Today in my clinic, I met a very disturbing patient. She is a 25-year-old woman named Nadeesha. Even as Nadeesha sat down in the chair, her eyes were filled with tears.
"What's wrong, Nadeesha?" I asked her lovingly.
Nadeesha controlled her emotions and said, "Doctor, I haven't had my period in four months. Also, I've started to grow thick male-like hair on my face and chin. My whole face is covered in pimples. I'm very scared."
I held Nadeesha's hands and comforted her. "Nadeesha, don't worry. The symptoms you are describing indicate that you are suffering from a hormonal imbalance called PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) . This condition prevents the ovaries from properly maturing and releasing eggs. That is why the menstrual cycle becomes irregular. Let's get an abdominal ultrasound scan done to confirm this condition for sure."
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🚨 Red Flags that require immediate medical attention
Although PCOS is usually a chronic disease, if the following symptoms occur, you should immediately see a specialist obstetrician and gynecologist ) and seek treatment:
- Menstrual bleeding that lasts more than 21 days or is extremely heavy (this can lead to anemia).
- Sudden, severe and unbearable pain in the lower abdomen (may be a ruptured ovarian cyst or a ruptured ovary - Ruptured Cyst/Ovarian Torsion).
- Waking up with shortness of breath or loud snoring while sleeping at night (Sleep Apnea).
- Feeling extremely depressed, anxious, and suicidal.
Factors that contribute to PCOS
Although the exact cause of PCOS has not yet been discovered by medical science, the following factors have been found to have a direct impact on it:
1. Insulin Resistance: When the body's cells become less responsive to the hormone insulin, blood sugar levels rise. The pancreas then produces more insulin, and this excess insulin stimulates the ovaries to increase the production of male hormones.
2. Excess production of androgen hormones: Although women's bodies also produce small amounts of male hormones, in PCOS the ovaries produce excessive amounts of androgens. This can lead to facial hair growth, acne, and the inability to release eggs properly.
3. Low-grade Inflammation: In PCOS patients, white blood cells cause long-term low-grade inflammation, which further stimulates the production of androgens by the ovaries.
4. Genetics: If your mother, sister, or aunt has PCOS, you are more likely to develop the disease.
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If PCOS is not properly controlled, the body's entire metabolism can be disrupted and the following complications can occur:
- Infertility: It is difficult to get pregnant because the ovaries do not release eggs (Anovulation).
- Complications during pregnancy: Increased risk of gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and miscarriage.
- Metabolic Syndrome: The combination of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease.
- Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): Excessive fat deposits in the liver, causing inflammation of the liver, even without alcohol consumption.
- Endometrial Cancer: Long-term absence of menstruation can cause the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to thicken, increasing the risk of developing cancer.
Successful medical solutions for PCOS
Although PCOS cannot be completely cured, symptoms can be successfully managed:
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