Progesterone vs. Testosterone

Today, I write for a personal health cause – Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD). But the reason I’ve encroached upon this is due to what my Ultrasonologist said to me this morning – "You modern women are trying to become men, and in the process your progesterone levels are going down while your testosterone levels are going up."

The doctors to whom I go to are obviously much older to me, and to them, I am the modern generation. Ever since I presented with symptoms of PCOD, the only true cure that they tell me is – get married and have a baby!

Marriage? Baby? Really?!! I don’t think I am ready for it yet. There is still so much more that I strive for. I need a better job profile; I need to earn better money. I am swallowed in an eternal rat race which seems impossible to leave. If I stop even for a minute, I shall be trampled down. And what guarantee do I have that after marriage I would be able to sustain my finances and lead the same lifestyle as I do now?

I can hear my consciousness say – ‘we poor souls who fail in the exuberance of personal accord, encompass ourselves in the false comforts of wealth.’ (Sigh!)

It is 2012…we live fast paced lives where everything is achieved at the touch of a button. We work hard to acquire social treasures, but at what cost? I am brought to mind what Dalai Lama said when asked what surprised him most about humanity – "Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."

Ladies, this is especially for you. Are we ready to put down our aggressive independence? Is macho-ism so essential for our existence? We know that we are as good as men, but to what extent do we need to keep proving it?

I am also sharing some medical facts about PCOD which is a good to know since it is becoming a prevalent lifestyle disease. The cause is not yet known. Since it tends to run in families, it is a combination of genetics and lifestyle factors, stress being one of the predominant ones.

http://women.webmd.com/pcos-directory

PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, is a common hormonal disorder in women that with interferes with the growth and release of eggs from the ovaries, or ovulation. It is the most common cause of infertility among women. PCOS occurs when a woman's body overproduces sex hormones, called androgens (= male hormones). The hormone imbalance prevents fluid-filled sacs in the ovaries from breaking open and releasing mature eggs. The fluid-filled sacs bunch together, causing many tiny cysts. Symptoms of PCOS include missed periods, abnormal facial and body hair growth, acne, and weight gain. PCOS may run in families.

Symptoms

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) symptoms tend to start gradually. Often, hormone changes that lead to PCOS start in the early teens, after the first menstrual period. Symptoms may be especially noticeable after a weight gain.

With PCOS, you may have only a few symptoms or many symptoms. It is common for PCOS symptoms to be mistaken for other medical problems.

Early symptoms
Early symptoms of PCOS include:

• Few or no menstrual periods. This can range from less than nine menstrual cycles in a year (more than 35 days between cycles) to no menstrual periods. Some women with PCOS have regular periods but are not ovulating every month. This means that their ovaries are not releasing an egg each month.
• Heavy, irregular vaginal bleeding. About 30% of women with PCOS have this symptom.
• Hair loss from the scalp and hair growth (hirsutism) on the face, chest, back, stomach, thumbs, or toes.
• Acne and oily skin, caused by high androgen levels.
• Depression or mood swings.

Living with PCOS symptoms can affect your sense of well-being, sexual satisfaction, and overall quality of life. This too can lead to depression.

Gradual symptoms
PCOS symptoms that may develop gradually include:

• Weight gain or upper body obesity (more around the abdomen than the hips). This is linked to high androgen levels.
• Male-pattern baldness or thinning hair (alopecia). This is linked to high androgen levels.
• Repeat miscarriages. The cause for this is not known. These miscarriages may be linked to high insulin levels, delayed ovulation, or other problems such as the quality of the egg or how the egg attaches to the uterus.
• Inability to become pregnant (infertility). This is because the ovaries are not releasing an egg (not ovulating).
• Symptoms of too much insulin (hyperinsulinemia) and insulin resistance, which can include upper body weight gain and skin changes, such as skin tags or dark, velvety skin patches under the arm, on the neck, or in the groin and genital area.
• Breathing problems while sleeping (obstructive sleep apnea). This is linked to both obesity and insulin resistance.

High blood pressure may be more common in women who have PCOS, especially if they are very overweight. Your doctor will check your blood pressure.

The most common reasons that first bring women with PCOS to a doctor include:

• Menstrual problems.
• Male-type hair growth (hirsutism) on the face and body.
• Infertility.
• Weight gain or upper body obesity.

Treatment Overview
The first step in managing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, and not smoking. This is a medical treatment for PCOS, not just a lifestyle choice. Additional treatments depend on your symptoms and whether you are planning a pregnancy. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, not smoking, and weight control are all important parts of treatment for PCOS. Sometimes, also using a medicine to balance hormones is helpful.

There is no cure for PCOS, but controlling it lowers your PCOS risks of infertility, miscarriages, diabetes, heart disease, and uterine cancer.

Initial treatment

• If you are overweight, a small amount of weight loss is likely to help balance your hormones and start up your menstrual cycle and ovulation. Use regular exercise and a healthy weight-loss diet as your first big treatment step. This is especially important if you're planning a pregnancy.
• If you smoke, consider quitting. Women who smoke have higher levels of androgens than women who don't smoke. Smoking also increases your risk of heart disease.
• If you are planning a pregnancy and weight loss doesn't improve your fertility, your doctor may suggest a medicine that helps lower insulin. With weight loss, this can improve your chances of ovulation and pregnancy. Fertility drug treatment may also help start ovulation.
• If you are not planning a pregnancy, you can also use hormone therapy to help control your ovary hormones. To correct menstrual cycle problems, birth control hormones keep your endometrial lining from building up for too long. This is what prevents uterine cancer. Hormone therapy can also help with male-type hair growth and acne. Birth control pills, patches, or vaginal rings are prescribed for hormone therapy. Androgen-lowering spironolactone (Aldactone) is often used with estrogen-progestin birth control pills. This helps with hair loss, acne, and male-pattern hair growth on the face and body (hirsutism).

Taking hormones does not help with heart, blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes risks. This is why exercise and a healthy diet are a key part of your treatment.