Treatment options | Medication choices
Early diagnosis for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can help you manage the symptoms successfully and lead a healthy and normal life. Knowing that the distressing physical symptoms are due to PCOS and can be treated successfully can be quite heartening especially if you have been battling to control the unwanted hair and increasing obesity without any success.
Treatment options
A holistic treatment plan for weight loss including regular exercise, balanced heart-healthy diet and medications for hormonal imbalance, fertility issues and skin-hair care measures is recommended.
Treatment goals are
- Controlling obesity.
- Restore hormonal balance.
- Treating infertility (if needed).
Follow a healthy life style for weight control
Losing weight by exercising regularly and eating healthily can help greatly. It helps in balancing your hormones, managing insulin levels better, and controlling hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol and cardiac issues. It is most beneficial to keep BMI between 19 and 25.
Weight management tips
- A nutritious, balanced, low-fat, low-salt, low-sugar, high-fibre & organic diet is ideal.
- Choose high-fibre carbohydrates, proteins with healthy monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.
- Avoid refined sugars, refined carbohydrates, processed foods, saturated fats, red meat etc.
- Eat fibre-rich products like whole grains, sprouts, vegetables, fruits and lean meat like fish.
Regular exercise regimen for
- Losing weight.
- Managing insulin levels.
Reduce smoking as it increases
- Androgen levels.
- Risks for heart disease.
Managing skin and hair
- Cosmetic options for controlling hirsutism like electrolysis, laser, waxing, tweezing and usage of chemicals like bleach etc.
- Skin care – for acne, using topical antibiotic creams or creams with benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid and oral medications including antibiotics.
Medication choices
Treating hormonal imbalance
- Oral contraceptives – for correcting hormonal levels, regulating menstrual cycle, ovulating regularly, stopping any unplanned pregnancy, and lowering testosterone levels. These pills also lower endometrial cancer incidence, help in clearing testosterone-related acne and hirsutism.
Anti-diabetes drugs
- Metformin (glucophage ) – for controlling Insulin level, insulin resistance management; also helps in weight control, manages androgen levels, cholesterol as well help in regulating menstrual periods.
Anti-androgens
- Spironolactone – for controlling androgen level, helps in male-pattern hair loss, decreases abnormal hair growth and clears acne spots.
- Flutamide-For controlling androgen level.
- Cyproterone acetate.
Fertility medicines
- Clomiphene – for stimulating ovulation
- LH-releasing hormone – (LHRH) analogs.
- In-vitro fertilization (IVF).
Surgery
- Laparoscopic keyhole surgery for ovarian drilling.
Outlook
Along with right medications, weight management, healthy eating habits and regular exercise regimen including walking, handling your stress levels and relaxing go a long way to overcome PCOS successfully. An understanding and supportive healthcare provider can help you to fight PCOS on all fronts and come on top of it.
Dr. Batul Patel is a celebrity dermatologist and the medical director of The Bombay Skin Clinic an award winning clinic located in South Mumbai & Bandra. She is a passionate and dedicated dermatologist with expertise in all fields of dermatology, trichology and aesthetic dermatology. She has been practicing for more than a decade. Her range of expertise include emsculpt NEO, coolsculpting, fillers, acne treatment, lasers, skin rejuvenation, hair loss, hair transplant, PRP & pigmentation treatments.
