New Blog Series: My PCOS Journey

I want to use this blog to reach out to other women out there who has PCOS like me. I had my menarche when I was 16 years old, late for other girls. After that first period, I never had it again as far as I remember. At the hospital one time, my mom asked the attending physician, she said wait until I am 18 to see if the cycle will be regular.

My PCOS diagnosis

I remember having my period only once or twice a year and that was okay with me because I save buying sanitary pads. In 2007, I learned about Oral Contraceptive Pills (OCP), this will regulate my cycle. I took it for a year and after the medication, my cycle was not normal again. It was always a burden as I cannot take any laboratory exams, especially X-ray unless I prove them I am not pregnant.

In 2012, I had my first transvaginal ultrasound. I found out both ovaries are polycystic. According to doctors it is common and they give OCP as medication. The doctor prescribed me a medroxyprogetsterone to induce bleeding, then keep up an OCP again for another six months. It was no biggie as I am not trying to conceive a child that time.

I continued to take the prescribed cycle, six months. After every cycle, my ovulation never became normal. Symptoms are showing up – acne, weight gain, excess hair, name it. I am experiencing it. Then it started to affect me emotionally knowing I keep on spending money on medication and nothing is happening. I stopped taking OCP for three years.

Getting Pregnant

It’d alarmed me to learn the high risk of infertility and other related disease. On my APE, my blood pressure got high, my blood sugar got high too (I am taking Metformin now for maintenance), and I am overweight.

When I got married last year, I went to the doctor again and performed other blood exams (FBS, FSH, Anti-Mullerian, etc.). I found out I have low ovarian reserve, which is why I am not yet pregnant. To jumpstart my baby making project, the doctor asked me to take Dydrogesterone to induce bleeding, then a new cycle of OCP (6 months) while taking metformin and come back for the next steps. She also asked me to lose more weight – 10 kilograms to be exact and stay away from stress. She is targeting pregnancy next year *crossing fingers*.

Next Steps

I am TRYING to be healthier and lose the weight I need. It’s a difficult process, but I know it is going to be worth it. I am on my fifth pack of OCP and lost 2 kilograms so far. PUSH!

Ladies, PCOS is serious, if you experience weird patterns on your menses go to the OB as soon as possible. Do not be shy asking question about your reproductive health. Be brave opening your legs to have a pap smear or a pelvic exam or a TV ultrasound.  As much as possible, adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

For others, having PCOS has an emotional effect to the person experiencing it. It pressures us to lose weight or to have a baby. It makes us cry at night thinking how to balance our hormones. Please be sensitive when greeting someone who is gaining weight or asking a newly married couple when they’ll have a baby. We don’t get to discuss our medical conditions every time we are asked, we hope you will not judge our overall personality by our looks.

Join me in this Journey

I am writing this post to begin a series on my blog that even we have PCOS, we can fight facial hair by waxing, fight acne by proper skin care, fight weight gain by exercising and eating healthy.

Do you have PCOS? Let us be one and be fabulous one day at a time. I’ll be here if you need someone to talk to, head to Twitter or Facebook and share your story.

P.S. I scheduled my Althea experience tomorrow, please stay tuned for that.