Hey, guess what?
It’s September and you know what that means! No, it’s not yet time to put up your scary decorations for Halloween or get your Christmas Tree up this early, Marites!
It’s actually PCOS Awareness Month. Why am I putting out such a post on my blog you say? Let me tell you, on May 23, 2019, around noon, I was sitting in a waiting room full of either pregnant or women who had just given birth, annoyed with the noise, bored cause I was alone, and actually wanting to back out with this appointment cause it was taking so long. But I didn’t, I really need to know and to get this appointment done. So, I waited.
Then, I finally got my turn and the doctor called me in to get my TVS (Transvaginal ultrasound), when the laparoscope was able to get the image and saw the image with all the follicles, that’s when I knew that my guess was right. But, I just really had to talk to my OB-Gyne about it and see what she has to say about it, so I did. It was a good thing that she was really nice and was able to educate me properly about it, PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a condition that affects a woman’s hormone levels. It is a problem with hormones that affect women during their childbearing years (ages 15 to 44) as healthline.com would put it. PCOS affects 1 in 10 women and 50% of women go undiagnosed.
I already had the idea that I already have this disorder for a long time, I just wanted to know and confirm, so when that day came, weirdly enough I felt worried but relieved. Common symptoms are the following:
- Irregular periods
- Heavy bleeding
- Hair growth or hirsutism
- Acne
- Weight gain
- Headaches
I’ve experienced 5 of 6 of the said symptoms and there are actually more if you Google it. PCOS can also cause complications like infertility, Type 2 diabetes, depression, and anxiety. Which you have to deal with all your life. And since people may possibly think and connect that this disorder to who and how I am to people. But I will never have this disorder/disease define who I am and how I am with people.
I guess what I am trying to say is that if you think you have the disease, get checked and consult with your OB-Gyne. BE IN THE KNOW! And if you receive a piece of hard and bad news, don’t let it get to you. Accept it, don’t let it define who you are because you’re a woman and women can do everything!
I’ll see you next time, I guess.
