#pcoscommunity

[annagxx]

From the behalf of all the PCOS girly

I want to take a moment to share what it’s like to live with PCOS, because I feel like so many people don’t truly understand. Every day is a struggle, and it feels like I’m fighting a battle that no one else can see. I hear the same advice over and over: “You just need to lose weight.” But what people don’t realize is that I’m already trying my hardest. I’m watching what I eat, exercising regularly, and doing everything I can to feel good about myself. Yet, despite all my efforts, the changes I want just don’t seem to come. PCOS has a way of making everything feel impossible. It’s not just about weight; it’s about the symptoms that come with this condition. The hair thinning is disheartening—I used to love my hair, but now I constantly worry about how it looks. And then there’s the unwanted body and facial hair. I find myself spending so much time trying to hide it, trying to fit an image that society expects of me. It feels suffocating. The pain can be unbearable. There are days when I can hardly get out of bed because of the cramps and fatigue. I feel like I’m dragging myself through life, and even when I’m doing my best, I’m met with judgment instead of compassion. The moon face, the fatigue, it all contributes to a feeling of hopelessness. When I share my struggles, I often get responses that make me feel worse. I’m not looking for sympathy; I’m looking for understanding. When I mention that I don’t feel good in certain clothes, I don’t need someone to remind me to just lose weight. I need support. I need people to listen, to acknowledge what I’m going through, and to just be there for me. Every time someone brings up my weight or suggests a simple solution, it adds to my stress. Stress makes everything worse; it raises my cortisol levels and triggers more symptoms. I’m already feeling overwhelmed; I don’t need more negativity in my life. I just want to feel human. I want to be seen for who I am, not just my weight or my appearance. I’m trying my best to cope with a condition that I didn’t choose. If you can’t offer support, please be kind. Understand that every judgment, every comment adds to my pain. I’m asking for a little empathy. A little kindness can go a long way. It’s not easy living with PCOS, but with understanding and compassion, it can be a bit more bearable. Please, just be there for me. That’s all I need.

-A Message from a Girl with pcos

[gaininghealthgainingwealth]

Before (1/25/23) and after (7/14/23) 6 months of laser treatments. I will NEVER shut up about how beneficial laser therapy is for women who struggle with hirsutism and the effects of it. The mental toll it took on me as a woman was unreal but completely understandable. No woman wants to lose her sense of femininity. The treatments can be a bit pricey depending on where you go, but it is 1000% worth every penny. Invest in yourself!

[lilithdahobbit]

Man researching for PCOS is NOT the bees knees.

Everything is so "girl power" "strong woman" based which is fine, just not when there's literally nothing for trans-masc folks who have it.

Like I know cis woman are the majority when it comes to PCOS diagnosis but my god can I not have ONE site that doesn't mention how I'm "still a strong confident feminine woman despite the PCOS symptoms" every few sentences? Just give a strictly informational site that just says "You've got PCOS, here's what you may want to do". I don't care that facial hair doesn't make me "less of a woman" I wasn't a bloody woman to begin with(plus the facial hair has never really been an issue, the one symptom I avoided)! I never gave a shit about possible infertility "ruining my womanhood", I literally got my tubes removed to avoid pregnancy!

I want recipes to help me lose weight and treat my insulin resistance. I want tips for ovarian pain and what to do if a cyst ruptures. I want tips on how to grow my hair back after my hormone imbalance made me lose so much of it. I don't want to be reminded that because of this stupid disease I'm seen as some poor woman with manly features. Just one site, ONE site that does that. But no instead I have to rummage through gods know how many sites focused on cis women and femininity.

[chronically-online-anime-enjoyer]

long post sorry

CW: Talk of weight loss and chronic illness. Brief mention of ED. Medical professionals are stupid sometimes.

I wish doctors didn’t treat being fat as the root of the problem. There are many reasons why I am fat and most of them are out of my control.

My RA causes joint pain. It hurts to walk or jog for long periods of time, and it hurts to ride a bike for too long. My PCOS causes an increase in hormones that cause hunger, and increased insulin which causes the body to store more fat. PCOS can cause diabetes later in life if not managed. I’m basically genetically set up to be fat.

The point is, doctors need to come up with better ideas on how to lose weight healthily. I swear to god, if one more doctor says “just lose a bit of weight and you’ll be in a lot less pain” I will scream. How can I lose weight when it HURTS TO WALK??? I don’t want to have to starve myself. I need medical professionals to give actual advice, to actually care, not to just look at my chart and say the first thing that comes to mind and then leave.

I understand that I don’t need to lose weight to be confident, or beautiful, or whatever else. I’m talking about this purely from a health perspective. Not all fat people are unhealthy and I’m not implying that they are. I’m saying I am unhealthy, and I need to lose weight if I want to live a long life. I just don’t know how to go about this.

Here’s Miku to lighten the mood 🌈

[itsjessnyc]

Being a cyster is mad hard 😔☹️😞 we have mood swings like 75% of the time. So imagine when we PMS , which for me can be 2-3 weeks out of the month. I have irregular periods, especially when I'm stressed. One month can be minor pains and the next can be pain so bad I need 1,600mg of ibuprofen 🥺 just to get through the day. My chronic fatigue is bad enough, imagine when I'm pmsing 😩 we gain weight, bloat if we even look or smell a certain ingredient. I have gained and lost weight dramatically in the last 3 years. I am comfortable with my body rn, sometimes too comfortable.. yet we all have those days, weeks or even months deep down we are not. I have to always remind myself, I have PCOS. PCOS does not have me! #cysterhood #cyster4life #jnyc

[livelaugheatfit]

Day 23

So we are on day 23, so far I've lost 1kg and then put some of it back on so i am only about 0.7kg down. Which to be honest I am not completely happy about but its a loss.

I have been eating pretty good, had a few treats, like today I had a subway but not what I would normally have. Thats pretty big for me. I have been eating overnight oats from the body coach for some of my breakfasts and then rest of the time I have been eating a lot of eggs, asparagus, mushrooms etc.

On the exercise front, so far I haven't done much as I have been ill with a horrific cold and cough but me and husband are starting this soon. I want to go swimming instead of the gym. I feel this might be the best exercise to ease me in to working out on a regular basis.

Anyway, I will update again later. I don't like doing this all the time as I feel reviewing my progress everyday can be bad for my metal health.

[orbitalsockets]

Ten Things I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me Sooner About Reproductive Health As A Person With PCOS and Endometriosis

Periods should not hurt. You read that right - I was shocked beyond belief when my doctor told me for the first time. Periods are, for normal people, uncomfortable and slightly unpleasant. However, normal period pain is often treatable with Tylenol, Ibuprofen or Midol. If your period is causing you pain to the point that none of these things help or it debilitates your ability to do everyday tasks, THAT IS NOT NORMAL. I believed from the age of 11 (I'm 23 now) that periods were just a horrible, painful, nauseating experience for everyone and many male doctors AGREED with me. It wasn't until I met my current gynecologist that I was informed that having to miss school, wear two pads to bed and cramping so hard that I threw up were all NOT normal period experiences. This ended up being my most ignored symptom, and it took twelve years to find out that - for me - it's a combination of PCOS and Endometriosis.

Penetrarion also shouldn't hurt. Since the first time I had sex, I have had pain with penetration. Even situations like a standard gynecological visit with tons of lubricant or using tampons often leave me crampy, in pain and sometimes bleeding. This is not normal, and for me was an indicator of endometriosis that went unnoticed for four years.

Your period skipping for several months at a time is not normal. When you first start your period it can be normal to experience some abnormality with your cycle timing, but it shouldn't be a chronic issue. If you find yourself missing your period more than having it and you're not on any medication that can impact it, THAT IS NOT NORMAL. This for me wound up being a symptom of severe PCOS that went unnoticed for six years.

If you are plus size, you have to advocate twice as hard for half the result when it comes to reproductive disorders. I am plus size and a large reason why I was dismissed by doctors was because of my size. Never mind the fact that my blood work indicated nothing about my weight being a factor and rather leaned into showing that my weight was a direct result of my PCOS - doctors saw fat and immediately assumed that my fatness was the problem instead of an underlying syndrome. This is one of the most gut wrenching parts of advocating for yourself, but you HAVE to keep fighting for an answer if you know something is wrong. Getting discouraged can be the path to chronic pain and worsening disorders.

Don't trust what hospitals have to say about your symptoms - If possible, go to a specialist as fast as possible. I spent months in and out of the hospital because the pain I was experiencing felt emergent (talking like an 11 on a scale of 1-10) and I was repeatedly told I was fine. I had over 20 ultrasounds in this hospital, and they claimed they didn't even see my PCOS that had been diagnosed years prior. They made me feel crazy, passive aggressively accused me of seeking out pain meds, and called me names outside of my door - It took my doctor ONE ultrasound to reconfirm that I indeed have severe PCOS. If the hospital tells you that you're fine, or even a doctor who you don't feel is taking you seriously, get a second/third/fourth/etc opinion until someone listens and checks.

If you and a doctor find that you're showing symptoms and need to move towards surgery, it's really easy to lose yourself in the limbo of finding out if something is there or not. I spent the last year in debilitating pain and for most of it didn't even know the cause - I just had my first endo surgery, and I spent the entire lead up wondering if I actually was crazy. I drowned in my own head with worry that I was actually faking it like so many people claimed. I woke up in the post op recovery room to news that I had been right, and I have endometriosis. Trust your instincts, no matter how deep the gaslighting around you tries to seep into your brain. You know your body better than anyone else.

If you have POTS or any other disorder that impacts your temperature regulation, be VERY careful if you decide to take Orilissa for endometriosis. The medication essentially puts you into medically induced menopause, which causes heat flashes. I have POTS and the heat flashes were too severe and disorienting for me to be able to continue the medication, which is why we moved onto surgery.

If you're diagnosed with insulin resistant PCOS and are given Metformin, you will most likely be asked by every medical professional you meet if you're diabetic, regardless of specifically stating that you take it for insulin resistant PCOS. This will happen even more frequently if you're plus size - it's annoying as fuck and you will have to repeat yourself, and even sometimes explain to the medical professional what PCOS is. The lack of knowkedge with medical professionals happens less with endometriosis in my experience, but you will most likely end up explaining what that is a few times as well.

Having a designated area for helpful items in whatever room you spend the most time in is legitimately one of the most helpful tools I've had through this experience. Many days prior to surgery (hoping it gets better, only four days post op so here's to hoping) I'd be in so much pain that I was exhausted and perpetually low on spoons. I made a drawer in my living room that holds snacks, drinks, medication, my heating pad, extra pads, underwear and comfort items, and it has been a legitimate godsend on my really bad days.

Even if you DON'T have symptoms, get checked anyway. Many people have endometriosis and don't find out until they're trying to conceive because they didn't have any symptoms. Endo is super weird in that regard - one strand of endometriosis can debilitate a person, but someone else can have their organs cemented together and experience no issues outside of difficulty conceiving. Even if you think there's nothing bad going on in there, checking in and making sure never hurts.

[cryinginmyroomsposts]

Having PCOS genuinely feels like having a fully developed monster in my body. I'll be happy and strong one minute and in an instant, the only thing I want to do is curl up and cry until I feel my entire soul has been depleted of any emotions. Don't get me wrong, I have been depressed way before my PCOS symptoms started but I can still clearly remember the time of my life when I completely lost control of myself. One summer, when I was actually at the peak of my physical fitness, I gained several pounds in weeks, lost any and every will to live and realised that my body is no longer listening or responding to me. To feel that helpless, especially when your life is constantly stressed and every other person is forcing you to study more, work harder, eat healthier, lose weight and all you want to do is wail so loud it shatters the whole world. My parents keep telling me it's just me being lazy and I believe them and end up hating myself more. With all this mental torture, my body goes through such high inflammations that it genuinely feels like I am burning in hell for 2 weeks straight until my period does arrive. I wake up more tired than I went to sleep and don't remember the last time I felt good about myself. There is no medical help or emotional support and as always, I have to help myself. It is truly excruciating.

[dandelion6971]

Questionnaire ONLY for WOMEN WITH PCOS!!!!!

ONLY FOR WOMEN WITH PCOS!!!!

Hi, there. I'm a student doing research on women with PCOS and looking for those females who has PCOS to fill this questionnaire for me which is completely anonymous. I shall be very grateful to you if you help me filling this form. Thank you in advance.

[keepdiettips]

Learn how a tailored PCOS diet can support weight loss and help manage symptoms naturally and effectively.

[sangeethatecno]

Busting the PCOS myth wide open! 🚫🌟 PCOS affects women of all shapes and sizes. Let's shed light on the truth and empower everyone to understand this complex condition. Knowledge is our key to breaking barriers. 💪

[heterohealthcareofficial]

👭🌸 Together, we're not just a community; we're an unstoppable force armed with resources and support! 🌸👭

This #PCOSAwarenessMonth, Hetero Healthcare provides the information you need while uniting women, healthcare providers, and supporters. You're not alone—let's build a resource-rich community that's stronger than any condition.

🎥 Unveil a world of support and become part of the solution—watch our video today.

[yogatribex]

Take control of your health and balance your hormones naturally with these 6 yoga asanas for PCOS! Regulate your menstrual cycle, reduce stress, and improve your overall well-being with the transformative power of yoga.

[mr-divabetic]

We’re talking about ‘PRE-DIABETES, PCOS & REGAINING YOUR POWER’ with musical inspiration from Angie Stone.

Pre-diabetes means you have blood glucose levels higher than usual but not high enough to be called diabetes. Prediabetes makes you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) is a condition that causes an imbalance of female sex hormones. As a result, women with PCOS often don’t have menstrual periods or only have periods on occasion. It is the number one cause of female infertility. PCOS causes insulin resistance, the hallmark of type 2 diabetes.

Singer Angie Stone is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, producer, actress, and mother. She was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1999. “I was always on the go, and thought I was too busy to develop something like this,” Stone said. “I thought at the time that diabetes went along with bad habits, but I was the last one in my family to eat junk food.”

She didn’t realize that she was a perfect candidate for diabetes: She had a family history of diabetes and was fighting weight problems.

“I came to accept my diabetes when I realized just how many people around me, even in my own family, were living with diabetes," she says. "It gave me back a lot of courage to see all these people just like me, going places, involved in normal things, and I became determined to learn what I needed to better manage my diabetes."

Guests: Poet Lorraine Brooks, PCOS Diva founder Amy Medling, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Dr. Sara (Mandy) Reece PharmD, CDE, BC-ADM- PCOM, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Jeff James, and Mama Rose Marie.

Throughout this podcast, we will feature songs from ‘Stone Hits: The Very Best of Angie Stone’ courtesy of SONY Music.: https://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2018/05/08/diabetes-late-nite-inspired-by-angie-stone

[vlobrat]

This makes me feel emotionally, physically and spiritually accurate with my PCOS. It’s not fair to deal with this disorder when my own medical company give two shits about my health including symptoms that I constantly have to battle every. single. day.

having PCOS is some special kind of hell only a biological woman will ever have to deal with. you'll basically be told that you're at risk for cancer, diabetes, you're infertile, you'll get hirsutism, your hair is thin, your periods painful and irregular, you're constantly tired, constantly hungry, you're always in some kind of pain or discomfort, you might eat less than you need and still gain weight.

you'll be told the only thing you can do about it is diet and exercise, which is fair, it works, but you literally are at risk for high insulin resistance and fatigue as symptoms. you can only swim against the current. now, you can also take birth control pills but they don't solve any of your real problems, they just hide them and if anything the second you stop taking them your health will get worse.

And did I talk about mental health? well, you're at high risk for depression, anxiety, insomnia, and eating disorders. fun right? and it's not some obscure disorder, 10% of women have PCOS. It's a common ailment, you'd think it's well-researched, that OB-GYNS are experienced in treating it, or at least empathetic. Right?

No, literally no. Nobody cares, you have to be your own doctor, go to Reddit for information, and look up research papers. You trust tiktokers more than your medical providers because the best they're gonna do is tell you to take a pill that won't be that effective, diet, and come back when you're pregnant. Oh, your pain is unbearable? Just take some paracetamol. You can't seem to lose weight? Get a grip, you just need to eat 0 carbs and exercise every day, and lift weights. Get some laser treatment for your facial hair while you're at it. You're tired all the time? Doesn't seem that serious, everybody is.

Or worse. Oh, your labs come out fine, you're fine. You have a healthy BMI, what are you worried about? You get a period every 40-ish days so it's not that bad. Not that you're barely eating, exhausted all the time, in severe physical pain, and emotionally distressed. You'll be able to have kids! Cheer up!

And all this? Because the medical industry doesn't care about women.