The PCOSA is Pleased to Announce that Figure Magazine has Included an Article Entitled \"One Woman\'s Story\" in the January/February 2005 Issue

    /24-7PressRelease.com/ - Englewood, CO, March 17, 2005 -- Tulin Reid, Plus Size Model and National Spokeswoman for the PCOSA (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association, Inc.), has been featured in an article in the January/February issue of Figure Magazine entitled "One Woman's Story", about her battles, successes and avenues taken in her journey with PCOS.

Tulin, who was diagnosed at the age of 23, speaks very openly about the obstacles she faced and how she has taken control of her PCOS symptoms. Tulin says, "If an article like this existed 10 years ago, I wouldn't have felt so alone. The symptoms can be difficult to talk about and I can relate to what women are experiencing. I am happy to open myself up so that women don't have to feel the way I used to...alone". By sharing her story, Tulin has helped people become aware of PCOS. Tulin has encouraged women to speak openly and share their stories, "It's our stories that inspire ourselves and others to forge on". It was her own battle with PCOS that encouraged her to pursue her life long dream, to become a model.

In the past, on the rare occasion that PCOS has been mentioned in the media, only the very confusing medical aspects have been discussed in a quick and short manner. The Figure Magazine article goes in depth not only by sharing the symptoms but really getting to the heart and soul of PCOS. The hope is that this article will encourage the media to reach out to the 5-10% of the female population who suffer from PCOS by educating and informing them of the syndrome. This is very important as a large portion of the women who are afflicted with PCOS are unaware that there is a name for what they experiencing. It's not just a figment of their imagination but it is REAL and it does have a name: PCOS!

Up to 15 million women and young girls in the U.S. alone have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a complex hormonal disorder for which there is no cure, but for which effective management is possible. Not only does PCOS cause devastating short-term effects such as infertility, dark skin patches, obesity, acne, male patterned baldness and excess facial and body hair, PCOS has a substantial negative impact on quality of life because of the disorder's multi-system conditions. Many women with PCOS are insulin-resistant, a condition that raises the level of insulin circulating in the body and is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. In fact, women with PCOS have seven times the risk of other women for developing adult-onset diabetes, which in turn greatly increases their chance of having cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke and kidney problems. In addition, because obesity and type two diabetes have now reached epidemic proportions in the United States, and cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in women, PCOS plays a key role in the foremost causes of death and disability in American women.

Tulin's story is like that of many other women with PCOS, who have gone years without the proper diagnosis and have silently suffered not knowing what was truly wrong. For years, thousands of women from around the country have experienced the same lack of response from a medical community with little understanding of PCOS, except in rare cases when the infertility aspect was addressed. As a result, single women, older women and those not trying to get pregnant had little chance of being diagnosed. Tulin says, "I was in excruciating pain, my emotions and hormones were a mess, I had cystic ovaries, my hair was falling out in handfuls and I was battling painful acne. My weight exploded from a fit 160 pounds to 200+ pounds in less than two months and I was accused of overeating by my doctor. I felt I had to justify why I was so sick." Tulin also says, "The PCOSA has been instrumental in helping women ask the right questions, and get the proper medical care". PCOS symptoms manifest themselves in different ways. In fact, not all affected women have polycystic ovaries. Women with PCOS can have any combination of symptoms of varying severity. As a result, researchers, doctors and women themselves looked at the symptoms individually rather than collectively.

The PCOSA is a non-profit organization that promotes education, support, advocacy and awareness of the medical condition known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Tulin Reid, like the PCOSA, is dedicated to helping other women with information made available through the organization and it's website.

If you would like to learn more about PCOS or PCOSA please visit the website: http://www.pcosupport.org

If you would like to learn more about Tulin Reid, please visit her website: http://www.tulinmodel.com

For additional information including interviews, appearances and lectures with Tulin Reid, please contact:
Tara Hartl, President - Board of Directors: [email protected]
Or
Tulin Reid, National Spokesperson for the PCOSA
E-mail: [email protected]

PCOSA, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association
P.O. BOX 3403
Englewood, CO 80111
Phone: 877-775-PCOS

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