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Friday, 10 November 2006

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Jane Danson: PCOS forced me to change my life

After diagnosis, Ex-Corrie star lost weight

As sexy bombshell Leanne Battersby in Coronation Street, Jane Danson should have felt on top of the world.

But while she came across as a bundle of energy on screen, at one time the reality couldn’t have been more different.

I thought I was just run down

‘I felt exhausted all the time, my weight kept fluctuating and my skin looked terrible,’ she says. ‘I assumed it was because I was busy and not looking after myself.’

Jane, now 28, ignored how dreadful she felt, hoping it would just go away. It was only by chance that she discovered her symptoms might be due to a lot more than just tiredness.

‘I was reading a magazine article about polycystic ovaries and I suddenly realised that many of the symptoms were exactly what I was experiencing,’ she recalls. ‘That’s when I decided to visit the doctor.’

After a series of tests, Jane’s doctor confirmed she was suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal condition that can affect fertility. Symptoms include irregular or nonexistent periods, acne, weight gain and facial hair.

My poor diet contributed towards PCOS

‘Doctors don’t really understand why you develop PCOS, although poor lifestyle
is thought to play a part,’ Jane explains.

‘Although I’d always have a healthy breakfast, as the day went on I’d snack on biscuits and have something greasy for lunch, followed by a ready-meal for dinner, and this was effectively feeding my condition.’

Some people who suffer with PCOS are resistant to insulin, the hormone that regulates the change of sugar and foods into energy. The body gets caught in a vicious cycle as it produces more insulin to compensate, then insulin levels crash, leaving the person feeling tired and craving sweet foods again. It also has a knock-on effect on hormone production.

‘This was why I craved chocolate and biscuits and was so tired,’ says Jane.

Healthy eating helped me fight it

There’s no cure for PCOS, but symptoms can be managed through use of the contraceptive pill and lifestyle changes.

‘I didn’t want to take the Pill because I felt it was masking the problem rather than dealing with it,’ says Jane. ‘But my doctor advised that by changing my diet and exercising I could improve my condition.’

With the help of a GI diet book and the PCOS Diet Book (£12.99, HarperCollins), Jane set about altering her diet, with almost immediate results.

‘It really surprised me how much better I started feeling,’ she says. I still ate the same breakfast, but for lunch I’d have a chicken salad sandwich with wholegrain bread and chicken or fish with veg for dinner.’

It’s a diet Jane has stuck to, although she admits she can’t resist a sweet treat now and again, even though she knows it’s not good for her. ‘I’m still no angel because I love sweet things, but I try to have only one treat a day,’ she says.

Exercise has made me more confident

The other change that’s helped Jane is exercise. She now visits the gym at least twice a week, as well as going for long walks.

‘My doctor told me that exercise helps because women with PCOS produce too much of the male hormone testosterone, which can be diminished if you exercise,’ she says. ‘I can’t say exercise is my favourite thing, but it’s a must for me and I always feel so much better for going.’

Apart from helping Jane manage the symptoms of PCOS, the new regime clearly suits her.

She used to struggle with her weight, but is now a shapely size 8. ‘I feel a lot more confident about my body and everything as a knock-on effect of changing my lifestyle,’ she says.

Exercise and a healthy diet is now an essential part of Jane’s life. If she doesn’t keep it up, the long-term health risks of PCOS can include high blood pressure, obesity and even diabetes.

Getting pregnant is a worry but life has changed for the better

Despite taking the condition in her stride, she admits that sometimes she worries whether
it will affect her ability to have children. ‘It’s always there in the back of my mind, although I try not to dwell on it,’ she says. ‘At the end of the day, there are all sorts of treatments you can try if you can’t conceive naturally.’

And as she admits, learning she has PCOS was a wake-up call that forced her to change her life for the better.

‘I’ve got PCOS, like it or not, but at least it means I've learned to lead a healthier lifestyle,' she says.

Rachael Woolston