INTERVIEW WITH PCOS COMMUNITY MEMBER CARMEN VIGIL
JANUARY 30, 2014
Interviewer: Ashley Levinson-Sells, PCOS Awareness Advocate
This evening I had the pleasure of chatting with fellow community member Carmen Vigil @cmv_asl on twitter about life with PCOS. Carmen is 30 years old and lives in the SF Bay area. She is a special ed para educator & independent contracted tutor. She is an educated Latina whose motto is "Live, Love, Laugh"
Like so many others Carmen has gone through a sort of epiphany about what PCOS is and how it affects you physically and emotionally. She reminds us that PCOS is a battle that is fought for your entire life but, armed with the right knowledge and support, it can be managed!
In opening Carmen grabbed my attention with a phrase that reminded me of why I advocate for PCOS "I'm in the fight too, I was diagnosed 6 years ago"
and so the interview begins.........
ASHLEY: What lead to your dx??
CARMEN: I went to the ob/gyn & he took one look at me & the list of symptoms & I had all of em.
ASHLEY: Had you ever heard of PCOS prior to that?
CARMEN: I had no damn clue what it was. When I got diagnosed I was handed a business card with a bunch of letters to "google for myself"
ASHLEY: Wow no pamphlet, nothing just 4 letters
CARMEN: Exactly.
ASHLEY: So with 4 letters in your hand your journey began...so what did you do first?
CARMEN: I was in shock. I cried. I didn't know what to exactly do. I went to the cdc online. I went to webmd. I literally googled "pcos" and clicked on every link I could.
ASHLEY: How did your friends and family react?
CARMEN: My parents were pretty awesome. There are people that don't understand. I don't share with those people.
ASHLEY: Why do you think its so hard for people to understand???
CARMEN: I think it's hard to understand because people take everything for granted. At least that's how I felt. It's emotional and psychological. You think you have something forever and time. That's where it gets weird. You have time but do you have time to do the massive lifestyle change/ foods/exercise???
ASHLEY: Did you find information useful or overwhelming at first?
CARMEN: Information was overwhelming. I wasn't sleeping and I was stressed. I cried a lot. I thought I was broken. No one would want me
ASHLEY: So what's the hardest thing for you to deal with?
CARMEN: The hardest thing for me to deal with physically is the cramps and pain once a month. I kill for days.
ASHLEY: And what do you think docs need to do to help us get better treatment?
CARMEN: I went through 3 drs before I was sent to a specialist... She was supposedly a PCOS specialist and an ob/gyn. There needs to be more information for doctors also.
ASHLEY: Now that you know you're not alone does it make it easier?
CARMEN: Finding friends/groups that you can relate to helps.
ASHLEY: What would you like to say to people about life with pcos?
CARMEN: Find remedies that work for you. I am more vitamins & exercise. Find people to talk to. Find people that love you for your imperfections
ASHLEY: Ok so one last question...What changes would you like to see occur to make PCOS more widely known and accepted?
CARMEN: More events. More social stuff,5ks & ribbon awareness!
I would like to thank Carmen for taking the time to share her story and answer tough questions so openly. It's because of women like Carmen we gain understanding, knowledge and compassion for a syndrome that is still undiagnosed and misdiagnosed on a daily basis. As more of our community members let their voices be heard, we will reach beyond the walls of the PCOS Community and ensure Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) becomes a household name!
You can support Carmen on twitter by following her @cmv_asi
For more facts about PCOS and to share your story please visit Ashley PCOS Gurl @jerzgurlie
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