PCOS Self Assessment Quiz and Guide
Should you seek a PCOS diagnosis? Here’s a quick PCOS self assessment quiz. It should help you decide if you should see you doctor about a possible PCOS diagnosis.
I designed this quiz to help give you an idea if you might meet the guidelines for diagnosis. Keep in mind that each person with PCOS is unique and even if you don’t meet the “traditional” idea of PCOS, you might still have PCOS or be at risk for developing PCOS.
What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
PCOS is one of the most common hormonal issues in women and occurs when our bodies make too much androgen. Androgens are traditionally known as “male” hormones. In PCOS, we tend to have too much testosterone or DHEA. This causes a range of symptoms from irregular periods, weight gain, and infertility, to facial hair and hair loss.
How to treat PCOS
PCOS is usually treated first with diet and lifestyle changes and sometimes medications.
Medications typically used include birth control pills and IUDs, androgen blockers like spironolactone, insulin balancers like Metformin and sometimes GLP-1 medications like Ozempic or Monjauro.
Diet changes are important for PCOS. Many of the root causes of PCOS hormone disturbances are actually metabolic, rather than hormonal. Scroll down to learn more about how functional nutrition looks at PCOS from a different perspective. Functional nutrition can help you improve your symptoms naturally and what some of those diet recommendations are.
How to self-assess for PCOS
A PCOS self-assessment begins by comparing yourself to typical PCOS symptoms. These are particularly ones that we can see or feel in our bodies. This quiz should help you do that! Just keep in mind that it is just an internet quiz. It may not tell the whole story or give the full picture. Be sure to get checked by your doctor!
Criteria for PCOS diagnosis
To be diagnosed with PCOS, your doctor will likely look to see if you meet something called the Rotterdam Criteria for diagnosis. In order to qualify you’ll need:
- Irregular or absent periods (35 days or longer between periods)
- Signs of hyperandrogenism (increased body or facial hair growth or hair loss, cystic acne)
- Cystic ovaries (small cysts on the ovaries, typically looks like a string of pearls on transvaginal ultrasound)
If you meet 2 of the 3 of the above criteria, you may be diagnosed with PCOS or recommended for further testing like labwork.
Root Cause PCOS Quiz | PCOS Self Assessment
As I mentioned above, PCOS symptoms are driven mostly by metabolic issues. In functional nutrition, I call these the “root causes” of PCOS. These don’t represent where your genetic predisposition to PCOS came from. Instead, they tell you what is keeping your symptoms flared.
Understanding the root causes of pcos can help you get a real handle on your hormonal balance and actually achieve an equilibrium.
I created a root cause quiz for PCOS to give you further information and insight. You can check it out below.
Functional Nutrition for PCOS
A functional approach to health and nutrition for PCOS start by using food as a holistic way of helping the body balance and heal. Functional nutrition looks at your PCOS hormone imbalances as symptoms of deeper issues.
Most PCOS symptoms are actually deeply metabolic and stem from three major root cause issues. These root causes are insulin resistance, inflammation, and adrenal dysfunction. Here are a few articles and resources to help you understand more:
Do I have PCOS? How to Tell if You Have PCOS
How to Plan Your PCOS Diet like a Nutritionist
Amber Fischer, Functional PCOS Nutritionist
My name is Amber Fischer and I’m the face and voice behind Functional PCOS. My goal with Functional PCOS is to help provide you with hope, education and lots of free resources to use food as a tool to improve your PCOS and your overall health.
I am a certified nutrition specialist with a Master’s Degree in Integrative and Functional Nutrition. I also have nearly a decade of experience working with PCOS clients. You can find more about me here.
PCOS Meal Plans and Courses
One of my passions is PCOS education and I’ve created a c
ouple of online courses to help you better understand and assess your PCOS.
These courses are all budget friendly. They come with meal plans, grocery lists, and other helpful resources and tools to get you on the right track!
PCOS thoughts & Tips, every friday.
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MEdical Disclaimer
The information contained on amberfischernutrition.com is for informational and education purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. As a nutrition professional, I draw upon evidence based practices and personal experience with myself and clients to form recommendations like the ones made in this guide. You are an individual with your own unique set of health goals and concerns. Ensure you discuss any changes to your diet with a qualified healthcare professional, like your doctor, to ensure these changes are right for you. This is especially important if you have any other underlying medical conditions. Do not consume foods you are allergic to. Results will be individual and will vary.
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This site contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through a link provided on this website, I may make a small commission. This does not add to the purchase price of the item. I only link to items I truly use and recommend.
