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It’s PCOS awareness month so here’s a quick rant about PCOS - I was diagnosed with PCOS a couple years ago and I didn’t think much of it until my symptoms started stacking up so I just want to mention that PCOS can be really rough and I hate how often it’s brushed off.
It’s a chronic endocrine disorder that messes with your hormone production. Its not something you develop from being overweight. One of the most common side effects is weight gain but it’s not the cause. Its incurable and the best you can do is manage symptoms.
Even some of my family members haven’t taken the time to look into what it really is and how it can affect people. It presents as different problems in different people so here’s a list of some of the things I have to deal with:
Out of balance hormones that cause a whole host of problems including little control over weight, acne, and mood. Back pain that can get so bad that I can’t stand up. Nausea that lasts for hours or days. Anxiety and depressive episodes. Hair loss, brittle nails, and dry skin.
Sometimes having 2 periods a month, sometimes having 2 periods a year. Dizziness from hormone medication. Expensive supplements and testing. Sleeping problems and lack of energy. Sometimes I need 12 hrs of sleep, sometimes I’m awake for 2 days.
And on top of this I am at a high risk for long term anxiety and depressive disorders. Higher risk of uterine cancer, heart problems, and diabetes. And a higher risk of developing an eating disorder because doctors recommend “eating less” to try and fix an incurable disorder.
PCOS sucks because you can do everything right and still not see any improvement. Sometimes the best you can get is it just having your symptoms not get worse. You feel like your body and your health are so far out of your control.
PCOS research is so severely underfunded (much like any healthcare for people with uteruses) that theres still so much thats not understood about it. Theres no push to try to find some sort of relief for the 1 in 10 people who have this disorder and I think that is bullshit.
“Treatments” suggested to me have been “lose weight by not eating dairy, carbs, gluten, caffeine, spicy foods, alcohol, red meat, seltzer, or fruit” and “work out 5 times a week and go get blood tests done each week to make sure you’re not raising your cortisol levels”
Also “take these fistfuls of expensive pills and supplements to make sure you don’t develop diabetes or heart problems” Now doesnt that sound like a wonderful and fulfilling life? 
if you’ve taken the time to read all of this, thank you! I appreciate it a lot! I’ll post a link to the National PCOS Association 5K Run where there’s a donation link to fund research, screenings, and education around PCOS!
