This illness is accompanied with hair growth in parts of the body that generally exclusively occur in men: the chest and the back (Speroff & Fritz, 2011). The problem is mostly caused by insulin resistance, which leads in a decreased level of sex hormones that bind globulin, elevating testosterone levels and causing the growth of undesirable coarse body hair. The symptoms are comparable to those described in the case study.
The syndrome is characterized by irregular menstruation and coarse hair (Heymann, 2008). The disorder is caused by the thyroid gland's inability to produce enough thyroid hormone for the body. The illness could be caused by the immune system attacking the thyroid gland. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
The condition is characterized by imbalanced female sex hormones (Tharpe, Farley, & Jordan, 2013). A patient with this syndrome can exhibit symptoms listed in the case study including changes in the menstrual cycle and difficulties getting pregnant. Other symptoms associated with this condition include extra body hair on the chest, face, around the nipples, belly, and the back (Allahbadia & Agrawal, 2007). Indeed, PCOS is the likely diagnosis of for this patient because she has all the symptoms of this disease.
Treatment and Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Recommended medications for PCOS include Clomid and metformin to make menstrual cycles regular and enhance fertility by reducing changes in the hormones (Schuiling & Likis, 2013). The recommended dose of metformin is 500 mg every day for 5 days. However, the dosage can be increased to 500 mg twice a day and later 500 mg thrice a day if the first dose does not work. The dose of Clomid is 50mg daily during 5 days (Tharpe et al. 2013). Similarly, it can be increased to 100mg daily if 50mg fails to work. The drug should be started early in the menstrual cycle. Notably, obesity and weight gain are common in women with PCOS (Schuiling & Likis, 2013). Losing body weight can help to treat and manage changes in hormones.
Education
Patient education is fundamental to effective treatment. Tharpe et al. (2013) suggest educating the patient on ways of losing weight through healthy diet and exercise. All the treatments recommended for this syndrome should be well explained to the patient. This approach will help her to understand the disease, the medications, and make informed decisions about the appropriate treatment.
References
Allahbadia, G., & Agrawal, R. R. (2007). Polycystic ovary syndrome. Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK: Anshan.
Heymann, W. R. (2008). Thyroid disorders with cutaneous manifestations. London: Springer.
Schuiling, K. D., & Likis, F. E. (2013). Women’s gynecologic health. Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Speroff, L., & Fritz, M. A. (2011). Clinical gynecologic endocrinology and infertility. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Tharpe, N. L., Farley, C., & Jordan, R. G. (2013). Clinical practice guidelines for midwifery & women’s health. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
