I tried to condense some information from various articles around here so that I can send it to my parents to describe to them what I have been diagnosed with. The problem is, I wonder if it sounds too scary for them this way?
Poly-Cystic Ovary Syndrome - "PCOS"
PCOS is an unfortunate term because the word "ovarian" appears in the name of this syndrome. For years, many people automatically assumed that it is purely an ovarian disease. We now recognize that it is in fact, a systemic endocrine and metabolic disorder.
PCOS is a metabolic disorder that disturbs multiple body systems. It is a disorder of the endocrine system, which regulates hormones—the chemical messengers that orchestrate everything from reproduction to metabolism. A woman can have one, five or a dozen symptoms. Most experts agree that the biggest culprit may be the powerful hormone insulin. Most women with PCOS have insulin resistance, a problem with the way insulin acts in their bodies. In many cases, this may mean that they produce too much of it. It is a lifelong metabolic derangement, which means you’ll need to be carefully monitored by your physician. High levels of insulin and insulin resistance lead to high triglyceride levels, low levels of HDL (the “good” cholesterol) and high levels of LDL (the “bad” kind). It also increases the risk of hypertension. PCOS is related to infertility, higher risk of miscarrage, hypothyroidism, depression, anxiety, fatigue, nightmares, acne, hirsuitism, baldness, and obesity. Furthermore, women with PCOS are at increased risk of developing Diabetes, Coronary Artery Disease, abnormalities in the lining of the uterus and an increased risk of uterine cancer, and possibly breast cancer as well. By age fifty, women with PCOS have about a tenfold increase of risk of heart attacks and stroke. The syndrome is still so poorly understood that its cause and cure remain unknown. Right now, many doctors consider metformin, a diabetes drug, the best treatment.
It has been recognized for many years that PCOS definitely runs in families. It is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Therefore, if a woman has PCOS, it should be looked for in her mother, sisters, and daughters. Male relatives will also carry the gene. These men are also often insulin resistant and at increased risk for diabetes. Some evidence indicates that the marker for the PCOS gene is men is early balding. If a male relative develops significant balding before the age 30, he should be evaluated (for the insulin and diabetes problems).
__________________ New Year's fitness Celebration: In 2006 I cycled approximately 1800miles, hiked up 4 mountains, took a walking tour of San Francisco, hiked in 4 california national parks, swam in a pool with palm trees on my birthday, hiked and biked along the Oregon Coast, climbed to numerous breathtaking waterfalls, explored a gold mine, a silver mine and a cinnabar mine, and walked a fantastic loop along frozen streams and icecicle waterfalls at Opal Creek in winter.
I think your condensed info sounds great...I mean the way that you have put it!!! Most of the time I just say PCOS and no one wants to hear anymore....I know great support for me!!
But maybe with info like that they will understand better what you are going through....
Good luck
__________________ Krysten
MOMMY TO ETHAN JACKSON SEPTEMBER 18, 2003
Stats 25lbs. 34 inches long
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hi there i was dignosed with pcos in sep 2004,since then i've was on metformin and yasmine.i have picked out alot of weight since 2003.the metformin has helped a great deal it brought my indulin from42.9 to 16.6 wich is very good,i stopped my medication in feb 2005,and now im trying to conceive but to date no such luck.nobody in my immediate family suffers from this syndrome and people still does not know what causes this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LadyBlue
I tried to condense some information from various articles around here so that I can send it to my parents to describe to them what I have been diagnosed with. The problem is, I wonder if it sounds too scary for them this way?
Poly-Cystic Ovary Syndrome - "PCOS"
PCOS is an unfortunate term because the word "ovarian" appears in the name of this syndrome. For years, many people automatically assumed that it is purely an ovarian disease. We now recognize that it is in fact, a systemic endocrine and metabolic disorder.
PCOS is a metabolic disorder that disturbs multiple body systems. It is a disorder of the endocrine system, which regulates hormones—the chemical messengers that orchestrate everything from reproduction to metabolism. A woman can have one, five or a dozen symptoms. Most experts agree that the biggest culprit may be the powerful hormone insulin. Most women with PCOS have insulin resistance, a problem with the way insulin acts in their bodies. In many cases, this may mean that they produce too much of it. It is a lifelong metabolic derangement, which means you’ll need to be carefully monitored by your physician. High levels of insulin and insulin resistance lead to high triglyceride levels, low levels of HDL (the “good” cholesterol) and high levels of LDL (the “bad” kind). It also increases the risk of hypertension. PCOS is related to infertility, higher risk of miscarrage, hypothyroidism, depression, anxiety, fatigue, nightmares, acne, hirsuitism, baldness, and obesity. Furthermore, women with PCOS are at increased risk of developing Diabetes, Coronary Artery Disease, abnormalities in the lining of the uterus and an increased risk of uterine cancer, and possibly breast cancer as well. By age fifty, women with PCOS have about a tenfold increase of risk of heart attacks and stroke. The syndrome is still so poorly understood that its cause and cure remain unknown. Right now, many doctors consider metformin, a diabetes drug, the best treatment.
It has been recognized for many years that PCOS definitely runs in families. It is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Therefore, if a woman has PCOS, it should be looked for in her mother, sisters, and daughters. Male relatives will also carry the gene. These men are also often insulin resistant and at increased risk for diabetes. Some evidence indicates that the marker for the PCOS gene is men is early balding. If a male relative develops significant balding before the age 30, he should be evaluated (for the insulin and diabetes problems).
Thank you for your comments. I'll just show them this, then. I did not write this info, just put things from other articles together and left out some of the AF and ovary function type details. All but one sentence is direct quotes from medical articles on this website. Obviously not all the professionals even agree about aspects of PCOS.
__________________ New Year's fitness Celebration: In 2006 I cycled approximately 1800miles, hiked up 4 mountains, took a walking tour of San Francisco, hiked in 4 california national parks, swam in a pool with palm trees on my birthday, hiked and biked along the Oregon Coast, climbed to numerous breathtaking waterfalls, explored a gold mine, a silver mine and a cinnabar mine, and walked a fantastic loop along frozen streams and icecicle waterfalls at Opal Creek in winter.
A condensed PCOS description for my family 
