I cannot speak for all women, but I have some crazy experiences with the healthcare system and my own health. I can currently only give insight on the effects of biotin, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and anemia. Take note that I am not a doctor, just a pre-med student, and I am speaking from my own experiences. If you have further questions please talk with your doctor.
Effects of Biotin
Coming from someone who takes every vitamin possible and watches one video and falls for an influencer, I have basically tried everything under the sun. One vitamin that stood out to me was biotin. Biotin is naturally found in foods and is used to strengthen hair and nails. I had seen an influencer using biotin while having PCOS, so I thought to give it a try. What I didn’t realize was it interferes with hormone testing and coronary testing. This ultimately affects the outcome of diagnoses and treatments. Because of my misread tests, I was treated for a thyroid syndrome I did not have. But after admitting I was taking biotin vitamins, everything was fixed and they explained to me that biotin is already produced by our bodies and taking extra can do more harm than good. So if you feel that biotin could help, please talk to your doctor first.
Polycystic ovary syndrome
I was first diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS for short, when I was 14. I had excruciating pain during my menstrual cycle, and it would last for months at a time — I thought I was the only one experiencing this. When I was in high school more girls my age were open about their problems, and I realized it was not a small problem at all. Usually doctors say PCOS is not a big deal. They briefly tell us about some issues we might experience — when one cyst pops it will be painful or how giving birth may cause more pain. We leave the doctors office with barely enough information and some Tylenol, being told “it will be over soon.” But for many girls like me, it’s not over and it might never be. In an attempt to save an ovary and still have a chance at having children, I sacrificed one ovary and had it taken out at 18-years-old. Unfortunately, too many girls are gaslit into thinking they are just having period cramps until it is too late and the pain is too much. Spreading awareness about PCOS will let women know that what they are feeling is valid. Awareness is so important to continuing the fight for justice in women’s healthcare.
ANEMIA
Anemia in simple terms is the lack of red blood cells and low iron content in the body. When I was 16 I was diagnosed with anemia. Unlike a lot of syndromes, this can be helped with vitamins. Iron vitamins have reduced the symptoms of tiredness and weakness in my body and has helped a ton. A lot of women I know are anemic, but many are passed off by doctor because we do bleed more than men. The effects of an iron vitamin can also leave you bloated, so taking fiber at the same time is ideal.
The purpose if this article is not just to talk about my experience as a women, but also to inform and enlighten other women in this world that what they are feeling and experiencing is valid. We need more women to fight for their health and to know they are not alone. We all stand behind the notion that everyone should be treated at face value with no manipulation and treated equally.