PCOS Vs. Me

I am in a point in my life where i feel like it is important to be honest and share my truth. One of the most important steps in a journey of finding oneself is to accept who we are. I don't share my whole life, but i think its time for me to share this part of my life.

 For the past 15 years, i have been struggling with a disorder called PCOS. At first, i didn't really understand what it was. The doctor found small cysts on my ovaries. The doctor told me it was just going to cause my periods to be irregular and some pain.  At the time, since i was young and not trying to start a family, i didn't see it as a big deal. Now that i am older, i am learning and working towards finding ways to deal with this disorder. I want to share my journey with you all. 


I am sick and tired of reading wrong information about PCOS, which is why I have decided to share my experience, as well as do more research. 

Having PCOS doesn’t mean the woman will never have kids. Not all women with PCOS suffer from the same symptoms. We all have our own story. 


 Important Disclaimer: I am NOT a doctor, the information that i am going to share is from my own personal experiences and research. If you want more information please contact your doctor before starting any treatment or medications. 


 For those who don't know what PCOS is, PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

 Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a wide-ranging and complex medical condition. 
According to the Huffington Post  "Between 5-10 percent of women of childbearing age in the United States, or roughly 5 million, have been diagnosed PCOS, yet,  Less than 50 percent of women are properly diagnosed, leaving millions of women living with PCOS undiagnosed"
 
 Although PCOS is the most common endocrine condition afflicting women, the exact cause of PCOS is as yet unknown. Because of the complexity of symptoms of PCOS, it is difficult for scientists to determine whether something is a sign of PCOS or a causal factor. For example, women with PCOS are often overweight, but it is unknown whether being overweight causes PCOS, or if it’s the other way around, with PCOS causing women to be overweight.

PCOS can cause weight gain, access body hair, painful periods, anxiety, depresson and infertlity. 

 According to Sasha Ottey, founder and executive director of PCOS Challenge, Inc., “PCOS is one of the most critical, under served, under-diagnosed and under-funded conditions affecting women’s health. We need the help of media, government agencies and funding sources to improve patient outcomes and help save lives.”

 PCOS causes different symptoms for different women. Some treatments might work for one woman and not work for another. It causes a hormonal imbalance, so every woman reacts different. It attacks our mind and our bodies.

My symptoms are usually anxiety, painful periods and the scariest of all, miscarriages.

In the past years i have suffered through 3 miscarriages. It was the worst experiences of my life. I never thought i would share this part of my life, but i am realizing that i am not alone.  Listening to stories, and reading about other women's troubles getting pregnant i found how important it is for me to share my story.  Each miscarriage hurt more than the other. This was because the doctors didn't have any answers for me. All the doctors kept telling me was that it was normal and that women go through it all the time. I am in a point in my life, where i know that there is a chance for it to happen again, but i will continue to try because i have faith that i am meant to be a mother. I kept trying to find a doctor that specialized in PCOS, but it was so hard. I find that there is either doctors that specialize in fertlity or just regular gynecologists. It is hard to find doctors that understand PCOS and can help all aspects of the disease.


As a body positive woman, promoting self love and body acceptance is a part of me. Sometimes, It gets really hard to love my body, when my body is fighting against me. When it is the time of the month, i get really sick the week before, the week of and a few days after. Sometimes it's so bad, its really hard to get out of bed. I have learned cooping mechanisms and ways to deal with it because i work a full time job as well as my Photo shoots for brands. I don't have the luxury of staying in bed for a week. I have come up with ways to cope and heal and i would love to share it with you all.

 I personally have had bad experiences with medicine. I have tried birth control, and it just made me sad all the time. It messed with my hormones too much. I have also tried a medicine called Metformin. Metformin was the first medicine that helped me get pregnant. It made me very fertile but it also caused, kidney pain, and horrible stomach issues.


Lately i have been going to a fertility specialist. They have been amazing and helpful. I started  medicines called Clomid and Ovidrel. These medicines are supposed to help me ovulate. Its just the beginning lets see if they work for me. If you have PCOS, and are trying to get pregnant, ask your doctors about these medicines.

Besides medications, I believe Self Care can be really helpful in having a positive mind and body.

Self-care rituals that invigorate and balance the mind, body and spirit The power of a “joy list” | Read More on PCOS Diva
Some Self Care rituals i take place in are Meditation. I downloaded an app called "CALM". This app shares mediation and stories that can help anxiety and stress.

A joy list is one of my favorite ways to stay positive. I write out things i want to accomplish every month and things that bring me happiness and i make sure to do at least one a week. This way i stay busy, and i stay motivated to accomplish things. The more busy i am, the less anxiety i get.

I follow and read a blog called PCOS Diva, There is a lot of helpful information and facts that can answer a lot more questions.

PCOS DIVA

Like i said before, i am not a doctor. I am learning about this disease every day, but i believe it is so important to share my experience with you all because we are not alone!! PCOS is a disease that we can fight with a healthy mind and body. I have learned the hard way, but i am excited to be on the right track. I will not let PCOS defeat me, and you shouldn't either. I will continue to share my experiences with you all, and i hope it will help you too!! 



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