Brilliant PCOS Website

by T J
(London, UK)

Dear PCOS crew,

I would first like to say that you have such a brilliant , brilliant ..... BRILLIANT website !!!

I was compelled to write to you !

Ever since been diagnosed with PCOS when I was around 18 . I was soooo panicked at the time and was looking for websites with natural alleviation methods & sufficient information on PCOS. And yes ok ... I was looking for the CURE too. But I was found highly disappointed. Not until I came across your website. Which has been such a relief for me.

The fact that you look at natural ways of easing the symptoms of PCOS away.

-You show great case studies.( And gives me hope that medical doctors are still doing research into PCOS and its causes. Because at times you feel really weird & alone in this situation . It really depends on the doctor but sometimes unfortunately If you get a Doctor .... with let’s say a bad bed-side manner .They would typically say : that you just have to "live with it" and not care - and pump yourself with artificial meds to accommodate all the lack of BALANCE in your body.)

- Stories of other ladies

- All the symptoms talked about in detail.

- PCOS Books

- And my most favourite is the NEWSLETTER .. with the best bit being the Up-lifting POSITIVE quotes at the end of the newsletter of well-enlightened beings.

I have a few questions If you don't mind answering:

What has happened with me is, I keep refusing pharmaceutical meds. And so I'm trying the Low GI Diet + a kind of weaning off of gluten food . As I do suspect that too! I have lost a lot of weight for this disease by getting exercise bike & walking. which my endocrinologist was impressed with she said "you've lost 20% of your body weight. " Before I was overweight. Oh, and also positive mental affirmations. I am still working on that ... I have a feeling there is something in that strongly .............

Ooops sorry for digressing .... question one:

I find it quite hard to swallow pills, I have purchased SAW PALMETTO rapid release capsules from a health food store which is 450mg. It says you can open the capsules and put it in hot water / Take two a day .

But It doesn’t look dissolvable. And that must be the Prostate man's dosage.

1) What should be my dosage ? Being 21 yrs old

2) Would it be alright If I open the capsule and put it in some soya milk or cranberry or orange juice ?

3) And lastly what time of day should I have it ? e.g Before or After Breakfast ?

You know I am trying to overcome the hirsutism, oily skin, and spots nonsense, but now right now my hair is thinning out even more. I feel highly DISTRESSED. Family doctor & endocrinologist say the reason being: the weight loss, my iron storage levels are low and then lastly the androgens which wants any excuse not to grow back hair!

4) Do you have any tips for the thinning out hair? Oh god I have a fear that I gonna go bald!

So I was wondering ... as you have looked into the connections with thyroid, maybe you should look into Ferritin levels Anaemia in PCOS women for hair loss.

And gluten allergies or celiac disease too linkages?

I would be highly grateful & appreciative If you could get back to me on these questions asap.

And hopefully If I can get my thoughts together. I going to make a website or Blog on PCOS -- It's just I see so many women suffering with this PCOS. And would just like to help them ..... I hear a calling in it......

Ok.... Then keep up with the great work!

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my e-mail.

Yours gratefully,

T . J, London, UK

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Editor’s comments:

Hi TJ,

Thanks for your very kind words about our website and newsletter! I’m glad you find these resources helpful.

First of all, congratulations on what you’ve achieved so far! We know it’s hard work, but it’s well worth the effort.

It’s important to really understand that, with your diet, you need to go beyond the concept of “low glycemic index” diet. The next level is to reduce the “glycemic load”, which is not the same thing as the glycemic index. The third level is to improve the QUALITY of the carbs and other foods you’re consuming. All of this is discussed in the PCOS diet ebook.

Continue and even increase your level of exercise. Exercise is very important for controlling insulin resistance, which may be partially responsible for your problems.

Regarding saw palmetto, there is no known “correct” dosage for women. So you can try the recommended dosage on the label and see if you get any results. You can break open the capsules and mix the contents with any food. For example, you could mix it in with 1-2 tablespoons of applesauce, or soya milk or whatever you like. It doesn’t matter what time of day you take it.

There are many types of hair loss. The most common type of hair loss for women with PCOS is “androgenetic alopecia”. This type of hair loss is caused primarily by too much dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which causes the hair follicle to shrink. As a result, the hair shaft becomes thinner and eventually falls out. The hair follicle then goes into a resting phase and a new replacement hair shaft is not started.

Saw palmetto is helpful for reducing this type of hair loss because it reduces the conversion of testosterone into the more active DHT. If you can reduce your production of DHT, your hair follicles are less likely to shrink.

There are several other options for female hair loss, which we discuss on our hair loss treatment web page. One of them is l-carnitine, which was shown to aid hair growth in one study.

Iron deficiency anemia can lead to hair loss. Hypothyroidism is another contributor to hair thinning. There are a number of other causes of hair loss , including autoimmune disorders. Some clinicians think that the consumption of gluten grains may contribute to autoimmune disorders.