Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Q & A
What is polycystic ovary syndrome?
PCOS is a common hormonal disorder that affects the balance of reproductive hormones in your body. The resulting imbalance impacts your ovaries, preventing them from creating an egg, or releasing it each month. This can enlarge your ovaries and lead to missed periods. If you have fewer than eight periods each year, you could be living with PCOS.
However, that’s not the only way PCOS affects your body. Because of the imbalances in your hormones, it can lead to too much androgen, a male hormone. As a result, it can cause:
- Hair on your face, chin, and chest
- Face and body acne
- Weight gain
- Hair loss (male-pattern baldness)
It can also cause skin tags and result in your skin getting darker, especially around your neck, groin, and underneath your breasts.
If you’re living with any of these symptoms, make an appointment at North Georgia Endocrinology. Their expert team can diagnose your PCOS so you can start treatment to minimize your symptoms and find relief.
How is polycystic ovary syndrome diagnosed?
The North Georgia Endocrinology team has several diagnostic tools they can use to determine if you have PCOS. They start with a physical exam, allowing you to talk with them about the symptoms you’re experiencing, including any irregularities in your menstrual cycle.
Additionally, to give you the most accurate diagnosis possible, your North Georgia Endocrinology provider may use:
- A blood test to measure your hormone levels
- A pelvic exam to look for signs of excess androgen
- A pelvic ultrasound to check your ovaries for cysts
Once they can confirm that you have PCOS, they get straight to work on developing a treatment plan for you.
How is polycystic ovary syndrome treated?
Your North Georgia Endocrinology provider tailors your PCOS treatment to you, and your preferences and goals.
For example, if PCOS has caused weight gain, and you want to lose that excess weight, North Georgia Endocrinology offers a medically supervised weight loss program.
If you want to have children, they can prescribe you medication to help you ovulate. If you’re not interested in having children at the moment, they may prescribe birth control to regulate your menstrual cycle and decrease androgen levels in your body.
In short, you have treatment options. You don’t have let PCOS affect your life long-term.
To get started with dedicated PCOS care, call North Georgia Endocrinology, or schedule your appointment online today.