For those who don't know, I am 1 in 10. I am a woman who struggled with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) for a majority of my life. I say struggled because I have since overcome my struggles. I have PCOS, but PCOS does NOT have me.
In short, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a disease of the ovaries, usually caused by one of two hormone imbalances...either a testosterone imbalance, or an abnormal FSH:LH ratio. This is part 1 of the diagnosis. Part 2 is an ultrasound diagnosis showing a "string of pearl" pattern on your ovaries. This is a really nice way to say that you have a lot of cysts on your ovaries. I lovingly called mine my honeycombs when I first saw them. Basically, your body gears up each month to ovulate (sometimes trying multiple times) but due to the insufficient balance of hormones, you can't release the egg, so instead, a cyst just forms.
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| This is not my ovary, but what a typical PCOS ovary looks like on ultrasound. |
There is no cure for PCOS. The way doctors treat it is by putting women on birth control pills to regulate their periods. If the woman is overweight they will recommend a diet similar to a diabetic diet. Many women are also put on metformin, a medication normally given to diabetics, because sometimes the insulin resistance is thought to be what is messing up the hormones. Not every woman with PCOS has insulin resistance though. When a woman decides she wants to get pregnant, the treatment is clomid, an intense fertility drug. These are the options for women with PCOS.
When doctors gave me the option of clomid or birth control, I opted for clomid. The cycle was horrid, and ended in a chemical pregnancy. (a very early miscarriage) I swore I would never do that again. There had to be something else out there for us...but nothing worked! Eventually, I tried metformin, even though I had no sign of insulin resistance in my blood work, a doctor was willing to entertain the idea that it could correct a sensitivity that my labs may not be picking up.
A few months later, I became pregnant with my son. I was so grateful I didn't have to go on fertility drugs again! I was so happy to have beat the odds...as many doctors believe metformin is not enough for a woman with PCOS to conceive on. However, metformin did some horrible things to my GI system. The side effects were no fun, and I had to really be careful of what I ate. I also took this for the first 15 weeks of my pregnancy, and the fact that I was on medication made me really nervous.
After my son was born, I opted to not go back on metformin. I wanted to see if my cycles would come back on their own. They didn't.
Finally, a very smart friend suggested a regimen to me of natural supplements that do the same thing for the body as metformin and may work for PCOS. I decided to go out and purchase these supplements, as I was feeling kind of desperate to be normal again. There's nothing more un-feminine than not being able to do the most feminine things out there.
Upon returning I had my chromium and alpha lipoic acid. I took chromium twice a day, and alpha lipoic once a day. Here's the ones I used.
Within two weeks of taking these supplements, I was shocked to see I got a period all on my own. I was skeptical...maybe it was just a crazy coincidence. But then my cycles started to be 28-31 days! I could actually map them out and know when they were coming! It was insane!
Of course with PCOS, some women still get cycles, but it doesn't necessarily mean they can conceive. So of course I still did not chalk this up to being a complete miracle worker. I wasn't really out to have another baby at the moment anyway...so I was just thankful to have normal cycles like a normal woman! When cycles are messed up, it may seem like a good thing...but it really messes up all sorts of things in the body. I was always dizzy, in pain, etc when my cycles were off.
Almost two months ago, I was shocked to find myself in my bathroom face to face with a positive pregnancy test. I, a former PCOS sufferer who was told I would need clomid to get pregnant, had gotten pregnant naturally.
I really hope this post can educate people that there are more options than what doctors tell you. Nothing in life ever has to be a death sentence and there is more than one way to accomplish your dreams. If you know someone who is 1 in 10, pass this information on! It could keep them from a lot of intense treatment. It is not a cure-all, but I certainly think it is worth a try.
I am 1 in 10. I have PCOS. PCOS does not and will not ever have me. I have overcome the most difficult thing I have gone through in my life and have two beautiful babies to show for it. My only hope is that all those struggling with infertility and recurrent loss can one day find their peace.
And finally, if you have PCOS: Don't google and read other women's horror stories. Don't let a doctor tell you what you're capable of or what your only options are. And most importantly...don't ever give up.
