I have learned that a PCOS diagnosis isn’t the end of the world – it is a chance for a new beginning.
Often called the “Thief of Womanhood”, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) affects 10% of women. I am one of those women who knows far too well how devastating PCOS can be. It can rob you of your fertility, lead to obesity and worst of all; high levels of androgens can cause excess facial hair growth and male-pattern hair loss.
The mainstream medical community often provides only band-aid treatments for PCOS, such as birth control pills and diabetes drugs. I know that the real healing begins by changing your lifestyle. Eating clean, whole foods, practicing self-care in the form of exercise, yoga and meditation and adding some supplements was the solution, which alleviates symptoms and even helped me become pregnant.
I consider myself a PCOS success story and I share my experiences and knowledge gained on my blog, The PCOS Diva at www.pcosdiva.com, Facebook and Twitter. My goal is to truly help other women reclaim their femininity, fertility, happiness and health.
– Amy Medling (aka The PCOS Diva)
THE PCOS DIVA 
I love your site! My good friend RobbieLee said that you commented on my guest blog on her site (chickiedee.com) It is so great to know that we are not alone! PCOS is an unfortunate condition but it is much more manageable when there are others who understand. Thanks for your wonderful site!
By: Courtney on September 1, 2009
at 2:54 am
Thanks Courtney! Your story was touching and very similar to mine. I have spent countless hours researching and just hope to share what has worked for me with others.
By: Amy on September 1, 2009
at 8:16 pm
Hi Amy. You blog is absolutely amazing and very inspiring. I too suffer from PCOS. I would love to hear more about how you overcame your condition and the daily meal plan you follow. Also, do you take any supplements? Thanks so much:)
By: JD on September 26, 2009
at 4:24 pm
Thanks JD. Stay tuned. There is much more to come!
By: Amy Medling on September 26, 2009
at 7:51 pm
Hi again dear Amy!
I’m @marygold19 on twitter! 😉
as I earlier told you via twitter, your blog is great! all hope & inspiration!
God bless you dear! 🙂
May all PCOS ladies become DIVAs like you! 😉
we didn’t choose to have it but we all can choose to beat it by a healthy lifestyle!
sometimes I think I can appericiate my PCOS in some ways! 😀 I mean it made me aware of the very CRUEL things I (& all of us in general) do to our bodies every day! 😦 like it’s bacome a routine in our lives!
anyways, PCOS, as you said as well, is not the end of the world! on the other hand, it may become a reason to start an all-new healthy lifestyle, something that unfortunatelly too many people (not only the ones with specific problems like pcos) don’t pay attention to!
I wanted to post this on my twitter but i’m telling it here 1st! 😀
“your body is the place YOU (read your soal) live in your whole life, so build it strong, take care of it & make a safe place…” #marytalk
thanks alot again! 😀
…to a healthy, pure lifestyle! 😉
& ofcourse with you guides! 🙂
By: marygold on April 12, 2010
at 11:47 am
Mary
Thanks for your kind words. In response to your questions on Twitter, I was diagnosed before my second son was born, which was about 8 or so years ago. However looking back I showed the first signs of PCOS when I was about 14. I took birth control for about 10 years to regulate my period but it really only masks symptoms and it made my insulin resistance worse. I took Metformin for about 6 months but felt horrible the entire time. After my 2nd was born I decided to try to control my PCOS with natural remedies. I spent a great deal of time researching and have been able to get my hormones back on track to the point that I became pregnant (BIG SURPRISE) 2 years ago.
I have had hairloss in the past but my hair is much thicker now. I do use Men’s Rogaine and take a ton of biotin. My skin and hair look great now and I contribute it to my diet, exercise, virgin coconut oil and fish oil. I am probably quite a bit older than you (38) so I don’t have acne like I used to. Tea tree oil works great on acne. My sister used Proactive Solution and that worked wonders for her.
Keep checking back and follow my tweets. I will continue to share what works for me and what I learn about PCOS. Thanks for folllowing me!
By: Amy on April 13, 2010
at 6:48 am
Dear Amy!
thank YOU for sharing your wonderful experience with us! I’m so proud of you!
you know, findin’ you on twitter was almost a miracle!
I had all this plans on my mind to start a healthy NATURAL lifestyle &…there I found you, someone who’d gone through this way… you’re now my GURU!
I’ll keep you udpdate on my progress! 😉
by the way, as i told you before after such a long time of irregular periods, the 5 last month my period’s been regular & almost on time & yesterday i got period on time!!! i made the 6th month! WooHoo! 😀 so happy! i was so excited like a woman hears her pregnancy news! :))
way to beat PCOS! 😉
thanks again for everything! 😀
P.S. kiss your 3 sweet childern on my behalf! 😀
By: marygold on April 13, 2010
at 9:25 am
Hi Amy
I was diagnosed with PCOS 10 years ago (am 26 years old) and have decided to try for a baby of course having ignored my diagnosis and symptoms as most rather silly teenagers and young women I now have 50 pounds (i’m Australian so to me its 25kg!! lol) and over the past couple of weeks have been really researching pcos and how to be healthy and manage it. I’ve been through a rollercoaster after the last couple of weeks sitting in a fertility doctors office is a scary harrowing experience and I have found the informationon this site to be a light at the end of what seems to be a very very long tunnel. Thank you and wish me luck 🙂
By: Kirstyn on July 28, 2010
at 8:44 pm
Kirstyn-
Thanks so much for your comment. It may seem like a big obstacle but I recently lost 50 pounds of post-partum weight following an eat-clean diet and lots of exercise in particular strength training. You can do it too! Best wishes!
By: Amy on August 4, 2010
at 7:57 pm
Amy – Just wondering if you had amenorrhea as part of your PCOS symptoms. If so, when did it resolve (and at what point in your quest to treat your PCOS naturally)? I am loving reading through the site.
-Melissa
By: melissacottonwomack on September 2, 2010
at 10:47 pm
Hi Melissa-
My cycle had always been irregular so I was on the birth control pill for much of my 20’s (I am almost 39) After my second child (at 32) my symptoms got a lot worse. I was frustrated with medical doctors and their lack of knowledge of PCOS. I had taken metformin in order to get pregnant and vowed I would never take it again (I had the worse GI issues). So I sought out a Naturopath and she convinced me to stop the birth control pill and start with natural progesterone, Insulite, low-glycemic diet and exercise. At 36 I became pregnant (BIG SURPRISE). My cycles have been quite regular since this last pregnancy up until this past month. (I have to admit I have let my diet slide a bit over the summer and am now probably paying for it) So I just started the natural progesterone again. If you follow me on Facebook and/or Twitter I tend to post more often than on my blog. With two school age boys and a toddler my time is so limited these days. Thanks for your comment!
-Amy
By: Amy on September 6, 2010
at 7:10 pm
Amy,
There is SOOOOO much info on your site! I would like to know for someone just starting out that doesnt have alot of money. Where should we start. I am 31 and have NO children and want them badly. Drs want to put me on birth control and they make me crazy. Where sould I start naturally to get my TOM and perhaps start ovulation?
By: Dana Hilton on December 29, 2010
at 4:55 pm
Dana-
The most important thing you can do is to start cooking and eating clean whole foods, When I got pregnant on my own I was avoiding gluten and dairy except for organic yogurt and maybe a bit of hard cheese. I was exercising moderately 5 days a week and was taking Insulite Systems at the time. (however it is pricey). I would also try acupuncture if you can afford it. Good Luck!
By: Amy on January 2, 2011
at 8:36 pm