Rebecca Harwin, from Murray Bridge in South Australia, knows exactly how women with PCOS feel.

Her career in health and the fact she too lives with PCOS set the groundwork for her book, Conquer your PCOS Naturally.

"I was 17 when I was diagnosed (with PCOS), right before my year 12 exams," she said.

Dr Harwin said PCOS was a female disorder that occurred in about 11 per cent of women where they would experience a raft of hormonal changes; often including the lack of maturation and release of eggs from their ovaries.

"It affects the whole body and 30 to 50 per cent of women will have a miscarriage in the first trimester (of pregnancy)," she said.

"Any women experiencing symptoms of PCOS should seek help because it is never too late."

Dr Harwin said she went through many changes with PCOS. There were times of excessive weight gain, acne, excessive hair growth, lack of confidence and an irregular menstrual cycle.

"I struggled for many years, I had no natural period and I gained a lot of weight," she said.

After being diagnosed, she began researching PCOS and how to treat it.

Over time she started to lose weight, at first it was 10 kilograms in 10 weeks and then 20 kilograms in total.

"Losing weight is not hard to do if you know what to do," Dr Harwin said.

"PCOS is misunderstood and women struggle to find the answers so that's why I wrote the book."

She began writing a self-help book in January 2010 and completed it in May this year.

The book talks about how to conquer PCOS naturally, and is one of the reasons why Dr Harwin became a chiropractor.

"I knew I wanted to become a chiropractor in about year 9," she said.

"I always wanted to be involved in the health field and I was always interested in knowing how to help people naturally."

Her interest in chiropractic science blossomed so she began interviewing chiropractors and doing work experience placements.

She even used a chiropractor to help her with some of her medical problems.

"That made the headaches go away and I had a lot more energy as well," Dr Harwin said.

During her time as a chiropractor she has had a variety of patients.

"My youngest patients have been days old and my oldest patient was 96 years old," she said.

Even though Dr Harwin is practising at the Murray Valley Chiropractic Centre in Murray Bridge, she is also setting up a clinic in Adelaide one day a week for women who want to talk about dealing with PCOS.

For more information about PCOS visit www.conqueryourpcosnaturally.com.

Shared with ConnectPink by ConnectPink by www.murrayvalley standard.com.au.