Pcos and heavy periods: Leah’s story

A fever is usually taken into account when you have a body temperature higher than 38 degrees Celsius. This is measurable, widely accepted and understandable. Unfortunately for me I grow up, so could not be said about the problems that came with menstruation.

I have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which made me start my period at the age of 16. With 16, most of the girls around me knew the media and the outs to have a period – what to expect, how long the cycle was, the whole shebang. They seemed to handle their periods with ease, even if it came with the occasional moaning for cramps or headaches. In the meantime, I was quiet navigation unknown territory, I felt that I had lost the boat to understand what was “normal”.

When my periods started finally, it wasn’t too late – they were irregular, unpredictable and incredibly heavy. I remember sitting in class with this awesome feeling of fear, worrying about leaks or need to forgive myself in the bathroom for the fourth time in the morning.

There were days when I would go through a pillow and a tampon together in less than an hour.

I had sat frozen in my seat, scared to move, scared of what could happen.

At first, I thought this was exactly what periods were. Everyone stated that the periods were “dirty” and “painful”, so I thought my experience was not too far from normal. But over time, it became clear that something was not right. I was exhausted all the time, my clothes were constantly feeling tight, and the bleeding was relentless.

So, I did what we are told to do when something feels wrong – I went to a doctor.

I wish I could say that this was the part of the story where things got better, but unfortunately, it was only the beginning of the years that were rejected and ignored. Every time I described my symptoms, I felt like I was brushed. “The periods are supposed to be heavy,” they would say. “It’s just hormones.” A doctor told me to lose weight, as if she was throwing a few pounds it would make my womb magically work together. Another suggested that I exaggerate, claiming: “Most probably not as bad as you think.”

I got out of these appointments to feel small, unheard of and as maybe I were Treatment. But deep down, I knew something was wrong. I will spend hours with the googling symptoms, trying to find answers. My searches have always seemed to lead back to PCOS, but it took years to get a proper diagnosis.

In the meantime, I had to deal with the practical and emotional challenges of heavy menstrual bleeding on my own. At school, I would bring emergency from pillows, tampons and even backup underwear in my bag – for every case. I will design strategic trips to the bathroom and try to avoid long classes or bands where I could not easily slip. Social events became mines.

Sleep, swimming trips, or even just sit on someone else’s sofa, fill me with anxiety.

It was not only the logistics they were draining – it was shame. I felt I couldn’t talk to anyone about what I was going through. Although I knew that periods were a common experience, my own felt abnormal and annoying. How do you say comfortably to someone that you bleed so much that you had to call a sick college?

The lack of support from doctors made only isolation worse. When you are told again and again that what you are experiencing is “normal”, you begin to doubt yourself. You start wondering if you are very sensitive, very dramatic … something.

It was not until the end of my teens that I finally found a doctor he heard. They took time to ask questions, run tests and explain what was happening to my body. When I was officially diagnosed with PCOS, it was almost relieved. Eventually I had a name for what I had experienced – a reason for the irregular periods, the heavy bleeding, the steady fatigue.

But the diagnosis was only part of the trip. Living with PCOS and heavy menstrual bleeding is still a challenge. It’s something I had to learn to manage, but most importantly, it’s something I had to learn to talk. For so long, I watched quiet because I was ashamed or scared to reject. Now, I know that sharing my experience is not just to support myself – it is to help others who may go through the same thing.

If there is one thing I have learned, it is that menstrual health should not be a taboo subject.

We should not feel ashamed or embarrassed to seek help and we certainly should not fight to take seriously when we know that something is not right.

Heavy menstrual bleeding is not just a hassle – it is a health issue that can affect every aspect of your life from your confidence in your daily routines. And for those of us with conditions like PCOS, it is often only the tip of the iceberg.

Looking back, I wish I had someone to tell me it’s okay to talk, ask questions, and keep pushing until you get the care you deserve. Because periods may not come with a neat, measurable definition like a fever, but that does not mean that it must be less understandable.