Conditions
277

Aside from birth control pills, what else helps PCOS?

 

When it comes to treating your PCOS symptoms, your doctor has probably offered you two treatment options – combination birth control or prescription medications.  Both remedies can offer some relief, but they’re not always ideal.

 

Combination birth control uses both estrogen and progestin to regulate your hormones, and it comes in the form of pills or patches.  It sounds simple enough.  The list of possible side effects, however, is quite lengthy – mood changes, weight gain, nausea, headaches, sore breasts, spotting, skin irritation, high blood pressure, and the list goes on.

 

Some common prescription meds include Clomid (which helps reduce estrogen production during the first part of your menstrual cycle); Femara (which stimulates the ovaries); Metformin drugs like Glucophage and Fortament (which improve insulin resistance and lower insulin levels); Aldactone and Vaniqa (to reduce excessive hair growth); and Gonadotropins (hormone meds administered via injection).  Many of these drugs are used to treat other conditions like breast cancer and type 2 diabetes, so you could suffer additional side effects like deep vein thrombosis, GI upset, and lactic acidosis.

 

If all this sounds scary to you, don’t worry – you have other choices.  There are several products on the market that can help you cope with, and even reduce, your PCOS symptoms.  

 

Ovulation trackers

Trying to conceive while dealing with PCOS can be daunting.  It takes diligence, precision, and perfect timing to make it work.  Ovulation trackers can help you increase your odds of pregnancy.  Each test looks for elevated levels of luteinizing hormone (LH).  LH is the hormone that either triggers ovulation or the release of your eggs.  High levels of LH can indicate that you’re ovulating.  Ovulation trackers make it easy to identify your most fertile days and improve your odds of conceiving naturally.  These tests also offer much better accuracy than ovulation tracking apps.

Discover ovulation trackers that were rated & reviewed by people with PCOS here >

 

Progesterone cream

Progesterone is an essential hormone partner for estrogen.  Its main functions are to prep your uterus for pregnancy and regulate your cycle.  Women with PCOS tend to have lower levels of progesterone, which decreases your pregnancy chances.  Progesterone therapy can boost your levels, and in the process, it can decrease testosterone production, reduce acne and unwanted facial hair, and possibly prevent endometrial cancer.  Using progesterone cream is easy – simply rub it on your inner wrists and stomach twice a day for three weeks of every month.

Here are Progesterone creams rated & reviewed by people with PCOS

 

Organic teas

Organic herbal teas offer a tasty way to fight testosterone production and excessive facial hair growth.  Many of these teas contain natural ingredients like spearmint and raspberry leaf, which are classified as adaptogen herbs.  Adaptogen herbs have been shown to restore hormone balance and even stop irregular periods.  All you need is one daily cup.

Not all teas are created equal. Discover teas rated & reviewed by people with PCOS here

 

Facial hair removers

Some of the most common ways to fight excessive hair growth, also referred to as hirsutism, are shaving, waxing, bleaching creams, electrolysis, and laser hair removal.  Spring-shaped facial hair remover tools are a less painful alternative.  Simply glide the remover over your face to pull out unwanted hairs and leave behind smooth skin.  It’s a process that takes just minutes, it’s easier and more convenient than the other alternatives.

 

Biotin shampoo

PCOS can cause your hair to thin or fall out.  This is the result of virilization, a process in which your body produces extra androgen.  Biotin shampoo offers a natural way to fight this.  Biotin is a vitamin that’s often recommended to support healthy hair, nails, and skin.  One 2015 study found that taking biotin for 90 days resulted in significant hair growth.  Use biotin shampoo in your daily routine to protect your locks and reduce hair loss.

We've curated Biotin shampoos rated and reviewed by people with PCOS for you here. 

 

PCOS can wreak havoc on your body, and some of the most popular treatment options can cause more problems.  Invest time in learning about other alternatives and products and start tackling your symptoms head-on.

 

[Read more about treating your PCOS symptoms]

Written by: CureRate

Cross “fatigue from researching” from your list of symptoms.

Tips, research, success stories, sent directly to your inbox
write image