( https://medium.com/@cureplus9/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-and-weight-gain-3aec0968b3dd)
I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS for short, in December of 2017. It’s almost going to be two months since that day I sat in the doctor’s office with a packet of information on the disorder in my hands. I was heartbroken. PCOS is a hormone disorder that usually develops in women of reproductive age. Basically, your body has too many male hormones also known as androgens. In addition, your ovaries may develop cysts which may prevent the release of the egg. Symptoms include weight gain, acne, insulin resistance, depression, hair loss, and facial hair growth to name a few.
I remember watching episodes of “My Big Fat Fabulous Life,” on TLC starring Whitney Thore and her journey through managing her PCOS. I remember lying in my bed and watching the first episode where she explained what the disorder had done to her life. She gained a lot of weight while she was in college, and as a young girl I was always afraid of gaining weight. I’ve never been a skinny girl, but I weighed a lot less than I do right now. In total, I have gained 52 pounds since high school. It’s almost going to be 3 years since I graduated. When I entered at San Jose State as a freshman, I was wearing a size 9 jean and size medium for shirts. Now, I wear a size 13 and most of my shirts are large. PCOS makes it very easy for you to gain weight and very hard to lose the weight. The symptoms I am still struggling with are the acne, insulin resistance, depression, and hair loss. I was taking birth control so that my periods could finally be regular, and it worked but the medicine made me really nauseous. I am not going to give up though.
Do I miss my old body? Yes. Do I miss my clear skin from three years ago? Of course, I do. But, this is my journey now, and I want to lose 40 pounds so that I can feel like myself again. I’ve changed my diet, and now I don’t eat out as often. I cook for myself every single day, so that I can make sure to get the proper nutrients and carbohydrate intake. Because people with PCOS tend to have insulin resistance, I have been cutting back on bread and white rice. If I do eat rice, it is brown rice or a brown rice and quinoa blend. I know that this will take time to recover from, but all I know is that I never want to give up so that I can help other girls out there who are struggling with this disorder and with weight loss in general.
When I lose the 40 pounds, my condition will be improved. I am looking forward to the days where I can finally walk into a store and not have to struggle with finding my size. All bodies are beautiful, all shapes and sizes alike, but I need to lose this weight, so I can be the healthiest version of myself. And what could be more beautiful than that?