When it comes to information, there's never too much.

These are stories of PCOS written by women who have first-hand experience. We hope you find encouragement and support from reading them. If you would like to submit your own story please send it via email to PCOS My Story

Ten years ago, before my husband and I were married, we talked of having children. Most of my life had been spent wondering when my period would show up again and would it be at a very inopportune time. I asked my doctor about conceiving and was told that I would probably need some "help". I was referred to an endocrinologist for some tests.

When it was time for us to start trying to conceive, I was told to try for several months with no help. After 3 months and at age 32, I began to worry. Was my time already running out? I was put on Clomid at increasing dosages for the next 10 cycles. I spent those 10 cycles hoping and hoping. Every time it ended the same, in tears. Finally, disgusted, I gave up on the Clomid. There was just too much stress involved in trying to become pregnant. And ten years ago there were no support groups or internet chats to find information or the support I needed. These were things people didn't really talk about. The following month we felt emotionally better from our break and went back to the Clomid. On Valentine's Day we conceived our daughter, now 5 years old.

When she was one, I wondered what would happen next time. We started trying when she was 13 months old. I had some very confusing cycles, temperatures up and down and all over. And LONG cycles. One was 60 days. The next one 70. But the 70 day cycle was the one, and to our shock, I was pregnant again, with our son now 3 years old.

Of course we couldn't be happier. But I still wonder about these irregular cycles. A piece on 'Good Morning America' caught my attention today. The Polycystic Ovarian Disease I was diagnosed with ten years ago is now called PCOS. The complications are somewhat frightening. It's not so much the ability to get pregnant, because that has treatment available. It's the heart disease and diabetes. The long term complications. And the lack of information about treatment.

We need more information out there. We need the doctors to be more aware. We need to feel like there are options for us and we're not just left with the "it's a female thing" and nothing can be done. I'm going to hit the send button and then call my obgyn for an appointment. I wish more women knew what little of this I already know. And I wish I knew more.

Thanks for listening. Now share this all the women you can.
Laurie Canty