Where do I begin? A week ago I had some tests done as instructed by my doctor. My supposed follow up checkup was a year and two months late (you know what they say, better late than never heehee). I know there’s no excuse but really life got in the way (and I sorta think I wasn’t prioritising It because I don’t see the urgency of it. But now that I know better, I’m more keen when it comes to anything related to my health talaga.
Mirror selfie to calm my nerves. I’ve never been the type who is afraid of seeing a doctor or going to the hospital but for some reason I was feeling uneasy. I kinda knew something was off yet I didn’t want to think about it because I don’t want to plant these thoughts on my head.
I saw the results a day after and though I already know what it was, I couldn’t confirm until I’ve talked to my doctor. Unfortunately for me, I had to wait for a few days to see my doctor again. I swear the waiting game has been so stressful!
Thankfully, I was preoccupied being the driver/yaya/cook of my kids so the days of waiting were bearable. Also before I saw my doctor, I had scheduled a visit at Design Studio to get my hair color refreshed. Since Juro didn’t have school last Friday, I was able to spend the whole morning at the salon treating my hair for some pampering.
Quick selfie before I had my hair done. I wanted to have gray hair but then my stylist didn’t want to have my hair bleached so she opted to do some highlights so my hair can have more dimension with less chemicals. 
I always get Olaplex treatment whenever I visit Design Studio. They highly recommend it to anyone who wants to keep their hair healthy. A lot of you have asked about my hair on Instagram and how I keep it shiny and healthy. I guess part of the reason is Olaplex. I wrote about my first experience of it HERE.
With Chiara Echiverri of Design Studio. Aside from managing the salon. She & her fiancé Chase Tinio also own Spotts PH, the company that officially distributes Büce, a brand of premium automated equipment and furnishings here in the Philippines. They can customise a chair for you! I swear I’ve fallen asleep on their shampoo chair one too many times because it was that comfortable! ?
You can check out their booth at the Beauty Professional Philippines Expo happening on October 22-24, 2018 at SMX Convention Hall. For more details you can follow Spotts PH on Instagram.
After four hours, here’s my current hair. Still the same ash brown but it now has some ash blonde highlights. Thank you Design Studio. I am now ready to see my doctor! Hahaha.
Again, mirror selfie to calm my nerves. I was called in a few second after I took this shot. I still vividly remember the feeling of waiting in this hallway when I was pregnant with Gabbie & Juro. So many happy memories of hearing their heartbeat and just feeling their kicks. Now I’m back not with the same excitement but equally the same anticipation. Anyhooooow, my doctor’s visit was way faster than the time I waited because she & I already know what I have, she confirmed I have PCOS.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a health problem that affects 1 in 10 women of childbearing age. Women with PCOS have a hormonal imbalance and metabolism problems that may affect their overall health and appearance. PCOS is also a common and treatable cause of infertility.
Between 5% and 10% of women between 15 and 44, or during the years you can have children, have PCOS. Most women find out they have PCOS in their 20s and 30s, when they have problems getting pregnant and see their doctor. But PCOS can happen at any age after puberty.
My doctor explained to me how PCOS affects me and what it does to my body.
Basically, high levels of male hormone & high levels of insulin causes PCOS. The effects can be irregular menstrual cycle, weight gain, hair loss, thinning of the hair, darkening of skin and acne. Unfortunately, the effect on me is acne. I noticed my breakouts started over summer and I thought it was just because of stress & lack of facial treatments. But eventually I learned there’s a deeper reason behind my breakouts and it’s because of PCOS.
You can be diagnosed with it whether you lead a healthy lifestyle or not because according to my doctor, it’s hereditary. I admit I was pretty sad about it because last year, my ovaries were clear and this year when I really felt truly strong and healthy, I was diagnosed with PCOS. Hahahuhu. Thankfully it’s manageable. Yes, I say manageable because it’s something that can be treated yet it’s not something that’ll go away.
Why am I freaking out when this has become a common condition for women? I guess I’m sort of disappointed with myself because I’ve been trying really hard the past years to be healthy not just for myself but for my family. Partly the reason why I’m sorta making this a big deal is because I hate knowing that I’m not 100% okay. Competitive kasi ako when it comes to myself. And it also sucks when you know you have this condition because it’s hereditary. I remember being surprised to know both my sisters were diagnosed with it a few years ago. Only to find out I have it as well. Oh well towel ☺️
Quick dinner with Jago. I super wanted to eat dessert but this guy stopped me saying I should really start lessening my sweets if I want my acne gone and my PCOS managed. Hahahuhu.
I asked my doctor what diet should I have and she just told me to stay away from the food I’m intolerant to and to make sure I don’t go overboard my daily sugar allowance (women can have up to 25grams/day).
In spite of having this condition, I am grateful that I learned about this now. I think the timing is perfect because I’m in the stage of my life where I’m not trying to conceive so that’s not an issue for us na (because some women who are diagnosed with PCOS are having a hard time to conceive ?). Though I don’t have this concern, my doctor is more worried of me developing diabetes since I have a family history. Which is why she’s made a treatment plan for me to make sure this doesn’t happen (at least not in my 30s/40s). She gave me medicines I need to take and really reminded me to lower my sugar intake. I kinda promised her I’ll try (I usually just have sweets on weekends naman so she said I’m on the right track) but then again how do I slowly let go of my weakness? ?
This week has been emotional for me but to sum it up I think I did well in making time, effort and energy for self love. You see self love isn’t just about pampering yourself with a mani-pedi or massage, it’s about taking really good care of yourself and sometimes it’s in the form of getting your breasts checked or your reproductive organs as well. Perfect timing because I started the Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a post about health. Don’t be afraid to have yourself checked and please don’t wait for symptoms to happen before you do. Now this is self love. ❤️
Anyone out here who also has PCOS? How has it affected your daily life? I would love to hear your thoughts! ☺️
Me. Dailsy Ridley of StarWars has it too. Lol.
I knew about it at 23 years and I was freaked out as well because I didnt have a child yet that time. All present with me.. fat in the middle part of my body mostly, acne since teen, love for sweets, buti wala masyado facial hair. I wrote about it too. 🙂
https://jazzyhappy.com/2016/06/10/daisy-ridley-on-endometriosis-pcos-and-other-reproductive-health-issues/
Hi Jazzy!
I read your post! Wow ka-level pala natin si Daisy! Hahahaha. Kidding aside, I’m glad na more and more women are open about it. And I agree with you, moving and being active has really helped my mood swings too! hashtag this is why I workout!
Thanks for sharing your story and for taking time reading mine. 🙂
Hi Jackie!
May I ask what tests did you go through? and also are you following a diet right now? I have pcos din 🙁
Hi Kristine!
I just did TVS (ultrasound) as per my OB’s order. I try to lower my sugar intake (which is super hard because I love sweets huhuhu). So I’m on a low sugar diet which I’m still not used to. 🙂
Hi Jackie – I was browsing through Asian wellness blogs today and happened to see that you have PCOS. You being open about having it really made my day. I have it as well and haven’t brought myself to be able to talk about it with most loved ones, let alone publicly.
You are such a beautiful and strong example of a woman and mother with this condition. If you don’t mind me asking, what kind of feedback did the doctor give on the chances of your kids also having it? For quite a long time I’ve been wondering if I should adopt rather than have kids because I fear about passing it down. My partner has been amazing about it and is open to adopting, but of course deep down I would prefer to have biological kids. Any insights would be helpful.
The other difficult part about PCOS has been battling hair loss, and I wonder if you or others you know with PCOS have tips on how to deal with this – both mentally and physically. I use minoxidil daily and it helps some but it’s not a cure, and has been pretty traumatic for me.
Thanks again for being so open about your experience! It means a lot.
Hi Yi!
Thanks for opening up about your PCOS to me through this post. I wrote about it simply because I want other women who suffer the same to know that it’s not something that should rule their lives. Though there’s not cure about it, it definitely can be managed.
Yes, my doctor mentioned that PCOS is hereditary. My sisters have been diagnosed years before me. Unfortunately you are right, symptoms such as cystic acne, weight gain & hair loss don’t have a cure but it can be manageable. I have a daughter and I know most likely she’ll have PCOS later on in her adult life. But as early as now I try to prepare her for the symptoms that can affect her. I’m still figuring that out as I manage my own PCOS symptoms but thankfully she doesn’t have a sweet tooth like I do.
Once I’ve accepted that I could easily have any of the symptoms PCOS brings, it was easier for me to let go of sugar. Basically I just try to avoid anything with refined sugar as much as I can because it’s the one that triggers the symptoms of PCOS in the first place.
I feel you because PCOS has taken a toll on me as well– physically (I’ve easily lost the muscles I built. I feel soft & jiggly all of a sudden & cystic acne still appears whenever I eat chocolates) and mentally (it has all I ever thought about in the first few months since I was diagnosed) as well. But seeing the right people to help you & guide you through this is a start. Best to find a treatment plan that you’re confident you’ll be able to follow. Whatever you decide on when it comes to having children, I’m praying along with you & your partner.
All the best for you Yi. Don’t worry, you’ll get through this! ?
Thanks, Jackie for your thoughtful response. I have no doubt your daughter will grow up healthy with you to show her the way, whether she has PCOS or not. You are an incredible role model.
For a long time I’ve mentally dealt with PCOS by compartmentalizing it and not talking about it. I’m worried that having a kid with the same condition would be a constant reminder, and might lead to some resentment. I’m still working on becoming emotionally stronger about it, and your example gives me hope that it can be more manageable in a family full of love. I’ll continue thinking about this issue of having a biological kid vs. adopting.
You mention muscle loss, but you do an amazing job at staying fit, and show the best side of what someone with PCOS can look like. I’m training for a half marathon as a small rebellion to my condition. When I feel low on motivation, I’ll come check out your fitness posts. Stay bold and beautiful!
Hi Yi!
Struggled at keeping it to myself at first too because I find it so overwhelming & I couldn’t accept the fact that I have it. But I figured speaking about it is partly my way of dealing with it. Yes to being emotionally stronger! You’re on your way there. And good luck on your half marathon! Wow that’s amazing!!!!