Living with PCOS: Reclaiming My Body and My Joy

This World Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Day, Lived Experience Advocate Soph shares her journey navigating PCOS and body image struggles.

I was diagnosed with PCOS in July 2022, a condition I knew almost nothing about. My body was changing in ways that felt completely out of my control. I hadn’t had a period for nearly five months, I was struggling with anxiety and depression, and I was experiencing a host of symptoms that left me exhausted and confused.

After blood tests and an internal ultrasound revealed multi-follicular ovaries, scarring on my right ovary, and other symptoms like hirsutism and irregular cycles, my GP confirmed Insulin Resistant PCOS. I really liked my doctor and had always trusted her, but my diagnosis experience was unfortunately quite textbook. The first thing she asked was: “Are you planning to have kids anytime soon?” When I said no, her response was: “Well, I’ll put you on birth control and then come back when you want to have kids.”

I left the GP in tears. It was overwhelming to be told I had a lifelong condition and then be offered no guidance on how to manage it beyond masking the symptoms with medication. For someone like me, who thrives on learning and understanding, the lack of information felt crushing. I thought it was simply a medical label, something my doctor could explain, treat, and help me manage. What I didn’t anticipate was how deeply it would impact the way I felt about my body, my relationship with food, and even my sense of identity. Once the initial shock eased, I realised I couldn’t wait for the medical system to hand me the answers. I had to take ownership of my condition, learn everything I could about PCOS, and make changes that would help me feel better. If I wanted to move forward, I had to find a way to pull myself out of that dark place.

More Than a Number

In the early days, after doing some research and speaking with peers, I went back to my GP and asked for a referral to an endocrinologist. I hoped this would give me clearer information about PCOS and point me in the right direction. But as soon as I walked into that appointment, before I had even sat down, the doctor looked at me and said something along the lines of: “So, you’re here to discuss weight loss options?” I was mortified. That was not why I was there at all. Yet before I could explain, she launched into a list of strategies focused entirely on my body size. Almost every healthcare conversation seemed to come back to numbers, as though that was the only lever I could pull to manage my symptoms. At times, it felt like my humanity was being reduced to a statistic.

This narrow focus was not just unhelpful, it was harmful. It planted seeds of distrust in my own body and pushed me deeper into cycles of restriction and guilt. Instead of feeling supported, I felt ashamed. Instead of being educated about the true complexity of PCOS, including hormones, genetics, insulin resistance, and mental health, I was left believing that my condition was my fault.

Relearning My Body

I realised that in order to feel better, I needed to strip everything back and rebuild my relationship with my body, with food, and with movement. What supported me was not a new diet or strict plan. It came from the slow, gentle work of learning to listen to my body again. I began walking by the ocean most mornings, not because I hoped it would change my shape, but because it grounded me. Those sunrises soothed parts of me I did not even know were aching. Over time, movement shifted from being about control to becoming an act of connection, to my breath, my body, and the world around me. I also began to unravel the belief that my worth or health could be measured by my size. With the support of compassionate voices and communities in the PCOS and body image space, I came to understand that managing PCOS is not one-size-fits-all, and it certainly is not served by shame.

Permission to Trust Myself

The most helpful support I received was not a medical directive, it was the permission I gave myself. Permission to rest. Permission to step away from numbers and comparisons. Permission to embrace movement that brought me joy, not punishment. One piece of advice that has stayed with me is this: your body is not a problem to be solved. For so long, I saw my body as something broken, something to fix. Reframing it as something worthy of care, compassion, and even celebration was transformative. I also learned that PCOS is about so much more than size or appearance. Hormones, mental health, sleep, inflammation, and many other factors all play a role. By broadening the conversation beyond numbers, I finally felt I could approach my condition with curiosity instead of fear.

What I Want Others to Know

If you are living with PCOS, I want you to know that your body is not your enemy. You deserve treatment and support that looks at the whole picture, not just the numbers. You deserve movement that brings you joy, food that nourishes you and makes you happy, and healthcare that does not reduce you to the number on the scales.

PCOS is a lifelong condition, but it does not mean a lifetime of shame. For me, World PCOS Day is a reminder that we need to change the conversation. We need to move away from the number on the scales or wanting children as the default “treatment” and instead provide care that uplifts, empowers, and honours the whole person. Because PCOS is not just about hormones, it is about people. And people deserve to feel safe in their bodies.

I will leave you with an affirmation I repeat to myself daily: “I can do hard things.” And so can you.

About the Author

I’m Soph Lewis, I’m 33 years old and was diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 30. That diagnosis was the beginning of a journey that reshaped how I understood my health, my body, and my wellbeing. I am extremely passionate about PCOS awareness and women’s health, especially around the ways these conditions impact mental health and body image.

Over the last few years, I’ve worked hard to manage my PCOS symptoms in sustainable ways. Sharing my lived experience has become really important to me, because I know how isolating this journey can feel. My hope is that by opening up about my own story, I can help others feel supported and empowered to find their own path to feeling better.

I work in creative marketing and love sharing content on social media that centres on fashion, joyful movement, and PCOS advocacy. I find joy in being by the ocean, swimming and walking, exploring new places, trying new foods, and travelling whenever I can. Oh, and I really love shoes.