🌸 The Beginning of My Journey
Everything started when I was 12. My first period arrived, and thanks to my family, I knew exactly what it was. (Not everyone has that privilege, and I will always be grateful that my mum prepared me for it.) She was always ready, just in case.
At first, my new “red friend” came and went irregularly, which was considered normal at that age. But after a year and a half, my period disappeared completely. That’s when other changes started: hair in places I didn’t want it, weight gain that felt impossible to control… and as a teenager, this was a brutal combo.
🩺 The Diagnosis
My mum, always my safe anchor, took me to see a gynaecologist. I was terrified. The idea of someone examining me felt overwhelming. Fun twist? The doctor was the same one who had delivered me as a baby. (In theory, not the first time he saw my parts!) He was kind, gentle, and explained everything step by step. After scans and tests, I got my diagnosis: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
I was 14. I didn’t fully understand it, but I knew it meant higher testosterone, insulin resistance, and a body that wasn’t playing by the same rules as others my age. The doctor prescribed birth control pills, and I was sent to a nutritionist. Back then, I followed strict diets without much explanation. Nobody told me how deeply PCOS could affect not just my body but also my energy, my moods, my memory, and even how people perceived me.
💭 Living With PCOS in My Teens and Twenties
Through my teens and twenties, I lived with cycles of brain fog, crushing fatigue, painful cramps, mood swings, and constant judgment from others who thought I was “lazy” or “forgetful.” My weight went up and down. My confidence did too.
But a few years ago, something shifted.
💚 Finding My Community and My Voice
I started seeing more conversations online about PCOS. Women, and people with ovaries, speaking openly, shamelessly, vulnerably. I read medical research, followed communities, and realised: It’s not just me. Every symptom I thought was random or my “fault”, the fatigue, the hair, the mood swings, was connected to PCOS.
🌿 How I Manage PCOS Today
Now I’m 33. And while PCOS is still part of my life, I’ve found ways to manage it and, most importantly, accept myself. Here’s what has changed my journey:
- Acceptance. Instead of fighting my body, I embrace it.
- Listening. Tracking patterns, noticing new symptoms, and becoming my own best researcher.
- Medication. Metformin and Spironolactone (always prescribed by a doctor).
- Nutrition. Less processed food, more balance, more mindfulness. Eating everything, but in the right portions.
- Movement. Daily walks (10k steps is my goal) and weight training — building muscle has been a game-changer.
- Rest. Sleep is medicine. Without 8 hours, my body and brain simply don’t function.
- Stress management. Still a work in progress, but yoga, meditation, the gym, and simply breathing deeply have been lifelines.
- Supplements. Inositol, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and magnesium (with medical guidance).
✨ A Message to My Younger Self and to You
PCOS affects 1 in 10 women and people with ovaries. It’s common, but it’s still misunderstood. That’s why I’m sharing this. Not just as awareness, but as the letter I wish my 12-year-old self could have read.
To remind her: You are not broken. You are not weird. You are not alone.
Let’s keep raising awareness, supporting each other, and speaking up. 💚
With Love
Lu
