I was blown away this week guys when I brought up my hormonal acne struggle that stems from my struggle with PCOS. I was blown away for many reasons.. one because you guys cared & two because you wrote in some of the best questions I have ever got about a subject. I was going to answer them all on Instagram, but decided that putting all the questions into a blog post might be way more helpful. So I compiled all the most frequently asked questions about my PCOS & I’m going to answer them here for you guys. I hope this post helps, informs, and gives you a little more insight into not only my struggle with PCOS, but others as well. PCOS has been a huge disrupter in my life and my fertility journey.
How did you find out you had PCOS?
When I was 23 Jose and I made the decision to grow our family. As many do, we thought that when we made the decision that it would happen right away. Well, it didn’t. It took over a year to become pregnant. We found out we were pregnant right before we were going to be seen by a doctor for infertility. We were thrilled! Sadly our pregnancy ended in miscarriage a few weeks after. After that happened we thought we should see a doctor to see if anything was going on with our long time to get pregnant and then with the loss. I went in to an OB and they opted to do an ultrasound to make sure the miscarriage had completed & to check out everything else. While they did the ultrasound they saw that my ovaries were abnormal & showed signs of PCOS. You can see what polycistic ovaries [HERE]. I left that appointment feeling a little sad and a little mad because for my whole life I was told that I didn’t get normal periods because I was underweight and I ran a lot, nope. It’s because I had PCOS and if a doctor would have checked me sooner I could have got it all under control sooner. This is my reminder to parents: If your daughter is not having normal cycles [I got them once a year] that’s not normal and you should bring her in to see a doctor.
Why did you go GF for your PCOS?
My doctor recommended this to me after my third miscarriage to help my PCOS. This is an odd one to talk about for me because my doctor said that going gluten free could assist with the PCOS, but not heal it. Basically gluten is an inflammatory. Here are some words on the subject to help explain it better:
PCOS is a state of inflammation associated with insulin resistance. It has been suggested that daily consumption of wheat products and other related cereal grains may contribute to chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases.4 Women with PCOS have higher markers of inflammation than women without the syndrome. Reducing gluten consumption or avoiding it could potentially lessen inflammation in PCOS, but more research is needed before recommending gluten-free diets to all women with the disease. Read more from this article [HERE]
I have found that since going gluten free my PCOS is in no way healed, my periods are still irregular, but my skin is happier and I’m less bloated. In no way did my doctor say it would heal my PCOS, but help it. I hope this makes sense. I would talk to your doctor about gluten and going gluten free if it interests you or you want to try it.
Did you lose weight going GF?
I did not lose weight going gluten free! In fact I gained weight. I had the wrong mindset when going GF where I thought I could eat more dessert or more pizza since it was GF. WRONG! Often times you have to be really careful when something is GF because it can contain more sugar or other things like that in place of the gluten. Be very vigilant and check the ingredients when buying GF products.
What symptoms do you have from PCOS?
I have always had irregular periods since I hit puberty. I used to think it was neat because once a year in the 7th grade was great! I never was concerned because no one else showed concern.. Back then I didn’t hit 100 pounds until I was 20 so everyone just chalked it up to me being skinny and a runner. They were very wrong, but in their defense there needs to be more research on PCOS so that we are all more aware. I still have irregular periods and after all of our miscarriages my body does something different. This is one thing I’m working on now.
Weight gain has been a big thing for me in the past few years. I have rapidly gained weight with all 10 of our pregnancies & it’s really hard to get off. I have not eliminated anything but gluten from my diet & this is something I want to work on.
Facial hair is a symptom I often battle as many do. I also have very dark hair so this is common I believe.
I have suffered for many years with infertility as many of you know. With PCOS you often suffer from anovulation which is the lack of ovulation. Without ovulating it’s really hard to get pregnant.
How do you manage your PCOS?
Honestly I go through seasons where I nurture my PCOS and really assist my body at taking care of my PCOS symptoms. I have researched PCOS so much and the things that are known to ease PCOS are diet and exercise. Things that work for me in keeping symptoms at bay:
-cutting out sugar – I struggle with sugar intake, but I notice a massive difference in my health when I cut back on my sugar.
-work out – I have a peloton bike I love the ease of the bike and being able to do it at home.
-heavy water intake – When I drink water regularly I notice my cycles are more normal.
-cutting out gluten – This has helped with my breakouts.
What helps your cystic acne from PCOS?
I’m researching this a lot right now, but I contribute my cystic hormonal acne clearing up to two things:
skincare: So my skincare changes, but a few years ago I realized I needed to switch up my skincare to more of a natural routine & this is what started my skin from clearing. Here is the natural skincare that I attribute a lot to [Click HERE]. I share a lot more skincare on my IG randomly, but let me know in my comments if you want to see more here on the blog.
Being gluten free: This is the part that I’m researching right now. I’m currently in the process of getting tested for celiac, gluten sensitivies, & more. BUT I will say that every time I eat gluten I have very bad breakouts so I do attribute my skin to being gluten free.
Are your cycles normal?
Not one bit. They never have been since I got it in the 7th grade. They change after each miscarriage typically.
Is there lab testing that can be done?
Yes! This is of course something to speak to a doctor about, BUT I can tell you what I did. So, I found out I had PCOS through an internal ultrasound when I was 25, but since then I have had many blood tests done. I highly recommend asking your doctor for a hormone panel to see where all of your hormones are at. I also have had a full panel done where vitamins, hormone levels, & more are tested which is a great thing in general to have done to learn more about you and your body.
I also have had many other tests taken for my infertility and miscarriage like genetics testing, dye tests, MTHFR tests, thyroid tests, and more. I would bring all of these up with your doctor if you are struggling with PCOS, Infertility, or miscarriages.
How do you keep your weight under control?
I don’t do this perfectly & I’m no expert. I’m actually quite ashamed at how much weight I have gained the past 5 years. I will get into routines where I bike daily and heat healthy, but then I get out of the habit. Lately to be kind to myself and start better habits I have just promised myself to move more daily. I have made tiny adjustments at a time and it’s felt really good! I have found that making tiny changes are less overwhelming. Diet and exercise are the BEST way to get your PCOS under control so start here if you are looking to become healthier!
How do you deal with unwanted facial hair?
I shave my face! Yes, weird I know.. but it works for me! I will sure more about my shaving face routine on IG soon! Follow me there for more on that [HERE].
Have you tried Metformin?
I have! It was many years ago, but I did get pregnant shortly after starting it & did experience regular periods. Here is an article about Metformin and PCOS [HERE]. I highly recommend talking to your doctor about this as an option to treat your PCOS.
Did your PCOS effect your Infertility?
Yes! I don’t ovulate regularly so it was very very very hard for Jose & I to get pregnant naturally. We did get pregnant many times naturally which we are very thankful for & we did get pregnant a few times with the assistance of hormone shots which we are also very thankful for.
I also believe [so do my doctors] that my PCOS was a huge contributor to my miscarriages. PCOS causes abnormal hormones which balance and allow for a healthy pregnancy. Again, this is something to get tested and bring up with your doctor!
Do you experience cyst ruptures?
I have experienced cyst ruptures & it’s awful. I’m very thankful that I have only had this happen a few times.
Are Jose and Cope Gluten Free with you?
Currently, Cope is not. We are navigating this big boy eating plan moving away from formula, so overall he is not. Now in our home a majority of food is gluten-free so indirectly he is. When I started down the GF journey, Jose joined with me, knowing how hard dieting is by itself, but when you are doing it and others close to you are not, it just adds to the uphill battle.
How Does Jose deal with your PCOS?
When we first found out about PCOS, Jose dove into research about it, to get a good understanding for what it was, and how to cope with it and fighting against it. As we became more familiar with my PCOS, it rarely impacts our day to day. He does keep an eye out for any new-news regarding the medicine around PCOS but generally we all have adapted to life with PCOS.
We love you guys!! Thank you for all your good questions! If you have tips for things that have helped you with PCOS. Leave them below!
I hope that by answering these FAQ’s about my PCOS that it helps you guys either understand PCOS a little bit more or helps you with your PCOS. If you have suggestions of things that worked for your PCOS, please leave a comment below to help others instead of DM’ing or emailing me. Thank you so much for visiting the blog today & for sharing this with someone you know that has PCOS. xx Liz Marie
What advice did you get to help deal with Cope’s eczema. I know that both dairy and gluten can contribute to this as well.
You can have your facial hair lasered and after several treatments it will be gone forever.
I am sorry you have to deal with this Marie.
My daughter has PCOS and went keto. Helped her get pregnant after 7 years of trying. Check out @ketobabies and @kenberry.md on IG for a start. Do the research. There is hope and healing! ~ Carol
I recently found Kym Campbell on Facebook and I joined her PCOS group. She does diet plans and I’m currently following a 30 day challenge. There’s tons of ladies and support on her page and she publishes videos, recipes, etc. So far I love it, because I don’t feel alone…Might be something to try! Just wanted to share!
this is excessively helpful… it’s like my prayers were answered. i was just diagnosed with PCOS yesterday so man alive did this come at a right time. thanks so much liz
I have been experiencing cystic acne within the last year, I’m 57 so I don’t really know why I’m having this, but I’ve stumbled on a product called Collidal Silver 30ppm , the brand name is Trace. it has cleared my face up in 2 days. I put it on a cotton ball and saturate my face. I also used it on a cold sore I was getting, I put it on and it healed it the next day. It is used for so many things. Its a good product to keep in your house it also treats bacterial and viral infections. It will turn your skin blue if you over use it when ingesting it so you have to be very careful if you decide to take it internally.
Thank you so much for sharing your pcos story. I have pcos as well, and struggled to get pregnant for several years because I wasn’t having a period or would only once a year. None of the obgyns I saw took the issue seriously, and so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I wanted to try Metformin, so I scheduled myself with an endocrinologist and asked to be put on it. It took a couple of months, but it eventually regulated my periods for the first time in my life! We got pregnant!! My new OBGYN wanted me to stop the Metformin since I was pregnant, but I did my own research and determined that it could help me avoid a miscarriage. You wouldn’t believe how hard I had to fight to get my dr to listen to me! I’m so glad I advocated for myself and did what I knew felt was right. Our baby boy just celebrated his first birthday.
I’m not a dr, this isn’t medical advice- I’m just sharing what worked for me. 🙂 I want to give hope to women suffering from pcos, you aren’t alone.
I was diagnosed with PCOS at 15, so 15 years ago. I have zero symptoms, no weight gain, monthly cycles, no acne, etc. I am a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. I have a free PCOS guide on my IG changingtides_wellness. You can’t be diagnosed with PCOS by ultrasound, that’s a common myth.
Others to follow on IG:
drjolenebrighten
jessicaashwellness
hormonehealingrd
I have pcos and used to get a period 2x a year. My holistic doctor recommended natural progesterone and when I am consistent with it I have 28-30 day cycles. It has been a game changer! https://proamericansports.com/products/womens-touch-natural-progesterone-cream-remedy-2oz-pump-cruelty-free
Thank you Liz for sharing your story. I am more aware of paying attention to my 20 year daughter and her crazy cycles and symptoms than I was before. Thank you!! I love how you share your heart and style here on your blog. I’ve been reading and watching your story for a few years now and it’s always my favorite and my go to stories when I don’t have much time. I have wanted to share Plexus with you a few times before and actually but chickened out …? Before I go further… I do sell these but just a bit on the side to my family and friends mostly because we love taking them and how they make is feel. They have helped my 20 year daughter with anxiety and depression, me with asthma and better energy and hormone balance as I enter into premenopause. Plexus is all about gut health and balancing your blood sugars and inflammation. I thought about you several times when I ran across a few stories of a some Young gals who had their PCOS symptoms go away and several more that this has helped them so much. Anyway… I won’t take up much more of your time but… if you have any questions. I’d be happy to help. Always praying for you when I read your stories. Keep sharing!
Hi!! Thank you for sharing your heart! I loved reading about your PCOS journey. It sounds like you have tried A LOT but wanted to throw this out there, as it was helpful for managing my symptoms, as I too have PCOS. I went to my local naturopathic for help and she started off making sure my digestion was on track because it all starts in the gut. She gave me a probiotic (you have to be careful what probiotic you use because sometimes there are additives in probiotics that cause gas, bloating). Then, had me drink ground flax seeds (you can get at Walmart and mix with OJ), and had me drink this product called GI revive. I did this for about 2-3 months. She then ran a food sensitivity blood test (I had to do it at home and mail it in) and I found there were tons of foods I was sent I’ve to, do I cut out all of those foods, cold turkey. Gluten, dairy, yeast (alcohol), pineapple, eggs. It was so incredibly hard, but it helped heal my leaky gut syndrome which had a huge impact on my PCOS symptoms. Hope that helps in some way, I will truly be praying for you Liz, as PCOS, on some days, is so defeating.
Xo
Jenna
Thank you for being so generous with your time. You are such an encourager!
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I hope people who read this have a better understanding of how frustrating dealing with PCOS can be. There is not a cure and symptom management can be SO different from person to person. I have quit talking to friends/family about my own personal struggle with PCOS because they refuse to educate themselves or truly listen to what I have to say. I am repeatedly bombarded with the “just lose weight” comments. This post was a great reminder that I am not alone, and it’s not crazy that I don’t have it all figured out. ?
You ar so brave to share all this with your followers!
You mentioned insulin resistance, both keto and intermittent fasting helps! A ton of women in the Delay, Don’t Deny FB group have had amazing results with PCOS! Find that book (delay don’t deny by Gin Stephens) and a more science book the obesity code! Both help with being insulin resistance!
Hi Liz, While I do not have PCOS, I am gluten free due to celiac disease and crazy sensitive intestines. I try to cut down foods that cause inflammation which is a huge source of discomfort. I recently have switched from coffee to tea and in two weeks have had less inflammation. Also, green tea is supposed to be one of the top foods as well as turmeric to reduce inflammation and to improve overall health. I also try not to eat processed food (basically anything on the ingredient label that you can’t pronounce – I avoid). Not only is it healthier but my gut seems to agree. Good luck on figuring out what works for you. Thanks for your post!