Anyone interested in a thin cyster TTC buddy group?
Hi all,
It seems like there are a lot of thin ladies who are TTC and thought it might be a nice idea to start up a buddy group. I already belong to a very active TTC group, and totally love all my buddies, but always feel out of place when the discussions turn to weight concerns. I know I’m so happy to be one of the lucky PCOSers who doesn’t have any weight problems, but feel like we thin ladies have our own set of issues too (like trying to get a straight answer from docs who don’t know what to do with us). And, I can’t help but feel like what works for our fluffier cysters isn’t necessarily going to help us.
So, chime in, if you’re interested. If we get a group going we can move over to the TTC thread, but I thought it might be a good idea to start here. I’m very sensitive to the fact that having weight problems in addition to other PCOS concerns must be so difficult. I don’t want to send the wrong message or seem exclusionary by starting a thread there. Not that I’ve ever sensed any animosity from anyone, but still…I think you understand.
Hope to hear from some of you!
Lissa
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Hi, count me in! And thanks lissadell for articulating the sensitivity/exclusion issues so well - I have so much admiration for cysters who have to deal with the weight thing too, but yeah, we do have some different and unique problems.
Hello
I would love to join. I was just wondering if thin Cysters is for actually women on the very thin side or just dont have the extreame weight problem. I am to most people considered under weight to me sometimes I struggle with my weight for myself. I just mean that I still flex with my weight within 5 to 10 pounds around my cycle which is all new to me since I have gone off spironaltone (which I used to clear my skin). I still fit in all my clothes but I feel a little difference from going off it to concive. Anyway I would love to join your group I was just wondering if any of you still find yourself watching your waist line. I find the same thing when I go to the doctors when I tell him I have gained weight and he laughes at me. I am so glad I found this site.
Kathryn
Thanks for responding! I'm excited to get a little group going. Do you think we should chat here for a bit & see if we pick up new members or move over to the TTC forum?
Feel free to update with where you are with TTC, what CD you are on etc. I'll post more about me later...just have a few minutes then I'm going out to grab lunch with a work friend.
The exciting development on my end is that AF showed yesterday, bringing another long, weird cycle (58 days) to an end. Tomorrow, I am going in for tons of CD3 bloodwork to officially diagnose me with PCOS (I assume, anyway). I'm also getting my insulin levels tested, which should help determine if I am IR or not. After that, my endocrinologist expects to up my Metformin ER dosage to 2,000 MGs (I'm now on 500 MG) - which (I hope) will start to get my cycles and ovulations under control. In addition to met, I'm trying several natural remedies (need to update my signature actually).
Kathyrn - I do find myself watching my waist line. I'm 5'0" and usually weigh between 102 - 108 lbs. I am not happy at the upper end of my weight range, at all, and when I get up there control my diet a bit and tent to lose those unwanted pounds. I put on a bit after going off spironolactone too, but have shed it all now (thankfully). Where do you live in VA? Maybe we can compare notes on doctors & stuff.
Sarah, Six, and Anne - look forward to chatting with you more and getting to know all of you better!!
Have a great day, ladies
Lissa
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Congratulations on AF!! That must be so exciting. I hope when your met is upped you will start ovulating regularly.
Ok -- Here's where we are on ttc.
We just started really trying this month! I went off the pill in June and haven't had AF without progesterone supplementation since. I have been taking dexamethasone for one week and am supposed to continue with that for 2 more weeks, then provera, hopefully AF and my first clomid trial.
I want to be finished with the dex already. I haven't had any physical side effects but it makes me really anxious, like I can't cope with any kind of stress at all. I actually yelled at the attendant in my parking garage yesterday, which is so not like me -- I am usually polite to a fault! It will be done in 2 weeks, though, and then I'm sure I can look forward to bigger and better moodswings with clomid!!
As promised, here's more about me and where we are with our TTC journey.
I stopped BCPs and sprionolactone last summer after having been on them for years. My first cycle was blissfully normal - 37 days, pretty sure I O'd based on late cycle temps. I was totally psyched.
Then cycle #2 started...kept going and going and going...around day 45 -- after charting showed that typical, rocky mountain-esque annovulatory pattern -- I went to my OBGYN an asked to be put on insulin-sensitizing meds. She told me she hadn't put me on them previously b/c I am thin - she didn't think they would do any good! I do have a strong family history of diabetes, so I ultimately convinced her to let me give them a whirl - 500 MGs.
Not long after that, I stumbled across this wonderful site and found out my dose was pathetically low. Made an appointment with an endo for about 6 weeks later (isn't it annoying how long it takes to get an appt. with a new doc?). AF showed on CD76, exactly 30 days after starting met. I was psyched again.
Went to the endo who agreed that my dose was too low, but wanted to do bloodwork on CD3 before upping it. Plus, I've never been offically diagonsed with PCOS, or with IR. That appt. was in early December.
That brings me to tomorrow - CD3 at last! Woo hoo!
I plan to be patient and let the met do it's thing for a few months before trying anything else (besides the herbals). If no luck, I'll likely try a few rounds clomid w/ my OBGYN in 3 months or so before doing any real IF stuff. My IF insurance is pretty lame, and has a pretty low $ lifetime cap, so I'm trying to do as much as I can before dipping into it.
I really feel like the increased met + some natural remedies will do the trick...but then, I have the luxury of being an optimist.
Anne - I only recently learned about dexamethasone as a potential option for PCOS. Sounds like it's a difficult med to be on. Glad you only have a short time more to take it (though, yes, I've heard moodswings are rampant with clomid)
Gotta warn you girls, I'm a bit of a SoulCyster addict these days! I'll try to be sane and not overwhelm you all with excessive posting.
Take care
Lissa
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I'm checking into soulcysters a lot these days too!
I just wondering who you guys have told about ttc and pcos. For the moment, I've been really discreet. When I discovered the PCOS, I wasn't tcc and I told my parents, sister and my two best friends. I haven't told anyone that we have started trying. It is hard that I have no one to talk to about this besides DH. I guess I'm afraid that it is going to take me a really long time to get pregnant and I don't want everyone whispering/ feeling bad for me while I'm going through that. My sister in law has been through a hellish infertility, and still isn't pregnant, and I see the way our in-laws (who are wonderful people) are always worried about her, and talking about it when she isn't there and I don't think I could deal with that. It would be good to have some support though.... Anyways, just rambling.....
I don't consider myself heavy and just wanted to know. I do need to lose some pounds I gaines from steroids (for an eye disease) and from clomid, but that is it! It's been a struggle, but I hope to be back to my "thin" self sometime this year! Hopefully!
I to have been struggleing with my weight between 5-10 pounds more than I want. I probobly look better to some people but I really like the way my clothes fit and the way I feel when I am at 135. I am 5 11 and when I gain weight it really only goes to my waist. I am hopeing that once I get pregnant it wont bother me so much that I have gained some weight from going off the Spironoaltone and going on the Glucaphage.
Anne I have told a few people about TTC but tried to keep it somewhat quite. Haveing a big family they all have been talking. My DH came back from the War in Iraq in July so everyone has been asking anyway. There has been a big boom in Irai Freedom Babies (not us). So people that dont really know how hard we are trying have been asking just to know. Most people know that I have endometriosis and PCOS since my surgury last year, so they have been wondering. His mother is the worst She made the biggist fuss about it which made me aos angry. She thinks we are way too young. He is 26 and I am 25. She was 16 when she had him. So anyway she was so rude and told us we were foolish and was so unsuportive and we just decided to tell her when we are about 6 months pregnant. She is just like that from what my DH says she will never be happy for him or think he is doing the right thing about anything. She just has no clue why we are trying now and doesnt understand or want to.
Anyway for our TTC history. I had a lap about 2 years ago and we started ttc about 3 months later and then my husband was sent to Iraq. I was on Sprionaltone for about 1 year of 1000mg .Once he got home in July I went off BCP and I started clomide 50mg and musinex and prenantal and zinc.
Then we moved to VA in October when I think I Od. I went to get a new doctor and he told me to stop all the meds that doctor gave me and to go on just Glucagphage XR of 2000mg and to get my husband a SA. He just got that back and it is fine perfect. Now being with this new doctor for almost 4 months he wants me to go to a specialist since we think the endo is growing back pretty bad since I am in so much pain. THe PCOS is causing me to not Ovulate too. So I am all messed up. I go to see this new Doctor Feb 26th so I should know more then. The best part is that we move to NY in June so I have to deal with this all again.
AHHHHHHHHH.......
Thanks for listening.
Kathryn
Well, I'm now a few vials of blood lighter. The lab said the results should be available in 24 to 48 hours...so hopefully I'll connect with my doc before the weekend. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Six - hi! Your temps the last couple of days do look very good - nice and stable! I've heard that's a good indicator of impending O! Two more days of higher temps and you should see a coverline. Glad to hear that the soy seems to be working for you. I start mine on Friday. I bought soy powder w/ 125 MGs of isoflavones. Do you know how many isoflavones and/or soy protein your capsules provide?
Anne - I haven't told many people about TTC, and haven't talked w/ anyone about PCOS. Like you, I don't want people "feeling sorry" for me. I do plan to tell my boss at some point, if I start to need to miss work more frequently for doc visits (I did tell her a few months ago that I had "health issues" and she didn't pry, just told me to do what I need to do). I will probably, gradually tell trusted others too. I guess I've considered myself more in a "pre-conception planning" phase (as my endocrinologist put it) more than a hard core TTC phase, so haven't felt a need to discuss too broadly (hmm...that could explain my SC addiction though!)
Kathryn - sorry your endo seems to be growing back. I hope that's not the case! A good friend of mine has it and I know it can be extremely painful. Hope the new doc has some good advice for you.
eeyoremom - you probably fit the "thin cyster" category, even if you feel you need to lose a few pounds. The term I often see used in medical literature is "non-obsese" (which is probably not the nicest-sounding term to use around SC!) So, hang with us!
FYI, here is some info. I posted in response to another cyster who asked a similar question:
To provide a reference point, you may want to determine your body mass index (BMI), which is calculated based on your height and weight. Click here to visit a site that includes a BMI calculator, along with more information on what BMI is (you’ll note it gives options for pounds/kilograms and inches/centimeters). It also provides an age-based adjustment so that you can see where you compare to others in your age group. Here is what the BMI ranges are:
Underweight: Less than 18.5
Recommended: 18.6 to 24.9
Overweight: 25.0 to 29.9
Obese: 30 or greater
I suspect the majority of us “thin cysters” fall in the “recommended” category (not to say that you need to fall into the "recommended" BMI category to belong in this forum). This site suggests that women feel they look their best when there BMI is between 20 and 22, so you may feel like you have weight to lose, but still be in a recommended range.
However, don't worry too much about BMI. It's not perfect...just a gauge. I think there are different interpretations of what the ranges mean. And, since it only factors in weight and height, you can actually be a healthy weight, but still be in the "overweight" BMI range. For example, I've read that Michael Jordan had a BMI of 26.0 when he was at the top of his game; obviously because he had more lean muscle mass, not becuase he was overweight!
FYI, my current BMI is 20.1 (I've lost a few pounds in the last couple of weeks)
Have a good day everyone!
Lissa
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I'm 31 and we've been TTC for 4 years - 2 failed IVFs and the BCP in between. This summer I got an rx for metformin at long last - 3 years of trying! So far I'm having long cycles (45-50 days) but it's a vast improvement on the months of waiting for AF before.
In my IVFs (no metformin) - I had lots of nice looking eggs, but they didn't fertilize well or divide well. If we try IVF again, I'm hoping the metformin will help this. In the meantime, I've added clomiphene this cycle, but may just try Vitex if the clomiphene doesn't shorten my cycle.
Our family and close friends know... sometimes when people ask if we're going to have kids, I say we've been trying for 4 years and they never ask about it again.
I was so excited to see this post today! I want to join! I am a thin cyster 5'6" and 125 lbs. Have weighed the same amount for the last 12 years (I'm 24).
I'm actually on Yasmin right now for 6 cycles (will be done in 3 months 7 days) and we will TTC immediately. I hope to get a couple good cycles post bcp & get pg, if not we'll move on to clomid and/or metformin.
I can't wait to get to know you all, I'm on my way out the door @ work but will check back in tomorrow!
~ Bren
__________________ Brenda (24) & DH Charlie (26)
DDaschunds ~ Brandi & Tucker
2 M/C 7/31/03 @ 4wks & 6/15/04 @ 9wks
dx PCOS 8/18/03 ~ 'Thin Cyster'
1500mg Met as of 3/16/04
Pregnant again!! EDD 5/12/05 - saw HB @ 7wks 145bpm / heard HB @ 11 wks 157bmp
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Hi everyone,
I have a similar story to Six, Lissadell and others... came off BCPs in March, had an encouraging 28 day cycle... then 7 weeks... back to 28 days... 8 weeks (thought I might be pg & on a real low when I found I wasn't)... 9 weeks... now 3months and counting. Just dxd and waiting for my 1st app with a gyn/endo on march 16th. I'm 33, just moved to Australia but been living in India for a few years. Everything is new to me!!
Couple of questions for all of you:
1. What were your cycles like before bcps? Mine were about 37 days but pretty regular.
2. Anyone want to compare path results? I'd like to know what similarities, if any, we thin cysters have in hormone levels.... I haven't had a chance to talk to my doctor about my tests, but my LH:FSH ratio seems freakishly high at 4.5:1, and I can't work out why I have normal SHBG levels. anyone who understands more about the chemistry care to enlighten me? I'd love to try vitex but those high lh levels make me wary...
Haven't told anyone about pcos yet... most friends/family know we're ttc, but I'll explain about pcos when I've seen a specialist and am actually getting some kind of treatment. My mother, eagerly awaiting grandchild no.1 from us, will be devastated and offload all HER emotions onto me as well, if I tell her right now that I'm infertile and have a chronic, incurable condition! DH has been wonderful though... and it's great to have this forum to talk to others who actually understand how you feel!
Anyone interested in a thin cyster TTC buddy group? 
Me too! 
Quick question 
