Meet Our QENDO Ambassadors: Kayla Jade
By Kayla Jade, The PCOS Bible
At QENDO we support anyone affected by endometriosis, adenomyosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Our ambassadors are people who have been inspired by their journeys with endo, adeno or PCOS to raise awareness within their local community and beyond, supporting QENDO’s many programs and services. Kayla Jade is one of our amazing ambassadors, helping to empower women to share their story and listen to their bodies. In this blog she shares her story and the journey to natural healing that lead her to start The PCOS Bible.
Like many young girls I went on hormonal birth control pill as a teenager, just 17, for contraception. I was young and naïve and ultimately, I wanted to be able to live my life without the ‘inconvenience’ of a period and I certainly didn’t want to have a baby. From the day I got my period at around age 14 all I wanted was for it to go away, I didn’t want to have to deal with it. I never thought I would be wishing for it to come or to have a ‘normal’ cycle. We always want what we can’t have right?
After a decade of being on the pill, never feeling quite right being on it but just putting up with it purely out of conceive, I decided that I had had enough of the random bouts of nausea I was experiencing and decided to start asking questions about whether or not the pill was really right for me.
I booked an appointment with my local GP who I had seen a handful of times and for the odd Pap Smear test. Not once had we discussed my periods, how they were or how I was feeling, so for me bringing it up was a little confronting. When I began to ask questions about why I might be feeling sick and also if being on the pill for such a long time would effect my chances of falling pregnant I was met with a quick response by my GP that the pill was well researched and safe and that I shouldn’t have any concerns however, I could try coming off the pill to see if the nausea stopped.
As much as it scared me coming off the pill after being on it for so long, I knew I needed to try it. My doctor explained to me that it could take a few months to get my period back and not to worry if it took a while. One of my good friends came off the pill at the same time. She got her period back within a month or two. Fast forward 6 months and I still had no sign of a period. The good thing was that my nausea had gone away. Almost two more months had passed without a period. I was experiencing issues with my mood, and felt so fatigued I could barley make it through the day. I went back to the a doctor to explain that I hadn’t got a period yet and that I was starting to feel out of control in my own body. She sent me off for a blood test and reassured me I had nothing to worry about. The next month I got a period. While I was relieved that it had come I was in excruciating pain. I felt like I was going to vomit, had diarrhoea (sorry for the TMI) , my back was so sore I couldn’t get out of bed (other than to race to the toilet). It was a living hell.
I started to question why I had come off the pill. I couldn’t bare the thought of putting up with this pain. I returned to the doctor to explain what had happened and ask if there was anything that could be going on. She decided to send me for an ultrasound on my pelvis to check that everything was ok with my reproductive organs. This was the first moment I started to get a little nervous. I had gone so many years trying not have a baby and now there was the thought of what if I can’t have a baby one day?
So off I went to have the ultrasound. If I thought talking about my periods with my GP was confronting, I had no idea what I was in for here. To check that my ovaries and uterus were all as they should be I had to undergo a transvaginal ultrasound. Though this is a normal procedure, I was so not expecting it on the day. Once I got over the shock of that, there really wasn’t anything to be worried about. But, it was a comment that the radiologist made that had me nervous again. “I’m just going to stop here and take a few more images as there are some concerning follicles on your ovaries”. I remember nodding and then wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible to Google what she meant by “concerning follicles”. I got in the car and quickly did a search on my phone. I know, I know, not the best thing to do but I couldn’t wait 2 weeks for my doctors appointment, I had to know.
The first search I did came up with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). I had a flash back to a comment my GP had me to me about why some women have irregular periods, but I was sure she said it was unlikely to be the case for me.
Something just didn’t feel right, I am a big believer in going with your gut feeling and while I respected my doctors professional opinion I need more insight. I was referred by a friend who has endometriosis and PCOS to see her naturopath. Having only ever seen a doctor before I was a little apprehensive. I needed answers, I knew there was something just not right, I could feel it. I decided to see the naturopath, honestly it was the best decision I could have ever made. This is where I began to learn about what the pill really does to our hormones and how it suppresses our bodies natural hormonal functions to prevent ovulation which leads to withdrawal bleeds, not actual periods and deletes nutrients in the body. MIND BLOWN! She also explained that pain I was experiencing, irregular periods, mood swings and fatigue wasn’t normal and that I needed to have to have more hormone tests done to see where my body was at.
Fast forward a few months later and I’m back at the doctors. Ready with my hormone tests and ultrasound results to be reviewed. The past almost year now has been a roller-coaster of mood swings, fatigue, anxiety, bloating, uncontrollable cravings along with the irregular periods.
I’ll never forget this day, it was the moment I no longer felt like I was going crazy thinking something wasn’t right and feeling completely out of control of my body. It was the moment I was told “You have PCOS, and suspected endometriosis”.
I was filled with mixed emotions of relief, overwhelm, fear, and curiosity. But most of all I was shocked when the doctor told me to treat my symptoms I would need to go back on the pill. I knew I couldn’t keep living the way I was on the emotional and physical PCOS roller-coaster and battle the painful periods of endo, but going back on the pill felt so counter intuitive as all it would do is masks my symptoms.
This is where my journey to healing naturally began. With the support and guidance of my naturopath and extensive research into how we can balance our hormones I realised I could HEAL my body and overcome my PCOS and painful periods.
I knew it was going to be easy and that it was going to take time but I felt so empowered learning and understanding how to support my body. I gave myself 12 months, 12 months to make consistent changes in my diet and lifestyle to see if I could really feel better. The first month of making changes my moods stabilised and I could finally make it through the day! By month 4 my periods had become manageable, no more pain killers or days in excruciating pain. From 6-9 months (where I am today) I have now had 3 cycles at 35 days!
I didn’t want other women to feel lost, alone and helpless with their symptoms, so I created The PCOS Bible to share my journey, create awareness and empower and support women to take back control of their bodies, just like I did.
Kayla Jade
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