About Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Treatment
This information is intended for general information only and should not be considered as medical advice on the part of Health-Tourism.com. Any decision on medical treatments, after-care or recovery should be done solely upon proper consultation and advice of a qualified physician.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) treatment
Polycystic ovary syndrome has no cure. However, the symptoms can be managed for a better life. The patient can experience one symptom or many. Treatment options generally focus on managing the individual symptoms. Treatment options include lifestyle changes, medications and in some cases surgery.
Lifestyle changes Your doctor may recommend that you lose excess weight to improve the overall risk of PCOS. If you have PCOS you can calculate your body mass index (BMI) to find out if your weight is healthy in relation to your height.
Weight loss can be achieved through regular exercise and eating a healthy balanced diet. A healthy balanced diet should include plenty of vegetables and fruits, whole foods, lean meats, chicken, and fish. Your doctor may refer you to a dietitian or nutritionist for specific advice.
Symptoms of PCOS include: - Infertility because of not ovulating
- Infrequent or absent menstrual periods
- Acne or oily skin
- Obesity
- Hirsutism
- Cysts on the ovaries
- Thinning hair
- Excess flaps of skin I the neck or armpits area
- Sleep apnea
- Anxiety or depression
Medications Different symptoms associated with PCOS can be treated using a number of medications which includes:
- Irregular or absent periods: Regular periods may be induced by using the contraceptive pill or intermittent course of progesterone tablets which can be given ever 3-4 months or monthly. Inducing regular periods also reduces the long-term risk of developing endometrial cancer which is associated with having irregular periods. Other hormonal methods such as the intrauterine system also reduce the risk because the keep the womb lining thin but they may not cause periods.
- Fertility problems: These are treated and most women with PCOS are able to get pregnant after treatment. If the medications are not successful, your doctor may recommend injections or IVF. There is usually an increased risk of multiple births with these treatments. If you do not get pregnant after initial medications, your doctor may recommend using gonadotrophins such as follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. These are administered via injection. It is important to see a reproductive specialist when taking any type of medication to ovulate. Your doctor may recommend a skin patch or vaginal ring as an alternative to birth control pills. These contain both estrogen and progestin. While on these you cannot conceive.
- Unwanted hair growth and hair loss: This is treated by using medications that control excessive hair growth also called hirsutism and hair loss also called alopecia. These medications block the effects of male hormones for example, testosterone, and some suppress the production of these hormones. Some medications also slow down the growth of hair. Unwanted hair can also be physically removed through shaving, threading, plucking, creams or laser removal.
- Surgery: Laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) is a minor surgical procedure which is used to treat fertility problems associated with PCOS. The procedure is carried out under general anesthesia. Our doctor will make a small incision in your tummy and pass a laparoscope (a long, thin microscope) through the incision into your abdomen. The doctor will the surgically treat your ovaries using heat or a laser to destroy the tissue producing the androgens (male hormones)
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