PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) can affect your menstrual cycle since it can increase the number of male hormones. It can also elevate the levels of insulin in your body. There’s no doubt that PCOS can also decrease the quality of life to some extent. However, natural PCOS supplements may help you take care of your symptoms better. In addition, you should also try to avoid fast food like McDonald’s and eat healthily.
There’s a plethora of PCOS-related information available on the internet, most of which is based on myths. It can make you feel confused and lost, as you don’t know what to and what not to follow. Therefore, we’ll discuss several myths in this article about PCOS that every woman should stop believing. Read below to know!
Myth #1: PCOS Only Affects Overweight Women
Although obesity can aggravate the symptoms of PCOS in women, overweight women aren’t the only ones to be affected. PCOS can affect any body type and size.
Concerning this, another misconception is that insulin resistance in PCOS leads to weight gain. However, insulin resistance itself doesn’t cause weight gain, but weight gain can cause insulin resistance.
That’s why you should avoid fatty, junk foods and maintain a healthy, balanced diet.
Myth #2: Birth Control Is the Best Treatment for PCOS
Birth control pills are the most prevalent prescribed treatment for PCOS. However, it is only to control the symptoms temporarily, and once you get off birth control pills, the symptoms will return.
Birth control pills basically work by counteracting the effects of the male hormones in the body. Furthermore, these pills may not be a solution for women who want to get pregnant.
Therefore, you should try to address your hormonal health naturally by altering your lifestyle habits, such as reducing stress, working out, and indulging in a nutritious diet.
Myth #3: You Need an Ultrasound to Be Diagnosed With PCOS
The most common diagnosis for doctors is an ultrasound to check for multiple follicles or cystic ovaries since they are the primary culprits for polycystic ovary syndrome.
However, it’s also essential to keep in mind that ovarian cysts can be present due to several other reasons, not just PCOS. Ultrasound may give you a clear picture of your ovaries, but it is not the only test to rely on. Doctors may ask for additional tests like blood tests and check for other physical signs to rule out PCOS.
Myth #4: Having an Irregular Menstrual Cycle Means You’ve PCOS
Another myth about PCOS is that an irregular menstrual cycle is proportional to having PCOS. If your period is out of whack, that could be due to numerous other reasons. For instance, extreme dieting, pelvic inflammatory disease, thyroid disorders, or uterine fibroids.
Hence, you can’t say that an inconsistent menstrual cycle means you have PCOS. That’s why your doctor may ask you to run several other tests, like blood tests, to confirm this.
Myth #5: If You Don’t Want to Get Pregnant, You Don’t Have to Worry About PCOS
Just because you have been diagnosed with PCOS and you don’t want to get pregnant doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get it treated. Apart from affecting women’s fertility, PCOS can psychologically, metabolically, and dermatologically impact them. In addition, it may also lead to sleep disorders or sleep apnea.
This is why you should take it seriously and make sure you follow up with your doctor to get yourself treated well.
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