I work at a grocery store and every now and then a customer looks like she may be a cyster. Overweight, neck hump, facial hair...etc. I want to say something but I am afraid they'll get mad at me for "outing" them, or get scared if they don't know what I am talking about. Or just plain embarrassed. I want them to know they are not alone (that's the way I felt til I found this forum) and to clue them in on this forum.
Should I speak or hold my peace?
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I would befriend them first. Then in conversation bring it up...
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I would be hesitant to say anything to your customer at this time. Although your intentions are good, she may feel upset and embarrassed if you comment on her appearance and possible PCOS. It's similar to making an unsolicited comment about weight loss to a person who is overweight or obese. That person knows he or she is large. I'm a large person. I always feel worse when someone makes remarks to me about it. I feel self-conscious enough about my size and appearance without having people comment on it and offer unsolicited advice.
Of course, it will be up to you to decide whether or not to say anything to this person you suspect may have PCOS. Perhaps she would be grateful for your support, but it is possible that mentioning PCOS could make her feel self-conscious instead. How are you considering starting your conversation with her? How do you plan to begin talking about PCOS? The manner in which you begin the discussion can greatly affect her response to what you have to say.
I'm the same way. I can tell that a women has insulin resistance (PCOS) by the way she deposits fat on her body. ie not everyone who is fat has PCOS it has to been mainly concentrated in uppper body for a boxy look, fat upper arms. Alot of thick visceral fat on UPPER stomach as opposed to lower stomach and things on normal women.
Hair loss of course (but only if they have the hairloss gene)
Extra hair.
Sometimes muscular legs - I notice when my weight got done and on met and low GI eating - my legs became more feminine which was good as they started to get too musuclar.
AN's around neck and skin tags.
I feel the same - I want to say something as I think a lot of women are totally uneducated about insuln resistance and don't know they have it.. and won't know as they wont go to doc - they think I'm just that way thats it. Its sad really as if they get on the met, learn about low GI eating and exercise - it can change their lives.. and extend their life.
Having insulin resistance long term makes you much more likely to get Type 2 diabetes, all types of cancer, alzeimhers and lots of other things.. Its really important to low GI carb and exercise and be on met if need be PERMaNENTLY to prevent these problems long term..
Not to mention being a healthy way, saving or slowing hair - which can be devasting to women - I was only diagnosed at 33 and wish my GP had listened to me a lot earlier at 29 when I had gone to her and said I am fat around middle, losing my hair, feel tired after eating carbs and crave sugar and have a huge appetite....
It was there in black and white but because I was still getting cycles and realltively thin she said
"OH you can't have PcOS".... I did - I was getting it... when i reached 78 or 79 kgs (I am tall 175cm).. my cycles stoppped that is when I INSISTED on being referred to an endocrinelogist - who diagnosed me and finally put me on met and ruled out cushings as I even had a slight hump on back.. ..
So yeah I understand where you are coming from but now I don't bother as I found people not interested in what I have to say and sometimes just say yes yes and not do anything or dont' believe me..
My sister has PCOS and we've known it for a while. I think I might have it too, but I'm really scared to go to the doctor. My husband is in the military and we live in another country and I'm not that educated about PCOS. I have all the same signs and symptoms. Any advice? And do you think the doctors here (Italy) are educated about PCOS? I have facial hair, very thick around my upper mid section, fat arms, i have this weird hump on my back it's not huge but it's there, it took me 6 years to have a baby and now I haven't had a period in almost 2 years. I've tried excercise and dieting and nothing is working. Please help.
Last edited by MilitaryWife1776; 07-07-2009 at 09:23 AM.
NO way in heck would I mention it to someone. Most people are smart enough to know when something is wrong with their bodies and research it themselves - they don't need someone mentioning, "Hey, I was noticing all these incredibly unattractive things about you - I bet you have such and such disease!" Even if you think you're saying it more politely than that, there's no way to get around that being the message behind it.
I would be quite insulted if someone did this to me. How do you know they don't already know?
Military wife - Welcome. You'll probably get more responses if you start your own thread on a different board. If the doctors there aren't educated about it, print off some research articles and bring them in to your appointment.
Identifiying someone with PCOS 
