Treatment of PCOS

What does treating PCOS look like?

When talking about the elusive 'treatment' or 'cure' or 'fix' for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and other female hormonal imbalances, there are no real steady answers in the medical field as to what would improve this. Different doctors will tell you different management symptoms. Some will put you on birth control and metformin if your periods are severely irregular and your body is showing signs of insulin resistance. Some will give you a diabetic diet and tell you to lose weight. Some will suggest gentle doses of hormones if your particular case involves your body being low in estrogen or progesterone. Herbs, supplements, and vitamins are also suggested.

The bad news is that most endocrine imbalances have bandaid 'treatments' that you can do until (if) your body naturally changes. There is no real answer. There's not even a real medicine like thyroid problems or diabetes. Everyone argues over it, and doctors aren't sure really what to do with it, except suggest the usual treatments for other hormone imbalances.

The grim truth is the answer to managing PCOS is all of it and weight loss, or get pregnant or yank it all out.

The problem is every single answer is much more complicated than it just seems. Easier said than done, is what they say about a lot of things, and the management of PCOS is just the same. And even all of these answers aren't ideal or stonework.

For me, the symptoms of my own personal PCOS greatly reduced after I had a successful pregnancy. A doctor in Australia had said that I would probably not be able to get pregnant without chemical/medical help and a supportive partner or something very drastic happening to my body that caused major hormonal changes into regularity. The pregnancy wouldn't have happened without the bariatric surgery and a clear liquid diet for almost 3 weeks (and a moment of bad decisions of believing my body would not get pregnant) that had shocked my body after losing a large chunk of weight relatively quickly.

Speaking to an endocrine specialist, it turns out that is exactly the type of thing that should happen to shock a PCOS body that has over 50 cysts on its ovaries to be able to get pregnant and hold onto that fetus. Years after they discovered this strange imbalance that had no answers for so long, there are finally doctors out there who have put effort into studying and learning about the problem. But I 'diagnosed' originally at 14 after only having my period once and then 6 months later I'm in the hospital for a rupturing cyst. I was 24 by the time the doctor in Australia confirmed the diagnosis and tried to explain to my ex-husband how my body is different and it has to work harder than other women's bodies to lose weight and have healthy regular periods.

By the time I was 27, I had taken my journey into my own hands and convinced my doctor after months of regularly checking in with data and logs about what I ate, how much I ate, and printed out sheets of my Fitbit PROVING my calorie deficit. She fought my insurance and convinced them that my bariatric surgery was not for cosmetic reasons. Because no matter how hard I worked my body was gaining weight- and my weight was gaining exponentially every year. So, the bariatric surgery messed with my body, and the sudden rapid weight loss and clear liquid diet triggered my body to 'do the thing.'

I am NOT saying this is the answer ladies.

If I had been forewarned by a medical professional ahead of time that my body might decide to get baby fever and my chances of getting pregnant after rapid weight loss would triple...I would have made better choices. Not that I would trade her for the world... but for the first five years of her life, dealing with her biological father was HELL (disclaimer: it's getting better so it still works out). Besides that, talk about one of the most HORRIBLE pregnancies a woman could ever experience. I almost died (several times), and my daughter almost died. She was born 4.4 pounds, and 1.5 pounds of that was water weight that she shed by the time she left the hospital. During the pregnancy, I had to have emergency gallbladder removal, and I was admitted to the hospital so many times for malnutrition and dehydration which kept me for weeks at a time.

I also had hyperemesis gravidarum (an ascended Godlike form of morning sickness with super saiyan powers of vomiting). So not only was I unable to eat more than one tiny bite of boiled egg at a time, or 5 baked beans approximately, but whatever I was trying to eat was coming right back up - only tripled somehow. It was by my belief, the grace of God, and my daughter's sheer stubbornness that we are both alive.

TAKE AWAY: NEVER EVER GET PREGNANT BEFORE BARIATRIC SURGERY.

...But I do recommend maybe trying weight loss surgery if your body is super aggressive about not being able to lose weight. If you have the insurance or the doctor that will fight for you with your insurance about it being a health matter and not cosmetic if you are committed to feeling better.

The problem is weight is a symptom of the problem, and weight loss is a treatment to reduce symptoms. It's a vicious cycle, and a lot of times doctors are at a loss as to what to tell you in retrospect to weight loss except 'eat healthy and do exercise.' Luckily the whole bariatric surgery and accidental pregnancy thing helped my body regulate I think, much better than it ever was. I am mostly regular with my periods, and I've had another child since then too. My cramps are still assholes and I have to groom the facial hair from my face every day... but it's a small price to pay for regular periods that don't try to murder me once every blue moon.

Another sidekick about my pregnancy: I was on birth control pills at the time.

Ladies with PCOS or endocrine imbalances - sudden rapid weight loss will make your body say: "Fuck your prevention - it's now or NEVER beech!" Again, had a medical professional informed me of this BEFORE my surgery, I would have made better choices. Just thought I would share this VERY important tidbit.

Quick pep talk to my girls out there who are laden with broken hearts about not having babies:

Girls. It's not over until it's over. And it's not over until all of those bits stop working completely or are yanked out. I hadn't had a proper period in almost a year when suddenly my body did have a period- and then I got pregnant right before my surgery. I found out I was pregnant at the ER, having thought I was having a complication from the surgery because I couldn't stop throwing up. Stop trying so hard, and start focusing on your health, and less on what you don't have, and as soon as your body is ready: It'll happen. Start working on what works for your body, and working with it, not against it, and there is still hope. I wasn't expecting it at all, but then again, neither did my body expect to drop 15 lbs in two weeks because of a clear liquid diet.

So are some of the personal things that I did/still do to manage my symptoms and try to lose weight:

Losing weight with PCOS is a battle of finesse. And a lot of our symptoms are triggered by what foods we eat and our stress levels. And I will say that even though I understand the struggle to lose weight, it is ultimately the main source of relief for your symptoms. But check it out, EVERY hormonally imbalanced body is different, so naturally your symptoms are going to be different. I had excess hair growth, depression, chronic fatigue, my body refused to lose weight, my weight fluctuated massively almost daily, I would have cramps constantly, and my periods were sparse, but when I did have them I would have them for up to three weeks or longer. And I had quite a lot of cyst days, where you experience the pain of a cyst becoming inflamed or even bursting - which is a lot like being ripped apart from the inside.

So here are some of the things I did to maintain myself, my symptoms and help my body lose weight:

• Kept a Food and Weight Log. I also wrote down how I would physically feel an hour or so after eating the food. And blood sugar. It was tedious but worth it.
• Take note of which foods made your weight fluctuate the most - and eat less or cut it out completely. Some foods you will find as you are focusing on what you are eating and how it's making you feel with the food journal you will find patterns with some foods that make you feel more tired, nauseated, bloated, or maybe even hurt your stomach. These are good foods to get rid of too.
• I stopped eating fast food completely for a little while. PCOS bodies have a HORRIBLE love/hate relationship with fast food. I've been naughty about this since I've had kids, I'll be honest.
• Cut My Serving Portions Down By Over Half - Over Time (like weening off of food)
• I did a healthy mix of different types of exercise. I would have done yoga had I known what I know about my body today. No exercise is wrong, but yoga and pilates are the most effective form of exercise for me personally. Exercise helps fight chronic fatigue, believe it or not.
• Took hormonal herbal supplements and vitamins formulated for women every day.
• I kept checking in with my doctor regularly, while they tried different medicines for my mood and hormone imbalances while monitoring me for signs of diabetes. Remember to give your medicines at least a month to see if they help - it takes that long for your body to acclimate to most treatments that doctors use to treat hormone imbalances. Take your medicines CONSISTENTLY. DO NOT FORGET.
• Sleeping a little more when you need to is okay! If you are exhausted, rest. It'll help the brain fog.

I'm sorry I don't have better news.

Doing all of these things will not only help you figure out foods that make your body feel bad and what days you feel good, but it will arm your doctors with the knowledge they need to maintain your health and figure out a better future for you tomorrow.

And it never hurts, if your weight is out of control like mine was, to inquire about a weight loss surgery to see if that is something that might work for you. There will be a LOT of education, and it means changing your entire life. But if you are willing to make those changes to your lifestyle, it could be a possibility to help you become healthier. I can even lose weight naturally now...

Good luck with your PCOS journey, I'm rooting for you!

Read my compilation of every article on PCOS I have ever written here!

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