When I was only fourteen years old, my doctor told me I would likely never have children. This is pretty heavy news for a teenager, and for a time I was so focused on this revelation I paid little heed to the underlying reason for this sterility. The doctor’s statement followed a diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, one of the most common hormonal endocrine disorders in women(1).
It’s been an additional 14 years since that day, and in that time I’ve experienced and struggled with the symptoms of my diagnosis. These include, but are not limited to:
- Weight Gain and Obesity
- Excess Body Hair
- Insulin-Resistance
- Skin discoloration and acne
- Depression
And of course, infertility.
At 20 years old, I topped the scales at 321 pounds. I was morbidly obese and my health was rapidly declining. With increasing pressure from my medical professionals, I underwent gastric bypass surgery one month before my 21st birthday.
And my health got worse.
I was in and out of the hospital an additional five times following my bariatric surgery. One year later, I was dangerously, unhealthily thin. I experienced my first miscarriage. My actions, taken to gain control of my life and health, seemed to have instead resulted in further physical turmoil.
I decided to make a change.
My decision to take back control of my own health and happiness was one that required a lot of research and dedication. The PCOS patient does not metabolize food in the same way that a normal woman does, and neither does the gastric bypass patient.
Since that time in my life, I’m happy to say I am at and (for the most part!) maintaining a healthy weight, with only one minor hiccup along the journey. That hiccup?
The birth of my daughter Judah, born in September of 2013.
In the coming weeks, I’d like to share with you how I’ve taken control of my body, achieved health, and concurred infertility. The journey was not easy, but as a mother of a toddler I can now safely say: I wouldn’t change any of it.
Source:
(1) “What Is PCOS?” PCOS Foundation. PCOS Foundation, 2016. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.
The PCOS Skinny 