PCOS treatment

[Anonymous]

There is no treatment just things that mask symptoms

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess she needs meds, right? Would you start with progesterone only? Or straight to the pill?

Pill

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Metformin is a standard treatment.

Not for everyone.
I'm the PP who was officially diagnosed in my early 30s but symptomatic as far back as my late teens. Because I am not insulin resistant (thin, no issues with blood sugar or A1C), none of the doctors I've seen (PCP, endocrinologist, OBGYN, or RE) would put me on metformin.
Combo bc was the best for me at controlling symptoms.

[Anonymous]

Op worried about side effects of pill on 18yo - will she have to be on hormones forever?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op worried about side effects of pill on 18yo - will she have to be on hormones forever?

Are you kidding me? Worrying about the *potential* side effects of the pill, which millions and millions of women take for DECADES at a time, is really borrowing trouble. There is truly no harm in trying the pill - if your doctor thinks that's the way to go - and seeing how well your kid tolerates it.

What is your actual concern?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Metformin is a standard treatment.

Not for everyone.
I'm the PP who was officially diagnosed in my early 30s but symptomatic as far back as my late teens. Because I am not insulin resistant (thin, no issues with blood sugar or A1C), none of the doctors I've seen (PCP, endocrinologist, OBGYN, or RE) would put me on metformin.
Combo bc was the best for me at controlling symptoms.

I didn't have any of those issues either and my OB/GYN put me on the meds in my 20s. Helped a lot with excess androgen in particular, and was essential for balancing hormones and for conception. Was thrilled to get off the pill, forever. I never tolerated it well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Metformin is a standard treatment.

Not for everyone.
I'm the PP who was officially diagnosed in my early 30s but symptomatic as far back as my late teens. Because I am not insulin resistant (thin, no issues with blood sugar or A1C), none of the doctors I've seen (PCP, endocrinologist, OBGYN, or RE) would put me on metformin.
Combo bc was the best for me at controlling symptoms.

I didn't have any of those issues either and my OB/GYN put me on the meds in my 20s. Helped a lot with excess androgen in particular, and was essential for balancing hormones and for conception. Was thrilled to get off the pill, forever. I never tolerated it well.

I took metformin off and on, did help. A low carb diet helped just as much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Metformin is a standard treatment.

Not for everyone.
I'm the PP who was officially diagnosed in my early 30s but symptomatic as far back as my late teens. Because I am not insulin resistant (thin, no issues with blood sugar or A1C), none of the doctors I've seen (PCP, endocrinologist, OBGYN, or RE) would put me on metformin.
Combo bc was the best for me at controlling symptoms.

I didn't have any of those issues either and my OB/GYN put me on the meds in my 20s. Helped a lot with excess androgen in particular, and was essential for balancing hormones and for conception. Was thrilled to get off the pill, forever. I never tolerated it well.

I took metformin off and on, did help. A low carb diet helped just as much.

Mild PCOS symptoms would very likely improve with a Mediterranean diet that is lower carb. I would try this before jumping to hormones or meds.
https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/reducing-pcos-symptoms-with-a-low-carb-diet

[Anonymous]

Would love to treat with diet but dd eats quite healthily and periods just aren’t coming

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op All dr would say is that she is “at risk” for pcos. Was more concerned about bone development health

Ok so she wasn’t diagnosed as having PCOS.

You need to take her to an endocrinologist. There are other reasons for not having a consistent period her tests do not indicate PCOS. An endocrinologist will be able to better determine the issue and treatment path. She more likely has a thyroid issue than PCOS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op worried about side effects of pill on 18yo - will she have to be on hormones forever?

That would be entirely up to her, but not necessarily.
I was on a combo pill from 19 until 32, at which point I went off to try to conceive. I'm 45 now and am on a mini pill only for contraception purposes.
Most of my worst PCOS symptoms actually eased up or disappeared completely after I had my kids, and as I aged. I eventually needed IVF to get pregnant with my first child, but my second child was conceived naturally when I was nearly 42. I was not on birth control in between those 2 pregnancies, and my cycles in between them actually became quite regular for the first time in my life.
Now everything I'm dealing with is chalked up to perimenopause.

[Anonymous]

PCOS is often a misdiagnosis for eating disorders. Watch for that!

[Anonymous]

And, yes...absolutely take her to an actual endocrinologist. She needs to have a full thyroid panel run, as well as checking prolactin level. In addition to PCOS or thyroid issues, elevated prolactin levels (caused by issues with pituitary gland that are typically benign/harmless) can also cause issues with menstrual cycles and are easily treated via medication.

[Anonymous]

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH). There is treatment if that's what it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH). There is treatment if that's what it is.

How did you jump to this conclusion for such a rare diagnosis?