WhenOludara Adeeyobegan missing herperiodfor long stretches as a teenager, her pediatrician didnt think much of it.
They told me I was going through this because I was an athlete, she recalls.
When Adeeyodidbleed every five or seven months, it wassuper heavyand crampy.
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I would literally go through a box of extra-heavy period pads with wings in two days.
That was true for Adeeyo, although not everyone with PCOS gets them.
Frustratingly, this condition can come along with some painful and emotionally challenging symptoms.
Here are five potential signs of PCOS to watch for.
Your period is unpredictableand when it comes, its gushing.
Its not uncommon for a persons cycle to fluctuate,G.
Thats because those extra androgens can impact your ovaries, a.k.a.
the organs responsible for your cycle and ability to get pregnant.
That means you also mighthave fertility problems.
PCOS can also change how your period looks and feels.
I felt as if someone cut me up on the inside, she says.
Acne can show up in a ton of waysand for aboatload of reasons.
(They may or may not appear red, depending on your skin tone.)
For Dr. Vash-Margita,whereacneshows up also factors into her PCOS suspicions.
Its usually severe, inflammatory acne on the face, upper chest, upper back, upper arms.
So why might PCOS trigger these types of breakouts?
(Still, acne alone wouldnt constitute a diagnosis, Dr. Vash-Margita reiteratesits just one potential indicator.)
Perhaps a bit more subtle sign of PCOS?
You have moreor lesshair in places that arent your usual.
Some people are okay with facial hair, and some people are bothered by it.
Your insulin levels are off.
Youre feeling depressed and out-of-sorts.
Its not a very straight-line punch in of relationship.
I feel like [PCOS] controls my life, Adeeyo says.
Things that may impact other women a little impact me gravely.
If fertility is the issue, treatments like ovulation-inducing medications or in vitro fertilization (IVF) can help.
Be kind to yourselfthere isnothingwrong with your body.
Do not give up.
