The Drs: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Fertility & Natural Remedies

The Doctors: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

A woman named Shavi reported experiencing weight gain, acne, and even hair loss. She missed her periods for two years, and eventually her doctor diagnosed her with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. This is a common condition for women, and Shavi ended up taking a variety of medications to manage her symptoms.

The Doctors: PCOS

Now she is concerned about fertility and wants to know what she can do to to cut down on her medication so she can think about having a baby one day. Shavi joined Dr. Lisa Masterson in the studio for answers to her questions.

The Drs: PCOS & Fertility

Dr. Lisa explained that this is a major cause of infertility, and it can also lead to Insulin Resistance. Your hormones all affect one another in a loop.

She said that normally during ovulation, an egg is picked up by the Fallopian Tube, where it hangs out while waiting to be fertilized. If that doesn’t happen, the Uterus sheds.

But with PCOS, your hormones surge and get out of balance. You end up not ovulating, which is why cysts show up on an ultrasound, giving the condition its name.

The Doctors: PCOS Natural Remedies

Dr. Lisa said you can do some things to improve your chances of fertility, such as weight management, which helps fight Insulin Resistance. Exercise and diet can bring your ovulation back, which is a major gain against PCOS.

You can trade your birth control pills for medication that can stimulate ovulation. Dr. Lisa said PCOS hormones will ebb as you age, which can also help with fertility.

The Drs: Stress Fractures & Hormones

Beth is a 45-year-old runner who runs 25 to 30 miles each week. She started to notice some foot pain, and her doctor discovered she had a stress fracture in her foot. She broke her middle toe, which her doctor said was an abnormal spot, causing him to investigate further for a possible cause.

Beth had her vitamin levels evaluated for early signs of Osteoporosis. Her doctor referred her to an Endocrinologist to check her hormones, which can get out of whack because of intense exercise.

The Doctors: Hormones & Osteoporosis

Dr. Travis Stork said most people wouldn’t connect broken bones to hormones. Beth and her Endocrinologist, Dr. Katja Van Herle, appeared in the studio to talk more about this situation.

“Estrogen in women is the primary way we build bone density,” Dr. Van Herle said. A woman’s bone strength peaks at age 30, and tapers off over time. She found that Beth’s hormone levels were normal, and she is still pre-menopausal.

She explained that hormones are proteins your body’s organs naturally produce. These target various receptors, causing biological responses that signal everything your body does. Dr. Travis said it’s important to maintain appropriate levels of all the body’s hormones.

Beth’s referring physician, Dr. Philip Radovic, was in the audience to explain that doing vitamin workups and analyzing hormones can help when dealing with unexpected or unexplained fractures such as Beth’s.