September is Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) awareness month.
This is one of the experiences women go through, often without awareness or a proper diagnosis.
When I got my periods in primary school, I was a bit shocked because, even though I had little knowledge of it, I was not mentally prepared at all.
To make matters worse, when I moved to high school, my periods became very irregular.
As a result, I would often panic and think of all the wrong things that typically scare a teenager.
I had a recent conversation with someone who said they thought they might be experiencing PCOS.
Their only uncertainty was that they were not diagnosed.
When they went to get help, the medical personnel who assisted them said it was just a fluctuation of hormones because of their periods.
Even when they explained all their symptoms, and raised the possibility of PCOS and several other studies, they were not listened to.
PCOS is a hormonal imbalance with irregular periods as the main symptom.
These are so irregular that sometimes they come as little as twice a year, or five times at most.
For some women, when their periods come, they bleed for the entire month.
Even when symptoms differ from woman to woman, their symptoms may change over time, and often occur without a clear trigger.
Possible symptoms
Heavy, long, intermittent, unpredictable or absent periods, infertility, acne or oily skin.
Excessive hair on the face or body male-pattern, baldness or hair thinning and weight gain, especially around the belly.
The World Health Organisation states that PCOS is diagnosed by the presence of at least two of the following signs:
Signs or symptoms of high androgen levels (unwanted facial or bodily hair, loss of hair from the head, acne or an elevated blood level of testosterone).
Irregular or absent menstrual period.
Ultrasound scan of polycystic ovaries.
You are not alone
Because some women deem it shameful, it is important to know that you are not alone, and this is not your fault. It is unfortunate that clinical experiences are sometimes not fruitful because some medical practitioners hardly listen to the patients for a proper diagnosis.
Even when you know your body best, they end up downplaying your symptoms, and diagnosing you with something they would deem undangerous, leaving you to continue experiencing the same symptoms.
Health systems must invest in researching these topics.
The medical world is so advanced that it is rather a shame when those put in place to help us go above and beyond always make it seem like we have no idea what we say.
To the women suffering from PCOS, I see you, queens.
*Frieda Mukufa’s lifestyle section concentrates on women-related issues and parenting biweekly in the New Era newspaper. She also specialises in editing
research proposals, proofreading and content-creation.
– etuholefrieda@gmail.com