+ irregular periods
+ can’t lose weight
+ overweight
+ depression
+ some facial hair (darker hair on the lip, chin, etc)
+ thinning hair (like male pattern baldness—in any degree)
+ shave your legs and armpits daily because it’s really dark and grows fast
+ infertility
+ depression
+ cysts on the ovaries
+ elevated insulin levels
+ insulin resistance
+ oily skin
+ dandruff
+ skin discolourations (darker skin in upper inner thigh, armpits)
+ high cholesterol
+ high blood pressure
For me, the greatest effects were the weight gain (which I have grown to accept and love) as well as a highly irregular period, which at one point was under control through the use of birth control. After a while my cycle regularised so I came off the pill for quite some time, but in light of what happened over the past three and a half weeks it seems that I will have to go back on the pill. I experienced a very heavy period for a total of 26 days, which resulted in severe blood loss and extremely painful cramps (hence why I've been extremely fatigued and light headed these past few weeks). Overdosing on iron pills and vitamins and everything in between wasn't really helping, but what I did realise is that I need to take better care of myself-physically, spiritually, emotionally and every other possible -ally out there. You can have all the material goods in the world, but if you don't have your health you don't have much now do you?
More and more young women are being diagnosed with PCOS, so I'm sharing this with the hope that someone who may not know that they have it can find out and seek proper treatment. I wouldn't be surprised that some of you that read this have it and don't know, but
For more information on Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, its symptoms, signs and treatments check out this link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001408/
Regards,
Tshenelle aka Nelly B.
Thanks for sharing Tshenelle! I am definitely gonna read up more on PCOS as we young women sometimes think that these things can't happen to us and we need to take time to focus on our physical well being as well! I hope you do feel better and I speak healing in to your life today in the name of Jesus!
ReplyDeleteThank you Keith-Ann, its amazing how many women have been diagnosed with it. I was diagnosed at 18, and the thought the possibility of not being able to have kids scared me..thank you for your prayers hun...
Deletegood post chick..thanks for sharing...keep your faith in God for His ultimate healing power in your life!
ReplyDeletethank you my dear....in the end God has the final say, I no longer worry about it, i just have to make sure and keep it in check
DeleteWell as you know I've been diagnosed with it too. Vitex worked for me :-)
ReplyDeleteVitex...interesting...right now they put me on microgynon, will read up on the vitex though...althought im thinking that one is when im ready to have babies lol lol... ^_^
DeleteHahaha no girl. It regulated my cycle without the BC pills
DeleteOhhh....well in that case i will definitely check it out lol...
DeleteIm 18 & i found out i had at 17 i kept having periods & i was hurting real bad outta the blue & wen i went to the doctor they told me that i had it . I was hurt i thought it ment i could never have kids
ReplyDeletefrom what i have read if you dont treat it when you're diagnosed infertility can happen..but you're still young so once you take care of it you should be able to have kids...a friend of mine was told she could never have kids bcuz of it.she now has two girls...so dont throw the thought of kids out the window yet ok... :-)
DeleteThank u for sharing this. I have some of the signs, and I never thought anything of it. Am scared that I'll never be able to have kids. We're u able to have kids?
ReplyDeleteI am able to have kids but as of now the chances are a little slim...when i am ready i will have to do some treatments to increase my chances. i'm thinking i will have kids in the next five years...but i know that no matter what a doctor says..if God has a child for me...I will get one...
DeleteWell wen i was 16 i was put on depo & that made me
ReplyDeleteBleed 9momths straight & then i switched to
Birth control pills & that made it stop & then had to
Swirch pills bc my insurance wouldnt pay for them &
I experience a 3 week period & then thats wen i found out i had it Ive been in a relationship for 4 yr and it seem like everyone has been askin me am i pregnant lately & im not and im not gaining weigh it jus seem like my stomach is gettin big thats it
oh yes...i have a big stomach too...thankfully my boobs are big so it kinda hides it lol...u may have to try out different pills to see which one works for you
DeleteHey chic I was also diagnosed with PCOS and also thought I couldn't get pregnant but I have a wonderful twin to prove that there is a God and he is good , no doctor can tell me otherwise my God is amazing just trust in him and he will see you through.
ReplyDeleteAmen girl...at the end of the day..our God is an awesome one..and if it is in His will for me to have a child...ii will have one...i no longer worry about that..for that is in His hands...i just have to make sure i keep my PCOS in check...thank u for sharing hun
Deletethanx 4 sharing babe!stay strong n do everyfin humanly possible to keep safe.u gonna b alright,everyfin will b under control,GOD is with u,PEACE.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind words
DeleteI have been struggling to a point where I'm scared to even try for a child I love them to death but wanna try to be healthy first
ReplyDeleteoh yes Jamaica D, health first, u have to make sure your body can carry a pregnancy before you even think about trying one...all the best hun..thank u for sharing
DeleteNo problem hope everything works out for everyone
ReplyDeleteI do too :-)
DeleteWow! I feel so much better knowing I am not alone in this battle against PCOS. I suffer from most of the symptoms you mentioned. The worse part for me is the 20+ day long periods and excessive hair. I have chest hair in between my breast that are very dark. I've tried plucking, shaving and Nair for men, but it has caused my skin to break out with dark spots. I have researched laser hair removal, but from what I understand it's not ideal for African American skin. Ugh it is so frustrating to not be able to wear any cute v-neck or low-cut shirts! I was going to try No!No! have you or anyone you know experienced this? Any tips, suggestions and advice welcomed. Thank you so much for sharing this :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I know anyone who had it so badly, I just have one or two hairs on my neck that i always tweeze but i was looking at the nono as well. I wish u all the best and i hope you find a treatment that works for you.
Deletehi guys thanks for sharing this info i really need to go and get checked, every time i have sex it really hurts i dont know if this is one of the symptoms i don't suffer from most of the things mentioned but i have gained some weight my stomach seems to be really big and last year i discovered a few hairs under my chin...i have had the pains for a few years the first time i went to my doctor the done a check for cancer then a year later a scan revealed i had a cyst then i went back cause my pains got so bad even without sex they said there was nothing there the cyst is gone i still have no answers so i'm gonna get checked again.
ReplyDeleteYou should definitely make sure, pain during sex, i have experienced that as well but im not sure if its a symptom,,either way u should def get checked out so that if u do have PCOS u can start treatment...
DeleteHi,and thanks for sharing. My middle daughter was diagnosed with PCOS when she was 18 she is now 20 she is finding out that keeping her weight down is a big key for her and eating healthy, getting good rest and not stressing herself out, without these things her periods do not show up regularly. Recently she lost a good amount of weight and all of sudden her period that had been MIA for at least 5 months has now been back on track for two months. Her doctor told her if she lost weight that her periods would get back to normal and her chances of having kids one day would be greater, I didn't believe him and in no way am I wanting to be a grandmother at 46 but I wanted her to be able to have the choice to have babies when she was ready. I think she has found a method that works for her. My youngest is 18 now and she is going through the same thing and I also had this as a teenager myself well into my middle 20's. I almost wonder if it's hereditary.Again thank you for sharing and God bless you!
ReplyDeletethere is some belief that is hereditary, however ive heard it also has a part to do with your lifestyle as well, either way i hope you all get it under control, thanks for sharing
DeleteI'm glad you got the courage to speak up about it. While I don't have PCOS, I know a few people who have been diagnosed with it as well, so it probably is tough for them as well. Good thing is that it can be controlled...hang in there ((:
ReplyDeleteI am hanging in there...getting things under control again slowly but surely..thanks for sharing
DeleteTshenelle...i didnt even realize that it was that. I thought hey we all grow up n our bodies change, no scene. But god is 4eva merciful and gracious n wouldnt give u more than u can bear. U didnt curl up n give up, u continued living and persevering and ur a bomb digidy model. U r fab!
ReplyDeleteI meant God (big G)...these keyboards i swear!
ReplyDeletehahahaha i know God is in control....so i don't even worry any more...thank you for your kind words
DeleteWow I had no idea that there are so many women who have this condition. I have irregular periods sometimes I don't see for months and when it does come i see for a couple of weeks. I have regular papsmears and nothing ever showed up as well as having an ultrasound and all of that and my doc told me that there id nothing wrong with me and i just need to lose weigh for my period to become regular. I don't don't even have any of the other symtoms. Thanks for sharing this and letting us know. God is always in control.
ReplyDeleteYes he is!!!!! Amen to that...thank you for sharing
Delete