There are many symptoms of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) which will vary from woman to woman. You don’t need to have all of the symptoms listed here to have PCOS.
1.) Infrequent or no menstrual periods, and / or irregular bleeding that may be heavier than normal. This happens because PCOS disrupts the production of the hormones that keep your menstrual cycle regular.
2.) High blood pressure. Women with PCOS typically have insulin resistance which results in elevated insulin levels in the blood. Insulin causes the inside of blood vessels to get narrow (arteriosclerosis) which causes high blood pressure.
3.) High cholesterol. PCOS increases your bad cholesterol (LDL) and lowers your good cholesterol (HDL). In general, high LDL levels and low HDL levels means a greater risk of damage to the cardiovascular system.
4.) Insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance leads to higher levels of insulin in the blood. To much insulin causes the ovaries to produce too much male hormones resulting in PCOS symptoms. Insulin resistance also leads to the appearance of type 2 diabetes.
5.) Infertility. PCOS is associated with excessive insulin levels in the blood which causes the over production of male hormones. The male hormones interrupt ovulation which means the monthly release of an egg doesn’t occur.
6.) An increase in growth of hair on the face, stomach, chest, back, thumbs, and toes. More pubic hair growth will be seen as well. This condition is called hirsutism.
7.) Male pattern baldness or thinning hair. This is caused by elevated levels of male hormones.
8.) Ovarian cysts. PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome which means ovaries with multiple small cysts. Because the ovaries fail to produce all of the needed hormones for it’s eggs to mature, no egg is released. Instead, the left over follicles remain as small fluid filled cysts which accumulate in the ovaries over time.
9.) Weight gain or obesity, usually occurring around the waist. An imbalance of insulin and glucose is linked to this pattern of weight gain.
10.) Skin conditions such as acne, oily skin, or dandruff. The acne typically occurs on the face, chest, and back.
11.) Patches of thick, dark brown or black skin on the breasts, arms, neck, or thighs.
12.) Skin tags (see photo). These are excess flaps or thick lumps of skin in the arm pits or neck.
13.) Pelvic pain.
14.) Anxiety or depression. The changes in personal appearance and the onset of infertility will cause anxiety or depression in most women. In addition, PCOS related hormone imbalances lead to depression.
15.) Sleep apnea. Symptoms include excessive snoring, gasping or choking while sleeping. This is caused by an involuntary closure of the upper air passages which stops breathing.
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