Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Hey Y’all! Let’s talk POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS)! At first glance, you may be thinking, “What does PCOS have to do with DIABETES & PREDIABETES?” Well, I wanted to briefly discuss PCOS as it relates to a person’s risk for diabetes. If you read my previous post HERE, I mentioned it as one of the risk factors. I realize that some may not be familiar with PCOS but it is more common than you would think and the reason I want to discuss this is because women with PCOS commonly experience Insulin Resistance. Now let me give this disclaimer, I am not an expert in this but I felt it necessary to flesh this out a bit and to give some insight into this syndrome (The More You Know, The More You Grow!) :0) The woman with PCOS would definitely need an OB-GYN (in some cases, one that specializes in fertility) & an Endocrinologist so don’t be hesitant to refer out to a specialist. With that being said…let’s get into!
What is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?
According to the Office of Women’s Health, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a health problem that affects 1 in 10 women of childbearing age. Women with PCOS have a hormonal imbalance and metabolism problems that may affect their overall health and appearance. PCOS is also a common and treatable cause of infertility. Now this hormonal imbalance creates issues with the ovaries which prevents the egg from the ovary every month from being released. Clearly, if there are no eggs being released, irregular or even missed periods will occur that can lead to infertility.
Photo from https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/polycystic-ovary-syndrome#10
What are the signs & symptoms of PCOS?
You typically will see this in women between the ages of 15-44 and the signs you could see are:
Irregular or missed periods usually fewer than eight
Hirsutism, hair growth in the pattern growth of a male (ie facial hair)
Acne
Thinning hair
Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
Darkened skin
Skin tags
Look at the above list as a whole…if a person is experiencing a hormonal imbalance, think about what kind of things would manifest. When you think about it that way, a lot of the above makes sense.
Is PCOS preventable?
Essentially, a person cannot help a hormonal imbalance but they can definitely reduce their risks through, you guessed it, LIFESTYLYE MODIFICATIONS!! Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight can definitely lower the risk and aid in reversal of insulin resistance.
How can I treat PCOS?
Again, according to Women’s Health, losing weight & medication are common treatments for PCOS. Metformin is the common medication as well hormonal birth control.
*The Office of Women’s Health has a GREAT Fact Sheet! I’ll link it >HERE<
Well guys, that’s all I got! Make sure to check out the websites and resources linked throughout the post and if you have not already, download your FREE Diabetes Starter Pack below. It’s filled with resources over the foundational components of Diabetes Management. Also, I linked the video below I made over prediabetes earlier in the week. Until next time…
