At 18 years old, it’s hard to envision the You of 8 to 10 years down the road. It’s even harder to put your mind into that place where you are married, (settled down, as it were) and ready to start a family. At 18 years old, you’re definitely thinking about the future – college, career – but “future” at 18 doesn’t go much past that.
What I knew at 18, though, might have saved me a lot of struggle and heartache at 28. Looking back over the course of my own post-pubescent physical development, it’s obvious to me that I have, in all likelihood, been suffering with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) since puberty, at least. Here is what I KNEW at 18: I had been overweight my whole life; I had way more facial hair than a girl should have, even a girl of Eastern European descent; and I did not have regular menstrual cycles. Now, the first two symptoms were pretty devastating to the teenage me. Kids are bullied for a single physical anomaly enough, but to have two hard-to-hide blemishes? Let’s just say I faced my share of teasing. So needless to say, missing a couple periods here and there was not foremost in my mind.
I distinctly remember the conversation I had with my mom when I did first bring up my erratic cycles. I remember her telling me that I should go see our doctor to make sure there wasn’t anything seriously wrong because, while it seemed like just an inconvenience now, someday I might want children, and what if whatever was wrong with me affected my ability to do so? Kids, listen to your mothers.
So I did go to the doctor, and she did a routine “female” exam and tested my hormone levels, but didn’t find anything alarming – my testosterone was very slightly elevated (hint, hint). She hypothesized that I might have PCOS, and put me on birth control. No further examination needed. Case closed in my mind and hers. On the surface, I can see that this seems like a very rational and medically sound plan for an 18-year-old girl. But from where I sit today, it seems like a very short-sighted plan. Obviously, it was not that doctor’s obligation to assume the 10-year plan of an indignant teenager might include children and counsel me accordingly. But, oh, how I wish she had, at that point in time, had the foresight of my mother. How I wish any doctor I’d seen prior to my fertility specialist possessed that precaution. My current primary care provider simply counseled me to lose weight – try Weight Watchers, a lot of people find it successful. My OB/GYN took more specific steps, but I didn’t have my first ultrasound until I started seeing a fertility specialist, despite that being the clearest method for definitively determining if one has PCOS. And no one told me how to address the root metabolic issues surrounding PCOS until I consulted with a naturopathic doctor at my acupuncture clinic (details to come later on the marvels of alternative medicine).
I want to be clear about this: I do not blame these doctors for not thinking for me. That is not their responsibility. While it is very easy to start down that road, it is not fair and it is not reality. But here is what I urge all physicians, and parents for that matter, of young girls: Try to think long-term for these girls because they most likely cannot do it for themselves. It is simply a function of being a teenager – we’ve all been in that self-absorbed and near-sighted state.
And here is the conundrum that goes around and around in my head today: if I had gotten some kind of counseling or caution, would I have taken it seriously? Sure, I brushed off my mom thinking how I didn’t really want kids anyway. Would I have been different if I had gotten the same advice from a medical professional? Would I have researched PCOS or taken steps to address it? Probably not. But who’s to say there isn’t a girl out there who would, given the right nudge? If my experiences can be a cautionary tale for even one eventual mother-to-be, I would be satisfied.
So, with all of that out of my head and onto the page, here’s the low-down on PCOS. Here are the signs women of child-bearing age and parents of daughters of child-bearing age should consider. PLEASE take these signs seriously. Even beyond fertility, it is essential to know as soon as possible if you have PCOS – one of the common long-term effects of the condition is Type 2 diabetes later in life. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/polycystic-ovary-syndrome/DS00423
- Obesity/overweight and/or the difficulty to lose weight on traditional diets (that’s like 50% of the population, I know.)
- Excessive body hair, especially around the face and neck
- Irregular and missed menstrual cycles – for me, I’m lucky if I naturally have more than 4 periods a year, and these have no rhyme or reason. Also, prolonged periods can also be a sign of anovulation.
- Acne
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