Lets talk about PCOS

Hey Guys,


So this topic is something that I feel very strongly about and I also think that it is one of the most understood conditions out there. For those of you that don't know what PCOS is, it stands for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and it is a very common health condition that affects how women's ovaries work. Doctors Estimate that 1 in 10 women have it and more than 50% of the women are unaware that they do have it.

Common symptoms include:
-Irregular periods & Infertility ( making it difficult for women to ovulate and conceive),
-Excessive Levels of Male hormones in your body (Androgen)- which can cause excess hair on your face or body- most commonly on your face though
-Weight gain,
-Hair thinning,
-Oily skin or acne
-The ovaries themselves  ( your ovaries can become enlarged and contain lots of fluid-filled sacs follicles which surround your eggs.)

There is no exact cause of PCOS, it is known to run in families. Many women with PCOS later in life go on to develop other health problems such as Diabetes, pre-diabetes, cardiovascular disease etc.

Now enough about the facts and onto how I chose to cope with it. I was in my mid twenties when I found out that I had PCOS, irregular periods have always been a problem for me as I never knew when I was due to come on or how long my cycle was going to be, sometimes it could be every 28 days-others it was every 40days (literally missing months) there was a spell where I didn't have a period at all. Missing periods is quite alarming for anyone and I used to find it quite scary, my doctor referred me to the Gynaecologist, which at the appointment he confirmed the news for me.

I was prescribed the Pill, for the first 2-3 weeks of taking the pill, it gave me terrible nausea, headaches and mood swings - I also suffered from a lot of spotting. As time went on I settled on the pill and all the above symptoms calmed down and finally went away.
I stayed on the pill for several years until I got married in 2012, which is when I decided to stop taking it all together - once stopped I started to gain a lot of weight, and my periods returned back to being irregular and I started getting a lot of unwanted hair growing on my face (chin area).
Some months my ovaries physically ached, I used to get sharp stabbing pains, which I could only presume was tiny fluid filled sacs bursting.

I personally try to manage my weight through healthy eating and moderate exercise - I do have a lot of cheat meals and I do not obsessively work out, I consider myself somewhat healthy and I am comfortable being overweight. I have accepted my body for the size it is.  As for the facial hair, this is what makes me feel most insecure, I used to just pluck away the odd hair. As time went on the hair seemed to come back darker and there appeared to always be more and more, I had it waxed a few times but again I found it kept returning with a vengeance. I was then introduced to the facial epilator, my mother bought it for me for Christmas - it literally is the best thing ever. It hurts a little the first few times you do it, but once you become used to it, its the best method I have found. the hair has thinned, become less and takes at least 3-4 weeks to start growing back.

Not long after my diagnosis I went on to do some research about the condition. I learnt there is no cure for this condition, however there are medications that can be taken to help treat the hair growth, irregular periods and fertility problems
.
One thing that really grinds my gears is when women complain about their normal period. How about you bleed for months at a time? Or how about you feel how it feels when a cyst bursts inside you? I wish I had a normal period with “normal” cramps! I also hate it when someone says  "Oh, clean eating and lots of exercise will cure your PCOS.” PCOS has no cure, you can only treat it. Please stop saying this to women who have the condition, it is not as easy as that and it is very insulting.

As someone who has PCOS there are something's I feel I need to say and I would say most over women to also have it would agree.

1- It is more than just my ovaries - yes it impacts my ovaries (hence the name) but it is so much more than that, PCOS is endocrine disorder which just about impacts every part of my body and life. I gain weight` very very easily, have mood swings a lot and do struggle with depression. There is always the fear around the ability to fall pregnant. So Nooooo PCOS does not just affect my ovaries, it 100% affects me. Some time I need to be treated with more tenderness just because it has simply been one of those days.

2- I May be over weight, but it is not through lack of trying - I know some people look at me and think I am lazy, I should stop eating so much or you think I do not care about the way I look. This is absolutely not the case. You should not judge me because of my size. PCOS makes me gain weight extremely easily and believe me when I say it is a constant struggle to loose weight.

3- It is definitely not convenient -  Not having a period is not convenient, it is a sign that there is something wrong with my body. Have you ever spoke to someone who is really happy about having their period?....NO? there are so many women who have not had a period for months, or even years.

4- PCOS is not curable-  As it stands there is no cure for PCOS. It is a condition I have learnt to live with,  I may be able to get my symptoms under control, but I need to make sure I keep them under control.  I will not let PCOS define me as a person, some days are better than others but on the whole, I will do everything I can to keep my PCOS managed and in control.

5- I am one of many - PCOS unfortunately affects 1 in 10 women worldwide, I am not alone in this. however I wish we had a better support network, I wish it was easier to make others understand what PCOS is and how it affects me as an individual.

If there was one message I could pass on to women that have the condition or may have been recently diagnosed, I would definitely tell them to be part of a community of other women that also have PCOS, Also do your own research. PCOS is not a death sentence. It is going to be difficult to deal with, but as long as you have a good support system around you it really does make a world of difference. When I realised everyone have flaws, I stopped feeling so alone. knowing that so many women have PCOS and all people have their own issues they deal with, just know that you are not alone, everyone deals with things differently, don't be afraid to ask for help if you are struggling. Do not give up on yourself.

To wrap this up I would like to say that if you do have PCOS and want to get in-touch, I would be very interested in talking to you. every one has different ways of dealing with it. I am intrigued to know what has worked and what has not worked for you, so please do either email me on Perksofbeinglaura01@gmail.com , leave a comment below or contact me via my Instagram page Perks_of_being_laura

Thanks for reading

Laura

xoxox