PCOD/PCOS (PolyCystic Ovarian Disease/Syndrome)

The most common disease most of the women are facing today.

It is affecting 20% to 30% of women in the age group 12–45 years. It is a problem in which a woman’s hormones are out of balance. It can cause problems with menstrual periods and make it difficult for her to conceive. If not treated it can cause insulin resistant diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol leading to heart disease.

Symptoms:

Watch out the symptoms and find whether you are suffering from PCOD/PCOS or not.

1. Acne

2. Weight gain and trouble losing weight

3. Extra hair on the face and body. Often women get thicker and darker facial hair and more hair on the chest, belly, and back.

4. Thinning hair on the scalp. Often baldness starts.

5. Irregular periods. Often women with PCOS have fewer than nine periods a year. Some women have no periods. Others when they have, a very heavy bleeding occurs.

6. Fertility problems. Many women who have PCOS have trouble getting pregnant (infertility)

7. Depression

8. Dark skin patches on the neck and arms

Causes:

1. High insulin levels – When you have a high level of insulin, it affects the ovaries by increasing the production of androgen that might interfere with the ovaries’ ability to ovulate.

2. Hereditary – If your mother or sister have a history of PCOD, then chances are you too might get diagnosed with this health issue.

3. Low-grade inflammation – When women have low-grade inflammation, it stimulates ovaries to produce androgens thus leading to PCOD.

4. Food- Oily and spicy food should be avoided.

I have seen women having more oily and spicy food. This can also cause PCOD. If not PCOD, the problem of conceiving and various health issues will occur after 40’s.

Treatment:

Various treatment goals are-

1. Lowering of blood glucose levels

2. Restoration of fertility

3. Treatment of  acne

4. Restoration of regular menstruation, and prevention of endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer

Losing weight (which can be difficult) has been shown to help with diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Even a weight loss of 5% of total body weight has been shown to help with the imbalance of hormones and also with infertility.

Medications for abnormal hormones or menstrual cycle:

1. Birth control pills or progesterone pills, to help make menstrual cycles more regular

2. Metformin, a medication that increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin, can improve the symptoms of PCOS and sometimes will cause the menstrual cycles to normalize. For some women, it can also help with weight loss.

3. LH-releasing hormone (LHRH) analogs

4. Treatment with clomiphene citrate causes the egg to mature and be released. Sometimes women need this or other fertility drugs to get pregnant.

Medications for abnormal hair growth:

1. Birth control pills. It may take several months to begin noticing a difference.

2. Anti-androgen medications, such as spironolactone and flutamide may be tried if birth control pills do not work.

3. Eflornithine cream may slow the growth of unwanted facial hair in women.

4. Hair removal using laser and nonlaser light sources damages individual hair follicles so they do not grow back. This can be expensive and multiple treatments are needed. Laser removal can be combined with other medicines and hormones.

Diet for PCOD: Diet forms an important part of PCOD. It should be kept in mind that people suffering from PCOD need to stay away from refined flour and sugar, carbohydrates. Rather their diet should consist more of raw fruits and vegetables, and foods that have a low Glycemic Index.