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Suddenly, the threads are humming with talk about a condition called PCOS, which I've never heard of. I don't have time today to go looking for a page that is devoted to it, but if anybody just feels like enlightening me, I'd love to hear about it. What is it? Who gets it? Is it primarily a genetic thing, or can it be transmitted? How common is it? Why does everybody and their dog suddenly seem to have it?
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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There's no short answer. As for who gets it - women. It's an acronym for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, and its' characterized by multiple cysts on the ovaries, though that's usually just the most recognizable symptom.
Doctors now are focused on the insulin resistance that seems to accompany it. It is a major cause of infertility and also contributes to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other yucky things like facial hair growth.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Oh, I've heard of that--just wasn't familiar with the acronym. Sounds pretty unplesant. Those of you who have it have my sympathies.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I don't know if a genetic link has been found, but it does seem to run in families. Three of the women in my family have it - me and two of my first cousins. My grandmother was never diagnosed but based on symptomology, I suspect she did.
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My mother had that. She had fertility problems as a result, but she was pregnant five times, so I guess it was resolved.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Farmgirl, not necessarily. Functional cysts happen in a large percentage of women. PCOS is usually diagnosed via bloodwork, where they can examine the ratio of certain hormones.
The cycts in PCOS aren't what we normally think of, when you have a functional cyst that grows and will eventually rupture. They are many, small cysts grouped together, on ultrasound they look like a string of pearls around the ovaries.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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PCOS is not understood very well. Right now it seems to be a collection of symptoms that tend to happen together. Some women have just a few of the symptoms, and which ones they have depend on their specific case. At least that is how I understand it.
There is no "cure" and whether or not different "treatments" work well is debatable.
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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It is an endocrine disorder. The various members of my family suffer from different endocrine disorders, and I have PCOS. There very well may be a genetic link of some sort. Fortunately my symptoms are mild, but the infertility is definately the worst. I could handle the others if it were just a little easier to get pregnant But I know what worked with #3 was a combination of a healthier diet (ie no sugar), exercise, prayer and medication. I was on glucophage for about a month before I couldn't take the side effects any longer. It was just enough to get things "jump started" so to speak.
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But I know what worked with #3 was a combination of a healthier diet (ie no sugar), exercise, prayer and medication. I was on glucophage for about a month before I couldn't take the side effects any longer. It was just enough to get things "jump started" so to speak.
