PCOS Case

[hamishbrown]

Patience pays off. This is a case that I’m sharing because so often we need to stick to the course if we are on the right track and the results will eventually come along. The main issue to treat here ended up being different from what she came in with. Female 27 years old came to clinic in 5/7/16 when Laurie happened to be there. Main complaint was PCOS and weight loss, as well as low immune system, as she was catching numerous colds, contracted strep twice and had coldsores. Had a head cold at the time with runny nose and some SOB. Other sx of bloating, fatigue, HAs occasionally, gas, belching, reflux, sinus congestion and hair loss. Was prescribed Marvalon (OCP for the last 10yrs) for her irregular cycle. Pulse was deep and faint overall. LHS: Deep and slippery. Sli. dong ½. RHS: Roll-up. Cun wiry tight. Guan weak and hollow. Prescribed GZJNT plus LGWWJJXBXXRT. Laurie mentioned if the dong goes, then will need to warm the fluid layer before moving to blood layer. A week later, she was nearly over her cold, had less SOB and no sore throat or coldsores this time. Bloating was also reduced. Her energy was up. Had her repeat herbs for 2 more wks. All symptoms improved the next visit, and her period came 3 days later than normal w/ a few little clots. It was 5 days, and lighter, and after chatting about how Chinese herbs could help her menstrual cycle from the 1st visit, she decided to go off the pill. Formula switch to GZJNT plus GZRST plus FLXRGCT for 2wks. The next visit, she had a period (29.7.16) after the last one shortly, and it was very light and went for 7 days. She had more clots than last time, and a few more pimples on her chin. Pulse: chi now deep and weak instead of faint. Less or not even slippery. After the next few months, her skin became worse and still no period coming along. Tried moving fluids in different ways with LGZGT, MHFZXXT, and added GZFLW in as well. Went with my old favorite and tried DGSNT with GZFLW and DBC SZ, and still no period and skin up and down. Tried TXS and HQi and GZFLW, and still no joy. Then 6 mths later, I decided to interpret the deep tight guans as a WJT, and stuck with it and added LGZGT and GZGCLGMLT because of the rolling up and tendency for the LHS cun and guan to go slippery and her sleep go out of whack. I knew WJT would eventually help clear her skin as it is wonderful for moistening and improving blood flow to the skin, and if there is a flagship formula to regulate a woman’s menstrual cycle, then it has to be that. First the skin started to be less dry, and then a month later, less red and healing quicker. Another month and skin, was markedly improved. Still no period though, even with everything else going well. Finally her period arrived on 22.8.17, which is a year’s break after stopping the pill, which in my experience was a long time to wait. Her pulse now is changing from tight to being more wiry, and the blood deficiency thinness and weakness is starting to show through more also. And it’s less deep and clearer to feel. I’m now curious if some of the other practitioners who have been around for a while that have been working with PCOS and amennorhea patients find they end up with a long wait for changes? I know I have opened myself up to criticism with how I have approached this case, but I hope it is valuable for knowing how patients can progress and how we do need to be patient sometimes before results will come along. Obviously, this was a time where I couldn’t force her period to come and needed to give her body consistent support in the right way for it to return. Building and warming the blood is so much slower than warming the gases and fluids. I’m not sure who was happier when she told me her period had arrived!

[Eric Grey]

I have no critique, Hamish, and I really appreciate your sharing this case. I have plenty of cases that go like this, and can say that I have had some similar situations with PCOS patients (periods being difficult to return to normalcy, lots of pulse positions coming into and out of existence). Good work!

[amyobrien]

After 10 years of daily telling her body not to ovulate I think you did a marvellous job. X

[hamishbrown]

Thanks mate. Appreciate it.

[Liz]

tcm.acupuncture@yahoo.com

[laurieayres]

Same, can’t bare the sense of urgency and impatience and desire to manipulate the body in fertility, if someone wants to work on it properly then ok, but otherwise that whole world is of no interest. For example, I had a patient a few months ago with an un-expelled foetus after an IVF miscarriage. It was sorted out quickly on XYXT, but then didn’t want to wait at all, or even take a week or two of DGJZT before rushing back to the IVF. Anyway nice work Hamish Brown!

[hamishbrown]

Thanks also Laurie for helping it kick off well and putting me on a good track.

[Author]

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