What You Might Not Know About PCOS

From Someone Who Has It

September is PCOS awareness month. I received my PCOS diagnosis in March 2023 after dealing with the symptoms for several years leading up to that diagnosis – this topic is deeply personal to me, as it is to many others who have PCOS. 

PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. As explained by the Mayo Clinic, PCOS is a hormonal condition that causes eggs to be released irregularly from the ovary to the uterus, causing irregular periods. PCOS can also lead to a lack of estrogen, which can lead to imbalanced hormones and infertility. 

There are many symptoms of PCOS, as also highlighted by the Mayo Clinic. Some of the most well known include weight gain around the hips/stomach area (where the ovaries are in the body) and male-patterned hair growth that includes facial hair, but what many may not know is that the PCOS symptoms are numerous, and some aren’t as well known as others. Below I’ve created a list of five PCOS symptoms that I think should be more well known. 

1. It’s Genetic

There is evidence that points towards PCOS being a genetic condition, so if you have it, there’s a chance someone else in your family may have it as well. PCOS is known for being underdiagnosed, like many conditions that mainly affect women, which could explain it not popping up in your family history. 

2. Having Kids is Still Possible – if you want them 

While PCOS is associated with infertility, it is not immediately indicative of being unable to have children. This is a major concern for many who get diagnosed with PCOS who also want to have children, but there is still hope for having children if you have PCOS. Advancements are being made in fertility and PCOS every year, and people who have PCOS are able to have children all the time. Though it may take more time and require some treatments, having children is definitely still possible with PCOS.  

3. It Can Cause Cysts

Despite “cyst” being in the name PCOS, many people don’t know what having an ovarian cyst entails, and what the treatment is. This is something I did not know until I experienced it. In January 2023 I found out I had a (thankfully) small cyst on one of my ovaries, that had been causing me extreme pain in my lower abdomen for several weeks prior. If you receive a PCOS diagnosis, cyst symptoms are something you should watch out for. If you think you have an ovarian cyst, contact your gynecologist immediately. 

4. It Can Make You Extremely Fatigued 

This is something I’d wish I’d known when I first got diagnosed with PCOS. Due to the imbalance in hormones, PCOS can cause a lot of additional problems besides the ones discussed the most, like irregular periods and infertility. One of these problems is excessive fatigue. You may feel tired all the time, no matter how much sleep you get or how much coffee you have. This can be especially difficult to manage with a full schedule of classes or with a job. This is one aspect that can make PCOS particularly hard to live with. You can’t be your best if you’re tired all the time, and it can be especially frustrating if the tiredness isn’t your fault. There are certain foods, like proteins and fresh fruits and vegetables, that can naturally help boost your energy. 

5. It Doesn’t Define You

Even if you’ve accepted your PCOS diagnosis and have learned coping mechanisms to help manage the symptoms, living with it can still be difficult. PCOS has no cure and no exact cause, so you might have a lot of trouble coming to terms with why you have it. You may be asking yourself: Why me? That question came up for me a lot when I was first diagnosed, and it’s a question that I still find myself wondering sometimes. Regardless, you need to remember that your PCOS is just a piece of you – it doesn’t define who you are. It doesn’t make you a freak of nature or some circus attraction. The way PCOS has been depicted in the past has been harmful, and those stereotypes are in need of deconstructing. 

You are still beautiful with your PCOS. You are still worthy with your PCOS. You are still whole with your PCOS, and don’t let anything change your mind about that. PCOS is very common, and chances are someone you already know has it. It’s important to lean into the support of trusted doctors and other people with PCOS. 

You are not alone when it comes to PCOS.

• health
• PCOS