W
hile an estimated 7 percent
of women have some form of
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
(
PCOS), most people have never heard
of it. Many of the women who have it,
don’t even know it.The disorder displays
a number of patterns, so no single set of
symptoms can be described as typical.
“
We all have female
family members or friends
who have struggled
with issues associated
with PCOS without
knowing what it is,”
said endocrinologist
Shannon Bales, MD, with
Kadlec Clinic Endocrinology.“It is very
common.”
PCOS is a hormonal imbalance
that can wreak havoc on a woman’s
body. It has a hodgepodge of symptoms
including irregular or no periods;
decreased frequency or no ovulation;
increased hair growth (hirsutism)
particularly on the face, chest or abdomen;
acne; scalp hair loss that can lead to female
baldness; weight gain and obesity; cysts
on the ovaries; diabetes; and high blood
pressure. Its effect on hormones can
trigger a cascade of changes that impact
women at every stage of life.
“
PCOS often begins to show itself
around puberty,” said Dr. Bales.“Its
symptoms such as weight gain, difficulty
losing weight, acne and facial hair can
make young women very self-conscious.
It can be devastating at that age.”
As a woman moves
into childbearing years, it
becomes a primary cause
of infertility.“This can be
devastating during this
stage of life, too,” she said.
By middle age, a woman
with PCOS is seven times
more likely to develop heart disease
and diabetes. During the menopausal
and postmenopausal years, while many
aspects of PCOS may decline, its impact
can remain with the increased incidence of
heart attack, endometrial cancer and stroke.
For Dr. Bales, this lifelong struggle —
both physical and psychological — is one
reason she became interested in PCOS.
“
I became aware of how it affected
women that I was close to,” she said.“I
also realized how we can dramatically
improve their lives.”
The importance of diagnosis
and coordination of care
The initial diagnosis of PCOS
is most often made by the patient’s
primary care provider or obstetrician/
gynecologist.“It frequently comes
up when the provider asks, ‘Are your
periods regular?’ If she answers no, then
the process begins to determine why,”
said Dr. Bales.“It is very important to
have a proper diagnosis.”
This is particularly important
because other endocrine diseases have
similar symptoms and an evaluation by
an endocrinologist helps to exclude the
presence of these more rare endocrine
conditions.“As an endocrinologist, I
work to get at the biochemical basis of
the disease,” she said.
“
While there is no single cure, there
are treatments for its symptoms,” she
said.“It is complex and impacts each
woman differently, so the treatment
needs to be personalized. I coordinate
with primary care providers or ob-gyn
specialists. If diabetes or prediabetes is
involved, we coordinate with Kadlec’s
Diabetes Learning Center.”
Kadlec’s electronic health record
system, K-Chart, makes that
coordination of care even smoother.
Speak up
“
It is important for women to talk to
their doctor,” said Dr. Bales.“Sometimes
it is overlooked as ‘I am just irregular.’
But women should not be afraid to
discuss any of these symptoms. It is a
very frustrating and difficult syndrome.”
The encouraging news — it is
treatable and can be managed throughout
a woman’s life.The first step is getting
the right help.
For more information, call
Kadlec
Clinic Endocrinology
at
(509) 942-3244
;
Kadlec Clinic Associated Physicians
for Women
at
(509) 942-3627
;
Kadlec Diabetes Learning Center
at
(509) 942-2620
;
or for primary care
call
(509) 942-
DOCS
(
3627
).
Want to learn more about PCOS?
Visit our online edition of
Pacesetter
.
The perplexing
challenge of PCOS
“
It is a very
frustrating and
difficult syndrome.”
—
Shannon Bales, MD
Shannon Bales, MD
A physician at Kadlec Clinic Endocrinology has a special interest in helping
women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
www.kadlec.org
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