The Savvy Woman's Guide to PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome): The Many Faces of a 21st Century Epidemic....And What You Can Do About It [Paperback]

Elizabeth Lee Vliet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 30, 2006

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is the most common endocrine cause of infertility and serious abdominal weight gain in young women. It affects millions-about 6 to 10 percent of reproductive age women. The impact of this devastating metabolic imbalance is overwhelming-from obesity to increased risk of teenaged diabetes to young mothers with heart attacks or strokes, and early onset of breast and uterine cancers. Early treatment is key to preventing serious health risks, unfortunately most sufferers don't even know they have PCOS unless they are trying to get pregnant. Doctors don't take it seriously, often minimizing symptoms like excess body hair, weight gain, acne or thinning scalp hair, thinking they are just cosmetic "problems of overanxious young women. It's not enough for doctors to tell women with PCOS to just "eat less and exercise more." This book delivers a user-friendly practical guide to understand this disorder, know what tests to ask for, what the tests mean, what treatments are available, and how to achieve a healthy hormone balance through a comprehensive action plan.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Elizabeth Lee Vliet, M.D., is a practicing physician and author of six acclaimed women's health books. Widely recognized for her pioneering work in addressing hormone connections in women's health, she has taught several hundred medical education seminars around the country for physicians and consumers, and was a featured speaker at the May 2004 Congressional Briefing on women's healthcare.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Savvy Woman's Guide Publishing Inc. (January 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933213019
• ISBN-13: 978-1933213019
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #101,700 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, thorough, and extremely helpful, August 9, 2006

By 

Raven (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Savvy Woman's Guide to PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome): The Many Faces of a 21st Century Epidemic....And What You Can Do About It (Paperback)

This is the book I wish I had read fifteen years ago. Dr. Vliet thoroughly explains the multiple causes and complex hormonal activity that can cause PCOS, without ever condescending to the reader or filling her with despair. The informational dump can get a little overwhelming at times, but it's a complex subject. (I was so enthusiastic to see some real explanations of the nutty hormonal behaviour my body was manifesting that I tried to read it all in one go.) Dr. Vliet offers a recommended series of tests, explains what normal and atypical results are, makes suggestions for dealing with uncooperative doctors, and explains the various hormonal treatment options available. Rather than just suggesting diet and exercise treatments like so many other PCOS books, she presents additional options for those of us who didn't find diet and exercise to be sufficient remediation. I particularly appreciated the extended treatment of common additional conditions -- I had no idea that my heart problems were related to my endocrine system, or that my asthma medication could be throwing me out of balance, or that offset cortisol cycles could explain my trouble getting out of bed in the morning. After having read this book, I feel armed with enough scientific information to work with my doctor to more precisely pinpoint my hormonal levels, and to work to restore them to normal. Thank you, Dr. Vliet!

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you suspect you suffer from PCOS, your answer lies here., February 2, 2006

By 

Kitty Werner "katinvermont" (Waitsfield, Vermont United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Savvy Woman's Guide to PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome): The Many Faces of a 21st Century Epidemic....And What You Can Do About It (Paperback)

Why is it that everyone overweight is assumed to be eating too much of the wrong foods? Or just plain pigging out? That isn't always so! Sometimes it is your hormones so out of whack that your body reacts badly. It isn't just food!

Finally, here's a book that lays out the entire spectrum of PCOS.

The Savvy Woman's Guide to PCOS is written for the patient to understand her options, as well as how to get help-what to look for, what are treatment options, what works and what makes matters worse. It can also be used by the medical community as a guide to treatment. So often patients are treated for so many varied symptoms, the entire person isn't considered. This generally makes the patient worse, not better.

Think of a bread mix: each ingredient is balanced to bake a perfect loaf. If the balance becomes haphazard-too much water, too little flour, not enough salt, for example-you don't have bread, you have mush.

The most galling issue regarding PCOS-the medical community is almost entirely ignorant of the disease! It is rare to find a doctor who even tries to diagnose it, much less treat it. That leaves women who suspect they have PCOS to educate themselves-and their doctors. They shouldn't have to continue to suffer due to medicine's ignorance.

The Savvy Woman's Guide to PCOS is a great step forward in the education process.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best PCOS book!, February 16, 2006

By 

R. White - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Savvy Woman's Guide to PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome): The Many Faces of a 21st Century Epidemic....And What You Can Do About It (Paperback)

The best PCOS book I have found! Dr. Vliet has such a wealth of knowledge when it comes to hormones and especially PCOS. This book is laid out beautifully which makes it easy to find the information you are looking for. I own a library of books on PCOS and now only use this one, she really knows her stuff.