Women with PCOS may be at higher risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, and endometrial cancer. The types of treatment for PCOS may depend on whether or not a woman plans to become pregnant. Women who plan to become pregnant in the future may take different kinds of medications.
PCOS is also linked to increased risk for several known autoimmune diseases, including Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' disease, Type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, and psoriasis. However, it is not currently categorized as an autoimmune disease but is considered a disease of the endocrine system.
Clinical manifestations of PCO include menstrual irregularities, signs of androgen excess, obesity, and sometimes hirsutism.
Will SSA Approve My Claim If I Have PCOS? As mentioned, PCOS syndrome alone is not a qualifying condition for disability claims.
PCOS can be difficult to diagnose because some of its symptoms have a variety of potential causes. For example, heavy menstrual bleeding could be caused by a range of conditions, such as uterine fibroids, polyps, bleeding disorders, certain medications, or pelvic inflammatory disease, in addition to PCOS.
People with PCOS may be at increased risk of developing lupus and other autoimmune diseases. This article explores the potential link between PCOS and lupus and provides tips on living with the two conditions. We also discuss some other diseases associated with PCOS and offer advice on when to contact a doctor.
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is Common in Women with PCOS
More specifically, this form of thyroid disease—Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune hypothyroid condition in which the body's immune system attacks the thyroid—is three times more common in women with PCOS than in women without it.
PCOS and Hashimoto's
Besides irregular menstrual cycles, other potential symptoms of PCOS include excessive facial hair growth, hair thinning, and/or acne. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism and occurs when your immune system attacks your thyroid tissue.
PCOS is not a specific disease, but a set of symptoms with the common denominator of irregular ovulation. The root causes of PCOS are both hormonal and metabolic, and many of the symptoms or conditions interact.
Unusual PCOS Signs
Unwanted hair growth, known as hirsutism, on areas where men normally grow hair such as the face, arms, back, chest, thumbs, toes, and abdomen. Hirsutism is the result of hormonal changes in androgens. Mood changes such as mood swings, depression, and anxiety.
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are at higher risk for certain problems or complications during pregnancy. In addition, infants born to mothers with PCOS are at higher risk of spending time in the neonatal intensive care unit or dying before, during, or right after birth.
It's shouldn't hurt, but it can create a feeling of fullness in your lower neck. It can make the front of your neck look swollen. If Hashimoto's disease leads to hypothyroidism, it can cause the following symptoms over time: Tiredness (fatigue), lethargy and excessive sleeping.
Underactive Thyroid and PCOS
Many studies show that these two conditions share some of the same symptoms, but most experts say that they are separate health issues. It is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough of certain hormones.
Recap. Hypothyroidism can worsen the symptoms of PCOS, including increased insulin resistance, irregular periods, abnormal hair growth, and male-pattern baldness. It can also affect ovulation and the normal development of eggs.
Genetics and family history. You're at higher risk for Hashimoto's disease if others in your family have thyroid disorders or other autoimmune diseases. Pregnancy. Typical changes in immune function during pregnancy may be a factor in Hashimoto's disease that begins after pregnancy.
Relative to healthy individuals, patients with PCOS are more likely to develop chronic-pain-related and neuropathic-pain-related conditions such as migraine [27], fibromyalgia [107], rheumatoid arthritis [125], and irritable bowel syndrome [126,127,128]; thus, PCOS is a potential risk factor for the increased ...
Common triggers include:
Being out in the sun or having close exposure to fluorescent or halogen light. Infection. Injury. Stopping your lupus medicines.
PCOS has strong ties to conditions that put people at higher risk for severe COVID-19, like obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Learn more about comorbidities. One U.K. study found that women with PCOS have a 51% increased risk for COVID-19 infection, compared to others their age who did not have PCOS.
PCOS was misnamed. Despite the fact that it's called poly "cystic" ovary syndrome, women with PCOS don't have cysts. Instead, they have tiny immature follicles that surround their ovaries. Having a misleading name has contributed to confusion regarding its diagnosis.
PCOS is a condition in which a woman's ovaries and adrenal glands produce more androgens than usual. 1 Androgens are generally considered male hormones. While all women produce some androgens, women with PCOS have higher levels of these hormones, leading to increased hair growth, acne, and weight gain.
People with PCOS are more likely to have thyroid disorders, such as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Research suggests that people with PCOS have higher rates of autoimmune thyroid disorders such as Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Hyperthyroidism does not commonly occur alongside PCOS.