getting personal: my story of PCOS.

It's me! (in case you forgot whose blog this was since it's been a while.)

Hi there. 

It's been some time since I've written on this blog. But, I'm planning to start writing more frequently so join me for the ride, if you'd like.

Today, I wanted to write about something that (before the past year), I rarely admitted. I have PCOS (poly-cystic ovarian syndrome). I used to be so ashamed of this personal fact. I'd tell roommates or family members (sometimes) but rarely men. When dating someone, I hated and always hesitated to bring it up (in fact, I've only told 3 guys in the past 5 years of dating). Luckily, Lance has always been completely supportive about it, and willing to eat differently with me, or cheer me up when I'm sad about it.

But, guess what? PCOS is more common than you realize—it affects 1 in 10 women. AND, even though it's rather "common," doctors know surprisingly little about the causes—and even less about how to treat it. There is no cure for PCOS, but a healthy lifestyle is one of the best treatments.

I found out I had PCOS when I was 20. After battling acne for years, I finally went to the doctor and asked him what I could do about it. He took one look and said, "I bet you have PCOS." My heart sunk. Poly-cystic ovarian syndrome?! No 20-something wants to hear that there is something "wrong" with their ovaries, that they have "more testosterone" than "normal," or that the most common cause of female infertility is this hormone imbalance known as PCOS. But, I did hear it. And I live with it everyday, as millions of women (up to 5 MILLION in the United States) do.

So, what is it? PCOS is a hormonal disorder that leads to poly-cystic ovaries, infertility, and increased levels of male hormones (which can cause acne, weight issues, hair growth, male-patterned balding and insulin resistance). PCOS is unique in every circumstance. You don't have to have all the symptoms in order to have it. Some women have normal, regular menstrual cycles; others have very heavy, frequent periods—or none at all.  To be frank, I never had a menstrual cycle until I was 16. And I've had only two in the past year. People who know say, "I wish I didn't have a period! That would be SO nice!" But for those of us who suffer with PCOS, it's hard to feel "different" or to worry about infertility when you aren't functioning "as normal."

Doctors often suggest medication to help with PCOS. Metformin to regulate weight and insulin. Birth control to regulate cycles, control acne, and regulate hormones. But, it's true that the best treatment for PCOS comes from living a healthy lifestyle (which includes what you do along with what you eat). I am grateful that I've always been a pretty active person—I grew up running track and cross country, swimming in the summers, and enjoy hiking, walking or just moving around in general. The recommendation for people with PCOS is at least 30 minutes of activity per day. Besides being active, what a person with PCOS eats is VERY important to managing symptoms.

When I first found out I had PCOS, I was told I should basically live the Atkins diet (few carbs, avoid gluten, etc.). At 20 years old, it was really stressful to manage (and this happened right before I went to Spain where bread basically equals life) and I began dropping weight pretty rapidly. Over the next 5 years, I've been strict at times and lenient at others with my diet. But, I feel like the time is right in my life where I can have a good handle on what I eat and the reason (which I realized is VERY important) I do it. I feel like I have the motivation to do these things for me, for my body, for my future family. And, thankfully, I have the best support system to cheer me on!

Tomorrow, I'm going to tell you about a 30-day challenge I've given myself to try to combat some of the symptoms and why I'm doing it. Stay tuned.