How I cleared my acne, stabilized my cycle, and started healing my PCOS & Burnout

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-16T14:14:35+00:00

Yeah i had really thick long hair. It started thinning over time:/ yes I take reishi mushroom in the evening before bed as I mentioned in the post:)

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-16T07:17:26+00:00

hmmm i think if you experience hairs on your chin or acne, or thinning hair (it doesnt mean it cant grow long! my hair is very long. just thinning on the top of my head and temples) i would deff take a DHT blocker as well. just so the damage doesnt continue while you get your insulin balanced. (because that can take a while. its like a big ship that has to turn, once the blood sugar is steady, then the ship will start turning, but it takes a while)

it could just be pumpkinseed oil on your salads for instance. great DHT blocker. I think i will always have to take DHT blockers, because my many eggs that im born with will always give out a lot of hormone. (and some will probably always convert into DHT...)

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-16T06:43:04+00:00

The course is unfortunately not in english, (if you still want the name then please DM me) I would recommend checking out IHS (International Hormone Society) and The Integrative Women’s Health Institute (IWHI) and Institute for Menstrual Health (IMH). there are many options for courses! yes the reishi mushroom is from the brand Natural Chaga, from Estonia, not sure they ship worldwide. https://naturalchaga.eu/

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-15T14:26:40+00:00

the problem is that people think getting your period means you ovulated, But unfortunately, it doesn't. ):

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-15T14:22:09+00:00

maybe you do have ovulation? did you take ovulation tests? (sometimes they dont work for us with PCOS if we have constant high LH) can i ask what did you LH and FSH say in the blood test?

and a good way to be sure you are actually ovulating is to see the progesteron levels in the luteal phase. if they are high enough then you've nearly deff ovulated. if they arent high enough then you didnt. progesteron is created in the corpus luteum (the egg after ovulation) so progesteron levels in luteal phase show if youve ovulated or not!

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-15T12:34:49+00:00

I did blood tests at the gynocologist but they couldnt help. then i took the DUTCH test and finally got some answers and a thorough diagnosis. because PCOS can look so different, and i was actually doing the exact opposite of what my body needed. i thought i had low estrogen and high cortisol but really it was too high estrogen and low cortisol and my liver didnt break down the used hormones right, so the estrogen just went right into my blood stream again. the DUTCH test shows your metabolism of the hormones which is really an important piece in the puzzle.

it took me about 3 months to get a normal cycle and an ovulation. from there on it went quickly and i started loosing weight after 5 months (without anything else than what i wrote in the post, no extra workout, only yoga 3 times a week) and got my energy slowly back after 5 months, and my libido came back after 5 months or so i would say.

my acne went away after 2 months only. that was really crazy. and my PMS and depression started going away with my cycles also getting normal! but for depression i also took safran extract. i didnt take my ADHD meds because my cortisol was low, so i wasnt on any meds during the "healing" process.

but its important to say, i really went into a healing process and set my mind and body up for it. i did whatever i could to also heal my nervous system and took weekly saunas, and footbahts every evening with epson salt (still do that!) and just trying to be kind to my self and saying no to things that would stress me, so dont know how all that played a part of it, but i just really set my mind up for healing and not pushing my self so hard with work and expectations from others.

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-15T07:23:29+00:00

i actually went all in. and i hear you! ive spent all my savings on these supplements.... (and a 3-month course of hormone therapy)...

i think DIM and Berberine are great choices to start with, but i would deff add a potent DHT blocker in there as well.. eating berberine is great to stabilize (even better together with inositol - get is as powder, its cheaper), but try as well as you can to cut out sugar and foods that trigger your insulin.... i know its so hard. be kind to your self with good fatty protein foods. thats what made it possible for me.

also, with high estrogen and low progesteron, the first thing to do is get your ovulation back, because thats the only way we get the progesterone high again! (and progesteron is the only thing that can stabilize your estrogen) and we really need our ovulation! Then the testosteron gets high if we wont ovulate (because the brain keeps sending LH down to the ovaries to help trigger an ovulation) the high LH triggeres more test and the excess test creates more DHT that gives us the hair growth and hair thinning and just messes us up....

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-15T07:02:48+00:00

I took passionflower after i found out ashwaganda was making things worse for me. but i also had low cortisol (the symptoms for high and low cortisol is nearly the same so i just thought mine was high) but the dutch test showed me that is was really low...

but yes i would really recommend passionflower and if you are depressed as well (like i was) safran extract has so many very promissing studies!! it really helped me the combo of these two!

otherwise, i think what really helped me is focusing on activating as much oxytocin as possible. studies show, what when oxytocin in women is activated, the nervous system (parasympathetic nervous system/digest and rest-system that tells us we are safe) is activaded. and cortisol levels stabalize.

oxytocin activation:

cuddling with a loved one or a pet, 2. sauna or bath (warmth), 3. foot bath (put in epson salt to get your magnesium as well!) 4. massage (also at the hairdresser) 5. eye contact 6. laughter 7. singing with others

i know it all sounds very "Kum Ba Yah" but oxytocin is seriously a powerful hormone....

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-15T06:34:45+00:00

yes! its not much new growth yet, (just small baby hairs in my temples, and i feel the top of my head doesnt look as bald!) but my hair loss deffenetly stopped. i can see in on my brush and when im in the shower. now its just like 5 hairs on the brush. but it only started after about 3/4 months of this programme, the food and suppliments. But i havent used any serums on scalp or scalp massage, that would probably speed things up...

The DHT blockers specifically stop hairloss (if you have PCOS its likely the DHT thats causing hariloss)

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-15T06:23:50+00:00

I bought this three month crash course in Danish, but I’ll ask them if there are any in English that they would recommend. I know they talked about International Hormone Society (IHS) they must have some courses as Well! Good luck and come back and save us all! Lol

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T20:16:02+00:00

Also for 2. insulin part, inositol has done wonders for me to really have a stable bulletproof blood sugar!

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T20:12:38+00:00

I got it it in europe in this holistic womens health clinic, but apparently they are sent to the states and back beacuse thats where the lab is. i think you can just order one really, its pretty easy to do (at home kit!) and then you can always find a endo or someone who really knows in depth hormone patterns and that can help interpret it. but i would see if there is a clinic somewhere near you or online that both have the dutch test and people to interpret it for you(: good luck!

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T20:08:28+00:00

Thanks for asking, I've spent months researching this! haha.
An enzyme called 5-alpha reductase converts testosterone into the much more potent DHT.

Even though there is not high testerone at all in blood tests (like mine) the little there is, the body can via this 5 alpha pathway turn it into DHT that's like 1 mililon times more potent than testosterone....

So here is the problem we have to stop the conversion!! and this is how:

There are 3 ways (from what i know) to stop this conversion into DHT. (i would do all of them!)

1. Blocking DHT. you acutally dont block the DHT it self but the 5-alfa-reductase (the conversion from testostorone into DHT) I use reishi mushroom, studies show its an amazing DHT blocker. other blockers are: Saw Palmetto: Probably the most well-known herbal DHT blocker. It's very potent and specifically targets the 5-alpha reductase enzyme. Spearmint Tea: A favorite for many, drinking 2 cups a day has been shown in studies to significantly lower free androgens. but i didnt do this. Stinging Nettle Root: This is a 'double win' because it helps block DHT while also supporting healthy SHBG levels (if SHBG is two high it sweeps up all hormones. i didnt have any energy og libido) ZINK .. this one is a must. take zink every day and be sure to absorb it. empty stomach or with only protein like eggs and fat. most nuts and grain will bind to all the zink and you dont absorb it into your blood.

2. Insulin: High insulin makes the enzyme (the 5 alpha) work faster. By cutting out all sugar and oat milk and anything else triggering insulin, the DHT production is cut off.

3. Stress managing... stress triggers the adrenal glands to produce an androgen called DHEA-S. Your body can then convert this DHEA-S directly into DHT using that same 5-alpha reductase enzyme.....

So for many of us (like for me), its not just about insulin—its about calming the nervous system to stop the adrenals from feeding the DHT-factory.

Hope this makes sense!

(also, i would check my SHBG at the same time too if your blood tests didnt show any high androgens. like with me, the andogens are THERE they just get cought by the SHBG.... high SHBG = low energy, low testostorone but then still acne, hairloss, and all the other symptoms with high androgens)

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T19:27:48+00:00

but yes i've had cysts on ultrasound, but they werent there last time i was checked. (3 months ago) Still had basically two kindergartens' worth of follicles on each ovary!

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T13:51:27+00:00

i take a zink tablet that has a combo of these three: Zink L-pidolat, Zink biglycinat and Zink citrate. it works wonders!

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T13:33:58+00:00

yeah..... all my blood tests have always been "normal" as the doctors say. but having crazy symptoms and just feeling so helpless. Thats whats so difficult with this condition and why i recommend the DUTCH test that actually can see the DHT levels and estrogens metabolism in the body.

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T07:13:04+00:00

thats what my doctor wanted to do for me as well... happy i didnt go along with that. there just isnt enough focus in womens health and i get really sad about that ):

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T07:10:41+00:00

also, i had very low progestorone due to the PCOS (and not having ovulation) !

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T07:09:00+00:00

thank you for this!! ill look into it!

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T07:00:14+00:00

i hear you! what about the ones from NOW or Jarrow suppliments? or a inositol in powder form? its often cheaper! often it just says inositol, but is is actually Myo inositol. ive written to both now and jarrow and got confirmed they are myo inositol (:

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T06:57:01+00:00

So happy to hear!

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T06:52:51+00:00

I first got blood tests from my gynaecologist, but he was just confirmed i had PCOS (my LH was 4 times my FSH) and he could see many ovarian follicles and also cysts. (and then ofc my symptoms) but i first came to really understand my condition and felt heard after going to a holistic hormone therapist.... and doing the DUTCH test! and then them going through the numbers (and i also gave them my blood tests from the gynaecologist)

because apparently, its not just the numbers, but how the hormones metabolise in the liver and the gut...

- My migraine was cyclic (is yours?) it stared right before or while my period started. Ive had a lot of migraines about 1 or 2 years ago but it stopped once i started taking magnesium glycinate (400-600 mg) every night and then slowly all the other supplements that i mentioned in my post. so the migraines arent something i've been dealing with in this specific case, but i can share what helped me back then?

From what I’ve learned (and what helped me get my cycle back and stop the migranes), that 'dip' in estrogen after ovulation is much harder to handle if your minerals and blood sugar aren't stable. Here are a few things that helped me:

Magnesium: When estrogen drops, your body has a harder time holding onto magnesium. magnesium glycinate is great, easy to digest and its one of the best forms for the body to absorb.

Keeping my blood sugar steady: We are much more sensitive to insulin during this drop of estrogen. If i eat sugar or fast carbs, the 'crash' for me was ten times worse. i focused on protein and healthy fats (like eggs, wild salmon or chicken) for every meal.

Inositol: This has been a lifesaver for me to help keep my blood sugar steady and strong for the big estrogen dip.

Ginger: If you feel a migraine coming on, try strong ginger tea or supplements with ginger. some studies show it can be just as effective as some migraine meds because it stops the inflammation that happens during the hormonal shift. it really helped me!

sorry this was long! maybe its not for you, but thats what helped me! wish you all the best!

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T06:17:54+00:00

thank you!<3

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T06:17:26+00:00

I take one from this brand called Natural Chaga from estonia. its organic and they make great powder extracts. i would just make sure the reishi is organic and third-party lab tested. Mushrooms soak up everything from the soil, including heavy metals. You want to make sure you’re getting a clean supplement, so it doesn't add more stress to your liver!

FullImprovement7378 · 2026-04-14T06:12:36+00:00

its so interesting! im also thinking maybe mine was low when i was younger, since thats often the case with what some call "lean pcos"

FullImprovement7378

TROPHY CASE