Sasha Pieterse Says 17 Doctors Blamed Her 70-Pound Weight Gain On Overeating Before Diagnosis

The South African-born Pretty Little Liars alum, Sasha Pieterse, 29, has surfaced to talk about a decade of strange symptoms that had doctors turning her away, telling her she ate too much.

Between the ages of 12 and 17, she inexplicably gained 70 pounds, and to make matters worse, she had to hide her evolving body dysmorphia, epilepsy, and depression behind a smile while her acting career took shape.

Then, finally, she was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), an ailment that affects the female reproductive system and occurs in one out of ten women.

Sasha Pieterse continued to work while the symptoms piled up

Sasha Pieterse speaking in an interview about weight gain and doctors misattributing it to overeating.

Chatting to the SHE MD Podcast hosts, Mary Alice Haney and Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi, Pieterse recalled how she tried to fight the disorder that, for a long time, she could not even name.

It came with a range of comorbidities, including epilepsy.

“So I was dealing with seizures with no cause… No idea what the cause was, and I started gaining weight,” she said.

Sasha Pieterse posing in a black outfit at an event, highlighting weight gain struggles discussed with doctors.

Image credits: Getty / Michael Tullberg

She was able to keep her neurological disorder under wraps. 

“Nobody knew until very recently,” she confirmed.

She even boycotted food altogether to fight the weight gain

She became aware of the source of the issue at age 10. Pieterse claimed that when she started menstruating, her periods were irregular, and she recalled thinking they would even out with time.

Sasha Pieterse wearing a black and white polka dot dress at an event, addressing 70-pound weight gain and doctors' blame.

Image credits: Getty / Emma McIntyre

Instead, she detected more unwanted and unknown symptoms, including hair loss and acne, which became particularly pronounced during her tenure on IT Girl.

“I went to 17 different gynecologists. They all said I was just eating too much or not exercising enough, even though I was doing everything right. If I ate more salads, I would’ve turned green,” she told her hosts.

Pieterse took her handling of the issue to the extreme and boycotted food altogether at one stage.

The illness even took a toll on her psychological health

@shemdpodcast “Something’s wrong.” That’s what @Pretty Little Liars actress and @Hippie Water co-founder @Sasha Pieterse Sheaffer kept telling her doctors, but time and time again, she was dismissed. It wasn’t until she finally received a PCOS diagnosis that everything clicked… and she finally felt validated.  This week on SHE MD podcast, Sasha opens up about her journey with PCOS, the frustration of being overlooked, and why advocating for yourself is non-negotiable. Episode out now with hosts @drthaisaliabadi and Mary Alice Haney, don’t miss it! #SHEMDpodcast#PCOSAwareness#SashaPieterse♬ Manifestation – Perfect, so dystopian

“I had body dysmorphia and disordered eating, but it wasn’t changing what I looked like. If anything, it was getting worse,” Pieterse said.

Inevitably, the disorder and the medical bloc’s inability to diagnose it took a psychological toll on the actress.

“I got told I was crazy, or that I was doing something wrong so many times,” she recalled.

She went on to say that her persistence paid off. “But I kept advocating for myself, and that’s how I finally got an answer,” Pieterse elaborated.

 

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A post shared by Sasha Pieterse Sheaffer (@sashapieterse)

“Once I got the diagnosis, not only was that so validating… I’m not crazy, there is actually something that’s going on with me, now I have a label.”

Pieterse is part of a surprisingly large demographic of American women living with PCOS.

PCOS is a leading cause of infertility

The World Health Organization (WHO) describes the disorder as “a hormonal condition that affects women of reproductive age.”

Young woman with long hair wearing a red striped apron, smiling indoors, relating to Sasha Pieterse weight gain and doctors.

It goes on to say that it usually starts during puberty and its symptoms may fluctuate over time.

Like in Pieterse’s case, it causes irregular periods, which are associated with hormonal imbalances and cysts in the ovaries.

The organization goes on to say women with PCOS can find it “difficult to become pregnant,” and thus, “PCOS is a leading cause of infertility.”

According to the World Health Organization, 70 percent of cases are undiagnosed

Sasha Pieterse with long blonde hair wearing a light purple top reflecting on doctors blaming weight gain on overeating.

According to the WHO, an improved lifestyle, along with fertility treatments and medications, are ways of addressing the illnesses, but there is no cure.

It further notes that while the hormonal disorder’s cause remains a mystery to the medical world, it has been determined that women with a genetic history of type 2 diabetes are more at risk.

The United States Office on Women’s Health which dubs PCOS a “common and treatable cause of infertility,” notes it “affects 1 in 10 women of childbearing age.”

Sasha Pieterse posing in a black dress with long wavy hair, reflecting on doctors blaming her weight gain before finding answers

Image credits: Instagram / sashapieterse

@thesqueezepodcast Actress @IamSashaPieterse ♬ original sound – The Squeeze Podcast

The WHO indicates that of this statistic, 70 percent of the world’s cases are undiagnosed.

Pieterse was able to conceive and give birth in 2020

Notably, Pieterse appears to have dodged the infertility problem. She and her husband, Hudson Sheaffer, welcomed a boy into the world in November 2020.

 

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A post shared by Outdoor Film Festival (@outdoorfilmfestival.it)

“After 27 hours of labor Hendrix Wade Sheaffer made his grand entrance on November 6th at 5:39am, weighing in at 7lbs 14oz and 20.5 inches tall. 

“We are absolutely in love with him and we still can’t believe he’s ours,” she captioned a photo of the infant days after his birth.

The internet finds the doctor’s assumptions that Pieterse was overeating maddening

Comment from Yasmin Cotton thanking Sasha Pieterse for sharing her story about weight gain and health struggles.

Comment by Cat Vernon discussing Sasha Pieterse's PCOS diagnosis linked to her 70-pound weight gain and celebrity coverage.

Comment highlighting frustration over doctors blaming weight gain on overeating before diagnosing PCOS and related health issues.

Comment about medical gaslighting and ignored health concerns related to weight gain and chronic illness experiences.

Comment by Maria Collinsworth criticizing doctors who ignored Sasha Pieterse's 70-pound weight gain concerns on social media.

Comment by Kat Nips discussing years and many doctors before someone listened regarding weight gain concerns.

Comment by Ashley N Laxton discussing women’s stories and the need for more awareness about health issues.

Facebook comment expressing frustration about doctors not taking symptoms seriously before a severe diagnosis, related to weight gain issues.

ALT text: Social media comment about months of abdominal pain and delayed PCOS diagnosis highlighting weight gain and health concerns.

Screenshot of a social media post discussing doctors blaming Sasha Pieterse's 70-pound weight gain on overeating before diagnosis.

Comment by Rachel Harrison praising awareness about weight gain and health issues, referencing Sasha Pieterse’s experience with doctors.

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