Any link between RA and PCOS? | Arthritis Information

Share
 

Lynn's post about which AI diseases are linkly (linkly? WTH is that? edited to say I meant likely) to run in the family got me thinking.  I know my sis is worried because of the possible family links with RA, but I know she already has issues to deal with in having PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome).  I understand there can be several causes of PCOS, but the docs have told her that hers must be hereditary.  So I googled RA and PCOS, and found several PCOS message board posts with a bunch of people who have RA, as well as links with other AI diseases!

 
So now I'm wondering how many of us here with RA also have PCOS, or have someone in the family with it? 
InnerGlow2008-05-27 09:34:44what is    pcos   

Policyctic Ovararian Syndrome

causes weight gain, hirsuitism, infertility, LOTS of fun, irregular cycles, pain..

I have it, but a mild case.. I had a ruptured Ovrian cyst that was really really nasty and a clear medical emergency when I was 15.. The whole ovary  was to quote my dr.. "its a "blasted" ovary"
 
years later during my first c section my ob said the right ovary was just a lump of scar tissue.
 
 I wonder if there is a correlation between the 2 conditions.. obviously ONLY women get PCOS.. and more RA suffers are female.. 
This would be interesting to look at.
My sister has PCOS.  I, on the other hand, have never had "female" issues.  When we wanted babies, I swear I got pregnant on the first try, and the only pregnancy problems I had with the first two were that they were BIG babies (I ate everything in sight) and I ended up with c-sections.  Our third pregnancy (unplanned) ended in miscarriage at three months, but I was 36 at the time and was also taking massive doses of naproxen and steroids for a knee injury and also spending lots of time in the hot tub and sauna before I knew I was pregnant.  I was also on metoprolol for my arrhythmia, which I didn't have with the other two boys. When I found out, I stayed out of the hot tub, sauna, and stopped taking the naproxen, but I think the damage had already been done. [QUOTE=SnowOwl][QUOTE=Boney]what is    pcos   [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Boney]  Pheeeewwww i thought it was penile cant operate syndrome....[/QUOTE]
 
OK.. I don't have PCOS.. I also got pregnant just passing my Ex on the stair case.. 6 pregnancies in 6 years.. two miss'd. four full term (also large babies)
I also had loads of cysts on my ovaries and did up til menopause.. I had one burst when I was 18.  I had very painful ovulation.. and painful menses...
 
I do believe that hormones have alot to do w/ the RA connection and ovarian cysts... and other hormonal issues.. but not sure that it is PCOS that is the connection. .. IDK I think there is a huge connection to PCOS and this.  I think I probably was PCOS but nobody ever said that as I had tons of painful cysts in my teens.  Anyway, what I foind intriguing is that women with PCOS dealing with infertility are showing up pregnant when they're on some diabetes med.  Not Insulin.  Metformin???  And if you include that HUGE similarity in that most AI people have insulin resistance even if they're not diabetic...yet...you can see why I think this is related.
 
Hugs,
 
Pip
 
 
Thank you Pippy!!  I didn't know this and my sister is a perfect candidate...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18487613?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSumOk I'm still on the "Do I have RA or not bandwagon" but I do have PCOS for sure.  I was diagnosed in 2000 after a lap surgery.  I know I suffered w/ it longer than that because of painful periods, sometimes months in a row w/out periods, and many other lovely side effects I won't mention.  I was told I could forget getting pregnant.  Well I'm living proof doctors don't know everything as I have an 8 month old baby sleeping in the next room over. ;)  But any info on the connection I would totally appreciate.  No one else in my family has IR or PCOS.  Just me. Oh and I've been on Metformin since the year 2000.  I do think it helped me conceive but that doesn't always work for all women w/ PCOS.   Wow, Monet - I wonder if the Metformin made the docs wrong.  I was told the same thing (different reasons) and my baby is 7.
 
I love they were wrong!  She's the apple of our eyes!
 
Pip
My 21 year old niece has PCOS.I have always had uterus problems.  Massive pain, large cycles, short cycles, extremely heavy cycles with problems that are not for saying here and tons more.  I had polyps in my uterus when i came out with the big RA flairs.
I have had uterus problems since my first one.  I am now getting shots so they don't happen anymore.This is where I again encourage women to check with their mothers about if they were prescribed prenatal vitamins during the pregnancy, and try to find out the name of the "vitamin" - the DES exposure bomb going off.  I think it was marketed under about 2 dozen different names like Desplex, etc.  Good luck - cathy Well I asked my mom before I got pregnant if she was exposed to those vitamins and she said she never took them although I guess they were offered like candy during those times.  That family history can evidently cause issues for the unborn baby as well.  :(  (if the mother to the pregnant daughter had taken that DHEAS stuff or whatever it's called)
Monet072008-05-30 03:23:11My mother was not exposed, but my sister was told this is common in women with eastern European heritage (3/4 of our background).I am the only one in my family with PCOS. Had it all my life. Can not conceive, lucky if I have 2 cycles a year. My mother did not take any prenatle vitamines.. long story. Drs didn't think she was pre and never did an exam on her. said it was all in her mind.... till I came 3 months early. was just diagnost with RA in January.Hey Lorried -
 
You should research 'premature ovarian failure'.  My best friend has that.  They figured it out when she went from PCOS to 1 0r 2 periods a year. 
 
I'm not trying to scare you - and there's a lot of really cool research coming out in reproductive biology if you're wanting to have a child someday.  Don't give up hope - my best friend hasn't.
 
Hugs,
 
Pip
Hi Innerglow,
 
I've had PCOS + other related problems for about 35 years. 
 
When I was dx last year with diabetes I was told that there is strong link between PCOS and diabetes.  RA dx about 11 months later - don't know about the PA / PCOS link.  My grandmother had RA but there weren't many options for treatment when she was alive.  At least we have many more options now.
 
Cheers,
greenfrog

Copyright ArthritisInsight.com