#polycystic ovary syndrome pcos

I received an overwhelming response both from women struggling with PCOS and simply concerned folk. I’m glad this infographic is now out there, drifting in the web, raising more questions, as it should. That was its purpose.

First, let me express how grateful I am for the appreciation and many thanks I received from you, beautiful ladies, my cysters. I wish you all to be strong, to be healthy (as much as it’s possible), and to be happy. Being happy is the best therapy out there. 

Now, to answer a few passive-aggressive comments about PCOS being not only a woman’s problem. There are many levels to understanding this. As I said before, anyone who was assigned female at birth, even if they do not identify themselves as women presently is at risk of having PCOS. Anyone who did not have their ovaries, uterus, and cervix removed have to be vigilant and continue seeing a gynecologist until they no longer have the above mentioned organs. They may also have increased risks for ovarian cancer - it is highly important to keep seeing a specialist - ovarian cancer is too often caught too late. You may not feel and identify as a woman, but unless you undergo those changes, your body is still the body of a woman. And that is what I talk about in my infographic, a woman’s body. So please, don’t feel offended or excluded. 

Finally, thank you to everyone who shared my infographic. I have an article about PCOS waiting to be published, and your effort adds up significantly to the value of my article. 

I have been diagnosed eight years ago, and there were many dark days when I wished PCOS had just been a bad dream, something that could be fixed and forgotten about. But it’s not, and speaking up is my way of dealing with it.

Thank you all and take care!

omgpcos:

You never really know whose listening to you until someone from the outside shows you that they are aware of whats going on with you and decide to become your supporter.

When I decided to be open about my PCOS on facebook, it was like no one really cared despite me explaining what it was because I got remarks that ranged from “all you have to do is just work out” to “fat people always make an excuse as to why their big.”

Because of that and like many others, we turn to support groups and other sites such as tumblr.

But then I slowly got discourage. I became bitter and annoyed with how people saw this as a made up thing, that people who suffer with PCOS just want attention. That doctors who claim their existence is to help people was instead covered with remarks such as “irregular periods are normal for someone your size, just lose weight.” Or “What is PCOS?” Or “theres no such thing as PCOS.”

I thought, “If doctors won’t even recognize this, what makes me so sure anyone i know would?”

Then today a friend shared a post on my timeline created by Daisy Ridley about what she went through. With the caption:

“I thought of you when I read this. Here’s to hoping that there will be more awareness which leads to more solutions as time goes on.”

My voice was heard. It may have not touched a large crowd, but it touched one person.

It made me realize, thats how awareness starts; lighting one candle at a time no matter what source of fire you may have.