IUD Experience Part 1: The Before & My Struggle with PCOS
NOTE: As you’re reading this (if you’re reading this on the day it’s published), I am probably sitting on the couch with my heating pad and watching Netflix because I had my IUD inserted today. Please send me funny memes and cat pictures on Twitter and Instagram so I can laugh away the pain 🙂
As a 21-year-old woman, I feel that I don’t have the knowledge I should have about my own body and living a healthy, fulfilling life without worrying about the possibility of children at a time where I am just now figuring out who I am in life.
We go through those sex ed classes in high school and the only thing they emphasize is abstinence. That’s great and everything but it teaches you NOTHING. They teach that sex is this taboo thing and that a part of your body that is vital for human reproduction is this taboo thing.
Sex isn’t taboo. It’s healthy. Your vagina and uterus and cervix is not some mystical creature. It’s a part of YOUR body. It’s so important that you understand how it works and what your options are for your reproductive health.
I’m now a 21-year-old woman who is just now exploring birth control options that aren’t the pill and I want to share my experience because I know damn well that I’m not the only one who feels the same way I do.
Okay, rant over. Let’s get into this!
I’ve been on birth control pills since I was 12. That’s almost 10 freaking years of taking a little, round pill every night at the exact same time every day.
Wondering why I went on the pill at such a young age?
I went on birth control for everything else besides the birth controlling aspect. At the young age of 12, I was diagnosed with PCOS.
PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome is a condition that’s actually fairly common among reproductive age women. Most women don’t know they have PCOS until they’re trying to conceive.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. The ovaries may develop numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) and fail to regularly release eggs.
– Mayo Clinic
Flashback to Summer of 2010. I got my period in June. Getting your very first period is a scary and exciting time in a young girl’s life. More scary than exciting, but you get the point.
My periods were pretty irregular for the first two months. I would get my period every 14-21 days. First off, I never wish that upon anyone, especially a 12-year-old who’s body is doing things it’s never done before. Think about that. Every 14-21 days… I would get about one good week and then I’d be back on my period.
Then around the end of July/August, my period just stopped. For 4.5 months I was walking around never knowing when my period would come back or if it would even come back at all.
Around the timeframe when all of this was going on, I have my first memories of anxiety and depression. My mom and aunt will tell you the exact same thing. Coincidence?
In January of 2011, my mom got me an appointment with her OBGYN. And that’s when the pills started.
I’ve tried countless brands of pills with some working better than others. The back and forth of pills is a rollercoaster enough. Some pills made my cramps better but made my mood swings worse. Some made my cramping so horrific but my mood swings were blissful. Pair this back and forth of the pills with being a teenager, and needless to say, life was rough for a long time. And, all while dealing with anxiety and depression that I didn’t even realize I had…
This brings me to the past year. In the fall of 2017, I was suffering from crippling anxiety and I’d reached my breaking point. At that point, I made a promise to myself that I was going to do everything in my power to take back my body and truly understand what was going on.
I’ll never forget the day when I was researching PCOS and discovered that anxiety and depression was a common side effect… And that the pill can cause depression… That was the best light bulb moment I’ve ever had.
Finally, a year later and I have my anxiety and depression under control. I don’t have daily crying spells in the shower and I now walk around with confidence instead of the constant feeling of worry that my life would come crashing down at any moment.
Now that all of that is under control, I decided to tackle the second largest beast in my life: my hormones.
I’ve spent the past few months researching PCOS, birth controls, side effects, PCOS diets, and everything in between.
After many internal debates and my increasing hatred for taking a pill every single freaking day, I made the official appointment with my OBGYN to discuss birth control options. I had my mind set on the IUD for a multitude of reasons. Fewer hormones, 5 years of no babies, and most of all, no remembering to take something every damn day.
Can you tell I’m tired of taking the pill?? LOL
Anyways, that’s it for part 1! I’ve been meaning to share my PCOS story with y’all for a long time, and I’m so glad I finally got around to it.
Part 2 is coming soon! I’ll spill all the dirty details about my experience of getting the IUD and why I decided to go with an IUD over all of the other birth control options.
~abigail gray
