i just got diagnosed with pcos

Hi I was in the same spot as you last year (I’m 22 now and also struggle with anxiety). It’s been hard to know the do’s and don’ts especially since there is a lot of uncertainty still. Even a year later I’m still learning new things about how to help my body overcome pcos. I would first suggest deciding how you want to go about treating it: with western medicine or with more homeopathic/holistic treatments (like major lifestyle changes). Woman have had success with BOTH ways. But I will tell you my opinion for what I want to do for my body..

I decided that I wanted to do a combination of both. Western medicines to treat pcos (primarily birth control pills, metformin, spironolactone, rogaine, etc) are great for blocking the SYMPTOMS of pcos like hair loss, acne, irregular menstrual cycle, anxiety. However, I believe (as do many others) that they do not get to the root of the problem as quickly as major lifestyle changes can. It’s like placing a bandaid over an infection without treating it from the inside out. If you are feeling anxious about the SYMPTOMS that you are experiencing getting worse, I would suggest those medicines. That is why I decided to take them as I didn’t want my hair loss to get worse and I also wanted my period back (even if it wasn’t naturally). 

On the other hand, I view lifestyle changes as the main way for me to actually cure myself. The root problem for me is my androgen levels (testosterone) and blood sugar. Diet, light exercise, vitamins/supplements, and stress management are the main changes. There’s a lot of diets out there that woman have tried: paleo, keto, whole30 (AIP), vegan. To me, it seems like all of those have two things in common: GRAINS (gluten) and DAIRY. Some studies suggest that it may actually be about food intolerances, so while some woman can handle gluten others cannot. Starchy white carbs (pasta, cake, bread, rice, potatoes) are horrible for everyone. Woman have cured themselves just by cutting out carbs completely. In my research about dairy, it may be because of an intolerance but it also may be because of trace levels of testosterone found in dairy products. This is true for soy products as well. I also have read that coffee lowers estrogen in white women. I personally have been on the keto diet for about a week and a half now because the intermittent fasting and very low carbs has helped people cure many conditions including pcos. Overall veggies are your friend, especially the dark green leafy ones. Veggies should be your primary food source. Do some of your own research on these diets and see what you find . Light exercise like walking every day can do wonders for your body, more so than HIT workouts which can actually hinder your efforts to stabilize hormones. Same with stress management.. stress plays a way bigger role in this than many people realize as it is often overlooked. Try finding ways to overcome anxiety such as yoga, meditation, long walks, soft relaxing music, candles, salt baths etc. Take time for yourself. Lastly the vitamins and supplements are also very important. Look into Ovasitol, biotin, turmeric, vitamin D, omega 3. BUT be wary of fad products. For instance a few months ago I found out about the benefits of castor oil to improve hair quality. I later found out that it can actually be quite toxic and can cause more hair loss than hair repair (which is exactly what I was trying to avoid). 

I want to stress too that you shouldn’t do anything without talking to your doctor first. Some medications interact with certain vitamins and supplements. Also, some of the vitamins and supplements can not be used if you have other medical conditions. Research some of this on your own and come up with what sounds like something that’s right for you. Then take it to your doctor and see what they think. I am not a doctor and don’t know the details of your specific situation. But I can say with certainty that so many woman have been able to totally cure themselves! good luck!