I Think I Have PCOS… Now What?
By Lia Zalvin
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, otherwise known as PCOS, is, essentially, a hormonal imbalance that affects 5-10% of women in the United States who are of childbearing age. Our team at Clarity Counseling Center is here to help you understand more about this syndrome. Learn more and reach out to us today to find the counseling Wilmington, NC relies on.
What exactly does “hormone imbalance” mean? In short, it means the essential hormones circulating throughout your body — which help regulate things like a menstrual period, mood, hair and skin health, and metabolism — are not operating as they should be. The evidence of these imbalances in your body can be seen in multiple ways, and not every woman with PCOS displays the same symptoms. However, if you’re wondering if you have PCOS, here are some of the most common symptoms:
- Missing or late periods
- Acne located primarily on the chin and jawline
- Unwanted hair growth in areas such as the face, abdomen, and lower back
- Weight gain followed by difficulty losing weight, regardless of diet or exercise
- Hair loss on head
- Mood swings
- Infertility
Each of these symptoms has a direct link to a hormone that is either being produced in excess (i.e., an overabundance of testosterone leading to excess hair growth) or deficiently (i.e., insufficient estrogen and progesterone to regulate a proper menstrual cycle).
There is no cure for PCOS, but there are ways to manage the symptoms and take back control of your body. Mainly, those ways involve lifestyle change, such as what you eat and how you exercise, coupled with supplementation (vitamins, herbs, and other natural supplements) to help give your body what it needs to help restore balance. In order to know which changes you need to make in your life, the first step after being properly diagnosed is to identify the root cause of your specific PCOS. This is where each woman’s PCOS becomes more individualized, as not every supplement or diet change will work for every woman. In order to start the process of determining your root cause, click on the following link to read an article written by The Hormone Dietitian, “What is the root cause of PCOS?”, and take the quiz.
To say that PCOS is simply a hormonal imbalance does not fully encompass all that it means to actually live with this syndrome. Living with PCOS can be difficult, and at times, you may feel isolated or frustrated by a lack of results in controlling the symptoms, despite your efforts. It can make something like trying to conceive, which should be fun and exciting, into a long, drawn-out process that seems to come with more questions than answers. It may even make you feel like you’re fighting a losing battle. PCOS can take an enormous toll on the mental health of the women living with this syndrome, and that is why our team at Clarity Counseling Center is thrilled that PCOS is finally being talked about and normalized more frequently. Women who live with PCOS need to know that they are not alone; there are resources out there to help them reach their goals, and that what they are feeling is 100% normal.
If you have recently been diagnosed, or even if you’ve known that you have PCOS for years, here are some amazing resources (both local to Wilmington and remote) to help you along in this journey:
Clare Goodwin, RN (Instagram: @thepcosnutritionist, Podcast: The PCOS Nutritionist). Clare is a registered nutritionist from New Zealand who has dedicated her life to helping women all around the world take back control of their bodies through treating and healing their root cause of PCOS. Her detailed and helpful book, Getting Pregnant with PCOS, dives into just about every option available for women who are trying to conceive.
Sole Fitness (Wilmington, NC) is a fantastic gym owned by Kathryn Benko, who uses her past struggles with an eating disorder to turn a typical gym environment, which can be filled with self-hate or punishment through exercise, into a community of “shameless living” and appreciation/acceptance of our bodies. Women with PCOS have specific needs when it comes to properly exercising their bodies (think more strength, less cardio!), and Sole Fitness provides the perfect space to strengthen your muscles while also accepting your body just as it is.
Katie Bressack, Alternative and Holistic Health coach (Instagram: @katiebressack). Katie operates out of Los Angeles but is able to work 100% remotely with her clients. She takes a holistic approach to women’s hormonal health and is supportive, informative, and helpful. Katie comes alongside her clients and meets them where they are.
Clarity Counseling Center, Lia Zalvin (LMFT-A). Lia is passionate about helping women who have been diagnosed with PCOS. Lia’s expertise on the subject can bring clarity to the confusion you may be experiencing about your diagnosis and help you deal with the symptoms. She also understands and recognizes the shame you may be feeling surrounding your diagnosis, fear that you may never be able to get pregnant, your frustration when remedies repeatedly yield no results. Click here to read Lia’s bio. You can also schedule an appointment to talk with Lia through her bio.
If there’s one thing you take away from this blog post, please let it be this: You are not alone in your PCOS journey. Our team at Clarity Counseling Center is here for you, and we want to help you. Reach out to us to find treatment from the counseling Wilmington, NC relies on.
References
Groves, M. (2020, July 21). What is the root cause of PCOS? The Hormone Dietitian.
https://thehormonedietitian.com/root-cause-of-pcos/
John Hopkins Medicine. Conditions & Diseases: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos
Mayo Clinic. Diseases & Conditions: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pcos/symptoms-causes/syc-20353439
Penn Medicine. (2020, March 18). 5 myths about polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/fertility-blog/2020/march/five-myths-about-pcos
