PCOS in Winter Garden

Irregular periods, acne, weight gain, excessive hair growth, and infertility. These are just a few symptoms of polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly known as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). This condition affects over 170 million women worldwide, impacting everything from reproductive health to metabolism.

At Horizons OBGYN & Aesthetics, our team can offer personalized treatment plans to help manage this chronic hormonal condition.

Before we explain your treatment options, let’s first discuss why the condition, formerly known as PCOS, is now recognized as PMOS. If you’ve been searching for PCOS in Winter Garden, you may have noticed both terms being used interchangeably, but there’s an important reason behind the change.

PCOS → PMOS

Though common, PCOS was often misunderstood and misdiagnosed because its name placed too much emphasis on ovarian cysts rather than the broader hormonal and metabolic changes occurring throughout the body. In reality, many women with the condition don’t have ovarian cysts at all. The new name, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), better reflects its complexity by recognizing that it can affect insulin regulation, androgen production, hormone balance, metabolism, and neuroendocrine signaling.

Symptoms of PMOS

With this new name change, women can get a proper diagnosis for the following symptoms:

• Missed, irregular, or light periods
• Increased body hair—especially on the chest, stomach, or back (a condition called hirsutism)
• Dark or thick skin patches on your neck, armpits, or breasts
• Acne
• Oily skin
• Male-pattern hair loss (androgenic alopecia)
• Weight gain—typically around the belly
• Infertility

How We Diagnose PMOS

With the new emphasis on hormones, metabolism, and endocrine disorders, medical professionals are taking an approach to diagnosing PMOS that’s different from PCOS.

In Winter Garden, our urogynecologist starts with a conversation about your symptoms, a review of your medical history, and then the following tests:

• Pelvic Exam – Our OBGYN checks your reproductive organs for growths, masses, or changes.
• Blood Tests – To measure hormone levels, blood pressure, and glucose levels.
• Ultrasound – We look at your ovaries and assess the thickness of the uterine lining or other causes of abnormal bleeding.

Treatments for PMOS

At Horizons, we start with a diagnosis and then create a personalized treatment plan for your symptoms. Although there is no known cure for PMOS, there are options for managing this condition.

For women who are not trying to conceive, we typically recommend:

• Hormonal Birth Control – We have birth control options, like shots, pills, patches, contraception implants, and more, to help regulate your period. Some forms may also improve acne, hair growth, and more.
• Insulin-Sensitizing Medications – Diabetes medications help the body process insulin, relieving symptoms like weight gain and irregular periods.
• Androgen-Blocking Medications – Anti-androgen medications can lower the effects of androgens in your body. This targets acne, hair loss, excessive body hair, and more.

However, women trying to get pregnant require a different approach. In addition to lifestyle changes, we also offer medications to trigger ovulation. You can speak with our OBGYN to discuss your fertility goals and develop a personalized treatment plan to support your overall wellbeing and journey to parenthood.

Get the Right Diagnosis With Our Team

You can call or schedule an appointment to visit us and discuss our treatment options for PMOS or PCOS in Winter Garden. No matter what you call it, our team knows what you mean.