This is interview #2 in a month-long series highlighting women with PCOS.

In case you are new to the series and are just jumping in (you can read interview #1 here), here is a little background about these articles.

September is PCOS Awareness Month. In hopes to spread awareness about this condition and how it affects women of all ages and types; for the entire month I am shining the spotlight on amazing women who just so happen to have PCOS.

The goal of this interview series is to show you that PCOS comes in many different forms. No two women with PCOS are the same. Women with PCOS do not have a certain body type. Women with PCOS come in all shapes in sizes. PCOS does not discriminate.

If you are struggling with PCOS symptoms, know that you are not alone. You will see that these women have been where you are and understand the emotional side of PCOS. Hopefully, these honest and real answers will inspire you and bring you hope.

Today’s interview is with Chelsea Savelle. Chelsea is another badass cyster who believes in helping others. She is the founder of the blog PCOS Girl Bye! where she likes to help educate, inspire, encourage, and spread awareness about PCOS. Chelsea believes in lifting others up. When I reached out to Chelsea about this series, she responded let me know what you need and I would be happy to help! It is so nice to be able to collaborate with other strong women who believe in the same cause!!! :)

Below you will see the Q&A that I had with Chelsea.

1.      When did you get diagnosed with PCOS and did you have a difficult time getting diagnosed by a doctor?

In 2013 my menstrual cycle stopped suddenly. I knew I wasn’t pregnant and after a few months, I became worried that something was wrong with my body. After a Google search, all signs and symptoms pointed to PCOS.

I made an appointment with an OB/GYN who specialized in the condition and other hormonal imbalances. I was officially diagnosed with PCOS in 2014 during my first appointment with my new OB/GYN.

Thankfully I didn’t have a difficult time being diagnosed by my doctor but it’s unfortunate that so many women have PCOS but haven’t received a proper diagnosis.

RELATED: The Long road to my PCOS diagnosis

2.      How did you feel when you were diagnosed with PCOS and why?

I felt many mixed emotions after being diagnosed with PCOS. When I received my official diagnosis, I was relieved because it validated my concerns and confirmed that I truly knew my body.

I was also afraid because I didn’t know what it would mean for my future ability to conceive children or if I would be able to live a normal life.

Up until my diagnosis, I had been dealing with different variations of PCOS symptoms since I was in high school and I was worried I would never feel “normal.”

3.        Which PCOS symptoms do you struggle (or have struggled) with the most?

I think I am the poster child for PCOS symptoms. Irregular menstrual cycles, hair loss, hirsutism (unwanted hair), weight gain, acne, excess belly fat, fatigue and acanthosis nigricans are just some of the symptoms I’ve dealt with over the years.

Many of these symptoms have improved since adopting a healthier lifestyle but I still deal with holding on to belly weight, occasional acne flare ups, and acanthosis nigricans.

4.      I know you have shared on social media that you have dealt with hair loss. What advice can you give to help other women who are in the same boat? Any products that have helped?

Vitamin D supplements have helped me a lot with hair loss.

I was prescribed a 50,000 iu supplement once a week. After a couple months of taking the supplement, I experienced a significant reduction in hair shedding and my hair began to grow back thicker and healthier.

I would recommend anyone with PCOS to have their Vitamin D levels checked since we are more likely to have a deficiency.

One of the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency is hair loss so many women with PCOS may benefit from a supplement.

5.    How have you had success managing your PCOS (any tips or tricks that have worked for you)?

Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition.

Like many women with PCOS, I’ve struggled with extreme carb cravings.

The first time I decided to eliminate processed carbs, I was amazed at how much better I felt just within the first week.

Although I am not dairy free, I limit the amount of dairy that I consume which has helped rid my body of inflammation.

Both factors have helped tremendously in managing my PCOS.

Working out regularly has also helped stabilize my mood and increase my energy. I feel healthier overall when I push my body physically.

It’s also been helpful to adopt a lifestyle of overall health, including mental health. Taking time for myself to do things that I enjoy has helped manage my anxiety and allowed me to focus on the positive things in life, which is so important.

RELATED: How to manage your PCOS symptoms

6.     What’s the best resource for PCOS?

I think there are many valuable resources for PCOS. A major resource is a knowledgeable and competent medical physician. It can sometimes be difficult to find a doctor who will advocate on your behalf but it makes a world of a difference when you do find one.

Social media has been a major resource for me in seeking encouragement and inspiration. There are also many awesome and helpful blogs online as well. (PCOSGirlBye.com being one of them, of course.)

7.       Why did you start your blog PCOS Girl Bye? And can you tell us a little about what “Girl Bye” means to you?

My greatest passion in life is being uplifting and encouraging to others. When I considered my journey with PCOS, I often felt alone and misunderstood. I realized that if I was feeling that way, then it is possible that many other women with PCOS felt that way as well.

I wanted to create a place that offered tips and encouragement for women suffering with this condition. I also wanted to build a community of women who can understand one another and connect on a different level.

PCOS is a very complicated condition but it’s encouraging when we can support one another and I felt the PCOS Girl Bye blog could aid in effort.

“Girl Bye” was something I’d say jokingly to my friends when one of them said something ridiculous; kind of like saying “Whatever.”

One day I was driving in my car and experiencing the PCOS blues. I could feel myself getting consumed with negative thoughts and was feeling bad for myself. All of a sudden, I said, “Psh, Girl Bye.” I immediately laughed after that and it became my way of holding myself accountable to staying positive and optimistic about my journey with PCOS. It seemed to be a very appropriate respond to PCOS and that is how PCOS Girl Bye was created.

8.      What advice would you give to someone who has just been diagnosed with PCOS?

Find a community of other women with PCOS.

There are so many pros to social media, especially the ability to connect with women who have similar experiences. I would advise someone who is recently diagnosed to get on Instagram and/or Facebook and seek those communities.

I would also suggest to do research on PCOS. There are so many great, free resources available online that can answer a lot of questions and concerns.

RELATED: A Letter to the newly diagnosed with PCOS

9.     What is something that you wish you knew earlier?

I initially thought my doctor would just tell me what to do and my PCOS symptoms would eventually go away.

I didn’t realize how complicated PCOS was and that sometimes it takes trying different things before you see results.

I wish I knew that everything doesn’t work for everyone. I would’ve been more patient with myself earlier on and I wouldn’t have compared my journey to someone else’s.

Although we can be encouraging and motivating to one another, we also must embrace our own journey and do what works best for ourselves.

10.     What keeps you motivated when you are having a bad day or going through a difficult situation?

My best motivators are my goals and my desire to be healthy.

PCOS is very scary and unfortunately can open the door to a lot of other medical conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.

With this in mind, I desire to live a long and healthy life so even when I have bad days, I constantly remind myself of the type of future I desire to have. I figure if I've made it this far, there’s no going back now.

RELATED: Inspiration and hope for difficult times

11.  What is the best piece of health advice you have ever received?

Take it one day at a time. This has been vital for me because I’ve learned that looking too far in advance on a health journey can be discouraging. But when we are patient with ourselves and take it one step at a time, the process is more enjoyable, and we are able to celebrate the small (and large) victories.

I'd like to thank Chelsea Savelle for her time and willingness to share her journey. I encourage you to check out her blog and follow her on Instagram where she shares tips, inspiration, and encouragement about life with PCOS.

If you are enjoying this series, please share them on social media! Let's help spread awareness about PCOS.

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