Metabolic Syndrome Signs and Symptoms.

Here is a page with all of the technical terms: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolic_syndrome

There are a lot of things that can.... be involved, in metabolic syndrome. Insulin Resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes, PCOS, hypothyroidism, hypertension, other messed up hormogne levels,.. Theres a lot that can be involved.. They're all listed on that page.. and if you google 'Metabolic Syndrome' or any of its other names, more information will come up.

I was born with Insulin Resistance, but later on developed PCOS, hypothyroidism, hypertension, and Type 2 diabetes..

PCOS - Polycystic ovarian syndrome. Irregular menstrual cycles, possbly cysts on your ovaries, messed up hormogne levels... All men and women have male and female hormognes... men just have less estrogen than testosterone,woman have less testosterone than estrogen, etc..there are a fewother hormognes involved.. It wasn't testosterone, but.. androgens? it started with an A.. i think that's it... but its another male hormogne,and mine was high..

Hypothyroidism - an under-active thyroid gland.. meaning not enough hormognes areproduced and you can gain weight, have hair loss, low metabolism, not much energy..

Hypertension - high blood pressure.

Insulin Resistance & Type 2 Diabetes - self explanatory... if you don't know what either are... i'll do a post on that later... or just look it up online.

A lot of the symptoms for all of these, are similar.. which is partially why if you have more than 2 or 3 it can be combined into just 'metabolic syndrome'.. I was actually tested for cushings syndrome.. which also has similar symptoms.. I ended up not having it, but that's how they found my higher androgen levels. But my doctor called it 'Pseudo-Cushings' because again, it has all the symptoms... here are symptoms at are associated with a lot of those:

Self explanatory..  the oily or really dry skin and acne from messed up hormogne levels.

Acanthosis*** Nigricans is a really long name for something i can't spell or pronounce without google.. it basically means darker leather-y-feeling skin.. It used to be a lot worse. it has lightened up sincei've startedlosing weight. Some people have iton their chest and under their arms, too.. I have itunder my arms, aswell.

Hirsutism is another word i always forget how to spell.. but it basically means on females, hair where there normally isn't very much.. or male hair patterns.. thanks to elevated male hormogne levels. Tip: if you have this.. don't shave. seriously. don't. it will come back darker and rougher and you won't be able to go a day without stubble coming back.. i use nair or sally hansen cream hair remover, or bleach.. i purpously didn't for a week or so so icould take these pictures.

Central obesity.. meaning.. most of your weight is in your stomach/sides/hips/chest, rather than evenly distributed thorughout your arms and legs.. all of these pictures are me after i had surgery.. but you can still tell.. i don't have many pictures of me at my highest weight, where you can REALLY see it.. but some people are really thin, or even, or apear shapewhere most of your weight is in your hips/thighs.. but not with metabolic sydrome, or most ofthe things assosciated with it.. think of an apple shape.

lots of reddish purple stretchmarks around your abdomen/thighs/chest.. i got my first stretchmarks on my thighs around the time i was 9.. now you can't even see them, 7 years later.. haha. a lot of the oneson my back, sides, and stomach are fading.. they used to be a lot bright.. these all have came over the past 2 years.. i never used to have any on my stomach.. /: i miss those days.. lol.

and the last one that i actually have pictures of...

Everyone loses 100 hairs a day, according to the person who cuts my hair... well.. i lose way more than that. /: i have for the past 2 years.. there is a ton ofre-growth that sticks up and comes in.. all the hair that is pulled down there in the front in the picture, is regrowth.. the rest of my hair is all really long.. itspatchy. and extremely annoying. alot of times weight loss causes it.. but i'm fairly sure its my hormogne levels.. it's been going on for years..  i guess the stress on my body from surgery could be adding to it. but thankfully it's not as bad as it used to be.. if it was.. i think i'd be bald :x lol.

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so yeah.. that's that. along with low energy levels, irregular menstrual cycles for girls, uhm... obviously the messed up blood sugars, high blood pressure (or low blood pressure.. i've heard of that with some people.)

I'm sure theres numerous others.. but these are all of the ones i've had, or i've seen with people I know.

If you have 2 or more of these, i'd suggest going toa doctor.. just to be sure.

Have a nice day. (:

-Ashley.
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Oh, and... HAPPY NEW YEARS!!! (:  its 10:20pm here in ohio right now.. but close enough, right? (: