Having any type of disorder is a setback in life. Life is rough to begin with and now you have to deal with a disorder such as PCOS. For those who don’t know, PCOS, also known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, is a hormonal imbalance. The name may be misleading at times since not everyone has actual cysts, but I digress. PCOS is when your body produces more male hormones than they should. If you’ve ever seen “a bearded lady” on social media or in the news, those women typically have PCOS, and they grew the beard because they aren’t treating their disorder.
I am one of the women who deal with this disorder -minus the beard. I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was about 16 years old and it was an absolute life-changer. I was heavier than I would’ve liked, I was always tired, and I was having irregular periods. I couldn’t figure out why my body was going against me until I visited an endocrinologist. She diagnosed me with PCOS through lab work and from that day forward my life had to change. There are different ways to deal with PCOS, and I’m here to give you a few.
Birth Control
When people think of birth control, too many people assume it’s just for people having sex and trying to prevent pregnancy. While it’s always a plus to be able to avoid having a child, it’s not the only use for birth control. Women with PCOS typically turn to birth control to control their hormonal imbalance. The estrogen helps balance out the testosterone. Birth control helps your body regulate your periods again and get everything on track, along with getting rid of acne and unwanted hair growth.
A Change in Diet
Many women with PCOS go on a low-carb diet when diagnosed because it helps their body regulate their higher-than-normal insulin levels. These diets usually help a lot more than they are given credit for. With PCOS, obesity is very common so a diet may be necessary to help get those pounds off but it also helps reduce symptoms of PCOS. By decreasing in carbs, your body isn’t feeding into the beast of insulin. It can truly help to deal with the disorder and to control the symptoms.
Exercise
I know, I know. Who wants to exercise? Everybody makes it their goal for the new year but nobody actually does it. Here’s the thing, exercising helps with PCOS because it helps lower your insulin levels and keeps your blood sugar levels low. This also helps boost your mood and keeps your heart racing. A symptom of PCOS may be mood changes, so it’s important to keep your mood up while dealing with this disorder.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome may be hard to deal with, but it’s not impossible. The biggest advice I can give is to lean on other people. Google your questions and read Facebook posts. Look for people who suffer with the same disorder you do, like me. They understand the struggle and you girls can get through it together. PCOS does not define you, but it’s a part of you. It’s important to learn how to deal with those symptoms and make sure you are doing the most you can do.