Could I Have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

A Guide for Women

What is it and how is it treated?
A brief introduction

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder characterized by high levels of androgens, missed or irregular periods and many small fluid-filled sacs or cysts in the ovaries. You might also hear PCOS referred to as Polycystic Ovarian Disease or Stein-Leventhal Syndrome. It is one of the leading causes of infertility and the causes of Polycystic Ovaries are still unknown. Although the syndrome is incurable, the symptoms are treatable with medication, changes to diet and exercise and several "alternative" or complimentary health practices such as acupuncture and herbal prescriptions. In addition, PCOS has been linked with insulin resistance or sensitivity and many women coping with it have seen marked improvement in their symptoms after receiving treatment to regulate their insulin.

Do I have PCOS?
How to tell.

This is a short list of some of the most common symptoms. Please note: None of these symptoms alone indicate PCOS, but the combination of them is very common for women who it. Even if you do not have PCOS, the presence of many of these symptoms indicate some kind of hormonal or endocrine imbalance and it would be wise to see a health professional and discuss them anyway.

Do you have irregular or missed periods?
Everyone who has PCOS reports infrequent or missing periods, excessively long or heavy periods, irregular bleeding between periods or a pattern of menstruating that is unusual (i.e. only having a period every 2 or 3 months). Any of these could be a sign that something is not right with your hormones.

Do you suffer from persistent acne?
Women with PCOS frequently have acne that won't go away even with over-the-counter or prescribed acne medication. Sometimes the acne is cystic, meaning that painful and large bumps appear under the skin and take a few days to go away, rather than having whiteheads or blackheads form and what appears to be a normal clogged pore or pimple.

Do you suffer from infertility?
Especially if you find that these other symptoms apply to you, PCOS may be the cause of your infertility.