MsJanoah

Hidden enemy of women's fertility
CLARE GARNER
EXPRESS , October 14, 2002

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) occurs when follicles grow on the ovaries in clumps, rather like a bunch of grapes.
It can cause hormonal imbalance, which leads to other symptoms, including weight gain, few or even no periods, acne, excess body hair and mood swings. Problems with fertility and repeated miscarriages may follow.
CLARE GARNER looks at three alternative solutions
NUTRITION
Dr Marilyn Glenville is a leading nutritional therapist working at the Hale Clinic in Central London Over the past few years research into the effect of nutrition on PCOS has revolutionised its treatment.
The key is to lose weight. Your hormone levels return to normal and your ovaries start to function properly. In a study of women with PCOS, the rate of miscarriage dropped from 75 per cent to 18 per cent once they lost weight.
Most women come to me with a diagnosis. If they're not trying for a baby, they are recommended a pill called Dianette, which controls the testosterone levels responsible for the acne and excess hair. However, as soon as they stop taking the pill their symptoms return.
Next comes the fertility treatment.
My aim is to correct the problem so they return to regular periods.
The classic candidate for PCOS is a woman with fluctuating blood sugar levels. This causes too high a release of insulin, leaving the body unable to burn fat as energy. To regulate your blood sugar level, you must cut down caffeine and sugar.
Remember that caffeine is present in chocolate, headache medication and even green tea. When is as important as what you eat when treating PCOS. Eat little and often - about every three hours - to stop your blood sugar level plummeting.
There are several supplements that help with PCOS. Start with a good quality multivitamin and mineral to ensure you're getting a little bit of everything. Add a daily dose of 200mcg of chromium to control cravings and reduce hunger.
The B vitamins are very important, particularly B2, B3, B5 and B6, for controlling weight. Take 50mg of a vitamin B-complex daily.
Zinc is key, too, because of its role in balancing blood sugar. Take 30mg of zinc a day, plus 300mg of magnesium and 30mg of the vitamin-like substance Co-Enzyme Q10.
Useful herbs include agnus castus, saw palmetto and milk thistle but do not take any of them if you are on the Pill, fertility drugs, HRT or any other medication, unless recommended by a registered, experienced practitioner.
Dr Glenville charges GBP145 for a first consultation and GBP115 thereafter. She can be contacted on 020 7631 0156. The herbs are available from her practice, on 08705 329 244/orders@natural healthpractice. com. For a nutritional therapist in your area, contact the British Association of Nutritional Therapists on 0870 606 1284. Expect to pay GBP50-GBP60 a session.
HOMOEOPATHY
Linda Lacome-Shaw is a homoeopath working at Pure Medicine in Central London There are 2,688 homoeopathic remedies available over the counter.
Each has the potential to heal PCOS because they are prescribed according to the individual rather than the condition. Four in particular often help.
The first is apis, made from a honey bee. This works for women who are warm-blooded, quite clumsy and prone to jealousy. They buzz about, being what we call fruitlessly busy.
The second is lycopodium, made from club moss. Haughty PCOS sufferers respond well to it, women who pretend to be important to cover up feelings of inferiority. They feel the cold and suffer digestive problems, wind and a low libido.
The third is lachesis, which comes from the bushmaster snake. This suits passionate women who are sharp-tongued and witty, as well as suspicious and jealous.
Finally, thuja, made from the tree of knowledge, works well for PCOS sufferers who are secretive. These women feel shame and guilt. Their vagina is sensitive and they tend to have a thick, green discharge.
Unlike conventional medicine, which often puts you on long-term medication to quash the symptoms, homoeopathy teaches your body to heal itself. I see patients two weeks after the initial consultation and then monthly. The first consultation lasts 90 minutes and I ask a lot of personal questions.
Linda charges GBP75 for the first consultation and GBP60 for hour-long appointments thereafter. She can be contacted on 020 7467 5940. For a local homoeopath call the Society of Homoeopaths on 01604 621400.
ACUPUNCTURE
Zita West is a midwife and acupuncturist who runs her own clinic in Central London In Chinese medicine there are five elements: water, fire, earth, wood and metal. Each has an associated colour, sound, emotion and odour.
Not long into a consultation I will know what element someone is.
PCOS sufferers are often wood people. Their colour is yellow, their sound is singing, their emotion is worry and their smell is fragrant.
They tend to get tired after lunch, have bad fluid retention before and during periods and are often obsessive worriers. Fire and metal people often suffer PCOS, too.
As an acupuncturist I pick up all the signs I can to help a diagnosis.
The ancient Chinese didn't have fancy scans. They just sat with someone.
Once I have identified a client's element I'll know how to proceed because each element has a corresponding deficiency in a particular organ. For example, earth people tend to have spleen and stomach weaknesses, indicating blood sugar problems. I treat the weakness using acupuncture and my main aim with PCOS is to help balance the hormonal cycle. I use specific points such as spleen 6, fantastic for balancing hormones, stomach 36 and bladder 20.
I am interested in the health of cervical mucus, very important for conception. In Western medicine, healthy cervical mucus is dependent on oestrogen; in oriental medicine it's related to the balance of yin and yang. You need good yin, which comes at the beginning of the cycle.
With PCOS sufferers I do four weekly sessions of acupuncture and then once a month. I judge success by how regular a patient's cycle becomes. One woman hadn't had periods for some time. Within three months she was pregnant.
Acupuncture doesn't work for everyone. If you don't see an improvement in your cycle within three months, you should stop.
Zita charges GBP140 for an initial consultation and GBP90 thereafter.
Contact her on 020 7224 6091. For a local acupuncturist you can contact the British Acupuncture Council on 020 8735 0400.
Copyright © 2002 The Express. Source: Financial Times Information Limited - Europe Intelligence Wire.
World Reporter
© 2002 The Dialog Corporation. All rights reserved.
Dialog® File Number 20 Accession Number 25473762