I found out a few days ago that September is PCOS Awareness Month. This is a big portion of my life, so I wanted to make sure that I did my best to raise awareness for PCOS because as it turns out, 1 in 10 women have PCOS. ONE IN TEN. Seriously, that is so, so, so many. I can't even handle how many people are affected by PCOS and honestly, most of them don't even know it. Most women don't find out that they have PCOS until they try to get pregnant. SO for today's post I wanted to share a few facts about PCOS for those who may not know that they have PCOS.
It needs to be noted that doctors don't have an exact cause for PCOS and that there is no cure for PCOS, but there are things that can help fight the symptoms.
Symptoms of PCOS
Irregular or missed periods
Cysts (but not everyone gets these)
Weight gain
Fatigue + sleep problems
Unwanted hair growth (face, arms, back, chest, thumbs, toes, abdomen)
Thinning hair on the head
Infertility — a leading cause of female infertility
Acne — skin tags & darkened patches
Mood changes — mood swings, depression & anxiety
Pelvic pain
Headaches
Excess Androgen (male hormone)
Source | Source
WebMD says, “All bodies need both ‘male’ and ‘female’ hormones to work right, but a woman with PCOS has too much of the male kind.”
WebMD also says, “Doctors don’t know exactly why you get it, but some researchers think high levels of insulin are at the root of this illness.”
This information was very interesting for me because I actually got tested for Diabetes because I was having trouble with food and my energy levels. When the test results for Diabetes came back negative, the doctors basically just gave me a pill to take to stop the nausea and vomiting (TMI??) but I was never given an answer. It wasn't until about 3 years later when Parker and I went to an Infertility Specialist that I was diagnosed with PCOS.
I feel like when most people get diagnosed with PCOS (or any other type of Infertility causing diagnosis), they get really sad. However, when I was diagnosed with PCOS, I cried tears of relief and validation. I felt so stupid after going to doctor after doctor and having them tell me that I was stressed or "still young" and to not worry about the fact that we were having a hard time getting pregnant. I mean, I'm not at all grateful for PCOS-- in fact, it has presented a lot of challenges to my life-- but I'm grateful to know that there are options for us. We were given a fertility treatment plan and even though we've still never gotten a YES yet, we've still got hope. My sister also has PCOS and she has been able to give birth to three beautiful babies, so that gives us a lot of hope.
If you're on the PCOS train, welcome aboard. I want to start a club or something so that when others get diagnosed, they'll have a place to go-- but I guess that's what my Instagram and blog are for, so I guess ya'll are already in the club! So welcome to the club! But if you're here, I hope you'll find some strength and validation here. PCOS is tough stuff, but you're tougher. Hold on. Keep going. Your dreams can come true. Miracles happen every day. Modern Medicine is a GIFT and Doctors know what they're doing.
Stay tuned, I'm going to share more of my PCOS story later this week. <3
The modest dress I'm wearing in these photos is from Cleo Madison! I'm wearing a size Small. It fits SO well and is SO comfy!Cleo Madison has so many fun modest dresses to choose from that are all so cute!
