Some menopausal cysters may be interested in these links:
PCOS-Menopause
http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~cp391990/lists.html
PCOS-Menopause is an e-mail list for for women with PCOS (a.k.a. Stein-Leventhal Syndrome or PCOD) who are in menopause or are in perimenopause. To subscribe, you can send an e-mail to
PCOS-Menopause-subscribe@onelist.com.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/ask_the_...ausepcos.shtml | Question: Menopause and polycystic ovary syndrome
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I've suffered from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) for years. My menopause has now started, or at least I think it has - it's difficult to be sure when your periods have always been so irregular. Will this mean the end of my problems or could PCOS affect me after the menopause too?
Jill
It's now realised that PCOS isn't simply a matter of wonky periods but a complex hormonal problem that can affect women from early life right through into old age. So the answer is yes, PCOS could still affect you beyond the menopause, although we still have a lot to learn about how.
Hormonal changes
Although the cause of PCOS isn't clear, it does involve abnormally high levels of androgens (the sex hormones we usually associate with men but which all women have too).
Other features of PCOS include problems with insulin, the hormone that controls sugar levels in the blood. Many women with PCOS are resistant to the effects of insulin, so the body pumps out more and more to try to achieve the desired effect. This can lead to diabetes and, more importantly, increased androgen levels.
These changes can dramatically alter the types of fat found in the bloodstream, with low levels of HDL ('good') cholesterol and high levels of more harmful fats known as triglycerides. Blood pressure may also be raised, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Menopausal changes in PCOS
Many of the symptoms of the menopause are related to the drop in oestrogen as the ovaries fail. You can still expect these changes, although the picture varies enormously from woman to woman: you may have some symptoms and not others.
According to research, the high levels of testosterone in PCOS may fall during the menopause, sometimes to normal, although they usually remain higher than for women who don't have PCOS. However, many androgen-related problems, such as increased hair growth (hirsutism) and acne, continue (although they rarely get worse).
Further risks
The risk of heart disease increases for all women after the menopause, but women with PCOS are at even higher risk due to raised androgen levels, unhealthy changes to blood fats and obesity. In addition, 40 per cent of women with PCOS develop Type 2 diabetes by the age of 40, which further increases the risk of heart disease.
For this reason you should make sure your doctor regularly checks your blood fat levels and blood pressure.
HRT or not HRT?
In the past, HRT has been widely used to help women going through the menopause and afterwards. There isn't much research specifically looking at women with PCOS, but what evidence there is suggests they may experience the same improvements in symptoms as other women. However, because of the increased risk of cancer of the endometrium (womb), women with PCOS should use a type of HRT that includes progesterone to induce periods. Androgenic progesterones, such as levonorgesterel, should be avoided.
Also bear in mind that recent research on the effects of HRT (since 2003) has led doctors to question whether any possible long-term benefits from HRT are worth the risks associated with the treatment, such as an increase in breast cancer and heart disease. You should be aware of these risks and how they might compare with possible benefits when you decide whether to try it.
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