What is PCOS?
A polycystic ovarian syndrome that causes irregular menstrual cycles, ovulation problems, hormone disturbances, primarily increased androgens like testosterone, hair growth in unwanted places, insulin resistance, obesity, infertility, and multiple ovarian cysts—the place where the excess hormones are produced.
Why women suffer from PCOS?
It’s annoying, menstrual disturbances, infertility, obesity, and increased risk of some types of cancer like uterine and possibly ovaries.
Women with PCOS are at increased risk for glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus; hepatic steatosis and metabolic syndrome; hypertension, high cholesterol, blood clots, strokes, and possibly cardiovascular events; subfertility and obstetric complications; mood and psychosexual disorders.
What is the main cause of PCOS?
Unknown genetics, multifactorial, and of course hormonal disbalance.
How do you come to know if u have PCOS?
See symptoms above, blood tests to measure hormones like LH and FSH, insulin, testosterone.
What are the symptoms of PCOS?
Irregular or missed periods, lack of ovulation, excess fat around the abdomen, hair growth in unwanted places, loss of hair on the head, acne, brownish patches around groin, neck, armpits—acanthosis nigricans
In what age group is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) commonly diagnosed?
’20-’30s
What Causes PCOS and How Will it Affect Women Body?
Unknown cause or genetics, Acne, hair growth in unwanted places or hair loss on head, obesity, primarily abdominal
Are PCOD and PCOS the same?
They are used interchangeably.
What are the types of PCOS?
1) hyperandrogenism+oligo-anovulation+polycystic ovarian morphology; excess androgens, infrequent or lack of ovulation, excess cysts on the ovaries
2) hyperandrogenism+oligo-anovulation; same except lack of multiple cysts on ovaries
3) hyperandrogenism+polycystic ovarian morphology, excess androgens, ovulation intact and regular periods, cysts on ovaries
4) oligo-anovulation+polycystic ovarian morphology,–infrequent or lack of ovulation and multiple cysts on ovaries but no evidence of excess androgens
Hyper androgens can lead to acne, excess hair growth in unwanted places, loss of hair on the head.
What is the Link Between PCOS and Mental Health in Women?
Any distressing chronic disease can be linked to anxiety and depression.
A study out of Poland and a few others shows an increased prevalence of various psychiatric disorders could be observed in women with PCOS, such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, personality disorders, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and eating disorders.
Two studies assessed the prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders among women with PCOS and had found a prevalence of 28% and 39% for anxiety and 11% and 25% for depression. The study was done by Sundararaman et al. in 2008 had determined psychological distress in these patients was significantly related to obesity, infertility, acne, and hirsutism-excess androgens.
In the study conducted by Chaudhari et al., of 70 females, 27 were found to have an anxiety disorder, while 18 were found to be suffering from depressive disorders. Thus, the prevalence of anxiety disorders in our study sample was 38.6%, and the prevalence of depressive disorders was 25.7%.
Ten women had mixed anxiety depression, seven had mixed anxiety disorders, six had depressive episodes, four had social phobia, three generalized anxiety disorder, three had panic disorder, and two had dysthymia.
Ten females (14.3%) suffered from both anxiety and depression. A total of 35 patients, or 50%, had neither anxiety nor depression.
It was found that mild, moderate, and severe anxiety was present in 62.90%, 29.60%, and 7.40%, respectively, while 50% had mild, 38.8% had moderate, and 11.10% had severe depressive symptoms.
Can PCOS go away?
NO
How to Manage PCOS?
Weight loss, metformin—to help insulin resistance, ovulation-inducing agents, birth controls to suppress excess androgens, other anti-androgen medications, laser hair removal, anti-acne meds, and topicals. Counseling and medications for psychological disorders
