As we’re nearing the end of September, I wanted to talk about just how important this month is to me and what better way than to highlight it than making it the subject of my first blog post. September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and over the years has been an awareness platform for general ovarian health, as well as PCOS. I was diagnosed with PCOS about 6 years ago and it is a daily struggle to navigate. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that has quite a long list of symptoms, including irregular periods, unwanted hair growth, acne, depression, anxiety, and weight gain. If you are one who is a bit uncomfortable with reading about feminine health, then I highly encourage you to keep reading anyway.
I first suspected that I had PCOS the second I learned about it. I gained weight very quickly, started to have a huge issue with unwanted facial hair, my hair on my head was fall out, my ovaries HURT all of the time, my mood swayed between extremely anxious to utterly devastated over anything, and my periods came maybe three times a year. When I mustered up the courage to get some guidance, the doctor that I saw told me that I was fat and needed to lose weight. Nothing more and didn’t honor my request for a blood test to confirm my suspension. Needless to say, I was too scared to get a second opinion out of fear of turning into a puddle of tears afterwards again. I sucked it up on my next annual visit the following year and begged my new doctor to help me. Within 1 minute of me talking about my symptoms she agreed with my suspicions, ordered a blood test to help confirm the diagnosis (elevated testosterone showed up for me), and did an ultrasound where I saw the standard “string of pearls” cysts on the screen for the first time. I was promptly put on birth control and metformin to help with my symptoms. I will go into my experiences with those prescriptions on a later date but spoiler alert, did not love either of them. A lot of people swear by them but it was not the solution for me. It’s all trial and error!
Now, I get a yearly scan of my ovaries now to make sure they are in tip-top shape. Or…at least an acceptable level of “not normal”. I shied away from seeing an OB for a few years during COVID, but I am back on my OB annual visit routine and I encourage everyone to do the same. I’ve encountered a few different medical opinions on what to do for food and medications from my doctors and they never really ever mirror each other. The hardest part is navigating what actually just works best for YOU. I’ve found an OB that I trust and has recommended a few other options, like Ovasitol, to help regulate my cycles. As of now, I am a steady 4-6 weeks between periods and couldn’t be happier. As for food that doesn’t make me afraid of the scale, that’s a different roller coaster.
As a PCOS “cyst-er”, I have constantly ridden the ebbs and flows of “your body loves this food” and “just kidding, here is 5 more pounds”. I’ve tried gluten free, and then promptly stress ate gluten free anything because it was the only thing that felt safe for awhile. I tried a very low calorie diet that I am currently retraining my metabolism to recover from now. I’ve tried dairy free but what harm is my daily dose of half & half in my morning coffee? I got into a space so restricted and really just afraid of eating anything because I didn’t wait to wake up the next morning with the scale creeping up. Then I have safe foods that don’t offer me the nutrition that I need. What a cycle! I still have those fears and have been working really hard to re-learn that there are no “good foods” or “bad foods” and focus on nutrition. I try to focus on protein, limit processed carbohydrates, lots of veggies, and of course lots of water. Will I still eat a cookie or the fun seasonal treats? For sure. Did I have pizza tonight? Yes of course. We are all about balance here folks!
I will continue to post more about PCOS in the future to keep this conversation going and act as a resource for others that may find it helpful or even just relatable. We don’t just discuss ovarian health in September! It is so important to spread awareness of what the symptoms are for PCOS and other reproductive syndromes. Find a doctor that you trust, find an OB that you are comfortable with, and ask every question that you can think of. Talk to your girlfriends too! As a 31 year old millennial, we weren’t really encouraged to talk a lot about “things down there”. Break that cycle! You never know who in your friend circle may suffer from the same issues with their ovarian health. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve received comfort and advice from a friend when I feel like my body is fighting against me.
And we’re so lucky to have the internet at our disposal to really dive deep into learning more about PCOS. But I do caution that it is not a “one size fits all” approach for managing symptoms. Some things that work for others may not work the best for you.
Thanks for following along as I dove into a pretty lengthy “ode” to my ovary health journey. If you found any “yes, this is me” moments, I hope you know that you’re not alone. Follow along for more tips and insights to my authentic experiences with navigating PCOS. Spoiler alert, I am on a weight loss journey to help better manage my symptoms and I will keep you updated. It will help hold myself accountable but also I am hopeful it will help others as well. Because you know, PCOS makes you gain weight quickly, makes it hard to lose, and losing it helps your other symptoms too…what a journey!
Summary: Love your body, nourish yourself, your doctors lots of questions, and ladies-don’t skip your OB visits.
