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Overview
It can take up to 2 years for most women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to receive a diagnosis, often after seeing as many as 3 health professionals.
And this is only the beginning of their health journey. After the diagnosis comes the tricky work of managing a complicated condition and working with the doctor to improve symptoms and quality of life.
Overwhelmed? There’s no need to be. Here we’ll guide you on the strategies you might like to use to build your knowledge, confidence and communication with your doctor.
This page is part of our women’s health series, offering simple, practical tips to help you make the most of your medical appointments. This includes advice for:
It can take up to 2 years for most women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to receive a diagnosis, often after seeing as many as 3 health professionals.
And this is only the beginning of their health journey. After the diagnosis comes the tricky work of managing a complicated condition and working with the doctor to improve symptoms and quality of life.
Overwhelmed? There’s no need to be. Here we’ll guide you on the strategies you might like to use to build your knowledge, confidence and communication with your doctor.
This page is part of our women’s health series, offering simple, practical tips to help you make the most of your medical appointments. This includes advice for:
PCOS symptoms can come with judgment from others. The stigma linked to symptoms can be intimidating, explains Dr. Anju Joham, an endocrinologist and Senior Research Fellow at the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation.
Some of these symptoms include:
acne
excess hair
a higher weight.
“Women with PCOS often don’t want to be labelled. PCOS can look very different from person to person. It can be mild or severe. But it’s important to remember that by seeking help, you can improve symptoms and stop them from deteriorating (getting worse).”
Whether it’s acne, excess hair or a higher weight, the stigma linked to these symptoms can be intimidating for women.”
Today, thankfully, there’s a greater awareness of the impact of PCOS symptoms on a woman’s quality of life. “I think most doctors are very good at understanding those impacts,” says Dr Joham.
She says that 50% of women with PCOS suffer from anxiety or depression. “It’s very important if a woman is not feeling the best in terms of her mental health to go through her symptoms with her GP.
“You must tell the health professional what’s going on so they can help you.”
Check in on your mental health by completing Beyond Blue’s Anxiety and depression test. It can help you understand what kind of support you might need.
In this video, psychologist Dr Leah Brennan talks about common experiences for women with PCOS, including anxiety, depression and poor body image.
For some women, the most bothersome symptom might be weight gain. Women with PCOS often feel judged for living in a bigger body and, despite trying a range of diets and exercising regularly, they’re unable to shift the weight.
Dr Joham suggests thinking about what you want to say before seeing your doctor.
“You can, for example, say, ‘my weight used to be X and now it is Y, and this is what I’m doing to help my weight’. If you don’t know your weight, you could instead talk about your clothing size. It’s important to give the doctor something concrete to work with,” she says.
Irregular periods can be the trigger for women to seek professional help, especially if they want to become pregnant.
Dr Joham explains that age determines when women with PCOS are advised to seek help for fertility issues. “If you are over the age of 35 and have been trying for a baby without success for six months, then you need to speak to your doctor.
“Seek help after 12 months of trying without success if you are under the age of 35.”
When it comes to PCOS, no 2 women have the same experience. To make things more complicated, the condition can also change across different life stages, from adolescence to menopause.
The symptoms are wide-ranging:
irregular or no periods
excess hair growth on the face or body
loss of hair on the scalp
some women have a higher weight that can seem impossible to shift
delays in getting pregnant
feeling sad or anxious for long periods of time.
One of the frustrations faced by women with PCOS is the time limit on their consultations with their doctors.
“It’s always a good idea to book a long consultation because in discussing treatments for PCOS, which has such a broad range of symptoms, it’s not possible to address them in 10 minutes,” says Dr Joham.
She explains that if the patient or the doctor feels rushed, none of these things will be discussed well. To counter that, it’s important to book a longer consultation.
When booking, you can request a longer appointment. This gives you and your doctor time to discuss your medical history, symptoms, treatment options, and long-term strategies.
Before your appointment, set aside some time to think about the symptoms that bother you most so you can talk to the doctor about them, suggests Dr Joham. “Make a list of the top three things for you,” she says.
“You might want to look at the list of questions that we [at Monash] have drawn up. They act as prompts for the information you might want from your doctor.”
Visit AskPCOS (You’ll have to sign up to access it).
Setting up good healthcare routines with your doctor is a key part of managing many chronic conditions such as PCOS.
Dr Joham says the important aspects of long-term care in PCOS are a healthy lifestyle and having regular screening for PCOS-related conditions. Ask your doctor about screenings and health checks, and what is right for you.
As with any chronic condition, arming yourself with knowledge can also help you in your health care journey and in your communications with your doctor.
Easy Read fact sheets are about what happens when you go to the doctor, including tips on what you can do before, during and after your appointment.
Doctors appointments for menopause
Discussing your menopausal experience takes time. Dr Jane says you’ll probably need more than one appointment, starting with a long booking. That way, you and your doctor can discuss your medical history and symptoms, plus treatment options and long-term strategies.
“I usually say, attend without children or a family member because so much of the menopausal experience can be very personal,” says Dr Jane. But, she adds, “This might not apply if you need a translator or support person.”
Before you step into your doctor’s office, try to think about how menopause is affecting your quality of life and what you’d like to know.
Dr Jane says that in each of your appointments, the important thing is to know that your symptoms and concerns are being addressed.
“It’s not only about what your doctor’s concerns of menopause are, but specifically what your concerns are.”
These are your appointments, so jot down your questions beforehand and then ask away. Dr Jane says that good questions to ask your GP are:
Dr Elizabeth Farrell, a gynaecologist at Jean Hailes, says it also might be worth asking about the risks and benefits of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). “If you have symptoms that are bothersome, heart health issues or a family history of osteoporosis, [discussing MHT] is a conversation worth having.”
According to Dr Jane, if your doctor is not confident in menopause care, it’s important to look for one who is. If you feel that you’re being dismissed or not taken seriously, get a second opinion as well.
When Jo was unsatisfied with her GP’s management of her symptom care, she used the find a doctor service on the AMS website.
Review process
Our review process
This information has been reviewed by clinical experts and is based on the latest evidence.
Our content review process ensures our health information is accurate, trustworthy, current and useful.
We regularly check our information to make sure it reflects the latest clinical guidelines and key findings from large, reliable studies.
Where possible, we focus on Australian research to make our information more relevant locally.
Experts play a key role in reviewing our content. Clinicians at Jean Hailes check information for accuracy and real‑world relevance. These include GPs, gynaecologists, endocrinologists, psychologists and allied health professionals.
We also work with partner organisations, independent specialists and people with lived experience to make sure our content reflects both expert knowledge and the experiences of the community.
How to manage menopausal symptoms • How to use gel – menopausal hormone therapy • How to use patches – menopausal hormone therapy • How to use vaginal estrogen cream – menopausal hormone therapy • How to use vaginal pessaries – menopausal hormone therapy • Looking after yourself around the time of menopause • Medically induced menopause • Menopausal symptom treatments • Menopause information for partners • Premature and early menopause
