Keep in mind that I am not a medical professional and this article is by no means meant to scare anyone or meant to be used to diagnose yourself. If after reading this article you have questions, ask your doctor. Remember to be in tune with your body and tell your doctor about any changes that happen. There is nothing wrong with being aware and asking questions. Keep in mind that everyone is different, you may have these symptoms and not have an infertility disease, or you might have different symptoms (or no symptoms at all) of infertility. These are just some of the indicators that I was told were symptoms of my personal infertility from my OB/GYN.
Polycystic ovary syndrome, often referred to as PCOS, is defined as an inherited disorder that often causes infertility and is a common cause of hirsutism in females. It is also characterized by cysts and enlarged ovaries. This is a contributing factor of infertility in women with PCOS.
Common symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome can include the following:
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Weight gain
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Facial hair
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Acne
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Dark spots
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Thinning hair
A major problem with diagnosing polycystic ovary syndrome is that most young women pass off weight gain, acne, and thinning hair as being stress-related. The same can be true for other symptoms such as irregular periods, fatigue, mood swings, and craving sweets. Personally, I crave foods such as cookies, Italian bread, and pizza.
Polycystic ovary syndrome is not something that can be cured necessarily, but it can be managed. There are a variety of ways to combat the symptoms of PCOS, from birth control to diet and exercise. Most people use a combination of methods depending on the severity of their PCOS and their lifestyle. The one thing that works for me when it comes to losing weight is eating a low-carb diet. This is also beneficial because PCOS is also linked to insulin resistance and most people with PCOS are either pre-diabetic or become diabetic later on in life. I am also taking prenatal vitamins because in most cases individuals that have polycystic ovary syndrome can benefit from nutrients such as folic acid and iodine which are found in some prenatal vitamins. Prenatals also have a wide variety of other vitamins that can be helpful when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight and preventing other diseases.
Some other methods of managing polycystic ovary syndrome are through hormones, such as combination birth control or through progestin therapy. In most cases, women who have PCOS produce more androgen. To combat the symptoms associated with androgen excess someone may be prescribed medication, such as Spironolactone. Spironolactone blocks androgen’s effects on the skin. There are also creams that can be prescribed to slow facial hair growth and even birth control that can be taken to decrease the amount of androgen produced.
If you are diagnosed I encourage you to join groups on Facebook to talk to others affected by the disease and to do your own research. There may be alternative methods that can help alleviate your symptoms of PCOS. You will also have an outlet to ask for advice and discuss any research you have done. I have joined multiple groups on Facebook and have even done my own research on how having polycystic ovary syndrome can impact other aspects of my life as well as ways to help alleviate symptoms. One of my favorite blogs that I found recently while writing this article actually, is pcosgirl.com. There are a number of resources including low-carb recipes that sound amazing.
Don’t lose hope and remember you are not alone.