⚖️PCOS Power: How I manage my symptoms and find balance⚖️
- Chloe x
- Feb 1
- 11 min read
Hello and welcome back to my blog!
It's been a while since I wrote about PCOS. A lot has happened – I've lost weight, gained some back, and even stayed the same. I'm sure every woman dealing with PCOS can relate to that!
A few different girls have reached out to me, asking for advice on dealing with PCOS and sharing their own experiences and challenges, many of which are similar to mine. I’m not a doctor (never have been, and it's not something I’m interested in doing), but I love helping others. So, I’ve put together 10 questions based on what people have asked me about PCOS to share my story and offer some tips. Of course, everyone’s experience is different, and what worked for me might not work for others, but it’s definitely worth a try!
What are the common symptoms of PCOS?
Some of the most common symptoms of PCOS include:
Irregular periods
High levels of androgens (male hormones)
Excess facial and body hair (hirsutism)
Acne
Thinning hair or male-pattern baldness on the scalp
Weight gain
Polycystic ovaries: Enlarged ovaries with many small cysts (fluid-filled sacs), visible on ultrasound
Infertility
Insulin resistance
Mood swings and mental health issues
Sleep apnea
Darkening of the skin
Everyone’s experience with PCOS is different, and some symptoms may affect certain people more than others. For me, the main issues were irregular periods, thinning hair, mental health struggles, and insulin resistance, which eventually led to my diabetes.
When my periods started becoming irregular, the doctor initially told me I was pregnant, but I knew I wasn’t, so I kept pushing for answers (no pun intended!). After about 3 or 4 months, they finally agreed to an ultrasound, which revealed the cysts. I’ve always dealt with thin hair, and during college, I used curlers and straighteners a lot, so I initially thought that might be the cause. But when I started noticing large clumps of hair coming out when I washed it, I realised something was definitely wrong. It really affected my confidence and how I saw myself. At the time of my diagnosis, I wasn’t in the best mental state, especially since I was dealing with weight gain but wasn’t receiving any information or support.
When I was diagnosed with PCOS, I received no support at all. The doctor simply prescribed contraceptives and told me to come back when I was ready to consider having children – it was shocking! I started my blog around 2020, shortly after my diagnosis, and did a lot of research on my own. That’s when I decided to write blogs about PCOS to help other girls better understand what’s actually happening with their bodies.
What causes PCOS and how is it diagnosed?
From my own research, I haven’t found a clear answer to this. There are several things that contribute, including genetics, insulin resistance, hormonal imbalance, and inflammation. The doctor believed my PCOS was triggered by the contraceptive implant, which caused a hormone imbalance.
PCOS is typically diagnosed through an ultrasound, but it’s important to realise that you don’t necessarily need cysts to be diagnosed. Often, hormone levels are checked through blood tests. If you’re experiencing 3 or more of the symptoms, it’s a good idea to push for an ultrasound or blood test to get a proper diagnosis.
How can diet manage PCOS symptoms and what are good foods to have/ avoid?
For me, it was definitely a lot of trial and error. I read that going gluten and dairy-free could really help, but that pretty much left me with nothing to eat! I couldn’t stand the gluten and dairy alternatives—they just didn’t work for me. After my diagnosis, I also developed an intolerance to white bread, which I think was more due to the sugar content than the gluten, so I cut it out.
In the end, I found that brown bread was a good middle ground, since PCOS is a long-term condition and I needed something sustainable!
If you’re trying to manage your symptoms, I’d recommend aiming for the following, which can definitely help:
At least 20g of protein per meal
3 cups of veggies per day (or aim for 5 a day)
Less than 20g of added sugar per day
Around 30g of carbs per meal
35g of fiber per day
I don’t follow this strictly because it’s just not always realistic! Some days I eat more sugar, or more fruit and veggies, but I like to use these guidelines as a starting point. I’ve found it really helpful, especially if you’re not sure where to begin. Eventually, you’ll figure out what works best for you!
I’d recommend including more of the following into your diet:
Fruits and vegetables
Non-starchy vegetables (limit potatoes, rice, etc.)
Low-fat dairy
Lean meats
Omega-3-rich fish
Nuts and seeds
Whole grains
To avoid:
Added sugars (natural sugars in fruit are better)
Saturated fats
Excessive alcohol
Salty foods
Fried foods
Processed foods
Making small changes like these can have a huge impact on your symptoms. While losing weight isn’t as simple as just eating a healthier diet, these adjustments will definitely benefit your overall health.
What role does exercise play in managing PCOS?
Exercise is essential for everyone, not just those with PCOS. It helps improve insulin sensitivity, keeps diabetes away and supports weight management. Regulating hormones is also a key factor in managing PCOS, and different types of exercise can play a big role in that. Regular exercise can help with cramps and other discomforts related to PCOS.
Personally, when I couldn’t do my usual boxing training due to an injury, walking turned out to be a great alternative. I aimed for 10,000 steps a day—though I know it can be tough on days when PCOS symptoms make you want to stay in bed. But trust me, you’ll feel amazing after!
Another thing I highly recommend is virtual challenges. During the pandemic, when we only had limited time to go outside for walks or runs, I found these challenges incredibly motivating. I completed so many during lockdown, and I’m planning to start them up again as I get back into running. I’ll share more on that in a future blog.
My advice is to listen to your body and do what feels right for you. If you’re just starting out, maybe try a walk and gradually increase your activity.
What are the best supplements for PCOS?
Some vitamins that can help with PCOS symptoms include:
Inositol: It improves insulin sensitivity, regulates periods, and helps lower testosterone levels. Inositol is also great for curbing sugar cravings!
Vitamin D: It’s excellent for reducing inflammation, regulating mood, and improving ovarian function.
Magnesium: It’s helpful for regulating blood sugar levels and can aid in preventing diabetes.
Personally, I’ve tried every supplement and pill you can think of in the hopes of “curing” PCOS. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple, but I’ve finally found a few supplements that seem to help manage my symptoms..
I take an A-Z multivitamin, which you can find pretty much anywhere, but I personally use the ones from Home Bargains. I’ve also recently started taking a daily dose of Lion’s Mane. This supplement supports brain health, and I’ve noticed it’s been really helpful for the brain fog I often experience with PCOS. It’s also helped reduce my anxiety levels significantly. Plus, I've struggled with insomnia due to PCOS, but since I’ve been taking Lion’s Mane daily, my sleep has improved so much—I don’t feel tired when I wake up anymore!
How can stress affect PCOS and what are ways to manage it?
Stress can have a huge impact on PCOS, though its effects vary from person to person. Some people lose their appetite for weeks, while others overeat. Everyone has their own way of dealing with it. For me, I’ve found that stress makes my symptoms much worse. I get terrible cramps, my hair falls out even more, and just about every other symptom seems to intensify.
Stress can also increase insulin resistance, which is why we often crave foods that aren’t great for us—sugar is usually my weakness. Anyone who’s dealt with irregular periods knows that stress can make them worse, throw PCOS into the mix, and it gets even harder to manage.
I recently learnt that stress can also cause inflammation. My dad’s been in and out of the hospital, and the stress I’ve been under has led to a lot of inflammation in my body. It’s also triggered water retention, which is common with PCOS. Managing stress looks different for everyone, but sleep and rest are definitely key for me.
I’ve been exploring ways to relieve stress and here are a few things I do to help manage it and control my symptoms:
Colouring
Reading (I’m a huge fan of e-books!)
Meditation (YouTube has some amazing videos, I especially like the ones that help me relax before bed)
Yoga (YouTube is perfect for finding yoga routines!)
I also enjoy walking and weight lifting. With PCOS, high-intensity workouts can sometimes have a negative effect, so I recommend starting with something lower intensity and gradually building up. Since I’ve been boxing for 10 years and working out in the gym even longer, my body is used to high-intensity exercise, but when my PCOS symptoms flare up, I listen to my body and make sure to rest when I need to.
Do you track your symptoms to better understand my PCOS?
Tracking your symptoms can be incredibly helpful! I used food diaries to monitor my symptoms because I was struggling with bloating and acid reflux. Through this, I discovered that white bread was the culprit making me feel unwell. Food intolerances are common with PCOS, and since I hadn’t experienced any before, it was a challenge. But by keeping track of what I ate and how much, I figured out that cutting out white bread made a huge difference.
To truly understand your symptoms, I’d recommend tracking:
Your periods: Even though PCOS causes irregular periods, using apps to track them can be helpful when discussing your symptoms with your doctor.
Diet/Weight: This isn’t about dieting, but more about tracking what you eat—whether it’s good, bad, or somewhere in between. It’s more about understanding your habits and how they impact your body.
Mood and energy: Tracking these can help you spot patterns and figure out when you have the most energy to take on tasks.
Skin/Hair changes: Keeping track of changes in your skin or hair will help you notice improvements (or setbacks) over time.
Blood sugar: Blood sugar monitors are fairly inexpensive online, and if you’re pre-diabetic, doctors may even prescribe them. Tracking your blood sugar levels is a great way to understand why you're feeling certain ways.
I personally like the Cleaver Fox Fitness Journal—it costs around £20 and lets you track measurements, weight, mood, and more. I love this one because it comes with stickers and a little pouch for progress photos. Plus, it has lots of pages, so it’s a great journal to track for the year! I’ve added a link to it here!
What medications are commonly prescribed for PCOS symptoms?
When I was first diagnosed, I wasn’t prescribed anything. I was told that my ovaries were covered in cysts, that I would gain weight, and that my only option was to lose weight and it would “go away.” That was by far the worst advice I’ve ever received. From that moment, I made it my goal to research PCOS and find ways to manage my symptoms.
About two months after my diagnosis, I was struggling with irregular periods, so I went to my GP and begged them for something. Normally, I’d ask for a female doctor, but at this point, I would’ve spoken to a frog if it meant getting help!
That’s when they prescribed me “The Pill.” I’d been on it a few years before my diagnosis, they'd given me so many different ones, but none of them worked for me. I agreed to give it a try again, while it helped regulate my periods for a bit, it made me so depressed that I had to stop taking it. Around this time, I also discovered I had liver issues.
Liver problems are common with PCOS. I had a biopsy and they told me my liver function wasn’t great, so they prescribed me Metformin and told me to lose weight—easier said than done. I’ll never forget the exact words I was told when I was first diagnosed: “You’ll gain weight easily, there’s almost no chance you’ll ever lose it.” Needless to say, I felt pretty let down! It was still during COVID, so getting appointments with my GP was difficult, I had to do a lot of research on my own. Eventually, I decided to stop the Metformin and explore other ways to manage my PCOS.
I started with Google and then turned to Twitter and Instagram to find someone going through the same thing. I felt so alone, but I finally came across an Instagram page called "PCOS.weightloss." It’s run by a PCOS dietitian, and her advice and ideas were incredible! Many of the food tips and recipes were gluten and dairy-free, there are other pages out there with helpful advice too. Definitely check them out if you’re looking for tips on managing PCOS or just need to feel like someone gets what you’re going through!
I say this often, my blog is a place where I want people to know they’re not alone. My messages are always open and you can leave comments on my blog with any questions!
How has mental health affected your PCOS?
I’ve always been open about my mental health journey. I’ve been dealing with depression and anxiety for several years now. In 2019, I was injured while boxing training and couldn’t train for a year while I recovered. That’s when my depression really started. Later on, when I was diagnosed with PCOS, it had a significant impact on my life as well.
I’d say anxiety has affected me the most. I really struggled with my confidence when I started losing my hair—it became something I couldn’t stop thinking about. I’d constantly be aware of it, and I started to hate being in crowded places like shops. I felt like I’d changed as a person. Battling my anxiety to get back to a place where I felt like myself has been tough.
When I learned that I wasn’t alone, that many others were dealing with PCOS, I felt a bit of relief. Everyone’s experience with anxiety, depression, and similar struggles is different, but I’ll say that my mental health definitely took a hit when I was diagnosed with PCOS. Part of it was because it’s a chronic illness. It’s not something that’s going to go away in a week with a prescription; it’s a long, scary journey. What scared me the most was the higher risk of developing diabetes with PCOS, and unfortunately, I did end up with it. It also runs in my family, so I think it was always going to happen..
I believe that you can either let something break you or let it make you stronger, I’ve always chosen to stay positive. I’ve seen this as an opportunity to set goals, like losing weight and to share my journey in the hope of helping others.
Does PCOS effect fertility?
As for fertility—yes, PCOS can affect it, but it doesn’t mean you can’t have children. With irregular periods, hormone imbalances, and cysts, it can make conceiving naturally more difficult. However, you can improve your chances by managing your symptoms, though it can take some time. You could also consider options like IVF.
Personally, I haven’t been in a place where I’m trying to conceive yet, so I can’t speak from experience. I do know friends and family who have conceived naturally with PCOS. As long as you’re doing what you can to manage your symptoms and staying positive, I believe it’s possible.
I’m sorry this blog ended up being so long, but I feel like I’ve had so much to share. I just never want anyone to feel like they’re alone. PCOS is tough, and unfortunately, there’s not enough support from healthcare professionals. I’ve really worked on establishing a routine, and I’ve found it helps so much with stress. I’m prioritising rest, and when I take time to rest, I can write! I’m looking forward to sharing more blogs about PCOS and helping you all find your way through it!
Look out for my next blog soon.
Chloe x
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