Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Podcast
Dr. Shannon Hirst and Dr. Adam Rinde Discuss PCOS
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine and metabolic disorder that affects 7-10% of women in the global population. That’s about 1 out of every 10 women in our lives. PCOS can be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and endometrial cancer..
This summer I was fortunate to speak to Dr. Adam Rinde about polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). It is estimated that PCOS affects 7-10% of women in the global population. That’s about 1 out of every 10 women in our lives. Symptoms include:
Irregular or infrequent periods
Heavy periods
Acne (often cystic acne)
Increased facial and body hair
Difficulty losing weight despite doing everything right
Male pattern baldness
Infertility
Cholesterol and blood sugar problems
Getting The Right Diagnosis
There are several conditions that can have similar symptoms to PCOS so getting the right diagnosis is an important first step. Women and teens often are diagnosed by their family physicians, a naturopath, or a gynecologist. These are great places to start.
WHAT IS PCOS?
PCOS is a disorder of metabolism and results in a different hormone mix being produced by the ovaries. In PCOS, the ovaries can produce more testosterone-like hormones which can result in changes in ovulation and menstrual cycles. These hormones are also responsible for the acne and increased facial hair that many women experience.
Treatment Focus in PCOS
Diet, exercise, and education (lifestyle treatments) form the treatment foundation for PCOS. The goal is to address metabolism and hormones with these tools. It is important to see providers with PCOS experience, with reasonable nutrition and exercise education, to help navigate this. One of the frustrations of many PCOS patients is the difficulty losing weight, and it can quickly spiral into hyper focus on food and exercise. Some providers on both sides of the aisle (and some poorly thought out information on the internet) exacerbate this by prescribing overly restrictive diets and excessive exercise. In addition to being difficult to keep up, these can be counterproductive and harmful. My broken record mantra in practice is, “the goal is to do things that will get you to 100 years old, and are sustainable while getting there.” An excellent whole foods dietitian or nutritionist can be a vital resource for all things food based in PCOS. Reasonable and research-proven exercise strategies can cut down exercise time and help you get more of what you need and less of what you don’t. It’s worth finding providers who can point you in these directions.
Additional therapies can include: birth control pills, certain blood sugar medications or supplements, hormone balancing herbs, and androgen blocking medications. Each woman will have a unique combination of these therapies that are determined by their doctor.
Feeling Isolated
Many women struggle with PCOS and find the symptoms isolating. It is important to know that you are not alone. There are countless women that share your journey with PCOS; all over the world and in all walks of life. They are: athletes, teachers, students, teens, moms, doctors, nutritionists, celebrities, and on and on. There are excellent treatments available (which is why getting an accurate diagnosis early is so important). We understand more about this condition every day, leading to a broader knowledge of PCOS in the healthcare community and better care all around.