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Lab Tests to request when you think you may have PCOS
The word is out more than ever about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and for good reason with it being the most common chronic illness in women of reproductive years. You may have heard about it online or from a friend but how do you know if you have it? PCOS is diagnosed using what is called the Rotterdam Criteria and you basically need 2 out of the 3 criteria for a diagnosis.
The word is out more than ever about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and for good reason with it being the most common chronic illness in women of reproductive years. You may have heard about it online or from a friend but how do you know if you have it? PCOS is diagnosed using what is called the Rotterdam Criteria and you basically need 2 out of the 3 criteria for a diagnosis. Here are the 3 criteria: 1. Symptoms of high androgens (hair loss, abnormal hair growth, weight gain, acne, irregular or absent menstrual cycles) 2. High androgens based on lab work (testosterone, mainly, but also DHEA) 3. Multiple ovarian cysts seen with an ultrasound. Even with elevated androgens, you may not have a lot of the symptoms. It’s possible you’re just having irregular cycles or you have regular cycles but you have acne. Regardless of what the constellation of symptoms you are experiencing are, if you’re having any of those symptoms or even none at all but you’re having trouble conceiving, it’s worth asking your doctor to run some tests. If your doctor refuses, as many of my clients have experienced, find a new doctor that will listen to you and trust your experience. Here are the tests worth getting if you want to see if you have PCOS:
Free Testosterone
Testosterone is an androgen in your body that may be elevated with PCOS. It is, at least in part, responsible for the acne and male-pattern hair loss that is often seen in PCOS. While we think of testosterone as mainly a hormone in men, women do need it to feel balanced but at lower levels. Elevated testosterone, along with symptoms of PCOS or the presence of ovarian cysts is diagnostic for the condition.
Progesterone
Testing progesterone on day 21 of your cycle can indicate if you’ve ovulated or not. I want to see progesterone at least 20ng/ml for optimal health. If you’re not having a period, then you aren’t ovulating at all. Low progesterone is very common in PCOS and is often a result of not ovulating. Progesterone below 3ng/ml is a sign that ovulation hasn’t happened. Diet and lifestyle, as well as herbs and homeopathy, can be very helpful in restoring ovulation and regulating your period.
Thyroid Panel (TSH, Free T3, Free T4, TPO, RT3)
The ovaries are very closely related to the health of your thyroid and it's common for thyroid hormones to be out of balance in PCOS. Recognizing the need to address both the health of the ovaries and the thyroid to start successfully reversing this condition is an important part of your care.
LH/FSH
LH stands for luteinizing hormone and is elevated in 75% of cases of PCOS. FSH stands for follicle stimulating hormone and it is often low when experiencing PCOS. The ratio of these two hormones together is elevated in 94% of PCOS cases so it can be very helpful to see the full picture of where your hormones are currently.
Fasting Insulin and Fasting Glucose
Insulin Resistance (IR) often accompanies PCOS and can be significant when weight gain is one of your symptoms. These two tests can indicate your blood sugar levels and the insulin response and can help individualize dietary recommendations to stabilize blood sugar.
BONUS: Transvaginal Ultrasound (TVUS)
An ultrasound can show if cysts are present on your ovaries. They are present in a majority of PCOS cases and would be worth performing particularly if you are experiencing difficulty conceiving and are without symptoms of PCOS. Some women do have multiple cysts and blood work out of range without symptoms. This is definitely more rare but worth ruling out if you’ve been trying to get pregnant for some time.
I also often like to see results from cortisol testing to see how your circadian rhythm and stress response is doing. The health of your adrenals, and really your entire hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (basically the communication from your brain to your adrenals), has so much to do with whether your body is effectively signaling you to ovulate and have regular periods.
Finally, if you do end up being diagnosed with PCOS, know there is so much more to be done to reverse your PCOS beyond getting on birth control pills. When the underlying cause of your PCOS is addressed, you can actually start to heal rather than just addressing the symptoms.
If you’re interested in learning more about my approach, book a 15 minute discovery call now.
5 Natural Treatments for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
A diagnosis of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis generally means supplemental thyroid hormone will be needed long-term but there are absolutely things you could be doing to reduce your antibody levels and keep you on the lowest possible dose necessary to feel well.
A diagnosis of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis generally means supplemental thyroid hormone will be needed long-term but there are absolutely things you could be doing to reduce your antibody levels and keep you on the lowest possible dose necessary to feel well.
#1 Selenium
Selenium plays an important role in the production of thyroid hormone as well as in many aspects of the immune system. That is why even a mild selenium deficiency can contribute to increased antibody levels. Selenium status can be improved simply by consuming 2-3 Brazil nuts each day. So simple!
#2 Get Good Sleep
Sleep sets the foundation for all of our physiological rhythms. The thyroid, like all of our endocrine glands, releases hormones at a different rate during different times of the day and in different situations. We also do a majority of our healing at night, which means if sleep is disturbed the potential for healing is greatly reduced, if not eliminated. By establishing a strong foundation of sleep, the endocrine and immune systems can begins to rebalance and heal.
#3 Release and Reframe Your Stress
Building stress release into daily life is an important means of bringing the body into a more parasympathetic (rest and digest) state. Stress is an inevitable part of modern life and it is how we deal with our stress that will effect our health the most. Meditation, walking, deep breathing and allowing for rest are my favorite ways of managing stress. Although learning to release stress is important, I also like to remind people that stress is not always a bad thing. It enables us to address the task at hand. Simply viewing your stress as a purposeful tool can reduce the harmful effects of stress on our physiology.
#4 Reduce Your Exposure to Hormone Disruptors
Even though we talk about the thyroid as an isolated glad, it is part of a greater whole within the endocrine system. The thyroid is most directly linked to the adrenal glands and the sex glands (ovaries/testes) so anything that effects those other these organs also effects the thyroid. I’m mostly talking about hormone disruptors as substances that mimic estrogen in the body. The list of hormone disruptors that are a part of most people’s lives every day is astounding. So many chemicals are allowed into our homes, onto our skin, in the air we breathe, and in the food we eat. The most effective ways of reducing daily exposures to chemicals is by eating organic, whole foods, drinking filtered water, and utilizing skin care and cleaning products that are chemical-free. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a couple wonderful platforms, Skin Deep and Dirty Dozen, to help make the world of chemical avoidance so much easier.
#5 Heal Your Childhood Trauma
The thyroid matures when a child is between 4 and 7 years old. Any trauma experienced during that time can affect how well the thyroid gland functions for the rest of one’s life. Traumas are can be anything that your nervous system wasn't not prepared to handle at the time and can include things like moving, the death of a friend or family member, abuse or being teased or bullied at school. Addressing the lasting effects of childhood traumas can be an incredible way of supporting the body to heal itself. Homeopathy is my favorite of gently supporting a person’s release of long-held trauma, no matter how significant. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapy and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) can also be helpful in this process.