What Is PCOS?

PCOS is a bitch. Plain and simple. PCOS is that sneaky, awful friend who's always late to the party. Sometimes that can be a blessing because you never really wanted to invite her because she's a pain in the ass and always wrecks the place, but you feel like she's necessary and you feel almost obligated to invite her. Besides being horribly late every single time, she causes misery and pain wherever she goes. 

I've been dealing with PCOS for about 14 years now, ever since I started my period at the wee ole age of 12. I didn't know I had this horrible crap at the time, but I showed signs even that young. I would later diagnose myself through research but I didn't get the official diagnoses until well after my daughter's birth. 

Basically, PCOS can cause a multitude of symptoms, depending on the woman. You get severe weight gain, the inability to lose said weight, facial hair (my favorite), multiple cycts on your ovaries, Diabetes, heart disease, late or absent periods, insanely painful and heavy periods, increased risk of ovarian and uterine cancer and ... oh yeah ... infertility.

Wow, did I get a great card. Thanks, life!

But really, I count my lucky stars because I have a beautiful, smart, amazing little girl who was conceived naturally despite having this horrible illness. 

I'm glad I started this blog. Many women with PCOS feel the need to hide and be ashamed. It's easy to spot us... most of us have apple shaped bodies with all our weight in the middle, no butt in the background and tiny little chicken legs. Some of us have mustaches and beards (I don't, thank goodness, but I feel for those who do). We're made to feel ashamed for our ailment. "Why don't you just lose weight?" 

Yeah, if only this crap didn't cause me to GAIN the weight and to KEEP IT ON, I would! Thanks!

Seriously. My doctor said I could eat grilled chicken salads every day and still pack on the pounds. I've only been able to lose weight through extreme measures, which I wouldn't recommend to anyone. I even developed bulimia, something I still struggle with to this day.

It's not a fun game.

The message I would like to get out there for women like me is this: YOU ARE NOT ALONE. PCOS does not define you and you are stronger than this. Please feel free to message me if you have any questions or just need someone to talk to!

Straight from Wikipedia:

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), also called hyperandrogenic anovulation (HA), or Stein-Leventhal syndrome, is one of the most common endocrine disorders among females. PCOS has a diverse range of causes that are not entirely understood, but there is strong evidence that it is largely a genetic disease.

PCOS produces symptoms in approximately 5% to 10% of women of reproductive age (approximately 12 to 45 years old). It is thought to be one of the leading causes of female subfertility and the most frequent endocrine problem in women of reproductive age. Finding that the ovaries appear polycystic on ultrasound is common, but it is not an absolute requirement in all definitions of the disorder.

The most common immediate symptoms are anovulation, excess androgenic hormones, and insulin resistance. Anovulation results in irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, and ovulation-related infertility. Hormone imbalance generally causes acne and hirsutism. Insulin resistance is associated with obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol levels. The symptoms and severity of the syndrome vary greatly among affected women.