I'm a regular poster here on 3FC, though not on the PCOS boards.
My DD (18) was diagnosed with PCOS on Tuesday. We've got an appt. with her general practicition this Monday. DH and I have already decided we'll take her to a specialist.

PCOS is new to me. I'm struggling with how to help her cope, both dietarily and emotionally. Lots of things available online don't paint a pretty picture. Women gain weight and can't lose it. Hair growth and/or hair loss. Fertility problems. Insulin resistance. Hormones and other meds and thier side effects. Etc.

I plan to get educated on the condition and how to help my DD best manage it. Unfortunately, we only have until mid-August, and then she goes off to college. I need to help her make forever lifestyle changes between now and then.

I guess I'm looking for some advice and encouragement that she doesn't have a long, difficult road ahead of her until menopause. Is the condition manageable?

Thanks for your support.

Nothing I can help with, but just wanted to say your daughter is lucky to have a mom who is taking such initiative to educate herself and help manage this illness. to you both!

Absolutely! This PCOS thing is NOT a death sentence! In fact, it's completely manageable and if she has your support, it's awesome. My own mother doesn't believe in PCOS (don't even ask!).

The key here is that this is a condition that requires fine-tuning and find the combination food/exercise/meditation (if necessary) that works for her. What works for me may not work for her!

If you're going to an reproductive endo, you'll probably get a lot of good advice and tests done from him/her that will help your daughter.

The only piece of advice I would recommend is that your daughter not ignore that she has this -- I spent the first ten years of my diagnosis not doing anything about it. I wish now I had dealt with it then.

Though it has no cure, it CAN be managed. And good for her! Knowing what it IS so young! I got a partial ammenorhea dx at 16 but not the full PCOS/IR scene til 26. I'm finding the support in my 30's much better online and in person. Still not ideal in my area, but WAY better than it used to be. Hopefully your area is a little better.

In my first ten years without knowing what I fully had, I know I made some mistakes -- not enough exercise, too many carbs, wrong type BCP, etc. So yeah -- those teen/20's years are a good time to get it under control if you know what it is you have. So much more info available than there used to be -- esp online.

Some useful links:

Inciid FAQ
http://www.inciid.org/faq.php?cat=infertility101&id=2

Mary's PCOS Treatment FAQ
http://pcosfaq.com/

Birth Control Pills for PCOS


And there's more in the PCOS articles area and at Soulcysters.


PCOS patients present in at least 5 ways -- check it out.

HTH!
A.

Thank you ladies! I surely appreciate your support and the info!

First thing, so glad your DD has a mom that believes in her and will educate her on this. I have a sister that I'm 99% sure has PCOS that my mom won't even help her get diagnosed, so bravo!

I'd recommend helping her find a doc who knows tons about PCOS. Hard to do. The 2nd thing is, never ever let her go on birth control to "help" the symptoms. A healthy lifestyle and exercise will help more and bc will harm in the long run. Just imho.

It is really good that you have found this out so early - getting a jump on the appropriate lifestyle to manage PCOS will be a lot easier now than it will be later when symptoms get worse and worse (unless dealt with early). Good luck, and you can point her in this direction for support!

PCOS is a very managable condition. Of course fertility issues are usually the scariest factor of PCOS. Proper diet is the absolute key to maintaining control. I avoid sugar, and stay on a low-carb diet to help control the sugar issues of PCOS such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, etc. I just want to give you some piece of mind, and tell you that infertility can be conquered. I underwent 7 years of infertility treatments to no avail. Finally, I got off the sugar, and voila!!! I now have 4 year-old twin boys, and a two-year-old boy!!! No fertility needed!! Just changes in my diet.