How do you know if you have PCOS?
That was a question I heard last week.
This lady had been begging her doctor to test her for PCOS… the doctors response bothers me.
They said it doesn’t really matter if she has it or not because it wouldn’t change how they treated her.
To me this is sad. Why, you might ask?
Because there are a lot of things that need to be done differently if someone has PCOS.
The way one approaches weight loss needs to be different.
Medications might need to be different.
Knowing the health risks associated with PCOS are important.
And the list goes on.
But too many women are walking around with PCOS, suffering from the symptoms, and not knowing it.
Unfortunately, the average woman with PCOS discovers they have it after struggling to have kids.
But only 20% of women with PCOS actually struggle with infertility.
So how do you find out if you have PCOS.
First, look at your physical symptoms.
1. Adult acne. This can be on your face, shoulders and back.
2. Male pattern hair growth. This can be extra hair on your face, chest, belly, and back. It can also show as just thicker hair on your arms or legs.
3. Male pattern balding. If you notice your hair thinning on the top that could be a sign of PCOS.
4. Irregular cycles. This one can be a little harder. Because your cycle can be anywhere from non-existent to every couple of weeks. The flow of your period could be anywhere from very light to very heavy. I’ve seen it all.
5. Fatigue. Most women with PCOS feel tired a lot. But don’t use this symptom as one of your main determinants of PCOS. A lot of things can make us feel tired.
Next, get a physical examination from you doctor. They’ll typically check to see if you have cysts on your ovaries, which is where the term Polycystic ovarian syndrome comes from.
But here is an important thing to know. You can have PCOS without having cysts.
Your doctor should also do a blood test. Typically, they are looking for elevated male hormones and a hormone called Anti-Mullerian Hormone or AMH.
At the moment the diagnostic criteria for PCOS are that you need to have at least two of the following three symptoms.
1. Cysts on your ovaries
2. High androgen (male hormone) levels
3. Lack of ovulation
Some people have all three symptoms, most don’t.
So, if you feel like you have some of these symptoms, I recommend getting into your doctor to get tested and diagnosed.
If your doctor doesn’t seem to care, find a new doctor.
I hope this helps someone figure out what is going on with their body.
Thanks
John Gibson
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