The media rarely covers anything about PCOS, maybe because THEY don't see it as significant enough of an issue. But what really makes me made are the few times that I do see/read something and it's just plain wrong. I was reading the June 2005 issue of Parents (usually pretty good except for their penchant to focus on lose weight, lose weight lose weight). One of their lists was titled the "6 ways being overweight harms your health." Normally I don't waste time on such stuff, because I have long since made peace with my looks. I and my doctor are well aware that aside from the PCOS, I am in very good health (in spite of being overweight). ANYWAY, the list caught my attention because number 4 reads
"It [being overweight] impairs your fertility. Obese women are at particularly high risk of polycystic ovary disease, which interferes with ovulation."
Maybe it's just me, but this seems to read as though being overweight causes PCOS. Doesn't look like they really understand the issue and think that a two sentence blurb is sufficient to WARN people about the harm of obesity, as if any of us would be obese by choice. This really made me mad. I intent to write a letter to the editor, which they will probably ignore. But thought others might like to join me in the doing the same. I mean to me it's great if they want to publish something about PCOS, but they need to at least get their facts straight. If you'd like to join me in writing the editor the address is mailbag@parentsmagazine.com
I don't think it is 'false' information, as much as it is a statement that could have perhaps been worded more appropriately.
My guess is that the writer was trying to communicate that if a woman is overweight AND has the issue of infertility, there is an increased chance that she might have PCOS. Not that the weight 'caused' the PCOS...just that doctors should considering testing the woman for PCOS - as opposed to another cause of infertility...
I would be interested in seeing the sentence in its full context.
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Obese women are at particularly high risk of polycystic ovary disease, which interferes with ovulation.
Part of the problem is that this sentence is not gramatically correct. The big question is "high risk of" WHAT?? High risk of developing or high risk of having PCOS?
It's an annoyance of mine, but you can say "high risk of" without a verb following the phrase! So the assumption is that they intended it to mean "high risk of developing", in which case it makes it sound like obesity causes PCOS. But if it was really meant as "high risk of having" PCOS, well, then I think the statement is fairly accurate. I mean, there are more obese cysters than thin cysters. But with the writer leaving out the crucial verb, it's anybody's guess what was really meant.
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I read that same article in Parents when I was in my GYN's office waiting for my check-up, and I had the same reaction. The way it was worded will give many well-meaning people the impression that weight is the cause of PCOS and the infertility that many of us suffer. I understand that they had limited space to discuss PCOS, but they could have worded it better.
Kat, thanks for the link to the other article. The wording in that one hit the nail on the head!
Do you suppose a letter to the editor of Parents magazine would get published?
Debbie
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One of the main reasons the media and medical professioanls do not view this as a big threat is beacuse we have government agencies such as NORD ( National Organization of Rare Disorders) listing it as rare!!!!! It is my hill to die on to get this removed form NORD's database. I mean I have even heard some docs say it should stay in the NORD databse because it offers exposure to the syndrome, ridiculous!!!
This however WILL change. I have been working diligently to make some changes and get media exposure by sending out press release and articles to be picked up. I am going ot start working on a book called The faces of PCOS, which will be a compilation of personal stories, photos, poems, etc going hand in hand with statistics and medical information.
I know as one person it is not much but, I am hoping that others will become involved in making a difference, especially in sharing stories I can use to contact media outlets in their local areas for pick-up.
It worked really well for me when about two weeks ago my local paper picked up my press release and put an article in the paper.
Since there are thin cysters with PCOS, weight is clearly not always a factor. So, a blanket statement like that can be misleading.
For me personally, though, I *know* that my excessive weight was a huge factor in my onset of PCOS symptoms. It was as if I hit a magic number on the scale. As soon as I exceeded 200 pounds or so, BAM . . . PCOS symptoms galore. Hair started growing on my face, hair started falling out, I was fatigued constantly, my AN got worse, skin tags all over . . . I could go on.
PCOS was certainly not the reason for my weight problem, either. I know how badly I ate - living off fast food and junk food and with barely a hint of activity. I can't believe I'm not more obese than I am.
I'm not saying that I didn't have PCOS before exceeding 200 pounds, and I'm not saying I would never had developed these symptoms if I had not become so severely overweight. But I do believe that being overweight - which exacerbates insulin problems - definately contributed in a big way to the PCOS I have today. I wonder . . . if I had been more attentive to my health, eating, exercise, etc. would the PCOS I have today be a much milder form.
False information in the media 
