Description
Darla Billington was just 15 when she started dealing with irregular periods, cystic acne and facial hair growth. The symptoms made everyday life difficult and unpredictable.
“Physically it was exhausting,” Billington said. “I was constantly dealing with bleeding that was irregular, so it’s like you can never plan anything accurately.”
Eventually, Billington was diagnosed with PCOS, a condition now being referred to by health experts as PMOS, or polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome.
The updated name is intended to better reflect the condition’s whole-body impact, including hormones, metabolism, skin, weight, mental health and fertility.
Dr. Rachel Wykes, an OB/GYN with Lee Health, said PMOS can affect several systems in the body because reproductive hormones, insulin and glucose are closely connected.
Wykes said one of the first things she discusses with patients is diet and how small lifestyle changes can support treatment.
“Health starts at the grocery store,” Wykes said. “If we can start with simple changes when we go to the grocery store, that can be revolutionary.”
After a procedure at HealthPark helped address prolonged bleeding, Billington began changing her habits, losing weight and working with her care team to manage her health.
“Now I feel much more at peace,” Billington said. “I can decide what I want to do with my day. I can decide to go to the pool, go for a nature walk and actually explore and do outdoor activities that before, I just had no motivation to do.”
Billington hopes sharing her story helps others recognize the symptoms and talk with their doctor about treatment options. With the right care plan, PMOS can be managed and patients can begin feeling more like themselves again.
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Lee Health in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of health care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For more than 100 years, we’ve been providing our community with personalized preventative health services and primary care to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.
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