PCOS and Fibromyalgia- It is Treatable

by Naomi Prex Arbaa, MD

Poly-cystic ovarian syndrome and fibromyalgia

Would you believe that PCOS is one of the most common reproduction and endocrine disorders that affect women within the reproductive age range? Women with PCOS have been shown to have higher levels of inflammation, which can be measured by tests such as hsCRP. Your medical doctor or natural health professional should be able to check this for you.

I recommend women with PCOS have this test completed, to give you an insight into the effect oxidative stress and inflammation may be playing in your PCOS. Symptoms usually develop during puberty around the time you start your first period. However, it can certainly develop later.

They add that you will probably get a diagnosis of PCOS if you experience at least two of the following symptoms: irregular periods, excess androgen, and polycystic ovaries. Women with PCOS make male hormones higher-than-normal. PCOS also causes baldness and hair growth on the face and body, and it can contribute to long-term health problems like diabetes and heart disease.

Birth control pills and diabetes drugs can facilitate in fixing the hormone disproportion and improve symptoms. PCOS influence a woman’s ovaries, the reproductive parts that make estrogen and progesterone hormones that control the menstrual cycle.

The ovaries also make a minute quantity of male hormones called androgens. The ovaries release eggs to be fertilized by a man’s sperm. The discharge of an egg each month is called ovulation. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) control ovulation. FSH stimulates the ovary to make a follicle a pouch that contains an egg and then LH triggers the ovary to release a mature egg.

Causes

Doctors don’t know exactly what causes PCOS. They consider that elevated levels of male hormones stop the ovaries from producing hormones and making eggs generally. Genes, insulin resistance, and swelling have all been connected to excess androgen making. Women suffering with PCOS have insulin resistance, meaning that their cells can’t utilize insulin appropriately.

The body’s demand for insulin increases when cells can’t use insulin appropriately. The pancreas makes more insulin to compensate. Additional insulin triggers the ovaries to make more male hormones. Obesity is a main reason of insulin resistance. Both obesity and insulin resistance can increase your risk for type 2 diabetes. Women with PCOS have swelling on their body. Being overweight can also contribute to inflammation. Studies have linked excess inflammation to higher androgen levels.

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Symptoms

Some women start considering symptoms around the time of their initial period. Others only discover they have PCOS after they’ve gained a lot of weight or they’ve had trouble getting pregnant. A shortage of ovulation prevents the uterine lining from detaching every month.

Some women with PCOS get fewer than eight periods a year. Male hormones can cause breakouts on areas like the face, chest, and upper back and make the skin oilier than usual. The uterine lining builds up for a longer period of time, so the periods you do get can be heavier than normal. More than 70 percent of women with this situation grow hair on their face and body counting on their back, abdomen, and chest.

Excess hair growth is called hirsutism. Dark patches of skin can form in body creases like those on the neck, in the groin, and beneath the breasts. Up to 80 percent of women with PCOS are overweight or obese. Hormone changes can trigger headaches in some women. PCOS can also cause sleep apnea. This state causes repetitive pauses in breathing during the night, which disrupt sleep.

Sleep apnea is more common in women who are overweight especially if they also have PCOS. The danger for sleep apnea is 5 to 10 times higher in overweight women with PCOS than in those without PCOS. Symptoms like unnecessary hair growth can depressingly affect your emotions and hormonal changes contribute to it. Many with PCOS end up experiencing depression and anxiety.

PCOS interrupts the usual menstrual cycle and makes it harder to conceive. Between 70 and 80 percent of women with PCOS have fecundity troubles. Women with PCOS are twofold as likely as women without the state to deliver their baby immature. They’re also at bigger risk for miscarriage, high blood pressure, and gestational diabetes.

Tips to treat PCOS

Doctors characteristically diagnose PCOS in women who have at least two of these three symptoms, elevated androgen levels, cysts in the ovaries and irregular menstrual cycles. Your doctor should also inquire whether you’ve had symptoms like acne, face and body hair production, and weight gain. A pelvic examination can look for your ovaries or other parts of your reproductive tract.

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Throughout this test, your doctor inserts gloved fingers into your vagina and checks for any growths in your ovaries or uterus. Treatment for PCOS typically starts with lifestyle modifications like weight loss, diet, and work out. Losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can help regulate your menstrual cycle and improve PCOS symptoms. Weight loss can also recover cholesterol levels, lower insulin, and lessen heart disease and diabetes risks. Any diet that helps you lose weight can help your condition.

However, some diets may have advantages over others. Low-carbohydrate diets are effective for both weight loss and lowering insulin levels. A low glycemic index (low-GI) diet helps control the menstrual cycle better than a regular weight loss diet. Exercise is even more beneficial when combined with a healthy diet. Diet plus exercise lessens your risks for diabetes and heart disease and you lose more weight than any intervention alone.

The bottom line is that if you are dealing with these symptoms, you need to visit your healthcare practitioner and discuss treatment options, as well as potential or experienced damage to your heart.

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References:

  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) by Tiffany Vance-Huffman via Fibromyalgia Treating
  • The Common Thread – PCOS, Fibromyalgia And Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Dr Rebecca Harwin  via Conquer your PCOS Naturally

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Our mission is to provide valuable information, support, and tools to help individuals manage fibromyalgia and improve their quality of life. We are dedicated to raising awareness and offering guidance on treatments, self-care, and wellness strategies tailored to your unique journey.

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