Anyone normal weight and never been too skinny or fat??

Elly in PA · 06-03-2009, 01:30 PM

I'm just sending a shout-out to see how many cysters out there are just your average gal, not fat, not skinny, and NEVER have been fat or skinny in the past. It seems a lot of the "thin" cysters are really skinny, which I know is linked to PCOS. Also, other people have been talking a lot about PCOS being linked to women who were at ONE TIME really skinny or fat.....but what about the rest of us (meaning me)? I'm just your average gal, sure I've gained a few pounds gradually in the 11 years since high school, but I wouldn't consider myself overweight (BMI hovers just below 25 but I have big boobs and hips).
Also, I find very few women describe their symptoms like me, I don't have any abnormal hormone levels, no abnormal LH:FSH ratio, either. No thyroid issues. Just very few periods since going off BCP and they tapered slowly and now nothing and no ovulation. I noticed slightly more pimples and a little more hair on my face but minimal. Am I rare? Anyone else have this same description? And if so, did you guys get pregnant? Did you respond to any meds? I am not currently on any but trying to get in to see an obgyn to discuss my options.

SilentWarrior · 06-04-2009, 01:46 AM

Average gal here. My BMI is also below 25 but I have excess fat in almost every part of my body. I never had ovulation problems. No thyroid disorders.I never had belly fat but that changed when my dearest gyno put me on birth control pills last year (YAZ specifically).Now I have hips,arm fat,love handles,fat thighs and a 4 month pregnant looking belly. Though I didn't gain weight easily I usually had such a hard time losing it. The best I ever could do was to shed 5-6 pounds even when I exercised along with dieting. I'm doing resistance training,weight training and a little cardio every day now so let's see what will happen. I also have oily skin,acne,somewhat excess hair and a little hair loss on my head(alopecia) though the endo I visited couple of months ago told me my hormones were normal! I don't know who to believe anymore... My only advice is don't ever go to a gyno for your hormone problems because they don't specialize in that area and they will put you on bcp which doesn't cure PCOS. It will only mask your symptoms and mess up your hormones more.

06-04-2009, 08:53 PM

Im normal sized too, not sure my BMI, but my bodyfat is 25% which is within the normal range. I did gain some weight and my bodyfat went up to 34%, but I lost it pretty quickly. My testosterone levels are higher than average, and I have a slightly underactive thyroid. I also have the usual acne, skipped ovulation, etc. Im not TTC right now, so I am on bc, mostly because my boyfriend and I have been mutually exclusive for 6 years so condoms arent really used much anymore.

When I went of bc in october, I got normal periods until december...then nothing. My acne went nuts as soon as I stopped ovulating, which is what prompted me to go to a doctor...which was when I was diagnosed. Im not sure if we are abnormal or not, lol. I think PCOS makes us all abnormal, almost no ones symptoms are the same.

TheNewMrs. · 06-04-2009, 09:11 PM

I'm with you all too. BMI is roughly 23. I did get up to 140ish first year of college, but that only lasted 6-7 months at most. I couldn't let myself get any bigger than that. Even at that point I felt so disguisting and depressed. I average 123 and I have to say that I'm currently about 130ish (which isn't fun either).

I do not have very abnormal hormone levels. My Ob/Gyn did say (I think) that my testosterone is a bit high, but all others are normal. No thyroid issues. U/S shows I have "normal" follicles, supposedly (but can't seem to get pregnant). I do have excess facial hair and had excess acne (which has amazingly cleared right up over the past 3 months or so). The excess hair is the most annoying part. I do not have regular periods as mine range from every 2 months to every 6 months, but I've never went longer than 6 as some girls have. On average I'd say they're about every 3 months.

Other than that I'm fairly healthy! I try to exercise regularly and my DH and I eat lots of fruits, veggies, ALL whole grains, lean meats, and other good protein sources. We do like to spluge now and then (once or twice a month) like tonight we'll be having pizza with friends for the Wings Stanley Cup playoffs! GOOO Wings!!!

So yes, I do wonder why I have this issue. I'm healthy and normal! Obesity, Diabetes and PCOS do run in my family though through my Dad's side VERY heavily. I bet that's my source, but as I've mentioned I'm neither obese or diabetic. I don't even have IR.

So, just letting you know I'm with ya'll!!

Athletic Cyster · 06-06-2009, 01:41 AM

Hi Ladies, I'm in the same boat. My BMI is under 23 and I'd consider myself a really normal weight - though in the past two years I've put on 15 pounds even though I've been really active (marathons, triathlons, etc).

My hormone levels look normal but I have some excess hair on my face and body, pimples on my chin, weight gain around my stomach, and no periods on my own.

I'm just starting clomid (first round was a bust) and would love to know if there are any other 'normal' weight cysters out there who were able to conceive.

TheNewMrs. · 06-06-2009, 01:24 PM

Althletic Cyster - you sounds EXACTLY like me. Still TTC with no success though.

Haven't went that far with it though. TTC for about 8 months, but only tried BCP's for 2 months to try to regulate. Never tried the Clomid or anything else. Good luck with this cycle! My current cycle is either going to be VERY long or anovulatory it appears. Very disappointing.

Athletic Cyster · 06-06-2009, 11:20 PM

Mrs. Evans,

Have you thought about using clomid? It doesn't look like 50mg worked for me but today I'm feeling more hopeful. I'm still concerned that because we don't fit the standard pcos description there might be something else going on that our Dr's don't know about.

I'm confused about how I even have pcos if my hormone leves are normal. Does anyone know why cysts happen even when hormone levels are normal?

TheNewMrs. · 06-06-2009, 11:41 PM

And apparently my OB/GYN said I don't even have cysts (or have very few...can't remember) - either way, she pretty much said I was normal. And she was shocked and hesitant to dx me with PCOS because she just kept saying "usually those with PCOS are overweight." I'm just not really sure what else it would be. I've actually been researching here and there for over 10 years now because I knew something wasn't right with my body, but PCOS was the best thing to explain it from what I found. I have no idea. I do have to say that I'm very glad I'm not overweight though and by no means am I disappointed to be in this "category." Only disappointed that it's so darn hard to concieve.

I have not tried Clomid. I've asked about it and it seems she's a little hesitant to prescribe it right away. She wanted to try regulating with BCP's, then possibly try Met for a while and see. Who knows. I have to call her in a few weeks anyway and tell her what's happened since the BCP's - that is...nothing, no AF and I really don't think I'm pregnant. Could just be a long cycle, so we'll wait and see.

rachael07 · 06-07-2009, 10:47 AM

My BMI is 21, but, I have a "small frame", meaning that I do not look super skinny. I have a healthy/normal distribution of fat on my body. I have never deviated from my current weight by more than 5 lbs. I never lose or gain weight, it is weird (and trust me, I've tried both!).

I walk 2-4 miles a day and have some form of actual exercise once or twice a week. I thought I ate a very healthy diet with no processed food in it at all. I've never ovulated. It's been 8 months since I've gotten a natural period (induced with provera three times). My insulin resistance test came back totally fine. My HDL is super high (due to exercise and diet), but my LDL is also super high.

<sigh> I don't get why there are so many thin cysters.

TTC for 8 months. I did clomid 50mg, nothing. I am currently CD13 on clomid 150mg. My CD12 ultrasound showed no measurable follicles, though I will get re-checked on CD15.

Also -- I posted another topic about hypothalamic amenorrhea and PCOS. I have a doc who initially diagnosed me with both. He later retracted the HA diagnoses, but I left the post up there, because it sounds like it is possible to have both conditions. He said that women who have both don't respond well to clomid.

TheNewMrs. · 06-07-2009, 11:11 AM

Hmm. Good info Rachael. Never looked into the HA. Maybe I'll have to do so. Be glad you can't lose, but mostly gain weight!

I'm sure there are very few of you out there. I CAN definitely gain, but I work hard at staying the same (even though I've gained to where I am recently). The walking on a daily basis is a HUGE help I'm sure. Exercise is SO big when it comes to weight maintenance/loss.

rachael07 · 06-07-2009, 12:35 PM

I should also clarify the gaining weight thing -- I can gain if I let myself, psychologically, but I have a difficult time doing that... not the healthiest body image to have, I know, but my Dr.s dire warnings of "don't gain weight or your PCOS symptoms will spiral out of control" didn't help things!

When I was very young, I had a super fast metabolism and definitely could not gain weight. I tried to gain weight when I was 12-16. I was a beanpole, and it was terribly embarrassing to me. I often had low blood sugar. Now, if I let myself, I could gain a few pounds, but I just can't get to that point. Once I gain a pound or two, I feel gross and food is less apetizing to me. I'm not at all anorexic and I have no wish to lose significant pounds -- I just tend to think about what I eat in relation to my current size.

I probably think too much about my weight, and I know where it comes from. My mom is very tiny (5', 95lb). She also thinks too much about her weight. She hardly eats anything at meals, but she has a sweet tooth, so she has a lot of ice cream and other sweet things throughout the day. She maintains her weight by removing the healthy food. Knowing that she did this while pregnant with me makes me wonder. Could high sugar during her pregnancy have contributed to my PCOS? Despite her massive sugar consumption and poor diet, she does not have IR.

Anyway, I have some of my mother's tendencies with regard to caloric sources. Prior to my diagnosis, I was very aware of my caloric intake; instead of reducing my sweet intake to keep it under control, I would often reduce my normal food intake. If I had cake in the afternoon, I would just eat a little less for dinner. I would probably have something sweet (a little syrup in my coffee, a cookie) once a day. This enabled me to eat a mostly healthy diet that included a daily boost of sugar without gaining weight. I wonder whether this contributed to my PCOS: could slight caloric restriction with regular sugar intake worsen the body's response to insulin? Maybe if I had eaten heavy meals after those instances of cake and cookies my body wouldn't have this problem? I hate thinking that way, but I often do.

I just posted an article about diet in the ttc board. Now I have removed all sugar and grain-based-carbs. I feel so much better. My weight has stayed exactly the same, but my energy is through the roof.

Even before the PCOS issues, I only ever ate whole grains, lean protein and lots of veggies. I never ate much processed food. No candy or soda, ever. It is so frustrating, isn't it? Sometimes I look around at everyone else and what they eat, and I can't believe that I have this. I guess sometimes you can do all the right things and still not be able to prevent something bad from happening.

I am lucky to live 1 mile from where I work - perfect for a daily walk back and forth. We sound similar diet-wise. However, I do have super high LH (in the 30s now, I think) and very cystic ovaries. Is the PCOS dx just from your infertility and family history?

TheNewMrs. · 06-07-2009, 12:52 PM

If you're asking me, I think the dx came from self-reported info to the doc. As I mentioned, she kept saying "PCOS usually occurs in overweight/obese people, it'd be unlikely for you." I kept being persistant that I had the symptoms such as excess acne, excess hair on my face, and the obvious - VERY irregular cycles with greatly increased PMS symptoms. My testosterone, as I mentioned WAS a little high, but I believe that was the only irregular lab. She did a transvag. u/s and from what I gathered, there may have been no or minimal cysts, but she did say I had average follicles for my age and "ovaries that look healthy and able to conceive." I do not have the IR, but I DO experience hypoglycemia once in a while and I really think that's a good symptom of IR, but again, I'm not overweight, so there's less of a chance of it as well here.

I sounds exactly like you Rachael as I LOVE sweets. I think it's funny when someone says "I can't eat that, that's too sweet." I'm like "give me that! MMM" lol I LOVE sweets. I have a love for dark chocolate - anything dark chocolate and I snack on dark chocolate chips daily. I LOVE ice cream, but we try not to keep it in the house. If so, I buy Skinny Cow or Weight Watchers products - delicious and really taste similar to "real" ice cream, yet only usually 2-3 g of fat compared to 14+ gram in regular ice cream. I, otherwise, eat very healthy for the most part. ALL whole grains, we always have fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and veggies in the house (mostly fresh), fat free dairy, healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, fish, etc. All of our protein is lean and we eat mostly chicken and fish. If we eat beef or pork it's from my DH's cousin who raises her own for 4-H (so no hormones and they're free-range).

SO, I think I do well, but man for me, it's portions. I LOVE food. And the sweets.

Elly in PA · 06-07-2009, 05:13 PM

Great to hear from you all! I have been getting pretty depressed about this whole diagnosis...no period since the doc gave me Provera...and I can't get in to see the obgyn until August or September. So, I'm just sitting around, trying anything I can to try to ovulate and scared to death that I won't be able to have my own children.
On a different note, supposedly the ovaries will have several cysts whenever the body has failed ovulation, so I keep thinking that maybe my body just needs a jumpstart after all those years of BCP and that it's possible that I don't have PCOS at all! I know it may just be wishful thinking but better than nothing! Meanwhile I hope to hear if any of you ladies has had success regulating your cycles and if there's any advice. I'll just keep temping every morning and eating my whole grains!

mmerritt3 · 06-07-2009, 08:35 PM

im in the same boat with yall. my bmi is roughly about 23. i was diagnosed about 8 yrs ago & have been on bcps ever since. i recently went off my pills in the beginning of march & got my pd on my own 5 wks later & i was soo excited bc i thought i was cured. but now 8 weeks later, i havent gotten another. i have been under some stress looking for a new job, but i am considering taking a pt soon. i was also looking at fertilaid & wondering if that could help any. not that i am ttc right now, but my bf & i have seriously talked about it & wouldnt be upset if we got pregnant.

G809 · 06-09-2009, 04:45 PM

I'm in the same boat as you -- very normal BMI (22) and not skinny or overweight, no abnormal hormones (in fact, T is on the low end), and only symptoms are irregular periods, acne, and very low libido (might not be related). I am definitely pear shaped -- all my fat is in my lower body, not my stomach. Birth control worked for me for a very long time and helped but I decided to go off and now have the irregularity and acne again, but am looking into acupuncture and traditional chinese medicine. I'm not currently TTC but may consider it in a year or two!