Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Milamam on June 26, 2014, 02:58:23 PM
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I just came back from the doctor's re my daughter who is 12. She has gained much weight over the past two years and also has more body hair than normal for her age. Let alone the depression which we have contributed to puberty. She is menstruating since 10.
So I wanted to check whether things are normal with her and what to do. The Dr saw a little cysts in one of her ovaries. He is also suspicious about a polycystic syndrome but we will have to do come more tests next week and another ultasound as well . He said he cannot put a diagnosis yet.
So worried!! Does anyone have any experience with ovarian cysts or polycystic syndrome at that early age? How common of a problem is this ? What is the treatment, etc. i am so worried until we do the further tests!
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Milamam here is some info http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/pcosinfo.html
My young Niece was diagnosed with PCO, she is 21 now and it seems to have resolved itself. I think she did have hormone treatment for a while.
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Thanks SL, the link was very helpful, seems that a lot of girls do get this syndrome. Still not confirmed with my daughter but many of the symptoms are there.
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My daughter was diagnosed with this at an early age too, she was very overweight and also hairier than usual, she was told that she would never conceive naturally. She was put on medication and has been on it ever since, she is now 24, married and got a beautiful little girl who was conceived naturally, she is also very slim and beautiful. Please try not to worry it is not all bad x
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This really makes me feel so much better, knowing there is cure! I wish so much we have done these tests earlier but what can one do.... We always thought that the extra weight was due to puberty etc. now I am in a at glad that we have taken steps and that if the diagnosis is confirmed, there are treatments. Will write with updates when we know more! Thank you all for you support!
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My daughter who is now 22 was diagnosed 3 years ago with PCOS with the same symptoms you describe. At the time we had never heard of this before and of course like all parents where worried sick about it. She too started her period when she was 10 very unlike her sister or myself also blemishes around the same time. I took her to a skin doctor and got that taken care of so she wouldn't have to put up with any teasing at school. Then the hair part of it started and it grew everywhere, chest,tummy,face all over that really concerned us so off we went to another doctor who put us in touch with a specialist that dealt with the endocrine system and after several scans she was diagnosed. As best I can explain it her body is super sensitive to insulin which she puts out more than the average person so she takes Metaformin for that also birth control. Her last scan revealed that her cysts had gone away so not all with PCOS actually have cysts...very confusing i know and still not sure i can get my head around it all. Now she sees her doctor every 6 months and stays on her meds, always watches her weight as that helps a lot. Good luck and try not to worry ( i know thats not easy to do)
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Thanks Annika,
We still don't have PCOS diagnosed or confirmed. She needs more tests but waiting for her period to come - and she is now late, today 33 days. I hope we will be able to do the tests this week but god only knows. She does't have that much excess hair, just legs up to top, much on hands and a bit on lower back. Testosterone was normal but other adrenal hormones need to be seen.
Did you daughter see improvement from the medication and how much time it took for,it to have effects on weight and hair? Strangely, our doctor didn't include insulin in the tests, should I ask him about this? Also, did your daughter have any depressive moods, lack of energy, etc? Sorry for the many questions but I don't have anyone that I can ask that has had a similar experience.
Thanks Xxx
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Milamam I don't have any experience of this but just wanted to say I hope all goes well with your daughter. :) :hug:
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My daughter was diagnosed with it earlier this year, yet she has lost a lot of weight, has no body hair and is looking great since the Gynae put her on a stronger oral contraceptive pill. All the best, it may not turn out so bad in the end as we always tend to panic. :)
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My daughter has blood tests every six months and its quite an extensive work up...they do check everything including insulin, but perhaps your doctor will check for this later on as when they have ruled out other causes. Her periods have always been very light to not having them at all some months the birth control did make them more regular and the Metaformin has been working well according to her doctor, in some cases it will help with the weight. Again there is no set pattern each person is different and responses differently to the medication. The hair has been the biggest problem as it effects her self esteem but she has decided to go ahead and get laser treatments even though quite expensive. She has had a problem with lack of energy but noticed a change once on the medicine. Hope this is of some help to you Milamam, she uses a website called Soulcysts.com you might want to look around on there for any info.
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Thank you all for the support! I really hope now that we started the process that things will not turn out to be so serious, cross fingers!
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Update after visit to the Dr's. The blood tests strongly indicate polycystic ovaries. The cyst in one of the ovaries has disappeared but the Dr said these are functional cysts and they come and disappear.
We will now start with diet change and increase of exercise. Oh God, this is the hardest part - my DD is very stubborn and hard to persuade re things that are for her health. So will have to be a bad mother for while.... :-* We'll start medication in the fall as the DR said it is not good to start while she is on much sun exposure. Exercise is another key thing that she'll have to increase. Oh I sooo hope she will be convinced to be persistent as she currently doesn't see anything wrong with her nor does she feel sick etc. so wish me luck!
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:thankyou: for the update Milamam.
At least you now know what can be done and hopefully your DD will recognise( at some point ;D)
that it is for her own good. :)
Good Luck with everything ;)
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Update to this thread and a bit of venting...
Since DD is also high on insuling (hyperinsulinism), after getting a second opinion month ago, she was started on low dose oral contraceptive and strict diet. Diet okay for now (that is why I started making our own bread, etc), BCP okay for now , no side effects , but she is on diet for two months already and haven't lost a kilo yet. Moods have not improved, too. He is grumpy, unenergetic, slow, not willing to do anything but the computer games :(. The first doctor prescribed Metformin as well as the BCP. The second doctor said start with only the BCP for now, let's wait three months and see if there is change when only on diet. This is because she is relatively young (12) and not much is known re how Metformin works at such an early age. So I followed the advice of the second Dr but now am soooo worried that there is no change in weight, that I am very tempted to start her on the med as the first one advised.
So in short, I don't want to wait more re starting Met. I have read tons of great comments re its action and effectiveness, even on adolescents. I also want her to start it before school year begins in terms of getting any possible side effects under control. Unfortunately I cannot get hold of that second doctor, he might be on vacation. What would you do in my place?
Than you all!
Milamam
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get her off the computer and into the fresh air ? is there a support group at the Hospital, she's that age group where encouragement would be better coming from her peer group rather than the Bad Nagging Mother ;) ...........
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Hi Milimam, dont know much about PCOS but as far as diet and exercise goes you need to stay firm with your daughter. Women i work with have been known to come into work with the routers, games consoles etc in their cars just so the kids cant sit all day on them.
We drew up a contract with our daughter and she basically had to earn enough hours game time/ computer / tv time. We told her its a privilege not an automatic right. Hers was to coax her into doing her maths work but we were very clear she had the choice.
She could choose to do maths in exchange for game time etc or she could chose not to do any maths and forgo her games time etc.
She grumbled that its wasnt fair but to be honest there are times to cuddle our kids and other times we must be their parent and do whats right for their health and wellbeing whether they like it or not.
Hopefully diet and excercise will just become part of her daily routine.
Good luck
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Good Advice! How much exercise does she have access to in School? Is there a dance class locally or Zumba - somewhere that she can be 'parent free' but where she can bop away ……. cycling, skipping, swimming ……… - I expect that she will be very aware of her 'looks' so lots of cuddles, encouragement etc. will be important. Time to sit her down and find out how she feels over-all? is the computer games her way of shutting off what is happening, for what I remember at age 12 I had NO idea about hormones - my 1st period was the August before I turned 12 in Dec.; it was very confusing and a complete blur to me now.
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Oh, she has always been a very stubborn child, and I have learned that I cannot win with force, it has to be in some other way. She does have a limit on the computer time, but when the limit expires for the day, she either reads or plays piano and that is. No interest whatsoever to go out, do things or go out with friends. No calling friends at all. In fact she has only one truly good friend from school and that is it! I have tried everything over the years but I see now in the past year she has become more closed in herself, she doesn't want to talk feelings or to "еmotionalize". I attribute this to the age and also character, everyone is different. The only thing that she does with great pleasure is cycling with her Dad afterwork or on weekends. During school, she does go to sports 4 nights/week. So I am more concerned about just general disinterest in anything, and low moods/grumpiness than the computer etc. When school starts she doesn't have time for the computer so things should get better.
I wish puberty can explain all this....otherwise she is bright and all excellent in school so I have no worries there, never had. She learned to read at 4 , excels in maths and goes regularly to math competitions, likes to read and write, etc. Likes piano, too. So getting school stuff done has never been a problem and she doesn't need motivation to do what's needed.
Oh well, moan finished, thank you for listening and understaning!
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Is she 'too' bright? Does she have a boredom threshold which is satisfied by the computer? MENSA might have advice.
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Yes, CLKD, you hit it right. She is brighter than her peers which is great but an emotional burden for her - this is how I explain things to myself. At 8 she has read all the Harry Potters, at 10 she read all 7 books in English ( not native ). She has always been interested in abstract and complicated things. Favorite gifts - a great book or encyclopedia. There is MENSA here in Bulgaria but not much developed. I have contacted them previously but didn't work out.
I've signed her for a science camp in October. This is something she is really looking forward to.
So I am wondering whether PCOS is contributing to her low moods and disinterest , the teenage tome, or just being different than her peers. Luckily her friend in school is just like her. It was fun watching them together this summer - she stayed with us for a week - both click together in an instant and understand each other with no words.
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Have you contacted MENSA in the UK? Maybe she has a combination of all the issues which must be confusing. How is her general mood?