I had been living up at college for a couple years, so I decided to

switch to a doctor closer to school. I made a gynecologist appointment for August. I was determined to finally find out why I hadn’t ever gotten a regular period. My old gynecologist didn’t have any answers for me. She just gave me progesterone and told me to take it every other month. It worked…sometimes.

I went to the appointment and by just looking at the acne on my face and arms, and listening to my history of infrequent periods, my gynecologist gave a name to the problem that has plagued me for years. That name is PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is known by a variety of names, including, Stein-Leventhal Syndrome, hyper androgenic chronic annovulation, functional ovarian hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovary disease. It is not a well-known disease among both women and doctors; however, as many as 30 percent of women have some characteristic of the syndrome. One reason for a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of PCOS is the common symptoms. PCOS manifests in the late teenage years, during or near the end of puberty. Therefore, some of the symptoms of PCOS, including acne, irregular periods, and weight gain, are attributed to puberty. Doctors will often treat the individual symptoms rather than the entire syndrome. But even when doctors know it is PCOS, individual symptoms are still sometimes the focus of treatment. This is precisely what happened in my case. My gynecologist told me I had PCOS, gave me a website to look at which further explained the syndrome, prescribed birth control pills to regulate my cycle, and told me to see a dermatologist for my acne.

Not knowing anything about PCOS, I assumed this was the best course of action. I immediately went home, got on the computer and researched PCOS. I soon found out that PCOS was more than just acne and irregular periods. The root of the problem lies in insulin resistance. A woman with PCOS is resistant to insulin, meaning her cells don’t

absorb it. Therefore, it circulates in the bloodstream. This overabundance of insulin acts on the ovaries and produces too much testosterone. This increase in testosterone produces the symptoms. The physical symptoms, many of which were already mentioned, are irregular periods, acne, weight gain (obesity), facial hair, thinning hair, and lack of energy. There are also medical symptoms that include cystic ovaries, high blood pressure, high triclierides, high cholesterol, and infertility. In addition, there are emotional issues that go along with PCOS. Mood swings and depression are common in PCOS sufferers.

Researching PCOS had shed new light on the syndrome. After reading more about it, I felt there had to be

something more I could do than just take birth control pills and acutane (medicine for the acne).

I decided to make an appointment with Dr. Sherif, an internist who specializes in PCOS. Although it took me months to get an appointment, it was well worth it. As Dr. Sherif explained the syndrome, symptoms, and how it worked, I wanted to cry. Finally, someone understood everything. Not just a piece of the puzzle, but the whole picture. She spent almost 2 hours talking to me, explaining, and listening. She explained that PCOS is a genetic disorder, so there is no cure for it. But there is treatment. She recommended exercise and a low carbohydrate diet, both of which lower insulin levels. Dr. Sherif also recommended glycophage, a medicine used for people with type II

diabetes. It helps even out insulin levels. She explained that once the insulin was normal, all the other symptoms would disappear.