PCOD-IT'S SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT

The Symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome are:

There are a number of symptoms associated with the syndrome:
• Absent or irregular periods
• Weight gain
• Acne (spotty skin)
• Hirsutism (excessive hair growth on the face and body)
• Difficulties getting pregnant
• Thinning of scalp hair
Not all people who suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome will have all of these symptoms. For some the only sign is when they have difficulties to have children.

LONG-TERM PROBLEMS OF PCOS:
-Women with this condition have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes or develope diabetes during pregnancy. so,this increases the risk of strokes,heart disease, risk of high cholesterol and high blood pressure. These problems are caused by insulin resistance and obesity.
- infrequent periods may possibly increase the risk of developing cancer of the womb. A condition known as sleep apnoea is also more common in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
-Women who suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome can often develop depression or poor self esteem because of the effect of the other symptoms of the condition.

CAUSES OF PCOS:
The actual cause of polycystic ovary syndrome is unknown
-PCOS is more common in people who is close relative of thgis cond means that this is genetical.
-There seems to be evidence linking polycystic ovary syndrome with higher than normal levels of a hormone known as insulin. Insulin is a hormone that controls blood sugar levels. A lot of women with polycystic ovary syndrome have a problem known as insulin resistance. due to this there is inc levels of testosterone along with acne and hair growth.
- overweight can worsen the problem. This is because having excess body fat also makes insulin resistance worse, and so the levels of insulin in the body are increased even more.
-Another hormone known as luteinising hormone is also raised in some women with polycystic ovary syndrome. LH also increases levels of testosterone in the body.

DIAGNOSIS:
Polycystic ovary syndrome cannot be diagnosed by a single test. Tests involve:
•Blood tests: These are used to measure levels of hormones, including testosterone and luteinising hormone. This can also help to rule out alternative hormone problems that might cause periods to stop.
•Ultrasound scan: This scan is done to look at the surface of the ovaries. This will show whether the ovaries are enlarged and polycystic.

TREATING EXCESS HAIR:
There a range of treatments available for treating the excess hair growth associated with polycystic ovary syndrome:
•Hair removal treatments include electrolysis, laser treatment, hair removal creams, waxing and shaving.
•A cream known as eflornithine is evidenct to work on the area to stop unwanted hair growth. However, if treatment is stopped, the hair will grow back.
•Certain tablets can also help affect hair growth. These drugs work against testosterone, either by decreasing how much the body produces, or lessening the effect of testosterone in the body. The most common drugs used are:
oThe combined oral contraceptive pill have some effect on excess hair growth.
oThere is an antitestosterone drug known as cyproterone acetate. This drug is available in combination with oestrogen in one make of contraceptive pill, known as Dianette.
oIf the combined oral contraceptive or Dianette are not suitable or they do not help, other antitestosterone drugs are also available.
These tablets usually take between 3 and 9 months to reach their maximum level of effect. If the tablets are stopped at any point then the hair will grow back.

TREATING ACNE:
The treatment for acne is the same irrespective of the cause. Treatments for acne include antibiotic creams and facial washes, or antibiotic tablets. More severe acne may be treated by a skin specialist.
One of the common treatment for acne is the combined contraceptive pill. Because this treatment can also help relieve some of the other symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome, it is quite a common treatment option for people with the condition.

TREATING IRRREGULAR OR ABSENT PERIODS:
There is a possible increased risk of cancer of the womb if you have no periods for an extended period of time. Therefore, some women take the contraceptive pill because it causes regular bleeds. An alternative option is to take another hormone, known as progesterone. When this drug is taken for several days each month, it causes a monthly bleed. ultrasound scan of your womb quite regularly is done to try and identify any problems as early as possible.

TREATING FERTILITY PROBLEMS:
Polycystic ovary syndrome can cause a person to have difficulties conceiving. If you suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome and are having problems getting pregnant you will usually be referred to a specialist. There are a range of treatment options to help with infertility. Treatments include:
•Clomifene is a drug which has a mild stimulating effect on the ovaries. It is taken as a tablet for five days each month.
•Gonadotrophin hormone stimulates the follicles in the ovary to fully develop. It is given as a daily injection.
It is also important to remember that whilst polycystic ovary syndrome may lead to difficulties getting pregnant, it does not guarantee that you will not get pregnant through sexual intercourse. The chances of getting pregnant are affected by ovulation. With polycystic ovary syndrome you may not ovulate regularly, but you may still ovulate sometimes. If you want to be certain that you will not become pregnant it is important that you use contraception even if you have polycystic ovary syndrome.

TREATING INSULIN RESISTANCE:
A drug called metformin is commonly used as a treatment for people who suffer from type 2 diabetes. This drug acts by increasing insulin. The body then requires less insulin, and so this drug can lead to a decrease in the levels of insulin in the body. High levels of insulin may well contribute to the symptoms and problems associated with pcos. In some cases of the condition, metformin is prescribed to help treat the underlying problem causing polycystic ovary syndrome. There are other newer drugs on the marketknown as insulin-sensitising drugs in treating polycystic ovary syndrome .

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