on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Only a university department or institution with unbiased funding could take this type of research on board and, as most researchers are paid by pharmaceutical companies, funding for such pure research will be difficult to find, unless a wealthy benefactor who is without bias comes along.
It is a sad state of affairs that so little is understood of the normal hormonal balance of a normal reproduction system that has never been initiated into the use of drugs like oral contraceptives, steroids, GnRH analogues or HRT.
• CASE STUDY •
Emily F of London
I hope my story will encourage others to look beyond conventional medicine and discover that there are alternatives that work.
I have suffered from painful periods since I was 17 and must have seen at least 15 doctors, who all prescribed various, increasingly strong painkillers over eight years. I was told that it was quite normal to have painful periods – it was part of being a woman. By age 25, I was living in London and had joined another group practice of doctors, and was working my way through the insensitive ones. My periods were becoming more and more painful, and painkillers less and less effective.
I then met my friend Debs, who told me about the condition she suffered from – endometriosis – I had never heard of it, and none of the countless doctors I had seen over the years had ever mentioned that having painful periods could be a symptom of a medical condition. I made an appointment to see one of the doctors and suggested that I might have endometriosis. She agreed that it was a possibility and referred me to a consultant. Within a month I had had a laparoscopy and had been diagnosed as suffering from moderate endo and polycystic ovaries.
My consultant talked the options through with me and suggested that the best course of treatment would be Zoladex. While at the time I was happy with the way he dealt with me, and his suggested approach, I wish he had mentioned that there were non-medical avenues I could have explored. My experience with Zoladex was not one that I would wish to repeat – I had dreadful mood swings and was regularly depressed and inconsolable; I gained two stone in weight and suffered from hourly hot flushes. At the end of it, my periods were just as painful as they had been before the treatment.
The subsequent treatment prescribed was Dianette (an oral contraceptive) on a continuous basis – two or three packets, then a break. The periods were still very painful, but at least I could control when I had them, and the Dianette helped with the acne, which I had because of the polycystic ovaries. By the age of 30 I was still taking Dianette and various combinations of painkillers, but the pain was getting worse – to the point where I was seriously considering laser surgery (something I considered a last resort). I had also started to develop other health problems such as eczema, IBS and fatigue.
I then received details of the National Endo Society’s 1999 AGM, where the speakers were to give talks on various complementary therapies; I decided to attend. The speakers were extremely informative and I came away determined to find a complementary approach that would help me. Soon after the AGM, my mother read an article in the Daily Telegraph, which focused on a nutritional approach to relieving the symptoms of endometriosis. The interview was with Dian Mills and gave details of her book Endometriosis: A Guide to Healing Through Nutrition. My mother ordered the book and gave it to me for Christmas. I read the book from cover to cover – delighted that many of the other problems I was suffering from seemed to be related to the endometriosis and that I wasn’t becoming a hypochondriac, as my doctor was making me feel.
I made an appointment to see Dian in February 2000. Before the appointment I had to fill in a lengthy questionnaire about all aspects of my health, and I was embarrassed at how sickly I appeared. The first appointment was amazing – for once I could talk at length about how I felt without feeling that I was wasting someone’s time. And Dian understood what I was talking about! Her suggested approach was to tackle my health goals one by one, dealing with my digestive problems initially (I was suffering from very sudden, violent and unpredictable attacks of diarrhoea), then focusing on the period pain and finally on my concerns about whether or not I was fertile. She suggested that I cut out dairy and wheat from my diet and prescribed what seemed like a long list of vitamins, minerals and supplements.
At first it was a struggle to find alternatives to dairy and wheat, but it soon becomes second-nature. It very soon emerged (via making mistakes when ordering from menus) that I was intolerant of dairy products. Knowing this made such a difference to my life – I had become scared of eating out or leaving the house too soon after a meal, just in case I had an attack of diarrhoea.
The first period I had after seeing Dian (I was still taking Dianette continously) was 50 per cent less painful than the last. By August of that year I had a pain-free period. It was incredible – after 14 years of pain. My energy levels had returned; my skin was better than I can ever remember it being and I had lost some weight.
Being concerned about fertility, my partner and I decided that we would start trying for a baby in September. I was expecting to be infertile, given my combination of endo and polycystic ovaries, and we decided that we couldn’t afford to wait much longer as it could take a minimum of two years. To my shock and delight, I conceived in October and I am expecting a baby in four weeks’ time!
So many people I have spoken to, especially those in the medical profession, have dismissed the benefit of a nutritional approach to dealing with endometriosis, but I would urge anyone who feels that conventional medicine has failed them to pursue it. In fact, I would encourage anyone who has just been diagnosed to try a nutritional approach before embarking on any medical treatment. It can be difficult to change your diet after years of eating whatever you wanted, but the benefits far outweigh the sacrifices you might think you are making.
Menstruation should occur at least three times each year with PCOS; otherwise there may be cellular changes in the endometrium due to the unrelenting levels of elevated oestrogen which could lead to cancer. Normal menstruation is once each month. Excessive bleeding at menstruation is usually due to an imbalance of iron levels, and iron EAP2 is the best-absorbed form which, if taken for two months, may help to stop heavy menstrual bleeding.
OVARIAN CANCER
Ovarian cancer is rare, thankfully. However, it is extremely serious as there are no symptoms until it is very advanced. By having ultrasound scans and internal examinations with a Pap smear, or with a CA125 antigen blood test, checks can be kept on anyone with a family history of ovarian cancer.
PREMATURE OVARIAN FAILURE (POF)
Approximately 4 per cent of the female population has premature ovarian failure, an endocrine disorder. For some unknown reason, these women suffer a loss of ova from the ovary. Suggested causes are endless. As the ova are produced while the baby girl is still within her mother’s womb, so the problem may begin very early on. Clearly, the diet and environment of the mother during pregnancy is crucial to her daughter’s health throughout her life. The ova may be dysfunctional, or there may be a chromosomal defect, Turner’s syndrome, fragile X, metabolic dysfunction or viral infection damage. Autoimmune disorders may also affect ovarian function, or the ovaries may be removed at an early age.
Loss of ovarian function in this way may give rise to premature menopause if the hormone balance of the ovary is affected. We have seen how the follicle and corpus luteum produce the steroid hormones as a natural part of the menstrual cycle. With POF, this cycle is lost, so that the hormones do not function as they should. Periods often stop and hot flushes or night sweats may be commonplace. Sleep may become fractious, giving rise to mood swings, a low sex drive and bladder-control problems. Energy may be low and, of course, fertility is affected.
Two tests on the blood for FSH levels should be done one month apart. Normal FSH levels are 10–15mU/ml and under; women with POF often have FSH levels above 40mU/ml, which is in the postmenopausal range. Health concerns are as in menopause – with the risks of osteoporosis, heart disease, thyroid problems, adrenal problems or diabetes.
Infertility for a young girl as a diagnosis