Today, I was officially diagnosed with PCOS. PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is a condition that affects a woman's hormone levels. I think this condition varies from person to person like most people have irregular periods, have struggle conceiving, hormonal acne, weight gain, and or hirsutism. Statistics says that PCOS affects one out of ten women.
For over a decade, I have been struggling with this hormone imbalance. I always had my period and it came more or less regularly but I still knew something was off. Every time I would get my period, the period pains would just get worse and worse. I kept gaining weight and no matter how much I try, I could never lose the weight. I grew up with clear skin but as I got older, I was plagued by adult acne. My mood swings got worse, too--to the point that I would have panic attacks.
I would check with doctors every now and then with symptoms that they would often dismiss as "stress-related" and "nothing." My periods also come every month, so it didn't seem like there was anything wrong reproductively. Sure, sometimes it would come a week earlier, sometimes a week later, but it always came. I had everything checked--ultrasound, thyroid, blood tests... everything came clear... or so it seemed. I've been told to eat less (which I do).
