PCOS Coach

This article was originally a post on a a list serve about PCOS. The author has graciously agreed to share it with all of you.

It seems a lot of people have posted in the last two days about feeling hopeless and alone.  Trust me, I felt like that and still feel like it sometimes now.

I think the thing that helped me the most was learning about it.  I learn for a living, and I found that this was the only way for me to cope and get control.  To tell you the truth, I went a little overboard and spend at least 3 hours a day for MONTHS researching.  I completely stopped reading anything besides pcos related materials.

Unfortunately, I have personally found that some of the groups on the pcos websites caused me more damage than good.  There are many people on other forums who just talk about all of the problems.  That is what this group is here for and I think it is a useful and beneficial service, so please post your complaints and frustrations, but I think here when people post about feeling overwhelmed, etc that generally it is met by people who are supportive and try to make people feel better. 

For me, the websites did the opposite, and they focus a lot more on the negative (and sometimes exaggerate it) than on the things that can be done to make it feel better.  This is a great group to belong to as I think you will find that when you post about feeling down or overwhelmed, people will help you.  You have all helped me tremendously!

I have a couple of suggestions for books if you want to learn more about this:

What to do when the Doctor Says its PCOS by Milton Hammerly and Cheryl Kimball Click here to buy this book on Amazon!

The New Glucose Revolution for Living With PCOS by Jennie Brand-Miller, and others Click here to buy this book on Amazon!

Hormonal Balance: Understanding Hormones, Weight, and your Metabolism by Scott Isaacs (there is only a little bit on pcos, but it explains all of the other hormones and is very informative.) Click here to buy on Amazon now!

Just be careful not to be like me -- don't overdo it.  If you are not scientifically inclined (and I most definitely am not) then it is ALOT of information to digest.  Take it slowly.

You will get conflicting answers everywhere you look about pcos.  I found that reading these books and getting an understanding of the entire system, helps me to better differentiate fact from fiction and it allowed me to devise a plan (with my endocrinologist) that works for me.

I just read a sentence in the "Hormonal Balance" book that said "PCOS is not your fault.  You did not give it to yourself."  When I read this six months ago, it made me feel helpless.  Yes, the weight gain, etc was not my fault, and contrary to what some people told me, I did not give myself pcos, but it made me feel out of control.

Now I look at it as, no, I did not do this to myself, but I am the only one who can dig myself out of this hole.  I like a challenge, and this is one I am ready to face.

There will always be hard days.  I cried myself to sleep last night after hearing of a few people who conceived after a couple of weeks trying, but that is not me.  I'm different, and I have to do things differently.

The hardest fought things are those we appreciate the most.  I keep repeating the words to that old song "It's the eye of the tiger; it's the thrill of the fight."

I just know when I get my health back and hopefully finally have a baby, that I will NOT take it for granted.  I no longer listen to negative opinions, and I try not to compare myself to those people who can get pregnant easily.  The only way to get through is to focus on yourself.  You deserve it.

This is a guest article written by Mandy Knapp. If you would like to contribute an article about living with PCOS or any other part of the PCOS experience, please email me at julie@pcoscoach.com. I am sorry, but I am not able to offer any compensation for articles. You do, however, get the joy of sharing your experiences with others who suffer from PCOS.

(c) Copyright 2004-2008 Julie Renee Holland. This site is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice. Please see a doctor.