My Battle, My Disease...My Story in Short.



I wanted to write a piece about something that has afflicted me since I was 11 years old. This is something I don't share with too many people. I have been thinking lately though about how many people are suffering like me with this condition and how I should be speaking out to help encourage my fellow sisters that they are not alone. I have PCOS. Those letters stand for Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome. Between 5-10% of women of child bearing age are afflicted. Some 50% of those women are insulin resistant. Which can cause impaired glucose tolerance or Type 2 diabetes. In the USA, 1 in 40 women have PCOS, that is 6.8 million approximately. Despite that large number PCOS listed among rare diseases, perhaps because of the nature of this disease many women, like myself, are embarrassed and may feel shame to share their story.
So what is PCOS? Well I am no doctor, but I live with it everyday. I remember when I first saw my PCOS on an ultrasound. I could see my ovaries, but they didn't look like the egg-like ones I remember learning about in health class. The were covered in little cyst and were clustered all over both my ovaries. Every time I release an egg I develop a cyst over that premature egg and the egg will not release and mature. That is how I understand that.



So what does that mean? I have talked to a few women and the effects are different for every woman, although there is consistent symptoms among the majority. The levels of severity are different for everyone. I have been told I have a severe case.

Since I began puberty I have had abnormal periods. Sometimes going 8-10 months with no period and then going 2-8 months of severe heavy bleeding. This has limited my activity at times. This can also be very embarrassing as I am often bleeding to much to be able to control my period with female hygiene products. I get very tired and weak from the blood loss and sometimes faint. Just about every single year I have to have surgery to clean out my uterus to stop the uncontrollable bleeding. They give this procedure the same name as an abortion, which has always made me uncomfortable and every time I visit a doctor have to list my surgeries and explain why I had those procedures and that I did not have an abortion. Several years ago I had an abnormal pap smear and surgery was needed to remove pre-cancer cells because of PCOS causing the lining to build up in my uterus. I was told that if I didn't take my Metformin and diet that I would have to have a hysterectomy in 6 months or less and despite that I would need one in 5 years, so I better hurry up and have babies. Which brings us to the next symptom.

I battle with infertility. PCOS is one of the leading causes of infertility in women. I was told I would never be able to have children. In 2005, excitedly we were pregnant, but 2 months later we had miscarried, which is also a side effect of PCOS. I was devastated, my desire to have a child only grew stronger. I went through invasive fertility treatments without success. The drugs and treatment gave me severe mood swings. After all of the treatments and medications we financially, physically, emotionally and mentally were drained and could do no more. About 2 months later we were pregnant and now have a healthy baby.

Another common symptom of PCOS is weight loss and gain. I have fought hard to balance my diet without much success. I exercise and watch what I eat, but honestly I see very little improvements most of the time without extreme hardcore dieting or supplements.

I have some friends that have suffered with extreme abnormal hair growth due to PCOS. I count my blessings so far that this has been only a minor issue with me. I have been able to control it on my own without laser removal procedures.

Well that is some of the long battle summarized of course. The treatment? Diet, exercise and Metformin.

Cause: Unknown

Cure: NONE

My momma always told me: "If you think you have it bad, take a look around and you'll find someone worse off". That is so true. I fight this disease everyday, usually with a smile and in silence, but I thank Jehovah, God for all my blessings and I look forward to a time no one can say "I am sick!" as promised in the scriptures.

http://www.pcos.tv/

http://www.facebook.com/search.php?q=PCOS&init=quick&tas=search_preload&search_first_focus#!/pcosfight?sk=wall



http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/p/pcos/stats.htm