‘My period cycle dominated my life, but then I started acupuncture’

I knew I had PCOS since my mid-teens and had multiple scans but it wasn’t until age 33 that I was finally diagnosed.

At fourteen, hirsutism (excessive facial hair) was my first indication that perhaps I had PCOS. Already cripplingly self-conscious this addition was less than welcome but my cycle began somewhat regular. I had my first pelvic ultrasound at age 15 to check for PCOS and was told I didn’t have the condition. A decade passed, and I simply learned to manage the symptoms, which were mainly cosmetic. But as I hit my mid-twenties more hormonal symptoms began to appear, such as mid-cycle spotting. For the next four years, I went for an annual pelvic ultrasound scan, all of which were fine and put down to hormones. As the symptoms became the norm for me, I again went about my life.

During Covid, I began to see yet more changes. My cycles were getting further apart and then significantly heavier when I did get them. At my worst, I was bleeding for three weeks at a time. I’d have maybe three or four days of a break and then the cycle would start over. It was exhausting, physically, mentally and emotionally. I also began to see other symptoms such as weight gain, which really impacted my confidence. Conscious that I was also now in my thirties, I decided to go to my gynaecologist.

Upon returning to her, and having done a scan, she confirmed I did have PCOS, I just wasn’t the “typical case”. She decided to do a hysteroscopy procedure as she suspected I had a polyp, which may be contributing to the issues. Thankfully, the procedure went well and she was happy with everything but my relief was short-lived. In the weeks that followed, my erratic cycles really flared up. My periods were lasting weeks at a time and heavier than ever. This went on for about three months. 

When speaking to medical professionals, my options were limited. I could go on a contraceptive pill or I could try getting pregnant. I was frustrated with both options; I didn’t want to go on the pill (to, in my opinion, mask the issue) and myself and my partner weren’t planning to have kids until we owned a home. Medically, I felt I was out of options.

A holistic approach

After numerous Google searches to look for answers, a bad habit I know, I thought about getting my thyroid tested. First, however, I went to a reflexologist and didn’t say anything about my plans. She told me after the session that my thyroid was a bit unbalanced but mentioned that often tests will be considered okay unless the results are very much out of kilter. I got my blood test and was indeed told my thyroid was fine. I was confident it was out of balance but perhaps not enough to warrant further action. Mentally and physically, I was depleted. My next port of call was acupuncture.  

Within a few minutes of speaking with the acupuncturist, she suspected my body was completely deficient in many key nutrients and perhaps just didn’t have what it needed to sustain a normal cycle or the strength to stop the bleeding. I was surprised because I have a generally good diet and lifestyle but also open to the possibility considering it was a new approach and opinion. She first prescribed me multivitamins, Chinese herbs and Myo – inositol powder. I began taking omega fish oils, vitamin D and a little drop of iodine. From looking at my blood tests, she worked out a solid combination of supplements for me to take and so I began a new regime every morning and evening. This paired with weekly acupuncture became my saviour.

As time progressed, I began to see gradual changes in my cycle. I went from having cycles of 48 – 55 days to ones which were consistently in the 30-day range. I saw so many other improvements including changes in the length of menstruation reducing by half going from 10 plus days down to four or five. I also saw improvement in how less heavy my periods were, they became so much more manageable. Furthermore, my weight began to stabilise and everything was starting to make sense. These changes were unbelievable for me, considering what I was used to. And that’s just it: I had become so accustomed to such severe symptoms that it was only when they were alleviated that I understood the toll they had taken.

 It’s astounding to me that we’re expected to live with such extreme symptoms, and it took me to hit a point of desperation to look for alternative options. I recall hearing when I was in my early twenties and at various points over the years that there was so much still unknown or under-researched in women’s health and now that I’m in my mid-thirties that has become more of a reality to me. It was left up to me to find a solution and thankfully, acupuncture has been that for me. I work with my acupuncturist regularly now to assess how my body is feeling and what it needs. We then tailor each session accordingly. The sessions were reduced to fortnightly once I got my body to a place of more balance. 

In having regular periods, I then began to notice how much better I felt overall. It’s remarkable the difference it has made to my well-being. My cycle was dominating my life and I had to soldier on with it. In hindsight, it was a very distressing time. Ultimately what it has taught me is that there is no right or wrong way to treat such personal and intricate conditions like PCOS. I think as a society we need to be looking at the benefits of treating the person as an individual and the symptoms they have as opposed to blanketing over a condition and labelling everyone’s needs as the same. Blending different medical treatments really benefitted me and I think that could be a way forward for so many others. Normalising PCOS and the conversations around it need to be had more openly and frequently and education needs to be provided at a much earlier age. It shouldn’t take symptoms becoming so impactful to find answers.

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