PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Here is the definition from Web MD - http://women.webmd.com/tc/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-topic-overview

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) - Topic Overview

What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (say "pah-lee-SIS-tik OH-vuh-ree SIN-drohm") is a problem in which a woman’s hormones are out of balance. It can cause problems with your periods and make it difficult to get pregnant. PCOS may also cause unwanted changes in the way you look. If it is not treated, over time it can lead to serious health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (or PCOS) is common, affecting as many as 1 in 15 women. Often the symptoms begin in the teen years. Treatment can help control the symptoms and prevent long-term problems.

What are hormones, and what happens in PCOS?

Hormones are chemical messengers that trigger many different processes, including growth and energy production. Often, the job of one hormone is to signal the release of another hormone.
For reasons that are not well understood, in PCOS the hormones get out of balance. One hormone change triggers another, which changes another. This makes a vicious circle of out-of-balance hormones. For example:

• The sex hormones get out of balance. Normally, the ovaries make a tiny amount of male sex hormones (androgens). In PCOS, they start making slightly more androgens. This may cause you to stop ovulating, get acne, and grow extra facial and body hair.
• The body may have a problem using insulin, called insulin resistance. When the body doesn't use insulin well, blood sugar levels go up. Over time, this increases your chance of getting diabetes.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms tend to be mild at first. You may have only a few symptoms or a lot of them. The most common symptoms are:

• Acne.
• Weight gain and trouble losing weight.
• Extra hair on the face and body. Often women get thicker and darker facial hair and more hair on the chest, belly, and back.
• Thinning hair on the scalp.
• Irregular periods. Often women with PCOS have fewer than nine periods a year. Some women have no periods. Others have very heavy bleeding.
• Fertility problems. Many women with PCOS have trouble getting pregnant (infertility).
• Depression.

Most women with PCOS grow many small cysts on their ovaries. That is why it is called polycystic ovary syndrome. The cysts are not harmful, but lead to hormone imbalances.

What causes PCOS?

The symptoms of PCOS are caused by changes in hormone levels. There may be one or more causes for the hormone level changes.
PCOS seems to run in families, so your chance of having it is higher if other women in your family have PCOS, irregular periods, or diabetes. PCOS can be passed down from either your mother's or father's side.



So, now that you have all of that information you should be all sorts of confused, or clear as ever.  There are groups for women going through this, to find ways to cope or find ways to handle living with this condition.
Insulin resistance seems to be the main cause, so rather than focusing on PCOS in general, I have broadened my search for help.  There is a book by Diane Kress "The Metabolism Miracle" - http://themetabolismmiracle.com/default.aspx
This has been the greatest amount of help especially for long term weight loss and maintenance, but for pregnancy I have learned a lot from yet another source. Monika Woolsey http://www.incyst.com/

I realize that this is a lot of information, and I'm not sure how many of you will look at any of the links, so later on as I learn new things I will post them.  Now you will all understand that the lack of a family is not my choice, but something we are trying to overcome.  You're prayers are welcome.