HOW SHOULD WOMEN DEAL WITH PCOD?

Possessing a human body invites diseases too. Some diseases can be hereditary like anemia thalassemia while others can be acquired during the lifetime of a person. The such acquired disease includes diabetes, PCOD, PCOS, asthma, etc. A woman undergoes several changes in her body since she attains puberty. A regular menstruation cycle is a sign of a healthy reproductive organ. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder observed in women of reproductive age between 14- 47.  A woman does secrete a few amounts of male hormones called Androgen in normal conditions but during PCOS the amount increases manifold.

Many online sites provide information about such disorders. An authentic site is always recommended so that the patient is not misguided. One of the most authentic and emerging sites I’ve come across for women regarding health and lifestyle is the ICHHORI site. A report noted by Pace Hospitals, Telangana says that there are 10% of women in the world suffer from disorders like PCOD and in India particularly PCOS ranges from 3% to 22%. A proper diagnosis and treatment of such a disorder at an early stage can help prevent future complications in a woman's body.

CAUSES OF PCOS –

1.      Insulin surge – the body of a PCOS woman generates a huge amount of insulin during this condition which causes more production of male hormones.

2.      Rise in Androgen – the male hormone secretion tends to increase hair growth, acne, and baldness. This hormone reduces the chances of a woman conceiving.

3.      Hereditary – there are chances that a woman can carry PCOS in her genes due to the presence of this syndrome in her lineage.

SYMPTOMS OF PCOS & THEIR REPERCUSSION –

1.      Irregular menstrual cycle – Estrogen and progesterone play an important role in a woman’s menstruation cycle and pregnancy as well. When the level of both these hormones decreases, menstruation occurs. In the case of PCOS, the androgen or male hormones' presence becomes more than that of the two. Due to this irregular menstruation is observed. The clinical term for this is called Oligomenorrhea.

2.      Absence of menstrual cycle – the increased level of male hormones can also lead to the absence of skipped menstrual cycle. The clinical condition is called amenorrhea.

3.      Heavy Menstrual bleeding – due to the unevenness of the female hormones and surge in male hormones; heavy bleeding is also noticed in a woman facing PCOS.

4.      Physical changes – the surge in male hormones leads to few features like men. For e.g., excessive growth of hair, baldness, etc., and Sudden weight gain are observed in a woman having PCOS.

5.      Infertility – due to this syndrome, it becomes difficult for the woman to conceive and get pregnant. In such cases, the one with PCOS can always choose options like surrogacy and adoption.

6.      Metabolic changes – due to an increase in insulin in this syndrome, the patient suffers from impaired glucose tolerance, diabetes, obesity, and increased chances of cardiovascular disease.

DIAGNOSIS & WAY FORWARD –

1.      Body examinations – apart from major physical changes like increased hair growth or baldness, a pelvic area checkup is also recommended to see if there is any kind of abnormalities.

2.      Blood test – instead of reaching a conclusion, a proper blood test, and consultation with a doctor is highly recommended in the PCOS situation. An increased level of male hormones is an indication of the syndrome.

3.      Imaging test – an ultrasound image helps check the ovaries, uterus lining, and any kind of abnormalities if present.

4.      Other metabolic tests – experts recommend having a regular blood pressure test, glucose tolerance test, and cholesterol test. Usually, when a human body comes in contact with a disease; communicable or non-communicable – it undergoes certain hormonal changes which can be captured in the tests. Regular checkups and tests can help note changes in the body which usually we as a layman tend to ignore or neglect.

5.      On knowing about the disorder, what next – with the development of technology and advancement of medical science, there has been a solution to every disease.

·         In the case of PCOS primarily affects the menstrual cycle of a woman, to overcome this, one can with the help of expert opinion take medicine to regulate the hormonal imbalance. A disease diagnosed and treated at a primary stage can always be taken under control.

·         The woman who is facing such issues should always keep patience and faith in the expert as well as herself. Such kind of disorders are seen in many women; at least one out of eight women undergo PCOS or PCOD in their entire life.

·         The infertility issue can be done right with fertility drugs, and treatment. Ovulation induction also occurs via oral medicine. Surrogacy and adoption also arise as a boon for those who have not been left with many options.

·         Dealing with increased male hormones can be brought under control by destroying them with laparoscopic methods and hormonal treatment.

·         The increased body hair and acne can be treated with skin treatment.

WHAT IS PCOD & HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM PCOS?

PCOD stands for Polycystic Ovarian Disease in which a woman's ovaries produce partially mature eggs in large numbers and over some time these eggs turn into cysts. A cyst is a dormant form in which a layer or number of layers are formed over a cell. This usually occurs to prevent the cell from a large amount of water loss or a condition in which unavailability of water and nutrition occurs. After a favorable condition is attained, the cyst desiccates and the cell continues a normal cycle. In the PCOD condition, the ovaries enlarge and secrete a large amount of male hormone called androgen. The disease same as PCOS has repercussions like delayed menstruation, absence of menstruation, obesity, etc.

There is a thin line of difference between PCOS and PCOD which every female should know. Here are a few points noted for better understanding –

 

 

PCOD	PCOS
The disease is a very common issue in women from a range of 12-51 age group and accounts for 10% of the population in the world.	The disease is a very rare occurrence and a serious medical condition accounting for only 0.3 – 3 % of the world's population and 3% of Indian women.
In this condition, a large amount of immature eggs is generated in women. This can occur due to hormonal imbalance, stress, etc.	In this condition, women hardly can produce any eggs.
PCOD does not affect the fertility of women to a great extent, they still can conceive with the help of proper medication.	In PCOS, the chances of infertility are very high.
There are no major complications except irregular menstrual cycle and obesity which can be treated with medicine and change in routine.	This disease directly affects the metabolism of a woman. Due to this glucose intolerance, cardiovascular disease, and obesity occur.

 

DEALING WITH PCOD –

1.      A change in routine and a healthier lifestyle can help maintain sugar levels and weight. A stress-free environment and proper consultation can help a woman battle even the biggest disease.

2.      Trying to maintain hormonal levels via oral medicine can help in the regular menstrual cycle and prevent facing major repercussions.

3.      Proper diet and maintaining body weight are very necessary nowadays. One of the arising noncommunicable diseases is obesity. With a stricter, healthier diet one can avoid blood pressure issues, heart problems, and other diseases too.

4.      Expert consultation in such cases can be really helpful and guiding.

Women’s health faces a lot of changes and challenges throughout their life. Instead of accepting the situation and turning negative, she should always look for consulting an expert and reading about the disease and issue on an authentic site. Nowadays some experts and enthusiasts are eager to help women and cater proper advice to them online like ICHHORI. They target to cater information to women after proper research so that the person in need does not have to look elsewhere.