048: Living with PCOS and Hashimoto’s – Jaclyn’s Story

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS, affects as many as 5 million women in the US. PCOS is the most common endocrine disorder among women and is the most common cause of infertility. Hashimoto’s Disease is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the thyroid, leading to hypothyroidism, and is the most common thyroid disorder in the US. Hashimoto’s affects more than 14 million in the US. Jaclyn was diagnosed with both PCOS and Hashimoto’s within a little more than a year. Join us to hear her story of how she trusted her body, fought for her diagnoses, and made incremental lifestyle changes for big results.

In this episode, you’ll learn:  

• The signs and symptoms of PCOS and Hashimoto’s and how they can overlap. 
• Strategies for managing hormonal health, including the role of lifestyle changes. 
• The importance of encouragement from family and friends when something is wrong, and that it isn’t just in your head. 
• The importance of self-advocacy in the healthcare system. 

More about Jaclyn:

Jaclyn Bellini is a twenty-five-year-old woman from Millstone Township, New Jersey. Growing up, she had a slow metabolism and struggled with weakness, but was always told by doctors it was solely due to genetics and poor lifestyle practices. After graduating from Cornell University, she moved to Manhattan during COVID-19. Many of the mild symptoms that always persisted began to be reversed over time through balance and lifestyle choices. However, due to multiple factors over the following years, her health was brought to its limits, flaring to its worst state yet. 

Once diagnosed with PCOS in the spring of 2023, she began visiting multiple specialists and physicians until she found the root cause of her symptoms, including PCOS. After a year of discovery and persistence, Jaclyn found the right doctor and was diagnosed with the autoimmune disorder Hashimoto’s. Jaclyn is passionate about ensuring that other individuals struggling with hormonal imbalance related disorders are not only believed, but find treatment that works to reverse conditions by finding their root causes so that women are not denied the bodies they have the right to live in. 

In her free time, Jaclyn also writes and performs poetry, tries new restaurants, and goes to concerts. Currently, she resides in the West Village (where she continues to figure this thing called life out).