I want to start off my saying that all infertility, no matter if its due to PCOS, Endometriosis, Male Factor or even unexplained IF is hard. My IF journey is the most difficult and emotional ordeal I have ever been through. All forms of infertility need research and support. However, with PCOS being the leading cause of IF in woman (affects 1 in 10 women) research and awareness are critical. PCOS is more than a fertility issue, it can cause a vast array of issues from mood swings, acne, hirsutism (excess hair growth), to more serious issues such as depression, diabetes, endometrial cancers & heart attack.
I ignored my PCOS symptoms for a lot longer than I should have, through out my teens my cycles were very irregular, if i got them at all. From age 17-19 I didn't even have a period, why I didn't go to the Dr...I'm not really sure... scared, I guess. And before that I would go months or a year without a cycle at all. I wish I would have seen the Dr. then because if i had my PCOS could be under control by now, making it easier to conceive.
There are many signs and symptoms of PCOS, and I urge anyone that is experiencing these or any other 'lady issues' to seek medical advice.
Symptoms of PCOS include:
-Few or absent periods (especially if you have 6 or less periods a year)
-Heavy, irregular bleeding
-Acne
-Other skin issues such as skin tags and dark velvety skin patches under the arms on the back of the neck, in the groin area and occasionally knees and elbows
-Hair loss from the head and/or irregular hair growth on the body
-Depression
-Weight gain & obesity, especially around the abdomen
-Difficulty losing weight, even with diet and exercise
-Repeat miscarriages
-Difficulty getting pregnant (after 1 year of trying)
Don't ignore these symptoms, the sooner you get to the Dr. and get diagnosed, the sooner and can start treatment and get your PCOS under control and the earlier you catch it the easier it can be to manage (there is no cure). Also like I said earlier, if you are having ANY 'lady issues' see your Dr. even if they are not PCOS related they can still be serious and have an impact on your health and fertility.
Furthermore, if you get diagnosed with PCOS or have already been diagnosed...DON'T IGNORE YOUR PCOS! Though there is no cure for PCOS, it can be well managed with meds, diet, and exercise. Some woman can actually clear them selves of symptoms completely with proper diet & exercise. They key to PCOS weight loss is a low carb/ low GI type of diet (IE. Atkins, South Beach, etc.) Also the Paleo diet is suppose to work WONDERS for PCOS, it is the diet I'm currently on per orders of my herbalist. I've only started it a few days ago so i can't say how its working, but I've read and head lots of good things about it. Also, weight-baring exercise is good for PCOS due to the fact that building muscle helps increase the metabolism. Not caring for your PCOS can lead to more weight gain, high blood pressure and cholesterol which increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, diabetes, and many other issues. Bottom line, take care of yourself.
The last thing I want to talk about in this post, even though I think I will be posting a lot this week on similar topics, is don't ignore the fact that the infertility cause by PCOS (and many other issues) is a REAL problem. People sometimes think that infertility is not a real issue due because "it won't kill you" or "worse things could happen". Like I've already discussed PCOS can lead to some very real health conditions and Endometriosis can too. But in addition the psychological effects of infertility a numerous. Coming to terms with the fact that you may never be able to have children is devastating, especially for women who spend their entire childhood playing house with baby dolls, pretending to be mommies. I know personally I wanted to be a lot of different things growing up... an ice skater (until my my pointed out to me that ice skaters don't have big boobs, and i decided having big boobs was more important PS: i was 8 at the time), a rock star, and actress, and I'm sure the list goes on but one thing that has never changed is that I wanted to be a Mom. Always, from my earliest memories. Now i'm sure many of you are thinking 'just adopt'...which is a legit option that we have considered. We want to adopt even if we can have biological children, we both would still love to adopt a child or 2.
However, for you non-infertiles. Think about how excited you were when you found out you were pregnant, and when you went to ultrasound appointment. Try to remember the joy you felt when you felt your baby move inside of you for the first time and how completely in awe you were when you baby was born and you got hold him for the first time and see that he had your eye and daddy's nose. I want that, I want that more than I've ever wanted anything in my entire life. I want to be able to bring a life into this world that is half me and half my wonderful, loving husband. So 'just adopting' isn't that simple, aside from the reason I just laid out its also can be a long and expensive process. Also, NEVER under any circumstance, EVER EVER EVER tell someone who is struggling with infertility to "just relax" and it will happen. Especially women with a documented medical reason for their infertility, such as PCOS. Relaxing will not make them magically ovulate!
So, what's the moral of the story kids?
-If you think you might have PCOS or any other lady issues----go see a Dr. SOON, don't ignore your symptoms!
-If you have been diagnosed with PCOS----take care of yourself, don't ignore your health!
-If you know someone who struggles with PCOS or infertility of any sort----Don't ignore or dimiss their feelings and NEVER EVER EVER tell them "just relax"
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