5 Important Health Concerns to Discuss with Your Doctor if You Have PCOS:

If you’re a woman who’s been diagnosed with PCOS, you may have experienced one or more unpleasant—yet common—symptoms, including unexplained weight gain, unwanted facial hair growth, painful and irregular periods, regular mood swings, and extreme fatigue.

Even though there is no cure for PCOS, it’s important to understand that the related symptoms don’t have to last forever and you can feel freedom from PCOS.

When I was first diagnosed with PCOS, I remember feeling overwhelmed and confused about the changes I saw in my body, but with time, was able to conquer my own symptoms with diet and lifestyle changes. Since then, I’ve helped hundreds of women do the same, and I can say with confidence that it is possible to claim control of your own body and feel great again, so please have hope!

While you may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about the idea of talking to your doctor about abrupt changes in mood or excess facial hair, don’t be. Your doctor is there to help you better understand what may be causing these mysterious symptoms and help identify the treatment that is best for you.

Here are five health concerns worth mentioning to your doctor:

1. Feeling tired. Even if do get the recommend eight hours of sleep per night, you may still feel extremely tired the next day.
2. Experiencing weight gain. Noticeable weight gain can occur during a short period of time even if your current diet and exercise routine hasn’t changed.
3. Having painful or irregular periods. Contrary to popular belief, painful or missed periods are not normal, and nor should they be accepted as such.
4. Getting facial hair. Developing facial hair can be embarrassing and leave scars from trying to pluck away at the hairs.
5. Noticing hair thinning. Thinning hair is not something we as woman want to accept, ask you doctor to check your hormones and b12 levels.

Because PCOS affects every woman differently, there is not a one-size-fits-all explanation for these five common concerns, however, during your visit, your doctor may advise on diet and lifestyle changes to help ease your symptoms and also suggest basic blood tests to further explore and diagnose your PCOS-related problems.

Having a PCOS expert Health Coach like myself as your guide, working in tandem with your endocrinologist, can help ease the transition and minimize your symptoms, fast.