Navigating your PCOS Journey: From Diagnosis to Hormone Vitality and Motherhood
So you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS, now what?
You recently got off the pill, and suddenly, you're facing a whirlwind of hormone-related symptoms—some familiar, others new and unsettling. Facial hair growth, acne flare-ups, irregular cycles, and perhaps even weight gain have taken you by surprise.
You took the brave step of consulting your doctor, only to receive a dismissive response:
"If you're not trying to get pregnant right now, there's nothing to worry about. Come back when you're ready to conceive and we’ll talk about your options."
It's frustrating, disheartening, and frankly, it's not enough.
Do they just expect you to continue living with these symptoms unaddressed?! I hope not!
And by the way, here are your “options”: Why Conventional PCOS Treatments Are Failing You (and what you can do instead)
I don’t care what your doctor says, whether or not you’re trying to get pregnant right now, having a healthy menstrual cycle and balanced hormones is essential for longevity. Learn more about this in my Resilient Fertility podcast episode, Beyond Baby Making: Why Every Woman Should Prioritize Attaining Optimal Fertility.
Research shows that women with unmanaged PCOS have increased risk of metabolic diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The authors of one study expressed that “A timely diagnosis and adequate treatment of these risk factors by using lifestyle interventions, diet, and/or medications are essential to reduce the burden of PCOS in today's world.”
They continue, “The usual pathogenesis [disease progression] of PCOS is a culmination of several genetic and environmental factors. Regarding its cardio-metabolic aspects, insulin resistance (IR) is said to be the single most important cause of a variety of metabolic risk factors, including other factors that are also said to be increased in PCOS patients, further increasing their risk of complications due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), such as:
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)
Metabolic syndrome (MetS)
Dyslipidemia
Obesity
Hypertension (HTN)
C-reactive protein (CRP)
Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT)
Coronary artery calcification (CAC)
Endothelial [blood vessel] dysfunction (PMID: 35719759)
If you're able to conceive, your risk for gestational diabetes (GDM) and other pregnancy complications will be higher. Why is that? The metabolic imbalances seen in women with PCOS, including issues with blood sugar regulation, insulin resistance, and elevated insulin levels, contribute to this increased risk.
A comprehensive study has highlighted that women with PCOS are more likely to experience gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and hypertension during pregnancy. Furthermore, there's a heightened chance of preterm birth, neonatal hypoglycemia, and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. The authors of this study urged that identifying gestational diabetes early in PCOS patients is crucial. It helps prevent potential short- and long-term effects of gestational diabetes, especially in terms of safeguarding both the health of the baby and their future well-being. PMID: 34397795
But I recommend doing even more than waiting for a GD diagnosis in early pregnancy.
Don’t wait until you get diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes to do something about your blood sugar.
Hemoglobin A1C, a roughly 3-month marker of blood sugar levels, when elevated in the first trimester or even preconception, has a 98.4% chance of predicting gestational diabetes.
One study stated that when HbA1C was measured in women prior to 20 weeks of pregnancy, if they had an elevated number, it was 98.4% predictive that they would develop gestational diabetes at some point in the latter half of their pregnancy.
In this same study, women with HbA1c in the prediabetic range had poorer pregnancy outcomes than those with HbA1c of less than <5.9%.
For reference, you can see this gradient of how, generally the lower HbA1C levels, the better pregnancy outcomes one may have.
A story of a client with PCOS and Gestational Diabetes:
Picture this: a client walked into my practice, recently diagnosed with diabetes, seeking guidance on weight management. As we delved deeper into her story, a pattern emerged—one that echoes far too often. She had given birth two years prior, but her pregnancy journey was marred by complications—gestational diabetes, insulin injections, and metformin to regulate her blood sugar. After deeper inquiry, she also shared that she battled lifelong PCOS, irregular cycles, and leaned on Clomid to ovulate and conceive her two-year-old.
Here's the devastating thing: I'm seeing her now, years down the line, dealing with issues that could have been prevented. Gestational diabetes shouldn't be an unexpected hurdle—it can be predicted. And better yet, you have the power to act on it!
Why wait until you develop Gestational Diabetes? Don’t accept these consequences of PCOS as your fate, you can take action NOW to prevent this. Imagine embracing motherhood on your terms—healthy, vibrant, and in control. That's where Resilient Motherhood comes in. You have a path that doesn't involve just accepting the conventional narrative. You're ready to take charge, to make informed choices, and to nurture the foundation of a healthier future. Work with me in Resilient Motherhood today!
Here’s what your doctor may have missed when handing you that PCOS diagnosis
Let me tell you something that your doctor may have missed—the power you hold in achieving hormone vitality and embracing motherhood on your terms. I understand that these symptoms are more than just physical; they're emotional, they're personal, and they deserve attention.
Imagine if your doctor had said this instead:
"I see the challenges you're facing—unwanted facial hair, stubborn acne, hormones seemingly out of control. Those cysts on your ovaries and elevated testosterone levels are contributing to your symptoms, but I want you to know: there's a path forward. This condition can be managed through a balanced diet, a healthy lifestyle, and strategic supplementation. You have the potential to conceive naturally whenever you're ready."
I've heard too many stories from clients who were told they could never conceive naturally after a PCOS diagnosis (often as early as 10 years old). Imagine carrying that weight, that uncertainty, from a young age. The truth is, in many cases, that narrative is far from accurate.
You CAN conceive, even with a long cycle, actually that’s how I conceived my first child, read about it here.
So where do you go from here, armed with newfound hope?
Step 1: Embrace Your Body's Wisdom
Start by charting your menstrual cycle using the fertility awareness method (FAM). This invaluable tool helps you understand your unique fertility patterns, guiding you toward a better understanding of your body and its needs, using it as natural birth control, improving body literacy or to optimize timing conception.
One of the first steps in this process is to begin tracking your basal body temperature (BBT). Learn more here about why you should be tracking your basal body temperature (BBT) if you want to get pregnant (or avoid pregnancy naturally)!
But no need to fuss with thermometers; the Tempdrop armband streamlines the process, giving you more time to focus on other parts of your PCOS journey. You simply go to sleep with it and it measures your lowest BBT reading so you don’t have to sit with a thermometer in your mouth for 10 minutes upon waking. When you wake up, you can easily sync it with the Tempdrop app on your phone and it automatically adds your temp reading to your cycle chart. Be sure to use the code AFANISAWOODALL for an additional 10% discount off the sale price!
Step 2: Nourish Your Potential
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to diets, and the same goes for a PCOS diet. Your journey deserves a tailored approach, and that's where a qualified nutritionist steps in. Unlock the power of your personalized PCOS diet—a balance that stabilizes blood sugar, reduces inflammation, and supports hormone detoxification and toxin elimination, as these are all common underlying contributors to your PCOS symptoms.
Your metabolic well-being is at the core of achieving hormonal equilibrium.
Step 3: Shift Your Mindset, Embrace Longevity
Quick fixes might seem appealing, but true progress thrives in sustainability. A strict 30-day keto or low carb high fat (LCHF) diet may serve you in the short term but may not be the most sustainable solution in the long term. In my experience, it perpetuates disordered eating and most women end up throwing in the towel altogether.
Striving for consistency with your optimal diet over the long term, around 80-90% of the time, while allowing for flexibility in the remaining 10-20%, proves to be more sustainable than chasing perfection for a mere 30 days and then feeling disheartened that you don’t have enough will power to maintain this type of restrictive diet.
Shift your focus from rigid diets to balanced living. Metabolic health can evolve, allowing you to reintroduce carbohydrates over time, something I call improving your “carb resilience”. Learn more about that in the replay of my FREE masterclass, Become Carb Resilient and Achieve Your Hormone Potential. Imagine breaking free from restrictive eating, confident in your body's resiliency.
This is a journey of transformation—physical and emotional. As you align your mindset, nutrition, and lifestyle, you're fostering a resilient foundation for your future—a foundation rooted in hormone vitality, fertility, and the potential to embrace motherhood on your terms.
Your path to radiant health and motherhood begins here.
Let's walk this journey together. Join me in my Resilient Motherhood course with personalized coaching, where we'll navigate each step with compassion, understanding, and unwavering support. It's time to rewrite your story—one of confidence, vitality, and the potential of a resilient motherhood.
Resilient Motherhood isn't just a course—it's a transformative journey. Together, we navigate the strategies that support your hormonal vitality, nourish your body, and set the stage for a radiant pregnancy. It's about stepping away from quick fixes and diving into lasting, meaningful change.
Imagine a world where you don't just survive pregnancy, but thrive in it! Where complications take a backseat and radiant health takes the wheel. This is your invitation to embrace that world.
Are you ready to take the first step? Join Resilient Motherhood today and start your transformative journey towards hormone vitality and embracing motherhood with confidence.
Remember, you're not alone in this—there's a community waiting to uplift you, a community that understands your struggles and celebrates your victories. Don’t let your PCOS diagnosis stop you from dreaming, together, we're redefining what's possible.
