Any woman dealing with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) can reveal that the condition has the potential to consume her life if she allows it. Despite being one of the most common conditions that affects women, most people have never heard of PCOS, and most patients and medical professionals are still trying to figure it out. PCOS is a syndrome and does not affect everyone the same way. It is a hormonal and metabolic disorder that affects an estimated 10 percent of women of reproductive age. It is the primary cause of female infertility and can lead to many other conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, male pattern hair loss (androgenic alopecia), excessive facial and body hair growth (hirsutism), depression and anxiety, and certain cancers of the female reproductive system.
When I was first diagnosed in 2008, I initially felt a sense of relief, that was short-lived, as the two-paged brochure and birth control pills that my doctor sent me home with didn’t provide me with many answers about what was going on with my body. If anything, they triggered more questions. The emotional fallout from being told that your body is “malfunctioning” can be crippling. Like most others who receive a perplexing diagnosis, I searched for answers and support. When I couldn’t find enough, I created PCOS Challenge: where women support each in their PCOS journeys, and a multimedia platform to get answers from PCOS experts.
The growth rate of PCOSChallenge.com speaks volumes about how many women are searching for answers and support. The site has become a place for many women and their loved ones to turn to when they feel that nobody else around them understands, and the weekly PCOS Challenge radio show gives women direct access to some of the most renowned PCOS experts.
When diagnosed, many women are left feeling confused and without many answers to their questions about PCOS. There is no one cure-all solution for PCOS. Each woman needs to get the appropriate testing from her healthcare provider to determine her treatment plan. It is a syndrome and does not affect everyone the same way. However, it does not have to rule our lives. For many, PCOS can be managed by healthy nutrition and an active lifestyle. Once the effects of a healthier lifestyle takes hold we can feel more in control of our bodies and lives. Each woman has to be her own advocate, pay attention to her body, get the appropriate help and support, and do the work it takes to balance her life and beat PCOS.
Sasha Ottey is Founder and CEO of PCOS Challenge, Inc. She started the organization after she was diagnosed with PCOS and experienced great dissatisfaction with the availability of support resources for the condition. Since its founding in 2009, PCOS Challenge has grown to more than 7,000 members online and offline.
