Real Stories: From the Minipill to PCOS with Eden Holdaway
READING TIME
5 min
What's your worst, funniest, or most awkward period story?
When I was maybe 14/15, I was walking across the road in a thunderstorm. I had one of the worst, sharpest cramps of my LIFE, so bad that I legitimately thought I had been struck by lightning, but NO, it was just my period cramps. Had to call my mum and cry in the rain LOL
What have you demystified about your female body that you wish you knew when you were younger?
I always thought mood swings were always negative emotions like being grumpy or upset. However, I actually have the opposite, on the first day of my period my mood is AMAZING, one time I cried happy tears because the sunrise was so pretty. I thought I'd lost the plot and never linked it to my cycle - I'd only ever heard of negative mood swings. I'm yet to hear anyone else have this experience
Have you been diagnosed with a women's health or gut health condition? If so, how did you know something wasn't right, and what was your journey like to get answers?
Yep! For me, my first warning sign was a little different to what I often hear about. I had been on a minipill for several years and switched to the depo provera injections, however after only about 12 weeks I gained maybe 8-9kg. This was super alarming as I had previously maintained a really consistent weight. This as well as acne, mood swings and a general "knowing" that I didn't feel myself.
What was your diagnosis experience like?
My PCOS diagnosis came in 2023, and was really straight forward. I have an incredible (female, obviously) GP who diagnosed it based on symptoms alone and referred me for an ultrasound which also confirmed the "string of pearls" appearance on my ovaries. Most recently I've been having a lot of pain and other issues. The same GP has sent me back to Dr Fiona Connell (loved the cyclist ep with her!!) who has me booked in for a laparoscopy this month to investigate endo. So, so thankful that I have private insurance and amazing women who have helped this process be far smoother for me than I know it is for so many others.
How has your condition impacted your daily life?
PCOS has really manifested itself as chronic inflammation for me, which expresses itself with funky skin issues, bloating and periods of awful fatigue. I can't say if it is endo or not yet but I have also had heaps of cyclical pain lately which has had me literally bedbound and nauseated for days - which is new for me. I plan my days around my diet - managing blood sugar is a full time job!
What symptoms made you think something wasn't right with your body?
Initially the weight gain sent me to the GP, but as I became more and more educated, I felt like all the dots were connecting. I also have an incredibly rare breast tumour (benign, thankfully) that is thought to be caused by hormone imbalance. The weight gain, breast tumour and migraines I had been experiencing were all being treated separately, but one day I spoke to the GP about how I felt they must all be connected and I started looking into my hormonal health a lot more.
Have you tried anything that has helped you manage your symptoms?
SLEEP! I cannot express the value of sleep enough. I am a daily drinker of blood sugar babe, I focus on high protein and fibre. But also I am learning to chill TF out by introducing meditative yoga - this helps control stress and in turn hormones. It really feels like doing less is doing more for me.
What's one thing you wish more people understood about women's health?
There is no "normal", just what is normal for YOU. Any changes you experience that don't fit your normal should be escalated, and you can only do that by understanding your body (which you know better than anybody else).
What's the best piece of advice you've been given?
Block a whole bunch of terms on your social media. You need a few good resources, and advice from trained professionals. There are so many tiktok/instagram 'experts' who will give you such conflicting, useless advice and it will completely overwhelm you. Only listen to those who know their stuff and keep it simple.
When your body feels hard to live in, how do you take care of yourself?
Strip it right back to basics. Eat easy food (my go to is air fried fish and chips - lots of omega 3 and vitamin c and takes literally 10 mins), sleep an extra hour if I can and take some deeeep breaths. Letting my body and brain relax is so important to me as someone with (medicated) ADHD who is going a million miles an hour too often.
. If you could go back and tell your younger self one thing about your body or your journey, what would it be?
Learn your body, know what feels right and what doesn't - pay attention to your gut feelings too.
