Question About Cysts/birth Control Pills

Sorry to hear that your daughter has been suffering so much. I went through many years of nearly constant issues with ovarian cysts. I never found that birth control pills helped--maybe they did but I couldn't tell it, I still had cysts!
Finally, my husband and I were at a cattle breeding class and the veterinarian speaker mentioned that it was helpful to give selenium to cattle to prevent ovarian cysts. Wow! I grabbed on to that information and came home and it worked! What a blessing! I also take vitamin E which seems to help too. (It seems to take 2-3 months of taking the nutrients to clear up the cyst issues.) Hope this helps your daughter!

Rosanna,
I had the same problem when I was in college. I had to have emergency surgery to remove a cyst and they also found a pool of blood from internal bleeding. It was very scary. I was put on birth control, which I did not need for birth control reasons, and the cysts stopped immediately. It was amazing. Later in life, when I wanted to get pregnant, I went off the pill and got pregnant, but I also developed a cyst. We did not know it had developed and it ruptured at home in the middle of the night. I remember it being very painful. I did not develop any cysts the second or third time I went off of birth control pills. I would suggest asking for a low dosage pill if possible. Reassure your daughter that having cysts does not mean she will not be able to have children down the road. She is such a brave young lady! Good luck.

I have ovarian cysts and as soon as I got on the pill at 15 years old, they went away and as long as I'm on the pill, I haven't had a problem. When I went off the pill to get pregnant, they came back. So it definitely works. Mine weren't as severe as your daugthers.

I had to go on birth control pills for ovarian cysts when I was about 17, and yes it did help, although mine were never as severe as your daughters. I would recommend that you read about polycystic ovarian disease (pcod). I have it as well as my 2 sisters and one of my friends. It causes infertility issues, weight problems, facial hair growth, insulin resistance, and other issues. She may show some symptoms of this, or it may not surface until she is older. It has been around a long time, but it has not been recognized and treated until more recently. The fact that your daughter has had these cysts would lead me to believe that she has this. I am 44, married when I was 22, we wanted children right away. After about 6 months of marriage, I had stopped taking the pill the month before our wedding, I started gaining weight. No one could explain why...they said exercise and go on weight watchers...I continued to gain weight, my face broke out (I never had a problem with acne). I wasn't getting pregnant. Finally when I was 29 I got pregnant and miscarried. I went through 1 year of fertility med. and treatments and finally conceived and delivered a healthy baby girl. We started fertility treatments again fairly soon after and 41/2 yrs later had our second daughter. I was at my highest weight and went to a endocrinologist who suggested a different medication to treat my pcod. I went on it along with more fertility treatments until I was 40 but never conceived again. I have to stay on the meds. from the endocrynologist forever,which has helped me lose some of the weight I had gained....and last year I turned up pregnant. I swear it is the med. I am on. The ob's all said it was a miracle and our little boy was born 8 months ago and he is a miracle. Both of my sisters have had fertility problems, one has 3 adopted children (she was never able to conceive). My friend who is a pharmacist also has only one daughter and has struggled with her weight and other issues. We all take metformin, which is a medication used to treat diabetes, and helps to counteract the insulin resistance caused by pcod. It does not mean your daughter is or will become diabetic, but that her body may not efficiently use insulin. SOOOOO, My point is be proactive for your daughter and ask lots of questions. The infertility and the weight gain have been heartbreaking issues for all of us. With all the info available now, I would think you could avoid a lot of heartache. I hope this was helpful and we all have been on birth control pills to help with the cysts. Clearly at your daughters age you aren't concerned about fertility (just the opposite) but in the long haul keep it in mind. The weight however can be a problem at any age, so can the acne and facial hair. I hope this was helpful. The Dr., who is an ob /gyn that specializes in pcod in our area is Dr. Ratts (I am not sure of the spelling). She treats my friend, but would not take my case because I was older. She is affiliated with Barnes hospital, I did see her once and it was by far the most thorough any Dr. has ever been with me...she suggested I up my metformin medication to help with the weight, which it did, she didn't think I could get pregnant again either (but I did!!) Anyway if you could get into her, she is supposed to be one of the top drs. on the subject in the country. I loved her, and I love my dr. too, but would have switched if she would have taken me.

An MD put me on birth control at the age of 12 for cramps. I wasn't told what the pills were at the time. They caused me a sort of morning sickness.

What I also did not know until I studied anatomy and physiology years later is that the amount of estrogen in a pubescent girl's body will determine how large her breast become. Birth control pills do effectively treat polycystic ovaries, but they increase the estrogen levels which can have many unpleasant results. Eight years ago I had a breast reduction because I was needing to wear KK size bra cups.

If you want to learn about why your daughter's body is behaving this way and if there are possibilities to treat this naturally, I would talk with the doctors at the Nutrition Clinic in Chesterfield, MO. There are a couple of doctors there that have studied with Dr. Janet Lang, a leader and inovative MD in endocrinology. You might ask for Dr. Doris Kuntz (sic). I just think it is good to get a second opinion from a doctor who is looking at it from a different perspective and to gather as much information as possible.

Hi Roxanna,

My name is M. and I had the same problem when I was sixteen. I also had to have emergency surgery. My doctor wanted to put me on Birth Control Pills and my mom had a fit(she is from the old school, she thought that was giving me permission to sleep around) but the doctor explained how the pill would help regulate my system with my hormones and my dad talked my mom into letting me try them. And I haven't had anymore problems with it and my menstrual cycle has been on time and light ever since. I am now 42 yrs old and a mother of 4, married to a wonderful husband.

I had cysts on my ovaries when I was about 11 y/o. Fortunately it never got as serious as your daughter's. I did start hemorrhaging though and had to stay in the hospital for a few days and receive blood transfusions. My pediatrician sent me to an OB/GYN who promptly prescribed birth control pills for me. I had to take 4 a day for awhile to stop the hemorrhaging, then 2 a day until it got me on a regular cycle. After going on the medication, the cysts shrunk and eventually disappeared. I had to go for several ultrasounds for them to keep checking. All very scary stuff for an 11 year old. Good luck, I hope they can help your daughter.

Yikes! I am so sorry to hear about your daughter.

I know many people use chemical contraceptives - myself included, to treat a variety of things. :) I am in the process of starting a Natural Balancing Cream and researching a safer birth control method than my Mirena IUD. I have learned a lot about my body in the past few months and plan to eliminate synthetic hormones completely.

I think at times because doctors and health professionals suggest drugs and treatments to us, we forget to be proactive in our healthcare. We trust them and maybe don't ask enough questions?

These are just some things you might want to think about and bring up for discussion with your daughter's doctor:

Ovarian cysts can often be treated bu restoring hormone imbalance. This can be done safely by using bio-identical hormone replacement. Prolief Natural Balancing Cream is an awesome product.

Chemical contraceptives (those that use synthetic hormones)change a woman's body dramatically. They suppress ovulation and that changes the lining of the uterus. Among many other things, they affect the nutrient levels within our bodies - lowering the levels of vitamins B6, B12, B2; beta-carotene, and folic acid. There is also a small chance that by suppressing how our ovaries function, our bodies could interpret this to mean they are not needed and then they can cease to function which would cause infertility.

There are a lot of great books out there that talk about safer, natural hormone balance. These are some of my favorites:
John R Lee, MD - Hormone Balance Made Simple and What your Doctor May Not Tell You About PreMenopause
Kristine Klitzke, RN, B.S.N - Hormone Balance a Matter of Life and Health.

You can get Prolief through any Independent Consultant with Arbonne International. I'd be more than happy to share information with you, if you are interested. There are other places and companies that offer a balancing cream, but I cannot say if they hold to our high quality and standards.

Good luck in finding a solution. I truly hope that you get it worked out! :)

M.

I had ovarian cysts when I was around 15 years old and they were very painful, but did not have the complications that your daughter is experiencing. I used Naproxin to control the pain for a while bc I was hesitant to go on BCP so young....eventually I went on BC (at 17, still young) because the pain had become unbearable and the docs did say that they could get worse and rupture. It was really the only way to get any long-term relief, and yes, it did work. I was nervous to go off BC once I was married and decided to have a baby wondering if there would be any complications, and so far I have not had any pain and we have a 2.5 year old. When I am off BC and ovulating, ovulation is more "uncomfortable" then when on BC, but I don't think I have any cysts anymore, so maybe it is just normal. I would recommend the BCP to your daughter, however with the understanding and education that it is for medical treatment, not a free ticket to become sexually active without pregnancy risk....as you know, there are many more significant risks to being sexually active other than teen pregnacy. Only you know your daugher and if you think she can handle it. Good luck!

PLEASE GO TO A NUTRITIONIST. You would be amazed by nutrition. I had cysts too. And at one time they recommended a hysterectemy. I turned to nutrition and I do not have cysts anymore. Read the book the Makers Diet. Look up www.manatech.com and stop sodas and decrease salt intake. PLEASE LOOK INTO NURTITION.

Yes, I had this experience, as well. My mother took me to our family physician, who kept telling my mother it was growing pains! I knew in my heart he was wrong; growing could NOT be that painful. After about a year, he FINALLY did a pelvic and sent us immediately to an ob/gyn, who made the correct diagnosis of ovarian cysts. I was 14. I went in for surgery to remove the cysts, but they had not yet reformed (they disappeared with every period, but would reform shortly after). I was put on the mildest birth control pill available back then, and all symptoms disappeared. My doctor explained that once I had a full-term pregnancy, it was extremely probable that the cysts would not return. I continued on birth control pills until I was married and we were ready to start a family. Sure enough, once I became pregnant with my now 31-year-old daughter, I was never troubled with ovarian cysts again. Ever! So yes, even the mildest birth control pills were very effective. I hope this information is helpful to you, and gives you and your daughter hope.

My daughter will be 21 in June. She had out patient surgery last year around this time. She had developed cysts & our doctor was concerned that she may lose an overy. Thank God, she didn't. However, she had gone through a ruptured cyst prior to that & had developed cysts again. The doctor has put her on birth control to try to minimize the problem & it seems to be working. That might be worth checking into. Good luck & God Bless

prior to becoming a psychiatrist, I was a general practitioner, and encountered this condition, PCOS, frequently, and treated it successfully with contraceptive pills. I also recommended regular exercise, as that seems to stem the over-production of estrogen, which is the cause of this condition.
Non treatment has the potential to lead to unwanted male pattern hair growth. (The excess estrogen converts to testosterone.)
I still encounter this condition as a psychiatrist because it can cause depression, which leads me to another benefit of the pill: it helps to regulate mood.

I had an ovarian cyst my senior year in high school (1998). I was hospitalized for several days and sent home with a home IV and several medications to take over 1.5 to 2 weeks time. Afterwards I was put on the pill and haven't had one since. I have gone off the pill 2 times to become pregnant and didn't get any cysts either time. My doctor has me back on the pill as a precautionary thing to ensure I do not have to go through that again. It has definitely helped me. I know that at that young of an age some people are afraid of the stigma they face with being on the pill, but having gone through that myself, I would recommend getting put on it and enjoying the relief. Hope this helps.

I had this problem. My doc put me on birth control pills and it did help. I was having bad pain in my side. I havent had a problem since. I went of the BC about 7 years ago. I am a 38 year old mom of a 18 year old and a 13 year old. I have been blessed that they havent had any problems like this. It sounds like your daughters is more severe than mine was, but the BC did seem to work as I havent had to have surgery.

I didn't have any where near the severity of the cysts that your daughter has, but I did have a cyst on my left ovary that went on for more than 4 years with my old OB. Finally, I had enough and went to see a different OB because I felt like my old one wasn't doing enough. I was so happy when I switched over to him. He did all the necessary tests and he did put me on birth control, it was the highest dosage of birth control that is on the market. I was told that he was going to try the "hormone therapy" for 3 months to see if the cyst would shrink and/or disappear on its own and then look into the possibility of surgery if needed. The pill cleared the cyst up completely within 2 months. I can't tell you how happy I was. I was in constant pain for over 4 years with this stupid thing and just changing doctors and having an "aggressive" doctor changed everything. So, in my case, the birth control worked. I did not have to stay on the birth control and I have not had a cyst come back since. I hope that this helps and I hope that she feels better soon, that poor thing, I know how painful my little one was, I can't imagine what she must be feeling.

I had cystic ovaries when I was a teen and the doctor put me on birth control pills. It helped a lot and when I quit taking birth control (after I got married), I got pregnant without any complications. I now have four boys and my cycles are much better and I have not had cystic ovaries for a few years. Best of luck to you and your daughter. Kati

Dear Roxanna,

If it were my daughter, I would take a serious look at her diet. There is alot of evidence that anmimal products (meat and dairy)can have an impact on estrogen-driven processes such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer and cysts. I would first begin to eliminate all dairy from her diet. In addition I would do three things: 1) increase her fruit and veggie intake with the goal being 9 - 13 servings of fresh, raw produce each day (emphasis on veggies), 2) increase the amount of fiber from food sources to 45 - 50 gms per day which can be achieved by eating more fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes, and 3) make sure she drinks 1/2 of her body weight in water each day. If she exercises, add an additional 8 oz for every 1/2 hour of exercise.

Our meat and dairy supply often have residual growth hormones present which can add additional estrogen to your daughters body. Even if you purchase organic dairy products eliminating these types of foods may prove helpful.

I would also recommend that you make these changes with her as a positive role model and also because you deserve optimal health.

If you would like additional information on how to make these changes, please contact me at 1 (800) 887-0643 and leave a message. I am a wellness advocate and a distributor of a whole-food product (fruits & veggies in a capsule). I wish you both success and try to hold off of medication until your daughter is able to optimize the nutritional aspect of her health.

M. Q.

Several years ago, I was diagnosed w/ Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), & was put on Glucophage (Metformin). The meds are actually for Diabetes, but are said to help w/ PCOS. I've not had the problems your daughter has had. You might ask your daughter's doctor about Glucophage.

I have been married for 6 months. I work full-time as a Psychiatric Assistant. I don't have biological children, but now have a 9 y.o. stepdaughter & 11 y.o. stepson. I'm 36.

HI Roxanna,

As a teenager I also had a few ovarian cysts. They were no where near as bad as your daughters and they ruptured on their own. I also had the worst cramps in the world (which made giving birth easy). I went on birth control pills and they helped a ton with the cramps and I never had any more cysts. So I guess what I am telling you is the pill worked for me. I was on Orthocyclen (spelling??). I hope this is helpful.

yes, the hormones in the birth control have been shown to help reduce the cysts in number and severity. i would say it is definitely worth trying. good luck!