Wednesday, February 9, 2011

PCOS - Passion, Life, and Support (HOPE)



One of my faces is living with PCOS. I have know I had PCOS for almost ten years now. PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and is one of the most endocrine disorders among females. There are symptoms that have taken over my body that I am in constant fight with some are silent others I deal with on a daily basis.

Daily Battles: Weight (up, down, and every where in between), Acne (close to 30 and I have fight with my skin like I am 13), Pelvic Pain, Anxiety and Depression. 

Internal Battles: High levels of androgens, Small Cysts on my ovaries, lack of ovulation, and insulin resistance

PCOS THE SILVER BULLET

  • More than 50 percent of women with PCOS will have diabetes or pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance) before the age of 40.
  • The risk of heart attack is 4 to 7 times higher in women with PCOS than women of the same age without PCOS.
  • Women with PCOS are at greater risk of having high blood pressure.
  • Women with PCOS have high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.
  • Women with PCOS can develop sleep apnea. This is when breathing stops for short periods of time during sleep.

However, these internal an external battles leads to one of my biggest battles INFERTILITY. This is one part of PCOS that I do not wish that I had to deal with or wish on my worst enemy. The scientist can spout a thousand reasons on why women with PCOS often have trouble conceiving but it does not make it any easier. I have been married for over 6 years to my hero, my marine, and my best friend. We have been trying to have a child for five years. There is nothing that I can to explain what it is like to be infertile or having trouble to have a child. In life you find your soul mate, marry, and decide you want to start a family just to find out that you want the most. Living with PCOS is something I can handle, in fact knowing it is something that I will deal with most of my life (there is no concrete evidence that PCOS ends when menopause occurs). 

My husband and I have had gone through multiple test, procedures, and treatments. It is not an easy thing to deal with (emotionally, physically, and spiritually). There have been many days that all I can do is cry because I feel lost. I often ask myself how does something come so easy to others has become a path I would not like to be on but for some reason I was "chosen" to embark on. I use the word chosen because I believe everything happens for a reason, whether I like it or not. Even though, my husband and I are still trying to endure this path, I have known great things to occur. I never "physically" met this woman but we met in a social network site, both military wives, and both battle with PCOS. In other words we are "cysters", in the battles we face she was given a miracle. A lot of women, men, and families take for granted what a lot of women with PCOS often want most and that is to be a mother. She is proof that even in this WAR that we can overcome and win battles. Maybe one day our physical lives will one day actually meet but if not I know I have cyster for life.

If you have PCOS or you know someone with PCOS it is okay. We need to spread the word and let them know that we want to know more about this endocrine disorder. I know it is not easy for someone for just finding out they have PCOS or been dealing with this disorder for years. However, I know there is one word I live by with PCOS and that is HOPE. I give you Hope.

I HAVE INCLUDED SOME LINKS ABOUT PCOS (They Have Some Great Information about the Disorder)





  

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