PCOS is a jerk. On top of that, it is mysterious and sneaky. I’ve known that I have PCOS for the last 8 years and I have spent A LOT of time researching it. Here are some of the things I’ve learned about this rude disorder from my own experience with it:
- It’s Different in Everyone- Remember how you’d learn a grammar rule in English class and just when you had it down, your teacher said, “but here are the exceptions to this rule?” Yeah, that’s kind of what PCOS is like. Since it is a hormonal disorder and everyone’s hormonal makeup is unique, there is no one rule that defines
PCOS and how it affects people. As it stands, there are not many people even talking about PCOS. Unfortunately, a lot of the ones who talk about it do tend to think of it as a blanket disorder that can be lumped into one box. It is not. Some girls have facial hair…I do not. Some girls have thinning hair…I do not. Some girls get regular periods..I do not. Pay attention to your unique symptoms so you can find the right way to treat them. - Birth Control Does Not Cure PCOS-If you have PCOS and have been to a doctor, they probably tried to put you on birth control. While it might force a period and cover up some other symptoms like bad acne, it does not actually cure PCOS. As soon as you stop taking it, your symptoms will probably come back. Some people feel more comfortable taking the pill and that’s fine. In my PCOS journey, though, I found that birth control caused more trouble than it was worth.
- It Doesn’t Define You-I have spent so much time hiding my PCOS. It made me feel ashamed and embarrassed. It made me feel like I was less than. I wouldn’t even bring it up because I didn’t want people to judge me about it. But guess what? It’s not my fault. I didn’t do anything to get PCOS. But it is definitely up to me to decide how I handle it. And I’ve decided that I’m tired of hiding it.
- Eating Right and Exercising Does Help…Even If The Results are Slow-I have spent years killing myself with hardcore workouts. In fact, a nutritionist once told me that I work out at an athlete level. Unfortunately, the way I look does not reflect that. Believe me, I understand how frustrating it is to try to lose weight when you have PCOS. The second I stop exercising I start to gain weight. The PCOS weight loss struggle is full of disappointment. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it to keep doing your best. Eating right and exercising does help.
- It Is So Important to Do Your Own Research-In my experience, a lot of doctors try to treat the effects of PCOS and not really the causes. Even if these treatments work temporarily, they very rarely have long-term success. If you do not feel like Metformin is the right course of action for you and your PCOS, do some research to find the right alternative therapy for your needs. I am definitely not saying you should avoid the doctor or even that you should disregard their medical advice. I’m just saying that it is important for you to spend some time researching so you understand what is happening with your body.