The ‘What Nurses Know’ series is great if you’re looking for down-to-earth and anecdotal information on a particular medical topic. This one on polycystic ovary syndrome is no exception.
PCOS is a not-very-well understood (or frequently misunderstood) disorder that seems to cluster around a number of different symptoms, mainly menstrual issues, fertility issues, and hormone/endocrine issues. (Even the name of the syndrome is misleading — ovarian cysts are not necessarily a symptom of PCOS.) This book did a good job of sorting through the myths and confusion about symptoms, treatments, and outcomes, while acknowledging how much research still needs to be done on the topic.
‘What Nurses Know… About PCOS’ would be a good place to start if you (or someone you know) have just been diagnosed or you suspect you might have PCOS. And besides,you don’t often get a traditional diagnosis anyway — you tell your doc, “I think I have PCOS,” and they say, “Yeah, probably. That makes sense.” So if you read this book, you’ll be as well-informed as most GPs.