My First Heart Break

My first heartbreak didn't come from a boy, it came from the doctor that told me I suffer from PCOS. I started menstruating at the age of 17. I remember how glad I was when I saw the blood stain on my school skirt. I was elated, It felt like my womanhood was finalized by the presence of the blood. I was the last in my friendship group to start menstruating. During the years my friends would complain of period cramps, I felt bad, jealous even. I secretly prayed and wished for my period to come. At the age of 17, it came . "I am normal" was what I shouted immediately I saw the blood, and I was grinning from ear to ear throughout the day. The joy was short-lived as I didn't bleed for a full year after that. I told myself that it was normal since I saw my period. My body was just trying to get used to the idea of menstruating. Thankfully my mum didn't share the same ideology. She noticed it and took me to a doctor. During an internal echo, it was discovered that my ovaries were covered in cysts.  The gynecologist who came to give the diagnosis looked at me and said "This is a textbook case of PCOS" and she explained what it meant. She told me I might soon start experiencing other symptoms which include: Weight gain , Irregular/non-existent periods, acne, hair loss or hair thinning, hair growth in Unusual places etc.

When I got the diagnosis, I was dazed. It felt like I was hit right on my head. I felt I was too young to suffer from any reproductive issues. It was a dark time for me I am now 26 years old, and since my diagnosis I have learned a lot about PCOS. I’ve had to adjust my lifestyle to reduce the synonyms of PCOS. I have had to make changes to my diets and I even had to use birth control pills to regulate my period. I hope that by telling my story people are more aware of PCOS and women seek out professional help to manage PCOS symptoms.

Indira Singh

Mumbai, India.