Hormone Zone

WTF is PCOS and what do I do about it?

Listen Later

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an incredibly common hormone imbalance that impacts 10% of menstruating people. While it is the leading cause of infertility and is oftentimes framed as a reproductive issue as a result of this, there is much more to PCOS beyond this: it is a risk factor infertility, diabetes, heart disease, mental health issues, and more. Not to mention frustrating day-to-day symptoms such as irregular or absent ovulation, wonky periods, trouble losing weight, acne, hair loss, hirsutism (male-pattern hair growth), mood-related symptoms, sleep issues, and more.

Given all this, being diagnosed with PCOS can be pretty scary. That’s why Jane and Sabrina started Pollie (www.pollie.co) to help people find personalized symptom management support. In today’s episode Jane and Sabrina go through a crash course on PCOS and discuss everything from systemic issues that make this condition difficult to find support for to their top tips for having PCOS.

Tune in to hear:

  • What even is PCOS? Is it a hormone imbalance, a metabolic condition, or both?
  • How is PCOS diagnosed? What is the Rotterdam criteria, and is it still current? What are other conditions that should be ruled out before a PCOS diagnosis is made?
  • How common is PCOS? What is the typical patient experience like?
  • What are different treatment options for managing PCOS? Is the pharmaceutical route (e..g, hormonal birth control, metformin, ******spironolactone) any better or worse than making lifestyle modifications (e.g., nutrition, exercise, stress management, sleep, supplements)?
  • What are tips for managing PCOS in a sustainable way?

    • At the end of the day, it is important to remember that PCOS is a complex condition and no two cases are the same. For this reason, figuring out what works for you in terms of symptom management may just take a bit of experimentation.

    If you have any questions about Pollie’s PCOS Program, feel free to reach out to their team at [email protected]

    -----------------------

    Helpful labs to ask your doctor to check for PCOS include:

    • Androgen panel (e.g., Free and total testosterone, SHBG, DHEA-S)
    • Metabolic panel (e.g., Fasting glucose, Fasting insulin, HbA1c)
    • Lipids (e.g., HDL, LDL, Total cholesterol, Triglycerides)
    • Other sex hormones (e.g., Estradiol, Progesterone, FSH, LH, AMH)
    • Inflammatory markers (e..g, C-reactive protein (CRP))
    • Other key health biomarkers (e.g., Vitamin D3, Vitamin B12, Ferritin)

      • PCOS is a diagnosis for exclusion! For that reason, make sure you work with your physician to rule out other conditions such as (includes sample labs):

      • Thyroid issues (e.g., TSH, T4)
      • Primary ovarian failure (e.g., high FSH)
      • FHA / hypothalamic problems (e.g., low FSH)
      • Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (e.g., 17 hydroxy progesterone)
      • Adrenal gland tumor (e.g., significantly high DHEA-S)
      • Pituitary tumor (e.g., high prolactin)

        • Ulta Lab (https://www.ultalabtests.com/) is a helpful platform for ordering labs yourself if you are having trouble getting comprehensive bloodwork done through insurance.

        ***Note that you should still work with your physician to determine which labs you should be checking to monitor your overall health in addition to your PCOS and what to do if you receive low or abnormal results.

        ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store
        Hormone ZoneBy Jane Sagui and Sabrina Mason