When Briony May Williams was signed off sick from her job as a teacher in Bristol in 2013, she began baking as a way to deal with the stress of it all.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0I had lots of symptoms, I was absolutely exhausted and could barely walk up stairs, my body odour changed and funny things like that,\u00a0\u00bb she said.<\/p>\n
After seven months, she was diagnosed with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).<\/p>\n
PMOS is a hormonal and metabolic disorder, which until recently was known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0If I hadn’t got that in 2013, I wouldn’t have started baking,\u00a0\u00bb Williams said.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0If I hadn’t started baking and carried on baking, I wouldn’t have gone on Bake Off five years later and my life wouldn’t be what it is now.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
Since her first TV appearance on the Great British Bake Off in 2018, Williams has built a career as a presenter.<\/p>\n
She has worked for BBC One shows Morning Live and Escape To The Country, as well as Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped.<\/p>\n
Back in 2013, Williams was put on a treatment regime following her diagnosis, and within two months was able to return to work.<\/p>\n
Williams, who manages her symptoms through medication and diet, is now hoping to increase public awareness of PMOS and improve diagnosis rates.<\/p>\n
The syndrome affects how women’s ovaries work, according to the NHS.<\/p>\n
The three main features of PMOS are irregular periods; high levels of the hormone androgen, resulting in excess facial or body hair; and enlarged ovaries, with fluid-filled sacs surrounding eggs.<\/p>\n
Any two of these features can result in a PMOS diagnosis.<\/p>\n
Other possible symptoms can include weight gain, difficulty getting pregnant, oily skin and thinning hair.<\/p>\n
There is no cure, but the symptoms can be treated, and most women with PMOS are able to get pregnant with treatment.<\/p>\n
PCOS was renamed to PMOS on 12 May following concerns that the original term resulted in an undue focus on \u00ab\u00a0cysts\u00a0\u00bb and ovaries \u2013 when the syndrome in fact has a wide range of symptoms.<\/p>\n
The fluid-filled sacs that can be present in the ovaries with PMOS are not in fact cysts, according to the NHS.<\/p>\n
The International PCOS Network previously said it hoped the name change would improve understanding and help with treatment and diagnoses.<\/p>\n
Williams said: \u00ab\u00a0Hopefully lots of people out there who will be suffering with PMOS will get a diagnosis sooner and get more understanding from the healthcare professionals they see, from their family, from their support system.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
However, the baking star turned presenter said the delay in her diagnosis may have brought about her TV successes.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0I got quite emotional when I found out [about the name change] because I thought if it had this name back in 2013, would I have got a diagnosis quicker?<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0If [the delay] hadn’t have happened, then so many other wonderful things wouldn’t have happened,\u00a0\u00bb she said.<\/p>\n
Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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