Jan 2022 – Me, Myself and Chronic Illness Blog

I was a little torn with whether to write this PCOS post today, but as you can see I have decided to persevere. The reason I was torn was because my own PCOS diagnosis over the last few weeks has been sketchy to say the least.

I was diagnosed with PCOS several years ago now (you can read previous post here) and I have struggled on with the many symptoms attached to the condition. Some of my symptoms have ‘altered’ I guess in more recent times, however the majority of them are still riding strong. Nevertheless, my GP is now questioning whether the diagnosis was right after all.

I have been back and forth down this path with doctors’ for the majority of my conditions, so why would my PCOS be any different? It is just frustrating more than anything, I know my symptoms are PCOS, so what does this mean? Is it something different? Is there something additional? Or will it be chalked up as nothing at all, taking me back to square one.

Regardless of the outcome, I wanted to share with you the top tips I have discovered over the years regarding the world of PCOS. These are centred around the chronic illness favourites – Food, Exercise and Stress.

Disclaimer- As always please note I am not a doctor, so you should always check with a health professional before trying any new tips.

Food

Diet is important with regards to PCOS for a number of reasons including regulating insulin levels and PCOS related weight gain. Due to other symptoms linked to other conditions I have always struggled getting a good balance with my diet. Several years ago I was three stone heavier than I am now, and weight loss was a very slow process for me. However, I believe it was this slow process that has enabled me to keep the weight off and more importantly not be a fluke. That is why I work on the opinion moderation is key and that making small changes will inevitably lead to bigger ones in the long-term. Small changes to make could include:

Eat enough protein
Eat little and often
Up fruit and veg portions
Choose whole foods as much as possible e.g. brown rice, wholemeal bread
Reduce caffeine
Find things to distract your cravings
Drinking water when you are hungry to see if you are indeed hungry or actually thirsty

Exercise

This section I have to confess is very much based on things I have read rather than done myself. Not because I am lazy or am dismissive of exercise, but because living with ME vigorous exercise is something I am not able to do at this moment in time. My exercise consists of an extremely short walk every few days nevertheless, if you are able to exercise here are some small tips:

Try aerobic exercise e.g. jogging, cycling, dancing, swimming, exercise class, walking (I wonder if walking at the speed of a tortoise counts – just saying!)
Try to exercise 30 mins a day
Find an exercise you enjoy that way you are less likely to give up
Make sure you are properly hydrated
Be realistic with what you can do and the goals that you set
Take breaks and have rest days – remember it is a marathon not a sprint!

Stress

Let’s face it stress is something that is around us most of the time – especially in this modern day climate. It is also something we should be mindful of regardless of what condition we are battling. However, the often unwanted symptoms of PCOS can raise those stress levels significantly causing us additional problems of anxiety and in some cases depression. Tips in combating stress include:

Practising meditation, muscle relaxation, mindfulness techniques
Getting a good nights sleep
Exercise
Mindful eating
Alternative therapies such as massage, reflexology, aromatherapy
Positive thinking (easier said than done I know, but reading up on such theories may be helpful)
Counselling
Finding a support group

For other stress management tips read my previous article here on managing stress at home and here for managing modern day stress.

For more PCOS symptom related tips check out my symptom of the week post on unwanted/excessive hair growth here and my symptom of the week post on oily skin/acne here.

I hope these tips are somewhat helpful to anyone dealing with the symptoms of PCOS. I know a lot of them are quite generic and trust me I know how annoying this can be, but unfortunately there is no fix me button anywhere. If there was I would have been first in the queue to press it.

I would love to hear if anyone else has any tips they would like to add, or maybe any part of their PCOS journey they would like to share.

Sarah xx

Happy 2022 Everyone!! I hope you are doing well and have had at the very least a relaxing festive period. Here we are back again for another new year and hopefully with lots of happiness on the horizon.

To kick start Me, Myself and Chronic Illness blog for the year, I thought I would follow what I did for my first post of 2021 and that is a chronic illness gift haul. For anyone who isn’t aware, hauls are something I have seen YouTubers do whereby they share what gifts they had for Christmas – but my version of course is sprinkled with some chronic illness cheer. If you would like to read what I got last year check out my first chronic illness gift haul here.

Before I begin I would like to re-mention what I said last time – gifts are not about expense they are about thought and therefore are personal to the individual. I would also like to say that like with anything you read, you should always check with your doctor first about trying any new product, our bodies are all different and as a result what is helpful to one person may be completely inappropriate for another.

Items to keep me warm

I actually used this header last year and that is because I am often gifted items to keep me warm due to being so cold! This last year I was diagnosed with Raynaud’s which as a result leaves me with incredibly cold hands and feet. With this in mind for Christmas I received multiple items to keep my feet toasty including fluffy socks, slipper boots, slipper boot socks (I guess a mix between a boot and a sock) and probably the best invention ever for a cold cat like me – an electronic foot warmer. Let’s just say when the feet go in they do not want to come out!

Other items to keep me warm included pyjamas and a long hot water bottle – ideal for putting in my bed.

Items to keep me entertained

As we know chronic illness life can be a merry go round at the best of times, so it is really important to find things to distract ourselves. I am an avid book reader when my illnesses allow, so I was thrilled to receive a few books including one detailing the life of my favourite artist.

Last year I also discovered my love for cross stitch (I say it like it was an immediate love, but in all honesty it took me several goes to start enjoying it) and again this is often energy and symptom dependent, but when I can do it, it brings me completely in the zone. For Christmas I received some lovely cross stitch kits and patterns to enjoy at my own pace, as well as a lovely craft box to hold all my bits and bobs in.

A Weighted Blanket

I have been umming and arrghing for a long while about getting a weighted blanket, and read various reviews on whether they are good for chronic illness or not. I know some people find them really relaxing whereas others have found them painful for their bodies, so it has definitely been a mixed bag of opinions. Let’s just say I think this really is probably a product based on individual preferences.

I have yet to use my blanket, but I am really happy with getting the opportunity to use this product. It may not be the best for my Fibromyalgia, but I am really keen to see if it makes a difference with my anxiety and comfort levels – and who knows perhaps my Tourette’s? Either way I am really excited to find out and report back.

Sunglasses

Since my diagnosis of UCTD being in the sun has become a prevalent issue for me as has protecting my eyes from any harmful lights. Being gifted a proper pair of UV protection sunglasses is not only a thoughtful gift, but a necessary one.

Other Items

Diary – Great to keep track of my appointments, blood tests and medication ordering
Money – Always a much needed gift when living a chronic illness life
Make-up/Clothing – To make me feel like a functioning human being even if at times I am far from it

All the gifts I received last Christmas (I almost fell into the trap and put this year) are gifts I am incredibly grateful for because they are gifts which aid in helping me manage my symptoms whilst also factoring in I am more than chronic illnesses.

Gifts aren’t about expense or quantity, nevertheless I wanted to show a realistic haul representing a life like mine and that could give ideas which may be of benefit in the future.

How did your festive season turn out? Are there any chronic illness friendly gifts you received that would benefit others? If you would like to share I would love to hear them in the comments.

Here’s to a fab 2022 for us all 💕

Sarah xx