Dr Andrew Orr

Did you know that Insulin Resistance is major underlying cause of PCOS?

It is also why women with PCOS have risk factors for metabolic disorders and also have increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

PCOS is another reason why many women find it hard to lose weight, or have increased weight gain, due to underlying insulin resistance.

Could you have PCOS and not know it?

Symptoms of PCOS may begin shortly after puberty, but can also develop during the later teen years and early adulthood. Because symptoms may be attributed to other causes or go unnoticed, PCOS may go undiagnosed for quite some time, some people may never be diagnosed at all.

People with PCOS typically have irregular or missed periods as a result of not ovulating. Although some people may develop cysts on their ovaries, many people do not.

Other symptoms include:
Weight gain. About half of people with PCOS will have weight gain and obesity that is difficult to manage.

Fatigue. Many people with PCOS report increased fatigue and low energy. Related issues such as poor sleep may contribute to the feeling of fatigue.

Unwanted hair growth (also known as hirsutism). Areas affected by excess hair growth may include the face, arms, back, chest, thumbs, toes, and abdomen. Hirsutism related to PCOS is due to hormonal changes in androgens.

Thinning hair on the head. Hair loss related to PCOS may increase in middle age.
Infertility. PCOS is a leading cause of female infertility. However, not every woman with PCOS is the same. Although some people may need the assistance of fertility treatments, others are able to conceive naturally.

Acne. Hormonal changes related to androgens can lead to acne problems. Up to 70% of women with acne will have PCOS.Other skin changes are also related to PCOS.

Mood changes. Having PCOS can increase the likelihood of mood swings, depression, and anxiety.

Headaches. Hormonal changes prompt headaches.

Sleep problems. People with PCOS often report problems such as insomnia or poor sleep. There are many factors that can affect sleep, but PCOS has been linked to a sleep disorder called sleep apnea.

Diabetes & Cardiovascular Disease. People with PCOS are at an increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease

If you need help with any of the symptoms above, or know that you have PCOS and need help, please contact my clinic at [email protected] or call +61 0451 408 898



*xperts

When I see couples for help with fertility and having a baby, so many women do not know that they have PCOS. Many of them will be adamant that they have been checked, and done all the investigations, and yet there they are, as plain as day, ovaries full of multiple cysts. This can also show that a woman has probably not been ovulating, despite being adamant that she is. I see it all the time.

Unfortunately, just like endometriosis and adenomyosis, PCOS is missed and dismissed all the time. The current time to diagnosis is somewhere between 2-3 years, which is disgusting really.

Just because you are having a regular menstrual cycle, and you have all the signs of ovulation happening, does not mean that you cannot have PCOS. Many women with PCOS have very regular menstrual cycles (many don't either), and their hormone levels are normal. This can often be why PCOS is overlooked.

This is why it is so important to see the right healthcare professional, and see a proper women's health expert, or reproductive medicine expert.

PCOS can be a very common cause of anovulation (not ovulating), and not being able to conceive, and can also cause other health issues such as cardiovascular disease, being overweight, and diabetes. PCOS can also cause prolonged PMS like symptoms and can also be associated with depression, anxiety and mood disorders.
PCOS also increases the chances of miscarriage too.

If you need help with fertility, having a baby, or finding the cause of not being able to fall pregnant, then please contact my clinic and find out how my fertility program can help you. All proper investigations for causes of not being able to conceive are done properly, which includes undiagnosed causes such as PCOS & Endometriosis/Adenomyosis.

Contact [email protected] or call +61 0451 408 898. In person, or online consult available and yes, we see people nationally, and internationally as well.

Fact- Hysterectomy does not cure PCOS

Just like hysterectomy does not cure endometriosis, hysterectomy does not cure PCOS.

PCOS is much more than just a syndrome that affects the ovaries.

A partial hysterectomy (where the uterus is removed but where ovaries are left) or an full hysterectomy (where both uterus and ovaries are removed) might not cure Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome because the cause of PCOS is related to hormone and metabolic issues that might not be helped by removing the reproductive organs.

Women may still experience the long term side effects of having elevated androgens (male hormones) and his means a woman may still suffer from excess hair growth, hair loss or balding, and even acne. Women may still have elevated levels of insulin, will still have insulin resistance and inflammation that are the root cause of PCOS.

The predisposition for diabetes and heart disease will still be there and may even be increased due to being in menopause, especially for those not on hormone replacement, or those not making changes to diet and lifestyle, and not replacing crucial nutrients during this stage of life.

Having Endometriosis, Adenomyosis and PCOS does not always cause fertility issues, and these conditions do not necessarily cause infertility either.

Lets face it, infertility means that you are infertile and that you cannot conceive. The correct term here should be subfertility, not infertility.

Regardless, just because you have endometriosis, adenomyosis, or PCOS, or all these combined, it does not mean that you are instantly infertility, or that you are going to have troubles with fertility, and we need to stop telling women this, or letting them assume it either.

The fact is that it is a 50/50 thing. Some people will have no troubles conceiving, while others may just need a little bit of help, or some may need a lot of help. That is a fact.

Sure, having any of these disease states could possibly make it harder to conceive, and something that all should be taking into consideration.

But, we also need to stop telling women that they are infertile, or it is going to be impossible to have a baby, just based off a diagnosis of endometriosis, adenomyosis or PCOS, by itself alone.

There could be multiple other factors that could interfere with a woman's ability to conceive outside of these disease states, and one of them could be her partner, who may have poor s***m quality. This one is always missed.

The one thing that we do know is that any woman with one of these disease states should probably bring their baby making plans forward a bit, and start with some preconception care and planning, because the sooner a woman can conceive, and the younger she is, the better her fertility outcomes are. Early investigations and interventions and planning is key here.

If you need help with Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, or PCOS ( or all combined), or help with preconception care, or help with fertility issues, then contact my clinic and find out how I can help you.

Contact [email protected] or call +61 07 38328369. In person and online consults available, no matter where you live.

PCOS awareness- Could you have PCOS and not know it ?

Nearly everyday I get young teenage girls, women, and persons, coming to my clinic with bad acne and/or menstrual issues only to be diagnosed with PCOS.

For many this is a shock, because they have seen multiple doctors, natural medicine practitioners, and even medical specialists, whom have missed this very common gynaecological/reproductive issue.

Research has shown that it can take up to 3 years or more to definitive diagnosis PCOS, which means that there are lots of people missing this women's health issue.
The problem is, many are unaware of the long-term implications on a woman's health and their future fertility by having this missed.

Signs and Symptoms that you could have PCOS
1.Acne
2.Irregular menstrual cycle
3.Skipped menstrual cycles
4.Extended menstrual cycles ( more than 30 plus days)
5.Lack of a menstrual cycle
6.Excess hair growth/Excess Dark hair growth
7.Hair loss
8.Irregular mid-cycle bleeding
9.Ovulation pain
10.Pot belly/ Fluid around the belly/Excess weight around the lower belly
11.Prolonged periods of PMS like symptoms
12. Sub-fertility/Infertility

All these are common signs that you may have PCOS and you only need to have 1-2 of these symptoms to have it. Some may have all the symptoms while some may just have acne and a cycle that isn’t completely regular.

PCOS is also a hereditary disease, but, PCOS can have long term affects on your fertility and can also lead to diabetes and other health complaints, therefore it is so important to get early treatment and early intervention.

If you suspect that you may have PCOS, or any of the symptoms mentioned above, please contact my clinic and find out how I can help you. Please contact [email protected] or call +61 07 38328369. In person and online consults available.



*xperts

One of the main symptoms of PCOS is acne, yet so many people have this gynaecological/reproductive/endocrine issue overlooked.

Research has shown that up to 70% (or more) of women with acne, will in fact have PCOS.

Many people with acne will just try and treat it as a dermatological issue, with all sorts of creams and harsh treatments, and never really get it treated properly.

It can often be between 3-5 years before a person is definitely diagnosed with PCOS, and many are missed and dismissed along the way.

Any woman with acne should always be investigated as potentially having PCOS, especially if accompanied with irregular periods. If PCOS is the cause, and then managed properly, the acne will also then resolve.

Acne is not always just a skin, or dermatological issue, and more often than not is a sign of PCOS.

If you need help with finding the cause of your acne, then contact my clinic and find out how I can help you. In-person and online consultations are available, no matter where you live. Email [email protected], or call +61 0451 408 898




*xperts

September is PCOS awareness month so I am going to present the facts about PCOS and raising awareness about this hormonal, endocrine, reproductive disorder that affects millions of women world wide and is often "missed" and "dismissed."

It is said that around 20% of women have PCOS, but with so many women misdiagnosed it is hard to say just how many actually have PCOS.

It often takes up to 3 years, or more, before a woman gets a proper definitive diagnosis and many women actually do not know that have PCOS at all. PCOS is one of the misdiagnosed conditions that affects women of all shapes and sizes and is indiscriminate of age.

It is a complex issue that can be a leading cause of infertility, yet not everyone with this syndrome will be infertile, or have troubles conceiving.

There are many signs and symptoms that someone has PCOS and some of these are: Irregular or absent menstrual cycle, Acne, Excess body or facial hair, weight gain and much more. It can also cause emotional symptoms such as anxiety and depression and it can also lead to diabetes and other health issues.

There are many myths about PCOS and over the course of the next few weeks I am going to present some of the facts around this conditions that affects many women's lives and their physical and emotional wellbeing as well.

Let's get the facts out there and start to educate everyone about this complex issues that many women with PCOS face daily.

If you do need help with the diagnosis of PCOS, or the management of PCOS, contact my clinic and find out how I can help you. Contact [email protected] or call +61 0451 408 898. In person and online consult available, not matter where you live.




*xperts

“When you have your health, you have everything. When you do not have your health, nothing else matters at all.” -Augusten Burroughs

This week is Women’s Health Week ( Sept 2-6th), and it is also PCOS awareness month. This week I will posting about all things women's health, and also about PCOS the whole month.

This special week is also reminder for women and girls to check in with their health, and daily habits you make, to support the body that you live in.

We are a sum of our habits, all the moving pieces, that only we can commit to, and no one else.

Supporting our health includes from moving our body, eating healthy nutritious foods, adequate hydration, sleeping enough, restoring our microbiome, and our emotional and mental wellbeing.

Having the right tools and daily practices is essential for ongoing health, physically and emotionally.

Part of that support is also about seeing a regular health practitioner for checkups and testing is too. Just remember that early intervention is the key to any health condition, and that the wait and see approach is a very bad idea, on so many levels. The longer one waits to get help, the worse things can be, and the harder is can be to treat.

If you have young daughters, they see and hear your every move, so for the mammas, make sure you lead in a positive way with your health too! 🙂

What are some key healthy habits you do each day to support your wellness?
We would love to hear in the comments below!

For information about our services and what we offer, please visit
www.drandreworr.com.au.

If you need help with a women's health issue, contact my clinic and find out how I can help you. Contact [email protected] or call 0451408898. In person and online consults available, no matter where you live.

















No stone left unturned.

Happy Father's Day

This is still one of my favourite pics that depicts what fathers bring to children's lives.

It is that element of fun, that element of teaching them resilience, the element of pushing the boundaries, not being scared to give something a try.....and sometimes ...... the sheer stupidity, but being able to laugh at oneself when you pulled off something stupid and realise... I better not do that again ....🤣🤣 Oh... and best not tell your mother ....lol

To all the wonderful father's out there. There are things only a father will do, and we love them all the more for it.

A special salute to those parent's who are mum and dad all in one and do it own their own too.

If you fill the role of "Dad", this day is for you.

Happy Fathers day

Regards
Dr Andrew Orr

The diagnosis of endometriosis can be quite complex, especially when relying on symptoms alone. Every person with endometriosis will in fact have similar symptoms, but at the same times have differing symptoms too.

One thing that I see in practice daily, is that women with endometriosis are missed and dismissed often, and are often misdiagnosed as just having irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The truth is that a significant portion of women who are diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome IBS), if not all, very often have endometriosis. These two conditions often overlap as well.

Whenever a woman tells me that they have IBS, or are suspected as having IBS, I automatically think endometriosis needs to be ruled out.

This is why it is important for people with IBS and inflammatory bowel issues, especially when it coincides with menstrual related issues, and period pain, need to see a women's health expert, who is also an endometriosis expert too.

If you have irritable bowel syndrome, which may, or may not be associated with menstrual related symptoms, then please contact my clinic and find out how I can help you. Please email [email protected], or phone +61 0451 408 898. In person and online consultations are available, no matter where you live.

Many people’s daily bloating, fluid retention, gastrointestinal symptoms, health issues, weight issues, and chronic disease states are being exacerbated by an unhealthy balance in this unique ecosystem we call the microbiome. We see this often with those who have Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, PCOS and other women's health issues.

The problem is that many people do not really understand the importance of the microbiome, and even many healthcare professionals do not fully understand how to help with proper microbiome repair and restore.

Many people are also led to believe that by just taking probiotics, that this is enough to restore the healthy bacteria in the gut/microbiome. I wish it was that easy.

The benefits of a healthy microbiome/microbiota, extend beyond the gut and digestive system and has a significant systemic impact on some the following:
Nutrient metabolism
Body weight
Cardiovascular health,
Chronic disease states
Inflammation in the body
Pain pathways
Immunity
Mental Health
Neuroendocrine function
Gene Expression

When we get too many bad bacteria growing, it causes a process called dysbiosis. Bacterial dysbiosis produces an endotoxin called lipopolysaccharide (LPS). It is one of the most inflammatory substances known. LPS is also major contributor to the inflammation, which then drives many chronic health conditions and disease states. We see this inflammation often with Endo Belly.

Medications, refined foods, alcohol, drugs, and stress, all have a toxic affect on our microbiome, and this is why it is so important to w**d out the bad bacteria, and restore our microbiome with "strain specific" good bacteria, and also feed those good bacteria with prebiotics. These prebiotics also have anti-inflammatory properties too.

With emerging research now highlighting the significance of developing and maintaining a healthy microbiome, it is important that everyone knows the importance of appropriate probiotic and prebiotic combinations.

If you would like to find out how to restore your microbiome properly, contact my clinic and find out how I can help you. Contact [email protected] or call +61 0451 408 898. In person & online consults available.

A healthy microbiome is a crucial part for our immune system and also in helping with reducing inflammation in the body. We also know there is also a link between the microbiome and mental health as well, via the gut/brain axis.

It is very important to restore the microbiome properly with "strain specific" healthy gut bacteria, not broad spectrum bacteria which may have no therapeutic actions, and also to help these "strain specific" healthy bacteria to grow and colonise. The problem is, many people (and those in healthcare) don't know how to restore the microbiome properly and why many probiotic protocols don't seem to help.

The dreaded "Endo Belly" is actually caused by inflammation and overgrowth of bad bacteria (dysbiotic bacteria), which then in turn causes gas, bloating, fluid retention, further inflammation, and all those horrible endo belly symptoms.

Proper Microbiome restore and repair is crucial for anyone with a chronic inflammatory disease. This is exactly why anyone with endometriosis needs to correctly restore and repair their microbiome. This will then help with lowering inflammation in the body, help with the immune system, help with gastrointestinal and bowel issues and also help with mental health as well.

If you need help with proper microbiome restore, using proper microbiome protocols and strain specific beneficial bacteria and other crucial things to help these good bacteria colonise, then contact my clinic and find how I can assist you.

No matter what anyone tells you, or tries to gaslight you, or even in you try to convince yourself, there are no magic pills, or quick fixes out there for Endometriosis, PCOS, PMDD and many other women's health conditions.

These days, we like to spend hours on Dr Google trying to find the miracle cure to our health issues, all under the belief that we can miraculously cure ourselves. We want the magic pill to take away all our hurts, our anxiety, & all our symptoms. As someone who suffers a long term health issue, I get all the reasons why.

But, the truth is... The magic pill does not exist, & the hours we spend googling our health symptoms could actually be spent with an expert, who has the qualifications and expertise, and who already knows how to help us.

Sure, there are plenty of not so good practitioners out there, and people using smoke and mirror tactics to convince you that they can help you. All professions and all industries have these sort of people.

But despite the bad, there are also plenty of highly qualified professional out there who can help you too. You just need to find them.

With every health condition, a thorough health history needs to be taken, correct differential diagnosis needs to be made, and the each person needs to be treated and managed individually. Just because a person has the same condition as the next, does not mean that they experience exactly the same symptoms, nor does it mean that they will respond to exactly the same treatment.

This is why is important not to get caught up on miracle cures, and treatments that are saying treat the masses. You need to be careful of following the masses, because sometimes the "m" is silent and you are being led by asses :-)

Every individual with a health condition, needs to be treated as an individual, because what works for one, may not work for another.

If you do need help with Endometriosis, PCOS, PMDD etc, or any other women's health issue, then contact my clinic and find out how a qualified women's health expert can help you.

Contact [email protected] or call +61 0451 408 898. In person & online consults available no matter where you live.

Like endometriosis and adenomyosis, PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) is a very much missed and dismissed condition by many healthcare practitioners.

All too often women are not only missed and dismissed, but also misdiagnosed when it comes to PMDD. Women are often diagnosed with all kinds of mood disorders, or even personality disorders, when in fact they actually have PMDD.

PMDD required specific symptom tracking to diagnose, and if practitioners do not know how to even do this, then how the hell are they going to know how to treat it. PMDD also requires specific multimodality treatment and management too.

PMDD is a condition very much like Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), but with very much intensified symptoms. These symptoms are usually worse 7-10 days prior to the me**es, and go shortly after the me**es has started. Symptoms can fluctuate throughout other parts of a woman's cycle, and many women with PMDD will state that they only feel normal for 1 week out of their monthly cycle.

Symptoms can include:
Mood swings
Depression or feelings of hopelessness,
Intense anger and conflict with other people
Tension, anxiety, and irritability
No interest in your usual activities
Trouble concentrating
Fatigue
Appetite changes
Feeling out of control
Sleep problems
Cramps and bloating
Breast tenderness
Headaches
Joint or muscle pain
Hot flushes

If this could be you, then it is important to be screened and managed properly. If you need help in this area, then contact my clinic and find out how I can help you. Contact [email protected] or call +61 07 38328369. In person and online consult available.

Join me tonight, Tuesday 27th August 2024, at 7pm Brisbane QLD time, for my next Facebook/Instagram Live entitled "Let's Talk and Premenstrual Syndrome and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder"

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is very similar to Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), but is definitely more serious. PMDD is like having PMS on steroids.

Many people believe that PMS and PMDD is just about the emotional, or mood swing side of these conditions, but nothing could be further from the truth. There are also physical and very debilitation symptoms, especially when it comes to PMDD.

Many do not realise they are experiencing PMS, or PMDD symptoms, and those with PMDD can be severely affected on both a physical and emotional level and various stages of their cycle, especially in those days 7-10 days prior to the me**es.

Women with PMS and PMDD definitely need a multimodality approach to managing symptoms, as there is no "one thing" to treat these conditions.

It's important to know the difference between PMS and PMDD, and also know what the symptoms are so that if you are getting these symptoms, you can get help and proper management.

So join me tonight, Tuesday 27th August 2024, at 7pm Brisbane time, as we talk all things PMS and PMDD.

Is it really IBS, or gut/digestive issues?
Or is it endometriosis?

As a women's health medicine, reproductive medicine, and endometriosis expert, whenever a woman, or persons, comes to see me for a consultation and says she/they have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), or some digestive/gut issue, I immediately think endometriosis.

A significant portion of the women, and persons, I see who have been diagnosed as having IBS, end up having endometriosis after definitive diagnosis.

We also need to remember that IBS is a symptom of endometriosis, and why so many people with endometriosis, also have bowel and digestive issues, hence why they also get endo belly. This is also why a proper microbiome restore is so important for anyone with IBS, or endometriosis, or both. Let's face it, most with endometriosis, if not all, have IBS.

Endometriosis isn't just about painful periods. It can affect the bowel and digestive system, cause IBS like symptoms, pain on bowel movement, chronic constipation, bleeding from the bowel, cause irregular bleeding, pain with s*x, ovulation pain, bloated swollen belly (known as endo belly), chronic fatigue and many other symptoms. It can be a major cause of emotional disturbance too.

If you have been diagnosed with IBS, or some digestive disorder and you aren't getting managed properly, or you cant seem to find a confident diagnosis, then it could highly be likely that you have endometriosis, and you need to see a women's health expert, who is also an endometriosis expert too.

If you need help with IBS, or endometriosis, or the diagnosis of endometriosis, or a proper microbiome restore, then contact my clinic and find out how I can help you. Contact [email protected] or call +61 0451 408 898. In person and online consults available, no matter where you live.

One of the most misunderstood phases of life is Menopause.

Nearly everyday I have women saying to me "Oh, I am not in menopause anymore, I've been through all that, and I am not in it anymore"

Not only are these women unknowingly wrong in their perceptions, they are also unknowingly putting themselves at serious help risks, which could see them severely debilitated, or end up in an early grave.

When a woman reaches the menopause stage of life, and the me**es cease (Meno-pause), she is in menopause.

This phase isn't just some phase you go through and it is over either. Once a woman reaches menopause, she is in menopause for life.

So many women are led to believe that menopause is a period of hot flushes, sleeplessness and a bit of cray cray, and then it is over. Nothing could be further from the truth and we need all women to know this.

There is huge difference between menopausal symptoms and what menopause actually is. This is why being proactive during perimenopause is so important. Early intervention and management is crucial.

Menopause is more than hot flushes etc. Without essential hormone replacement such as estrogen, and other essential hormones and nutrients, women are at risk of atrophic vaginitis (atrophied va**na), osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, premature aging, urinary issues, serious gynaecological issues, certain cancers, and even early death.

Once you reach the perimenopausal stage, you need to be preparing for menopause. Menopause is a permanent normal stage of life that ends on the day that a woman's life ends. How you manage that stage is so important, and why all women need to see a qualified women's health expert in the early stages of perimenopause, and beyond.

If you are experiencing perimenopausal symptoms(definitely from age 45 onwards & sometimes earlier), or are in the menopause stage of life, contact my clinic and find out how I can help you. Contact [email protected] or call 07 38328369. In person or online consults available, no matter where you life.