Mood swings: Because of the hormonal imbalance, women with PCOS also have a higher risk for depression, anxiety and extreme or rapid changes in mood. Heavy, painful periods: PCOS can cause painful periods with heavy bleeding. This can cause additional issues, such as anemia, and is often unpleasant and even scary.
Women who have PCOS have higher levels of male hormones and are also less sensitive to insulin or are "insulin-resistant." Many are overweight or obese. As a result, these women can be at a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, and uterine cancer.
It's usually large and bloated but can also be small and round, depending on genes and other factors. It involves visceral fat accumulation in the lower abdomen and typically feels hard to touch. A PCOS belly is also characterized by a high waist-to-hip ratio of >0.87 (apple body shape).
Symptoms: there are no noticeable symptoms in around half of women with the condition, and there is usually no vaginal soreness or itching. Symptoms may include a greyish-white, thin and watery vaginal discharge with a strong fishy smell, especially after sex.
The easiest way of controlling PCOS is to go on the combined pill (such as Yasmin or Zoely) which prevents recruitment of new egg-follicles and stops the problem from getting worse.
PCOS can be difficult to diagnose because some of its symptoms have a variety of potential causes. For example, heavy menstrual bleeding could be caused by a range of conditions, such as uterine fibroids, polyps, bleeding disorders, certain medications, or pelvic inflammatory disease, in addition to PCOS.
Yes, you can receive a VA disability rating for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) if you began being treated for the condition during your military service and you continue having symptoms now.
Symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
difficulty getting pregnant as a result of irregular ovulation or no ovulation. excessive hair growth (hirsutism) – usually on the face, chest, back or buttocks. weight gain.
Irregular periods.
Having few menstrual periods or having periods that aren't regular are common signs of PCOS . So is having periods that last for many days or longer than is typical for a period. For example, you might have fewer than nine periods a year. And those periods may occur more than 35 days apart.
In PCOS, the blood contains an excess of androgens giving rise to symptoms, such as acne, excess body hair, and menstrual irregularities. The excess of androgens is associated with imbalances in other hormones (such as follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estrogen, and progesterone).
A medicine called clomifene may be the first treatment recommended for women with PCOS who are trying to get pregnant. Clomifene encourages the monthly release of an egg from the ovaries (ovulation). If clomifene is unsuccessful in encouraging ovulation, another medicine called metformin may be recommended.
Best age to get pregnant with PCOS
The best time for women with PCOS to get pregnant is before they turn 30. It's possible to conceive up to the age of 37, but fertility declines after the age of 32 with steeper decline occurring after age 37.
Certain drugs have been proven to induce ovulation in people with PCOS. The medications clomiphene and letrozole are taken orally, while gonadotropins are given by injection. Surgery: A surgical procedure can help restore ovulation by removing tissue in your ovaries that produces androgen hormones.
Typical signs in females are breast development, body odor, body hair, acne, mood swings, and menstruation. If you have experienced growth of facial hair or excess body hair, significant weight gain, worsening acne, and infrequent or prolonged periods, you might have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
To diagnose PCOS, an endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in hormonal disorders, conducts a physical exam. He or she checks you for increased body and facial hair, thinning scalp hair, acne, and other symptoms of increased androgen levels.
PCOS and physical appearance
PCOS can cause a range of physical changes caused by increased androgen levels—a type of male hormone. These changes can include excessive hair growth, acne, and male-pattern baldness. The changes can be distressing and significantly impact a woman's self-esteem and body image.
Hard to Touch: A PCOS belly typically feels hard to the touch due to the accumulation of visceral fat in the lower abdomen. High Waist-to-Hip Ratio: Many women with PCOS have a waist-to-hip ratio of >0.87, which is often referred to as an apple body shape.
One out of three people with PCOS don't struggle with their weight, but still have the condition. What does lean PCOS mean for their health and lifestyle? While the majority of people with PCOS have excess weight, it is possible to have the condition and still have a BMI within normal range.