92: How to manage PCOS and a thyroid condition

The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast

Are you one of the 25% of people with PCOS that has a thyroid condition? Thyroid conditions are actually one of the most common ‘hidden’ causes of PCOS - hypothyroidism being the most common, although it often goes undiagnosed. If you struggle with hair loss, a sluggish metabolism, low moods and depression, fatigue, muscle weakness, difficulty regulating your temperature (ie. you’re always cold), constipation, dry, coarse skin or brittle nails, this could be pointing towards your thyroid not working optimally.

Dealing with a thyroid condition like hypothyroidism or hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a handful in itself! Then go and add all of the *wonderful* (read: awful and frustrating) symptoms that come along with PCOS in there and you’ve got the perfect storm for feeling like hot trash on the regular!

Today’s guest, Laura, - who I met in The PCOS Protocol - has been through this exact journey. Having been diagnosed with hypothyroidism in her early 20s, she struggled with getting on top of symptoms but she was also experiencing things that weren’t as typical of thyroid issues like longer cycles and severe acne. It wasn’t till she by chance went for a fertility check as she entered her 30s, only to find she also had PCOS.

Like many of you, she thought she knew what a healthy lifestyle was and could manage it all on her own. But after countless lifestyle changes and nutrition plans, she still wasn’t getting anywhere with it. Now, a year later, her PCOS and thyroid is the best it’s ever been. And while the journey isn’t over for Laura, she’s now got the tools to better manage both her PCOS and her hypothyroidism.

In this episode of The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast, Laura and I discuss her journey with getting diagnosed with PCOS, her hypothyroidism, what lifestyle changes are best for thyroid conditions and PCOS, what testing to get done if you think you might have a thyroid condition, useful resources and groups for those with thyroid issues and so much more about the incidence of PCOS and the thyroid.

This episode is for you if:

• You have a diagnosed thyroid condition like hypothyroidism, hashimoto’s thyroiditis or hyperthyroidism (graves’ disease)
• Your family has a history of thyroid conditions
• You struggle with hemochromatosis
• You’re experiencing symptoms that match up with those of a thyroid condition
• You have or think you might have insulin resistance
• You feel like you should be able to get on top of your symptoms without help because you know enough about living healthy - yet you’re still struggling with symptoms

Some things we cover in this episode:

• What is the thyroid?
• Thyroid testing
• Other testing in PCOS
• Symptoms of suboptimal thyroid function
• How the thyroid and PCOS are connected
• Managing lifestyle changes for more than one condition
• Feeling like you should know what to do without help
• Insulin Resistance
• Where to start with lifestyle changes

Resources and References:

• My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS

Links to our programs:

• The PCOS Protocol
• Eggducated