Does birth control pill and Metformin help in the treatment of PCOS?

Hi,

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PCOD is best to be diagnosed by history and never by ultrasound. It will be overdiagnosed. If I may explain -

polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) is a congenital condition. I mean, it is a genetically programmed condition. You get it from your parents. When you suddenly put on weight, this cholesterol is converted into estrogen hormone (if I may simulate-have not you seen obese men developing breast and in young obese girls, who develop periods at a younger age - they all have high levels of Estrogen hormone or female hormone). In your body, too, when fat, which is a store for tomorrow, is more than normal, this is converted to hormone which tips the balance between FSH (from brain) and the ovarian hormone. As the name suggests, FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) stimulates follicles from the ovary. Still, once the follicle is big enough to ovulate, the FSH is suppressed by the same estrogen hormone from the ovary. But when the same estrogen hormone is coming from fat, the brain is confused, and follicle growth stops early at a smaller follicle size and will not rupture. In the next scan, you will see all these follicles as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

This is usually associated with obesity, irregular cycles, no periods for a few months and later heavy periods with clots and fleshy masses, spotting on and off, thyroid abnormality and prolactin problem indirectly.

You develop that extra pad of fat around the mid-segment of the body, especially the waist, thighs and breasts, with no fat beyond the elbow and knees. Excessive body hair growth, hair fall, a dark shade over the lower half of the face, acne, oily face skin, black skin over the back of the neck, inner thighs & under the surface of the breast. May have a family history of diabetes, especially father or his family.

This will not allow ovulation to occur at the time, so you cannot get pregnant till treated. It also increases your chances of early pregnancy abortions. But this has a solution.

Your expected weight is 114.6 lb to 125 lbs, so you are just above the standard limit. Once you reduce weight to the normal range, you will not need any medicine to get periods or to get pregnant, and pregnancy will be healthy.

To reduce weight -

1. Say no to fasting, junk food, fast food, and red meat.
2. Reduce eating snacks in between meals.
3. Have low-calorie food and high proteins.

Regular exercise (especially for the waist and hip area), aerobics, yoga, brisk walking (swing your hands well), try to reduce five pounds. Do not hurry on weight reduction. It will be difficult to maintain. You will see changes when you reduce at least a few pounds.

Birth control pills will correct the hormonal imbalance and stop ovulation for some time, so the cysts (actually unruptured follicles, as I mentioned) will disappear. Have it for four to six cycles. This will regularize your cycles. Metformin is an Insulin sensitizer, so it will improve the ovulation process and help you reduce weight.

So, as you see, you are being treated for the symptoms, which you can use, but when you stop, the problem will recur. So weight and body cholesterol are the underlying cause, which needs correction. Your weight is just above the normal. So very easy to correct. Just have an active life and do not worry about PCOS at this young age. I am sure you will do well.

Hope I have clarified your query. Do write back if you have any more queries

Thank you.