Natural Treatments to Lower Prolactin

Natural treatment for high prolactin.

Symptoms of high prolactin (hyperprolactinemia) include irregular periods or no periods, premenstrual mood symptoms, loss of libido, headaches, breast pain, vaginal dryness, acne, and hirsutism or facial hair.

High prolactin is one of several causes of androgen excess and can be mistaken for polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS. High prolactin may also play a role in pelvic pain and endometriosis.

Read more

4 Types of PCOS (a Flowchart)

Types of PCOS.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is not one disease. Instead, it’s “a heterogeneous disorder with different underlying biological mechanisms.” In other words, it’s a set of symptoms (androgen excess and anovulatory cycles) caused or driven by several underlying factors. To successfully treat PCOS, you need to identify which factor (or factors) is driving the symptoms. In other words, you need to know your functional type of PCOS.

The four functional types of PCOS include insulin-resistant PCOS, post-pill PCOS (which is temporary), inflammatory PCOS, and the far less common adrenal PCOS.

Read more

4 Causes of Androgen Excess in Women

If you suffer hair loss, facial hair (hirsutism), or acne, then you know all about androgen excess or high male hormones.

You may have been given the diagnosis of PCOS, but there are actually several different reasons for androgen excess in women, including androgen hypersensitivity, adrenal androgen excess, high prolactin, menopause, and hormonal birth control with a high androgen index.

Read more

PCOS Cannot Be Diagnosed (or Ruled Out) by Ultrasound

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) cannot be diagnosed by ultrasound because polycystic ovaries are not cysts. They’re follicles or eggs which are normal for the ovary.

It’s normal for all women to sometimes have a higher number of follicles. It’s normal for young women to always have a higher number of follicles because young women have more eggs. That’s why PCOS cannot be diagnosed by ultrasound. At the same time, PCOS cannot be ruled out by ultrasound because it’s possible to have normal-appearing ovaries on ultrasound and still have the hormonal condition PCOS.

Read more