Lori Harvey details decade-long struggle with PCOS and endometriosis that led to emergency surgery
The model says repeated dismissals by clinicians ended after consultation with OB-GYN Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi; physician calls the case a sign of wider gaps in women's health care
Lori Harvey said she spent more than a decade enduring painful, unexplained symptoms before receiving diagnoses of polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis that prompted emergency surgery.
Harvey, 28, recounted her experience on a recent episode of the SheMD podcast with Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi and Mary Alice Haney, saying her complaints were repeatedly brushed aside by clinicians who told her "you're fine" even as she felt "something's off" in her body. She said the symptoms began around age 16 and included intense menstrual pain, extreme bloating after eating, acne, rosacea, facial hair and wild weight fluctuations despite a strict workout routine.
After a first appointment with Dr. Aliabadi, an OB-GYN in Los Angeles who treats high-profile patients, Harvey said the physician identified "quite a few things" that led to diagnoses of PCOS and endometriosis. Harvey recalled being told that her ovaries were "so swollen and inflamed" that it would have been "impossible" to get pregnant without intervention. She said an emergency surgery two days after that visit removed a large cyst, which Aliabadi described as an endometrioma — a cyst caused by endometriosis.
Aliabadi told the podcast that the endometrioma would have "destroyed her fertility" if it had been left untreated, and that Harvey has "tons" of good-quality eggs and will be able to conceive naturally when she is ready. Harvey said she plans to freeze her eggs within the next year as an "insurance policy."
Following the diagnosis, Harvey began taking metformin, a medication commonly used for type 2 diabetes that can help regulate hormones in women with PCOS. She told the podcast the treatment "completely changed my life," noting that her weight has stabilized, her hormones are more balanced and she finally feels comfortable in her body.
Harvey and Aliabadi characterized the conditions as part of a broader, underrecognized problem in women's health. Harvey likened the experience of repeatedly being dismissed by medical professionals to "gaslighting," saying patients often begin to doubt their own symptoms when clinicians normalize severe pain. "As women, it's so normalized for us to kind of just suffer in silence," she said.
PCOS is a common hormonal disorder that affects how a woman's ovaries work; it is estimated to affect about one in 10 women of childbearing age in the United States and can impair fertility. The condition can be difficult to diagnose because outward signs are not always present; diagnosis typically relies on blood tests, ultrasound and other clinical measures. Some estimates suggest a large proportion of women with PCOS remain undiagnosed for years.
Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterine cavity. Symptoms can include severe pelvic pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, fatigue and a greater risk of infertility, as well as bowel and bladder complications for some patients.
Both conditions can carry broader physical and psychological consequences, providers said on the podcast. Aliabadi warned that repeated misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can contribute to disordered eating, as young patients may restrict food intake or overexercise in attempts to control weight changes linked to PCOS. "Why would you have to starve yourself and don't eat carbs when you're 14? That's not fair," Aliabadi said.
Harvey said many of her friends quietly struggle with PCOS and that a lack of education leaves patients suffering in silence. Medical advocates and clinicians have for years called for improved awareness, earlier diagnostic testing and better clinician listening to reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Harvey's account underscores those concerns and highlights the role that targeted evaluation and treatment can play in altering a patient's course. She credited her OB-GYN for identifying the conditions and arranging timely surgery, and said the medical intervention and subsequent medication have given her new confidence about her health and future family planning.
The podcast episode brings attention to the persistent diagnostic challenges women face with gynecologic conditions and adds to ongoing conversations about access to specialty care and the need for heightened clinical suspicion when patients report chronic pelvic pain and related symptoms.