My Journey with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, PCOS, is a disease that affects one in ten women, and it is likely that most women will suffer symptoms for years before discovering the cause. There are so many other problems that can cause the same symptoms as PCOS, and therefore it can be difficult to diagnose. For me, I probably showed signs of the disease as a child.

I had my first period when I was ten years old. This in itself should have been an indication that there might have been a problem, because ten years old is much too young for the average girl to start menstruating. I know the fact that it happened at such a young age affected me, at least on a subconscious level, because it took me an unusually long time to tell my mother I'd started at all. By the time she did find out, enough time had passed that the age was nothing more than an afterthought.

For most of my teenage years, my cycle was normal enough, but once I hit age 18, my period stopped. From that point on, I would go for periods of time without it that would sometimes last over a year. Truthfully, I did not lead the healthiest lifestyle during those years, and I also went through some tough emotional times which I knew could have caused menstrual problems, so I ignored the issue for a long time before finally realizing there might be a more serious problem.

The first time I went to a gynecologist, after a battery of tests, I was told nothing was wrong, or at least nothing they could find, and not to worry about it. I was on birth control pills anyway, so the doctor changed the brand and dosage to see if that would help bring on my period, but it only stopped it completely. I saw a few more gynecologists over the years all giving me the same answer to my question. I finally gave up.

Then, around 2004, I had gained, in a short period of time, a good amount of weight and for my 5'0 small frame; I was carrying way too much. I started doing the Atkins Diet and completely eliminated sugar from life. I had seen such success with people who ate this way, and I had to try it, even though I had been a vegetarian for years. I cannot even convey the frustration I felt when after several months, I'd only lost 20 lbs. It may sound like a lot to someone who doesn't have a weight problem, but for me it was nothing, and it was taking so much longer than it did with others on the same diet.

My decision to see an endocrinologist was one of desperation. I had struggled so much with my weight over the years and although I was never perfect in my eating habits, very far from it, in fact, there were times when I tried so hard and had no results. I was never a believer in blaming weight issues on medical problems, but I was out of ideas and patience and had to see if there was a possibility there could be something wrong.

The doctor asked me several questions, none of them unusual or different than any other doctor had ever asked me, until we started talking about my period. She asked me how old I was when I started. When I told her, it seemed as if a light bulb had gone off in her head. Following my lead on the answer to the question, she asked several others that I could tell were leading up to something. She asked if I ever got skin tags on my neck, yes. She asked if had irregular periods, yes. She asked if had any abnormal hair growth, no. Did I ever have problems with acne, no. Was my hair thinning at my scalp, yes. And, the most important question to me, have I always had difficulty losing weight, a big, fat yes!

My Dr. then began to tell me about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. The best resource that I have found to explain PCOS is here:

http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/pcos.html#sec1

This site gives an in depth look at causes, symptoms and treatments. It is not an official site, and it talks a lot about natural treatments, which I do not agree or disagree with. I only list it because of how in depth and easy to understand the description of the disease is. A Google search will bring up many other resources as well.

One of the most frustrating things about the disease is that it can be caused by obesity, but also, obesity can cause it. So, for me I don't know if my weight problems existed from PCOS, or if I developed PCOS because of my weight problems. This is all irrelevant though. The fact that I had finally, after years of struggles trying to lose weight, missing periods for months at a time and not knowing why, I was getting a real explanation!

Once I had blood work done, it was clear that I had PCOS, and my doctor put me on Metformin, the generic form of Glucofage, a blood sugar medication. It has regulated my blood sugar, made my periods more regular, and helped me tremendously in my efforts to losing weight.

PCOS is the most common cause of infertility in women and one of the most common hormone imbalances, yet so many women go undiagnosed because the symptoms can come from many other conditions. It is so important to be treated for PCOS, though, because it can cause very serious health problems.

In addition to obesity and infertility, PCOS can cause; diabetes, heart disease, endometrial cancer, breast cancer, and seizures. For these reasons, it is crucial to be diagnosed and treated, yet it's so difficult to be diagnosed if you don't know what it is.

My journey with PCOS has been a frustrating one because of the many years it went untreated. Now, with one pill, so many things are easier and simpler in my life. I still struggle with my weight, but it's much easier to lose if I work at it. It's no longer a fruitless effort. I don't get skin tags anymore, and my blood sugar is normal. I'm much less at risk of heart trouble and high cholesterol, and most importantly, I get a period ever month. It's light and doesn't last long, but it's there. I am not sure if I can have children, but at close to 40 years old, I believe my time for that has passed anyway. For women in child bearing years with PCOS who want to have children, speak with your doctor about ways to make this easier.

I urge anyone with any of the symptoms I have mentioned to seek advice from an endocrinologist. PCOS is not a gynecological disorder and is likely to go undiagnosed by this type of physician. See an endo and insist on tests for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. It is amazing what a difference knowing you have it and treating it can make in your life.