kmarisco, I feel the same way about my gyn. I feel like she isn't very comfortable treating someone like me. I only had one covered visit to a fertility specialist and he did an ultrasound and told me I had over 30 cysts on each ovary! My gyn won't do mid-cycle ultrasounds and it is $550 to have the other doc do it. I feel it's so simple - stick the thing in and see if any follies have grown so it really irritates me that she won't do it.
I did three cycles of Clomid with nothing. I did get two false positives but never AF or a pregnancy. I don't even know if my follies grew though because I can't afford the ultrasounds.
Melly78 - the RE also told me that metformin wouldn't work on me because I am not overweight. I wonder how true that really is.
Right now I am just feeling dejected. I have never had a period except for the first time when I was fifteen. I am beginning to think its just not going to happen for me. I too would love to hear some success stories from thin cysters!
I was diagnosed with pcos in 2005 after I tried to get pregnant again. I gave birth to a daughter in 2003. I have always been thin. I guess now at 36 almost 37 it seems the weight is getting harder to lose. I am 5'2" and weigh 127. The weird thing is that I connected getting pregnant with weight loss even though I am thin. When I got pregnant with my daughter I dieted seriously just to look good and dropped down to 112. I think that is my magic weight. When I get to 112, it seems to increase my chances of getting pregnant. I dieted in 2005, got down to 112 with the help of the atkins diet and no caffeine and got pregnant again. I lost the baby at 38 weeks. In my mind, it has to be related to blood sugar some how even though there was never a determination for the death. Now, I am also at square one, doing pilates and trying to figure out what is the most efficient way to reach my goal weight without having to sacrifice too many carbs. I guess I also need to think about my health because my recent blood work said my A1c was a 6.0 and cholesterol was 113. Are these still decent numbers? Oh, and I have always had very regular period. The only way I know I have pcos is because of my lh/fsh ratio which is greater than 2. I tried metformin 1500 mg for a few months and that did not seem to help any
I didn't mention this in my earlier post, but I'm actually 11 weeks pg after concieving on Metformin alone. I was seeing an Endo (not an RE) for a thyroid condition, and when I mentioned that I'd be starting Clomid soon, she was like "you should really try Met". I was skeptical since I'm so thin, my blood sugar is normal and I'm not inslulin resistant, but she's said "it doesn't matter". So I figured I'd give it a try. That was last October. I O'd for the first time in January on CD 49, then in March and April, both on CD 23. In May I O'd on CD 16 and conceived! A lot of the research I read on Met says it can take 3-6 months to kick in, and that was the case with me, but it did work.
Anyway, I just wanted to mention that point because many Drs. tell patients that it won't work on thin cysters or non-IR cysters. I'm proof that it can. I'm not saying that Met will be the solution for every woman, and I understand that many don't respond. But I don't think I'm an anomoly either. I wish Drs. would take the time to better understand this drug rather than just assuming it won't work.
So, this is what can be so frustrating. As far as I know, Metformin does not "lower blood sugar", it makes cells more SENSITIVE to insulin. What if our cells take longer to react to the insulin in our bloodstream and then our pancreas pumps out MORE insulin and it all eventually works and lowers our blood sugar too much causing the hypoglycemia. I can't stand that noone takes an interest in why we are getting hypoglycemic in the first place. It's not normal and it is definitely the only thing I can put my finger on that could be causing my PCOS. I hate that doctors/nurses don't listen.
__________________ dx with PCOS : 12/04
TTC: since 3/03
currently on 100mg clomid x 3 months
low carb diet
I'm with ya. Normal weight, not IR, highly active, eat healthy--yet no periods at all, and cystic ovaries. Would love to hear some stories from more women like me.
I too am normal weight and have no ovulation at all. I am getting increasingly frustrated as I am doing everything that is supposed to fix the problem. Exercise regulary, eat healthily/low GI, take multi vitamins and minerals and also taking Agnus Castus. I also get acne too. I am at a lose as to what to do next. I do have to work really hard at maintaining my weight so could I still be insulin resistant? I just wish the NHS system here in the UK knew what they were doing!
I just got dx last week and have been reading articles online it seems like non-stop. I'm 5'7", 125 lbs and work out regularly and eat pretty healthy. It's frustrating how much of the literature just says, lose weight and all this will go away... I'm also looking for some hope on the TTC side. The stories that involve healthy babies after multiple IVFs, IUI, miscarriages, etc... Well I'm looking down that road, and it doesn't look like anywhere I want to go. I'd like to hear that someone with "lean PCOS" was able to conceive and carry to term without buckets of meds and all of the agony... Too hopeful?
Hello Ladies, I just wanted to chime in. I too have "normal" lab results and am relatively thin (not overweight, not skinny). I am 30 and had been on BCP for 12 years. Once I stopped taking it that's when all hell broke loose. I had a few periods and then they tapered off and I didn't have one for over 100 days before I went to the Dr. Anyways, I am on my own until I can get in to see a specialist, so I started exercising a bit and began a low GI diet, cinnamon supplements, prenatal vitamins and femaprin (a special form of vitex). Less than 2 months after starting this regime I ovulated and had my period! So, right now I am feeling optimistic that I can conceive on my own without drugs and my Dr. also said that she is optimistic.
One weird note: I took NPC (natural prgesterone cream) for 14 days hoping to bring on my period..well, what happened is that 2 days after stopping the cream I ovulated. Weird, huh? Maybe there is some kind of estrogen dominance thing going on with me that was suppressed by the cream?
Anyways, keep up the positive attitude ladies. It may be possible to ovulate on our own. I have a feeling that a lot of my problem is stress related. It's hard to relax when you're worried about conceiving but I think it's absolutely necessary.
I know I've done research which says thin-pcos is harder to treat etc...but it has to be better that we aren't overweight!
I'm slightly insulin resistant.
Since taking Metformin I have been losing weight...I've checked my BMI and I'm borderline "too skinny". I have to be careful cos Metformin has caused this weight loss.
Anyway, I'm on clomid and Met and I'm hoping it works this month. My Husband's sperm are great and my HSG results were all clear and great...so surely it's just a matter of time.
I go through so many emotions with pcos...at the moment I am hopeful about my next cycle but a little scared and worried...as usual.
Wishing all you thin cysters all the best.
If Victoria Beckham and Jools Oliver can do it, then so can we : )
__________________
26 yrs old
Clomid 100mg Cycle # One: No ovulation : (
Clomid Cycle # Two: In progress...
Metformin 1000mg
Diagnosed Dec 2008
Slightly insulin resistant (and thin)
TTC almost 12 months
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So, this is what can be so frustrating. As far as I know, Metformin does not "lower blood sugar", it makes cells more SENSITIVE to insulin. What if our cells take longer to react to the insulin in our bloodstream and then our pancreas pumps out MORE insulin and it all eventually works and lowers our blood sugar too much causing the hypoglycemia. I can't stand that noone takes an interest in why we are getting hypoglycemic in the first place. It's not normal and it is definitely the only thing I can put my finger on that could be causing my PCOS. I hate that doctors/nurses don't listen.
As far as I am aware, the hypoglycemia is caused by too much insulin being released which brings the blood sugar levels down too low. If you look on the Chiral Balance website it has a useful Youtube clip which helps explain what is happening.
I'm brand new to this site. (My friend who also has PCOS told me about it). I'm also thin, exercise regularly, and eat healthy. So, needless to say, I wasn't expecting the diagnosis from my doctor either.
Like some of you, I had been on the pill for 9 years, got off in February, and haven't gotten my period since. My doctor knows I want to get pregnant, so he did an ultrasound this week and diagnosed me with PCOS. (This is a new doctor as I wasn't happy with my old Ob/Gyn). He put me on Provera for 7 days to make me get me period, then I start Clomid the 5th day of my period. (My DH is also going to have a semen analysis to make sure everything is ok on his end). I guess we'll see what happens!
It really helps to see other women with similar issues. I wish everyone all the best!
You sound just like me. you should definately try Clomid since it may work for me. I had to do injectables with iuis (3 times for both of my kids(1.5 and due in March) but I did get pregnant. If the only problem is not ovulating your chances of pregnancy are quite high, so hang in there! Oh, ask your doc about metformin. I did not test as insulin resistant but the re still put me on it. Those tests aren't always the most reliable. Lisa
Melly78, I have started to ovulate from the Metformin, but they are still very long cycles. I am insulin resistant, but my OB/GYN showed me several studies that have shown that Metformin is able to help women suffereing from PCOS even when they aren't diagnosed with the insulin resistance.
I was just referred to an RE to begin fertility treatments. My husband was on the high side of abnormal on his count and motility so my doctor has recommended IUI. She said the RE will likely add clomid to the Metformin to help me ovulate a little more regularly. I have my first consultation with the RE on the 28th, so hopefully I will know more then.
If anyone has any experience with IUI I would love to know about them. I really have no idea what to expect.
__________________ MomtoGrace
Married to DH for 9 years DD 6 years old
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IUIs are pretty easy. I did tend to have bad cramps afterward but that was because of the ovulation. They are a little uncomfortable when they put the sperm in but you can take tylenol for any pain. Definately worth it and nothing to worry about. I have gotten pregnant twice with injectables and iuis. I did back to back iuis but I think doing one iui is fine too.
Lisa,
Thanks for the info. I will definitely ask my dr. about metformin. He didn't really seem too concerned with my PCOS diagnosis. I'm wondering if that is maybe because I don't have many symptoms (only acne really). I haven't had any insulin testing done yet either, but I was just diagnosed this week. This is all pretty new to me, so I'm trying to learn.
Thanks to everyone for all of the insight and info!
Same here... sigh... 
