PCOS vs PCOD : "Busting the commonalities between the two"
There are a few more things to think about regarding PCOD and PCOS.
Polycystic Ovarian Disease is the hormonal disorder that stays in the pelvic region or the ovaries; its impact can be lesser than that of PCOS. It is mostly put out as a lifestyle disorder that leads to the formation of cysts on the outer edges of the ovaries. It does not have the other symptoms like excessive hair growth or weight gain. The recommended treatment for this is contraceptive pills, insulin resistance medicines and weight loss. The overall treatment includes a metformin to balance your insulin levels.
As a former patient of the disease I would say that the best treatment is to help yourself and change your lifestyle. That’s because the traditionally recommended medication has been a very long and difficult ride for me from major mood swings, constant stress to a cyclical process of constant weight loss and gain. While we also have research that is inclined against generic contraceptive pills, like Diane 35 and Dronis 30. These pills are helpful but they come with multiple side effects such as blood clotting and have led to depression in a multitude of cases. In a way we have to treat the root cause of disease rather than its symptoms.
PCOS or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome on the other hand is a combination of symptoms that point towards a disorder of the endocrine system. Symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, thinning hair and the most noticeable difference is that of pelvic pain. Although symptoms may be attributed to other causes or go unnoticed, PCOS may go undiagnosed for some time until it gets to the point of irregularities in your cycle. Although some people may develop cysts on their ovaries, many people do not. Your ovaries might be enlarged and contain follicles that surround the eggs. As a result, the ovaries might fail to function in the regular way. Doctors mostly recommend anti-diabetic medication, Statin, Hormone and Hair growth inhibitor is the usual treatment other than self care and weight management.
There is a noticeable confusion amongst people about and between Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD). Both these diseases are associated with ovaries. Although PCOS is an endocrine system disorder and PCOD is a condition developed by hormonal imbalance. PCOS being a problem with the endocrine system (which means that it’s a metabolic syndrome) is more serious in nature whereas PCOD is often considered 'temporary' as it largely happens through hormonal imbalance and can be mostly corrected or ‘reversed’ through a balance of the right diet and exercise.
To conclude, there is a good amount of misinformation and vague usage of the terms. There is no concise explanation to what both the disorders are and how they are treated. This blog presents a detailed explanation so that you can get clarity on how to treat the problems.
References
McDermott, Annette. “Can birth control cause depression?” Health line , August 20th 2018.
https://www.healthline.com/health/birth-control/birth-control-and-depression