HORMONES/INFERTILITY
Overcoming PCOS, Insulin Resistance and Hypothyroidism
Megan began her health journey at age 19, with a diagnosis of PCOS. Desperate for help, she visited her GYN, and was given a Rx for oral contraceptives. She felt horrible on the pill so that didn't last too long. No relief to be found. Fast forward a few years, Megan and her husband attempted to get pregnant—5 years, no baby and no birth control. She became depressed and had debilitating anxiety. At one point she was on 8 prescription medications. She cried out to God for relief. Soon after, she met a new physician at a Melaleuca meeting (a company that specializes in natural household and personal care products that she now works for) and started seeing her soon after. THIS CHANGED EVERYTHING.
The physician helped her discover that in addition to the PCOS, she also had insulin resistance and hypothyroidism (specifically Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an Autoimmune disease). With the help of the doc, Megan began a detox program to jumpstart the recovery process from the stress her body had undergone previously. She began eating a nutrient-dense paleo diet, with a focus on eating 9-15 servings of veggies a day!!! Thats A LOT of veggies!! She has added in Brazil nuts and seaweed chips for an increase in selenium and naturally occurring iodine. She has switched her cleaning products and personal care products to more natural, less hormone disruptive products which she believes is a huge factor. Incredibly, she has been able to discharge from 7 of her 8 meds in a short period!
After 10 years with PCOS, she no longer has that diagnoses, nor insulin resistance!!! She has no symptoms of hypothyroidism at this time either. Megan and her husband are thrilled to be expecting their second baby girl without the help of ANY MEDICATION later this year. She continues to be under the care of her Functional Medicine Doc, Dr. Betsy Buchert, Naturopath, Robin Kirby and also a Chiropractor.
Natalie Conquered PCOS and Adult Acne
"I was about 25 and things just started to shift for me physically. The most apparent was on my face! I know, so sad! I broke out with the worst adult acne. It started slow and then came full on and covered most of my cheeks. I also hit a wall with my energy around 3 PM every single day! Not just the usual, I need a cup of coffee tired, no! I was full on falling asleep at my desk, behind the wheel of a car, it didn't matter... I was a very certain kind of tired. I went to an endocrinologist and asked for blood work to be done. Everything looked fine on paper "supposedly" and he gave me the diagnose of PCOS stating that it's kind of undefinable but basically a cluster of symptoms that gets terms PCOS. Facial hair on women, irregular periods, the fatigue, adult acne... I fit "most" of the criteria and so he gave me some meds and sent me home. Up to that point in life I had only been on a medication for anxiety after both my parents had passed (when I was 20) and couldn't be around social situations without wanting to run and hide. SO, to commit to any type of medicine was a big deal for me but I knew I needed something. When your face looks like a pepperoni pizza, you will try anything. Soo, I started the Metformin. You will love it he said. You will lose extra pounds on it he said... NO! Within the first couple of days I threw up or went home to lay in bed because it made me feel a special kind of awful. I made an appt to go see the Doctor again... I asked him if I could change my diet to help with this insulin resistance I was supposedly having or take a supplement. He looked me dead in the face and said, "if that's what you want to do I am not the doctor for you". And that was the day I took my health into my own hands. If a "doctor" didn't want to help me line up a protocol that worked for his patient then I needed to find a new doctor. Which I ended up doing.
In the meantime I researched everything I could on PCOS and Insulin Resistance. I immediately did everything I read about-- eating small frequent meals instead of skipping breakfast and then eating a big lunch and having a crash. I combined every carb food with a fat or protein to help my body utilize it better and slower. I took a supplement blend that was made for PCOS sufferers. I started exercising more regularly and I lessened, not omitted, dairy from my diet. It took about 3 months to start feeling better but honestly, it came and has never come back! I literally watched my face clear up to no pimples or redness. I lost extra weight effortlessly. It's as if my body was running the way it should have been all those years. I felt like a new person. All because I changed the way I ate, lived and some supplements that helped with my hormones. (Insulin is a hormone so they are all interconnected) I was so thankful and I haven't regretted taking my health into my own hands."
Natalie's protocol consisted of pregnenolone and a proprietary blend of herbs, vitamins and Myo-Inositol supplement, under the supervision of her physician. Natalie now has two beautiful baby boys (sometimes difficult to conceive with PCOS) and runs a photography business showcasing people living their best lives! Check out her work at nataliesmiller.com.