September is PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) awareness month, and this has become a cause very near and dear to my heart. In March, I was diagnosed with PCOS after going through several blood tests and ultra sounds. Before March I had never heard of the disorder, and come to find out that 1 in 10 women have this disorder and over half of those women don’t even know they have the disorder. To me, that has been the most astonishing statistic, and it is because of that I decided to write this post; to bring awareness and information to people who may not have any idea about PCOS. Hopefully there will be women (and men) out there who read this post, and gain some insight on the disorder.
Here are the facts:
- PCOS is a hormonal imbalance, which can cause anxiety and depression in patients who have PCOS.
- PCOS is one of the most common endocrine disorders among women of the reproductive age group, which makes my 1 in 10 statistic even more astounding since so many women do not know they have PCOS.
- The cause of PCOS is unknown. The research tends to lead towards genetic mutations, which means that if you have it more than likely your mother or sister could have it too, and it can be passed on.
- PCOS looks different in every woman. Since there are so many symptoms and factors that go into diagnosing the syndrome it is hard to get a picture of what PCOS “looks like.”
- Since there is no cause, PCOS is a life long syndrome. The symptoms can be managed and balanced with medicines and with a healthy diet and exercise.
- All women with PCOS have insulin resistance to some level. PCOS has been linked to insulin resistance, which is one of the reasons why obesity is linked to PCOS.
- Women with PCOS CAN get pregnant. It can be more difficult and take more time compared to women who do not have the disorder, but it is possibly.
- Women with PCOS tend to hold their weight more in their abdomen area than any other place.
- About 40%- 50% of women who have PCOS are considered to be “thin” or “of normal weight.”
- There is still so much patients and doctor don’t know about the cause and cure of PCOS, but awareness helps.
As I said before, there is still so little doctors really know about the cause of PCOS, and awareness is what will help women with PCOS become better educated on this disorder. Since March, I have had to deal with a lot of doctor appointments and emotions that are really hard for me to express, but I know that everything will be okay. There are millions of women who struggle with this disorder on a whole different level than myself. I am very lucky to have my wonderful husband who has been to every doctor’s appointment, and been absolutely supportive and understanding as we go along this journey together. I have also been very lucky to have supportive family and close friends who have been there to tell me it will all be okay, when I haven’t been able to tell myself that.
In honor of PCOS awareness month, there is a 5K that I will be doing on September 21st. Any family and friends who would like to register and walk with me may do so. Here is the link to the 2014 Bayou City Step Challenge to register, and my team name is Bleep the Cysts. Thank you to all of you who have registered or are planning to register to walk with me, it means more than you know. I hope this gives you some insight and information on PCOS, and please feel free to ask questions about how I manage my PCOS.
Love Always,
Amie
between the Gray margins 