- Bebe Rexha has shared details of her ongoing battle with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) on TikTok
- The singer said she had her period for 20 days in February and now relies on medication to keep her period regular
- Rexha said a painful cyst sent her to the ER two weeks ago and she was in so much pain the doctor thought she had appendicitis
Bebe Rexha is sharing symptoms of her ongoing battle with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which left her on her period for most of February due to aggravation.
After she mentioned that she had polycystic ovary syndrome during a mukbang – a video taken while eating – multiple fans commented that they too have struggled with the disorder.
“I couldn’t believe how many women have PCOS,” the 30-year-old singer said on TikTok on Thursday, where she responded to a number of comments — especially those about her symptoms — and shared her own experience.
“The first symptom: irregular periods,” she said. “February was 28 days long, I had my period for 20 days. I had 10 days of menstruation, a week off and then another 10 days.”
“I won’t get my period for a few months. Super, super irregular,” said the “I’m Good (Blue)” singer.
The Mayo Clinic explains that PCOS is a hormonal disorder where “many small sacs of fluid develop along the outer edge of the ovary… Small fluid-filled cysts contain immature eggs. They are called follicles. The follicles fail to release eggs regularly.”
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Type 2 diabetes and heart disease can be long-term complications of the disorder, the Mayo Clinic adds, and irregular periods and excess hair can also be symptoms of the condition.
And as the Cleveland Clinic adds, weight gain is a concern because of the insulin resistance that some with PCOS develop — which is what happened to Rexha.
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The “Chase It (Mmm Da Da Da)” singer said she takes metformin, a diabetes drug that helps lower blood sugar levels, saying it’s “the only thing that’s really brought me back in a way.”
She also talked about her struggle with weight, which she said was a challenge due to PCOS.
“I gained a lot of weight in about four years. Like, a lot,” said Rexha, who has spoken publicly about her fluctuating weight. She said she weighed her food, exercised to burn up to 700 calories per workout and restricted her calorie intake to 1,400 a day in an effort to lose weight.
Bebe Rexha to perform at Coachella in April 2024.
Emma McIntyre/Getty
“My doctor said, ‘Do you think it’s sustainable to eat 1,400 calories and burn 700?’ and I said, ‘No’.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, an active 30-year-old woman needs up to 2,400 calories a day.
She continued: “My doctor once told me that a woman with PCOS could eat a bowl of blueberries and it would be like a normal person eating an entire pie.”
While she said the medication has helped get her period back on track, she said she still struggles with painful cysts – and ended up in urgent care two weeks ago for a “ruptured cyst”.
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“I was in so much pain that my doctor thought it was appendicitis,” she said. “It was so bad.”
“Tylenol didn’t work, Advil didn’t work. Guys, I felt sick to my stomach. The pain was so bad. The only thing that has helped me – and I think you should try this if you have cysts – is a heating pad.”
Rexha shared that she’ll also get pimples from PCOS or get “super bloated,” and said she’d love to make more videos to share her experience with the disorder.
“I’m not a doctor, but I can give you the knowledge that I know,” she said, “because I know that PCOS is very difficult and it’s just bullshit, and I have a lot of really cool facts.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education