So What is This Finger You're Talking About? - Brief Intro to PCOS

(Note to our male readers: This will be slightly personal and slightly feminine. Go ahead, keep reading, it's good for you!)

Ah, the finger our bodies give us. Those of you who have PCOS or polycycstic ovary syndrome know exactly what Rachel and I are talking about. PCOS is considered a "syndrome" rather than a disease because of the many different symptoms and that not all women will have the same symptoms. No one really understands what causes PCOS. Current research seems to be centering around how our bodies deal with insulin and other hormones. I'm a bit cynical about this but because it's an issue for women and not men, the research just hasn't been as quick as it could be. I mean seriously, it was first described over 80 years ago! A lot of that is changing though.

Symptoms can include any of the following:

• Irregular or no menstrual periods
• Acne
• Obesity
• Excess hair growth
• Infertility
• Depression and anxiety

Gee, sounds fun doesn't it! These symptoms also put women with PCOS at high risk for diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure on top of other issues they may have if obese. Because of the far ranging symptoms and a lack of a clear cause, PCOS care typically focuses on managing the symptoms rather than eliminating them.

I was diagnosed with PCOS at 15. If I'm not on birth control I have two periods a month. It contributes to my weight issues, causes me to grow hair that I don't want, gives me mood swings and generally contributes to my bad self-image. Rachel didn't get diagnosed until later and doesn't have the hair issue. I'll let her tell you about that herself sometime though, if she wants.

I've put together a list of resources below if you'd like a little more information. For those of you who know someone with PCOS, please be kind. I was mocked a lot in high school for having facial hair and being overweight. The mocking made an already crappy situation much worse.

Resources:
http://www.pcoscoach.com/symptoms_of_pcos.html
http://www.hormone.org/Polycystic/overview.cfm
http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/pcosinfo.html
http://www.soulcysters.net/