Ever since I was diagnosed with PCOS, I have noticed a divide in the cysterhood that is very hard to ignore. There are those that are winning their fight and those who still haven’t found the right path yet. Due to the lack of education on the subject of PCOS, many of the women who suffer have a lack of understanding as to how the illness works.
If they read up on the illness enough when they got diagnosed they would know that every woman’s fight is different and we all have a different cocktail of symptoms. Some women have it more aggressive than others. Support each other ladies! Do what works for you!
I hate it when my Cyster’s used to tell me my fight is wrong before I found what worked for me. I would feel bad about myself. I would feel as though I was inferior in comparison to others.
So, I was scrolling through Tumblr and I came across his post from a blog called alittlebitofpcos and I thought I would share it with you all. This is so important.
By that I’m saying, you are not in the place to police and harass someone for their lifestyle choices, especially when it comes to their PCOS. I see this a lot in the community, a person will find what works for them and push it onto other people, or be cruel when it comes to other people choosing to manage their PCOS differently. Even worse, people who don’t have PCOS or have any knowledge on the condition go trolling with their Dr. Google pedestal.
That is not your place.
How someone chooses to manage their PCOS is on them and their doctor. Unless they are asking for personal experience and advice, keep your opinions to yourself. Some prefer natural supplements to medications, some find changing their eating is what works for them, and some only take birth control.
PCOS symptoms vary for everyone, as does management options. Just because you found eating vegan or organic or not taking the medications commonly prescribed worked for you, does not mean someone else will find success with that, or have the means to do so. Some people simply cannot afford basic treatment and medication, let alone the funds for a complete lifestyle change.
Don’t shame someone for eating differently, choosing an alternative approach, or doing the best they can with what is within their means just because it isn’t what you are doing and found to help you.
Do you think people who are newly diagnosed and don’t even understand the condition need someone shaming them? Do you think someone who doesn’t have the financial resources to eat healthier doesn’t know how it could benefit their health? That they just can’t afford it? Everyone knows the concerns and fears that are experienced right after being diagnosed and all the little challenges that come up along the way. No one needs shame and ridicule when life is already a hell of a challenge on its own, let alone adding PCOS to it.
THAT IS NOT YOUR PLACE.
I felt immense shame after my diagnosis, for three years in fact. Not because people were shaming me, but because I didn’t understand it or have support, and in my case (not everyone’s, keep in mind) I felt like I was failing as a female because my body wasn’t working as it intended to. Can you imagine being shamed by someone for my lifestyle choices, on top of what I was already feeling between the ages of 15-18? I’ll be damned if someone else in this community is made to feel that way. We are supposed to be there for advice and support and encouragement. Not to make someone feel less than what they already do for a condition they had no control over getting diagnosed with in the first place.
PCOS is difficult on its own to live with. It takes a physical and emotional toll on people in vastly different ways. While one person may have minimal symptoms, there are so people out there struggling with so much more than what the condition entails.
PCOS can’t be cured, no matter what food choices, medications, essential oils, or lifestyle changes you make. Don’t push that onto anyone because it’s a load of crap–what I mean is, don’t be an asshole with, “Well THIS is what cures PCOS and since you aren’t doing it, you’re ___.” It’s a known fact with reliable PCOS sources and medical professionals that there is no cure, it can be managed and symptoms improve, but the moment you change what you’re doing, they will come back. They do not even know the true cause yet, let alone how to find a cure.
Before you found what worked for you, YOU were struggling, and most likely had to try different approaches before finding what helped improve your symptoms. Think the next time you leave a nasty comment on someone’s post or page, because you were once in their position.
Spread awareness, positivity, support–but do not shame others for being at a different place in their journey.
