Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Treatment Options

Once you are correctly diagnosed with PCOS, you can begin any of a number of treatments depending on the specific symptoms you are experiencing, your age, and your plans regarding pregnancy. Some treatments can relieve distinct symptoms such as acne and weight gain, for example. Other treatments can help to put your body back into balance with the proper amounts of hormones. The following treatment options have helped many women:

• Birth control pills, or oral contraceptives, contain female hormones that help to regulate menstrual cycles. Contraceptives also help to lower levels of androgens, reducing abnormal hair growth and improving acne.
• Insulin-sensitizing medications used to treat adult-onset diabetes are useful for many women with PCOS. While these medications have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically for the treatment of PCOS, they seem to improve the regularity of menstrual cycles by lowering insulin levels. Metformin is the most commonly used drug, but doctors should prescribe it with caution. There is not enough research at this time to recommend this drug for all women with PCOS.
• Ovulation Induction. In some women who wish to become pregnant, inducing ovulation, which is the release of an egg, is necessary. In current methods of reproductive endocrinology, the initial treatment to induce ovulation is usually an oral medication called clomiphene citrate, which is taken for five days. If clomiphene is not effective, the next order of treatment often includes an injection of gonadotropins. Gonadotropins are hormones that the body produces to stimulate ovulation. Other infertility treatments may include additional medications or laparoscopic surgery. High-tech treatments include in-vitro fertilization, in which an egg fertilized with sperm is implanted in the uterus. The insulin sensitizer metformin appears to be helpful in inducing ovulation and conception in some patients, but it is generally less effective than clomiphene or gonadotropins in inducing pregnancy. Metformin appears to work better in normal weight, rather than obese PCOS patients. At this time there is no consensus on its safety if also used during pregnancy.
• Androgen-blocking (anti-androgen) medications can be used to treat several PCOS symptoms, including excess or unwanted hair growth and, to a limited degree, acne and scalp hair loss. Spironolactone, flutamide, finasteride and cyproterone acetate (which is not available in the United States) can help to relieve the symptoms of excessive facial and bodily hair, as well as thinning hair on the scalp and acne. These medications can be taken along with oral contraceptives. Note that although there is extensive worldwide experience with their use in PCOS, none of these medications have been approved for use in the treatment for PCOS by the FDA.
• Topical anti-hair-growth medications also can help to slow the growth of facial hair in women with PCOS, specifically a lotion containing eflornithine hydrochloride. The active ingredient in this medication blocks an enzyme found in the hair follicle of the skin needed for hair growth. This results in slower hair growth within a few weeks of treatment. This medication is FDA-approved for use on the face only.
• Other methods of treatment for excess hair caused by PCOS include bleaching, depilatory creams, and shaving excess hair. These treatments are safe and easy approaches, although waxing and tweezing, particularly of sensitive skin areas are discouraged, as they can damage the skin. Electrolysis and laser treatments to remove hair also can be effective.
• Treatments for hair loss tend not to work for everyone. Some women find improvements with the use of anti-androgen pills. Others find that minoxidil - a topical medication - can help as well.
• Proper nutrition, and dietary restriction if overweight, is a critical aspect of treatment for PCOS. Some women with PCOS find success by reducing their total intake of refined carbohydrates (sugars and starches) and replacing them with complex carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables). Refined carbohydrates include white flour foods such as cereals, breads, and pastas. Complex carbohydrates, in comparison, are less processed foods such as those prepared with stone ground whole-wheat flour. Replacing manufactured white-flour foods with a wide variety of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables can help to reduce your insulin response. Your diet should also include enough protein to control the amount of sugar in your blood.
• Exercise helps the body use insulin more effectively and is highly recommended as well. It helps with weight loss and keeping off weight. Many scientific studies have shown that exercising for at least 30 minutes a day, about five days a week, is highly beneficial to your health.
• Acne treatments sold over the counter also can help to control the skin blemishes related to polycystic ovary syndrome, although some patients may require additional medications, such as isotretinoin.
• Skin problems other than acne may be treated in different ways. You can ask your doctor or dermatologist to remove skin tags using just a simple anesthetic on your skin. The dark blemishes on your skin may fade if you can reduce your insulin level by weight loss or through the use of insulin-sensitizer medications. Other treatments include tretinoin gel, 15% urea, alpha hydroxy acid, and salicylic acid.