PCOS Part III: treatment

Pills spilledOnly recently have doctors begun to recognize and diagnose PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), and research is being conducted as the medical community realizes how prevalent this condition actually is. The biggest challenge doctors face in prescribing treatment is that PCOS affects every woman differently, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The best that can be done at this point is treat and manage symptoms. Some of the most common treatments are ones that I’ve tried and listed below.

Birth Control Pill: This is usually the first line of treatment for women with PCOS because it regulates your menstrual cycle, lessens heavy bleeding, and some pills contain Spironolactone which helps with hormonal hair growth. I started on Yasmin when I was diagnosed by my OB/GYN in 2006 because I had irregular periods. It did regulate my periods, but after 8 years taking it, I decided to try a more holistic route. After being off of the pill for 2 years, I attempted it again (for the purpose of birth control), and it sent me spiraling into a pit of depression and wacky mood swings. It’s important to notice how your body reacts to the addition of synthetic hormones; especially with PCOS because I believe we are more sensitive than most. It may take a few different pills to find one that works for you, or you may opt not to use one at all. Just because you are diagnosed with PCOS does NOT mean you have to treat it with a birth control pill!

Metformin: This is a diabetic drug that is also used to help women with fertility issues, however, I don’t believe it’s necessary to treat PCOS if you are not trying to conceive (unless your glucose levels are out of control). I started on Metformin in 2006 at my next stop to an endocrinologist that supposedly specialized in PCOS patients. She prescribed me 2000mg, and if you know anything about Metformin, you know that’s a high dose even for a diabetic. I started with 500mg and slowly increased the dose as instructed, only to spend every morning at my work desk feeling dizzy and nauseous. I decided that figuring out how to eat properly for PCOS would be a better choice for my body than Metformin.

Acupuncture: I haven’t seen any research on the direct effects of stress on PCOS, but my body tells me that stress makes my symptoms worse. After dropping the birth control pill, I decided to try acupuncture. My stress levels happened to be very high at the time, and I can’t tell you for sure that acupuncture did much for my PCOS, but I can tell you that slowing down and laying on a table for 30 minutes was help enough to lower my stress levels. I can also tell you that since I went off the pill and had acupuncture treatments for 3 months, my menstrual cycle has never been more regular in my life.

Diet & Exercise: Let’s face it, nobody likes this as an answer for treatment for any condition because we are a culture that likes to pop pills to fix problems. I can tell you from experience, though, that you can resolve the majority of your symptoms by taking care of your body. You don’t have to run 3 miles and live on chicken and broccoli, but doing something that gets your heart pumping every day and eating natural foods will benefit you most in the long term. I no longer take any medication to treat my PCOS symptoms; I treat them solely with diet and exercise, and I’ve never felt better!

Ashley Brodeur, MS, CPT
Exercise Physiologist
Owner, Active Lifestyle Fitness, LLC