Staying Safe with PCOS

PLEASE NOTE I am not a doctor, nurse or healthcare worker. These are just possibilities. Not every patient will have these issues, we are going over general possibilities that may or may not happen. We are not trying to scare, confuse, or make anyone use PCOS as an excuse to be a shitty person and do shitty things like hoarding toilet paper from the elderly. Use common sense please, and if you have questions about what you read here: TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR!

Some of the things to consider with PCOS, are there may be factors that put PCOS patients more at risk than the general public. As a result, I wanted to discuss some things that may effect a PCOS patient, and ways to be safe. NOTE: This is an opinion piece, written by a patient and advocate.

1. There is a possibility that there could be a correlation between PCOS and compromised immune system. What may this mean? Well you may have a greater chance of getting sick than someone of equal health and ago, who doesn't have PCOS. By getting sick, it means from a cold, to anything more sever.

Ways to be safe: You have read and heard it. You have seen memes of it. Wash your hands, don't touch your face, use hand sanitizer, practice social distancing and if required, self isolation/quarantine. 

2. It is commonly known of the relation between Anxiety and Mood Disorders correlate with PCOS. What may this mean? Patients that experience anxiety disorder, or any mood disorder, may be having a hard time with everything that is going on with the current events. It may be difficult to concentrate or you may be lashing out or other behavior not indicative of your typical personality. 

Ways to be safe: Talk it out. Talk to your therapist, if you don't have one, use support groups. Talk to your friends, open up to someone trusted that you feel safe to talk to. Don't bottle it up, that may make it worse.

3. Feeling stressed during the confusion and changes. Kids home from school, working from home or being out of work? Why may this relate to PCOS? Stress is known to exacerbate PCOS symptoms in patients. For example, if one of the symptoms you get is acne; you may see a flair of acne pop up suddenly.  

Ways to be safe: There's the saying "No one ever told to calmed down, has ever calmed down".  That being said, there are things you can do to help reduce stress, such as keeping routines. Another option would be exercising or yoga.



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- Jeni Gutke not a doctor