PCOS

As an extension to my hormone post, I want to touch on a condition that I really love helping with. It’s polycystic ovarian syndrome, known as PCOS. PCOS affects an estimated 1 in10 women yet is difficult for physicians to diagnose (unless they have some familiarity with the signs and symptoms). Along with the difficulty in diagnosis, it can be even more difficult to find a provider who can help you with the frustrating side affects, even with the diagnosis. Very common signs and symptoms include: irregular periods, persistent acne, hair growth on unwanted places (called hirsutism), loss of hair on head, weight gain around midsection, and infertility. Many times my PCOS clients will present with difficulty losing weight despite doing “all of the things” that society and the dieting culture promote: calorie restriction and excessive exercise. Due to the hormone imbalances that accompany PCOS, those things won’t work if we don’t address the hormones.

How do I help? When I first meet with a PCOS client, we spend a lot of our first visit reviewing medical history, labs, length and severity of signs and symptoms, medications, and current nutrition and lifestyle patterns. All of these help with my assessment and putting together realistic recommendations. From there I work with my clients to establish goals to begin working toward. Balancing hormones takes time, so I want all of my potential PCOS clients to know that this is not a fad plan and that is will take time and effort to achieve and maintain goals. I love building relationships and helping my PCOS clients reach their goals. One of my favorite things to hear from a new PCOS client is that they finally found someone who understands and can help.

Are you experiencing signs and symptoms of PCOS? Do you have PCOS? I would love to hear from YOU to see if I can help.

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