PMOS (PCOS) – The Losing Battle

After years of not understanding why my periods disappeared for months, hormonal acne that wouldn’t shift, facial hair appearing and fluctuating weight – especially when trying to lose weight became a never ending cycle of impossibility, months on end, I had my bloods checked due to the inability to lose any weight and at 19 was told I had PCOS, now known as PMOS. 

PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, where as PMOS refers to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome. Only as of recent weeks has this change happened in the medical field, many because the syndrome has very little to do with having actual cysts on your ovaries – it’s more due to the insulin resistance and higher levels of testosterone that causes these infuriating symptoms in millions of women. 

Roughly 1 in every 8 women across the UK have PMOS, so it's very common yet the medical field is infuriatingly slow to catch on. Since getting informed of how my testosterone levels were impacting my body to cause such variation of symptoms my first appointment with a female GP, after diagnosis, went miserably wrong. I wasn’t expecting a magic word and POOF all symptoms evaporate, but I did expect some basic level of knowledge and support. Instead it was plentiful of huffs and puffs and ‘just lose weight’, to which I responded ‘but that’s the entire problem, I can’t’, after listing out every diet and length of time I’ve tried them, and my lifestyle – she ended the call with ‘try googling it, I don’t know much on it honestly’. Yeah, she already showed me she was uneducated on it long eye roll.

I understand a GP is GENERAL PRACTISE, but with how common PMOS is, I think it ought to be classed as general. If you can put me on the pill to help stop or ease periods, it’d make sense to also help advise upon how to naturally get them back? Am I asking to fly to the moon? 

Now, I do admire that she assumed I hadn’t already googled every symptom, every news article, health website possible and even found that Victoria Beckham has the condition also #teamPoshSpice.  But that’s the issue with googling, there’s too much information and dangerously, not all of it is fact checked and safe. It was, and still is, a minefield to claw through – to the point where it's overwhelming and who even knows if the £40.00, I’m spending on ‘specialist PCOS’ supplements will even help at all (spoiler – they all upset my stomach within days and had to chuck them away). If you have any stomach sensitivity then products that contain Berberine, Inositol and Chromium – you must be super careful on, coincidentally every PCOS supplement on the market includes one or all of these. 

PMOS symptoms from the Verity website: 

• irregular periods, or a complete lack of periods

• irregular ovulation, or no ovulation at all

• reduced fertility – difficulty becoming pregnant

• unwanted facial or body hair (hirsutism)

• oily skin, acne

• thinning hair or hair loss from the scalp (alopecia)

• weight problems – being overweight, rapid weight gain, difficulty losing weight

• depression and mood changes

PMOS has multiple varying symptoms, all of which vary from person to person, and you don’t need all of them to believe you have it. Women who have PMOS also have higher risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and endometrial cancer, so it’s vital that if any of these symptoms relate, please do go and get yourself to the GP to be diagnosed. 

This condition does have plenty of physical symptoms on the face of it, but there’s also a magnitude of mental impacts too. Including low self esteem, anxiety, depression, loneliness and shame – all of which can result in eating disorders and body dysmorphia. These concerning impacts spread into all parts of life and can make you feel a shell of yourself and wishing you looked and were someone else, so you didn’t have to suffer this infuriatingly vicious cycle. 

Particularly in the Ozempic centred culture we are in, it feels more pressing than ever to not be a smaller frame, as now society has flocked there to be a ‘quick fix’ to be deemed stereotypically attractive. The pressure feels loud and aggressive but attempting to ‘fix’ your body to appease others isn’t the answer, it will only make the mental load worse. Of course, being physically fit and healthy is important, but that doesn’t have to look like a size 4. Double digit clothing size IS healthy and f**king beautiful! #DoubleDigitDiva.

I wish this article could be full of helpful treatment advice, but unfortunately, I’m only a qualified diva, which the medical schools don’t view highly. Although, I feel PMOS is still relatively unspoken about even outside the medical field, especially as the word ‘weight’ is attached, it can be embarrassing and feel shameful, but please I beg you to know that your symptoms are real, genuine and are out of your sole control. You can eat as clean as a rabbit and workout like an athlete and symptoms can still be present, at this current moment in time I’m reliant upon vitamins, supplements, lifestyle and hopefully a medical breakthrough. 

Since that dreaded appointment where I was under the illusion that a female GP would understand better, I took matters into my own hands and curated my own vitamin/supplement plan – which has helped, especially with mood swings. The ones I’ve continued till this day are Vitamin B12, D3, C and Zinc. I also take an anti-depressant for anxiety and moods. Also walking is a great natural medication for the mind and body, not that that’s new news for you. Alexa, play ‘Everyone’s At It’ by Lily Allen. However, nothing has improved the insulin resistance or higher levels of testosterone. Anyone got 3 spare wishes and a lamp? 

I had a recent appointment regarding PMOS, under a different and much better doctors, who was very transparent from the start and said ‘its been a while since I’ve had a patient with this so I’ll need to do some reading up on it before our next appointment’ – I very much appreciated her motivation to support in my best interests. But it did concern me still that it doesn’t seem to be an eager movement into better advice, research and support into women’s healthcare. These are not new conditions that have sprung from nowhere, the medical field has had years and years to delve deeper into improved access and treatment for these conditions. Yet still ... crickets. 

This is the same situation with endometriosis, so the common theme is (drum roll please) …. 

Women’s health care just isn’t that important!

My best advice is focus upon what you can control, understand you can have bad days/weeks/months, where you feel like you’re fighting a brick wall. Know that no matter your size, period regularity, acne, anxiety, hirsutism – you’re on a floating rock, of which no one knows when this will all end and we will cease to exist, so take my hand and be proud that you’ve made it here and in a world of 7 Billion, you’re so loved, have plenty to offer and are very much needed. 

A wonderful UK charity that does phenomenal work to enhance research, support and awareness of our secret battle is Verity – do check them out, follow and donate!

It’s time for a women’s healthcare revolution. 

Stay wonderful, stay kind and stay you. 

Till next time chicks, Jessie x