Since being diagnosed with PCOS 6 years ago (by transvaginal ultrasound and hormone levels from blood tests) I have had no advice from my GP or been told what to look out for in terms of my PCOS. I am on generic Yasmin for birth control.

I am worried about long term affects like blood pressure and diabetes/insulin resistance because I've read women with PCOS are at higher risk of these.

I also think I read somewhere that women with PCOS should aim to have a BMI in the lower end of the healthy range e.g BMI 20-22 rather than 23-25. Has anyone been given this advice? Or is there a reason why this should be the case?

I feel like because I am not interested in conceiving the doctors don't see PCOS as an issue. Does anyone else get this impression? I want to do the best for my health and future.

Looking forward to hearing your comments

Hi! I also didn't want children, so I always wondered about that.

First, I went off Yasmin, because overtime, it made me more insulin resistant and also increased the gallbladder stones. It was given to me to control PCOS, but the problem is that it covers over PCOS -- it doesn't actually help cure it. You may want to do your own research and see if you can't find alternatives or if Yasmin is really your best choice.

If you need Birth Control, then I would recommend a non-hormonal form of BC like the Paraguard IUD, which has been great for me. That way, I know whether or not my hormone weirdness is related to my PCOS, without introducing another variable like hormonal BC.

Also, diet and exercise are really the best ways to manage PCOS, and with an reproductive endocrinologist, you can work with them about other options. Why an Repro Endo when you don't want to try for kids? Because they see PCOS more often a regular OBGYN or primary care.

As for BMI, my original endo never suggested I go under or be on the lower side -- if you can manage that in a healthy way, then by all means do it. I think the goal is to manage your IR (if you have any) as well as other factors seen in PCOS women like high cholesterol (attributed to high triglycerides/LDL) or out of control androgens (resulting in symptoms like excessive hair in the "wrong" places or missing hair in the "right" places).

And of course, managing all of this, consistency as the years go by, is the best way to keep the long-term effects under control.