Young Women & PCOS: The Problem To Deal With Sooner, Rather Than Later

I just did a consultation with a 53 year old woman yesterday who is certain that she had PCOS with a long history of female issues and eventually a hysterectomy, but "back then" she stated, they just didn't know it. (It always makes me sad to hear this because she struggled with infertility and never had children along with all of the other painful details of her medical history.)

Last week I consulted with a 16 year old and her mother who had checked out a book at the library on PCOS and became suspicious that this was the problem that she was experiencing each month with horrible menstrual cycles and pain. We had her test her hormone levels and she did have indicators that pointed to this disease. The next stop will be a visit to her doctor for an ultrasound and other tests. Thankfully she is young and if this is the problem, then interventional medicine can help her. Yeah!!

Yesterday, PCOS wasn't mentioned, but a 26 year old woman was referred to see if I could prescribe a supplement to bring her Testosterone down. This can be a sign of PCOS and I encouraged other testing. The supplement she will take is designed to help young women like this get back to a regular menstrual cycle and to prevent the unwanted symptoms that can go along with having a high Testosterone value.

We do know about the implications of PCOS "these days". Read on mothers, daughters, granddaughters, sisters, grandmothers..... you might just help someone you care about.


This is a SHOUT out to girls and young women who may be dealing with hidden practices and secrets related to polycystic ovaries. What do you mean(?), you might be asking. Did you know that it is not uncommon for a woman with this disease to have to shave? Did you know that they often struggle with depression? Did you know that they skip menstrual cycles of just don't have them at all? Did you know that infertility is a huge problem for these patients? Did you know that PCOS is becoming more prevalent?

Let me just give you a running list of some of the symptoms of PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome).

Infrequent menstrual periods, no menstrual periods, irregular bleeding, infertility because of no ovulation, increased hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes-a condition called hirsutism. Here's some more: ovarian cysts, acne, oily skin, dandruff, weight gain or obesity (around the waist), insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, male-pattern baldness or thinning hair, patches of thickened or dark brown skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs, skin tags in the armpits or neck area, anxiety or depression due to appearance or infertility, sleep apnea and excessive snoring. Hidden struggles as you see.... Who wants anyone to notice these things? It makes me sad to see young women dealing with this syndrome.

There is no single test to determine if a woman has PCOS. A comprehensive medical history will usually be taken along with a physical exam by the doctor. I totally recommend that a person have a hormone panel done because there are some key identifiers and values that are helpful in determining if this is the problem. I remember a 23 year old female that came to my office about 3 years ago. She was referred by a friend who suggested she come in an get tested. Thankfully she did. After reading the lab results, I was able to refer her on to a physician who did more testing and started her on a prescription regimen that gave her quality of life again. Her depression improved, she lost weight, the hair growth lessened on her face, she just looked brighter overall. Yeah!!

There are effective treatments for PCOS. (some prescription, some herbal, some lifestyle modification) If you know of a woman who may be dealing with these troublesome symptoms, please have her give my office a call. I would love to talk with them. I can walk them through the testing process, work with their personal physician, and get them on the road to better health. Time is critical in treating this syndrome. Call right away!

To your good health,
Dr. Sonja