Monique Balgobin, 23, of East Canje, is turning years of bullying over her Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) symptoms into a platform for awareness and support.
Balgobin told Ignite News her period began at 13 and was initially normal before becoming irregular within months. "It came normal for about two to three months and then is when it went haywire, skipping two months, one month, a month turned into years," she said.
She later developed excessive facial hair and hair loss, drawing teasing and bullying in high school, including comments questioning her gender. "It was the days that I felt hurt. It was the days that I would go home not wanting to go back to school," she said. "There were days that I wanted to cry. It was the days that I went into the school's washroom and cried because of it."
Her family initially attributed the changes to hormonal development. It was not until she was 18, after severe abdominal pain led to an ultrasound, that she was told she had cysts on her ovaries rather than kidney stones as first believed. Blood work confirmed a diagnosis of the condition, formerly known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
"I felt like there was some type of hope that, you know, I finally knew what was going on," she said.
For the facial hair, Balgobin tried hair-removal products and waxing before turning to laser treatment, which she has undergone for almost a year. She also cut her hair after the loss continued, not yet aware PMOS was the cause. She said she has tried metformin, herbal remedies and supplements including inositol, without finding an effective treatment.
Balgobin began sharing her experience on TikTok under the handle "That Girl" after noticing people staring and whispering about her appearance. She now uses the platform to educate others and said she receives regular messages from people with similar symptoms.
"There were points in my life where I felt like completely giving up because, you know, I wasn't going anywhere," she said, citing pain, unsuccessful treatments, bullying, anxiety and depression among the challenges. She credited her family, close friends and the people who reach out to her with keeping her going.
Balgobin said she hopes her advocacy encourages greater awareness, understanding and support for people living with PMOS.