If you’re struggling with disordered eating as well as period problems - I’ve got some information to help you.
My clients are women who have a history of dieting, losing weight and undergoing a “fitness journey”, after which they start struggling with missing or irregular periods as well as binge eating or constant food thoughts.
Many of them spend months-years trying to figure out WHY their period is irregular, getting little-to-no answers from their doctors other than:
“You probably have PCOS”
“You’re just super fit! It’s normal for fit women to lose their periods”
“We’ll just get you on the pill to regulate your cycle”
If you can relate - you’re probably like me and the women I work with; you want to know WTF is going on in your body and get to the ROOT CAUSE so you can be optimally healthy!
Well in this episode of the podcast, I’m sharing how you can do that.
SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE TO FIND THE SUGGESTED LAB WORK IN DETAIL.
Above all though, I want you to know that you don’t need ANY of this testing to start the process of healing your relationship with food.
Regardless of what’s going on with your hormones, you need to stop restricting food, stop dieting and learn how to listen to your body's hunger and satisfaction cues so you can become truly healthy with a good relationship with food.
Hope you enjoy the episode! Sending love!
Contact me:
Email at elena@elenakunicki.com
DM me on Instagram at elenakunickird
Learn more about my 1:1 coaching, group program and free resources here: bit.ly/elenakwebsite
Resources from this episode:
Stress and high prolactin levels - https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/hyperprolactinemia#:~:text=In%20women%2C%20physical%20or%20psychological,lead%20to%20elevated%20prolactin%20levels.
Women diagnosed with an eating disorder were at higher subsequent risk of developing autoimmune diseases - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/finding-a-new-home/201909/the-relationship-between-autoimmune-and-eating-disorders
Diagnosis of HA https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7418467/
Low Vitamin D and eating disorders in adolescents - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25130505/
Sam Abbot - @pcos.nutritionist (see her podcast episode here)
SEE RECOMMENDED LAB WORK BELOW 👇
Bloodwork:
Standard Blood Work (this is what you typically get at your yearly check up)
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Basic Metabolic Panel
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
Lipid Panel - cholesterol can be elevated due to restriction
Blood glucose and Hba1c
Full sex hormone panel
Estradiol - low/normal in HA, normal to high in PCOS
Testosterone (total) - low/normal in HA, high in PCOS (all the androgens)
Testosterone (free)
Adrostenedione
Progesterone
Prolactin - can be elevated due to stress, pituitary tumor
DHEAS - can be elevated due to stress in HA
LH - typically less than or the same as FSH in HA, greater than FSH in PCOS
FSH
SHBG - low can be a sign of PCOS
Full thyroid panel
TSH - can be high in both HA and PCOS
Total T4 - can be low in HA and PCOS
Total T3 - can be low in HA and PCOS
Free T4
Free T3
Reverse T3
anti-TPO
Anti-thyroglobulin antibodies
Nutrients
B12 - all of these levels can be low in PCOS and HA and worsen symptoms, or can be depleted by the pill
Folate
Iron
Ferritin
Vitamin D - protect bone health
Zinc - digestive health
Lab work/assessment
2. Transvaginal ultrasound (rule out structural abnormalities, look at cysts on the ovaries)
*Cysts on the ovaries can be present with both HA and PCOS
3. Detailed review of your history and current reality with food, exercise and weight loss (with red flags being currently trying to lose weight, history of any weight loss, exercising a lot) - MOST IMPORTANT
**This podcast does not diagnose or treat any medical conditions. Speak with your doctor about this information and before taking any action around your medical care.