By Alaina de Luna | September 25,2023

Truth be told, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is not being taken seriously despite how common it is among women and its impact in our lives. We were often told to just have a balanced diet and lose weight, in order to overcome its effects in our health. However, it’s not as easy as it sounds.

Back in December 2021, I was diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 18. What prompted me to finally visit the doctor was because I did not have my period for 9 months. I was used to not having periods for 3-5 months even back then. So, when it lasted that long, I finally had courage to have a health check up.

Why did I let it last that long? Well, it was a very confusing time for me. Because all along, I was exercising one hour every single day, doing HIIT workouts. I did it for more than 3 months with no fail. My lifestyle was better than how it was before the pandemic started. I was doing everything to be healthy. However, my period still didn’t come every month and I was losing less weight than I should’ve been if I worked out that hard. I still had bloating and for some reason, it always happens every after workout.

My situation took a toll on me. I was constantly asking myself what was wrong with me. Then, I definitely knew that it was not just an irregular period that would fix itself sooner or later in my life. Upon doing a little research, I realized that I might have PCOS but of course, I didn’t want to self-diagnose. However, even after I was diagnosed with PCOS by a doctor, I was given the same answer as what I saw on the internet on how to treat it: Take pills, have a balanced diet, and exercise regularly.

Eventually, I realized that I was still left confused and I was left with so many unanswered questions. Just like, how can I workout and lose weight when the last time I did it, I might have made my PCOS worse because of the constant spike in my cortisol levels? How can I treat my PCOS by having a balanced and healthy meal as a woman in a lower-middle class, when I could only afford to eat what’s on our table?

Until I found people in social media who advocate for PCOS awareness, as well as support groups where women share their experiences. I realized how complex PCOS is and how it could vary among women who have it. I was glad upon knowing that I found people whom I could relate to and there are so many of them.

Though, at the same time, I was sad with the fact that despite how common PCOS is, women who have it are still not educated well with how to treat their condition by healthcare professionals. We are given band aid solutions just like taking birth control pills and worse, surgical removal of ovaries. Aside from that, women with PCOS are still very much stigmatized and shamed, especially for its physical manifestations. In the Philippines, there’s a staggering estimate of 4.5 million women with PCOS. With this great deal of numbers, it is very alarming that the public are not as aware with this disorder as one may think and it’s not given enough attention by the country’s healthcare system.

I hope that one day, people will be educated with PCOS as a serious condition, as much as they stigmatize women who experience it right now. Women deserve more options when it comes to healthcare regarding this reproductive disorder.