Print this page

PolyCystic Ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a health problem that can affect a woman's menstrual cycle, ability to have children, hormones, heart, blood vessels, and appearance. With PCOS, women typically have high levels of androgens, missed or irregular periods, and many small cysts in their ovaries. It is the number one cause of infertility in the United States.

We recently had a MD's wife sneak into our office seeking non-traditional options for infertility. She was concerned about the undesired effects of fertility treatment. When I explained how her lab tests and assessment indicated the possibility of PCOS, she expressed her consternation about how PCOS was ruled out because she was not overweight. Yet, she had all the other signs and symptoms associated with PCOS.

Although body composition may be useful in some conditions, it must not be used as an accurate diagnostic indicator. Many people have insulin resistance without obesity. Obese or skinny individuals may be hypothyroid. Signs and symptoms are useful but often are misleading. Did you know insulin resistance, PCOS, metabolic syndrome and low thyroid all have the same symptoms? How many women taking thyroid medication were ever tested for insulin resistance or PCOS?

Insulin resistance causes a shift in the hormone balance and promotes increased testosterone, i.e. hair loss on the scalp being replaced by hair growth on the face and elsewhere. It becomes a vicious circle because increased testosterone promotes greater insulin resistance.

In the case of the MD's wife, she had already tried the fertility drugs and in vitro fertilization was recommended. She recognized her body wasn't healthy enough to get pregnant, that it might not be healthy enough to sustain a pregnancy, and did not want a miscarriage. Using the Functional Medicine state of the art assessments and lab testing, we were able to show her where her imbalances were and recommended nutritional supplement support to normalize her feed back loops.

Menstrual irregularities are rarely caused by hormone deficiencies, but rather from a loss of normal hormone feedback loop coordination. From our Functional Model of healthcare, the use of contraceptives or fertility drugs to support altered menstrual irregularities or even natural hormones seems counterproductive since these exogenous hormones promote further loss of feedback loop coordination.

Our patient started the program unbeknownst to her husband. She noticed several changes in her body - first regular period without cramping, increased sex drive, and more energy. A couple days before her third appointment with us she called to say she was pregnant!

For more information go to www.stlwa.com If you have questions and are tired of symptom-based healthcare - Call Wellness Alternatives today at 636-227-4949.