PCOSgurl's Guide to PCOS

  Time of the month - TOTM LIVING WITH PCOS: MY STORY Written by  Ashley Levinson, PCOSgurl (Guest)   Ashley Levinson has been a PCOS Awareness Advocate for over 22 years, serving her mission to bring more awareness to a syndrome that affects so many. She has served as an executive and advisor to many PCOS and Women’s Health Organizations. She has made multiple appearances including Discovery Health Mystery Diagnosis, Woman’s World, Fox News and Glamour Magazine as a finalist for 2008 Woman of the Year. Her other achievements include: WEGO #HAAwards Best of Twitter and  2016 and 2021 Ricardo Azziz PCOS Challenge Advocacy Leadership Award.   Where It all began: At age 13, I had menstrual irregularities that were quite significant. So much so that I was taken to an OBGYN (obstetrician-gynaecologist). I was afraid and unaware. He said many girls combat menstrual irregularities and some need help so, at age 13 I was put on birth control pills. Throughout the du...

Author: Ashley Levinson CMA,CST, CSFA Social Media: @PCOSgurl Since PCOS is an endocrine syndrome, hormones are majorly involved in diagnosis, symptoms and figuring out appropriate treatment. The following is a breakdown of sine of the hormones that can be involved with PCOS. LH/FSH  LH (Lutenizing Hormone) FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) The hormones that trigger ovulation While many women with PCOS still have LH (Lutenizing Hormone) and FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) within normal range, their LH level is often two or three times that of the FSH level. This situation is called an elevated LH to FSH ratio or a ratio of 3:1. This change in the LH to FSH ratio is enough to disrupt ovulation. While this used to be considered an important aspect in diagnosing PCOS, it is now considered less useful in diagnosing PCOS, but is still helpful when looking at the overall picture. Testosterone All females assigned at birth have testosterone in their bodies. There are two me...

There are THOUSANDS of reasons we need to STAND UP, SPEAK UP AND FIGHT for #PCOS There have literally been generations of patients ignored, dismissed, unheard, undiagnosed and unsupported but, this is changing!!! Over 42,000 people have signed our PCOS Petition at Change.org which means there us a true need for change!!!! PCOS Challenge  has been at the forefront of change for our community and for the past 4 years has given patients, providers, celebrities and influencers like you and me a chance to be part of this change. For real impact to occur our #legislators need to hear the voices of our community. When we join #pcosadvocacyday  this gives us the opportunity to DIRECTLY tell #Congress members and their staff why #pcos matters and why they need to invest in funding for research, education and more awareness!! We are currently at 21% or 1 in 5 worldwide and up to 70% are estimated to be undiagnosed!!! We receive less than 0.1% of government funding WORLDWIDE for all the ...

  Tips for stress free holidays with #PCOS With chronic illness like #PCOS getting through the holidays can be taxing especially when others dont understand your illness. We often go through each day as most people do and because most symptoms of pcos are not evident to people, they dont think you are sick because you dont look sick.  So, when symptoms flare up, people dont realize we're in pain or have devastating fatigue, so bad that we can't cook and shop in the same day. Because what we deal with seems invisible to most, we need to ensure we have a plan in place for self-care, open communication and minimizing stress through the holidays... There are little things you can do to help get through the holidays, while enjoying the holidays at tge same time!! Plan it out... To keep your insulin levels on track carry snacks and water while shopping and traveling, this helps stabilize your metabolism and keep your blood sugar and ultimately keeps insulin levels in check with...

Twas the week before #Christmas and to my dismay my #pcos was trying to ruin my day.  As much as I prepared and tried to be merry, Things came to mind to bother me very  With the holidays ever so near PCOS has me cringing in fear... Can I eat carbs or get in a nap Have some wine or beer on tap.  Will my hormones cooperate And allow me to eat what's on my plate  Will I be watched like a Hawk Or endure the endless baby talk  Will my symptoms all be seen Will family be nice or mean  Then I remembered a little gem This is about me, not about them  So I will have my piece of pie without who, what or why  I will have my glass of wine For a jolly holiday time  I'll give myself a day to relax Enjoying people and little snacks  I'll be alright if I cheat Enjoying the day, not in retreat  Oh no PCOS the grinch you are not And therefore you'll be put to a stop  Remember no matter what your head says, with this syndrome you deserve a few d...

  Getting through the day with #PCOS  With chronic illness like #PCOS getting through the day can be taxing especially when others dont understand your illness.  Because what we deal with seems invisible to most, we need to ensure we have a plan in place for self-care, open communication and minimizing stress....  There are little things you can do to help get through the day.  Plan it out...  To keep your insulin levels on track carry snacks and water while working, shopping and traveling, this helps stabilize your metabolism and keep your blood sugar and ultimately keeps insulin levels in check with #PCOS  Give yourself me time....  Shopping, schedules and obligations can make our stress levels sky rocket.. Stress can cause inflammation which can exacerbate symptoms of #PCOS find time to decompress to alleviate stress with music, a cup of herbal tea or your favorite movie!!  Know your limitations...  Communicate with friends and family...

Your Family history plays an important role in your #PCOS diagnosis! Author: Ashley Levinson TWITTER/IG: @PCOSgurl The cause of #PCOS is unknown. But, #genetics, could play a role. PCOS tends to run in families; it is important to ask about family history as there are often genetic markers beyond PCOS that may indicate a predisposition to a woman having PCOS such as #diabetes, #cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, hypertension and impaired glucose tolerance. Women who have a first-degree relative (a sister, mother or daughter) with #PCOS have a 35 to 40%  chance of developing the condition.In fact, some believe if a mother has PCOS and her daughter is showing signs of it, she should be evaluated by her pediatrician or by an endocrinologist for the syndrome. But, its not just daughters, the sons of women with #PCOS tend to have a greater risk for obesity and diabetes, which are complications of PCOS. Men can also inherit the genetic abnormality that in ...

  PCOS and Hormonal Dandruff ( seborrheic dermatitis) Author: Ashley Levinson Social Media @PCOSgurl Although the symptoms of  PCOS  can differ from woman to woman seborrheic dermatitis  is considered to be a marker for this disorder Increased androgen levels can be responsible for acne, male pattern baldness, acanthosis nigricans, hirsutism, skin tags and  dandruff  ( seborrheic dermatitis ). Hormone imbalance (excess androgens) can play a role in causing  dandruff ( seborrheic dermatitis ) The imbalance causes sebum to break down into irritants like oleic acid These imbalances have been shown to cause dandruff in teens and adults alike. Initial appearance of symptoms usually comes at the time of adolescence when hormonal changes take place. The subaceous oil glands tend to work overtime. The oil production occurs as a result of hormonal increase, mainly in the male androgen hormones (testosterone). This imbalance causes greasier skin and scalp, ...

  D. Cardoza - My Life with PCOS My Life with PCOS D. Cardoza Since the day I hit puberty at 14, I somehow knew I would have fertility issues, though at the time I had no idea why.  My cycles have always been very irregular and I had facial hair.  Being of German ancestry, I just assumed the facial hair was normal. It wasn’t till years later that I came across a short article in Woman’s World, I believe, that talked about PCOS and some symptoms.  And those symptoms fit me!  I went to my internist who ran some tests.  While the tests didn’t support a PCOS diagnosis, my doctor believed I did have it due to my symptoms.  I was thin, young, and didn’t know much so the only thing I did about my symptoms was go for laser hair removal, which didn’t wind up working, so I went back to shaving my face every morning.  Boy, does that make a woman feel feminine. I honestly didn’t give it much thought for many years. ...

  PCOS and Diabetes..... The Rise of an Epidemic Author: Ashley Levinson Twitter: @pcosgurl November 20, 2016 Many are unaware of what PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is, let alone it is one of the biggest contributing causes to Diabetes today! PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is an endocrine disorder affecting between 10-20% of patients worldwide with less than half knowing they are living with it. Many associate PCOS as a gynecological issue as many manifestations affect a woman's menstruation, ovulation and fertility.  PCOS, while it is the leading cause of infertility is however a metabolic syndrome affecting multiple systems in the body.  What PCOS is, and what it does to patients who have it, is complicated to explain as symptoms and severity of the syndrome can vary from person to person. Some of the classic symptoms are drastic weight gain, hair loss, depression, fatigue, thyroid problems, high cholesterol, panic attacks, headaches, dizzy spells, poor memory or...

   PCOS and Infertility: What to do When Your Body Won’t Mind You! PCOS and Infertility: What to do When Your Body Won’t Mind You! Guest Post by: Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. Everyone’s telling you to “just relax and you’ll get pregnant,”    or “take a vacation and it’ll happen.”    Isn’t that a huge pressure, besides the basic fact that getting pregnant hasn’t proven to be so easy for you, because you’ve got PCOS?     Getting pregnant can be so frustrating when it involves medical procedures, carefully timed intercourse, self-tests and monitoring, medication, and the like.    The good news is, even when it seems like your body just won’t do what you want it to do, there are relatively simple and inexpensive things you can do on your own to support yourself in your fertility journey. If you’ve been dealing with infertility for a while, you’ve likely tried or at least considered some alternative medicine or holistic health practices that...

PCOS and Infertility:  Misconceptions about Conception Guest Post By Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), Naturopathic Doctor As a naturopathic doctor, I frequently get emails from women diagnosed with PCOS from all over the world, desperately seeking my help to conceive.  While my naturopathic license prevents me from giving advice to people that I haven’t seen in person and done a full first assessment with, I wanted to dispel some myths and provide some words of encouragement for women with PCOS who want to have children. 1. It can be done!  Many newly diagnosed women with PCOS are fearful that they may never be able to bear children. PCOS clearly presents some difficulties for women who are trying to conceive.  There are different “types” of PCOS, some will make conception more difficult than others.  What each of the different PCOS types has in common, is absent, irregular or inconsistent ovulation.  Obviously to conceive, one has...

  ACUPUNCTURE Uses needles and techniques to penetrate the skin to rid pain or problem caused by a blockage in the flow of vital energy in the body Acupuncture for PCOS uses needles placed along the acupuncture meridians related to the reproductive system. This helps stimulate the organs, improve blood flow, normalizes hormone levels and promotes the proper functioning of the reproductive system. PCOS Acupuncture leads to a decreased release of luteinizing hormone (LH) leads to a decrease in the release of (andogens) male hormones from the ovaries.  #acupuncture reduces high levels of testosterone and can lead to more regular #menstruation acupuncture for PCOS can impact beta-endorphin production, which may affect gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion Acupuncture gor PCOS helps regulate the follicle stimulation hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone ( LH) and androgens. Acupuncture for PCOS can increase insulin sensitivity and decrease blood glucose and insulin le...

  #PCOS certainly has a long history and goes further back then most realize! We have certainly come a long way but so much more needs to be done! Its interesting to see how perceptions and care have changed over time but our work is far from done... Check out the history of PCOS going all the way back to ancient times to help bring more understanding to this still relatively dismissed and overlooked syndrome GOING BACK IN TIME WITH PCOS 2020 Cases of pcos continue to rise with cases now affecting up to 21% in some countries making statistics now 1 in 5, as opposed to old statistics of 1 in 10 Less than 0.1% of government funding is invested in the research of PCOS Up to 70% of patients with pcos remain undiagnosed There is no cure for PCOS There is no known cause of PCOS Definitions of pcos still focus mostly on reproductive aged women only 2017 ACEM includes insulin resistance as diagnostic criteria to be considered Insulin resistance has been noted consistently amo...