PCOS and Cervical CA

No, this isn't about elections :-P

If you happen to be having irregular monthly periods, uncontrollably gaining weight, or experiencing unusual hair growths as I did, then you just might have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or (PCOS).   I used to think that I have no need of visiting an ob-gyne since I am not married and since I am not sexually experienced.  Good thing my mom prodded me to go to the hospital.  Almost immediately after I told her about my observations about myself, my ob said I must have PCOS. 

Here is a brief description of PCOS from wikipedia:

Polycystic ovary syndrome is one of the most common female endocrine disorders. It is a genetic disorder that can be inherited from either parent.  PCOS produces symptoms in approximately 5% to 10% of women of reproductive age (12–45 years old) and is thought to be one of the leading causes of female subfertility.^[1][2][3]   The principal features are anovulation, resulting in irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, ovulation-related infertility, and polycystic ovaries; excessive amounts or effects of androgenic (masculinizing) hormones, resulting in acne and hirsutism; and insulin resistance, often associated with obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol levels. The symptoms and severity of the syndrome vary greatly among affected women.

If you're like me who easily gets intimidated or turned off by stuff that make my nose bleed, then here's a brochure about PCOS which I got from a leading hospital here in the Metro.  Click on the images to see them in their larger, clearer, original format:

Though this may be bad news at first, I thank God that I mustered enough courage to submit myself to an ob-gynecologist.  She patiently explained what I was going through, thoroughly discussed the treatment process, and assured me that she will take good care of me until I no longer have PCOS (Yes, it does go away and gets treated).  She then asked me to go through a transrectal ultrasound to confirm if I have PCOS.  It was not painful but it was truly uncomfortable and felt so weird.  The ultrasound lasted for about 30 minutes.  It reconfirmed my doc's theory earlier that I have this condition. 

Initially, my ob gave me Duphaston tablet, 2x a day for 5 days.  I then had my monthly after the tenth day since I first took it.  I stopped Duphaston after I had my first day, then replaced it with Glucoform (Metformin), 2x a day, which will become my "maintenance medicine" until my ob tells me to stop.

I am just grateful to God that I am basically fine, and that PCOS is something that I can somehow manage.  With regular exercise, proper diet and faithfulness in taking the meds, I should be back to normal soon.  Praise God for using my mom to prod me to go to the hospital asap!  Who knows what would have happened if I did not listen to her advice?  These things can get worse, and then I'll just be regretting my disobedience later. 

On my way out of the clinic, my doc's secretary gave me this brochure on cervical cancer.  She encourages single ladies to have themselves vaccinated before they get married for higher chances of protection. I do believe in getting prepared beforehand, rather than doing all the things you can to be cured later on.  However, I still haven't mustered enough courage to go through that injection after having been rushed to the ER thrice since May this year due to repeated bouts with infection.  Here's the brochure.  Please click on the images to see them in a clearer, larger format.

What are my lessons from this experience?

1. Trust in God and just pray.  God will not allow us to go through what He did not prepare us for.  I have a thing about going to hospitals and getting checked up.  I hate experiences like this.  Good thing I have my mom with me.  Prayers calmed me down.  Prayers really work!
2. Obey your parents.  God gave us parents for our own protection and good.  In my case, God used my mom to prod me to go to the doctor.  I wouldn't have gone there without her constant reminder.  I am so glad I obeyed, and I found out what is happening to me.  So now I am undergoing treatment, which means I will recover earlier, compared to going through the treatment at a later time, and therefore delaying my recovery.
3. Do your share.  I was told to lose weight, eat the right food and take my meds on time.  Yes, I need to be more disciplined, and this was a good reminder to start working on the things that are within my control.
4. Discuss this with your partner.  I am just so glad that my H2B took it all positively.  Due to work constraints, he couldn't accompany me to the hospital.  But he was very positive about it.  He even assured me that we will still push through with our wedding plans even if we couldn't conceive.  We'll adopt dogs just in case.  ;-)   (Sorry M, but I'll even be praying we will have twins!)
5. Have a positive attitude.  I surrendered my condition to God.  He is my Maker, and He knows whatever is happening to me.  I trust that He and I can pull through this.  Anyway, as I mentioned in #3, I will even be praying to have twins by next year.  PCOS is reversible, so always have that positive attitude.

I encourage all the women out there to subject themselves to an OB-Gyn.  It is a priceless experience.  Nothing can match your peace of mind and health and well-being.  Please, do it for your and your loved ones' sake.