Finding Balance with PCOS – What Helps (and What Doesn’t)

If you’ve ever typed “how to fix PCOS” into Google at 2 a.m., you know what happens next: an avalanche of advice. Some of it helpful, a lot of it overwhelming. I’ve been there – and after trying a mix of good ideas, bad ideas, and downright strange ones – here’s what actually made a difference (and what didn’t.)

This blog post is based on my personal experience and research. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

What (and Who) Has Helped

• A Doctor who listens. This is your number one ally in fighting PCOS. If you have a doctor you love and who listens, that’s awesome! If you don’t, find one. It took me several years to find the doctor I have now. He listens, he does his research, and he never tells me “just lose weight.” He understands the disease and has my back when it gets tough.
• Nutrition. Great nutrition can do wonders. Find yourself a nutritionist or do some research on your own. Good research – not Googling symptoms and cures. While everyone is different, personally I do best on a lower (not low!) carb, higher (not high!) protein diet. It keeps my blood sugar relatively stable and I don’t have as many sugar crashes during the day.
• No naked carbs! Again, you might be different, but if I eat carbs without fat or protein, it is all bad. My blood sugar spikes and then crashes down a little while later. This may seem harder than it is – if you want some crackers, eat a few with cheese. If you want toast, add avocado and egg.
• Journaling. It is helpful to keep a journal to track your symptoms, your nutrition, your moods – all the things. When you go to the doctor, take your journal with you to remind you how you have been managing PCOS since your last visit. There is no right or wrong way to do this – a notebook, a pretty journal, an app on your phone – the important thing is you are keeping track and can identify patterns.
• Movement. Any movement is good. Walking, riding a bike, hiking. It doesn’t have to be a 2 hour spin class. Just get your body moving. And yes, dancing in the kitchen while making dinner… counts.

Medical Options

There are medical options available. But, you need to talk to your doctor about these. Personally, I only take one medication to help with PCOS symptoms – Spironolactone. This drug is supposed to have anti-androgen properties, which means it block the effects of male hormones. Is it a magic pill? Nope. But, it helps.

Again, talk to your doctor. They will know the best treatments and latest research to help manage your symptoms.

What Didn’t Work – fad diets, quick fixes, magic pills

Jack, there isn’t a magic beanstalk. There is no quick fix, magic pill, and no amount of fad diets are going to reduce your PCOS symptoms. Trust me, I know. I have tried them all. The only things that work are movement and good nutrition and following what your doctor tells you. Really.

Everyone’s Journey Is Different

As you learned in previous posts, I was told not to worry about my symptoms until I was ready to have kids. When my first husband and I started trying, it just wasn’t happening. For two years, we tried. I tried special supplements, creams… you name it, I tried it. Finally, my gynecologist put me on Clomid to make me ovulate and Progesterone to make my period come. When I didn’t get pregnant. she finally referred me to an amazing fertility specialist.

The first time I visited him, he ran several tests and brought me into his office to discuss the results. He told me the good, the bad and the ugly… and then said “Let’s get you pregnant.” The following month, I began Clomid and had a ovulation trigger shot ready. I took my basal body temperature each morning and logged it. When I was close to ovulating, I had to go to the hospital each morning before work for a vaginal ultrasound to see what my eggs were doing. When they were ready, I gave myself the shot and then my husband (at the time) and I did our thing.

The first round, it didn’t work. I ovulated, but nothing happened. The next month, we did the Clomid and trigger, but this time we were going to do an IUI (intrauterine insemination). Again, I visited the hospital each morning for my ultrasound, took my trigger shot and came back 24 hours later for the IUI procedure. I took a test two weeks later – and I was pregnant.

When you get pregnant with fertility assistance, you have to have several tests. One of these is an hCG test. These numbers are supposed to double every couple of days during early pregnancy. I kept taking the blood tests – they would go up slightly each time but not where they should. I took one last test – I will never forget I was at a company event and got the call. I was going to lose the baby, it was just a matter of time.

If you have ever experienced a miscarriage, it is devastating. I remember crying until I was physically and mentally exhausted. My husband (at the time) was at work, so I was alone in bed hysterical with only my dogs for company. That night I started to bleed.

The next visit I told my doctor I wanted to take a month off. He said, “absolutely not… we know you can get pregnant, we need to try again.” I agreed. We went through the whole process – Clomid, ultrasounds, trigger, IUI. This time, I released 3 eggs. Two weeks later I took a test. I was pregnant. My hCG tests were doubling each time – and continued to double. Things were good.

At 6 weeks, I was wearing maternity clothes. I went in for an ultrasound and there was a resident assisting that day. He began the ultrasound and I heard him tell the doctor, “there’s two!” I was pregnant with twins.

At 7 months, I was put on complete bed rest. I was high risk, not only for being pregnant with twins, but for having high blood pressure, being overweight, and developing gestational diabetes. That meant more tests, more doctors’ visits, and a scheduled c-section. But, that was okay. This was my journey.

Managing PCOS isn’t about chasing a magic cure. Its about figuring out what makes you feel better and letting go of what doesn’t. Your journey might look different than mine, and that’s okay. Next time, we’ll take a step further and talk about what it means to thrive with PCOS, not just survive. Until then, what’s one thing that’s helped you manage your symptoms? I’d love to hear in the comments.