Serena's PCOS Story
“When I was first diagnosed, I wish I’d known what PCOS was. I didn’t even know our hormones could be imbalanced. And I also didn’t know that this is for the long run. ”
Serena first started noticing that something wasn’t quite right with her periods when she was 20: ‘My periods were very irregular, they could be months in between and on top of that when they did appear, my periods were really painful and I’d be queasy and throw up.’
She also struggled with excessive hair growth on her chin, ending up spending lots of time and money every month trying to get rid of the hairs - and then when Serena was in her early twenties - a conversation at work changed everything:
‘I was 21 and worked at the Clinique counter at Boots, and one of my colleagues there would thread my chin for me every month. One day she noticed the hair growth was getting worse and she’s the one who suggested that something might be wrong and that I should go and see a GP.’
Finding out about PCOS
Serena went to the GP and was told that it sounded like she has PCOS. ‘I didn’t have any idea what that meant and was basically just told that if it was PCOS then I’d need to manage my weight better - and that, maybe in time it could affect my fertility.’
She was sent for blood tests. When they came back without any indication of PCOS, Serena insisted that she’d be sent for different tests as she was getting increasingly convinced that something was wrong. She had an internal ultrasound and was told that there was some indication she have polycystic ovaries. And then she was sent home.
‘I wasn’t given any information about what PCOS is and how it can affect you [other than in regards to fertility]. I was 21 and had no real interest in getting pregnant, so at the time I just left it.’
4 years later Serena did return to the GP asking for some help with her painful periods: ‘There was nothing on my file about polycystic ovaries and I was just offered the contraceptive pill as a way of managing my periods [and the pain].’
Doing research into PCOS
Then the global pandemic hit and Serena, now 25, felt a real pull towards taking her health more seriously: ‘I decided to maybe start to take some control over this and begin taking proper care of myself. I started doing some research and was shocked to learn that PCOS affect women differently and that it is even linked to diabetes.
‘I also started doing loads of research into alternative ways of managing PCOS other than using contraceptives. I did a very systematic approach: I researched each of my symptoms, and then looked for alternative routes to managing them. I now use diet, supplements and exercise to regulate my cycle and manage my symptoms.’
Starting an Instagram account to talk about PCOS
Wanting to try and help others like her, Serena started her Instagram account @letstalkpcos_xo - which turned out to be transformational for her:
‘[Before] I didn’t talk to anyone about it. I felt embarrassed about my issues with excess facial hair and didn’t feel confident in talking to my friends about it. I really didn’t feel confident in myself. Being a black woman, removing the excessive and, sometimes ingrown, hair would leave big black spots and I just didn’t like the way I looked. I would never leave the house without makeup.’
‘Now, having my Instagram page, I feel more confident in saying: This is who I am and this [PCOS] is what I have. It has also changed the dynamic with my friends, that are now much more supportive because they now know what is going on with me.
‘Before I would feel stared at. I hated people looking at me. I really didn't want men touching my face, but now I am like: this is my face. And you need to respect that. And please go educate yourself.’
Taking steps to manage her symptoms and also talking more openly about PCOS has massively improved Serena’s quality of life and looking back she wishes she’d been given the tools to do this much earlier:
‘When I was first diagnosed, I wish I’d known what PCOS was. I didn’t even know our hormones could be imbalanced. And I also didn’t know that this is for the long run.
‘No one around me knew what it meant either. In school when we’re taught about sexual health, we are just told the textbook example of periods and then how to protect ourselves during intercourse and maybe a bit about STIs. And then at 15, we’re told to get the jab so we don’t get ovarian cancer - no one even explains what ovarian cancer is. I believe that we need to start having these conversations. Both men and women!’
Serena’s advice for anyone with PCOS
For anyone who has just been diagnosed with PCOS, or suspects they have PCOS, Serena’s advice is clear:
‘I wish I had known to listen to my body. And I’d say to anyone, listen to your body and research what your symptoms are telling you. If your hair is thinning, don’t just look for a solution. Try and find the underlying issue.
‘Prioritise your health and wellbeing. Prioritise exercise, quiet time, whatever it is that makes you feel good. You will start to feel better about yourself, and in turn, that will help regulate your cycle. It is a domino effect.
‘And don’t be alarmed. This is far more normal than you think! Don’t overload yourself with worry. For years I wondered if I’d be able to have kids. Now I try to not think about it. I focus on taking care of myself in the here and now. The rest I will deal with when I have to deal with it.’
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