#symptoms of pcos in females

[fidicuswomen]

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Changes in the Body Due to PCOD PCOS | Treatment Cure Medicine Surgery | Gynaecology Women Female

Explore how PCOD/PCOS affects the body in this informative video with Dr. Bharadwaz, the chief doctor at Fidicus Homeopathy. Learn about the key physical and hormonal changes caused by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Polycystic Ovary Disease (PCOD), including weight fluctuations, skin issues, and hormonal imbalances. Dr. Bharadwaz explains these changes and how homeopathy can offer relief by addressing the root cause of symptoms. Don't miss this valuable insight into managing PCOD/PCOS naturally.

Dr. Bharadwaz | Gynaecology Women Female | Health & Fitness | Homeopathy, Medicine & Surgery | Clinical Research

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[drasmitadongare]

The Role of Diet in Managing PCOS and Infertility

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder affecting many women of reproductive age. It can cause a variety of symptoms, including irregular menstrual cycles, acne, weight gain, and infertility. Understanding the role of diet in managing PCOS and enhancing fertility is crucial for women seeking to improve their health and increase their chances of conception.

Are you looking for effective dietary strategies to manage PCOS and boost your chances of conception? Consulting a Fertility Expert in Baner, like Dr. Asmita Dongare at Cloverleaf Specialty Clinic or Jupiter Hospital in Baner, can provide tailored advice to support your journey towards better health and fertility.

Understanding PCOS and Its Impact on Fertility:

PCOS affects approximately 1 in 10 women, making it one of the leading causes of infertility. Women with PCOS often experience insulin resistance, which can lead to elevated blood sugar levels and hormonal imbalances. These factors contribute to difficulties in ovulation and may hinder the ability to conceive. However, with the right dietary choices and lifestyle changes, women can manage their symptoms effectively.

Dietary Strategies for Managing PCOS:

Low Glycemic Index Foods: Foods with a low glycemic index (GI) help regulate blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. Incorporating whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables can stabilize blood sugar and reduce cravings.

High Fiber Foods: A fiber-rich diet aids digestion and helps control weight, which is essential for managing PCOS symptoms. Foods like oats, lentils, beans, fruits, and vegetables should be staples in your diet.

Anti-inflammatory Foods: Chronic inflammation is common in women with PCOS. Including anti-inflammatory foods such as fatty fish (like salmon), nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and spices like turmeric can help reduce inflammation and improve overall health.

Healthy Fats: Incorporating healthy fats from avocados, olive oil, and nuts can support hormone production and overall reproductive health.

Regular Meal Patterns: Eating smaller meals throughout the day can help maintain stable blood sugar levels. This approach prevents insulin spikes that can exacerbate PCOS symptoms.

Hydration: Drinking plenty of water is essential for overall health. Herbal teas like green tea may also be beneficial due to their antioxidant properties.

Key Nutrients for Managing PCOS and Infertility:

In addition to dietary changes, certain supplements may support fertility in women with PCOS:

Inositol: This supplement has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and may help restore ovulation.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish oil or flaxseeds, omega-3s can reduce inflammation and support reproductive health.

Vitamin D: Many women with PCOS are deficient in vitamin D; supplementation can help regulate menstrual cycles.

Folic Acid: Important for all women trying to conceive, folic acid supports fetal development.

Recommended Diet Plan for Women with PCOS and Infertility:

Here is a sample diet plan that can help in managing PCOS and improving fertility:

Breakfast: Oats porridge with chia seeds, almonds, and fresh berries.

Mid-Morning Snack: A handful of mixed nuts or a boiled egg.

Lunch: Grilled chicken or tofu salad with spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, olive oil, and lemon dressing.

Evening Snack: Greek yogurt with flaxseeds and a drizzle of honey.

Dinner: Steamed vegetables (broccoli, carrots, zucchini) with quinoa or brown rice and grilled salmon or lentils.

Post-Dinner: A cup of herbal tea (like chamomile) to relax and improve digestion.

Foods to Avoid:

Refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, and pastries

Sugary snacks and beverages

Processed and fried foods

Excessive caffeine and alcohol

The Role of Medical Guidance:

While diet plays a crucial role in managing PCOS and infertility, it is important to work closely with a healthcare professional. If you are struggling with PCOS-related infertility, consulting with the Best Gynecologist in Ravet is essential. A doctor can provide personalized advice and treatment options.

For those seeking help with infertility and PCOS, Consulting the Best Doctor for PCOS in Baner, Pune, like Dr. Asmita Dongare at Cloverleaf Specialty Clinic, can provide you with expert guidance on dietary changes and fertility treatments that are specific to your health condition.

Why Choose the Best Gynecologist for PCOS and Infertility Treatment?

PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) can affect various aspects of a woman’s health, particularly her fertility. Finding the right gynecologist is essential for effective management. A skilled specialist will provide personalized care and advice, focusing on lifestyle adjustments, diet changes, and medical treatments that can improve fertility. They will guide you through the most suitable treatment options to manage PCOS and boost your chances of conception.

If you’re dealing with PCOS and infertility, it’s important to choose an experienced Female Gynecologist in Hinjewadi. Cloverleaf Specialty Clinic Wakad is one of the leading clinics for infertility care, offering treatments like IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies to help couples achieve their dream of parenthood.

Conclusion:

Managing PCOS through diet plays a significant role in improving fertility outcomes for affected women. By making informed dietary choices and consulting with specialists like those at Jupiter Hospital in Baner, a reputable clinic in Pune, women can enhance their chances of conception while managing their symptoms effectively.

Incorporating these dietary strategies not only supports hormonal balance but also promotes overall health—an essential factor for anyone looking to conceive. If you’re suffering from infertility or PCOS symptoms, and looking for expert guidance on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Treatment in Pune, consider reaching out to Dr. Asmita Dongare for personalized care that integrates medical treatment with lifestyle changes. By following the right diet and working with an experienced team, managing PCOS and infertility becomes much more achievable.

[crystaivf]

Difference between PCOD and PCOS

PCOD and PCOS are two common hormonal disorders in women. PCOD stands for polycystic ovarian disorder, while PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Both conditions cause irregular periods, weight gain, and excess hair growth. PCOS is more severe than PCOD and can lead to long-term health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. Treatment for both conditions includes lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise, as well as medication.

Read complete post on PCOD and PCOS

[osmiabee]

Hi. I'm a biologist of colour with PCOS. There is significant amount of error and misinformation here.

Hirsutism is NOT a diagnostic criterion for PCOS - let alone the most important one - it's one of many indicative symptoms which can include adult acne, infertility, "male pattern" excess hair growth and "male pattern" balding - There are not considered diagnostic criteria as these are secondary symptoms that occur due to excess testosterone.

The diagnostic criteria are all direct symptoms: you need 2/3 for official diagnosis: Irregular periods (self-reported), Visible cysts on ovaries (via ultrasound), and Excess "above range" Testosterone (via blood test),

When you test for what is considered a "healthy range" you have to exclude people who are unhealthy and exhibiting symptoms, as they will skew the data. Worst case scenario this can lead to people NOT getting the diagnosis and treatment they need because they are considered "normal" even while exhibiting secondary symptoms.

The 97.5th percentile is a common statistical tool that excludes the extremes of the data to set a realistic average range. When someone comes in with symptoms of a disease (in the example above, men with osteoporosis) and you test them and find their hormones are different to 95-97.5% of a healthy, asymptomatic population, you can then point at that hormone as a potential cause of disease and correct it.

I cannot describe to you how important it is to exclude people with the "makes too much testosterone" disorder, while testing a baseline population to get an idea of the "normal/healthy" levels of testosterone.

Because PCOS is so common (2-10% of the population depending on your statistical model) that bar/threshold for testosterone in women is set high. Likely because even while trying to exclude people exhibiting PCOS symptoms (including excess hair) so many people with underlying PCOS (and high androgens) are largely asymptomatic (half of cases accourding to the NHS), and either live their whole lives unaware or do not get tested until they have significant fertility or secondary health problems later down the line.

In my own case when I got my results back I was the third woman that *day* that my doctor had to call to say "sorry, your androgen results were quite high but technically within the normal range," likely because that 97.5 percentile bar they're using as a baseline is skewed by the fact that a huge proportion of women have PCOS, and even while exc they can't exclude us all from the baseline based on diagnosis, family history, and secondary symptoms obvious to doctors (like hirsutism) alone!

These are all tools made to inform individualised medicine: despite my "normal range" androgens I am currently taking Spironolactone (a testosterone reducing drug - commonly used in HRT) to combat the effects of PCOS because my "in range" hormones were still clearly too much for my individual body, and caused symptoms that made me unhealthy (anaemic and in severe pain due to periods + painful acne) and put me at risk of things like diabetes and heart disease later down the line.

This isn't about just arbitrarily excluding women with "too much" hair. But about setting a useful baseline for XX-female high-androgen disorders.

BECAUSE BEING ABLE TO ACCURATELY DIAGNOSE PCOS IS A GOOD THING.

The linked study above that was immediately dismissed as weird and racist, looked at the symptoms of a diverse group of american women with PCOS, and found preliminary data that the areas of skin that respond to high androgen levels (due to PCOS) differ depending on race. (for example - African Americans commonly developed facial hirsutism under their chins, while hispanic individuals were more likely to develop it on their arms and legs).

STUDIES LIKE THIS ARE GOOD, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE IF WE ONLY HAVE DATA FOR WHITE PEOPLE, POC WILL BE UNDERDIAGNOSED.

These kinds of studies are important, because it tells dermatologists where to look for secondary symptoms of PCOS in their patients, which is important because 92% of people with PCOS have symptoms affecting their skin, and 1 in 4 undiagnosed people are referred for PCOS diagnosis by a dermatologist.

IN CONCLUSION: This isn't about defining "woman" or "normal female" or setting "arbitrary" "spider eating" statistical rules for what is an acceptable testosterone range. It's about creating an accurate model for disease, which despite potentially affecting 1/10 people with uteruses, is massively underresearched and underdiagnosed. Because of medical misogyny. And racism to boot.

It's true that huge swathes of medical practice are rooted in misogyny and racism, and uphold a gender and sex binary that is, in reality, far more flexible and complicated than historic tests would allow for, but this post is inaccurate and relies on borderline deliberate misinterpretation of the medical data to make that point.

I forget why, but I was on the Wikipedia page for polycystic ovarian syndrome, and I started researching hirsutism in women, and I learned the following things in this order:

there's a diagnostic criteria used to evaluate how hairy a woman is

This is important because being too hairy is a diagnostic criteria of most disorders that cause hyperandrogenism

Disorders that cause hyperandrogenism can be diagnosed by...measuring how hairy you are (this is the main and most important diagnostic criterion for PCOS)

Disorders that cause hyperandrogenism are important because they are correlated with obesity, infertility, and...being too hairy?

I think to myself, wait, what is a normal range for testosterone in women? I find this article...which set reference ranges for "normal" testosterone levels in women...EXCLUDING WOMEN WITH PCOS?

Quote: "Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is another notable condition in genetic (XX) females, which is characterized by excessive ovarian production of androgens. This condition is included for comparison with DSD, as the affected females with PCOS are genetic and phenotypic females. The elevated levels of testosterone in these females can lead to hyperandrogenism, a clinical disorder characterized variably by hirsutism, acne, male-pattern balding, metabolic disturbances, impaired ovulation and infertility. PCOS is a common condition, affecting 7%-10% of premenopausal women."

So: the study claims to demonstrate a clear distinction between the normal range of hormone levels in "Healthy" men and "healthy" women...with "healthy" being defined in the study as...having hormones within the "normal" range.......................

So I researched what the clinically established "normal" range for testosterone in women is

THERE ISN'T ONE????

Quote from the above article: "Several different approaches have been used to define endocrine disorders. The statistical approach establishes the lower and the upper limits of hormone concentrations solely on the basis of the statistical distribution of hormone levels in a healthy reference population. As an illustration, hypo- and hypercalcemia have been defined on the basis of the statistical distribution of serum calcium concentrations. Using this approach, androgen deficiency could be defined as the occurrence of serum testosterone levels that are below the 97.5th percentile of testosterone levels in healthy population of young men. A second approach is to use a threshold hormone concentration below or above which there is high risk of developing adverse health outcomes. This approach has been used to define osteoporosis and hypercholesterolemia. However, we do not know with certainty the thresholds of testosterone levels which are associated with adverse health outcomes."

What the fuck?

What the fuck?

It's batshit crazy to make a diagnostic criteria for medical disorders by placing arbitrary cutoffs within 2-5% of either end of a statistical distribution. What the actual fuck?

"The results came back, you have Statistical Outlier Disease." "What treatments are available?" "Well, first, we recommend dietary change. You should probably stop eating so many spiders."

Another article which attempted to do this

Quote: "Subjects with signs of hirsutism or with a personal history of diabetes or hypertension, or a family history of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) were excluded."

"We're going to figure out the typical range of testosterone levels that occur in women! First, we're going to exclude all the women that are too hairy from the study. I am very good at science."

Anyway I got off topic but there are apparently race-specific diagnostic tools for "hirsutism." That's kinda weird on its own but when I looked more into this in relation to race I found this article that straight-up uses the term "mongoloid"

[cillianmurphysdimples]

A female Y/N / Cillian fanfic (Part Twenty Five)

Absolutely not based on anything real at all, all totally fictional, fanciful and all total bollocks.

Warnings for sexual references and language. Adult themes. Not suitable for under 18s.

We Got Issues

Part Twenty Five: Y/N has been in the UK with Cillian for a few days as he continues the final leg of filming. She's supportive, but her symptoms persist and she's keen to find out why. When Cillian gives her an inch of an attitude, she offers him twice the impact back - and shakes him entirely. [Adult themes]

@meadowshelby @strangeions @lavender-haze-01 @watermeezer @cherry-cilly @dragonsneversharetheirtreasure @aesthetic0cherryblossom @meister95 @vivianleighwishesshewasme

--------

Four days into your ’tour’ with Cillian in the UK, and you're miserable. Nausea and fatigue follow you daily, and when you do find respite from the constant feeling you might throw up, it is only because you do, in fact, throw up. You don't know what it is that Cillian has said to Steven and Tom Harper, but being invited to actually stay around the set on the first day in Wales feels like you've been allowed to step through the looking glass. While Cillian is almost constantly busy, alongside Packy, you do love that you've been allowed to park up a chair, with a heater, and can watch him from afar whilst listening to Tom and Steven - who flits in and out - as they film. The cool air is soothing enough that your nausea is kept at a minimum, but you've reached your limit in just accepting it. Having to be quiet but needing to occupy yourself, you tap into Google with a laundry list of complaints.

Nausea, vomiting, fatigue, light period, frequent peeing, migraines.

Your heart quickens when you're immediately greeted with multiple options all giving the same answer. Pregnancy. You smirk, then shake your head, then laugh quietly to yourself and swipe the page away. No way. Not a chance. No. Not even possible! Not a single condom has split, and you've not been without one for weeks and weeks. It's impossible - and your previous test had been very clearly negative. You tell yourself to stop stressing the impossible, but it stays firmly there in your mind. Surely it's just women's issues, you consider; fibroids, or PCOS, or perimenopausal symptoms, maybe. You know that can go on for years. But it sits there - in your head and as a pit in your stomach - and you try to work mentally forwards from the occasions around your birthday to figure if there has even been a single slip up in your safety. You hold your phone tightly between both hands and focus ahead, able to see Cillian in his full Tommy get-up, and wonder when they're going to call lunch. Then it dawns on your like a sickening wave - after the Dublin premiere, he'd finished on you and you hadn't exactly moved quickly to clean up. Okay, so he hadn't ejaculated into you, but you aren't so stupid that you don't know how sperm works. Fuck. …could it be? Could you be?!

Right at that moment, a break is called, and you rise from your seat as Cillian, looking very cold, begins walking towards you with Packy a couple of steps behind. You swallow it all down and smile as he grins at you, and you open your arms out as he approaches. When he openly hugs you tightly and gives you a soft kiss, you're actually surprised. He's Tommy right now, but he sees you and that makes you feel important. “Your face is freezing!” You laugh awkwardly as he pushes his cheek against yours whilst hugging you tightly again. “Stand here - Tom gave me a heater.” You pull him back towards the camp chair you'd been perched on. He does as he's told, not that you've stopped dragging him to allow him to protest, and he smiles as the low blower warms his ankles and calves.

“Will we get some lunch?” He says, nodding off into the distance. You can hear a slight edge go his accent, where Tommy still remains, and you both love it and loathe it entirely. You smile past Cillian as Packy comes up beside him and delights in the warmth of the heater.

“Hiya,” you welcome him. “Come on, it's a tad warmer here!” You laugh as he shakes off his cold body before the blower.

“Jeez, it's fucking Baltic.” Packy shakes his head. “Are y'alright, Y/N? Listening in there to Tom, are ya?” He laughs.

You smirk, “I wish! I don't understand half of what he's saying.”

“C'mon,” Cillian jerks his head, “Tea and food,” he insists with a spark of a mood on his face, and you feel bad when you realise he'd asked you a question just as Packy came over, and you'd unintentionally left him ignored.

“Sorry, love,” you apologise quickly, and place your hand onto his chest, over the thick material of his coat. “Yeah, okay.” You smile as you nod, “Coming?” You check with Packy.

“Ah, g'on ahead, I'll see you in a minute.” He says, before walking away from you both and over towards Tom.

“I'm sorry, Cill,” you apologise again, “I didn't mean to not answer. I didn't want to ignore Packy either.” He sort of rolls his eyes, raising his eyebrows at the same time, and he places his arm around your back as you both begin to walk. You're not sure if he's just full of Tommy, or if you've really dented him with your accidental ignorance. Whatever it is, you definitely don't feel like mentioning what Google seems to think is going on with you, nor that it might well be right thanks to his own actions that fatefully tipsy evening - he definitely wouldn't find it amusing right now. But your anxiety can't stick the not knowing with his mood, and your nerves are already shot. You bite, unfortunately. “Cill, don't be arsey with me, please.” You say as he sort of pushes you towards the catering truck.

“I'm not arsey,” he draws back his head and pulls a face at your comment, before glancing around as you both cross a paved section of pathway. “I'm just…it's work, Y/N, alright. I'm just focusing on work. Don't be taking things to fucking heart.” He's snappy and it makes your stomach sink a little, he sounds bothered by your presence even with his arm around you - even though he'd come over to you happily, smiling, and hugged and kissed you openly. He was pissed that you'd ignored him, but you can't work out if it's Cillian that's pissed at you - or fucking Tommy.

“Is there any need to be so sharp?” You challenge, and shrug yourself out of his arm. You come to a stop a couple of feet before the catering truck and the growling sigh he emits behind you makes you feel more annoyed by his reaction. You're edgy already and he's just making it worse. You're aware you're probably feeding this yourself, but it won't go away.

“Is there any fucking need for attitude?” He matches your piqued anger. “I'm fucking working,” he tries to whisper through gritted teeth. “I asked you a question and you didn't answer me, you apologised because it wasn't intentional. So what the fuck is all this about?” He holds his arms out at his sides. Tommy's twang is gone from his voice and replaced, instead, by a slowly thickening Cork accent. “Sure you're the one dragging this into something.”

“Because you're being an arsey prick, Cillian!” You raise your voice higher. It doesn't occur to you that everyone in the truck, through the open door, can hear every word and shift in your tones to one another. All you're focused on is how he's made you feel even worse. Somewhere in your mind you know you're probably making things worse for both of you, but your lid is off and it's not going back on.

“I'm working, Y/N!” He raises his voice so high you actually startle - you're not afraid of him, but you're surprised he's doing this so openly. “And if ye are going to make this fucking difficult, then you're as well going back to the fucking hotel!”

You fold your arms across your chest and stare back at him with your face set in a deep frown. “I apologised, Cillian. I didn't mean to not answer you. You're rolling your eyes and pulling faces like I didn't apologise or like I did it on purpose. I'm fucking sorry, okay? But you're the one being unreasonable here. Okay, I could have just shut up but why? Because Cillian almighty doesn't want me to speak?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” He snaps loudly again, his accent thick and words singing. “This is my job, Y/N. I'm busy, I've to focus, be fucking professional… I have to focus. I'm sorry if that isn't something you can fucking deal with.” He kicks his foot into the gravel beneath his feet. “Fuck sake, what are we fucking doing this for? It's ridiculous.”

You drop your arms back down at your sides and push your hands into the pockets of your coat. “I'll go,” you say in a falsely calm voice. “Being here was a stupid idea.” You sniff. “And just so you know, I'm going to go and buy a pregnancy test.” you add, loudly. You turn your back and inside you're dying that then words have left your lips at all. Fuck! Fuck! He's going to be fucking fuming. Why did you do it? He's working, you stupid woman!

“Hey! Oi, Y/N what the fuck. Stop, for fucks sake..” You hear his feet on the gravel behind you, quick to catch your storming steps, and his hand grabs your elbow and whips you around to him. “What the fuck?” He doesn't remove his hand, but with his other hand he drags his cap from his head. “This isn't the fucking place,” he hisses.

“Get off,” you warn him.

He glances around quickly, aware you're not alone at all, and raises both eyebrows as he looks back at you. He sounds softer, calmer, maybe even worried when he speaks again. “Y/N…you don't…? How?” he sighs and shakes his head. “Are you being serious?”

You bite your bottom lip momentarily then nod your head as you let it go. “The feeling sick, I'm exhausted, I'm peeing every ten minutes…” you shrug.

“But…” he shakes his head again. He looks terrified.

“If I am,” you say and take a sharp breath, “I think it was after the Small Things premiere, when we got back home.” You shrug your shoulders. “You were three sheets to the wind, and you eat me out. Then you decorated my outers…” you say crudely. “If I am pregnant, then your little swimmers…swam. We didn't exactly rush to ensure they couldn't.”

You watch it dawn on him, slowly but surely, and his face goes pale while he shakes his head slowly. “Fuck!” He whispers. He lets go of your arms and paces on the spot for a moment. “Fuck.” He turns back to you.

“I'm sorry…” you mumble, like it's all your fault, like you did this alone.

“Stay.” He says quietly, and moves to stand directly before you. He cups his right hand against your cheek. “Stay here; we'll get a test on the way home later and…” he sighs. “Whatever happens, remember? I mean …fuck, but-but… Jesus Christ. Y/N, you're not doing it alone.”

You frown slightly, “It's just peeing on a stick, Cill.”

“I don't care.” He shakes his head. He moves his thumb across your cheek. “I'm sorry.” he sighs heavily again. “You really think…?”

Feeling a sudden wave of shock, your eyes begin to feel warm as tears swell. “Yeah, I do.” Your chin quivers. “I'm sorry, I know we…”

He shushes you softly, and his thumb pad swipes the tears that drift down towards his hand on your chin. “No, no,” he whispers. He removes his hand from your face but pulls you close to hold you against him. His arms wrap tightly around you and you burrow into the prop coat. “Don't say sorry.” He continues to whisper. He shushes softly again, his right hand moves up and down your back lovingly.

“Everyone must have heard,” you sniffle against him. You don't know what he thinks of that - you can't see his face - but he continues to whisper his gentle shushing sounds into your ear. There's a relief of some kind that is starting to come over you, but it doesn't outweigh the ever-present anxiety that grows bigger for what comes next. “I'm sorry, I don't know why I kept pecking at you,” you say and lift your head. He slowly loosens his arms and then stands before you, with his right hand resting on your bicep. “I know it matters to you, being a certain person on your jobs, I'm sorry if I've made you look bad.”

He shakes his head, “It's okay. It's fine.”

“None of this is fine, is it?” You scoff. “You don't want this.” you gesture towards your abdomen.

“Y/N, stop.” He cuts you off. “How many times do I have to say it? Whatever happens.”

“Yeah, love, I know. But you didn't mean a baby. I know you didn't. You know you didn't.” You shake your head.

“Stop,” he says firmly. “Please.” He looks like he might cry for a moment. “Y/N, we'll deal with what comes. Okay? I told you before, it isn't that I don't want a baby - it's that I don't want things becoming something else. But if that test is positive then… then we're having a fucking baby.”

“You look petrified.” You say, shaking your head.

“I fucking am!” He smirks, “Jesus Christ, I am fucking scared. But I told you I'd never see you go through what you went through before. Yeah, I'm scared of all the stuff that can change too. I'm so fucking scared.” He moves his hand from your arm to your waist, and slowly moves around to your stomach. “But if there's a wee you and me in there…” he blows a deep breath from puffed cheeks noisily. He shakes his head and you know he doesn't know what he's thinking, or feeling. “Please stay,” he says, dropping his hand. “Come with me now, we'll get a cup of tea and we'll probably have to bow our heads in shame for giving out in front of everyone.” He holds out his hand to you, waiting for you to hold tight and walk with him. You reach out and lace your fingers in his, and walk with him slowly. You know there's so much more to say, but he has to work. He has to focus, he has to do his job. Right now, sadly, you know that you're second in line. It won't be like that soon, but right now it is.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

Hello sex witch,

I’ve got a period that’s normally pretty late, but right now it’s in the 40 day range. My mom told me it was because I weigh too much and that’s making my period irregular. Does weight have anything to do with periods? I’ve only seen things about being underweight leading to skipped periods, not overweight, and I can’t tell what’s the medical establishment being against fat people as a concept vs an actual thing that doctors have studied.

hi anon,

okay, so: I want to start by saying that if your mom is telling you that you weight too much your mom is being an asshole, full stop. there is no such thing as weighing too much; you weigh what you weigh.

the main thing we might want to be on the lookout for is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which is the most common cause of long period cycles. people with PCOS are often also fat, because PCOS is caused by high levels of androgens and that can also cause people to gain weight. I want to be so clear that this is not a case of fatness causing irregular periods; this is a case of fatness and irregular periods both being caused by the same thing. blaming fatness for something it doesn't cause is fatphobic and unhelpful.

having said that! being fat + having an irregular period does not automatically mean PCOS is afoot, and if your periods are otherwise fine - no excess bleeding or debilitating pain, that kind of thing - then straight up, I wouldn't be concerned. if you're not in pain, then a 40 day cycle is fine. if you do have any difficulty with pain management around your periods, or if you're just curious to learn more, I'd recommend looking into some common PCOS symptoms to see if anything there resonates with you. this is a good place to start:

[textk4kira]

pcos as an intersex condition

I believe the reason why many people are resistant to the idea of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) as an intersex condition is because they would have to accept that many people who are AFAB (especially cis women) are in fact, intersex.

I was assigned female at birth and diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 19. It took me some time to come to understand my intersex condition, which includes elevated testosterone levels and irregular periods. I was prescribed birth control to manage my symptoms and received an ultrasound to check for cysts on my ovaries (it was during this ultrasound appointment that I first experienced an instance of medical malpractice.)

I'm also a nonbinary person who struggles with mental health issues.

Overall, I'm proud of being intersex And trans. I stand in solidarity with my trans and intersex friends and family 💗

[vamptastic]

science is crazy. what if my dad is turbobald because he has man PCOS. wild world out here.

DHEA-S is also associated with hair loss so i do need everybody to pray for me and my hairline btw

[mindblowingscience]

For a condition that affects at least one in ten women of reproductive age and is a leading cause of female infertility worldwide, we understand surprisingly little about polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). At present, treatment for the condition focuses largely on managing specific symptoms. Now a pilot clinical study led by Fudan University in China has found a pharmaceutical used to treat malaria shows promise as a PCOS treatment, shrinking oversized follicles and returning regularity to some participants' periods.

Continue Reading.

[evidence-based-activism]

I’m really tired of seeing all the ‘PCOS is an intersex disorder’ posts and think they’re extremely offensive to women with PCOS.

Please can you clarify that it is not (or if it miraculously is, I guess.)

Hello! You're correct PCOS is not an "intersex disorder".

First, what is an "intersex disorder"?

Currently, to my knowledge, there's a shift towards using disorders/differences of sex development (DSDs) rather than "intersex".

A DSD is a very specific group of medical conditions which is "restricted to those conditions in which chromosomal sex is inconsistent with phenotypic sex, or in which the phenotype is not classifiable as either male or female" [1].

The possible point of confusion is "phenotypic sex", in this context, this refers to primary sex characteristics (internal and external genitalia) not secondary sex characteristics (breast growth, hair growth, etc.). This is important because both primary sex characteristics and DSDs are present from birth. Although, in some cases, they may not be identified until later in life, they are still present at birth.

How does this relate to PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that only affects female people that affects secondary sex characteristics (e.g., cause male-pattern hair growth/loss). It can also affect the function of primary sex characteristics (e.g., cause infertility), but it does not affect the development or appearance of primary sex characteristics. [2]

Therefore,

Women with PCOS do not have a mismatch in genotypic (chromosomal) sex and phenotypic sex (primary sex organs). That is, they have XX chromosomes without any Y-chromosome translocations and a female-typical vulva/ovaries/uterus/etc. The fact that women with PCOS have irregular periods does not negate the fact that their uterus developed normally. In other words, problems with organ function are not equivalent to problems with organ structure/development.

They also do not have ambiguous genitalia; they have female-typical sex organs at birth. Notably, female-typical has a wider range than the commonly held (and misogynistic) “ideal”, but in all cases they are clearly identifiable as a vulva rather than a penis/scrotum.

The age of onset of PCOS is anytime after puberty, and therefore, not at birth. It is an endocrine (hormonal) condition, and no more a DSD than ovarian hyperthecosis, hypothyroidism, or hyperprolactinemia which all produce similar symptoms to PCOS (among many other conditions). [3-5]

Despite claims to the contrary, women with PCOS do not have "male-typical" testosterone levels. The average testosterone level is actually well within the healthy female range and even the upper-end of the PCOS range is around half the lower-limit of the healthy male range. This makes the primary evidentiary claim for PCOS being a DSD (i.e., "testosterone levels between men and women!") invalid. (This claim is also based on the incorrect, and intersexist, belief that people with a DSD are "between" or "neither" male or female.) [6]

All other arguments I can find for PCOS being a DSD appear to be based on:

The belief that we must expand the definition of DSDs to prevent discrimination. This is both logically inconsistent (i.e., we have no evidence that increasing the size of a minority group would reduce discrimination) and philosophically concerning (i.e., this rests on the belief/assumption that we can/should do nothing to reduce discrimination of very rare minority groups).

People's feelings about having PCOS/beliefs about people's feelings about having PCOS. This is wrapped up in postmodernist worldviews, and essentially posits that if people feel they are "between" sexes they should be treated as if they are, despite no material evidence supporting this feeling. (And, again, this also rests on the incorrect and intersexist belief that people with a DSD are "between" sexes.)

A related belief that that if people identify as intersex, we must affirm this identity. Again, this is wrapped up in the same postmodernist worldview, and all the standard criticisms apply.

Conclusion

All in all, there is no medical or material evidence that PCOS is a DSD. The philosophical arguments to the contrary relies postmodernist logic that rejects reality in favor of identity and being in favor of feeling. These arguments also rely on offensive stereotypes and beliefs about people with DSDs/intersex people.

I hope this helps you, Anon!

References below the cut:

Sax, L. (2002). How common is lntersex? A response to Anne Fausto‐Sterling. Journal of sex research, 39(3), 174-178.

PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome): Symptoms & Treatment. Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8316-polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos.

Shah, Sanket, et al. “Diagnostic Challenges in Ovarian Hyperthecosis: Clinical Presentation with Subdiagnostic Testosterone Levels.” Case Reports in Endocrinology, vol. 2022, Jan. 2022, p. 9998807. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/9998807.

“Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid).” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12120-hypothyroidism.

“Hyperprolactinemia: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22284-hyperprolactinemia.

Clark, Richard V., et al. “Large Divergence in Testosterone Concentrations between Men and Women: Frame of Reference for Elite Athletes in Sex‐specific Competition in Sports, a Narrative Review.” Clinical Endocrinology, vol. 90, no. 1, Jan. 2019, pp. 15–22. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1111/cen.13840.

[squishmallowo]

EDIT: TME/TMA ARE NOT INTERSEXIST TERMS PLS STOP INTERACTING WITH ME IF YOU BELIEVE THIS THANK YOU - sincerely, an intersex person who actually listens to transfems (including intersex transfems) (no not tme people with pcos/ncah/whatever, you know what i mean)

anyways.. here's the original post:

i regularly see people talk about whether pcos should be considered an intersex condition or not.. and tbh, regardless of what you think, pcos (specifically the symptoms they call virilisation) is treated like an intersex condition in practice anyway

even if they don't actually use the word intersex, so many of the symptoms are completely harmless and instead they're defined by the fact that they're "male" characteristics on a "female", if that isn't intersex then idk what is! having the "wrong" sex characteristics according to society is how intersex is (or at least should be) defined

like hell even the term hirsutism on its own literally only exists because of intersexism, the literal definition of it is "male pattern hair growth"... that's literally just it, the only thing that makes it a "symptom" is being the wrong person to have this kind of hair growth

while intersexness does centre around physical traits, imo it's the way society treats us and reacts to our bodies that actually makes us intersex (as an identity and community), if i wasn't treated this way growing up (and still treated this way today!!), i would probably not have identified as intersex, i think it's important to keep this in mind when looking at how people decide what an intersex condition even is

so with that logic, it makes perfect sense for hyperandrogenic pcos to be considered intersex, the only reason why it isn't is because society benefits from having a large group of women to put below other women while still telling them they have a chance to be "normal" like other women, as long as they put the effort into it.. (by making them spend thousands on stuff like hair removal, weight loss, fertility treatments, anti-androgens, surgery, etc!)

them identifying as intersex in any way completely breaks the illusion, it separates the "male" features from the actually bad symptoms, people would start to question why they have to put themselves through so much effort rejecting their bodies just to be seen as normal, and ofc society does not want that, especially because it makes a lot of money to keep things this way

even the way pcos is diagnosed reeks of this, you could easily be diagnosed with it even if your only problem is high androgens and nothing else (i've been told to get checked for pcos for the crime of: simply having more testosterone than average)

if you tell someone their perfectly harmless features are actually part of this scary disorder that needs treatment then it suddenly becomes a lot easier to manipulate them into finding a "cure" for these harmless features, the pathologisation of intersex features is a huge part of what makes intersex an identity in the first place..

not only that, but ncah (a condition that's more commonly accepted as intersex) is almost always misdiagnosed as pcos, if pcos can look almost exactly like an intersex condition, it is probably intersex. i most likely have ncah, not pcos, and it's treated as almost the same especially before it's actually diagnosed as ncah

and if nothing else, if the intersex "symptoms" of pcos could somehow be found out at birth, and could be "fixed" by a surgery, they absolutely would do it (something that so many intersex children have to suffer through), the only reason why they don't is because they can't, if that isn't enough proof on its own that pcos can be intersex then idk what is!!

the experience of being pathologised for having the "wrong" sex characteristics (both primary and secondary) is what makes intersex a community and grouping these "symptoms" in with actually bad symptoms under one syndrome is not by accident!

[intersex-support]

hi! Im uhm kinda questioning if I might be intersex? I have hyperandrogenism and clitoromegaly as diagnosed conditions, but my doctors say they come from a genetic complication from my diabetes. I have a rare genetic mutation, which means I don't have type 1 or 2 type diabetes, but rather type A insulin resistant diabetes. Im not sure if that would mean I can't be intersex because I've only seen things about PCOS so far, but the term intersex comes up when ever i search up my conditions. I was assigned afab and seemed totally normal until puberty and started growing facial hair. It's not a lot but its noticeable. I just wanted to see if the term intersex may applie to me? Sorry if this seems like a dumb question.

Hi anon! It's not a dumb question.

So, I wasn't familiar with Type A insulin resistance before this question, but I did some research to become more familiar with it. And based on everything I learned, I do think that this is a diagnosis that could be considered an intersex variation. Like you shared, it causes hyperandrogenism and clitoromegaly, which are often intersex traits.

I like InterACT's definition of intersex: "a variation that:

shows up in a person’s chromosomes, genitals, gonads or other internal reproductive organs, or how their body produces or responds to hormones;

Differs from what society or medicine considers to be “typical” or “standard” for the development, appearance, or function of female bodies or male bodies; and

Is present from birth or develops spontaneously later in life."

I think that insulin resistance A would meet all those criteria: it's a variation in how your body produces or responds to hormones that differs from what society considers "standard" sex traits for those assigned female at birth, in a way that might bring stigma or discrimination, and it is a lifelong variation, not something temporarily caused by medication or something like a tumor. Insulin resistance A isn't usually listed on intersex variation lists, but I honestly think that's because it's rare enough that orgs just aren't aware of it, and hadn't thought to research it because diabetes in general isn't an intersex variation.

Ultimately, I think it's up to you--if you don't feel comfortable identifying as intersex you don't have to, but in my opinion, you're welcome to identify as intersex, and I think you'd find a lot of shared community with other intersex people who might experience similar symptoms or life experiences. If you wanted to start exploring intersex community spaces, I think you'd find a lot of people who would accept you. Your journey is your own journey and there's no timeline or pressure to do anything, but you absolutely would count as intersex from my perspective.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions, and wishing you the best of luck, anon!

[dykesynthezoid]

Can’t believe I have to say this but birth control cannot give you PCOS. PCOS has genetic and environmental factors that have nothing to do w BC. Researchers can predict the later development of PCOS from biomarkers present when you’re a baby. If you went on birth control as a teenager and then just recently went off it as an adult and started having PCOS symptoms it’s bc birth control is often used to treat PCOS. It was just masking the PCOS that whole time, and you were relatively young when you first started taking it, so your symptoms hadn’t become obvious yet.

Not that hormones can’t have a huge impact on health, but you should be wary when any woman starts talking about how birth control “ruined her body” bc even if she’s telling the truth there’s a good chance that she actually has a serious underlying health condition that became more apparent by either stopping or starting birth control. It does not mean birth control itself is evil. The problem is the lack of research into health conditions that affect women and how they affect women. It’s not that your woman-body is so wild and unpredictable that there’s no telling what some mysterious female hormones could do to you.

Also not all hormonal birth control is going to affect your body the same anyway. People tend to have very different reactions to high estrogen and low estrogen pills respectively, for example (including myself). It’s completely understandable to be wary of how stopping/starting the pill could affect your body, but keep in mind that most of the changes actually triggered by that would be a. temporary and b. could be managed by switching to another form of birth control or adding a separate medication or treatment to manage symptoms if you really need to be on that specific form of it.

[yrfemmehusband]

Female reproductive health terms you should know!

(terfs not welcome)

Dysmenorrhea: Period pain that isn't normal, i.e. any pain more than Mild cramping.

Dyspareunia: painful intercourse

Oligomenorrhea: lighter, shorter menstrual flow.

Menorrhagia: heavier, longer menstrual flow.

Ovarian cysts: a mass on or in one's ovary, can be resolved on its own, or can remain and cause complications such as a rupture.

Polycystic ovary syndrome: a chronic condition causing cysts to reoccur on the ovaries and enlarging them. Symptoms include:

Irregular periods

hormonal imbalance

facial hair

weight gain

painful periods/ ovulation

infertility

People with PCOS are at higher risk for endometrial cancer, type II diabetes heart problems and high blood pressure.

Endometriosis: A chronic condition in which a tissue similar to, but different than, the endometrial lining grows outside of the uterus instead of inside. During menstruation this tissue sheds and has nowhere to go, thus irritating surrounding organs.

Symptoms include:

Irregular periods

Dysmenorrhea

Widespread pain

Painful ovulation

Vomiting, fainting, chills, sweating, fever and brain fog during menstruation

Infertility

Severe bloating

This also puts people at a higher risk for endometrial and ovarian cancer. There are four stages to Endo as it is a progressive disease, with 3/4 being more severe. The average time it takes to be diagnosed is 7 years.

Adenomyosis: A chronic disease similar and comorbid to endometriosis in which a tissue similar to the endometrial lining grows inside of the uterine wall. Symptoms are nearly identical to endometriosis but more difficult to detect.

Many people are diagnosed post menopause, by fault of the medical system, but it can and does develop much before then.

Ovarian cancer: cancer of the ovary(ies).

Endometrial cancer: cancer of the endometrium, the inner lining of the uterus.

Endometrial cyst, or chocolate cyst: cystic lesions from endometriosis.

Tilted uterus: the uterus is positioned pointing towards the back or severely to the front of the pelvis instead of a slight tilt towards at the cervix. Can cause painful sex and periods.

Pelvic floor dysfunction: inability to control your pelvic muscles. Comorbid with many things and is highly comorbid with endometriosis. Can cause pain and incontinence.

Vulvodynia: chronic and unexplained pain at the opening of the vagina.

Interstitial cystitis: a chronic condition where cysts form on the inside of the bladder and urinary tract and cause symptoms similar to that of a UTI.

Pre-eclampsia: a condition occurring in pregnancy where the blood supply between the fetus and the pregnant person is affected and can cause irregular blood pressure, swelling, and in more severe cases headache, nausea and vomiting, a burning sensation behind the sternum, shortness of breath and potentially death if untreated.

Endometritis: an infection or irritation of the uterine lining. Is not the same as endometriosis and is treatable but can cause pain, bleeding, swelling, general discomfort and fever, and more.

Pelvic inflammatory disease: an infection of the reproductive organs

Ectopic pregnancy: a pregnancy that is attached to the outside of the uterus. Can be fatal if left untreated.

There are many more I could probably add but if you see something missing, please add it!

[vampitsm]

im intersex!

[PT: im intersex / END PT]

i wanted to share my experience and how i came to this revelation, as i think my experiences can help others discover who they are.

to put it bluntly: im diagnosed with pcos, which is considered an intersex condition by the intersex community and after reading and talking with people with similar experiences to mine, i came to the conclusion that i was intersex.

before my diagnosis (+ starting testosterone), i had a mustache and way more hair than a lot of guys do, with the additional fact of having more "male characteristics" than most people who are observed female at birth or who are women. i also had the symptom of excessive periods, but stopped when i started taking a progestin. overall, these things and other experiences perfectly lined up with being intersex and considering the fact the community does consider it an intersex condition and with my experience, i decided to identify with it.

im still very, very new to this! if i don't align with intersex as much as i thought i did, let me know! im willing to listen and talk about the experiences of myself and others. listening and reading others experiences got me here in the first place.

thanks for reading!!