September is PCOS Awareness Month!

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a very common genetic disorder. Approximately 10 percent of women in the US have PCOS. Signs, and symptoms vary and may include:

-Excessive hair on face, and body (hirsuitism)
-Acne
-Darkened color, and change in texture of the skin along neck, airpits, groin, and inner thighs
-Obesity, rapid weight gain, stretch marks
-Difficulty losing weight despite diet, and exercise
-Irregular periods (or no periods)
-Difficulty getting pregnant or recurrent miscarriage
-Recurrent vaginal infections
-Male pattern hair loss (on scalp)

The diagnosis of PCOS is typically made by your healthcare provider after reviewing your history, lab tests, and/or ultrasound results.

Treatment is designed to correct hormone imbalances and treat insulin resistance to decrease the symptoms of PCOS, and improve overall health. PCOS increases the risk of weight gain, and problems associated with obesity (high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers).

Weight reduction can be more difficult for patients with PCOS. Managing the hormone, and insulin imbalance along with consistent exercise, and a healthy diet can be helpful. Weight loss not only improves overall health and feels great, but can help cycles regulate, and improve chances of becoming pregnant.

I enjoy helping women with PCOS manage their condition as proactively as possible to improve their quality of life, and overall health, and also to reach their weight loss goals, and achieve pregnancy. If you have the signs, and symptoms of PCOS please make an appointment with your healthcare provider. To schedule an appointment with me, please call (435) 674-0999.

Thanks!

~Lisa

For more information on PCOS read the following comprehensive article from the Mayo Clinic:

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) — Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, treatment of this common hormonal disorder.

Definition
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a disorder involving infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. The ovaries develop numerous small cysts and may fail to release eggs.
Polycystic ovary syndromePolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age. The name of the condition comes from the appearance of the ovaries in most, but not all, women with the disorder — enlarged and containing numerous small cysts located along the outer edge of each ovary (polycystic appearance).

Infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods, excess hair growth, acne and obesity can all occur in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Menstrual abnormality may signal the condition in adolescence, or PCOS may become apparent later following weight gain or difficulty becoming pregnant.

The exact cause of polycystic ovary syndrome is unknown. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome may have trouble becoming pregnant due to infrequent or lack of ovulation. Early diagnosis and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome can help reduce the risk of long-term complications, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Symptoms
Polycystic ovary syndrome signs and symptoms often begin soon after you first begin having periods (menarche). In some cases, PCOS develops later on during your reproductive years, for instance, in response to substantial weight gain.

Signs and symptoms vary from person to person, in both type and severity. To be diagnosed with the condition, your doctor looks for at least two of the following:

Menstrual abnormality. This is the most common characteristic. Examples of menstrual abnormality include menstrual intervals longer than 35 days; fewer than eight menstrual cycles a year; failure to menstruate for four months or longer; and prolonged periods that may be scant or heavy.
Excess androgen. Elevated levels of male hormones (androgens) may result in physical signs, such as excess facial and body hair (hirsutism); adult acne or severe adolescent acne; and male-pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia). However, the physical signs of androgen excess vary with ethnicity, so depending on your ethnic background you may or may not show signs of excess androgen. For instance, women of Northern European or Asian descent may not be affected.
Polycystic ovaries. Enlarged ovaries containing numerous small cysts can be detected by ultrasound. Despite the condition's name, polycystic ovaries alone do not confirm the diagnosis. To be diagnosed with PCOS, you must also have abnormal menstrual cycles or signs of androgen excess. Some women with polycystic ovaries may not have PCOS, while a few women with the condition have ovaries that appear normal.
Other conditions associated with PCOS

Infertility. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome may have trouble becoming pregnant because they experience infrequent ovulation or a lack of ovulation. PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility.
Obesity. About half the women with polycystic ovary syndrome are obese. Compared with women of a similar age who don't have polycystic ovary syndrome, women with PCOS are more likely to be overweight or obese.
Prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Many women with polycystic ovary syndrome are insulin resistant, which impairs the body's ability to use insulin effectively to regulate blood sugar. This can result in high blood sugar and type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is also called impaired glucose tolerance.
Acanthosis nigricans. This is the medical term for darkened, velvety skin on the nape of your neck, armpits, inner thighs, vulva or under your breasts. This skin condition is a sign of insulin resistance.
When to see a doctor
Early diagnosis and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome may help reduce your risk of long-term complications, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

Talk with your doctor if you have menstrual irregularities — such as infrequent periods, prolonged periods or no menstrual periods — and have excess hair on your face and body or acne.

Causes
Your normal reproductive cycle is regulated by changing levels of hormones produced by the pituitary gland in your brain and by your ovaries. The pituitary gland produces follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), which control the growth and release of eggs (ovulation) in the ovaries. During a monthly cycle, ovulation occurs about two weeks before your period.

Your ovaries secrete the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which prepare the lining of the uterus to receive a fertilized egg. The ovaries also produce some male hormones (androgens), such as testosterone. If pregnancy doesn't occur, estrogen and progesterone secretion decline and the lining of the uterus is shed during menstruation.

In polycystic ovary syndrome, the pituitary gland may secrete high levels of LH and the ovaries may make excess androgens. This disrupts the normal menstrual cycle and may lead to infertility, excess body hair and acne.

Doctors don't know the cause of polycystic ovary syndrome, but these factors likely play a role:

Excess insulin. Insulin is the hormone produced in the pancreas that allows cells to use sugar (glucose), your body's primary energy supply. If you have insulin resistance, your ability to use insulin effectively is impaired, and your pancreas has to secrete more insulin to make glucose available to cells. The excess insulin is thought to boost androgen production by your ovaries.
Low-grade inflammation. Your body's white blood cells produce substances to fight infection in a process called inflammation. Eating certain foods can trigger an inflammatory response in some predisposed people. When this happens, white blood cells produce substances that can lead to insulin resistance and cholesterol accumulation in blood vessels (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis causes cardiovascular disease. Research has shown that women with PCOS have low-grade inflammation.
Heredity. If your mother or sister has PCOS, you might have a greater chance of having it, too. Researchers also are looking into the possibility that mutated genes are linked to PCOS.
Abnormal fetal development. New research shows that excessive exposure to male hormones (androgens) in fetal life may permanently prevent normal genes from working the way they're supposed to — a process known as gene expression. This may promote a male pattern of abdominal fat distribution, which increases the risk of insulin resistance and low-grade inflammation. Research continues to establish to what extent these factors might contribute to PCOS.
Researchers continue to explore possible causes of PCOS. Among topics of current research are whether low-grade inflammation and fetal exposure to excessive androgens might trigger the condition.

Complications
Having polycystic ovary syndrome makes the following conditions more likely, especially if obesity also is a factor:

Type 2 diabetes
High blood pressure
Cholesterol abnormalities, such as high triglycerides or low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the so-called "good" cholesterol
Elevated levels of C-reactive protein, a cardiovascular disease marker
Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of signs and symptoms that indicate a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a severe liver inflammation caused by fat accumulation in the liver
Sleep apnea
Abnormal uterine bleeding
Cancer of the uterine lining (endometrial cancer), caused by exposure to continuous high levels of estrogen
Gestational diabetes or pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, if you do become pregnant
Preparing for your appointment
You're likely to start by first seeing your family doctor or primary care provider. However, in some cases when you call to set up an appointment you may be referred immediately to a doctor who specializes in conditions affecting the female reproductive tract (gynecologist), one who specializes in hormonal disorders (endocrinologist) or one who specializes in both areas (reproductive endocrinologist).

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.

What you can do

Write down any symptoms you're experiencing. Include all of your symptoms, even if you don't think they're related.
Make a list of any medications, vitamins and other supplements you take. Write down doses and how often you take them.
Have a family member or close friend accompany you, if possible. You may be given a lot of information at your visit, and it can be difficult to remember everything.
Take a notebook or notepad with you. Use it to write down important information during your visit.
Think about what questions you'll ask. Write them down; list the most important questions first, in case time runs out.
For polycystic ovary syndrome, some basic questions to ask include:

What kinds of tests might I need?
How does this condition affect my ability to become pregnant?
Are medications available that might improve my symptoms or my ability to conceive?
What side effects can I expect from medication use?
Under what circumstances do you recommend surgery?
What treatment do you recommend for my situation?
What are the long-term health implications of PCOS?
Do you have any brochures or other printed materials that I can take with me?
What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
Make sure that you understand everything that your doctor tells you. Don't hesitate to ask your doctor to repeat information or to ask follow-up questions for clarification.

What to expect from your doctor
Some potential questions your doctor or other health care provider might ask include:

What signs and symptoms are you experiencing?
How often do you experience these symptoms?
How long have you been experiencing symptoms?
How severe are your symptoms?
When did you last have a period?
Have you gained weight since you first started having periods? How much weight have you gained? When did you gain the weight?
Does anything improve your symptoms?
Does anything make your symptoms worse?
Are you trying to become pregnant, or do you wish to become pregnant in the future?
Has your mother or sister ever been diagnosed with PCOS?
Tests and diagnosis
Click to enlarge

During a transvaginal ultrasound, your doctor or a medical technician inserts a wand-like device (transducer) into your vagina while you lie on your back on an exam table. The transducer emits sound waves that generate images of your pelvic organs, including your ovaries. On an ultrasound image (inset), a polycystic ovary shows a classic "string of pearls" appearance. Each dark circle on the ultrasound image represents a cyst on the ovary.

In a pelvic exam, your physician inserts two gloved fingers inside your vagina. While simultaneously pressing down on your abdomen, he or she can examine your uterus, ovaries and other organs.
Pelvic examinationThere's no specific test to definitively diagnose polycystic ovary syndrome. The diagnosis is one of exclusion, which means your doctor considers all of your signs and symptoms and then rules out other possible disorders.

During this process, your doctor takes many factors into account:

Medical history. Your doctor may ask questions about your menstrual periods, weight changes and other symptoms.
Physical examination. During your physical exam, your doctor will note several key pieces of information, including your height, weight and blood pressure.
Pelvic examination. During a pelvic exam, your doctor visually and manually inspects your reproductive organs for signs of masses, growths or other abnormalities.
Blood tests. Your blood may be drawn to measure the levels of several hormones to exclude possible causes of menstrual abnormalities or androgen excess that mimic PCOS. Additional blood testing may include fasting cholesterol and triglyceride levels and a glucose tolerance test, in which glucose levels are measured while fasting and after drinking a glucose-containing beverage.
Pelvic ultrasound. A pelvic ultrasound can show the appearance of your ovaries and the thickness of the lining of your uterus. During the test, you lie on a bed or examining table while a wand-like device (transducer) is placed in your vagina (transvaginal ultrasound). The transducer emits inaudible sound waves that are translated into images on a computer screen.
Treatments and drugs
Polycystic ovary syndrome treatment generally focuses on management of your individual main concerns, such as infertility, hirsutism, acne or obesity.

Your doctor might recommend that you:

Schedule regular checkups. Long term, managing cardiovascular risks, such as obesity, high blood cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, is important. To help guide ongoing treatment decisions, your doctor will likely want to see you for regular visits to perform a physical examination, measure your blood pressure, and obtain glucose and lipid levels.
Adjust your lifestyle habits. Making healthy-eating choices and getting regular exercise is the first treatment approach your doctor might recommend, particularly if you're overweight. Obesity makes insulin resistance worse. Weight loss can reduce both insulin and androgen levels, and may restore ovulation. Ask your doctor to recommend a weight-control program, and meet regularly with a dietitian.
Regulate your menstrual cycle. If you're not trying to become pregnant, your doctor may prescribe low-dose birth control pills that contain a combination of synthetic estrogen and progesterone. They decrease androgen production and give your body a break from the effects of continuous estrogen. This decreases your risk of endometrial cancer and corrects abnormal bleeding.

An alternative approach is taking progesterone for 10 to 14 days each month. This regulates your periods and offers protection against endometrial cancer, but it doesn't improve androgen levels.

Your doctor also may prescribe metformin (Glucophage, Glucophage XR), an oral medication for type 2 diabetes that lowers insulin levels. This drug improves ovulation and leads to regular menstrual cycles. Metformin also slows the progression to type 2 diabetes if you already have prediabetes and aids in weight loss if you follow a diet and exercise program.

Reduce excessive hair growth. Your doctor may recommend birth control pills to decrease androgen production, or another medication called spironolactone (Aldactone) that blocks the effects of androgens on the skin. Because spironolactone can cause birth defects, effective contraception is required when using the drug, and it's not recommended if you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Eflornithine (Vaniqa) is another medication possibility; the cream slows facial hair growth in women.

Shaving, waxing and depilatory creams are nonprescription hair removal options. Results may last several weeks, and then you need to repeat treatment.

For longer lasting hair removal, your doctor might recommend a procedure that uses electric current (electrolysis) or laser energy to destroy hair follicles and control unwanted new hair growth.

Use medication to induce ovulation. If you're trying to become pregnant, you may need a medication to induce ovulation. Clomiphene citrate (Clomid, Serophene) is an oral anti-estrogen medication that you take in the first part of your menstrual cycle. If clomiphene citrate alone isn't effective, your doctor may add metformin to help induce ovulation.

If you don't become pregnant using clomiphene and metformin, your doctor may recommend using gonadotropins — follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) medications that are administered by injection.

Have surgery. If medications don't help you become pregnant, an outpatient surgery called laparoscopic ovarian drilling is an option for some women with PCOS. Your doctor can help you determine if you're a candidate for this type of surgery.

In this procedure, a surgeon makes a small incision in your abdomen and inserts a tube attached to a tiny camera (laparoscope). The camera provides the surgeon with detailed images of your ovaries and neighboring pelvic organs. The surgeon then inserts surgical instruments through other small incisions and uses electrical or laser energy to burn holes in follicles on the surface of the ovaries. The goal is to induce ovulation by reducing androgen levels.

Lifestyle and home remedies
You may hear conflicting advice from media, support groups and health care professionals on the role of diet in weight management. Much of the disagreement focuses on carbohydrates. The glycemic index is a measure of the degree a carbohydrate will raise insulin levels after eating. Starches are high glycemic index carbohydrates that tend to increase insulin levels to a greater degree compared with low glycemic index carbohydrates such as green leafy vegetables.

Some health and nutrition advocates advise women with PCOS to follow a low-carbohydrate diet without discriminating between carbohydrates on either end of the glycemic index. In addition, a diet that calls for increased protein to compensate for decreased carbohydrates may spike your intake of saturated animal fats typically found in red meat, elevating your blood cholesterol levels and increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease. Initial studies seem promising, but more research is needed to determine whether a diet low in glycemic index carbohydrates and animal fats is an appropriate alternative for people who are insulin resistant, including many women with PCOS.

Choose complex carbohydrates
Choose carbohydrates that are high in fiber. The more fiber in a food, the more slowly it's digested and the more slowly your blood sugar levels rise. High-fiber carbohydrates include whole-grain breads and cereals, whole-wheat pasta, bulgur, barley, brown rice, and beans. Limit less healthy, simple carbohydrates such as soda, excess fruit juice, cake, candy, ice cream, pies, cookies and doughnuts.

Additional research may determine which specific dietary approach is best, but it's clear that losing weight by reducing total calorie intake benefits the overall health of women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Work with your doctor and registered dietitian to determine the best dietary plan for you.

Get your exercise
Exercise helps lower your blood sugar levels. For women with polycystic ovary syndrome, an increase in daily physical activity and participation in a regular exercise regimen are essential for treating or preventing insulin resistance and for helping weight-control efforts

SHARE:FacebookTwitterEmailLast updated 2010-08-03
See this article at MayoClinic.com.
© 1998-2010 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only.