What is PCOS? Unfortunately, you'll find that it isn't a super straight forward disorder. PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, which basically means you have multiple cysts on your ovaries, but this isn't the case for all women suffering from this condition (such as myself). You can hold many symptoms of PCOS and not have any cysts appear in an ultrasound on your ovaries or you could have a single large one that must be surgically removed or several small ones clustered around one ovary. It completely depends on the person.
How common is PCOS? You will find it across the board reported that 1 in every 10 women have it, which is 10 million women in the US alone, so this is actually quite common. It affects women of all ages, races, and ethnicities so I bet you know several people who have it. You may remember a friend growing up that had crazy periods and realize she was dealing with this. I know I figured out in adulthood that one of my best friends was suffering from Endometriosis (I'll feature this topic later) when we were teens, always missing school from how severely painful and heavy her periods were, vomiting just from the onset of it. I also distinctly remember her father not believing her that her period could really be "that bad" as she would lay in her bed with a heating pad across her lap for hours. Sadly, even other females can doubt the extremity of your symptoms when it hasn't been their own experience, which is why it's so important to spread knowledge of how these conditions rear their ugly head and teach others to recognize unusual symptoms as an actual sign of something wrong.
What does PCOS look like? For many women, this condition is suspected after continuous missed periods for no good reason. This means you are not pregnant, anorexic, or an Olympic athlete working out too hard to menstruate, yet your period just doesn't come. Some women will still have PMS and pain just no blood. Other women will get their periods, but never at the same time (me). Other annoying symptoms of PCOS include infertility or difficulty conceiving, insulin resistance, adult acne, excessive hair growth or male-pattern hair loss, and sudden weight gain which is difficult to lose. These occurrences are as a result of a hormonal imbalance where the women affected have more Testosterone than they should. In my opinion, this fact is the most frustrating part of the problem because it makes you feel like less of a woman (or more of a man) and that can really hurt a coming-of-age-girl's self esteem. I've battled with the hair growth on the chin, stomach, and breasts issue since junior high and spend a good deal of time shaving and plucking every day.
How do you get a PCOS diagnosis? The most common tests are blood tests (at different times of the month since you need to see your levels before and after your period, since they change) and an ultrasound. You must make sure to test all of your hormones, which includes LH, DHEA, FSH, Prolactin, Progesterone, Androstenedione, Estrogen, Testosterone, TSH, and your glucose level. You can have these tests done with your gynecologist or an endocrinologist. I personally went to several different doctors over the years before getting my official diagnosis at 27, but I'd pretty much known I had this since the age of 12 when my periods lasted for 2 full weeks. I had to eat Iron Kids' Bread each day of menstruation to ensure I didn't become anemic.
How do you treat PCOS? Polycystic ovary syndrome is considered chronic, meaning you will have to manage the symptoms your whole life, but there are some helpful ways to make that life more bearable. Doctors typically prescribe birth control pills (why I've been on them since 14) to regulate your periods, which can be really helpful if you're the paranoid type that does worry if you're pregnant every time it's late or non-existent. This predictability can give you some control back, which goes a long way in feeling like you are managing your health and not letting it manage you. Taking fake estrogen helps balance out your levels so it will elevate up to where your testosterone lies. Another option is taking a testosterone blocker to calm down the acne and hair growth. I tried this one as well, when my dermatologist recommended Spironolactone, but I ended up having an allergic reaction to it and had to stop taking it after just 2 doses. Many women report that eating a special diet, such as veganism, allowed their symptoms to disappear. You can also try taking herbs that Chinese medicine or Native American tribes swear by to regulate your hormones or increase fertility, like chaste berry, black or blue cohosh, saw palmetto, cinnamon, damiana, dong quia, glutamine, garcinia camboga, licorice, milk thistle, unicorn root, wild yam, siberian ginseng, squaw vine, tulsi, or motherwort. I didn't feel a difference after taking chaste berry supplements for months, but tried some gummies known as FLO vitamins composed of several of these herbs and actually felt worse. Other women experience relief through alternative methods like acupuncture or reflexology. I encourage you to discuss your options with your doctor and be open minded to try different approaches to find what works best for you.
To read personal stories written by other women with PCOS, you can check out the guest blogs at theunhappypelvis.com. For more specific scientific information on PCOS or ways you can contribute to the cause, you can go to https://www.pcosaa.org/. Whether you yourself are experiencing symptoms, or you just want to help out a friend, there are lots of sources out there with an abundance of information allowing you to tackle this condition head on.