Thursday, February 24, 2011

PCOS: Soul Cysters

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. I've spent so long being bummed and depressed because I suffer from that, partly because I felt like I was one of the only people my age that do. Well that I am associated with anyways. I also had my thyroid check because of all the weight gain I had. Luckily my test came out normal, but it seems like I was almost hoping that it wouldn't so I would have something else to blame my unhappiness on. Anywhoo. Yes, I have started my journey on getting healthy and getting on with my life. I've been trying to lose weight and get healthy and be happy again. It's a crazy journey, and I know I've put myself out there and might get some ridicule or whatnot.. but I feel like this is a way I can hold myself accountable for my fitness. Now with the PCOS I don't want to get too much on the personal side but basically.. I'm 26. And I want babies. You could imagine how this illness makes that quite difficult for prenancy. And the weight gain doesn't help. I don't know too much about it because I have focused on being angry because my body has let me down. I've spent so much time moping and crying and saying "why me? why now? why ever?" I don't really know what else to type right now but here is some information:

What is PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common female endocrine disorder, affecting approximately 5%-10% of all females. PCOS is a hormonal disorder that involves multiple organ systems within the body, and is believed to be fundamentally caused by insensitivity to the hormone insulin. It can be diagnosed in all phases of life - in girls as young as 8-9 years of age, up through post-menopause. Although PCOS is one of the leading causes of infertility, the reproductive aspects of the disorder are secondary. PCOS is not limited to women of reproductive age or potential.
Common symptoms of PCOS include:
  • irregular or no menstrual periods (for women of reproductive age)
  • irregular ovulation, with or without monthly bleeding
  • acne
  • excess hair growth on the face and body
  • thinning scalp hair
  • accumulation of unruptured follicles on the periphery of the ovaries (mislabeled as "cysts", often called polycystic ovaries)
It is not necessary to have all of these symptoms to have PCOS. In fact it is not necessary to have "polycystic ovaries" to have PCOS. PCOS manifests itself differently in each woman.
In addition to the above, approximately 60% of women with PCOS have weight management issues which can lead to obesity with only normal caloric intake. Energy in the form of glucose (food) is stored right away as fat, instead of being made available for other functions within the body. This can lead to chronic fatigue and undernourishment, despite the fact that there is adequate food intake and even an appearance of overnourishment. However, it's important to note that 40% of women with PCOS are of normal weight, or even fall under a normal weight range.
There is no cure for PCOS, but it can be successfully managed through diet, exercise, and in some cases medical intervention. Management of PCOS is essential, as unmanaged PCOS can progress to diabetes, and can also lead to certain forms of cancer if unaddressed. Proper management of PCOS often eliminates all symptoms. Some women with managed PCOS are among the healthiest within the population because of their lifestyle choices

xo

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