PCOS

Have you been dealing with erratic periods… sometimes missing periods altogether, sometimes experiencing prolonged periods?

Maybe you have noticed mood changes, pelvic pain, or unexplained weight gain?

Perhaps you’ve experienced acne, hair loss, or unusual hair growth on your face, chest, or back?

Well, you’re not alone… in fact PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) is thought to affect one in ten women in the UK .

PCOS is a condition characterised by hormonal imbalances and metabolism problems that affect women’s overall health and appearance... and is a common and treatable cause of infertility.

The hormonal imbalances seen in PCOS alter the healthy menstrual cycle, where the egg may not develop as it should or it may not be released during ovulation as it should be – giving rise to the condition’s name.

This is one of the many reasons why there is still confusion around this condition. In fact, the “cysts” aren’t your standard cysts that need removal. They are actually small follicles (a normal part of the ovulating ovary), each containing an egg. The buildup in the ovary due to eggs not being released (or fertilised) over time impacts the ovaries’ ability to produce important female hormones to regulate your cycle.

Here are some of the more common symptoms of PCOS:

• Difficulty getting pregnant (infertility)
• Irregular menstrual cycle
• Hirsutism (with hair growth on the face, chin, or parts of the body where men usually have hair)
• Acne on the face, chest, and upper back
• Thinning hair or hair loss on the scalp; male-pattern baldness
• Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
• Darkening of skin, particularly along neck creases, in the groin, and underneath breasts, which is commonly associated with insulin resistance
• Anxiety and/or depression
• Elevated waist-to-hip ratios or obesity
• Fatigue

When patients present with hormonal imbalances or conditions like PCOS, most traditionally-trained clinicians focus on a diagnosis along with a synthetic drug protocol to treat the symptoms. PCOS is typically treated with oral birth control, which may lessen the symptoms but can be a real concern for several reasons.

Unfortunately, this can bring on more unwanted side effects (especially for women who are oestrogen-dominant) and can increase their breast cancer risk.

Taking additional oestrogen without receiving the proper, in-depth hormonal testing, may put you at serious risk  – yet does not deal with the root causes of PCOS which typically has multi-faceted causes.

One of the reasons why many conventional health practitioners are at a loss to treat PCOS is lack of knowledge about individualised bioidentical hormone therapy to address the hormonal imbalances and advanced functional medicine testing to address underlying gut or adrenal issues.

It is estimated that 1 in 10 women suffer from PCOS.

The really sad part is… some of these women have been diagnosed with PCOS only to be told to take the birth control pill to   manage the symptoms.

This won't even begin to deal with the root cause of this imbalance.

When PCOS is addressed with a functional medicine  approach, it reduces the chance of developing some of the other health issues associated with it such as subfertility, IBS, type 2 diabetes, depression and anxiety, hypertension and heart disease.

Whenever we begin working with a new client, we begin with a comprehensive look at the hormone levels impacted by PCOS.

This gives us a clearer picture of where you may need the most support in the areas of insulin, gut, and hormone imbalances that are typically part of PCOS.

In functional medicine, we treat the body as a whole – that's why we approach PCOS from a holistic viewpoint and first see if the imbalance can be adjusted through natural means and lifestyle changes.

The goal is to allow your body to re-establish normal function so your hormonal health can rebalance naturally.

As part of our programme, we devise a full body-balancing protocol that not only resolves your PCOS but also addresses other areas that may be causing havoc with your hormones – including diet, gut health, lifestyle, and stress factors, sleep habits and more.

NEXT STEPS: 

If you're based in the UK and are not sure whether working with our BHRT Drs is the right route for you, you can book a discovery call. Alternatively, if you're ready to get started, please call the clinic directly on +44203 303 0237 to book in for your initial visit (£699 including comprehensive blood test).

If you're not based in the UK, you won't be able to work with our BHRT Drs but you can still work with our functional medicine nutritionist and coach. Please call the clinic on +44203 303 0237 to find out more.