It could have been a (nonfiction) win...
For years I knew that I had polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). But it wasn't until last year that I was officially diagnosed. And, while doing my research on childhood obesity, I learned that PCOS is linked to insulin resistance and diabetes, among a slue of other unsavory health issues. So, wanting to know more, I plucked through amazon.com for a book that would give me more information. This is what I wound up buying: "A Patient's Guide to PCOS"
This book is both a win and a fail. I went ahead with saying that, overall, it's a fail because of a very fundamental shortcoming: The author often uses quarter words, when nickle words would have worked--and then failed to define those words. Some of the words I was familiar with because of my courses of study. (Master's in psychology and now I'm a pre-med student.) However, some of them I wasn't--or, it was a case of, "I know that word...wish I could remember what it was." The average woman who would pick up this book should have her laptop and wikipedia near by. And though the book does have a glossary, many of the words aren't defined there. ("What was a corpus luteum? I remember it has to do with my ovaries... And what the hell is phlebitis?")
(The corpus luteum is a fundamental part of pregnancy--it plays a role in maintaining pregnancy. Phlebitis (I asked my nurse friend) is inflammation of the veins.)
The other reason I decided this book was a fail was the repeated, "ZOMG--you must has early diagnosis!!!" Okay, I get it. It is, in all honesty, important to have the correct diagnosis as early as possible. However, I believe that many women who pick up this book will have already been diagnosed or been told that her physician suspects she may be suffering from the condition. Early diagnosis does not need to be repeatedly mentioned in every other paragraph. Further, while early diagnosis is helpful, some women go from doctor to doctor before someone finally gets the diagnosis right and I feel that repeated reminders that she's been misdiagnosed for so long is going to be rather off-putting--because it was for me.
All of that said, this book did have it's winning components. Mostly, it is full of really great information and was written by one of the foremost physicians in the field of endocrinology, who has spent almost his entire career in studying PCOS. He does not gloss over some of the crappy side effects of PCOS, but gives straightforward facts and things the patient can do about those effects.
One of the best parts of the book, for me, was the discussion on the dietary needs of women with PCOS. Because of PCOS' intricate tie to insulin and the endocrine system, women with PCOS do, actually, need to eat differently and the chapters on appropriate eating were very helpful! And the book includes a few recipes, which, in personal opinion, is always nice.
I should say that I skipped the chapters on becoming and staying pregnant. I don't particularly plan on having children, so I went ahead and skipped those chapters.
The author also provides a really great list of online resources for women with PCOS, as well as other endocrinological disorders.
It was really hard for me to decide if this book was a win or a fail. But, when I look back on the vocab sans definition, that was what really made the decision. However, if you're okay with that--or, like me, you have the dictionary.com app on your ipod/iphone--I would recommend this book, especially if you're recently diagnosed with the syndrome.
But, seriously, make sure you have a dictionary--or wikipedia--handy.
This book is both a win and a fail. I went ahead with saying that, overall, it's a fail because of a very fundamental shortcoming: The author often uses quarter words, when nickle words would have worked--and then failed to define those words. Some of the words I was familiar with because of my courses of study. (Master's in psychology and now I'm a pre-med student.) However, some of them I wasn't--or, it was a case of, "I know that word...wish I could remember what it was." The average woman who would pick up this book should have her laptop and wikipedia near by. And though the book does have a glossary, many of the words aren't defined there. ("What was a corpus luteum? I remember it has to do with my ovaries... And what the hell is phlebitis?")
(The corpus luteum is a fundamental part of pregnancy--it plays a role in maintaining pregnancy. Phlebitis (I asked my nurse friend) is inflammation of the veins.)
The other reason I decided this book was a fail was the repeated, "ZOMG--you must has early diagnosis!!!" Okay, I get it. It is, in all honesty, important to have the correct diagnosis as early as possible. However, I believe that many women who pick up this book will have already been diagnosed or been told that her physician suspects she may be suffering from the condition. Early diagnosis does not need to be repeatedly mentioned in every other paragraph. Further, while early diagnosis is helpful, some women go from doctor to doctor before someone finally gets the diagnosis right and I feel that repeated reminders that she's been misdiagnosed for so long is going to be rather off-putting--because it was for me.
All of that said, this book did have it's winning components. Mostly, it is full of really great information and was written by one of the foremost physicians in the field of endocrinology, who has spent almost his entire career in studying PCOS. He does not gloss over some of the crappy side effects of PCOS, but gives straightforward facts and things the patient can do about those effects.
One of the best parts of the book, for me, was the discussion on the dietary needs of women with PCOS. Because of PCOS' intricate tie to insulin and the endocrine system, women with PCOS do, actually, need to eat differently and the chapters on appropriate eating were very helpful! And the book includes a few recipes, which, in personal opinion, is always nice.
I should say that I skipped the chapters on becoming and staying pregnant. I don't particularly plan on having children, so I went ahead and skipped those chapters.
The author also provides a really great list of online resources for women with PCOS, as well as other endocrinological disorders.
It was really hard for me to decide if this book was a win or a fail. But, when I look back on the vocab sans definition, that was what really made the decision. However, if you're okay with that--or, like me, you have the dictionary.com app on your ipod/iphone--I would recommend this book, especially if you're recently diagnosed with the syndrome.
But, seriously, make sure you have a dictionary--or wikipedia--handy.