Just because you've been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCO) doesn't mean your doctor knows all the facts about your disease; in fact, you might not have PCO at all but rather it's closely related cousin, Late Onset Congenital Hyperplasia (LO-CAH or non-class congenital hyperplasia). When you think of Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCO) you think of insulin resistance, right? But did you know that insulin resistance is just one type of PCO? There are actually several types of polycystic ovarian disease and quite frankly, I'm a bit tired of the media and the public only knowing about one.

I was diagnosed with PCO way before it was even named Polycystic Ovarian Disease back in 1986, but back then it was called a hormonal disorder' and the proper name for it was Stein -Leventhal Syndrome - because gynecologists, Irving Stein and Michael Leventhal, first published their description of the disease back in 1935. For some reason this disease waited patiently in the shadows for its limelight and when it finally did gain recognition, a lot of misinformation came about with it.

The first infertility gynecologist I saw provided me with a pamphlet entitled Polycystic Ovarian Disease, A Guide for Patients (published in 1992 by the American Fertility Society, the Society for Reproductive Medicine and Biology; Birmingham, Alabama,) that described three causes of Polycystic Ovarian Disease:

Diabetes: Some forms of diabetes with high insulin levels can alter the ovary's normal cycle and create a situation that mimics polycystic ovarian disease.

Obesity Induced: The most common cause of polycystic ovarian disease is obesity. Fatty tissues produce estrogen, and this can deceive the pituitary gland into producing insufficient amounts of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone). This prevents ovulation and results in PCO.

Dysfunctional Glands: The adrenal glands, thyroid gland, or pituitary gland, can become overactive and produce PCO symptoms. This may cause excess androgen production and ovulation disruption. The excess androgen from the adrenal glands and the ovaries is converted into estrogen in fatty tissue.

For me it was a dysfunction gland which spurred my symptoms, yet I never heard about in the news and often wondered why it was so overlooked and cast aside like a step-sister scrubbing floors during the Ball. Women with congenital pituitary dysfunction don't usually have insulin resistance and therefore, can't control their symptoms through

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