Why your doctor won’t prescribe a glp-1 for your pcos

If you have PCOS, you already know how hard it is to get real help. You can walk into a doctor’s office with every classic symptom — weight struggles, cravings, fatigue, inflammation, irregular cycles and still leave with nothing but “try to lose weight.”

So let’s talk about why your doctor might refuse a GLP-1 prescription, even when it feels like the one thing that could help.

1. Most doctors still see GLP-1s as weight-loss meds, not metabolic tools

Even though PCOS is deeply connected to metabolic dysfunction, many providers haven’t updated their understanding. They think GLP-1s are only for “extreme cases,” not realizing how much they can help hunger cues, insulin spikes, and inflammation.

If you don’t fit their “BMI box,” they may say no even if your symptoms make sense for a GLP-1.

2. Insurance is the real gatekeeper

Doctors deal with constant denials. Insurance wants:

• Documented weight history
  

• Proof of past treatment failures
  

• Specific diagnoses, etc.!

PCOS alone often doesn’t qualify under insurance rules. So sometimes doctors don’t even start the process because they expect rejection.

It’s not always your doctor saying no, the system makes it incredibly difficult.

3. Many still believe lifestyle changes should be enough

“Cut carbs.”
“Lose weight.”
“Exercise more.”

The same old advice, even though PCOS makes weight loss disproportionately harder. GLP-1s help regulate the metabolic issues driving those struggles, but many doctors haven’t connected that yet.

This isn’t your failure. It’s outdated training.

4. PCOS is misunderstood — even in medical school

Most doctors get minimal education on PCOS. Some think it’s only a fertility condition, others don’t fully understand insulin resistance, cravings, or the neurological side of hunger with PCOS.

So when you bring up GLP-1s, they may genuinely not understand the full connection.

5. Concerns about “long-term use” scare some providers

You’ll hear:
“You’ll be on it forever.”
“You’ll regain the weight.”

But PCOS is also lifelong.
Insulin resistance doesn’t disappear on its own.

Long-term support isn’t necessarily bad when the condition itself is long-term.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve felt dismissed or denied, you’re not alone. PCOS is real, metabolic, and deserving of proper treatment. Advocating for yourself doesn’t make you dramatic, it makes you informed.

And if you’re here, you’re already taking your health into your own hands. 💛

Need a telehealth provider that can help you on this journey? I went with Try Shed & they were AMAZING!