PCOS

The consultation with Dr. Peterson was great. Justin and I both really liked him. In the end he was able to tell me my health issues without me saying anything. Hard to loose wait, irregular periods, ect ect. He diagnosed me with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome).

I had actually suspected this, but no doctor had ever mentioned it. So it was something always in the back of my mind. 

This is PCOS in a nutshell:

• The sex hormones get out of balance. Normally, the ovaries make a tiny amount of male sex hormones (androgens). In PCOS, they start making slightly more androgens. This may cause you to stop ovulating, get acne, and grow extra facial and body hair.
• The body may have a problem using insulin, called insulin resistance. When the body doesn't use insulin well, blood sugar levels go up. Over time, this increases your chance of getting diabetes

Basically living a more healthy and active life can reduce the symptoms of PCOS. But it doesn't ever fully go away. 

But when you are me, and have not been diagnosed with anything, and was always told "you will grow out of it." You can imagine my frustration through the years. I've always had a problem with maintaining a healthy wait. Sometimes it feels impossible to loose wait! You get depressed, which leads to eating which leads to more wait gain. I've had bad acne, excess hair growth, which leads to embarrassment, more eating and more weight gain. It's a vicious cycle which I still struggle with. 

Having Dr. Peterson actually tell me what was wrong, and ways that can help has been encouraging, but I know I still have a long way to go.