Recently been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovaries

Hi,

sorry to hear about your problems.

When you say "the doctor", which doctor is it?

Treating PCOS should be a joint effort including an endocrinologist. These ovary cysts are actually a result of a problem you are having with your metabolism (glucose and insulin levels). Have they excluded the insulin resistance? Have they checked your thyroid function?

Even if you are insulin resistant or close too it, the answer is to lose weight. But there are many ways to do so and some of them may help you with mood swings.

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables and lean protein. Avoid anything processed (breads, cookies, ready-meals, soy products...), dairy, red meat, grains, starchy vegetables.

Learn about glycemic index (GI) and load. Try to eat low GI foods.

I know this sounds like a lot, but it WORKS.

When you start this life-style, include some light exercise (like walking) and go from there.

If you continue to eat foods that quickly raise your sugar levels, which then quickly crash, you will have cravings, which lead to more eating (for and in-between meals) and the vicious circle is closed. You have cravings, you eat unhealthy foods (nobody EVER craves kale 😉, your sugar levels quickly raise, your body pumps insulin, and the levels crash and you have cravings.

This leads to insulin resistance where your cells are not reacting to insulin anymore thus not taking in the glucose they need. So at the same time your cells are starving and you have too much sugar in your bloodstream that is stored as fat. And you feel tired and hungry and irritated.

The insulin resistance can lead to diabetes type 2.

You need to break this vicious circle. You should look for motivation in positive stories, because scary ones you already know (loss of periods, bad skin, infertility, unwanted facial hair, losing hair...). There are many women who have succeeded in dealing with this.

Some doctors put patients who have a confirmed diagnosis of diabetes 2 or insulin resistance on some meds, BUT they alone are not enough to lose weight. People expect overnight miracles and there are none out there. Patience and discipline is the key. But it works.

It's not your fault that you have some health issues BUT your well-being is your responsibility, so take action in the right direction.

Surround yourself with positive people. Ask them for support. Inform them that your health is at stake and that you do not need any temptations (like friends coming over with bags of chips and cake).

If you have some sort of an unhealthy connection with food, this too can be dealt with. Ideally, if you can afford it, seek help from a therapist.

You see, that is why PCOS is not simply a gynecological issue. Some women have no cysts but are still diagnosed with the PCOS, sadly some aren't even if they have them because the medical criteria in certain countries stipulate a certain number of cysts that must be attained for a woman to get the diagnosis and be treated.

Unlike with some other conditions, PCOS and related issues can be drastically improved and even resolved with life-style changes.

Good luck!

You should ask them to check for insulin resistance, and if you are then you can ask to be put on metformin. it might help with the success of your weight loss. unfortunately with PCOS there isn't much they can give you anyway as the cause is unknown and theres no cure or treatment. they can only try to manage your symptoms. weight loss will help but you should mention your mood swings and try to get help with them. I personally found that going on the a combination pill regulated my period, i wasn't having mood symptoms but they might help. I'm on a progestogen only pill now which made me very emotional at first. it's trial and error to fibd the right one

but do go back and try to get help with the symptoms and maybe you'll have better response trying from that angle