fondreflections
New member
Hi Ladies,
I didn't really go into what PCOS does or how Met helps so I'd like to take a minute to explain what it is and how this diagnosis is affecting me.
<b>What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?</b>
Polycystic (pah-lee-SIS-tik) ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a health problem that can affect a woman's menstrual cycle, ability to have children, hormones, heart, blood vessels, and appearance. With PCOS, women typically have:
high levels of androgens (AN-druh-junz). These are sometimes called male hormones, although females also make them.
missed or irregular periods
many small cysts (sists) in their ovaries. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs.
<b>How many women have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?</b>
About one in ten women of childbearing age has PCOS. It can occur in girls as young as 11 years old. PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility (not being able to get pregnant).
<b>What causes polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?</b>
The cause of PCOS is unknown. Most researchers think that more than one factor could play a role in developing PCOS. Genes are thought to be one factor. Women with PCOS tend to have a mother or sister with PCOS. Researchers also think insulin could be linked to PCOS. Insulin is a hormone that controls the change of sugar, starches, and other food into energy for the body to use or store. For many women with PCOS, their bodies have problems using insulin so that too much insulin is in the body. Excess insulin appears to increase production of androgen. This hormone is made in fat cells, the ovaries, and the adrenal gland. Levels of androgen that are higher than normal can lead to acne, excessive hair growth, weight gain, and problems with ovulation.
<img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p212/yenilson/pcos1.gif">
<b>Does polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) run in families?</b>
Most researchers think that PCOS runs in families. Women with PCOS tend to have a mother or sister with PCOS. Still, there is no proof that PCOS is inherited.
<b>What are the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?</b>
Not all women with PCOS share the same symptoms. These are some of the symptoms of PCOS:
infrequent menstrual periods, no menstrual periods, and/or irregular bleeding
<b>infertility (not able to get pregnant) because of not ovulating </b>
increased hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes - a condition called hirsutism (HER-suh-tiz-um)
<b>ovarian cysts </b>
<b>acne, oily skin, or dandruff </b>
weight gain or obesity, usually carrying extra weight around the waist
<b>insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes</b>
<b>high cholesterol </b>
high blood pressure
male-pattern baldness or thinning hair
patches of thickened and dark brown or black skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs
skin tags, or tiny excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area
<b>pelvic pain </b>
anxiety or depression due to appearance and/or infertility
sleep apnea - excessive snoring and times when breathing stops while asleep
<b>Why do women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have trouble with their menstrual cycle?</b>
The ovaries are two small organs, one on each side of a woman's uterus. A woman's ovaries have follicles, which are tiny sacs filled with liquid that hold the eggs. These sacs also are called cysts. Each month about 20 eggs start to mature, but usually only one matures fully. As this one egg grows, the follicle accumulates fluid in it. When that egg matures, the follicle breaks open to release it. The egg then travels through the fallopian tube for fertilization. When the single egg leaves the follicle, ovulation takes place.
In women with PCOS, the ovary doesn't make all of the hormones it needs for any of the eggs to fully mature. Follicles may start to grow and build up fluid. But no one follicle becomes large enough. Instead, some follicles may remain as cysts. Since no follicle becomes large enough and no egg matures or is released, ovulation does not occur and the hormone progesterone is not made. Without progesterone, a woman's menstrual cycle is irregular or absent. Plus, the cysts make male hormones, which also prevent ovulation.
<b>Upon ultrasound</b>, my left ovary had 1 rather large cyst and many smaller ones. The smaller ones were all within the ovary outlining the border. They gave off a 'pearl necklace' appearance upon ultrasound. All those small cysts were immature follicles that never developed properly for release. Thus, I had too many follicles in the ovary. Also, the rather large cyst was 'trapping' the mature eggs from being released. I may have ovulated some months; however, my eggs aren't of a good quality. They may not have even been capable of being fertilized. <b>Even if they were fertilized, I was at a miscarriage rate of 30%!!! Since my body is trying to ovulate, I WILL test + on ovulation prediction tests WILL have a thermal shift. All ways of 'home monitoring' aren't accurate for me.</b>
Metformin helps return 'normal' ovarian function. What it does, firstly, is helps the body remove the immature follicles, whether that is by elimination or assisting in the proper maturing. Also, Met either removes or significantly reduces the size of the rather large cysts that I get on the outer edge of the ovary. By removing the outer cyst, the 'trapping of the egg' can no longer happen. Thus, the 'normal' function of the ovary is returned or close to it. The total turnaround is approximately 3 months.
<b>Once pregnant, Met is continued throughout the first trimester to prevent the high miscarriage rate of 30%! Met lowers the miscarriage rate to about 7%!</b>
I hope this has enlightened some of you about PCOS. Since I do get monthly periods and 'normal in appearance' ovulation tests with sustained thermal shifts, I wouldn't have known that I was affected by PCOS. The bloodwork and ultrasounds revealed what I had no clue about. Hopefully, Met will help return 'normal function' to the left ovary. <b>Met has a 90% success rate!!! </b>
I didn't really go into what PCOS does or how Met helps so I'd like to take a minute to explain what it is and how this diagnosis is affecting me.
<b>What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?</b>
Polycystic (pah-lee-SIS-tik) ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a health problem that can affect a woman's menstrual cycle, ability to have children, hormones, heart, blood vessels, and appearance. With PCOS, women typically have:
high levels of androgens (AN-druh-junz). These are sometimes called male hormones, although females also make them.
missed or irregular periods
many small cysts (sists) in their ovaries. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs.
<b>How many women have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?</b>
About one in ten women of childbearing age has PCOS. It can occur in girls as young as 11 years old. PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility (not being able to get pregnant).
<b>What causes polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?</b>
The cause of PCOS is unknown. Most researchers think that more than one factor could play a role in developing PCOS. Genes are thought to be one factor. Women with PCOS tend to have a mother or sister with PCOS. Researchers also think insulin could be linked to PCOS. Insulin is a hormone that controls the change of sugar, starches, and other food into energy for the body to use or store. For many women with PCOS, their bodies have problems using insulin so that too much insulin is in the body. Excess insulin appears to increase production of androgen. This hormone is made in fat cells, the ovaries, and the adrenal gland. Levels of androgen that are higher than normal can lead to acne, excessive hair growth, weight gain, and problems with ovulation.
<img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p212/yenilson/pcos1.gif">
<b>Does polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) run in families?</b>
Most researchers think that PCOS runs in families. Women with PCOS tend to have a mother or sister with PCOS. Still, there is no proof that PCOS is inherited.
<b>What are the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?</b>
Not all women with PCOS share the same symptoms. These are some of the symptoms of PCOS:
infrequent menstrual periods, no menstrual periods, and/or irregular bleeding
<b>infertility (not able to get pregnant) because of not ovulating </b>
increased hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes - a condition called hirsutism (HER-suh-tiz-um)
<b>ovarian cysts </b>
<b>acne, oily skin, or dandruff </b>
weight gain or obesity, usually carrying extra weight around the waist
<b>insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes</b>
<b>high cholesterol </b>
high blood pressure
male-pattern baldness or thinning hair
patches of thickened and dark brown or black skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs
skin tags, or tiny excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area
<b>pelvic pain </b>
anxiety or depression due to appearance and/or infertility
sleep apnea - excessive snoring and times when breathing stops while asleep
<b>Why do women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have trouble with their menstrual cycle?</b>
The ovaries are two small organs, one on each side of a woman's uterus. A woman's ovaries have follicles, which are tiny sacs filled with liquid that hold the eggs. These sacs also are called cysts. Each month about 20 eggs start to mature, but usually only one matures fully. As this one egg grows, the follicle accumulates fluid in it. When that egg matures, the follicle breaks open to release it. The egg then travels through the fallopian tube for fertilization. When the single egg leaves the follicle, ovulation takes place.
In women with PCOS, the ovary doesn't make all of the hormones it needs for any of the eggs to fully mature. Follicles may start to grow and build up fluid. But no one follicle becomes large enough. Instead, some follicles may remain as cysts. Since no follicle becomes large enough and no egg matures or is released, ovulation does not occur and the hormone progesterone is not made. Without progesterone, a woman's menstrual cycle is irregular or absent. Plus, the cysts make male hormones, which also prevent ovulation.
<b>Upon ultrasound</b>, my left ovary had 1 rather large cyst and many smaller ones. The smaller ones were all within the ovary outlining the border. They gave off a 'pearl necklace' appearance upon ultrasound. All those small cysts were immature follicles that never developed properly for release. Thus, I had too many follicles in the ovary. Also, the rather large cyst was 'trapping' the mature eggs from being released. I may have ovulated some months; however, my eggs aren't of a good quality. They may not have even been capable of being fertilized. <b>Even if they were fertilized, I was at a miscarriage rate of 30%!!! Since my body is trying to ovulate, I WILL test + on ovulation prediction tests WILL have a thermal shift. All ways of 'home monitoring' aren't accurate for me.</b>
Metformin helps return 'normal' ovarian function. What it does, firstly, is helps the body remove the immature follicles, whether that is by elimination or assisting in the proper maturing. Also, Met either removes or significantly reduces the size of the rather large cysts that I get on the outer edge of the ovary. By removing the outer cyst, the 'trapping of the egg' can no longer happen. Thus, the 'normal' function of the ovary is returned or close to it. The total turnaround is approximately 3 months.
<b>Once pregnant, Met is continued throughout the first trimester to prevent the high miscarriage rate of 30%! Met lowers the miscarriage rate to about 7%!</b>
I hope this has enlightened some of you about PCOS. Since I do get monthly periods and 'normal in appearance' ovulation tests with sustained thermal shifts, I wouldn't have known that I was affected by PCOS. The bloodwork and ultrasounds revealed what I had no clue about. Hopefully, Met will help return 'normal function' to the left ovary. <b>Met has a 90% success rate!!! </b>