I was at Barnes and Noble, checking out what they had in stock today. They had the normal PCOS books already named, but I came across this other book called "It's My Ovaries, Stupid" and I loved the name. I picked it up, but was in a hurry to read any of it. I am going back to get it later, or at least read some of it before buying. Anyway, here is a little about it, just thought someone would like to hear about it.
From the Publisher
This landmark work in women's health identifies and offers solutions to the hormonal dysfunctions afflicting millions of young women, teens, and even children, that rob women of future fertility and contribute to devastating problems -- from early onset puberty and obesity to depression and increased cancer risk.
Women's health is more than breast cancer, pregnancy, and menopause. In this groundbreaking new work, Dr. Elizabeth Lee Vliet identifies and explains rarely acknowledged, pervasive threats to young women's health and fertility -- PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), POD (Premature Ovarian Decline), and Premature Ovarian Failure (menopause in the young) -- and the overlooked causes of endometriosis, cystitis, early puberty, allergies, heart disease, mood disorders, depression, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, bone loss, anxiety, obesity, and diabetes.
A kind of Silent Spring of women's health, It's My Ovaries, Stupid! presents compelling evidence from worldwide research that common environmental toxins and endocrine disruptors in pesticides, plastic food wrappers, food additives, preservatives, soy supplements, aspartame in diet sodas and junk food, and more -- as well as lifestyle factors such as stress -- can all profoundly disrupt hormone function, even in childhood.
Insidious robbers of quality of life, fertility, and health, hormone dysfunctions are on the rise today, afflicting younger and younger women.
Why? What can you do about it? How can you get tested? What treatments are available? Dr. Vliet interprets the latest scientific research and draws on more than twenty years of clinical experience to answer these and many other crucial questions about common health problems in young women.
Whose job is it to take care of the ovaries...beyond their function in reproduction? Why do you have trouble getting help for "hormone problems" that are clearly linked to your monthly cycle? It's My Ovaries, Stupid! bridges this gap in women's health care and shows you how to understand your symptoms and get reliable tests, how to receive treatment and improve your health, how to wade through the controversies surrounding hormone replacement therapy, and how to explore cutting-edge options for thyroid problems.
You can't afford not to read this book. Your life, your fertility, and your long-term health may depend on it. It's not all in your head, and it's not just stress. It's your ovaries!
From The Critics
Publisher's Weekly
Despite the flippant title, this book offers a serious and comprehensive look at hormone dysfunction in women of all ages. Vliet, founder and medical director of HER Place Women's Center, believes that many women suffer needlessly because they are not being treated properly. According to the author, a variety of illnesses-depression, panic attacks, heart disease, diabetes, fertility problems-are related to hormonal dysfunction. Drawing on medical research as well as work in her own practice, Vliet (Screaming to Be Heard) provides a complete guide to ovaries, explaining how they work and what happens when they don't work properly, along with surgical and other treatment. Included are questionnaires so readers can self-diagnose and prepare themselves before visiting a doctor. Also particularly helpful are sidebar definitions and schematic diagrams showing the connection between hormone and illness, such as "How Stress Sabotages Your Health" and "Chemical Disruption of Thyroid Pathways." This is a detailed and sophisticated book, complete with a glossary of medical terms. Readers wanting spoon-fed simplified explanations of their "aches and pains" will find this book daunting, but women who want to become more knowledgeable and assertive patients will find it indispensable. (May) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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I found this book at the public library this weekend, and it is fantastic! It is just chock-full of all kinds of information about how the sex hormones control bodily systems and the problems that arise when they're out of balance. Really worth reading.
I found the book at the library yesterday and couldn't put it down either.... She is an excellent physician and goes through all the symptoms and what tests are required to diagnose... She also goes into treatment options... It was very scary...almost every symptom I have she attributes to low estrogen or high testosterone levels... My problem is getting the doctors to run the battery of tests... I'm sure the HMO's are restricting some of them.... I'm going to push though...
So far my OBGYN is telling me that my manic depression isn't related....when I go back for my follow-up I must show him the book... In the meantime, I have an appointment with my Endocrinologist this week and will show him the book... It is really pathetic that we have to force the physician's hand... because I'm not leaving out of his office without all the tests she recommends for PCOS diagnosis... She stated that some doctor's just go ahead and prescribe medications without first getting a baseline....I'm not going for that at all... Because the program has to be customized to meet the needs of the patient...
Get the book - It will thoroughly enlighten you!! I also found out that my dry eyes and mouth are also a symptom of low estrogen...who knew!
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Hi,
I haven't posted yet to tell my story, but I was looking to see if you had any information on your chats about a connection between premature menopause/decline/failure (whatever they want to call it) due to PCOS and I noticed you talked about the book It's My Ovaries Stupid. Dr. Vliet has two other great books also called:
Women, Weight and Hormones &
Screaming to be Heard
I highly recommend them. She lays it right out what you need to talk to your doctor about, what tests to ask for, and what is going on with your body. She has made it possible for me to go to my family doctor and start treatment since there isn't any doctors around my area that I can find that know anything about PCOS.
Looking forward to getting to know you guys. I am dealing with it myself and I can see my 3 daughters are heading in the same direction. I have found a pediatric endicrinologist thought that is going to start seeing them this month and see if they do have it also.
Tina
I had a hunch that my hair loss was hormone related. My derm had a different idea, and thought it was genetic (although he didn't do ANY tests at all) I persisted and nagged until he humored me and ordered testosterone tests. My result came back almost double the top end of "normal" and he referred me to an endo. Keep persisting, it's better safe than sorry. Plus, if your doc is a dink like mine was, maybe they'll think twice the next time a woman requests those tests.
Oh, and I just saw this book the other day also. I've been thinking about going back to get it....now that I've got recommendations, I'll definetly get it!
I just found this book last week, too, and I've been reading and re-reading. It always makes me feel more hopeful to read about a Doc that is willing to look into those areas that a lot of other doctors just ignore. IT REALLY ISN'T JUST IN OUR HEADS! ITS OUR HORMONES!!
The book is a little pricey, but worth it, I think.
Happy reading!
__________________ ~Married to Bob since 9/23/2000~
TTC since November 2002
DX w/ PCOS 8/2003
Expecting our first MIRACLE 1/18/05
Yeah, I just bought it an hour ago. Almost $50 (Canadian)....but it sounds like it's a good book. I can't wait until my exams are over so I can sit down and actually read something other than a text book!
It's My Ovaries, Stupid (book I found) 
It's My Ovaries Stupid!!! 
