindered with the introduction of anti-androgenic preparations.”
October 19th, 2012
If you or someone you know suffers from excess facial hair (hirsutism), there’s a strong chance it’s a sign of PCOS, according to a report.
Estimates of how many females are affected are likely to be under-estimated because some women are reluctant to seek help out of embarrassment.
As many as 15% of women and teenage females have excess facial hair and PCOS is the cause in 70% to 80% of cases, say researchers.
The male hormone testosterone occurs naturally in women in small amounts. But PCOS causes a hormonal imbalance resulting in excess levels of testosterone, often an underlying factor in cases of increased facial and body hair. A balanced, nutritious diet and regular exercise, as advocated by the Insulite PCOS System, can help to lower testosterone levels.
Women and female teenagers worried about excess facial hair should consult their doctor to be tested for PCOS, say researchers.
In addition to PCOS, rarer causes of excessive facial hair include certain tumors, as well as thyroid dysfunction and the use of some drugs.
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.
