My 11 yo Daughter diagnosed with PCOS

Janknitz · 04-25-2012, 04:23 PM

I asked the doctor to run the tests because I suspected it. She's normal weight and height (50th percentile) but she has what I think is early puberty (they tell me it's normal for 7 year olds to get breasts now and start menstruating by age 11--AAAARRRGGGHH!!!!) and terrible acne.

I have pretty severe PCOS, so I asked the doctor to run the tests. Even though she hasn't had her menses yet, her FSH/LH ratio was very high, her testosterone is high too.

I'm so sad for her. She'll have to deal with this the rest of her life, as I do.

We are not thinking about treating with hormones or BCP's at this point. At home we eat a fairly good diet, except that DH is an enabler with the junk food and carbage filled breakfasts. I don't even want to tell her she can't have any sugar and has to limit carbs. My idea is just to "front load" her with lots of non-starchy veggies, protein and fat and keep the junky stuff to a minimum.

I'm glad I know enough to help her and I hope by catching this early we can keep her on an even keel so she won't have the fertility and insulin resistance issues I have. But I'm just so sad she has to deal with it.

Jennyl · 04-25-2012, 04:55 PM

oh no...she is lucky to have you taking care of her.

SillverOrchid · 04-26-2012, 11:00 AM

Star73 · 04-26-2012, 11:07 AM

I'm so sorry

What a great mom she has ! She is very lucky to have you to help her with this.

gab · 04-26-2012, 11:24 AM

Knowledge is power. Wish I had known I had pcos before I was in my 30s. What a difference it would have made in my eating habits and challenges through high school and college.

I wish you both all the best!

Janknitz · 04-26-2012, 12:02 PM

My periods were never right, but I wasn't diagnosed with PCOS until age 19. In those days (pleistecine era!), it was "just" thought to be a hormone problem--nobody understood the connection with insulin metabolism. Fortunatley, I couldn't be on birth control pills because of another medical issue (the BCP's they had then masked the symptoms, but also made it WORSE) but my unpredictable, heavy cycles were misery. I did years of fertility treatments culminating in IVF to conceive my first child.

This child was a bit of a surprise. I started metformin and low carb dieting to treat the PCOS. I never dreamed I'd get pregnant at that point--over 40 years old and a lifetime of infertility. But correcting my metabolism helped me ovulate regularly for the first time in my life, and this child was my welcome surprise. I ate carefully during my pregnancy with her. So I'm so sad and disappointed that I've passed PCOS on to her.

It is incredibly fortunate that so much mroe is known now. And I'll be there to help. Just wish it wasn't so. She also shares a genetic disorder I have--feels like fate keeps piling it on her. She's a great kid--smart, funny, incredibly sweet. No fair she has to deal with this.

Goldie_Locks_5 · 04-29-2012, 01:26 PM

knowledge is power for sure! Yeah, it sucks- but you'll be a great help to her.

I hear that getting periods that early is normal now... crazy!

I have PCOS - i was normal weight my whole life - until I hit 30... so weight was never a big issue for me- i was very active in sports, ate what I wanted and didn't have problems.

I just rarely got my period (maybe 3x's a year)... and in highschool I had cystic acne that i HATED - and took meds for. I started taking BCP when I was 18 and had my period for a month straight. I knew nothing about PCOS then - I only found out about it when a good friend was diagnosed with it when she began TTC (i was about 28 then). when she described it I said "I will bet you anything i have that, too!".

Sure enough- when I got married and went off BCP to get pregnant- I immediately put on some weight (I was 32) and didn't get my period, etc. I went to my OB after 3 months off, and told her why I thought I had PCOS and wanted to see an RE to help me get pg. I didn't know that SHE also had PCOS - so she was happy to refer me to the RE that she went to -- and said I was better off going right to an RE for testing, etc - b/c if she did it all and I didn't get pg - then I'd have to see an RE anyway, and by then all my IF benefits might be eaten up from insurance.

I was very fortunate and got pg on my first cycle of clomid + metformin + IUI/trigger. 2 years later I got pg on my 2nd cycle of the same with my twins. I have 3 wonderful little boys now - so I don't have to worry about PCOS (unless they have daughters someday!).

My sister likely has it, too - though she never had issues with ovulation- she just had weight/acne issues her whole life. She never got tested for it... but I always warn her she probably has it- and should watch out for diabetes and heart disease b/c it puts us at higher risk.

Today i'm a decent weight (173) but about 20lbs away from my goal and where I was before I had kids. I stay on BCP to keep my weight and acne down. Likely i'll be on it until i hit menopause (which will probably be in a few years - i'm turning 40 next year).

sorry- this got long! But just wanted to let you know of another good PCOS story... not all PCOS is horrible. They are still learning so much about it - eventually there will be many terms for the types of PCOS, much like there are many types of Autism - all under the same umbrella.

04-25-2012, 04:23 PM	#1
Janknitz Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 1,775 Gallery: Janknitz Stats: 254/190/150 WOE: Low Carb High Fat, Primal Start Date: June 16, 2011	My 11 yo Daughter diagnosed with PCOS I asked the doctor to run the tests because I suspected it. She's normal weight and height (50th percentile) but she has what I think is early puberty (they tell me it's normal for 7 year olds to get breasts now and start menstruating by age 11--AAAARRRGGGHH!!!!) and terrible acne. I have pretty severe PCOS, so I asked the doctor to run the tests. Even though she hasn't had her menses yet, her FSH/LH ratio was very high, her testosterone is high too. I'm so sad for her. She'll have to deal with this the rest of her life, as I do. We are not thinking about treating with hormones or BCP's at this point. At home we eat a fairly good diet, except that DH is an enabler with the junk food and carbage filled breakfasts. I don't even want to tell her she can't have any sugar and has to limit carbs. My idea is just to "front load" her with lots of non-starchy veggies, protein and fat and keep the junky stuff to a minimum. I'm glad I know enough to help her and I hope by catching this early we can keep her on an even keel so she won't have the fertility and insulin resistance issues I have. But I'm just so sad she has to deal with it.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

04-25-2012, 04:55 PM	#2
Jennyl Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: GTA Posts: 45,150 Gallery: Jennyl Start Date: manana	oh no...she is lucky to have you taking care of her.

04-26-2012, 11:00 AM	#3
SillverOrchid Blabbermouth!!! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Pennsburg, PA Posts: 6,567 Gallery: SillverOrchid Stats: Highest weight 214\209.5/180/155 WOE: Atkins Start Date: May 13 Restart

04-26-2012, 11:07 AM	#4
Star73 Blabbermouth!!! Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Arkansas (Hypothyroidism, Gluten-free) Posts: 6,696 Gallery: Star73 Stats: 238/220/140 WOE: LC Start Date: 10/01/2012	I'm so sorry What a great mom she has ! She is very lucky to have you to help her with this.

04-26-2012, 11:24 AM	#5
gab Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NY Posts: 2,803 Gallery: gab WOE: Atkins Start Date: March 6, 2013	Knowledge is power. Wish I had known I had pcos before I was in my 30s. What a difference it would have made in my eating habits and challenges through high school and college. I wish you both all the best!

04-26-2012, 12:02 PM	#6
Janknitz Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 1,775 Gallery: Janknitz Stats: 254/190/150 WOE: Low Carb High Fat, Primal Start Date: June 16, 2011	My periods were never right, but I wasn't diagnosed with PCOS until age 19. In those days (pleistecine era!), it was "just" thought to be a hormone problem--nobody understood the connection with insulin metabolism. Fortunatley, I couldn't be on birth control pills because of another medical issue (the BCP's they had then masked the symptoms, but also made it WORSE) but my unpredictable, heavy cycles were misery. I did years of fertility treatments culminating in IVF to conceive my first child. This child was a bit of a surprise. I started metformin and low carb dieting to treat the PCOS. I never dreamed I'd get pregnant at that point--over 40 years old and a lifetime of infertility. But correcting my metabolism helped me ovulate regularly for the first time in my life, and this child was my welcome surprise. I ate carefully during my pregnancy with her. So I'm so sad and disappointed that I've passed PCOS on to her. It is incredibly fortunate that so much mroe is known now. And I'll be there to help. Just wish it wasn't so. She also shares a genetic disorder I have--feels like fate keeps piling it on her. She's a great kid--smart, funny, incredibly sweet. No fair she has to deal with this.

04-29-2012, 01:26 PM	#7
Goldie_Locks_5 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Northern NJ- NYC suburbia Posts: 937 Gallery: Goldie_Locks_5 WOE: Atkins Start Date: November 2002- off and on for years	knowledge is power for sure! Yeah, it sucks- but you'll be a great help to her. I hear that getting periods that early is normal now... crazy! I have PCOS - i was normal weight my whole life - until I hit 30... so weight was never a big issue for me- i was very active in sports, ate what I wanted and didn't have problems. I just rarely got my period (maybe 3x's a year)... and in highschool I had cystic acne that i HATED - and took meds for. I started taking BCP when I was 18 and had my period for a month straight. I knew nothing about PCOS then - I only found out about it when a good friend was diagnosed with it when she began TTC (i was about 28 then). when she described it I said "I will bet you anything i have that, too!". Sure enough- when I got married and went off BCP to get pregnant- I immediately put on some weight (I was 32) and didn't get my period, etc. I went to my OB after 3 months off, and told her why I thought I had PCOS and wanted to see an RE to help me get pg. I didn't know that SHE also had PCOS - so she was happy to refer me to the RE that she went to -- and said I was better off going right to an RE for testing, etc - b/c if she did it all and I didn't get pg - then I'd have to see an RE anyway, and by then all my IF benefits might be eaten up from insurance. I was very fortunate and got pg on my first cycle of clomid + metformin + IUI/trigger. 2 years later I got pg on my 2nd cycle of the same with my twins. I have 3 wonderful little boys now - so I don't have to worry about PCOS (unless they have daughters someday!). My sister likely has it, too - though she never had issues with ovulation- she just had weight/acne issues her whole life. She never got tested for it... but I always warn her she probably has it- and should watch out for diabetes and heart disease b/c it puts us at higher risk. Today i'm a decent weight (173) but about 20lbs away from my goal and where I was before I had kids. I stay on BCP to keep my weight and acne down. Likely i'll be on it until i hit menopause (which will probably be in a few years - i'm turning 40 next year). sorry- this got long! But just wanted to let you know of another good PCOS story... not all PCOS is horrible. They are still learning so much about it - eventually there will be many terms for the types of PCOS, much like there are many types of Autism - all under the same umbrella.