"I Thought It Was Just PCOD”: How A 22-Year-Old’s Symptoms Pointed To An Early Diabetes Risk

"I Thought It Was Just PCOD”: How A 22-Year-Old’s Symptoms Pointed To An Early Diabetes Risk

Frequent urination and sudden hunger pangs often feel like harmless side effects of hormonal imbalance, especially when PCOD is already a part of your life. But these quiet changes can signal something far more serious.

What generally begins as irregular periods, frequent bathroom trips, gradual weight gain and unexplained cravings are easy to blame on PCOD, a condition that affects 1 in 5 young Indian women, according to a 2024 report by Think Global Health.

After all, hormonal disorders rarely come neatly packaged. But beneath these familiar symptoms, another condition may be taking shape. Pre-diabetes does not arrive loudly; it slides in silently, often with overlapping symptoms, the same as PCOD, until a routine test forces an individual to confront a reality no one saw coming.

When Everything Feels Like PCOD

For Aarushi, 22, juggling adulthood, career ambitions and everyday stress, irregular periods and sudden weight gain were nothing new. When she noticed her weight increasing, Aarushi was not surprised.

“My irregular periods were always an issue," she recalls. Like many young women, she had learned to normalise discomfort. But soon, new symptoms crept in, frequent urination and sudden, intense hunger. She brushed them off as extensions of PCOD.

If any woman is dealing with Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD), unpredictability is a part of the condition. The periods arrive late or not at all. The weight continues to fluctuate, despite efforts to eat right, and acne flares up unannounced.

Among women aged 12 to 45, PCOD affects anywhere between anywhere 9% and 22% of women in India. It disrupts ovulation due to hormonal imbalance, causing the ovaries to release immature eggs that form small cysts, according to Apollo Hospitals.

The Test That Changed Everything

Eventually, Aarushi decided to get a PCOD panel done. She was expecting hormonal irregularities, but what she did not expect was her blood sugar levels. “The tests revealed my ‘high' blood sugar," she says.

That one report shifted the narrative entirely. “My doctor told me that my family history of diabetes is a major cause of my insulin resistance," she recalls.

This is where PCOD and pre-diabetes often overlap. According to the Mayo Clinic, pre-diabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes.

Without intervention, it significantly increases the risk of developing diabetes, and long-term damage to the heart, kidneys, and blood vessels may already be beginning. Dr Shital Punjabi, Senior Gynaecologist and IVF Specialist, explains it clearly.

“The frequent urination, sudden hunger and weight gain are usually seen in a pre-diabetic state. If it is PCOD, there is only the weight gain part, which is common to both, but frequent urination is not a part of PCOD."

Why Young Women Often Misread The Signs

Hormonal changes during puberty and lifestyle factors all blur the lines between conditions. Dr Punjabi points out that during adolescence and early adulthood, estrogen and progesterone have just started functioning, and any disturbance, combined with altered food habits and stress, can lead to irregular menstruation, weight gain, acne, hair fall, and more.

“Nowadays, all the females start looking at Google and AI and get a general outlook that this might be PCOD," she explains. “Here, they need a proper diagnosis, proper radiological and biochemical investigations to stamp what she is suffering from."

Dr Punjabi further highlights how modern lifestyles are worsening the problem. Exposure to preservatives, frozen foods, late nights, excessive screen time, stress, and disrupted sleep cycles affects multiple hormonal axes in the body, including insulin regulation.

The Moment Of Clarity

When Aarushi's gynaecologist suggested birth control to regulate her periods, her family hesitated. “My mother was a bit resistant," she shares, worried about potential side effects. That hesitation led to a second opinion from an endocrinologist, and clarity finally emerged.

“It was after I spoke to my endocrinologist that it was revealed that I was on the cusp of pre-diabetes," Aarushi says. The relief came with reassurance. Her doctor explained that with the right lifestyle changes, her blood sugar could be controlled and her periods could normalise.

What Doctors Say

Dr Shristi Jha, MBBS and RMO, sees this pattern daily. “Every third female patient I see is on the verge of getting diabetes," she says. Pre-diabetes, she explains, is that thin line. Cross it unknowingly, and the label changes for life.

She points to disrupted circadian rhythm as a major culprit. Late-night scrolling, irregular meals, and lack of movement, it all add up. Her advice is simple but powerful: wake up early, eat balanced meals with enough protein, walk for 10 minutes after eating, stay hydrated, and exercise every alternate day.

“These very common daily life changes have helped my pre-diabetic female patients get rid of the word pre-diabetic," she says.

Dr Swati Ajit Gaikwad, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, adds that PCOD and early pre-diabetes often overlap due to insulin resistance. Weight gain, irregular periods, fatigue, acne, and excess hair growth can belong to both conditions.

“Many young women tend to have borderline high blood sugar without obvious signs," she explains, emphasising the importance of early screening. She recommends that when PCOD-like symptoms appear, tests should go beyond hormones. Blood sugar, fasting insulin, lipid profile, thyroid function, and pelvic ultrasound are essential to uncover hidden metabolic issues.

Why Early Awareness Changes Everything

Aarushi chose to act in time. “So I ate carefully and added more activity to my schedule," she says. Gradually, her periods became more regular, and her health improved.

PCOD may explain many symptoms, but it does not explain everything. Frequent urination and extreme hunger are not signals to ignore. They are your body asking you to look deeper. As Dr Gaikwad explains, “Avoid junk, spicy, oily, canned, and processed foods; the diet should consist of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, pulses, and lentils."

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Regular exercise can help too. “Incorporating walking, yoga, or strength training improves insulin sensitivity and helps to manage diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, getting good sleep, and regular health check-ups are important for women."

Pre-diabetes is not a life sentence, but missing it could be. And sometimes, the most important diagnosis is the one you almost overlook because it looks too familiar.

After all, hormonal disorders rarely come neatly packaged. But beneath these familiar symptoms, another condition may be taking shape. Pre-diabetes does not arrive loudly; it slides in silently, often with overlapping symptoms, the same as PCOD, until a routine test forces an individual to confront a reality no one saw coming.

When Everything Feels Like PCOD

For Aarushi, 22, juggling adulthood, career ambitions and everyday stress, irregular periods and sudden weight gain were nothing new. When she noticed her weight increasing, Aarushi was not surprised.

“My irregular periods were always an issue,” she recalls. Like many young women, she had learned to normalise discomfort. But soon, new symptoms crept in, frequent urination and sudden, intense hunger. She brushed them off as extensions of PCOD.

If any woman is dealing with Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD), unpredictability is a part of the condition. The periods arrive late or not at all. The weight continues to fluctuate, despite efforts to eat right, and acne flares up unannounced.

Among women aged 12 to 45, PCOD affects anywhere between anywhere 9% and 22% of women in India. It disrupts ovulation due to hormonal imbalance, causing the ovaries to release immature eggs that form small cysts, according to Apollo Hospitals.

The Test That Changed Everything

Eventually, Aarushi decided to get a PCOD panel done. She was expecting hormonal irregularities, but what she did not expect was her blood sugar levels. “The tests revealed my ‘high' blood sugar,” she says.

That one report shifted the narrative entirely. “My doctor told me that my family history of diabetes is a major cause of my insulin resistance,” she recalls.

This is where PCOD and pre-diabetes often overlap. According to the Mayo Clinic, pre-diabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes.

Without intervention, it significantly increases the risk of developing diabetes, and long-term damage to the heart, kidneys, and blood vessels may already be beginning. Dr Shital Punjabi, Senior Gynaecologist and IVF Specialist, explains it clearly.

“The frequent urination, sudden hunger and weight gain are usually seen in a pre-diabetic state. If it is PCOD, there is only the weight gain part, which is common to both, but frequent urination is not a part of PCOD.”

Why Young Women Often Misread The Signs

Hormonal changes during puberty and lifestyle factors all blur the lines between conditions. Dr Punjabi points out that during adolescence and early adulthood, estrogen and progesterone have just started functioning, and any disturbance, combined with altered food habits and stress, can lead to irregular menstruation, weight gain, acne, hair fall, and more.

“Nowadays, all the females start looking at Google and AI and get a general outlook that this might be PCOD,” she explains. “Here, they need a proper diagnosis, proper radiological and biochemical investigations to stamp what she is suffering from.”

Dr Punjabi further highlights how modern lifestyles are worsening the problem. Exposure to preservatives, frozen foods, late nights, excessive screen time, stress, and disrupted sleep cycles affects multiple hormonal axes in the body, including insulin regulation.

The Moment Of Clarity

When Aarushi's gynaecologist suggested birth control to regulate her periods, her family hesitated. “My mother was a bit resistant,” she shares, worried about potential side effects. That hesitation led to a second opinion from an endocrinologist, and clarity finally emerged.

“It was after I spoke to my endocrinologist that it was revealed that I was on the cusp of pre-diabetes,” Aarushi says. The relief came with reassurance. Her doctor explained that with the right lifestyle changes, her blood sugar could be controlled and her periods could normalise.

What Doctors Say

Dr Shristi Jha, MBBS and RMO, sees this pattern daily. “Every third female patient I see is on the verge of getting diabetes,” she says. Pre-diabetes, she explains, is that thin line. Cross it unknowingly, and the label changes for life.

She points to disrupted circadian rhythm as a major culprit. Late-night scrolling, irregular meals, and lack of movement, it all add up. Her advice is simple but powerful: wake up early, eat balanced meals with enough protein, walk for 10 minutes after eating, stay hydrated, and exercise every alternate day.

“These very common daily life changes have helped my pre-diabetic female patients get rid of the word pre-diabetic,” she says.

Dr Swati Ajit Gaikwad, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, adds that PCOD and early pre-diabetes often overlap due to insulin resistance. Weight gain, irregular periods, fatigue, acne, and excess hair growth can belong to both conditions.

“Many young women tend to have borderline high blood sugar without obvious signs,” she explains, emphasising the importance of early screening. She recommends that when PCOD-like symptoms appear, tests should go beyond hormones. Blood sugar, fasting insulin, lipid profile, thyroid function, and pelvic ultrasound are essential to uncover hidden metabolic issues.

Why Early Awareness Changes Everything

Aarushi chose to act in time. “So I ate carefully and added more activity to my schedule,” she says. Gradually, her periods became more regular, and her health improved.

PCOD may explain many symptoms, but it does not explain everything. Frequent urination and extreme hunger are not signals to ignore. They are your body asking you to look deeper. As Dr Gaikwad explains, “Avoid junk, spicy, oily, canned, and processed foods; the diet should consist of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, pulses, and lentils.”

Regular exercise can help too. “Incorporating walking, yoga, or strength training improves insulin sensitivity and helps to manage diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, getting good sleep, and regular health check-ups are important for women.”

Pre-diabetes is not a life sentence, but missing it could be. And sometimes, the most important diagnosis is the one you almost overlook because it looks too familiar.

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Source: News18
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