Treating PCOS Naturally (With a bit of help)

First off, if you have PCOS it is really, really important to get your thyroid tested as that can also impact fertility as well as menstrual cycles.  For me, I function best when my TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is between .5 and 1.5.  Currently, I'm sitting at 1.0.  When you do get your thyroid tested, be sure to have your doctor run a FULL thyroid panel, not just TSH.  I take levothyroxine to control my hypothyroidism.

I also take 2000mg of metformin daily to help with PCOS (and as an aside, many women with PCOS go on to develop diabetes.  I developed diabetes as a result of an infection caused by an HSG in 2008.  They didn't catch it until 2009 and that caused some damage to my pancreas and caused diabetes.  My A1c is now 6.1, due to diet and exercise, so they don't really consider me diabetic anymore.

For the herbal treatment, I take the following:

Maca - 1500mg per day.  I take 1000mg in the morning and 500mg at night.  This is taken from CD 5 through the start of my period.  

Maca is an adaptogenic compound, which means it adapts to what your needs are.  It works on the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates the pituitary gland, which helps control the hormone system, encouraging hormonal balance.  Maca helps control estrogen in women and men, leading to better hormone balance as well.  Maca also helps improve fertility in men.  It is safe to take 1500 to 3000mg per day.

Vitex - 1000mg per day.  I take 500mg in the morning and 500mg at night.  This is taken from CD 5 through the start of my period.  Vitex has many properties that improve fertility in women.  This great site highlights most of them.

Rhodiola Rosea - 500mg per day.  250mg in the morning and 250 mg at night.   This is taken from CD 5 through CD 14.  Rhodiola, like Vitex and Maca, is an adoptogen and has been shown to be useful in treating infertility and menstrual irregularities.  Here is more information on Rhodiola.


Tribulus - 1000 mg per day.  I take 1000mg in the morning.  This is taken from CD 5 through CD 14.  
You want to find tribulus with at least 40% furostanol saponins.  Tribulus also shows benefits in treating infertitliy, especially in women with PCOS.  It also is shown to help with male fertility and libido as well.  You can find more information on tribulus here.


Female Balance - 1 capsule per day.  Here is the information on this supplement.

With this, I have ovulated regularly.  I also have increased my luteal phase from 9-10 days up to 12 days.  I also ovulate closer to the beginning of my cycle, than before (CD 20 versus CD 30).

I also, on the advice of my former OB/GYN, take a daily baby aspirin (81mg).

I take a vitamin D supplement, evening primrose oil to ovulation, fish oil after ovulation, and a prenatal.  I also take calcium and magnesium in the evening.