PCOS Specialist
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Jonas Leibowitz, MD
Endocrinologist located in Yonkers, NY
It isn’t normal to have irregular periods or to frequently miss periods altogether. If you notice a difference in your cycle frequency, or are having constant pelvic pain, you need to see Jonas Leibowitz, MD. Women in Yonkers, New York praise Dr. Leibowitz, a trusted internist and endocrinologist, for treating and diagnosing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). His practice, Jonas Leibowitz, MD, welcomes new patients who are struggling with PCOS. Call or book your appointment online today.
PCOS Q & A
What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
Polycystic ovary syndrome, more commonly known as PCOS, is an imbalance of hormones in women. With PCOS, your ovaries make a higher volume of male sex hormones than normal. This causes an imbalance that can impact your cycle and fertility while causing undesirable physical changes — like unwanted hair growth.
PCOS also often impacts the way your body utilizes insulin, the hormone that helps regulate your blood sugar. It’s common for PCOS sufferers to have higher-than-normal blood sugar levels or insulin sensitivity.
Does PCOS have symptoms?
Yes. It’s highly likely that you wind up with several issues that are sometimes obvious if you have PCOS. For instance, many PCOS sufferers have:
- Irregular menstrual periods
- Ovarian cysts
- Weight gain
- Facial hair growth (hirsutism)
- Decreased energy
- Infertility
- Hair loss or thinning hair
- Skin tags or acne
- Mood swings
- Insomnia
- Frequent headaches
- Undiagnosed pelvic pain
Is PCOS a health concern?
Yes! While a little unwanted hair growth or slight weight gain might not seem like major concerns, if left untreated, the imbalance in your hormone levels can be dangerous to your health. Because PCOS causes several endocrine systems to dysfunction, you have a higher risk of developing type II diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
Can I prevent PCOS?
Probably not. While the exact cause of PCOS isn’t always known, medical professionals find that it tends to run in families. So if you know of other women in your family who have PCOS, or symptoms of PCOS without a formal diagnosis, you have a higher chance of living with the disorder. PCOS passes down from either your maternal or paternal bloodlines (or both).
If you know it runs in your family, talk with Dr. Leibowitz. Because he specializes in endocrine disorders, he works to stabilize your hormone levels early on, which can prevent — or stop — some of the side effects of PCOS.
How is PCOS treated?
You might need to make some lifestyle changes. Losing even a small amount of weight, such as 5% of your body weight, improves some of the undesirable side effects you have with PCOS. Dr. Leibowitz has extensive experience with finding hormone-regulating medications to suit your needs.
To treat your PCOS, Dr. Leibowitz may suggest:
- Birth control pills
- Progestin therapy
- Anti-estrogen medication
- Hormone injections
- type II diabetes medications
