A lot of you don’t know this, but I, too, am an acupuncture success story. I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), and with the help of acupuncture and Chinese herbs, I was able to overcome this condition in less than a year.
I am a success story too – A personal journey to overcome PCOS
It never occurred to me that having a period once in a blue moon wasn’t normal. I was a competitive swimmer and an indoor/outdoor track distance runner in high school and college. I spent up to five hours per day exercising. My cycle would appear whenever it felt like popping in for a visit, and I brushed its absence off as an effect of the strenuous exercise.
To “fix” this, the only option at the time was birth control pills. The majority of my friends were taking the pill, but even back then, my gut instinct told me it wasn’t the right option for me. By the time I was in my mid-twenties, my cycle was extremely irregular, ranging from 50-130+ days.
During my first year in acupuncture school, I decided to seek some answers about this irregularity. I first went to my OB/GYN, and after a quick intake, he performed an ultrasound that revealed I had cysts on my ovaries. I had Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
Controlling PCOS
He said that the best way to control PCOS was with the birth control pill, and that little was known about this condition. I still didn’t feel right about taking the pill, so I decided to try acupuncture— I was, after all, studying it myself! I sought out help from fellow students and teachers and used myself as a case study, researching articles and books on PCOS. I got on a regimen of weekly acupuncture treatments and drank my herbal tea every day. I started paying attention to my diet, and I cut out dairy, refined sugar, and processed foods (so you see, everything I tell you about diet is taken from experience J ) After three months of consistent treatment, I saw that my cycles were getting shorter. After six months, my cycles were 32-36 days in length! I wasn’t trying to get pregnant, so I didn’t know what day I ovulated on, but nonetheless, I was having a regular period!! (And by the way, you do not need a 28-day cycle to get pregnant. Only 10% of the population has the 28-day cycle anyway).
Overcoming PCOS
In ten years, I have not had a single issue with my cycle (and I’ve also become a mom!). It stayed regular at 32-36 days. I fell in love with Chinese Medicine on the first day of school, but I became a true believer after I overcame PCOS. I hope my story provided hope for those suffering from PCOS. It IS a treatable condition. With the right diet, exercise, and combination of acupuncture and other therapies, you can beat it!
As always, if you have any questions on how acupuncture can help you, please give me a shout.
