Re: PCOS

[Guest guest]

Dear , All the patients I've seen with PCOS, diagnosed by blood

profiles and scans have had Vitex until end of third trimester as all were

wanting to become pregnant. Otherwise diet is the key issue and turning

around the insulin resistance. Weight loss does not necessarily have to be

huge to achieve improvement in cycle. I see PCOS as a condition of survival,

they are the people, generally, who in a famine would still be able to go

ahead and reproduce because the lack of calories would bring down the weight

dramatically and so reverse the whole process. Far from being dis-eased they

are in fact very efficient and their metabolisms simply suffer from having

to exist in an over-nourished environment. Having said all of that

occasionally there are sufferers whose predominant problem is underweight,

these people need to be brought to an optimum weight of about 8.5 stone at

which point they too often find they have more normal, ovulatory cycle.

Hope this is some help. Each patient still needs to be assessed as an

individual. I've also often found, and other practitioners have noted

similar that patient's may have noted a shift in their period patterns with

diagnosis of PPCOS subsequently following deep emotional trauma. This can

often be addressed by helping them come to terms with the trauma. Bearing in

mind that what is deep trauma for one may seem less so to another, its more

a matter of the emotional effect the event had, almost to the point of no

longer being able to function. This seems to affect the limbic system and

primitive responses sos the whole hormonal system literally seems to do a

semi-shut down. Hope this helps. Allshorn

RE: PCOS

Dear ri

I haven't seen her yet so not sure about hormone profiles. So are you

saying there would be a situation where you would use vitex?

Thanks

Bradford on Avon

Wilts

amanda.lewis@...

List Owner

Graham White, MNIMH

[Guest guest]

I used Vitex (15 gtt a.m. daily, H. Apothecary's) on a PCOS patient with OCD,

and she became pregnant 6 months later. She also took sinensis,

Serenoa, Cinnamon, glycyrrhiza. Also dietary advice.

Regards,

Caroline

[Guest guest]

Dear , Tamsin and ri, I will consider all your points with this

patient, thanks for your help.

, you said " ...all..had Vitex until end of third trimester as all were

wanting to become pregnant " were you giving vitex during pregnancy or have I

misunderstood?

and sorry for being ignorant here but what are CHO cravings? Carbohydrates?

thanks again,

Bradford on Avon

Wilts

amanda.lewis@...

[Guest guest]

Dear , That is what I meant, having used the Vitex to obtain normal

cycles we continued until the end of the third trimester on the

understanding that in dealing with PCOS to withdraw the herb which seems to

have enabled the pregnancy before then might potentially risk a miscarriage.

It seems to have worked with all the women I have used this approach with.

The difference here is of course that these women were trying for

pregnancies rather than a treatment of PCOS. In PCOS I've found Vitex of

limited use as its effectiveness seems to last only a few months. In these

women the approach is multi factorial, diet, exercise, hormonal, blood sugar

management etc. Yes CHO was meant to be Carbohydrates. Sorry about that.

Allshorn

RE: PCOS

[Guest guest]

Hi Janine

PCOS is very complicated, no one really knows what's going on.

> Dear Graham, A patient came to see me with an article you wrote in VERITY,

it prompted her to seek the advice of a Herbalist...me ! However I've not

treated this condition before and its quite complicated. She wants help to

reduce her Hirsutism( she shaves her chin one or two times daily) she is not

wanting a baby. The big problem is she has really bad migraines .She has

been relatively free from them whilst on continual Micronor 350mg daily. She

is also on Metformin Hydrochloride 500mg.

Why is she on Micronor? The standard treatment for acne and hisutism in

women with PCOS is Dianette which generally works quite well. Why is she on

metformin? Normally this is used in PCOS to encourage ovulation - there's

some weird interactions between insulin and oestrogen going on in PCOS - and

isn't normally used if the woman is taking an OC.

What is her weight like?

>She also takes Naratriptan 2.5mg if she thinks her migraine is imminent.She

has recently weaned herself off Pizotifen taken daily for migraines.She says

if she has a menstrual cycle ..wham -migraine (3 days worth with vomiting

++) I feel in order to help Hirsute prob. I've obviosly got to sort out

hormones plus herbs for liver etc but Im really unsure about what I can give

in conjunction with her medication.Obviously the hormonal situation is tied

in with her migraines and will all need addressing. She avoids getting tired

,stressed etc as all these things affect her migraines. I suppose the

problem is she doesn't want to risk having migraines but she wants me to

help but I don't feel too confident about working alongside her current

medicatoin without a little advice .Sorry if this sounds muddled I'm just

trying to decide on a strategy and would appreciate any advice.Thanks Janine

North Yorks ( Do you have a phone number for VERITY I' unable to

download their joining form!.)

I've not come across this combination before so I'm at a loss too. Is she i

ntending to come off the micronor? One of the side effects is migraines

No number for Verity as they don't have an office but you could try

veritymembs@...

BTW the above article is on my website at www.gcwhite.co.uk/pcos.htm

Comments/criticism welcome but remember it's a bit simplistic as it had to

be under 800 words.

Cheers

Graham White B.Sc. (Herb. Med.), MNIMH.

Medical Herbalist

Bishop's Stortford

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