I have PCOS & weight gain problems. I want my periods back to regulate my weight.

Hi Kat,

Thanks for your question.  We do not only treat fertility issues at Acubalance but general gynaecology as well.  So no worries, your questions regarding PCOS are welcomed here.  Actually, one of the main strategies when treating fertility issues using a Chinese medicine approach is to regulate the menstrual cycle.  So we have a lot of experience treating women diagnosed with endometriosis, PCOS, anovulation and mid cycle bleeding/ spotting.  Some trying to coneceive some like yourself just wanting to have healthy menstual cycles.

I am sorry you missed our talk on PCOS.  Dr Jerilynn Prior was very informative.  Her web site, contain a wealth of information.  We hope to eventually put up some of the video and mp3 clips from the talks but no date is set yet.  We will be offering the PCOS talk as well as others on gynecology, fertility and pregnancy care in the near future, both in Vancouver and near our satellite clinic in Langley.  We will be listing them on our community events calendar. In the meantime I will share some information below as well as direct you to a post on the Acubalance site about naturally treating PCOS.  

You had some specific questions about the birth control pill and clomid.  Here is some basic information for  you to consider and to bring up when discussing options with your MD.

Birth control pill

Benefits

• Gives predictable withdrawal bleeding
• Reduce male hormones, improving acne and hirsutism
• Provide reliable contraception

Side effects

• It can increase insulin resistance
• It can increase blood glucose (sometimes by up to 19%)
• It increases the risk of diabetes by 60%
• It can increase the creation of clots

There are many other options available to you that can provide the same positive results of the pill without the unwanted side effect you have experienced.s.  It is my understanding that the pill actually aggravates insulin resistance which is already an issue with PCOS.  Plus it is not a cure...eventually all the symptoms will return after being off the pill.

Clomid

Like the pill, it is not a cure for PCOS but a strategy to over ride your body to help force an ovulation.  It is an option if you are trying to get pregnant but not if you are looking to have your cycles restored or weight loss.  There are many health risks to both mom and baby if you have PCOS.  Clomid does not correct this.  Clomid can only help you ovulate so the health risk and possibly poor egg quality can still be present.
You mentioned having your period would help you lose weight.  It is more the other way around.  Losing weight can help bring back your menses.  Sometimes just 5% loss in body weight can help your cycle return.  Unfortunately, part of the metabolic disorder associated with PCOS is insulin resistance and this can make both exercise difficult and weight loss challenging. 

Below are some natural approaches to help you increase your insulin sensitivity, lose weight, stop the facial hair growth and help you ovulate on a regular basis. Weight loss will become easier as the metabolic disorder begins to reverse.  I will summarise them here.  You can go to the post for more information on each one

1. Acubalance fertility diet
2. Exercise - even walking if that is all you can do right now
3. Acupuncture - electro acupuncture (EA) given almost daily has been shown to regulate the hypothalamus pituitary ovarian axis and the hypothalamus adrenal axis.  This means it can help regulate cortisol levels (stress hormone) and regulate the menses.  Studies have shown EA helps with weight loss, reduce appetite and lower ovarian weight and cyst.  At Acubalance we recommend a minimum of two treatments per week and it is ideal to receive 3-4 per week until you ovulate.  Most of the women I see now for PCOS come in 4 times per week during the first 3-4 months of treatment.
4. Chinese herbal formulas.  I prefer Chinese herbs over supplements because herbs fall into the category of whole foods where supplements are isolated active ingredients.  It is the old saying; the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  Supplements can be beneficial but eating a whole food mostly plant based diet that is also a low glycemic diet trumps supplements.  And herbs that and not isolated active ingredients but concentrates of the whole herb also trumps supplements in my opinion.
5. Supplements – I have listed some on the post called "let’s talk about PCOS".   In this post I list some supplements to help regulate blood sugar as well as some to help lower excessive androgen (male hormones) levels.  Remember dietis the best option and next his herbs in my opinion.

Dr Jerilynn Prior likes to use cyclical bio identical progesterone to help regulate the cycle.  She also recommends a few drugs to help lower elevated androgens (cause acne, thinning head hair, anovulation and excessive body hair).  

I hope this is helpful. Good luck.

Lorne Brown, DR TCM, FABORM
Founder, Clinical Director
Acubalance Wellness Center

• Attend an Acubalance fertility information seminar for a  First-Step Orientation
• Read recent forum - click here
• Acubalance Fertility Diet - Click here

Hi Dr. Lorne,

First, I'd like to thank you so very much for answering my question with so much detail and useful information. I have taken your response and your valuable advice to heart. 

For the last 2 weeks I have strictly kept to the Acubalance Fertility Diet (Low GI foods) and have been going to the gym 3-4 times a week. At the gym I have been doing an extensive weight training regimen with a focus on the upper body, as you have advised. After 40 minutes of that, I followed it up with 20 minutes of high-speed running on the tread mill (cardio work as you advised) and finally finishing with 10 minutes of ab work and 5 minutes of stretching. I have also taken daily women multivitamins for the supplements you advised. 

And today I have gotten my period after 8 months of NOTHING!!!

I'm so happy! I'm ECSTATIC!!!!

I think what really made a difference for me was the focus of true low GI foods as they helped me with my insulin resistance. Of course, the 1.5hr gym work outs and supplements helped too, but the understanding the how insulin affected me and my body was of paramount importance. Plus, I lost close to 2 lbs which is not a lot due to how much muscle I have put on, especially in the upper body. I did tone up quite well so far and I plan on continuing on this path of diet, exercise and supplements as long as it helps me!

I will still be attending the Fertility Seminar tomorrow to see what else will be said about PCOS and if there is anything else I can learn about this condition and how best to deal with it.

THANK YOU!!! 

Sincerely,

'ecstatic' richmondkat :) 

A study I just read shows that women with PCOS have an enhanced reaction to stress when compared to women with no health conditions.  This shows the importance of finding effective stress management techniques (i.e. acupuncture, meditation, nature...) in women with PCOS, or the likelyhood of continued ovulatory disturbances, heart risks, diabetes, and weight gain stays high.