PCOS Awareness Month


September is PCOS Awareness Month, but the challenges extend far beyond a simple month. With 1 in 8 couples experiencing infertility issues and 1 in 10 women suffering from PCOS, there may be more friends than you are aware of that are quietly struggling, and keep it to themselves out of privacy, stigma, embarrassment, or any number of reasons. It can get lonely, thinking you are the only one. You are not alone!

As we're approaching over 4.5 years of trying for kids without success, my advice to others would be:
To couples that are trying to get pregnant - If you have been trying to have kids without success for months, see a fertility specialist as soon as possible; don't wait. And, if you are beginning to try, it's not a bad idea for both you and your partner to get bloodwork and a check-up right off the bat to make sure everything is working right and you both are healthy. You don't have to wait until you have been trying for months with no success to ask for help. By getting things tested at the beginning, you can be aware of any potential health issues and start working on them right away, so you're not going through the months of pointless trying, just to have your hopes dashed. Be your own advocate. And, if you do end up getting diagnosed with infertility issues, remember, you are more than your diagnosis. 

To those who aren't trying to get pregnant - Get bloodwork done and ultrasounds run. It's not normal to be in pain and constantly exhausted. It's not "just the way my body works." Be your own advocate and be willing to switch doctors until you find one that will listen to you and tell you more than just to "lose weight."

To everyone - Reach out to friends and those around you with kindness; you never know what they may be going through and how a smile, a kind word, or a listening ear may help them.

I'm here if anyone needs someone to talk to or vent; this journey is not easy, but it can be a little less lonely and a little easier when we have each other's backs.


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