No one enjoys their time of the month. It’s painful and uncomfortable, but for some people, it can be unbearable.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that causes infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods. The ovaries collect numerous small collections of fluid (better known as follicles) and may not ovulate every month. It causes irregular and painful periods that can come at any time or remain consistent throughout the month.
Infertility can be an issue as the ovaries produce excess follicles which may not allow the ovaries to ovulate every month. People can also produce excess male hormones which can cause symptoms such as excess body hair and thinning hair around the crown of the head. Not to mention the fact that periods can be excessively painful when dealing with PCOS.
According to the HSÉ, about one in five women has polycystic ovaries in Ireland and approximately one in 10 has PCOS to some degree. PCOS affects overweight and obese people, but can also be hereditary if diabetes or high cholesterol runs in your family.
Getting a handle on PCOS can be tricky due to the nature of it being a hormonal imbalance in the body. Although it can not be cured, it can be managed through a change in lifestyle and prescription medication.
Lucy, a 22-year-old student from Wicklow said that she discovered that she had PCOS after years of complaining of painful periods and irregular bleeding.
“I gained a stone out of nowhere and I was telling a consultant I was seeing about a different issue about it because I couldn’t understand why I had gained weight since I wasn’t eating any worse than I usually was,” she said.
Lucy’s doctor recognised the symptoms and sent her for an ultrasound on her ovaries when excess follicles were found. She was then sent to an endocrinologist who was able to diagnose her with the condition and create a plan to treat her symptoms.
She said that whilst the diagnosis was intimidating, she was glad to have finally found a diagnosis and start treatment to finally ease her symptoms.
“I’ve had irregular periods since I was 12. It was heartbreaking hearing a doctor tell me there was something wrong with my ovaries, but once it sunk in I was relieved that I was finally able to treat it,” she said.
Lucy’s consultant prescribed medication including a contraceptive pill which would regulate her periods and recommended a low-carb diet and exercising as it would benefit her in trying to regulate her hormones and lose the excess weight. She took her doctor’s advice and she has never felt more confident, healthier, or sexier.
“Not bleeding every single day, finally being a healthy weight, I’ve honestly never been more confident,” she said.
“I’m almost frustrated no other doctor was able to spot this diagnosis sooner because it would’ve made such a difference to how I felt about myself. I suffered for years thinking that it was normal when the cause of all of my health issues was almost so obvious”.
If you suffer from irregular or painful periods, it is so important to persist with your doctor to see a resolution. Your sexual health can affect your life in more ways than just in the bedroom, and it is so important to be proactive in making sure that you are taking the steps to give yourself the best at being healthy.