PCOS and All Those Random Symptoms

It seems like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) has every symptom/effect under the sun. Everything from irregular periods, infertility, cysts on the ovaries, acne, unwanted hair growth, thinning hair (where you do want it - on your head), elevated testosterone to the more serious issues effects such as, diabetes, high blood pressure, increased risk of heart disease and really the list seems to go on. (source: Mayo Clinic) If you are trying to get pregnant, check out my Pregnancy Story. For those with kiddos, PCOS just doesn't go away.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The good is that with diet, exercise and faith, we have three amazing kiddos. The bad is that PCOS doesn't go away after having babies. The ugly is that we have to continue to eat healthy and take care of ourselves - no matter how tired we are.

We were incredibly fortunate to get pregnant, not once, but three times. Number two and three were not actually surprises, but I certainly didn't expect it to happen and definitely not so soon. They are two years and then 21 months between the first and second and then the second and third. I don't take that for granted, not one bit. It was/is a challenge, but one I have to continually rely on God for strength and wisdom.

The annoying symptoms of PCOS, like the thin hair or unwanted hair, are just that, annoying. But what that means (from my experience) is that some hormone, somewhere is out of balance. For me, my eating habits and exercise are a primary source of keeping my hormones balanced. Right now, I'm dealing with the thinning hair - right in front, unwanted hair - I'm a woman, not a man and irregular cycles are starting to creep back in.

Life After Nursing and Pregnancy

This is probably going to need it's own post because it is a whole new world, in so many ways. But today, let's focus on the little things like knowing when that period is coming. I'm a planner, I like things to be on time (even myself, although I'm late more than I prefer).

I stopped nursing in December 2016. Since then, my health has taken on a life of its own. I literally feel like I'm falling apart. One thing that did happen though, was my cycles started back almost on a regular basis. This was exciting since I have NEVER been regular without being on birth control. Seriously, never since they began at thirteen years old.

After a few months, I had a very long 43 day cycle. Despite being "officially" done having kids, I was convinced I was pregnant. My husband thought I was crazy. I had heartburn, bloating, light cramping, my usually early pregnancy symptoms. Every test said negative so I waited. When it finally came, all those symptoms went away.

A few months more of regular cycles and here we are again just under 40 days in. The hair issues I can almost attribute to the stress and adrenal issues. And maybe the irregular cycles could be from that too, but with my history, my body is telling me my diet is out of whack and so are my hormones.

I do want to add, my OB and naturopath both told me it could take a year after nursing for me to really get back to "normal", so maybe this is what this is right now. I hope this can be my motivation to continue to work on my eating habits. And to also get rid of those more annoying symptoms.

I know blood sugar regulation affects insulin (which is a hormone) and other hormones which affects every other aspect of the body. I also want to avoid the major effects of PCOS like heart disease and diabetes.

Let me know your journey!

If you are like me and are working to get back on track and stay on track, let me know. Accountability is always helpful when trying to take on any change of habit. PCOS is also not something you just "get over" or that goes away. I have had this for as long as I can remember, it just wasn't diagnosed until it was time to try for babies. We have to take care of ourselves and maybe get rid of some of those annoying symptoms and hopefully avoid the big effects of PCOS.

I strongly support PCOS awareness and addressing the root cause, not just masking the symptoms. Connect with me if you have questions or just need support in your journey.