Thin PCOS, multiple questions

jme1978 · 04-23-2009, 10:45 PM

Hello. This site looks to be very helpful for what I am looking for.
Brief history: two summers ago I was diagnosed with PCOS. Any time during my fertile life I have been off the pill, I have had TERRIBLE acne, nearly constant spotting, abnormal periods, the need for facial Nair and so on.

My husband and I at that point had been trying to have a baby for a year. We had him checked and his count is excellent. I was checked by my doctor as I was again having the loooong spotting and a lot of ovarian pain. A uterine biopsy came back normal. An ultrasound confirmed my great big grape clustery ovaries - the doctor for that could have used a bit better bedside manner as the picture came up on the screen and he goes "Do you have more facial hair than normal?" and I said I used facial Nair, and he said "Well, you have polycystic ovaries and won't be able to conceive without fertility treatments". He could have at least waited until the actual exam part was OVER to drop that on me. Anyways, also my hormone panel was pretty normal except my testosterone which was high (don't remember the numbers). I was pretty surpised as I am 5'11 and 135 pounds - which is why I'm glad I have found this "thin cyster" message board.

So, as my husband and I were renovating a historic property (lead based paint, and a lot of teratogens in varnishes and paints) I agreed with my gyn that going back on Yasmin was the best option. It did help shrink the ovaries back down and regulated the periods, made me skin nice. Many circumstances kept us from being able to trying again to conceive.

However, I have been on Yasmin the whole time, and now I am breaking out again, having ovarian pain (which leads me to believe they are cysting up again) and break thru spotting. We are moving in one month and changing insurance, so I'm not planning on going to the doctor immediately with this and it isn't any different than any other time I've had these issues. We will be trying again for children in about six months so here, finally, are my sets of questions:

1. Does anyone know why extremely lean women get PCOS? I do not have any insulin issues. I exercise daily and eat pretty darn healthy, and take my vitamins, blah blah blah.

2. Do you have recommendations for treatments to keep the ovaries normal and the spotting in check, other than Yasmin and progesterone (which my doctor tried for stopping the spotting and made me feel horrible).

3. Does lean-PCOS run in families? My mother, her cousins, my aunts, almost every single one had fertility issues but none ever had an exact diagnosis of the problem.

4. What are my hopes in conceiving? My mother had taken Clomid in an attempt to have a third child, which failed, but then I miraculously showed up unaidied several years later. So there obviously IS hope...I am 31. Is there a specialized type of OBGYN I should look for, post-move?

5. Have you found a correlation between when your ovaries are very very cysted up and depression? I have been treated for depression several times and it seems to coincide to when I am having the most reproductive issues. I am taking 150 mg Wellbutrin currently, and have not heard of this having any effect on PCOS. Obviously I will be going off of it immediately once we started trying again.

6. My GYN said that when I am ready to start trying, to go off the pill and have intercourse every other day. My pharmacist friend also has read that women are the most fertile the first month off the pill. The GYN hypothesized the Yasmin would shrink the ovaries down, and then I'd go off it, and hopefully manage to ovulate and conceive before the grape clusters came back. She said we could give that a go, and then of course pursue more aggressive options if need down the line. Have any of you lean PCOS girls used this approach and did you have luck? I am not so hopeful about it now that my ovaries are freaking out ON it.

Thank you for your time in reading this long winded post. I don't expect anyone to answer ALL these questions, but any little bit of info you have, I would appreciate!
J

Tatatami · 04-23-2009, 11:45 PM

Hi J.

I am also a thin cyster. I have many of the typlical symptoms, although I am glad to say I am light haired and don't have the facial hair, a few long blonde ones on the chin that I can pluck, hair elsewhere though

You should see and RE (reproductive endocrinolgist, they have more knowledge of PCOS and they can help you get on the right tract to be able to conceive. There are MANY pregnant cysters. Its just getting there that takes the time and patience.

PCOS can be heritetary.

As far as depression I am not sure. Sorry I could not bemore helpful there.

As far as ovulation. I started Vitex (a herb, in case you have not yet heard of it) on CD1 in Feb, and I ovulated for the first time that cycle and the following. I just stopped that a couple days ago so DF and I could start our FertilAid.

I hope I was a little bit of help. Sorry I could not answer more.

Best of luck to you. Baby dust!

huyardygyal · 04-24-2009, 01:53 PM

Research does suggest that PCOS may be genetically linked.

pigskinprincess · 04-25-2009, 12:55 AM

You definitely need to find a new doctor, in my opinion. My OB/GYN was able to diagnose me and she gave me Clomid after we tried to conceive for a year (unsuccessfully). It worked for me, but I still have some lingering questions, just like you.

As others have mentioned, you should try to see a reproductive endocrinologist. I haven't seen one myself but I'd really like to. There is a section on the SC board for RE recommendations. You should check it out!

pigskinprincess · 04-25-2009, 12:56 AM

Oh, and also - PCOS women are able conceive using a VERY wide variety of treatments. You just need to find a doctor who's willing to find the one who works for you and who will be proactive about it if you want to get pregnant soon.

huyardygyal · 04-25-2009, 11:28 AM

Yes, and you can find one at pcoschallenge.com/page/resources-1. That is another good site for PCOS ladies.

huyardygyal · 04-25-2009, 11:30 AM

Check out the resources page at pcoschallenge.com you can find a doctor their too. It is another good site for women with PCOS.

I agree that there are lots of success stories when it comes to conceiving with PCOS.

jme1978 · 04-26-2009, 01:05 PM

Thank you girls for your info, the reproductive endocrinologist tip was exactly what I needed.

I would like to look over this site more, but I cannot until the moderators take care of wherever the incessant trojan horse virus is coming from. It happens every single time I try to look at this website!