Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that affects how a woman's ovaries work.

The 3 main features of PCOS are:

• irregular periods – which means your ovaries do not regularly release eggs (ovulation)
• excess androgen – high levels of "male" hormones in your body, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial or body hair
• polycystic ovaries – your ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs (follicles) that surround the eggs (but despite the name, you do not actually have cysts if you have PCOS)

If you have at least 2 of these features, you may be diagnosed with PCOS.

Polycystic ovaries

Polycystic ovaries contain a large number of harmless follicles that are up to 8mm (approximately 0.3in) in size. 

The follicles are underdeveloped sacs in which eggs develop. In PCOS, these sacs are often unable to release an egg, which means ovulation does not take place.

It's difficult to know exactly how many women have PCOS, but it's thought to be very common, affecting about 1 in every 10 women in the UK.

More than half of these women do not have any symptoms.

Symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

If you have signs and symptoms of PCOS, they'll usually become apparent during your late teens or early 20s.

They can include:

• irregular periods or no periods at all
• difficulty getting pregnant as a result of irregular ovulation or failure to ovulate
• excessive hair growth (hirsutism) – usually on the face, chest, back or buttocks
• weight gain
• thinning hair and hair loss from the head
• oily skin or acne

PCOS is also associated with an increased risk of developing health problems in later life, such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol levels.

I have done as much research into it as I can over the years, I have tried getting help from the doctors, I have tried every diet going. 

Unfortunately PCOS is so misunderstood and there isn't nearly enough help out there. 

I have been told "Just loose weight" many of times and with PCOS losing weight is extremely hard to do. But it's not just weight that it affects. 

It has affected my self esteem, not just because of my weight but all the other symptoms that can come along with it. 

PCOS can affect everyone differently and there are different types. Since I was diagnosed I have tried reading books, following pages on social media and just trying to understand it and how I can help myself. 

While also suffering from anxiety and depression since my early teens I have gone on a journey of getting to a place now where I am mentally at my best I would say. Now I want to try and put in that effort to be physically good as well. For my health more than anything.  

Now more than ever we all need to support each other. I have set myself a challenge 'No chocolate from the 1st of Feb to the 1st of April (Because my birthday is the 4th of April and I am one of those people who doesn't have just a birthday I also have a birthday week haha) 

The other challenge I have to face is the problem I have with food and anything sugary that doesn't help me at all. I have decided to go cold turkey. It's a habit that I haven't been able to break for years. 

I am going to need a bit of support and I want to raise awareness for PCOS as I feel it needs to be understood more. 

'Lose pounds to make pounds'. I am going to try and lose as much as I can (but in a healthy way) by the 1st of April. 

Lets do this!!

Every little helps :)