A whole new ballpark

[Fuegofutbol12]

Hi Dr. Heather,
I was just diagnosed with PCOS about 2-3 weeks ago. I am 16 years old, and while it is a relief to know what has been wrong with me, it's also a scary diagnosis. I was researching various medical websites, and it seems like there is a great chance of infertility, high blood pressure, and development of endometrial cancer. Are these risks valid? Are they likely? I know I have a long time to think about pregnancy, but I do love kids...
I have been put on the Pill in order to bring on menstrual cycles. Will I have to be on this forever? Some of my friends have found out about this, and as a VERY sexually innocent teenager, this is an awkward situation. What should I do about managing PCOS while in a small high school where nothing is really private? :)
My doctor has also said that a low-carb diet would be helpful in managing my weight. I am not overweight (I am an extremely serious and competitive athlete) and this diet seems to be helping with my stomach aches- is this a likely remedy for these stomach aches, or do I need to get tested for Celiac's disease?
I know this is a lot, and that you are very busy, so if you can only answer one question, it would be: how do I get used to the idea of having PCOS, and how do I proceed to handle it?

[drheather]

Hi Dr. Heather,
I was just diagnosed with PCOS about 2-3 weeks ago. I am 16 years old, and while it is a relief to know what has been wrong with me, it's also a scary diagnosis. I was researching various medical websites, and it seems like there is a great chance of infertility, high blood pressure, and development of endometrial cancer. Are these risks valid? Are they likely? I know I have a long time to think about pregnancy, but I do love kids...
I have been put on the Pill in order to bring on menstrual cycles. Will I have to be on this forever? Some of my friends have found out about this, and as a VERY sexually innocent teenager, this is an awkward situation. What should I do about managing PCOS while in a small high school where nothing is really private? :)
My doctor has also said that a low-carb diet would be helpful in managing my weight. I am not overweight (I am an extremely serious and competitive athlete) and this diet seems to be helping with my stomach aches- is this a likely remedy for these stomach aches, or do I need to get tested for Celiac's disease?
I know this is a lot, and that you are very busy, so if you can only answer one question, it would be: how do I get used to the idea of having PCOS, and how do I proceed to handle it?

Hi,

I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis but I am glad that you wrote in. I would be happy to address all of your questions/concerns, that is what I am here for.

You asked how to deal with with PCOS and you already started that process by reaching out for help and information. You are already on your way. Getting used to the idea may take some time and I think that understanding what is happening in your body helps and when you are not sure ask questions about how/if the information applies to you.

For example, you asked about the risks involved with PCOS (infertility, high blood pressure and endometrial cancer)... I understand that you are not planning to become pregnant anytime soon but again, it is important to know how this applies to you.

PCOS is the most common cause of infertility and there are women who have struggled to become pregnant. However, on the flip side, there are many women with PCOS that have children. Not every women with PCOS will experience all the symptoms so each woman's experience can be very different from another woman's.

Regarding high blood pressure, because PCOS is caused by a dysfunction in how your body responds to insulin (the hormone needed to get glucose into the celsl for energy), that both insulin and glucose can increase, which can cause damage to the vessels. Here is a link that can explain this process: http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/PCOS-and-High-Blood-Pressure.php

The strongest link between a cancer and PCOS is endometrial cancer. A few studies have suggested a correlation between PCOS and breast cancer, while some have not. Breast cancer and endometrial cancer are described as "estrogen-sensitive" cancers, meaning that the presence of estrogen may cause these cancer cells to multiply.

Because PCOS causes disruptions to the normal menstrual cycle - irregular menstrual periods and the absence of ovulation cause women to produce estrogen, but not progesterone. Without progesterone, which causes the endometrium (the lining of the uterus) to shed each month as a menstrual period, the endometrium may grow too much and undergo atypical cell changes. This is a pre-cancerous condition called endometrial hyperplasia. If the thickened endometrium is not treated, over a long period of time it can develop into endometrial cancer.

Now let me say that these are risks of PCOS and having PCOS does not meant that this will be your experience. You mentioned that you are an athlete and exercise is so important not only for your health right now but research supports that exercise can reduce risk for cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure, diabetes and weight gain and can help reduce insulin and glucose levels. So keep it up.

The low carbohydrate diet that your doctor recommended is what is best for women with PCOS, often regardless if they are overweight or not. So the fact that you are feeling better with and that it is best for you will hopefully be enough to stick with. I would also like to recommend another book by Dr. Nancy Dunne, ND called "The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS and Infertility". It supports a low carb diet but also from a whole food and high food quality point of view. It has great food lists and ideas for meals. If you continue to have stomach aches, it would be a good idea to have it evaluated further but if they go away with the changes, it may not be necessary. Your doctor would be able to determine how you should be evaluated.

The birth control pill is something that is given to regulate your cycle. Because I am a naturopathic physician, I approach different conditions such as PCOS from a more natural perspective. How long you stay on it will depend on how you feel and what you feel is best for you. You can always discuss it further with your doctor. There are non-pharmaceutical approaches to addressing PCOS. However, to answer your question, many doctors recommend continuing birth control until a woman wants to try to get pregnant. It is important when using any treatment to look at the risks and benefits associated with the treatment.

I know that it is difficult when people find out personal information about you and people may not be so kind. But remember that they do not change who you are and your friends should understand what you choose to share about your health and how it is being managed. I know it seems cliche to say ignore them but sometimes that is all you can do.

Lastly, I would encourage you to check out some support site and other forums. www.soulcysters.com is another online PCOS community that is made up of all different woman of all ages. This may be a great way to speak with other young women that share a similar experience. Another is www.pcosupport.org.

I think it is great to hear from young women. We often do and I am always happy to see people being active participants in their health.

I hope that I have answered all of your questions and have given you some good information. Please feel free to contact me at any time if I can help further.