Hello everyone, I'm a 24 year old woman with mild PCOS. I have been studying nutrition and alternative remedies for a few years because of my bad experiences with doctors and here is what I recommend for treating PCOS. Even women who don't have PCOS should follow this protocol.
1- Strengthening the adrenal glands: VERY VERY IMPORTANT and too often overlooked. Excessive cumulative stress in the adrenal glands can and will mess up your hormonal system big time. My favorite supplements for stress are Rhodiola Rosea ( also called Arctic Root), Siberian Ginseng and Shisandra. Rhodiola is an adaptogenic herb from Russia and is one if not the best adaptogens there is. It can be taken on a long-term basis without taking any breaks like Siberian Ginseng.
Siberian Ginseng is also extremely good to fortify and balance the adrenals. Compared to asian ginseng, it's much more neutral and doesn't overexcite. If you are a menstruating woman, I would stay away from American Ginseng because it has estrogenic properties. Schisandra is another wonderful tonic which brings oxygen to the entire endocrine system and has the added benefit of being a wonderful liver detoxifier and protector. Women in Asia love Schisandra berries because it beautifies the skin.
2- Take a well-balanced high potency multivitamin/mineral without copper: Balance here is the key. So many multivitamins on the market have too much of one ingredient and not enough of another. Also, do not take extra copper unless you are taking massive doses of zinc. Women are already usually copper-toxic because estrogen increases copper and copper increases estrogen and makes PMS worst. I recommend and personnally use a multi called " Added Protection III without copper or iron" by the company AMNI/Douglas Labs. It's extremely well balanced and very affordable ( 19$). It also has very good doses of sugar-controlling nutrients like chromium, B vitamins and manganese.
3- Take hormonal balancing and liver detoxifying herbs: You should always in my opinion try herbs before adding extra hormones in your body like natural progesterone cream. Always try to let your body balance itself...if it doesn't work then use progesterone cream last. I highly recommend using high quality vitex with a liver protecting herb like milk thistle, or dandelion root or shisandra...or even better...a combination of those herbs. I'm not sure if I like dong quai for PCOS because its not clear if it has estrogenic properties or not. It's definately good for menopausal women though. Once you achieve hormonal balance with vitex, you can try using only the liver herbs as a maintenance supplement.
4- Diet: Make sure you add losts of variety to your diet, try to eat low glycemic foods with high quality protein, add essential fatty acids like saumon, sardines, flax seeds and nuts, eat lots of fruits and veggies and drink lots of pure water.
5- Exercise: It has been proven the exercise highly contributes to maintaining hormonal balance as it reduces excessive estrogen and brings oxygen to the entire endocrine system thus reducing stress. Find sports you like doing instead of going to a gym. Exercise has to be fun, not a chore.
6- Try stress-reducing alternative therapies: My favorites? Deep breathing, yoga, tai-chi and acupuncture.
My Dr. has recently prescribed Alesse, uninterrupted for three months and then we re-evaulate. I'm very sceptical about that as I've, in the past, had terrible side effects with BCP. I had asked him about an alternative approach -- a Vitex, Saw Palmetto, Milk Thistle program -- but he seemed unimpressed.
And is my understanding correct that Vitex is not taken on a long term basis? If so, when do you know to stop?
Hi trinicyster, it's not surprising that your doctor is uninterested in a more natural approach to treating your PCOS. Anything that's too natural scares most doctors LOL.
Conventional methods usually don't work very well to treat PCOS because they only mask the symptoms, cause undesirable side effects and sometimes even aggrevate the hormonal imbalance.
I strongly believe that for every disease on this planet, nature has a solution for it. Concerning Vitex, women usually see results within 3 to 6 months. Its a slow acting herb so you have to be patient with it and give it time to work. It doesn't contain any hormones, instead it works on the pituitary gland by gradually balancing estrogen and progesterone. It's also a very potent DHT inhibitor so if you use it, you don't really need Saw Palmetto. You can use vitex for 6 months and then if you've gone through atleast 3 normal menstrual cycles, you should stop the herb and let you hormonal system work on its own. Afterwards, you can use only liver and adrenal supporting herbs as maintenance. If your body becomes imbalanced in the future, you can use vitex again. If after 6 months, you have seem no change whatsoever, then you can try natural progesterone cream.
You said that you wanted to try a combination of vitex, saw palmetto and milk thistle...I think you should switch the saw palmetto for schisandra. Saw palmetto is a potent DHT inhibitor but so is vitex and vitex is more appropriate for women...saw palmetto is better for men. Instead, schisandra is a potent adaptogen that brings oxygen and strength to the endocrine system reducing stress and its also a powerful liver protector/detoxifier. It will complement wonderfully milk thistle. Once you go off vitex, you can use schisandra with milk thistle indefinately if you want. Liver herbs will greatly improve hormonal balance because they help the liver process excess hormones, sugar and fat.
I also suggest you get a very good multivitamin/mineral and lose weight if you are overweight. Some women with PCOS see a dramatic difference in their symptoms when they lose weight.
Hi, where do you find the copperless multivitamin? I know all about copper toxicity; I have an IUD and was finally tested for it last winter. I wasn't intoxicated *LOL* but I take zinc to counteract the copper. Also, where can you find the Arctic Root & Shisandra? Or, what dose do you take them in? Thanks!
My info to add: quit the soft drinks if you can! I quit coke/all of them finally 6 weeks ago and my near-IBS has vanished completely! I have more energy too. But it's not a miracle...still haven't lost any weight.
__________________ Whoa! bfp 11/22/08. A YAZ "reset" baby!
allergy shots 2 yr
Soma sleep apnea pillow--yeah it works, but it wears out after a year
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it.
Here's the thing Emmanuelle; you spoke about stopping Vitex after at least 3 normal cycles ... I don't have abnormal cycles. Never have. So I can't use that as the yard stick. What do I so?
guineapig, quitting soft drinks is very good advice indeed. Many people think that reducing sugar means reducing candy and desserts only but soft drinks are a big culprit...as well as artificially flavored drinks like Kool-Aid...full of sugar.
To my knowledge, there are two companies that give you the option of ordering their multis with or without copper. The first one is the company Douglas Labs/AMNI with their multi Added Protection III without copper. Just type the name of the multi in a search engine and you'll find many online stores selling it. I buy my vitamins at www.vitaminshoppe.com
The second multi is from Life Extension Foundation called The Life Extention Mix. You can get it with or without copper. It has lots of nutrients in it but it's much more expensive. Their website is www.lef.org
Rhodiola is usually taken in doses of 100 to 300 mg daily.
For Schisandra, the company Swedish Herbal Institute sells a great product called " Chisandra Adaptogen" which is a combination of Schisandra and Siberian Ginseng. You can also check out the Vitamin Shoppe and see which companies sell this herb. I believe the normal dose is 200 mg daily.
Trinicyster, what are your symptoms exactly? Do you have insulin resistance? Tell me your symptoms so that I can try to help you.
Oh My God! You are the first person ever to say to me, "Tell me your symptoms so that I can try to help you." Thank you.
I was diagnosed with PCOS in July 2002 when I complained of severe pelvic pain and had laparascopic (sp??) surgery where the ovaries were drilled. Glucophage and an attempted low refined-carbohydrate diet were put in place and everything seemed to settle nicely.
The pain is back. My ObGyn here said on Monday that my ovaries are severely cystic again and the Glucophage doesn't seem to be controlling it at all. (Does that mean I am not IR?) All the symptoms are back -- severe pelvic pain (can't walk most days), mild/moderate acne, mild hirsutism (yucky bikini line/inner thighs and very light upper lip), severely dry eyes/pain, mood swings, difficulty concentrating and recently, some exhaustion. I'm 5'4"/105 lbs. and have always had regular periods.) My Dr. has suggested that I go back on a BCP (that didn't seem to work before my surgery -- Diane35) but this time he's putting me on a low dose one -- Alesse -- to start the first day of my next scheduled period, yikes! TODAY!! and to be taken uninterrupted for three months, then we re-evaluate. I'm not at all pleased about that as I remember the terrible side effects that I had to endure on all the contraceptive pills that they tried -- migraines, nausea, breast tenderness and weight gain. I could only imagine waht taking it back-to-back might cause. I would much rather a natural approach. I haven't taken the first pill.
Thank you for all your efforts. I really do appreciate them.
Welcome to Soulcysters, Emmanuelle. Are you studying alternative medicine in school, or on your own? What are your favourite (online) sources of info? I was wondering if you had info on Peruvian Maca root and/or ashwagandha. I have read that both of these are good for the adrenal glands. I myself am particularly interested in the "adrenal connection" because I believe that it is was has caused my PCOS and debilitating fatigue. I have been reading about stress-response and the HPA axis. I am trying to figure out the best combo of treatments while I wait for an appointment with a decent endocrinologist (the last one was a nightmare!).
Sorry,
But I'm very apprehensive to take advice from someone who has only had 8 posts and comes in telling us what we should be taking or doing for pcos.
Do you have pcos?
Are you a doctor?
What training have you had?
Have you followed this advice?
Any side effects?
Please understand that to blindly follow someone no matter how educcated they may seem to be is extremely stupid. (no offense meant)
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Hi trinicyster...I have some more questions for you if you don't mind ;-) Have you had any hormonal tests done? Any glucose tolerance test done? How is your LH and FSH? A hormonal test done by a reproductive endocrinologist would show if you have low progesterone with high testosterone or only high testosterone. You also need to know if you are IR through a glucose test. Have you ever had your adrenal glands tested for your levels of cortisol? You see all of these things are really important to know in giving you clues on where the problem might be. Did you suffer from a very stressful event back in 2002? Or before?
Let me know...
Simone...I don't know much about Peruvian Maca but I know more about ashwagandha. It's a herb from India also refered to Indian Ginseng and it seems to be a very good general tonic and also has value in treating anxiety and insomnia because it increases GABA levels in the brain. It is a good herb for the adrenal glands although I believe Rhodiola and Siberian Ginseng are probably better. The best thing, if you have the patience is to try them out. Everyone has a difference biochemistry and reacts differently to different supplements. You might find ashwagandha to be a perfect fit for you when another person would have great results with ginseng.
I think it's great that you're interested in the adrenal gland connection with diseases because as research has pointed out, most diseases start with stress...and this can even start from birth. A child can be born with excessive stress in the hypothalamus and carry this on through the years. One of my female friends who rarely ever had a pimple in her life went through a very stressful time last year. Her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and she had to move at the same time. My friend broke out like you can't imagine. She had acne on her back, face, chest and arms and had irregular periods. She is now doing much better, but she still struggles with acne since last year when it had never been a problem for her before.
So I think for many people that's what happens. They go through something stressful and their adrenal glands become overstimulated and carry on this excessive stress throughout the years without knowing it. Or even worst, many people are stressed every single day at their jobs and at home...imagine the impact this has on the endocrine system. Taking time out to replenish those precious adrenals with herbs, vitamins and minerals as well as exercise and relaxation techniques is crucial in maintaining hormonal balance. You can take all the vitex or progesterone cream or glucophage you want but if you are stressed, your hormones will have much more troubled becoming balanced again. That's because when you're stress, a part of your hormones are being used to produce cortisol instead of doing what they should be doing...so you end up with estrogen dominance and progesterone deficiency which in turn increases androgen production each month. It's a vicious cycle.
To answer your first question, I've been studying natural medecine on my own for about 5 years and my favorite online source is DrWeil.com whom I consider to be the best doctor there is.
Tnade, I understand your apprehension about me and you are absolutely right...you don't have to take advice from someone who is not a doctor. I'm not obligating anyone to follow my advice...these are merely suggestions as to what I feel are the best treatments and the best areas to work on if you have PCOS.
I do have mild PCOS...I don't have IR, I'm not overweight nor do I have hirutism but I have been battling acne since my very early teenage years as well as irregular cycles. I took accutane when I was about 18 which worked well for me for some time but then the acne started coming back which is why I got interested in natural remedies. I knew that I couldn't rely only on doctors because all they had to offer were pills, antibiotics, accutane, BCP etc. I do follow the protocol that I suggest and my body is back in balance. I have to say that what has worked the best for me is working on my adrenal glands and doing breathing exercises. That has been 60% of my cure. I have also used vitex for 6 months in the past which has helped alot with my menstrual cycles. I currently use a multivitamin/mineral, I also use Rhodiola Rosea and Siberian Ginseng.
Tnade, you are more than welcomed to add or comment on my suggestions. I'm not claiming to be a doctor or have all the answers. I'm just trying to help others with what I have learned so far.
NO TESTS were done on me by my ObGyn with the exception of internal ultrasounds and the laparoscopy where he drilled the ovaries. That's it. Drs here just don't think that way. God belss them. I was actually thinking of getting a list of tests together that I can take to my Gp and ask him to order them up for me so that I can monitor what's going on. Looks like I have no other choice.
I had been dealing with a fairly stressful situation all through 2000/2002. That's all settled now.
Tnade,
Apprehension is perfectly fine but there's no need to offend anyone now.
Although I am new to the board, I don't get the impression that anyone here takes their disorder lightly enough to "blindly follow" anybody. I thought this forum was meant for the sharing of information, at least that was my understanding. I also don't think it is reasonable to discount the value of any cyster's contribution based soley on their number of posts. Much wiser, I would think, is to weigh all offered information and decide, in tandem with your health care professional, if it would be useful in your course of treatment. I certainly am extremely thankful for any and all information that I glean here.
Trinicyster since no tests have been done, then its hard to know which route to take. When you exactly know what's wrong, then you can make better informed decisions concerning natural therapies and medication ( if you need it).
First of all, if your doctor is not open-minded about any natural alternatives and is basically a pill prescriber, then change doctors. It's extremely important for a woman to have a good understanding doctor who she has confidence in and will support her in the whole mind/body approach in treating a hormonal disorder. You shouldn't be pushed into taking medication...anyways, medication for PCOS doesn't have a good track record.
So, I would suggest you get yourself and very good reproductive endocrinologist. You can go to the website http://www.natural-progesterone-advisory-network.com This is an organization made by women for women with hormonal problems. They do advocate the use of natural progesterone cream for many disorders but you can just email them and ask them to give you a list of open-minded doctors in your area. I live in Canada and they refered me to a very good endo who was very open about natural therapies.
The next thing would be to have these tests done:
- A complete blood chemistry profile including LH & FSH, Thyroid, Cholesterol and Triglycerides.
- A Glucose Tolerance Test ( To know if you are IR)
- Pelvic ultrasound to determine the presence of cysts ( which I believe you had done).
- Complete female hormonal profile: You can get this done through blood tests but saliva tests are more accurate. You can get a home saliva testing kit by Body Balance www.bodybalance.com The test is called Female Profile and measures progesterone, estradiol and testosterone.
- Get a stress test done: The Stress Test by Body Balance measures DHEA and cortisol. This will tell you if your adrenals are working well.
You also mentioned that you went through a stressful time in 2000 through 2002? Did you have PCOS symptoms before that time? Stress can be the root cause of a disease but it can also be the ignition to a dormant condition. Even though you say that everything is resolved right now, your adrenal glands might still be carrying the excessive stress caused by that event. So its important to check out those adrenals.
In the mean time while you're getting those tests done, you can try acupuncture which has a good track record for PCOS. It might help you alot for the pain that your have. Here are two articles that I have found on acupuncture for PCOS:
Thanks again for all the information. The list of tests that you've suggested pretty much looks like the recommeded lists on the kazillion POCS websites and articles that I've read, with the exception of the stress test. Good idea.
I think my Dr. is willing to entertain a natural approach but simply does not have the information. That's what I'm trying to do. I'm getting as much data on the different natural approaches and the supplments to present to him. He had said at our last appointment that he thinks I should try anything that will work. Anyway, I don't think we have an endocrinologist on the island. My options are very limited.
But I will be visiting either my Gp or ObGyn this week to discuss the tests. In the meanwhile, I continue to gather information.
Personal Recommendation For Treating PCOS 
where to find the multivitamin? 
and to be taken uninterrupted for three months, then we re-evaluate. I'm not at all pleased about that as I remember the terrible side effects that I had to endure on all the contraceptive pills that they tried -- migraines, nausea, breast tenderness and weight gain. I could only imagine waht taking it back-to-back might cause. I would much rather a natural approach. I haven't taken the first pill.
