Living with PCOS

PCOS.

I’ve had it since I was 14 years old. I didn’t start learning about it until I was 27.

PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a hormonal imbalance in the woman’s body that can affect your endocrine system, fertility, and much more.

“Polycystic means multiple cysts. Ovarian means on the ovaries. Syndrome is used because it’s a collection of different symptoms that develop into a less than optimal state of being.” (The PCOS Environmental Roadmap by Dian Ginsberg, MD, 2019)

This being said, no diagnosis of PCOS is the same. Someone explained it to me this way: Think of PCOS compared to having a learning disability. There are so many variations and spectrums of learning disabilities.

Though I never had actual cysts on my ovaries, I was diagnosed at the young age of 14 because of clinical acne, hirsitism (abnormal hair growth patterns), and signs of hyperandrogenism, or the presence of too many male hormones (you might be thinking that I was turning into a boy… poor 14-year-old me!) We aren’t even going to get into the mood swings and emotional highs and lows… Basically it was normal teen hormones on steroids.

Because of this diagnosis, I was put on not one, not two, but FIVE medications. 1) Birth control to balance out my hormones, 2) Metformin medication, to control my blood sugar and insulin levels, 3) Spironolactone which decreases oil glands in the body. Lastly, medicines, 4) & 5) two thyroid medications. Phew. Is your brain exhausted yet? Just think of all the work my body had to do to become “normal” again.

At the time, my mom and I knew this was the best route for me. My skin cleared up, my mood stabilized and all was good in the world for about 8 years. Fast forward (past college, making the best memories with family and friends, adulthood, getting married to my best friend… all the good stuff) to the moment my patient husband and I decide to start having a family. Becoming a mom was something I’ve dreamed about since I was a little girl. However, through all those wonderful times that we fast-forwarded through, I also had that little voice in the back of my mind: “What if I’m never able to become a mom?” “I’ll never be able to get pregnant…” Life had been so great, but now reality started sinking in and I was about to find out the answers to those little voices in my head.

The first step to getting pregnant is obviously getting off of birth control… But I had been on BC for 10+ years. What was going to happen to my body? “Oh and you have to stop taking spironolactone,” the Doctor mentions, “It causes birth defects.” WHAT?!

I warned my husband of the mood swings that would come… the face break outs… the agony that could come with trying for a baby. But we pushed on and faced the challenges head on.

Though my doctor warned me about the changes to come, I never anticipated the rapid change in my skin complexion. I could feel the oil production start in my hair, and creepily move down to my face. My body was changing and I felt lost and out of control. Then it was after three to four months of trying for baby, with no luck, (did I mention how out of wack my cycles were?!) I decided to take matters into my own hands and begin researching different approaches to medicine.

First, I purchased books on the topic, then read blogs and did more internet research (yes, I know we shouldn’t get all of our information from internet sources, but I do believe that you can come across something that opens your mind to dig a little deeper and do more credible research on.

After about 2 months of trying to do things on my own, I finally made an appointment with a doctor who could give me more answers. Dr. Dian Ginsburg in Houston is a holistic medicine doctor who gets to the root of the problem instead of masking the symptoms with medication. My mom had seen her a month before and then I had one other friend recommend her, so I decided to give her a try!

Dr. Ginsburg explained that my gut health could be a huge factor in my PCOS. The good news is, with testing, diet, and vitamin supplements, I can potentially reverse my PCOS all together! I had heard about using “food as medicine,” but never had the patience and self-control to actually do it. However, with the help of my husband, we embarked on yet another journey of learning.

I cut out gluten and dairy from my diet and increased my nutrient intake of vegetables and vitamins. More on that another time… going GF and DF can be a whole other blog post.

To wrap up, after following the guidance of Dr. Ginsberg and following a diet that would heal my gut and help balance out my hormones and cycle, I got pregnant! It took about four months of changing up my eating “lifestyle” and learning about my body. All and all, it was a roller coaster ride of a year and we are STILL learning and balancing. However, I’m so blessed to have had the chance to listen to my body and get pregnant with our baby boy. So many women struggle with infertility and miscarriages, this is just one story, my story. I urge you to share your story! You never know who it might help.

If you are struggling with PCOS and its symptoms, I highly recommend reading Dr. Ginsburg’s book, “The Environmental Roadmap to PCOS”.