I came off the pill for several reasons, and I guess one of the most important ones was because I had a gut feeling something was wrong. I know that sounds like total crap but I really did. I just knew something wasn’t right with my hormones – I had done for a while but being the anxious-ridden terrified person I am I just soldiered on, deciding I’d do something about it later. When later was I had no idea but just not right then because I was too terrified of it being something awful. But in a spurt of bravery I decided to find out.
After 6 months (ish) off the pill I had noticed a lot of changes, but I hadn’t yet had a period. This isn’t out of the world strange, because it does take a while for your body to readjust to being off the pill and to get back into it’s normal cycle, but typically, there is some signs of a period by 6 months ish and/or you had normal periods before you went on the pill. I don’t want anyone to be alarmed or terrified if it’s been longer and they haven’t had one yet because it is different for everyone and I know it’s taken much longer for other people, so don’t panic. I think the thing that really sat with me was that I knew my periods were irregular before I went on the pill – I actually think it was the reason for going on the pill although I really can’t remember that well – I had a bunch of other unexplainable symptoms and I just had that feeling, and when you know, you know.
As well as absent periods, I also had other unexplainable symptoms:
- Cystic acne along my jawline and neck regardless of my usual cleansing routine + a nutritious diet + bucket loads of water
- Unexplainable weight gain – I can’t say exactly how much I gained because I don’t own scales (woo!) but as an idea, in the space of 3 or so months I didn’t fit in a lot of my clothes even though I was working out and/or running 6+ miles 5/6 times a week + eating a gluten free, alcohol free, mainly refined sugar free, low fat (but not high sugar) veggie diet.
After explaining my symptoms to my doctor, he suggested it could be a number of things, but was going to test for diabetes, pituitary gland function and PCOS. After a very anxious 4 weeks, and a couple rounds of tests, it was confirmed that I had PCOS as I had suspected for quite a while. I thought because I had suspected it, that it’d be easier to digest but it was still harder to accept than I thought.
PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) is a hormonal condition in which, simply put, there are too many ‘male’ hormones (androgens), and too few female hormones produced, along with issues with insulin and insulin sensitivity. Hormones in our bodies are extremely tightly regulated, and very interlinked, which means a change in one will lead to changes in several others. The result of these changes can lead to a variety of symptoms, which are extremely varied among women with PCOS. As well as the symptoms I experienced, other symptoms include:
- Abnormal and/or excessive hair growth – typically known as male hair growth patterns
- Cysts on the ovaries (this is diagnosed by a scan, so you won’t know if you have these or not)
- Infertility problems
- Depression and anxiety
- Pre-diabetes, or type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Endometrial cancer
My main concern was how can I treat this? Unfortunately, not all that much is known about PCOS at the moment, so from a doctor’s point of view the main concern is helping with fertility and making sure that a woman has at least 4 or 5 periods a year (to prevent endometrial cancer – these can be medically induced.) Because I am not considering having kids yet, the only other real suggestion I was given was to go back on the pill (I know?) as this dealt with all of the symptoms and gave me 12 periods a year, or to ‘wait it out for 6 months and see what happens’ so I opted for the latter.
Thing is, I am not a ‘wait and see’ kind of person, I’m a ‘do all the research I possibly can and start myself on my own little experiment’ sort of person. I have read so much about PCOS and insulin sensitivity and the main things I kept coming across were the links between diet and hormones. I read about how high sugar foods cause a spike in insulin, meaning there is too much in the bloodstream causing insensitivity, I read that the same is true for refined carbohydrates, and that foods typically fall into three groups, low, medium or high glycemic index. I read this study, which provided some evidence that a diet high in meat and dairy worsened or at least did not help PCOS, I read that skipping meals cause unsteady insulin levels, that exercise stabilised hormones but that excessive exercise put your body into a state of ‘stress’ which can negatively affect hormones and that low mood can also affect your hormones. To sum it up, I read a lot, and kept coming across the same basic message: A diet in low-GI wholefoods/carbs, high in fibre, low in sugar, and medium in essential fatty acids + was the best for stabilising insulin, and as a result, the hormones, which loops back and stabilises insulin and so on. As well as diet, I read about how strenuous exercise can often put the body into a state of ‘stress.’ Whilst you may not feel stressed, perhaps even de-stressed by it, the same might not be said of the body’s metabolic system.
So 5 weeks on and I have been eating a totally vegan, low-gi, gluten-free (hey fellow coeliac’s!) diet, higher in plant based fats for the absorption of vitamins. I have changed up my exercise routines, from 3 or 4 longer runs, to more HIIT exercises, more weight training, and yoga. I still enjoy running, so I allow myself 1 or 2 longer runs, but have incorporated more hill-sprint training, fartlek runs, and short sprints. I’d say the trickiest part for me has been upping the amount of fats I’ve been eating, as I still have left over food fears from my past, as well as having to give up some of my runs. Overall though, I have been really enjoying the different varieties in my training, along with all of the new recipes I’ve been creating and the excuse to eat more nut butter.
I know it’ll be a long journey, trying to work out what is best for me, but I have already noticed a difference. My cystic acne has improved dramatically, my energy levels are stable, I need less caffeine, I’ve been able to eat a lot more so I never feel deprived, I’ve developed a new-found respect for my body, I’ve had a period (!!!), I’m less scared of food, it has helped my recovery endlessly, I fit back in the majority of my clothes and generally, I just feel like I am living in a way that is much more in-tune with my morals and what’s important to me.
I know this is just the beginning of a new health journey for me, and I still have a lot to learn, and try out, but after just 5 weeks my outlook on health, and the vegan lifestyle have flourished. I have watched so many (more) documentaries that have opened my eyes to the meat and dairy industry, and really made me question what we have been brought up to think is right and wrong. It can be tricky and make things a little harder, but it has honestly improved my life, my physical and mental health so much already that I can’t imagine ever going back now. I can’t say I’m excited to see what the next 6 months will tell me, but I am excited about the positive ways in which I am changing, and to see where I end up. And as an old favourite once said “what’s comin’ will come and we’ll meet it when it does.”
Roots and Bloom 