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For those who are interested - My Speech on PCOSFrom: Ginger (anonymous@obgyn.net)Mon, 17 Jul 2000 22:17:06 -0500 (CDT)
After receiving more than a dozen requests for a copy of my speech, I have decided to post it here on the forum. I hope this does not bother anyone. If you're not sure if you are interested, please be advised that it is long (but then, you all know I always have LONG posts!:) ) For those of you who are interested, thank you for all of the support and concern you've expressed. I sincerely appreciate it. Please remember that this speech was to a college class who had never heard of PCOS before. Most of this info is may sound elementary to all of us "experts". It is also very condensed because it was for a 5 minute speech. Lord knows I could've rambled on forever, if given the chance! So, if you're brave enough, read on... I have a group of friends who may not necessarily meet societies' standard of beauty. Most of them are overweight, quite a few would be considered obese. Some of them have to use products such as Rogaine to try to make up for the handfuls of hair that comes out of their heads. Several of them work to hide facial hair problems, sometimes resorting to expensive and painful laser and electrolysis treatments. But what's worse than all of the cosmetic issues they deal with is that they are all at an increased risk of infertility, diabetes, heart disease, and endometrial cancer. So, you all may be wondering how I ended up with such a sickly-sounding bunch of friends. It's because we're all on common ground. We have all been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. After knowing that something was wrong with me for almost eleven years, I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome in 1995 at the age of 21. What does this have to do with all of you? Why would you be interested in this fat woman's medical problems? It's because chances are, you will either have a friend, family member, or loved one with this syndrome, or you may have it yourself. According to the Penn State College of Medicine, "10% of all women may be effected with some form of this syndrome." Tonight I want to try to explain to you what this syndrome is, what symptoms to look for, and the treatment options available. First, let me try to give a simple explaination of what Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is and how it works. PCOS is not contagious. A woman either has it or she doesn't. There are indications that it may be hereditary, but your mom doesn't have to have it for you to. It may come from anyone at any point in your lineage. So, who is Polly and what's wrong with her ovaries? It's not just about our ovaries. The Merck Manual of Medical Information explains that PCOS is rooted with a problem in the endocrine system. The endocrine system is the part of our bodies that regulate our hormones. The majority of women with PCOS have too much insulin or are insulin resistant. What this means is that when we eat, particularly foods which contain carbohydrates, instead of our bodies using insulin to correctly process the food into energy, it may turn into fat. Because our bodies then realize that we are not getting the energy we need, it excretes even more insulin, which keeps our bodies on a blood sugar roller coaster. Basically, we can eat very healthy medically sound diets and still gain weight. Not only do we gain weight very easily, it is extremely difficult for women with PCOS to loose weight. In addition to the insulin in our bodies not working correctly, our pituitary gland, another part of the endocrine system, produces too many androgens. Androgens are male hormones, such as testosterone. This then causes our female hormones to not be able to work correctly and often results in an inability to ovulate. Thus, the term Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome came from the multiple cysts that result when we do not ovulate. But, not all women with PCOS have cysts on their ovaries. This brings me to my next point. The symptoms of PCOS are extensive and vary between sufferers. PCOSupport, an organization formed to support and inform women with PCOS and their loved ones, lists the following symptoms of PCOS; irregular menstrual cycles, an inability to conceive, hirsuitism, insulin resistance/hypoglycemic episodes, male pattern baldness, acne, weight gain-especially around the midsection, and an inability to loose weight. This list is not inclusive of everything that can indicate PCOS. You can see that I obviously suffer from weight problems, and although it is difficult to admit, I also deal with facial hair issues. I have cystic ovaries and have extreme hypoglycemia and blood sugar problems if I am not careful about what I eat. Although I have always had irregular menstrual cycles and it did take me over a year to conceive my first child, my second child was conceived within two months and I never had to undergo fertility treatments. I'm telling you all of this to give you a guideline of things that can indicate PCOS, but I also want you to realize that a woman can have only one symptom and still have the syndrome. Even some doctors do not always understand this. Now that you know what to look for, how do we treat this? Unfortunately, there is no cure for PCOS. There are treatments that help ease the symptoms, however. A problem that a lot of us face is that this syndrome is not even commonly understood by the medical community. Myself, as well as some of my friends, have been told by several physicians to take birth control pills to regulate our periods, and lay off the junk food. In other words, it's your fault you're fat, so loose weight and you'll feel better. If only it were that simple! If you suspect you have PCOS or know someone else who needs evaluated, it is best to see an endocrinologist or a reproductive endocrinologist. They are doctors who are specifically trained to recognize and treat problems of the endocrine system, such as PCOS. Common treatments include birth control pills, for those who do not wish to conceive. These help to regulate menstruation and may ease other symptoms, but you need to be aware that it only suppresses the symptoms and does not solve the root problem. Once you go off the Pill, your symptoms may come back ten-fold. I know this from personal experience. Another medication is anti-androgens. These do exactly what they sound like, fight the excessive amount of androgens to try to decrease excess hair growth on the face and body and promote scalp hair growth. Women with PCOS who are having difficulty conceiving can be treated with various types of fertility treatments, the most common being Clomid. And the newest and most prommising treatment for PCOS is Metformin. Metformin is a medication for diabetics, and although it is not FDA approved for the treatment of PCOS, it is being prescribed and is having tremendous results in treating the insulin problem, which is thought to be the root of PCOS. To wrap everything up, I've attempted to explain PCOS, told you of several symptoms to be aware of, and pointed you in the right direction to persue treatment. If I have managed to loose your interest, please come back to me for just a moment. If I can leave you with one thing, I want to remind you that a woman either has PCOS or does not. It is not anything that my friends and I would have ever chosen to have. So, when you see a woman that does not meet your definition of beauty, please remember this; my friends and I would love to be thin and attractive in everyones' eyes, but most of all we want to be healthy.
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