Kung May PCOS Ka, May Kulang Ka Ba? — Reflections from Meiko Montefalco’s Love Story

While scrolling through TikTok recently, I came across a trending issue involving Meiko Montefalco and her husband.

Their love story used to be something people admired. Parang modern fairytale — nagsama, nagkaanak, ikinasal, nagtulungan sa career, sabay nangarap. And yet, just like many stories we thought would last forever, it ended in heartbreak.

One stayed. One strayed.

And the whole internet had one question: Bakit kung kailan kasal na, saka pa nagloko?

It stirred something in me. Hindi lang dahil sa chismis or sa issue itself, but because I found myself reflecting on my own experiences as a woman living with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

Suddenly, Meiko’s story wasn’t just hers. In many ways, it felt like mine. Or ours.

Ang Laban ng May PCOS

If you’re a woman with PCOS, you probably already know the kind of silent battles we face.

It’s not just about irregular periods, hormonal acne, weight gain, or infertility. It’s also the unspoken shame, the anxiety, the pressure of feeling like your body is betraying you. And worse, the fear that you might not be “enough” for someone to stay.

Kaya nang marinig ko ang kwento ni Meiko, I found myself asking: May kulang ba talaga sa akin?

Is having PCOS a burden so big that it pushes people away?

But then, I remembered something important: PCOS doesn’t make me less lovable. It doesn’t make me less worthy of loyalty, commitment, and effort. And no diagnosis should ever be a reason to be left behind.

Hindi Lang Si Meiko, Marami Tayo

Meiko’s experience is not isolated.

Ang daming babae ang pinipiling magmahal ng totoo, pero nauuwi sa iniwan, niloko, o pinagtaksilan.

And when you have a condition like PCOS, the heartbreak hits harder. Because you’re already battling your own doubts, and then here comes betrayal, confirming your worst fears.

But let me say this loud and clear: You are not your condition.

Hindi dahilan ang pagkakaroon ng PCOS para iwanan ka. Hindi mo kasalanan kung may hormonal imbalance ka. At lalong hindi mo dapat ikahiya kung may pinagdaraanan ka sa kalusugan mo.

Kung tutuusin, mas matatag pa nga tayo. We wake up every day carrying the weight of uncertainty, of medical appointments, of unanswered prayers, and yet we still choose to show up—to love, to hope, to fight.

The Realities of Relationships

Let’s be honest.

Even without PCOS, relationships are hard. Marriage is hard. And contrary to what fairytales say, love alone is not always enough.

It takes commitment, effort, forgiveness, understanding, and patience.

Just like what Dr. John Gottman said in his book The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work:

“Happily married couples aren’t smarter, richer, or more psychologically astute than others. But in their day-to-day lives, they have hit upon a dynamic that keeps their negative thoughts and feelings about each other (which all couples have) from overwhelming their positive ones.”

Ang sikreto ng matibay na relasyon ay hindi sa talino, yaman, o galing mag-advise sa iba.

It’s the small, everyday choices to be kind, to stay, to say “I’m sorry,” to choose love kahit may tampuhan, kahit pagod na, kahit hindi perpekto. And this applies to all marriages—whether may PCOS si misis or wala.

Araw-Araw na Pagpipili

The truth is, there will be bad days.

May mga araw na you’ll ask, “Worth it pa ba ‘to?”

There will be moments when you feel invisible, undesired, unworthy. But those are the exact moments when love matters most.

Yung simpleng “Good morning, love” kahit pagod pa sa trabaho.
Yung “Salamat, ha” kahit maliit lang ang na-contribute.
Yung pag-intindi sa mood swings, kahit hindi mo naiintindihan minsan sarili mo.
Yung lambing na kahit late na, hahanapin pa rin.

Because marriage is not about finding someone perfect. It’s about finding someone who chooses you, flaws and all.

And if you’re the partner of someone with PCOS, I hope you realize how much strength she carries. Hindi lang sa katawan niya, kundi sa puso niyang araw-araw na lumalaban.

When PCOS Affects Intimacy and Fertility

One of the most painful realities of PCOS is its effect on intimacy and fertility.

There are days na ayaw mo mahawakan. There are months na hindi ka dinadatnan. There are years na puro negative ang pregnancy test.

And then you start to question your worth as a woman. “Kung hindi ako mabuntis, magiging mabuting asawa pa ba ako?”

But hear me out:

Your ability to conceive does not determine your worth.

Hindi mo kailangang maging ina para maging buo. Hindi mo kailangang maging perpekto para maging karapat-dapat sa pagmamahal. You are whole, even with scars, even with pills on your bedside, even with tears falling at 2 AM.

Your journey might be different, but it’s still beautiful.

To the Woman Reading This

Maybe you’ve been left. Maybe you’re still waiting. Maybe you’re happily married but scared. Or maybe, tulad ko, nagre-reflect lang habang naka-upo sa isang tahimik na sulok.

I want you to know that you are not alone.

You are not weak for wanting love. You are not dramatic for feeling everything deeply. And you are definitely not unworthy because of your diagnosis.

You deserve someone who will stay. Someone who will choose you every single day. Someone who won’t run at the first sign of difficulty.

Someone who will say, “Kahit anong mangyari, ikaw pa rin ang pipiliin ko.”

The Kind of Love We Deserve

Let’s stop romanticizing relationships that are based on shallow affection.

Let’s start recognizing the value of consistency, respect, and quiet devotion. Because at the end of the day, that’s what sustains a relationship—not just flowers or grand gestures, but the daily choice to be kind, to be faithful, to be present.

So whether you have PCOS or not, whether you’re in a relationship or still hoping for one—know this:

You are enough. You are lovable. You are worthy.

And when the right kind of love comes, you won’t have to beg for it. Because it will choose you. Hormones and all. Scars and all. Even on the days you can’t choose yourself.

Kaya sa lahat ng may PCOS, sa lahat ng babae na napagod, nasaktan, o iniwan — this is for you.

We are not broken. We are not unworthy. We are powerful, tender, and resilient.

And most of all, we deserve a love that stays.

Love, Reese ❤️

PCOS Millennials