Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a complicated condition that can take years to diagnose, but it doesn't have to.
Symptoms include missed, irregular, or light periods, excess body hair growth, uncontrolled weight gain, severe mood swings, exhaustion/lethargy, fertility issues; a diagnosis of enlarged ovaries or cysts on your ovaries, acne or oily skin, baldness or thinning hair, skin tags on your neck or arms.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrom typically shows itself around your first menstrual cycle but can develop later in life.
A diagnosis of PCOS is made if you have 2 of the following:
Irregular periods. Having few menstrual periods or having periods that aren't regular are common signs of PCOS. So is having periods that last for many days or longer than is typical for a period. For example, you might have fewer than nine periods a year. And those periods may occur more than 35 days apart. You may have trouble getting pregnant.
Too much androgen. High levels of the hormone androgen may result in excess facial and body hair. This is called hirsutism. Sometimes, severe acne and male-pattern baldness can happen, too.
Polycystic ovaries. Your ovaries might be bigger. Many follicles containing immature eggs may develop around the edge of the ovary. The ovaries might not work the way they should.
PCOS signs and symptoms are typically more severe in people with obesity.
—The Mayo Clinic
PCOS patients are at higher risk for diabetes, gestational diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, stroke, and more. They're also more likely to be diagnosed with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and bipolar or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Talk to your doctor about how PCOS works, your risks, and what can be done to treat and control the condition.
