Hi there!
Thanks for checking out my PCOS story.
If you read my About page, then you know a little bit about how I got here.
It wasn’t easy, and it certainly wasn’t very pretty. But, that’s life! (cue Frank Sinatra music “That’s Life”)
So here’s how it goes.
My first sign that something wasn’t right was the noticeable amount of hair I had. Especially for a female.
I was made fun of early on for it, and I’m positive that the whole experience helped and hurt me.
I had to wax my legs and shave my arms and also had to maintain my facial hair or my sideburns turn 70s inspired.
Of course, I still have to keep up with these things, but it’s not so bad now.
I also noticed that I was starving all the time, and low on energy.
None of these were red flags to me. I just assumed that these were problems I had to deal with.
The turning point came one night when I was in a terrible amount of pain. Curled over in the fetal position pain.
I tried to play it off that it was cramps, but I honestly had no idea what was going on.
At some point, I had to see a doctor.
The doctor explained that I had a giant cyst causing the pain.
I was fortunate enough that I didn’t need surgery, but that also meant I had to stick out the pain and let things play their course.
She gave me a diagnosis of PCOS, and I didn’t think much of it.
I was prescribed birth control and sent on my way.
This was in 2006 and I was in college. I’m sure this is what they still do, and maybe you’ve experienced that too.
My Experience with Birth Control
Before we dive in, I have to shout out a disclaimer. I am not a doctor, and I only have a background as a former NASM personal trainer. I am not here to give medical advice, nor am I qualified to do so. I am only sharing my honest experience. This is not to say you should follow this without consulting your doctor first.
I. Hated. Birth control.
I tried several brands, and I wanted (at the time) to get things back on track, and was told that birth control was the answer.
The first one I tried made my boobs so painful. I also noticed weight gain that looked more like puffy gain than anything else. I just looked pudgy despite working out almost 5 times per week (in college).
My doctor chalked it up to college weight gain and had the nerve to ask, “Are you sure you’re not going through some life changes? Is everything okay in your relationship?”
I totally forgot, I was drowning my sorrows in ice cream. She caught me.
After I graduated and worked at a 60 hour/week job, pure exhaustion hit and I knew things had to change.
By this time I was off the toxic birth control.
That was, until aunt flo decided not to show up for 9 months.
I was told that it was a health concern by that point so I was given some prescription to force a period so that I could be put back on an “even lower dose” of birth control.
The timing couldn’t have been worse. I was going out of town that weekend.
My doc said it was okay to wait until I came back, which is what I did.
And I still got my period that weekend… naturally…after 9 months of not having it. Thanks again body.
I went back on birth control and gave it another shot.
This time, I was an emotional wreck.
Sensitive. Moody. On a constant roller coaster.
And my boyfriend was dealing with the ups and awfully low downs.
Despite my doctor warning me of how unpredictable going off the pill was, I decided that enough was enough.
It Pays to Do Your Homework
As an overthinker, I did my homework and found a way to transition off of birth control.
I used Insulite Labs nutraceuticals which helped to alleviate my PCOS symptoms using natural herbs, vitamins and minerals.
Since then, I’ve switched to a mostly-plant-based diet and have noticed a huge difference in my symptoms.
I still face some ups and downs and challenges that test my patience.
It will always be a huge part of my life (unfortunately) and I’ve dedicated this blog to showing you everything that’s helped me.
If only one tip alleviates your symptoms in some way, I’d be a happy camper.
I’d love to hear your story! Feel free to reach out to me to share it 🙂
To learn more about PCOS, check out the following articles:
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