As long as I can remember I had intense periods. I recall sitting at the bus stop and passing out once. Imagine the Florida heat. A very sweet Haitian lady dialed practically everyone in my phone until she got my mom. I was sooooo embarrassed. Not necessarily because I passed out but because my mom, who just had a dialysis session had to find her way to me and take me home. I was old enough that I was on my way to work but young enough to feel helpless and confused. When we got home, I was so sweaty and clammy, my mom put me in the bath with cool water running over me as I drank a Boost. Another time, again I was at a bus stop heading to school. I recall being just fine but as soon as I stepped on the bus, my temperature spiked, and I felt lightheaded in seconds. I had to quickly get off the bus, find the nearest establishment and vomit/poop my life away. I called my Aunt Marlene that time. I don’t think I ever told anyone why I missed school that day.

It was as if I needed an entire week off from life. I would take ibuprofen, Midol extra strength but none of those helped after taking them for some time or I found myself taking them more often. I remember being told at a young age that I had more testosterone than estrogen. That meant nothing at the time except the reason I needed men’s deodorant at like 12, or the reason I am mostly covered in hair. I was considered to have regular periods since they consistently lasted 7 days and then 5days in my older years. I was prescribed birth control at about age 21 due to the other symptoms: lightheadedness, fainting, severe cramps, and heavy bleeding. It took about 4 different BC’s (birth control pills) to get my symptoms maintained. The key was that each one didn’t have enough estrogen to combat most of the symptoms or they made me literally sick to my stomach.

I got off birth control in 2021, so going on a full 2 years next month. A lot of the symptoms I had before birth control came back. However, it wasn’t until a year into trying to build our family that I had further testing for infertility. When I was diagnosed with PCOS, a lot of the symptoms then made sense. Because I wasn’t trying to have kids before, the ultrasound that would confirm the diagnosis wasn’t needed. Do I wish I knew sooner? I’m not sure. For me, the outcome made sense and I could only focus on moving forward.

What’s interesting is that so many women go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for infertility conditions such as PCOS or Endometriosis because we are not given the exams needed until later in life (when trying to conceive). Because of the longevity of my symptoms, I can only assume I was battling PCOS in my younger years and unaware. It was a relief to get answers to questions I had most of my life, without deeming myself a special case. At the time, girls my age weren’t dealing with such intense periods. Now, in my adult years, I hear about infertility so often it has become somewhat normal. I am not saying we should feel defeated but embrace the community of knowledge and guidance. My goal is to help others, if I can, while also helping myself.

Shared Goal: Do not let a diagnosis become your identity.

If you are interested in learning more about PCOS, here is a somewhat recent article with great information (This is not a paid advertisement in any way, just useful info if learning about PCOS):

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8316-polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos

The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to he heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. – Audrey Hepburn