Are Your Periods Irregular? You Could Have This Syndrome and Not Even Kn...

Are Your Periods Irregular? You Could Have This Syndrome and Not Even Know It



Usually the script is simple when you’re sick: You feel crummy. You go to the doctor. A test reveals the issue at hand. But that’s not the sitch with all health conditions. Case in point: polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

While PCOS is classically associated with irregular cycles or missed periods, it’s also easy to miss: Maybe you blame your crazy cycle on other factors. Or, because PCOS is categorized by a slew of signs and symptoms (and isn’t diagnosed by one test), it might even go unnoticed. In fact, less than 50 percent of women with PCOS know they have it, according the PCOS Foundation. But it’s actually a fairly common ovulation issue. Between five and 10 percent of menstruating young women have it, says Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine. Here’s what you need to know about the disorder:

There’s a Group of Symptoms

Just like there's no one test to diagnose PCOS, there’s no one symptom that signifies its presence. Irregular or absent periods can be a sign. Acne, excessive hair (a.k.a. hirsutism, which is when you develop hair in so-called male pattern areas), infertility, and weight gain are also all linked with PCOS, says Mamta Mamik, M.D., an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. So are metabolic issues like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and even diabetes.

If any of this sounds familiar, check in with your gynecologist, suggests Minkin. Many times, docs will order blood tests to look for wonky levels of sex hormones, like too much testosterone, she says. Your ovaries and adrenal glands make testosterone normally, but if you have PCOS, you make increased amounts. You might also have abnormal glucose levels, she says.