Whether you wind up being treated by a general practitioner or a specialist for PCOS, you’ll want answers to specific questions about treatment, complications, and more. This guide can help you determine which questions to ask.
Some people may not be comfortable taking birth control pills. Common reasons include a history of side effects caused by oral contraceptives, religious beliefs, social misconceptions like weight gain and infertility, or the desire to balance hormones in a more natural way.
If you fall into this camp for any reason, you will not have to take birth control pills to treat your PCOS. There are other options. In particular, medications that help the body process insulin, such as metformin (also available as Glucophage Fortament, Riomet, and other brand names) and Actos (pioglitazone) are often prescribed, along with weight loss and other lifestyle changes.
If you’re diagnosed with insulin resistance, a medication such as metformin can help your body use insulin properly and reduce your risk of diabetes. Research has found that insulin-lowering medications also can help to promote ovulation in women with PCOS.
Losing weight also may lower the risk of sleep apnea, which is associated with both extra weight and high levels of androgens, along with other PCOS symptoms, although it won’t eliminate them entirely.
Because insulin resistance is typically partially responsible for extra pounds, it can be especially challenging for women with PCOS to shed them. Ask your healthcare provider for guidance. Besides eating fewer calories and getting more exercise, you may do well to work with a nutritionist or dietitian and/or join a support group.
You can lower your risk of complications from PCOS by strictly adhering to the treatment plan your healthcare provider prescribes for you. Losing weight, eating a diet rich in vegetables and some fruits (as too much fructose can exacerbate insulin resistance), and getting plenty of physical activity can also help. In some cases, hormonal therapy can help reduce the risk of endometrial cancer.
Increasing physical activity can help as well. And there’s some research to suggest that vitamin D supplementation may help some women with PCOS who are experiencing infertility.
If lifestyle modifications aren’t enough, medication or hormonal treatments usually are tried next, followed by procedures such as assisted reproductive technology. Rest assured, research shows that most women who face infertility issues due to PCOS go on to have healthy pregnancies and babies.
