Do you feel discriminated against for being thin? - Page 2

jaspurr · 06-25-2009, 07:02 PM

thanks for the thread on this! like so many of you ladies, went years being undiagnosed with dr's saying i didn't get AF just b/c i was thin. now that i look back at the situation it makes me mad that so many dr's just thought it was normal for a young woman to not have periods.

Pnksunflrws4ever · 07-30-2009, 06:42 AM

I had been complaining to my Gyn about have missed AF for nearly six months and she said it was probably because I had stopped taking my birth control (even though I stopped taking it, because I has already stopped getting my AF while on it) and said that it was nothing to worry about... my cycles would return to normal because I didn't fit the criteria for someone with PCOS. I'm 110 lbs and 5' 9", been thin my entire life. When I still didn't get it, I forced her to do blood work and she saw... that I had PCOS from my results. She apologized deeply for assuming and being uninformed.

When I went to see my primary care doctor he told me that there was no way that my high blood pressure was due to PCOS. Now that we have gotten my cycles more under control, my blood pressure has gone down. Not all doctors are uninformed... just most of them.

I'm so tired of everyone assuming that we're fertile and healthy just because we're small.

Corrie126 · 07-30-2009, 04:42 PM

Yeah...my sister and I are both thin, always have been...and have both been diagnosed with PCOS within the last few months...if your doctor is giving you flack...I would look for another one...

Daisy811 · 08-03-2009, 07:38 PM

I went undiagnosed for years, not because I am thin, but because I was on bcp's since high school to get rid of my acne. It was once I came of the bcp's and the acne flared up and I went over 6 months w/o a period, that my ob/gyn ordered an ultrasound and I was diagnosed. None of my doctors have acted surprised, even though I have a BMI of 20. But maybe my doctors have more experience with a wide variety of people who have pcos.

sooner · 08-03-2009, 11:19 PM

I too was not diagnosed with PCOS after quitting BCP because I am not overweight or hairy. Three doctors and two infertile years later my blood was finally checked to verify higher than normal testosterone and a mid-cycle ultrasound confirmed too many follicles. I started 1500mg/day metformin last month and I am ovulating five days earlier than usual. I usually ovulate on CD21 but this month it will be CD16 if all of my signs are correct. I am not sure why such misinformation exists in the medical community, I feel like I have lost two valuable years TTC because of ignorance.

USMCwifey10 · 08-04-2009, 12:47 AM

I am so glad that I found this post. I went undiagnosed for at least 2 years I think because at the time, the GYN that I saw said that since I was not overweight I couldn't possibly have PCOS. And of course I trusted the doctor because "she must know what she's talking about". And I continued to believe this until a friend of mine was diagnosed and she was hardly bigger than I was. I started doing research and pushed my new GYN to dig deeper and consider PCOS again. Within a month, I had an U/S, bloodwork, and a diagnosis. Doctors don't always know everything and now that I have my nursing license I encourage all my patients to push their MD's to listen to their concerns and dig deeper if they aren't in agreement with the plan of care.

BloomingTulips · 08-11-2009, 03:58 AM

No matter what I complained about, my PCP would tell me that I was thin and therefore healthy and had nothing to worry about.

I went through a year of work-ups and specialists you wouldn't believe trying to figure out why my hormones were crazy. The third endocrinologist diagnosed me on my first visit with him, saying my bloodwork and history clearly indicated it. He was the second of the long string of doctors to ever mention it. The second endo had briefly mentioned it while explaining why he thought it was all in my head because I couldn't have this or that or PCOS because I'm not fat.

My gynecologist was polite about it, but insisted on getting an ultrasound to confirm. Classic case, he said, after looking at it. No kidding.

I've definitely been treated poorly and suffered much longer than I should have because of my weight.

Yasmin8 · 08-12-2009, 01:53 AM

I never had any signs of pcos--only no ovulation. Whenever I go to a new doctor and tell them I have pcos, I dread it. I have to explain that I have pcos and yes I don't look like I have pcos and must teach the doctors that thin women can have pcos. Even my endocrinologist said I did not have pcos because of being thin and having normal testosterone levels.

ErikaG_78 · 08-13-2009, 12:53 AM

I also went undiagnosed for years because I am thin (I should rather say underweight). I was 28 years old when finally I found a great Dr who listened to me.
I have had several gyn's but non of them has ever mentioned PCOS. When I complained about my loooong cycles and heavy bleedings they just put me on BCP without doing any tests, no blood work, no u/s, nothing. When we started TTC, I knew we would have trouble getting pregnant with my long (40-100 days) cycles so I started charting. The little I knew at that time. I found out after charting for months that I do not ovulate. I showed my charts to my gyn and asked her to do something. She said: "You are healthy and young, you probably ovulate just your charts do not show them. I bet you'll be pregnant within a year ... " This is when I started to research what my problem can be ... and found PCOS. I went back to my gyn and asked her to test me for PCOS. She refused it, saying I am too thin, and not hairy enough ..... I was like WHAT???? .... I went back every time AF did not show up for 2 months and finally I got a referral to and RE.

My RE told me on the first appointment she suspected PCOS ... She ordered a few blood works and did an u/s on my next appt. I indeed have PCOS ... I have several cysts on my ovaries and my LH:FSH is more than 4. With the help of this doctor I got pregnant and had a healthy baby.
And here we come again ... TTC our second baby, but this time with herbs and vitamins ...

miyu · 09-26-2009, 06:50 AM

I am just now diagnosed with PCOS 2 years after my PCP worked me up (not her fault). I work in a hospital, so the radiologists interpreting the ultrasounds know what I look like and know that I am thin. Thus they were probably biased and interpreted my ultrasounds as "within normal range of appearance", though it also fits criteria for PCOS. Can't say I blame them... it is a very human reaction.

I wouldn't take offense though. It's not textbook knowledge yet that there are thin cysters, so people who don't specialize in reproductive endocrinology may not be familiar with the knowledge. You can't expect all docs to know everything outside their field, there is too much info and new research too keep up with. It's a good opportunity for everyone to get the word out and to educate those around us.

Docs are always appreciative of clues that patients give. It's not hard to convince a doc about a possible diagnosis if you come armed with the proper information and logic.

magzarooni · 10-01-2009, 06:32 AM

Do the docs not know that there are a range of varying signs and symptoms to pcos !!!!!! I have personally been p****d right off with a doc's attitude towards me cos I am thin and have managed to have 2 children .It's a joke to think that we can trust our docs if we know more about our condition than they do !!!!! magz xx

misty_lea · 10-05-2009, 03:44 PM

Wow I also went undiagnosed for 15 years it was insane. All I ever got was that I didn't get periods because I was thin and that if I gained weight I would start......let's just say I probably eat more than a cow lol and maintain my weight at 110-115 and I am 5'5". I actually went to a Dr. that told me I must be anorexic because there is nothing wrong with me....I was mad! I finally found an excellent fertility Dr. and when they did the ultrasound they said I was extreme pcos and had what looked like pearl necklaces on my ovaries! I started injections after dealing with bigger cysts for 4 months. After the first IUI I conceived my daughter. I was so happy. I still do not get periods and right now I am in the 2ww for # 2. Keeping my fingers crossed!

miyu · 10-08-2009, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magzarooni

Do the docs not know that there are a range of varying signs and symptoms to pcos !!!!!! I have personally been p****d right off with a doc's attitude towards me cos I am thin and have managed to have 2 children .It's a joke to think that we can trust our docs if we know more about our condition than they do !!!!! magz xx

If the doc is an ob/gyn they should most definitely know.

If the doc is a family practice / internist, they are probably less familiar with the full range of PCOS symptoms. But they should have referred to an ob/gyn if they can't figure it out.

mscysters2 · 10-12-2009, 06:01 AM

I just received my new health insurance packet and saw that it doesn't cover any pre-existing condition to include undiagonised, misdiagonised, and wrongful diagonised. Needless to say, I am canceling it and getting my money back ASAP.

Now for my Q: How do y'all that have been through hell with doctors not believing you and/or simply not being educated enough to know that there are various symptoms and appearances of one with PCOS, how do y'all deal with the stupid pre-existing clause?

Q2: Anyone have excellent recommendations for any discount insurance policy that covers REs and Gyn Oncologist without having to go through the Referral mess?

BTW, I finally found out that I can't have PCOS due to having hypoechronic/hypoechroeic (the one where there is blood in the area) areas around my ovaries and their masses. Yes, I am still getting the run around. ugh.

Thanks. Good luck to everyone.

mscysters2

misty_lea · 10-13-2009, 12:19 PM

I am not sure about insurance....I live in Canada so we have the free healthcare and my husband has excellent insurance with his work as well....Sorry wish I could help