I got my first period around the age of 13. However, for the first five years of my period, it was never regular. My period was so infrequent, I would only have a period once or twice a year. To some, this may seem like a blessing. In reality, it’s a horrible curse.
For one, I never knew when my period was coming. There have been so many instances where I randomly got my period during class. It became a mad dash for a bathroom to put on a pad. Second, I got so unbelievably sick while on my period. My cramps were so awful that I couldn’t move. Also, I got so nauseous that even drinking water made me vomit.
This had been going on for years. My senior year of high school, I went to a neurologist for frequent migraines. After multiple tests, they referred me to an endocrinologist.
At the first appointment, the endocrinologist began asking me all types of weird questions. How is your acne? Do you have problems with body hair? Have you been gaining a lot of weight? Etc.
I wasn’t really sure how any of these things really connected. While they were symptoms I was experiencing, how exactly did they connect to my irregular periods? After multiple blood tests and an ultrasound later, I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome – PCOS.
What is PCOS?
PCOS is a hormonal disorder that causes the overproduction of a male hormone called androgen. This leads to more male-like characteristics in women. Also, the body produces more insulin which it can’t handle, so it thus produces more hair and acne.
What are the symptoms?
Like any disorder, everyone is affected differently. Nevertheless, there are a few very common symptoms.
The first is cysts on the ovaries. These usually don’t cause any symptoms on their own. Sometimes, they can cause pain or bloating. For me, I have experienced random episodes of sharp pain in my pelvic area. Most of the time, you won’t really notice them.
Another caveat of the cysts is they often cause infertility. You will be able to have kids, though you will probably need a doctor’s help.
Another extremely common symptom is irregular periods. This is usually what leads people to a doctor for a diagnosis. Due to this, people often experience very heavy flow during their period. Heavy flow then causes extremely painful cramps. When I have my period, I sometimes have to take the day off because the pain is so bad. Tip: a heating pad or hot water bottle on your pelvic area along with Tylenol every few hours really helps with cramps.
Body hair is another symptom. You will either have a lack of hair or, more likely, excessive hair. Because of the high levels of androgen–a male hormone– you will see more hair in places only men have hair such as the chin or chest. Honestly, I never realized that my excessive hair was a problem. I just thought it was part of my Italian genes.
Lastly, is weight gain. It is very common for people to experience high levels of insulin which leads to weight gain. This is one of the most frustrating symptoms of PCOS. It’s really hard to lose the weight even if you are actively trying.
What do you do?
You can start with a healthy diet and exercise. Even if losing the weight is hard, it helps balance the levels of insulin. Doing this can then help with the androgen levels. One of the more common treatments is birth control. This helps with both the androgen levels and regulating periods. While this is a very helpful and a common solution, it’s really up to you whether you want to take birth control or not.
The most important thing to do is consult a doctor if you really think you have PCOS. While WebMD is fairly tempting, self-diagnosis isn’t something you should do.
Periods and vaginas can be very uncomfortable to talk about. But it’s very important that you acknowledge the symptoms you are experiencing. Don’t suffer in silence because it’s awkward. Ask for help.
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