For the past 10 year I’ve been dealing with #PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), my silent enemy.
For those of you that have no idea what #PCOS is let me explain a little. #PCOS is a hormone disorder with some pretty nasty symptoms, such as, missed or irregular periods, weight gain, excess hair growth in very embarrassing areas, acne, depression, anxiety and infertility.
I was first diagnosed when I was 17. I remember sitting in my doctors office while he ripped a page from his prescription pad and started making some drawing on it. He drew a picture of my ovaries and said they were filled with cysts, then he explained my condition and simply said that I would not be able to have kids. Given that I was 17 at the time i don’t think i fully understood the severity of my condition, and I wasn’t faced by the fact I might not be able to have children someday.
On and off I struggled a lot with my weight and horrible acne. Nothing I tried worked. I think I had just given up. I was put on a couple of different medication to help control the symptoms, but some worked and others made it worse.
As I got older and the idea of having a baby crossed my mind I felt scared. What if i just can't have a baby of my own? This has crossed my mind many times, just hoping for things to get better.
About two years ago, I decided that I was tired of letting this condition control my life, needless to say, as this being a hormone disorder you can image my crazy constant mood swings, together with the acne, overweight, hirsutism… I had had it! It was time to make a change.
As I normally do when I’m interested in a new topic, I read until I can't find any more new information. And that's what I did. I learned as much as I could on how I could combat my PCOS. I also visit my doctor one more time hoping for a plan of action to work towards getting pregnant someday.
One of the main things that I needed to do to help control PCOS was to lose weight and I already knew it. This was not my first attempt at it. Having PCOS makes it harder to lose weight. Regardless of that, I decided to try it again.
I adapted healthier eating habits. I was never on a diet but I learned that I needed to eat whole foods and lots of veggies to help my body heal. I pushed myself to drink more water and to be more active. Slowly, very slowly I started to lose the weight. From my heaviest at 210 pounds and two years later I’m so much closer to my goal weight at 165.
Although I try my best not to overindulge, sometimes I just do, but I make sure I don’t make a habit out of it. It’s all about balance. I feel a lot healthier and overall happy. I no longer suffer from acne and my mood swings are just normal now. (my boyfriend may disagree) I still struggle with unwanted hair growth but oh well, nothing a good razor can’t solve. I know my symptoms have decreased tremendously and I continue to take care of my body and mind as much as I can.
Barely two months ago I began to exercise regularly making me feel even better. Taking care of my body one day at a time is my priority. I will not let my condition take over my life again.
If you suffer from PCOS, don't give up. I know its a very frustrating process. Sometimes nothing makes it better. For me, nurturing my body with healthy wholefoods has worked. Do your own research and always consult with your doctor.
1 in every 10 women are affected with PCOS, let's bring awareness and help others as the information out there is usually very generic.
To learn more check out this page: https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/polycystic-ovary-syndrome
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