PCOS: The 21st Century nightmare
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a hormonal disorder which causes enlarged ovaries with small cysts forming around the outer edges. Women with PCOS produce higher-than-normal amounts of male hormones and this hormone imbalance causes their body to skip menstrual periods and makes it harder for them to get pregnant. It is the most common hormonal problem for women of reproductive/child bearing age and manifests in many ways. While causes haven’t yet been pinpointed, it may be attributed to genetic and environmental factors. This condition cannot be cured, may last for several years or a lifetime, but can be very much managed. Symptoms may vary from person to person but common symptoms include irregular menstrual cycle, excessive hair growth, obesity, and acne. Women who suffer from this are at particularly high risks of developing certain health problems such as type II diabetes, uterine cancer, high blood pressure, blood vessel and heart problems, and fertility problems
In Nigeria, more than 100 thousand cases a year are recorded with little to no attention given, thus many women living with PCOS are unaware of this condition and how to manage it effectively. Due to how common this condition is, a good number of the health issues we face can be attributed to PCOS and can be effectively managed, but ignorance and poor healthcare shadow us from it. It is not news at all that most of the symptoms women experience are overlooked, forgetting the complexity of our bodies and how unique and different they are. An average woman suffering from a health problem is sent to see a general physician when she goes to the hospital, she gets basic prescriptions and goes home, regardless of being properly diagnosed or not; if the severity of her case eventually makes it to an O&G specialist, she may not be able to afford the necessary tests and treatment needed to diagnose a condition, and this is the biggest issue surrounding PCOS.
When I first started seeing my period, I had a very light flow and it wouldn’t last for more than 3 days. I was 13, and sometimes wouldn’t wear a pad because of how itchy and uncomfortable it was, but because of how light my flow was, I never got stained past my panties. I was underweight at the time, and having a weak immune system along a variety of health defects, I wasn’t bothered when i wouldn’t see my period some months -i was used to irregularities as long as my body was concerned. About when I turned 16, I started dealing with severe acne and really painful periods that would make me sick even, but my cycle became very regular and stayed that way so it was a small price to pay.
August 2019: My period was late for a month but I was spotting on random days. I went to a hospital and of course, they refused to let me see a gynecologist because “it was nothing serious ”. After a couple of abdominal scans and an HVS (high vaginal swab) test, it was dismissed as a bacterial infection and I was loaded with antibiotics. Fast forward to May 2020, my period ceased completely and the spotting was back. I would spot for about 10 straight days with severe abdominal pain and no period in sight. This continued till about July/August and I went straight to see a gynecologist this time. I was referred for a couple of hormone tests, anothef HVS, a lower abdominal scan, a trans vaginal scan, and a couple of other blood tests; negative. She gave me some drugs including B12 capsules to help with my period and started tracking my menstrual cycle from when I last saw my period, then asked me to do a full hormone profile test and that’s when she discovered I wasn’t ovulating. This meant I’d have trouble getting pregnant and ovulation would need to be induced or the possibility of needing an IVF if I ever want to have children. After running another trans vaginal scan, she told me I had PCOS but assured me it would get better. I was prescribed more medication after this and it’s been about a full hectic year now of drugs and frequent visits.
It’s been a rollercoaster and I’ve sincerely adjusted to how hard it is. Pill after pill, trials with different drugs, acne that just doesn’t go away, hypersensitive skin, weight gain in the blink of an eye, depression and very frequent mood swings, to mention a few. Daily physical activity and food potion control for weight management have become a part of my life. I was also advised to cut down my sugar and alcohol intake, and stay away from all kinds of smoke. As for the acne, I’ve dealt with a sensitive skin all my life so it lives with(in) me and I have accepted it.
So, as much as the struggle continues, the aim of this story is to create more awareness as far as this can get. More women need to understand and take charge of their bodies early enough because we are a generation of women who take the bulls by their horns.
