Polycystic ovary syndrome
Symptoms, diet tips & advice
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder affecting women, and recent studies show that it affects up to one in five Australian women of childbearing age.
So what is PCOS?
The condition affects how a woman’s ovaries work, and the syndrome is associated with problems such as irregular menstrual cycles, excessive hair growth, acne, obesity, reduced fertility and an increased risk of diabetes.
What are the symptoms?
- Irregular menstrual cycles menstruation may be less or more frequent due to less frequent ovulation (production of an egg)
- Amenorrhoea (no periods) some women with PCOS do not menstruate, in some cases for many years
- Excessive hair growth and acne possibly due to increased testosterone
- Scalp hair loss
- Reduced fertility (difficulty in becoming pregnant) related to less frequent or absent ovulation
- Mood changes including anxiety and depression
- Obesity
How does it affect your quality of life?
Sophie Henley, 25, was diagnosed with PCOS in 2011 after months of feeling not quite like herself.
“I had severe mood swings, and felt very lethargic. Dark hair started to grow on my face, and I gained a lot of weight in a very short time. My self-confidence really suffered, and even though I was eating healthily and exercising daily, nothing helped,” she recalls.
Things soon spiralled from bad to worse.
“I was having intense abdominal pains, but as I was used to having ovarian pain, I thought nothing of it. But then the pain got so intense, I couldn’t go to the bathroom without screaming. That’s when I knew I had to go see my GP,” she says.
Sophie’s GP sent her straight for a pelvic ultrasound, and he found a dermoid cyst that was over nine centimetres in size on her right ovary, and severe PCOS on both ovaries. Sophie was rushed to surgery.
“I ended up losing my right ovary, and was diagnosed with a five per cent chance of losing my left ovary to the same cyst growth down the track. A specialist who was treating me urged me to get my PCOS under control immediately so I could save my remaining ovary and start freezing my eggs to ensure I could have children in the future,” she says.
Regaining control
Sophie was prescribed Metformin to get her insulin levels under control, because women with PCOS produce high levels of insulin, which causes the ovaries to make too much testosterone. A high level of insulin and testosterone interferes with the normal development of follicles in the ovaries, which causes problems with ovulation. The high insulin levels also lead towards weight gain, and the increased testosterone levels cause excess hair growth on the body and thinning of the scalp.
After six weeks of treatment, Sophie decided she wanted to try and manage her PCOS with diet and exercise.
“I hated the idea of taking tablets every day when I knew I could control this through what I was putting in my mouth and the life choices I was making,” she says.
Sophie contacted her aunt, who is a certified dietitian, to help her adjust her lifestyle to manage her condition.
“She gave me a lot of reading material, so I completely understood what I was dealing with. I started keeping a food diary, and based on that, my aunty guided me to what I should stay clear of, what I should be adding to my diet and what else I should be doing,” Sophie says.
Sophie learnt that a diet consisting of low-GI foods, and eating regularly throughout the day helped control her PCOS.
“I stayed away from anything refined and processed, and everything I ate was fresh, leafy and chemical free. I made sure I was eating high-fibre foods regularly as fibre controls the rise in blood sugar levels, and is good for digestion,” she says.
The main aim when trying to control PCOS with your diet is to regulate your blood sugar levels by regulating your insulin. The higher your blood spikes are, the harder your pancreas has to work, which then has a domino effect on your hormones, causing the majority of the symptoms.
Combining protein and carbs helps regulate the blood sugar spike, and by maintaining the spikes, your pancreas doesn’t have to work as hard and therefore hopefully making you less susceptible to diabetes, which can be one of the long-term effects of PCOS.
“Exercising is so important as well – for your insulin and creating endorphins, when you have all of those symptoms going on,” Sophie says.
Once her PCOS was under control and there were no signs of follicles, Sophie started her first round of egg freezing.
“I did two rounds when I was 23 years old, and I now have 22 eggs frozen. It’s a massive relief because I know if something does go wrong, I am still able to have children,” she says.
Fast forward two-and-a-half years, and not only is Sophie’s PCOS under control, but she is as fit as a fiddle, and thanks to her healthy and balanced diet, her immune system has had a boost.
“I used to suffer from pneumonia, pericarditis, infected fallopian tubes and it was always a mystery to doctors why I was so sick. But through healthy eating and a balanced diet, I have strengthened my immune system and I haven’t been sick for two years!” she says.
“Although I’m still battling the weight issues and constantly having to monitor my PCOS, I feel so much better,” she says.
In November last year, Sophie wanted to take all that she had learnt about nutrition to good use and share it, so she opened Henley’s Wholefoods in Bondi Junction, Sydney’s boutique organic and wholefoods café, which has already attracted fans such as Path to Wellness blogger Melissa Ambrosini, Jess Ainscough, The Wellness Warrior, and trainer Luke Hines.
“I want people to understand that food is so much more than something to fill you up, it can massively improve your health and wellbeing – and even heal you,” she says.
*Please note that having regular check-ups with your GP is vital if you have been diagnosed with PCOS, and this article is not advocating against taking medicines.
NEXT: Foods to help manage PCOS
