tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post1692165364976144877..comments2024-03-17T10:07:53.205-07:00Comments on The Well-Rounded Mama: PCOS: How Does PCOS Affect Women?Well-Rounded Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04129621631406155340noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-45304061407459157062016-04-04T03:35:13.273-07:002016-04-04T03:35:13.273-07:00I found out when I visited my doctor(Dr.Ganpule) b...I found out when I visited my doctor(Dr.Ganpule) because we were trying for almost half year. Then my doctor said I had PCOS problem and then I started to get some pills (clomid) it took me around 3-4 months before we got result. We were so shocked when I got my first scanning it's twins!. We are feeling blessed :)<br />Amrutanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-5932101763287819802016-04-01T16:19:12.365-07:002016-04-01T16:19:12.365-07:00Suffering from pcos is so difficult. I really feel...Suffering from pcos is so difficult. I really feel as though it is ruining my life. I really hope there can be a cure one day, it would solve so many other health issues as well for woken dealing with pcos.PCOS sucks.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17189542748333987860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-67920566263704586122014-04-22T17:46:31.500-07:002014-04-22T17:46:31.500-07:00I realize this is an old blog, but I love it. You...I realize this is an old blog, but I love it. You said so much that we go through. <br />I have been diagnosed with PCOS since I was 18, but we knew since I was 13 that something was wrong. I am 40 now, never able to have kids, and simply got on with life. But the psychological effects completely crippled me for a good number of years. It helped kill my marriage, and destroyed many friendships. I didn't understand why I was the way I was, and my husband and friends had no idea how to handle me, or what was going on.<br />I am doing better, but it is difficult, and never really gets *easy*.<br />I am going to school now, to be a medical assistant, and I am needing to a research paper. With having PCOS, I decided to do one one on the psychological effects of PCOS on women, and your article is the ONLY one I have found that says exactly what I am wanting to say. Everywhere else I look, its simple little comments of, "there is depression involved, and this can make the healing process harder." Um, ya think? You are poignant and to the heart, and I thank you.Neyehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04831813805888167826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-2862974930561210682013-09-08T04:00:32.910-07:002013-09-08T04:00:32.910-07:00Have come across your site whilst in deep depressi...Have come across your site whilst in deep depression, as at 65, am massive, yet I live on tinned tuna, salads, and low gi fresh vegetables. Hair is thin, and am fed up with people telling me to eat less. Have osteoarthritis in knees & hips so walking difficult, but work out at gym mainly from waist up, so not able to lose weight through physical exercise. Swimming & aqua aerobic exercise are not for weight loss. Thank you for your information.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-59967848513561971342013-05-16T11:02:11.513-07:002013-05-16T11:02:11.513-07:00Citrius, I'm sorry you've been having such...Citrius, I'm sorry you've been having such a hard time. Please consider having your thyroid levels tested. Don't just accept their judgment of "normal" -- look into your exact levels and what their cutoffs where. Hypothyroidism is highly correlated with depression in many people.<br /><br />Many women with PCOS have subclinical hypothyroidism, where the TSH numbers are somewhat elevated but not yet above the cutoff, but still have strong symptoms. Someone who was diagnosed with PCOS so early probably has a good chance of a thyroid imbalance. <br /><br />In the meantime, exercise is a very good treatment for mild depression. If you feel you need more than that, consider an anti-depressant. You deserve to feel better and some women find good results with anti-depressants and therapy.<br /><br />I hope things look up for you soon.Well-Rounded Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04129621631406155340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-27632851264674919552013-05-16T09:30:23.142-07:002013-05-16T09:30:23.142-07:00I was diagnosed with PCOD when i was 11 , as i sta...I was diagnosed with PCOD when i was 11 , as i started menses when i was 9 . Eveyday is tough battle. i have all the physical symptoms - hirituism , acnae , thinning of scalp hair , irregular periods and i am highly overweight . <br /><br />What troubles me the most is that i feel unhappy most of the time . In my teenage inspite of having physical symptoms i used to feel confident and positive in life so i had friends and an outgoing and charming personality which covered up for me for being not conventionally pretty . <br />over a period of time i have become depressed and lonely . i dnt understand how people are happy or feel happy . i feel a total disconnect from people around me even my mother . <br />My psychological and mental status is such that i cannot do anything properly , lack focus and concentration but waste alot of time . <br />i don't know whether my psychological and mental health is due to PCOD or excess weight and lack of self esteem .<br />also i absolutely have no sexual drive which often makes me frustrated because i am attracted to the opposite gender but fail to become friends with new people and sustain or even develop a new relationship . i am sexually frustrated too because i dnt get any vaginal discharge - its been 3 years . i m confused , can it be due to PCOD ? <br /><br />i am a mess currently but i want things to improve for me because i know i have potential which is going waste . Citriusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-11545575874508577752013-04-09T23:48:21.892-07:002013-04-09T23:48:21.892-07:00Forgot to add that I'm going to continue the P...Forgot to add that I'm going to continue the PCOS series again soon. Stay tuned to the blog for more specifics about PCOS treatments. Well-Rounded Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04129621631406155340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-23857960824482195722013-04-09T23:47:21.351-07:002013-04-09T23:47:21.351-07:00Kanika, I'm sorry you've been diagnosed wi...Kanika, I'm sorry you've been diagnosed with PCOS. Many of us are in this boat and it's no fun. But you can get through this. Many of us have very good lives despite dealing with PCOS. <br /><br />As far as weight loss helping with PCOS, some women find that it does, particularly giving fertility a quick boost. However, weight loss comes with downsides. Research shows that the weight nearly always comes back if you follow it long enough, and often you end up heavier than when you began. That's NOT going to help the PCOS. <br /><br />Also the studies that find that wt loss helps PCOS don't last very long, and they don't distinguish between the effects of things like more exercise vs. the actual wt loss. Many people find that they get all the benefits if they focus more on the increased exercise and lowering carb intake. For some, doing that will result in some wt loss, which is fine. For others, it won't lead to wt loss but it will help reduce PCOS symptoms. <br /><br />You have to decide what's right for you. If you want to pursue wt loss, it's your body. But keep in mind that you CAN work on symptoms and being healthy without having to emphasize wt loss. Consider a Health At Every Size approach too.Well-Rounded Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04129621631406155340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-54760643198063896682013-04-09T10:26:20.266-07:002013-04-09T10:26:20.266-07:00Hi, i have been recently diagnosed with PCOS. my m...Hi, i have been recently diagnosed with PCOS. my menstrual cycle has highly irregular for quite some time. but fortunately my thyroid tests show normal patterns which is a great relief. i am not yet married and reading all this about PCOS gave me goosebumps about what my life could be. i keep pretty depressed about it and have been facing frequent mood swings offlately. however my doctor has told me that regular exercise, right medicines and keeping a tab on what i eat can help me a great deal. also, i came across an article online which said that 3-5% of reduction in my weight can reduce the disease by 40-50 folds. i wish all the women out there dealing with PCOS all the very best and a healthy future. It might be a little tough but not impossible for sure. and lastly many thanks for such a brilliant article to the well-rounded mama! Cheers!!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11044523294647357730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-2982994779120266852012-05-01T01:38:13.121-07:002012-05-01T01:38:13.121-07:00Some of the bodily changes like excess hair growth...Some of the bodily changes like excess hair growth and acne that are visible externally might bring about a disturbing effect on the person's mental health also. With the guidance of an efficient health care provider and changes in the lifestyle, an individual can learn to regain confidence in oneself.solutions tohealthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724475266833277440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-73501351015890839212011-10-04T06:41:28.893-07:002011-10-04T06:41:28.893-07:00I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 18. Every now...I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 18. Every now and again women's magazines take up a cause and every single one of them writes an article about a single disease or problem, like how the June issues all have the Skin Cancer Special. That year, it was all PCOS. After reading three articles on it, I felt pretty sure that that was me. So the next time I was home from college, I showed my mom an article and she made an appointment for me at her endocrinologist.<br /><br />Throughout high school I gained a lot of weight going from a size 12 and about 160lbs to a size 18-20 and 200lbs in about 2 years and despite very little change in habits. I also had a hairy upper lip (still do) and acne. My period has always been regular like clockwork, but I have a mother with diabetes type 2 and a grandmother with hypertension. That was enough for the doctor to order blood work. <br /><br />We found that I have high testosterone and androgen levels present in the blood and no blood sugar issues. She prescribed me some birth control pills to regulate my hormones and told me to come back in 6 months. <br /><br />So it's eight years later and I still have the same problems. I'm off hormonal birth control now because I find the pills effect my mood and my thinking. I am worried about how this is effecting my PCOS, but I feel so much better mentally that it becomes much less of an issue. I feel more even keeled without the hormone pill. On it my moods were much more extreme, the highs were higher and the lows were lower. It also evaporated my sexual appetite and made touch nigh unbearable. I'm just so sick of trying to find the right pill for me and spending three or four months feeling crazy, or having my body shape completely change, or gaining weight, or losing weight, or having the slightest touch tickle or hurt that I don't even want to go there anymore. I'll just deal with myself.Sarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03792197358143132340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-84853883311190347112011-10-01T15:34:47.332-07:002011-10-01T15:34:47.332-07:00Now can we just get this information out to doctor...Now can we just get this information out to doctors? It took years for my diagnosis despite me having very typical pcos symptoms. They all told me it was weight related, even a gynaecologist who misread my bloods. It was only when I saw an endocrinologist that I finally got diagnosed and found someone who listened to me instead of talking at me about how all my issues were because I was fat and if I'd just go on a diet my periods would stabilise, the hairiness would disappear etc.copypinkleadernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-32250815928299927432011-09-30T18:23:50.840-07:002011-09-30T18:23:50.840-07:00Fantastic article.
As a headless death fatty I...Fantastic article.<br /><br />As a headless death fatty I've always found it incredibly frustrating that no doctor (or my mother, or nutritionist, etc, etc) has ever believed me when I tell them how much I eat. I've even recorded it on the computer, but that's just not been good enough.<br /><br />personally I'm convinced that my Thyroid is doing some shenanigans, but the tests always come back as 'normal'...Orodemniadeshttp://dazzleships.net/birchandmaplenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-243800782422893932011-09-29T23:45:28.372-07:002011-09-29T23:45:28.372-07:00This is a great article. Thank you. I wish this in...This is a great article. Thank you. I wish this info had been better known years ago.<br />I want to add that sometimes PCOS makes it difficult to tell if you've been through menopause. If you're hardly having periods, how do you know when they cease altogether? If you don't get hot flashes and your moods cycle as they did before menopause, well, let's say it's hard to tell the before-and-after difference.<br /><br />MulberryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-58685762197271653562011-09-29T18:24:29.791-07:002011-09-29T18:24:29.791-07:00Seconding what Cricket said. I loved the explanati...Seconding what Cricket said. I loved the explanation of how insulin resistance leads to constant hunger, fatigue, and undernourishment. People don't believe me when I talk about the "soul-crushing hunger" or that that was the most distressing symptom. Even my doctors didn't mention the fatigue and hunger. Some days i feel like the only woman with PCOS who experienced that.<br /><br />For the record, my labs are just barely into clinical levels and I have minimal signs of androgens, but my IR symptoms were debilitating. I'm just so grateful I got the diagnosis and treatment.Ashleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01741166832975924830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-4526010603570845692011-09-29T16:39:58.498-07:002011-09-29T16:39:58.498-07:00Cricket, thank you for your kind words. You'r...Cricket, thank you for your kind words. You're right, one of the hard things about PCOS is that it's so variable.<br /><br />Kate, the next post in this series is on testing and diagnosis, and then soon after that I'll do a couple of blog posts about treatment options. We will discuss a wide variety of options. But you can check out some of the website links if you'd like to read up on the possibilities sooner.<br /><br />Yes, there's a correlation between PCOS and hypothyroidism. (That's another entry in the series.) Not every woman with PCOS has hypothyroidism, but there's a higher rate than in the general population. If your cycles normalized once the thyroid was treated, the question remains whether you have other PCOS symptoms still or not. If so, you probably have PCOS too. But it could be "just" hypothyroidism alone if you don't have any other symptoms or everything resolved with thyroid meds.<br /><br />My cycles were irregular too until I started thyroid meds, and then they normalized with the meds. If that had been it, it wouldn't have necessarily been PCOS. But because I still have some symptoms of PCOS, even while my thyroid numbers are normal with treatment, that means I have both PCOS and hypothyroidism. <br /><br />But yes, anecdotally, there's a lot of crossover between PCOS and hypothyroidism. Many women with PCOS have borderline hypothyroidism, and a lot of the PCOS symptoms lessen when that hypothyroidism is treated. Certainly was true for me at least.Well-Rounded Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04129621631406155340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-29745539955169320752011-09-29T13:46:53.165-07:002011-09-29T13:46:53.165-07:00I have to say that this is one of the most compreh...I have to say that this is one of the most comprehensive articles I've seen about PCOS and it really encompasses a lot of the difficulties that all women who live with PCOS face. It is a difficult condition with too many variables to pigeon-hole. I'm looking forward to the rest of your series!Crickethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13934289345709450176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-46547659424921607232011-09-29T09:47:41.119-07:002011-09-29T09:47:41.119-07:00Thank you for this post. I've been told I hav...Thank you for this post. I've been told I have PCOS, though never diagnosed through testing and it's also never been treated. <br /><br />Is there a correlation between PCOS and a hypothyroid condition? I had very irregular cycles, which my doctors blamed on fatness, only to have them normalize 100% when I was started on thyroid meds. My thryoid numbers were subclinical, but my symptoms were definitely not and it took about four years of nagging to even get treated. (BTW, I tested positive for Hashimoto's once I stopped taking Humira, not on point, but people should know.)<br /><br />Do you think treatment for PCOS is required? I'd like to have a baby and my clock is definitely winding down, I had given up at one point due to my irregular cycles, but I'm hoping for a late in life rally. And if you think treatment is necessary, what is the best course of treatment? (I realize you are not a doctor and understand if you don't want to give such advice, but if you could maybe give us a heads up of optimal versus sub-optimal treatments, that'd be great.)Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12662034858495383191noreply@blogger.com