Managing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS - a syndrome with unique drivers for each individual, therefore requiring both thorough health history and pathology assessment to determine appropriate treatment.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is an extensive topic to be working with as a health care practitioner. The name PCOS can also be misleading as recent definitions for diagnosis of PCOS by the medical community do not require you to have polycystic ovaries to be diagnosed with PCOS. To avoid confusion it is likely that PCOS will undergo a name change.
PCOS is labeled a ‘syndrome’ and so therefore it must be understood as a number of factors that essentially lead to endocrine (hormone) dysregulation (imbalance) that influence the menstrual cycle and hence fertility. It is a common condition affecting up to 20% of females of reproductive age and has evidence that it is influenced by both epigenetic (environmental) factors as well as genetics as PCOS has a high prevalence in families. The development, triggers and sustaining factors for PCOS are unique for each woman and therefore it is important to take an individual approach to each and every unique client that I have. PCOS treatment is not a situation where one treatment fits all, individual assessment is key to establish a way forward to manage PCOS. Let’s take a look at PCOS so you can see why this is so and why the oral contraceptive pill (OCP) treatment does not resolve PCOS or foster menstrual cycle health and support fertility.
PCOS - The Syndrome
There are 3 main features of PCOS.
Metabolic - involves insulin resistance, blood sugar dysregulation, lipids(fats) dysregulation and dysfunction of the lining of blood vessels (endothelial).
Reproductive - involves dysregulation of ovulatory function, loss of ovulation, loss of menstrual cycle bleeds, or few bleeds per year.
Hyperandrogenism - raised androgen levels which may cause excess body hair, acne, loss of hair
Undertaking blood pathology to determine your insulin response, as well as your female hormone profile including androgens is key to understanding what is happening for you. We don’t want pathology that just confirms PCOS for you, we want to look at an extensive panel of hormones so that we can determine what is actually driving and sustaining the hormonal imbalances for you.
Treatment
Your unique treatment will vary depending on the prime drivers for you -
is it insulin resistance and weight that have you ‘stuck in a loop’?
Are androgens high? and why?
Is it adrenal androgens and stress?
Inflammation?
Is there too much or too little estrogen?
Does digestion, gut health and bowel clearance need support?
What about liver detoxification pathways?
Is prolactin influencing hormonal pathways? Pituitary gland function?
Does thyroid function need to be assessed
The naturopathic treatment approach that I take involves listening to you, understanding you and your health and everyday life - your health history, your stresses, nervous system, diet and lifestyle. Then we will most likely launch into blood pathology testing to get a clearer picture of what is happening for you. Then step by step we prioritise what we need to do for you and start.
Amongst all of this I strongly advocate for you and your menstrual health. I recommend that if you wish to have children in the future that we investigate early to determine what the features are for your PCOS, and determine what we can do to restore your menstrual cycle and support fertility. I work with general practitioners and gynecologists and encourage a collaborative approach that you are comfortable with.
If you have any questions as to whether I can help you as part of your health team please reach out, otherwise I hope to see you in naturopathic clinic at Nourish and Breathe.
Naturopathic Clinic
As a university trained naturopath with a clinical practice - meaning I see clients in clinic consultations for their health concerns - I look at a client's entire health picture.
Please reach out for further guidance and naturopathic treatment that can assist and guide you back to wellness.
See me in naturopathic clinic or at the apothecary for nutrient and herbal medicine to support the nervous system, gut health, hormonal health, stress, detoxification and methylation pathways.
