MY LIFE WITH PCOS

One day, while sitting at the kitchen table, my brother Jake said "Wow you have a lot of hair on your chin!" I ran downstairs to my bathroom. I was mortified to find that he was telling the truth. I quickly shaved it off.

Than at 18 I went to my Gyno because I was getting on Acutane for my Acne. During the exam my doctor said that I "may" have PCOS. After an ultrasound it was confirmed. I was given a small pamphlet and sent on my way with my birth control and Acutane. No other explanation given.

At 23 my husband and I decided to get off the birth control and start our family. After a year trying on our own - we decided fertility was the answer.
Once again the diagnosis - PCOS.

The fertility specialists told me to measure my temperature for 30 days, than clomed for the next 3 months, and then almost daily shots of Repronex in my stomach with 3 rounds of insemenations, and 15-20 days a month at the doctors office checking my ovaries. An emotional nightmare which did NOT result in pregnancy.

During this time I bought this book I pictured above. I actually bought 5 different books but this one helped me the most to really understand what PCOS was. I began using the information I read to help me get the weight off.

The doctors tell you that birth control helps, they tell you that fertility drugs help, they EVEN tell you weight loss helps. But not once - even to this day on shows such as "The Doctors" or "Dr. Oz" do they tell these women HOW to loose the weight.

I lost 55 lbs and the month after we stopped fertility treatments - I became pregnant all on my own.

My journey has been painful. Having facial hair, acne, weight problems, and just overall not feeling womanly.

Not being able to get pregnant does something to you that you just cannot explain. Especially when it feels like it's your fault.

But now I know you CAN do something about it. Without birth control, without fertility drugs, and without costly procedures which can leave you feeling drained and emotionally spent.

How To Start:
1. Buy books or go to the library and check them out. Read them. Learn about PCOS.

2. Get OFF the carbs. No more sugars (except fruit, brown rice & whole grains)

3. Get moving. Cardio and weights.

4. Be consistent. Never take a "day off". But treat yourself every once and while. Just remember that when you splurge your sugars are going to go off the chart and it will make it harder to keep going and not eat a whole bucket of red vines (if you have PCOS - you know exactly what I'm talking about).

5. Be positive. Changing the way you eat and live is hard to do. The day to day humdrum of eating healthy and finding time to exercise can be overwhelming. But when you get on the scale after that first months and you've lost 5-30 lbs it will make it all worth it.

I am not even sure if anybody wants to hear any of this. But this has honestly changed my life. I just wish I would have known about my insulin resistance, my PCOS, and my options years ago.