Management of PCOS

How to manage PCOS?

Managing PCOS starts with correctly diagnosing it. Since there is no conclusive test that confirms the diagnosis, many women learn about their PCOS only when they try to get pregnant but cannot. Both these causes make the diagnosis of PCOS difficult.

After being diagnosed, one should always consult a doctor about their specific symptoms and how to best manage them. PCOS is a condition that cannot be treated but can be managed.

Managing PCOS involves lifestyle changes and medication. While the medication for PCOS is prescribed by the doctor, the lifestyle changes are the individual’s prerogative.

One can make the following changes to help decrease the effects of PCOS:

• Maintain a healthy weight – Attaining a healthy weight reduces insulin and androgen levels and regulates ovulation. One should consult a dietician and work with them on a customized weight-loss program. It helps to have clear and realistic goals for weight loss.
• Limit carbohydrates – A low-carbohydrate diet helps regulate insulin levels. It is advised to have more complex carbohydrates in the diet as they raise the level of insulin in the blood slower than simple carbohydrates. A low glycemic index diet is better for PCOS and widely recommended.
• Active lifestyle – A sedentary lifestyle is a major problem with managing PCOS. A moderate-intensity exercise done regularly helps control PCOS symptoms. Exercise helps lower blood sugar levels so, increasing daily activity and participating in a regular exercise program helps treat or even prevent insulin resistance while keeping the weight under control and avoiding developing diabetes.

When to see a doctor?

One can consult with a specialist in female reproductive medicine (a gynecologist), a specialist in hormone disorders (an endocrinologist), or even an infertility specialist (a reproductive endocrinologist) for their specific PCOS symptoms. One should consult a doctor under the following circumstances:

• When one misses a period when not pregnant. Irregular or absent periods should not be relied upon as a means of birth control. It is a symptom and should be addressed medically.
• When trying to get pregnant for 12 months and not being successful. In the case of women who already have irregular or absent periods and are trying to get pregnant, they should not wait for 12 months before consulting a doctor.
• Noticing symptoms of PCOS like excess hair growth on face and body, male pattern baldness, etc.
• Experiencing symptoms of diabetes like excessive thirst or hunger, frequent urination, blurred vision, or unexplained weight loss.

Even after being diagnosed, one should visit their primary care doctor regularly to undergo tests to check for diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol level, and any other possible medical complication.

When preparing for an appointment with the doctor for PCOS, one should list all the symptoms they are experiencing, all medications and their dosages that they are currently consuming, important personal and medical history that is relevant, and a record of the menstrual cycle, including the last menstrual period date.

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