She Slays: When PCOS redefined my relationship with myself. This is the story of Tanya Taneja

This is the sixth feature in the seven-part series, She Slays. 

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I am a PCOS fighter–an introduction that often precedes my other greetings. My name is Tanya Taneja and I am a 23-year-old woman constantly fighting hormonal disorder. Let me tell you my story and you’ll understand better.

I was in grade 11th when I was diagnosed with PCOS–a hormonal disorder causing enlarged ovaries with small cysts on the outer edges. I used to experience perpetual fever, bloating and pelvic pain and would sometimes even miss school due to weakness. 

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I even gained a considerable amount of weight in between. For a teenager who had to prepare for her board exams, it was a lot to go through. My parents went in for multiple opinions from different doctors but most of them didn’t give satisfactory solutions. 

After we finally narrowed down on one good doctor, we were suggested that I should get all three -an ultrasound, MRI as well as a CT scan done, to find out the exact cause behind my problem. 

Also, Read: Research finds surprising link between unhealthy gut bacteria and PCOS in women

When threat of possible growing tumor loomed
After the results, the doctor concluded that the cysts that I have can lead to a tumor if not treated immediately. There were two options to inhibit tumor growth – either I would have to go through a surgery where my ovaries would be removed or I could take medication for the next two years to stop the growth of the cysts from becoming a concern. My parents were not in favor of surgery at such a tender age, and so we decided to go for medication. 

Even though for the next two years, I suffered a lot of problems because of the high dosage of medicines, I went through it all because I didn’t want a tumor to write the rest of my story. The constant medication showed side-effects on my face, my skin and my entire body inside-out but I had no other option but to bear the pain the short pain, for the long term gain.

 I didn’t feel like taking a break from studies or sitting at home because I believed that it would only worsen my mental peace. With great courage, I managed to cope up with the regular life in my best capacity.

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Criticism that came along the disease
However, not everything went as smoothly as I had intended it to be. The hardest part of living with PCOS was dealing with constant criticism from the people around you. A lot of people would tell me to exercise and lose weight and do something about my skin.

 Day by day it became very hard to explain to them the condition I was going through because most of it was internal and unfathomable by many. I now realize that it is very crucial to go for regular check-ups to the doctor because a problem like PCOS can come knocking at your door at any moment in your life and who knows what it may lead to. 

A second chance at life
After going through the exhaustion of two years, I was able to successfully eliminate the possibility of a malignant tumor and this gave me a second chance to live a proper life. During my journey, I realized the importance of taking care of one’s health and prioritizing yourself above everything else.