Name that Syndrome

I'm waiting for the result labs to confirm my suspicions. During my wait I've been reading up on everything Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) related. Yup, all signs point to that loveliest of all female, hormone-related disorders. 

In a word, it sucks.With a capital Uck.

There is much out there on the interwebs discussing all things PCOS. From symptoms, to lab work, to current medicine practices. I spent the last couple of weeks scouring the medical sites and various forums and blogs looking for information. I think that I really wanted to just find the thing that said "THIS!' Which I would do, and then all of my symptoms would miraculously disappear and I would be healthy. End of story. 

Try as hard as I did, I couldn't find anything that looked remotely like the THIS thing. What I did find is that there are a lot of women who have PCOS. Further, many of these ladies blog about their journeys, documenting their symptoms, doctors visits, test results, pain, and courage. Pages and pages filled with stories that are so different from my own, yet remarkably identical. That's the weird part. I, too, feel the need to share my story. I'm hoping that the more stories there are out there, the easier it will be to spot and aggregate the disparate symptoms for any women seeking relief from theirs. 

Honestly, the symptoms range from embarrassing to humiliating, to downright scary. Seen individually, each and every symptom can be swept under the "oh, it's just stress" carpet, except for the few that can be swept into the "it's genetics, just look at your mom" pile in the corner. When others dismiss your symptoms that makes it easier to dismiss them yourself. And I did, mostly, despite the tiny, nagging voice in the back of my head that insisted that something bigger was wrong. Frankly, I didn't want to be a hypochondriac. So, I silenced that nagging voice, pasted a smile on my face, and presented to the world the happy, positive facade that serves me well. 

Soren Kierkegaard said that "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." In understanding PCOS and how it relates to me and my experiences, that quote is spot on. Let me show you what I mean, read on...