PCOS Tuesday

Even though these past couple of "PCOS Tuesday" blog post have been draining...I think I cried each and every time I sat down to type...I'm glad I did. If I've helped even one person over these past few weeks then it's been worth. 

Okay I thought these week I would  end the PCOS Tuesdays with some advise I have for those who find themselves diagnosed with PCOS.

Find a doctor you like...that you're comfortable with.  It took me three or four tries but finally I've found a doctor I like who works with me.

Read!!! When I first got diagnosed with PCOS I had no idea what it was....and my doctor was less than helpful.  So I started reading...articles on the Internet, blogs, and books.  My favorite book (that I recommend to everyone with PCOS) is "The Ultimate PCOS Handbook: Lose Weight, Boost Fertility, Clear Skin and Restore Self-Esteem" by Colette Harris & Theresa Cheung.  In fact, I may just take my own advise and reread this great book. 

And finally get support. My family....well they try to be supportive but they can't really understand what I'm going through.  I've managed to find a couple of local friends with PCOS and talking with them helps.  Also there are some great online groups.   Try facebook.  

Oh, and remember....I'm here for you.  If you have any questions...or would just like to talk comment or email me through the blog and I will get back to you.   

PCOS Tuesday

I don't know where to even start....infertility is a hard painful subject to talk about.

I found out that I had PCOS at age eighteen...I was a freshman in college, still a virgin without a boyfriend in sight.  Children, babies...they were not even on my radar at that time...but my doctor patted me on the knee and told me not to worry that I could still have a child.   She left out that it would be a long a painful journey...one that I am still on. 


Since there is really no one story that can convey to you the pain that infertility has brought to my life...

• I cried for five hours the day of my cousin and his wife's baby shower....splashed cold water on face and slapped on a smile so that no one would know I was dieing on the inside.  

• I've had to tell my {step}son on more that one occasion when he's asked when he's going to get his baby brother or sister "that maybe it okay just the three of us".

• When asked to host my sister-in-law's baby for her second child I took to my bed for two days.  But I did it....sure I bawled my eyes out while making the invites...but I did it.  

• When rocking my niece to sleep the other day I couldn't stop the tears from falling.  All I could think was she should have been mine...when will it be my turn?

Treatment for infertility is costly both emotionally and monetarily...there is no "let's just see what happens" for me.  There is blood work and more blood work.  There are pills and shots....and the Man making little deposits in small hospital bathrooms.  Right now the Man and I are on a break from trying.    I'm young still...they say there's time...but some days I feel my chances are slipping away.
 

                  


   

    

PCOS Tuesday

Thank you for joining for my second PCOS Tuesday!  Today I'm going to talk about the symptoms of PCOS and how they have affected me in my life.   Now remember not everyone who has PCOS has the same symptoms or suffers from them to the same degree...

•  Infrequent, absent, and/or irregular menstrual periods

          This was the first symptom I noticed....and the lack of periods is what sent me to the doctor where I was diagnosed with PCOS at age 18.

• Hirsutism (HER-suh-tiz-um) — increased hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes

           This is super embarrassing to admit but I have increased hair growth.  I get dark hairs on my chin which I have my sister (the hair dresser) help me wax off.   I also have dark hairs around my belly button and on the tops of my big toes.  I once cried for an hour because I was growing a bread and how could the Man (my husband) still love me? 

• Cysts on the ovaries

           Not everyone who has PCOS (or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) has cysts on their ovaries.  For a long time...years really I didn't have any but in the past couple of months I have started to feel a sharp pain on my left side.  I believe that it is caused by a cyst...I have an appointment scheduled with my gyno for next month where I will discuss this with him.  

• Acne, oily skin, or dandruff

         Yep, yep and no.  Yes, I have acne...more so than when I was a teenager.  Yes, I have oily skin...and hair.  And nope, no dandruff.  I wish my skin was clearer but this symptom is minor compared to other that I suffer from. 

•  Weight gain or obesity, usually with extra weight around the waist

         I wouldn't say I'm obese...but I am over weight and I carry it in my middle.  It is very hard for me to lose weight...and keep it off.  The extra weight (plus the extra hair) does not make me feel sexy.  I tend to wear clothes that hide my body....baggy tees etc...  

• Male-pattern baldness or thinning hair

          My sister (the hair dresser) has the most beautiful, thick brown hair.  Mine not so much....even when I was younger it was a little on the thin side...now with PCOS I'm going bald.  I crying right now just typing this.  The excess hair on my chin and body I can wax and pluck.  But losing my hair....how can I hide that.   The Man says that he doesn't notice it but come on!  It clogs our shower daily.  Its gotten to where I can't even look in the mirror.   I keep asking myself...why:  Why did this happen to me? Why of all the symptoms did I have to lose my hair?   

• Patches of skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs that are thick and dark brown or black

          I have a dark ring on the back of my neck....it makes it look dirty like I haven't washed every well.  I tend to keep what little hair I have left down to try and hide it.  

• Skin tags — excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area

         Skin tags...I've got 'em.  I have some on my neck and I have one right under my right eye.  I don't care for them but they don't affect me as emotionally as say the hair lose or the excess hair do.

•  Pelvic pain

          I haven't really noticed any pelvic pain...so I'm going to say this is one of the symptoms I don't suffer from.

•  Anxiety or depression (plus mood swings)

         Oh gods yes!!   There are days when I can't seem to get off the sofa.   And my mood swings...I can hear myself yelling about something so trivial and dumb but I can't stop myself....I sound crazy!  I don't know how my husband or the boy puts up with it.

• Sleep apnea — when breathing stops for short periods of time while asleep

           I don't believe that I suffer from this symptom.   

• Infertility (not able to get pregnant) because of not ovulating. 

          PCOS is the most common cause of infertility in women...and yes I suffer from infertility.  This very emotional for me...I think I could deal with rest of the crap that comes with PCOS if only I had a baby to hold in my arms.   

I will talk more about infertility next my next PCOS Tuesday blog post.   
        

PCOS Tuesday!

September is PCOS awareness month so we (the Moo dog and Teddy) are letting the Mom person take over Toy Box Tuesday with PCOS Tuesday the whole month to spread the word about PCOS!

The Mom person here to talk about PCOS and how it has affected me in my life.  For those of you who came across this site because you typed in PCOS, I would just like to say no I'm not crazy...I know that my pugs can't type or speak.  Mollie and Teddy's blog is something I do for fun to connect with other pug owners.  Now back to talking/typing about PCOS.  Now if there are any guys reading this....you may want to stop cause I'm about to talk about PERIODS or the lack of them.  

I first started to feel like there was something wrong with me when I was 18 and getting ready to leave for college.  I remember telling my mother that I hadn't had a period in about 4 or 5 months.  Of course she FREAKED...started crying about how I was pregnant and she was to young to be a grandmother blah blah blah.  I stopped her with "Only if I'm carrying the next baby Jesus".  Since I was scheduled to get some shots I needed for college, we decided to just ask the doctor then (bare in mind this was not my regular doctor)....I was told not to worry, that was normal in girls my age....give it time and my body would start to sort itself out.   

I had a period on July 4th of that year and then not again until January of the next year when I finely broke down and went to see a my regular family doctor after my college roommates told me that not having a period for half a year wasn't normal...that the "doctor" had lied to me and I needed help right away.   

I remember being scared and embarrassed....this was the first time since I was potty trained that someone was going to be seeing me down there!  I made my mother come with me to hold my hand...I remember I had tears in my eyes the whole time.  The doctor explained that no it was not normal and that something was very very wrong with me.   She started talking about diabetes, thyroid disorders and then she said the words PCOS.  So simple just a little blood work and I was diagnosed.  

I was handed a bottle of pills told to take them for 10 days every other month and I would have periods again.  That was it, no other information was given.   

I had no idea that missed periods was a symptom and not the cause.  And I was unprepared for the other issues that I would soon begin to notice happening to my body. 

Please join me next Tuesday, September 11 where I will talk about some of the issues I personally have had with PCOS and its symptoms.  

       

September is PCOS Awareness Month

The month of September is PCOS Awareness month and since this is something near and dear to our hearts we will be letting the Mom person take over Toy Box Tuesdays to share a little about her own struggle with PCOS.  Yes, you read that right our the Mom person has PCOS!   So please join us Tuesday, September the 4th for our very first PCOS Tuesday.   Remember to wear teal and support the almost 7 million US women who struggle with PCOS.