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Sasha Pieterse<\/strong> discussed the challenges of gaining 70 pounds at age 17 \u2014 while filming a hit TV series \u2014 due to her experience with polycystic ovary syndrome.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is part of the health issues that I was speaking of while I was going through Pretty Little Liars<\/em>. The changes that were happening to me were documented on camera,\u201d Pieterse, 27, said during the Wednesday, August 9, episode of Taylor Lautner<\/strong> and wife Taylor Dome<\/strong>\u2018s \u201cThe Squeeze\u201d podcast.<\/p>\n Pieterse recalled having symptoms of PCOS during her time playing Alison DiLaurentis.<\/p>\n \u201cI never had a regular period ever and I was just always told by gynecologists that I was just young. Like, \u2018Don\u2019t worry, it\u2019ll regulate,\u2019\u201d the actress, who appeared on PLL<\/em> from 2010 to 2017, noted. \u201c It was probably around 15 or 16 that I started noticing a difference in just my metabolism in general. At 17, I gained 70 pounds in the year, for no reason. There was no explanation for it.\u201d<\/p>\n Pieterse visited \u201cover 15 gynecologists\u201d but wasn\u2019t able to get a proper diagnosis. According to Pieterse, doctors accused her of lying about the weight gain and insinuated that an unhealthy lifestyle was to blame.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the most frustrating experience and disheartening because no matter what I did, no matter how well I behaved, no matter how great I treated my body, things were actually getting worse rather than better. It was very very confusing,\u201d she continued. \u201cSo after a long process, someone recommended that I go to an endocrinologist.\u201d<\/p>\n After being diagnosed with PCOS, Pieterse was finally able to understand her body\u2019s changes. (PCOS is a hormonal disorder that causes symptoms such as irregular periods, excess hair growth, acne, weight gain and infertility.)<\/p>\n \u201cI was like, \u2018What\u2019s that?\u2019 I\u2019d never heard of PCOS before. And it\u2019s a disease, it\u2019s not curable. It can be dormant, that\u2019s \u2014 at this stage \u2014 that\u2019s what they know,\u201d she explained. \u201cAnd the most frustrating part about this is that it\u2019s fairly easy to diagnose. And really what it is, it\u2019s a hormone imbalance, it\u2019s a hormone disease and it\u2019s so easy to see because your testosterone or your estrogen will be really high, you\u2019ll have really low vitamin D levels, you\u2019ll be deficient in a lot of things.\u201d<\/p>\n Pieterse continued: \u201cYou won\u2019t have a regular period, but the catch is, a lot of other things look different, so every woman \u2014 everyone has a different experience with it. It could be your period, it could be weird hair growth, it could be major gastro[intestinal] issues, it could be crazy cysts on your ovaries, it could be weight gain. I had a lot of those outward symptoms that everyone could see.\u201d<\/p>\n While competing on Dancing With the Stars<\/em> in 2017, Pieterse spoke to Us Weekly<\/em> about how learning ballroom dance helped her lose weight amid her PCOS journey.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be honest here\u2019s the thing, I was exercising like crazy and was eating the best that I could before. This just heightens it,\u201d she told Us<\/em> about losing 15 pounds while rehearsing with partner Gleb Savchenko<\/strong>. \u201cIt\u2019s a combination. It\u2019s a combination of me finding out what I have, and then Dancing with the Stars helps me tremendously. Having Gleb as a partner. He\u2019s amazing. But just the process in general \u2014 how hard we\u2019re working and how healthy I feel. I really feel like myself again.\u201d<\/p>\n At the time, Pieterse said it wasn\u2019t easy to reveal her condition on national television.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never really done that before. I\u2019ve never really been on a show like this. I\u2019ve never had that experience. Having Gleb and everyone at Dancing with the Stars be so supportive of me and having that outlet means a lot,\u201d Pieterse, who shares 2-year-old Hendrix with husband Hudson Scheaffer<\/strong>, added. \u201cThe fact that I can open up and share this with people and hopefully bring awareness to PCOS is really all I can ask for. This has been an amazing experience.\u201d<\/p>\n For Pieterse, it was important to raise awareness and encourage other women to get tested.<\/p>\n Sign up for Us Weekly’s free, daily newsletter and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Celebrity-Moms-Share-PCOS-Struggles-Jen-Saviano-and-More-Promo.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCelebrity Moms Share PCOS Struggles<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nCelebrity Health Scares Through the Years<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nCelebrities’ Weight Loss and Transformations: Before and After Pictures<\/h3>\n
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