Today I'm going to talk about my PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) journey. I have touched on in in a few previous posts but I'm going to go into what I'm doing about it now and some of the things that aren't really talked about that happen when you have it. First of all there isn't a lot really known about it, you can treat it but there isn't a cure and it isn't understood what causes it, it could be a combination of genetics and environmental factors. It's a hormonal disorder and can cause acne and facial hair, I have the facial hair and I don't really have the acne problem. PCOS is also very common there is about 200,000+ cases of it diagnosed a year. Yes you have to be diagnosed with it and honestly its not that hard to diagnose at all, it just requires an ultrasound and some lab work. I of course don't have all the signs of PCOS as I don't have the cysts on the ovaries. but not every woman gets every symptom.
Here is a list of my symptoms:
Facial hair which I am treating with a medicine and am seeing results
skipping periods for months at a time
Heavy bleeding when I do have a period
Over weight (skinny girls can have it too)
mine is also insulin resistant which plays in to my weight
I had a 2 choices for treatment which were, go on birth control, which will cause me to have a period every month as long as I'm on it, or take a medication once every 3 months if I didn't have a period on my own that causes me to have one but it would be harder on my body because my period would be heavy and longer than the average 5-7 days that most women's are. Which technically mine already is as when I do have one it lasts from 9-14 days. Or if it's this last January damn near a month long. The second option also costs more money, where as birth control is free with our insurance. Plus the longer I'm on birth control the more control I have over my period it can get to the point of only being a couple of days and normal and not as heavy as it has been all year. Needless to say I went with the birth control option, it will be easier on my body once it gets used to it. My doctor did warn me that my first few periods would be wonky/off and boy was she right.
I've been on birth control for 1 month, I just started my second month on Friday which means I've had my first period while on it. Mind you it didn't last as long as January, this one was only 13 days, I'm tracking them on my phone to see if there is improvements and what not. BUT it was SUPER HEAVY!! I went through a 2 month supply of over night pads in 13 days!! Yes you heard right a 2 month supply of the pads that cover you from your taco to your ass in 13 days! That's a lot of pads!
No one talks about that, that your period is just HORRID, I didn't want to laugh, sneeze or even stand up cause that could cause me to throw period clots yes again sorry for the TMI but it's a part of PCOS. What causes them is the fact that I don't bleed so it gets thick and then when I do decide to bleed it sluffs off and because its been more than a month its thick and well a clot. Heck just shifting in my sleep could cause one to happen, Hopefully the birth control will help with that as well. I'm hoping that December's period is better then this month but we will have to wait and see.
So for now and the foreseeable future I'm on 6 different meds taken either morning or night. I have a reminder on my phone for the nighttime meds because if I don't have it I forget to take them. Not all of the meds are for the PCOS as you know from earlier posts I have a few different medical problems. I hate having to be reliant on meds but I will do it because I know they are helping me.
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