I remember sitting in the doctor’s office feeling relieved. Finally, I had a diagnosis that could explain the weird symptoms and fertility challenges I was experiencing: polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). But that relief quickly turned to confusion.
“So wait, does that mean I have cysts?”
“Not exactly.”
I’d just had an ultrasound where we saw a telltale sign of PCOS: a “string of pearls” along the edge of each ovary. The “pearls” weren’t cysts, however, but rather immature follicles containing undeveloped eggs. Meanwhile, I was dealing with mysterious new body hair growth, acne, hormonal imbalances and a period that had gone MIA.
When I shared my diagnosis with loved ones, the same question arose. “So you have ovarian cysts?” And the answer remained the same: “Not really.”
