LOVED IT , YOU ROCK WOMAN

What Is PCOS?

PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) is a condition affecting approximately 10% of the female population. It is the number one most common reproductive health concern in women and affects not only fertility, but also emotional and physical well-being due to its far-reaching health implications. High DHEA-S and testosterone in PCOS are common, however what is the difference if any between these two androgenic hormones? Why do some women with PCOS have specific androgens that are high, or high in the normal range and most importantly, what does this mean?

PCOS is a wide umbrella term, describing a common condition of female hormonal imbalance. The Rotterdam criteria for the diagnosis of PCOS are:

• Lengthy menstrual cycles, or delayed ovulation. Also known as oligomenorrhea.
• Androgenicity, either clinical (for example hirsutism, acne, or male pattern hair loss), or elevated androgenic hormones such as DHEA-S, testosterone, bioavailable testosterone or androstenedione in the blood.
• On ultrasound, a polycystic appearance to the ovaries. The ultrasound will reveal an ovary with multiple small follicles present.

2 of the 3 criteria are required for a diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome.

In my upcoming book on PCOS, I will go through the different phenotypes of PCOS and how to treat them effectively. It’s important to note that the understanding of PCOS is not yet complete. That being said, we do have a good amount of information on what makes up the unique variants of this common hormonal disorder.

In women with PCOS, androgens like testosterone are a very problematic part of the disorder. Most women suffer greatly with hirsutism, acne, and hair loss. Excessive androgens are also responsible for inhibiting ovulation and reducing healthy follicle development. High androgens are also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in PCOS. It has been found that women with elevated androgens have a similar cardiovascular risk profile as men. Cardiovascular disease is something which starts many years ahead, and as such it’s important to head it off before it causes major health problems. As such, it is crucial to determine both the level of and how to reduce the excessive amount of androgens in women with PCOS.

In PCOS, it has been found that there are actually two different sources of androgens.

1. The ovary.
2. The adrenal.

The ovary’s primary androgen is testosterone. Testosterone is produced by specialized cells in the follicles which surround the eggs, the theca cells. In women with PCOS, the theca cells are overactive and proliferate excessively, producing too much testosterone. As the follicles are often poorly developed in women with PCOS, they lack enough of another important component, the granulosa cells. The granulosa cells normally take testosterone and convert it into estrogen, in a process known as aromatization. In women with PCOS, the aromatzation process is not effective due to the poor development of the granulosa cells, and as such, there is a buildup of testosterone which was produced by the ovary.

Unfortunately, in 40-50% of women with PCOS, there is also another source of androgens, which is the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands produce all of the DHEA in the body. It’s important to note that about half of another androgenic hormone, androstenedione, is produced by each of the adrenals and ovaries.

It has been found that women with PCOS might actually have different variants on the “types” of androgens that predominate in their conditions.

Some women are more “adrenal dominant” and others are more “ovary dominant” with respect to androgen production. It appears that there is a clear difference between the two with respect to risk for both inflammation and cardiovascular/metabolic disease risk.

A 2012 study comparing a group of 280 women with PCOS, looking at their adrenal and ovarian androgens. The ratio between DHEA-S (adrenal androgen) and total testosterone (ovarian androgen) were calculated for the group of women. The median value for the study group was 4.40. They then compared body mass index, waist circumference, hirsutism (according to the Ferriman-Gallwey score), inflammatory markers, and menstrual cycle length in the two groups.

Across the board, the group with the higher ratio of adrenal androgens had better outcomes with respect to body mass index and waist circumference, hirsutism and also had a shorter cycle length. The group with higher DHEA also had better lipid (cholesterol) profiles and lower levels of inflammatory markers. Although this study is quite small in size, it is interesting to note that the adrenal “typeology/phenotype” of androgen production appears to be protective in PCOS.

A similar result was found in another study, completed in 2007 on a group of 238 young women with high androgens. In this particular study, the women with the highest levels of DHEA, the adrenal androgens, were found to have the lowest levels of different inflammatory markers. Interestingly, although women with high DHEA-S had higher testosterone levels overall, they also had lower insulin, lower LDL cholesterol and higher HDL cholesterol.

As such it appears that the source of the androgens may make an impact on the metabolic and reproductive outcome of a woman with PCOS. As such it may be useful to test the levels of testosterone (ovarian) and DHEA-S (adrenal) androgens, to be able to predict the phenotype or severity of the syndrome, and as such make adjustments to treatment accordingly.

http://www.whitelotusclinic.ca/blog/dr-fiona-nd/high_dhea_testosterone_pcos/

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome POCS

Im totally loving this new show on TLC My Big Fat Fabulous Life,  Woman in the show is dealing with something that I have been dealing with POCS.. I only seen the first show of the season and Im hooked

Love this woman she ROCKS!!!!

Keep up the great work Whitney

Very Upset

You know what really upset you is when you try not to be a Bitch about little thinks but you can't always be perfect when you are a mother of 2 special children and and walking on pens and needles and egg shells all the time.. I do my very best to make everyone happy and I do it all no one will never know how hard it is until they actually walk in my shoes!!! They don't have to sit in doctor appts and hear these things about there children and know that there nothing to fix them. That is the way they was born and God blessed me two very special boys to rise a do my best to give them best life they can have. But I still get shit for issues I have no control over it hurts to know that it aired all over the place for others to put there opinions there. Yes Facebook is my central family and friendship basic and that is do that fact no online do my children have special needs I deal with my own set of medical Issues. Im in no way shape or form a Angel or a perfect person or perfect mother. I have never calmed that, Alot people take me totally different way and never really get to know me or my family and how it works in my world but until you do please keep your opinions to yourself. So the next time when you see or hear my child having a meltdown or anything or because maybe my youngest just had seizure and is screaming and crying because he is scared as hell what he just mentally and psychically went though... Do the a temp change from the littlest as coming in from a warm car to house and that very cold temp walk to house. set seizure off and could be having multi ones at a time. and my other son is having a meltdown because he scared to death to see his brother going though this and he can't so anything about. Just think what if i had to deal with that daily 365 days a year 24 hours a day.... It not easy at all so please think before you speak and maybe next time asking is there any way i can help you .. Because it really hurts a special needs mom to hear or get told anything negative about there parenting and there children no matter what the case is... That mother or father can' t stop it or do anything about and not any amount drugs are going to help it or stop any of it. and who wants a child drugged up all day everyday. What kind of childhood or life is that???? When that day your walking in my shoes or spend week in my world. Isn't as easy as to you think and you can really hurt person feelings by what you say before thinking. I just had to get this off my chest there just a lot things that been piling up on my me the pass few months this all needed to be said and out in the open..

Any yes Facebook is my family and friends network, I don't get to leave and do all I want and have freedom alot I have to think about the place I need to go and what kind of germs maybe there and could hurt or harm my boys do there immune systems.. Yes Im that mother scrubbing down the shopping cards in the stores for 20 minutes with baby wipes to make sure I wiped it clean as much as I can to make sure either my kids don't lick it or chew on it and get some kind germ form it that maybe there immune system can't deal with and could be simple as a cold that could turn into something huge for them to deal with and the worst fear of my life deady!!!!

These babies are my life they come out attached to me and there are attached to me rest life and they can't help that they have too.. I wish I could do something about that and let them go and do normal things and be a kid and not have to worry in the bad of my head did i wipe that down . Or did i make sure no one was sick where we was at...

All Im asking to please think before you speak. I would give you my heart or my right kidney bend over backwards for anyone... But I have a lot on my plate daily and there is times I tin to seem act like Im Totally Bitch Im now seriouly Im not.. 

Love you all

heart emoticonheart emoticonheart emoticon

Wow It been long time

Im sorry , It really been a long time since I have been on my blog, I have alot of stuff going in my life. I start off  Im trying to Fundraising for my 2 special needs boys a Service Dog that they much needed   I have been busy working on that most of my time I have a lot going with it at the moment. We have to fundraise $14,000. for the training.

We did have our story in our local newspaper. 

http://m.toledoblade.com/local/2014/12/22/Perrysburg-mother-desperate-for-service-dog-to-aid-her-sons.html

It been long year to say the else, We finely got Bryton his 504 plan it took until November but he has one but not really want I wanted but it is a start at this point. He is now on home schooling at the moment do his immune issues. In sept hubby weck our car Ugh that cost us over 500.00 and then bryton got really sick was at home from school more then 10 days and then Aspen was still fighting alot sickness he brother had. Then Oct 12th came and Hubby had a really bad asthma attack on getting ready to leave for work and we about lost him he went unresponsive on me had to call 911 and he was in ICU for week. That put is behind for awhile as I still trying to catch up on stuff as we speak. 

Last April Bryton started baseball with disability children league he loved it , we got a mini family vacation went to tournaments with his team and stayed up in a hotel it was nice to get away from home. And have some fun with family and friends we meant with him playing baseball. 

I truly hope you all had a Happy Holidays and Happy New Year 

I m hoping for some miracles this new year ..

We all trying to get over this horrible flu/virus in our household right now but starting to look up feeling little better myself today and Bryton seems to be feeling alot better and Aspen I think just coming down with it. he had me up at 340am this morning crying , We have to see where that going to go. :( 

I also have link attached the photo below if you like to help us out in our fundraising for Service Dog. I have set up a Blog for boys called 

4 Paws for Bryton and Aspen 

Our Facebook Page 4 Paws for Bryton and Aspen

I have also started my own Origami Owl business, I now a Origami Owl Designer, Can find me at my facebook page. I have linked my photo below to the facebook page.