Polycystic Ovaries

[Lilwelshyrs]

Hi all,

We're trying for baby number one... We have already been trying for 2 years and I have been diagnosed with PCOS. This hasn't come as a shock at all as I have always had irregular and sometimes non existent periods.

Who else is trying with PCOS and what tips do you have? I have no idea how to work out my fertile days because I just don't have regular periods...!

I'm currently on metformin which I've been reading has a relatively high success rate (yay!). What's working/worked for you? I'd love to meet more people who are in the same boat :)

Looking forward to hearing from you all :)

[andrea315]

Hi clomid worked for me good luck :-)

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

Ideally you should be under the care of a cons gynae at a subfertility unit, PCOS is a condition that should not be messed around with by GPs.

I would inform your own self as much as possible about PCOS generally as it can help when it comes to making treatment decisions.

//www.verity-pcos.org.uk is a helpful website.

Clomid is often the first line of treatment for PCOS patients but it should always be given with a degree of caution to them as it can affect hormone levels markedly. A patient should always be monitored whilst on clomid preferably with both blood tests and ultrasounds.

[Lilwelshyrs]

Thanks both. The metformin is a start... I can imagine getting put on the clomid fairly quickly...
How do I get referred properly? I have a doctors appointment soon to discuss my options... I guess I can be referred then?
As I said, I've already been trying for 2 years so hopefully I'll have a relatively fast referral?!

[andrea315]

Your doctor should refere you mine did and it wasn't a very long wait but it does depend on age! I was seen quite fast because I was the right age and luckily for me my clomid worked on my last dose.
I had a lot of blood tests and scans they did look after me so hopefully you will be the same :-)

[ColdFeetWarmHeart]

I have PCOS. I fell pregnant after about 6/7 weeks on Metformin (one cycle for me) - how long have you been taking it? lil?

[Lilwelshyrs]

Andrea, fingers crossed then :) I will push for some kind of referral when I see docs next :)
ColdFeet - I've been on the metformin for 4, nearly 5 weeks now, but only just started trying again recently. Did you have trouble working out your cycle? My periods can be few and far between... Sometimes nothing for 6 months at a time... I'm guessing this is not going to be helpful!
X

[andrea315]

I didn't have period's full stop!

[LIG1979]

Have you looked at a low gi diet? I found that really helped with bringing down my cycles, clearing my skin and balancing my blood sugar levels. It was tough initially but once I got used to it, it was fairly easy to stick to most of the time and I found that as long as I stuck to it 80% of the time the pcos stayed away.

[otter32]

Hi lil. I was diagnosed with PCOS in April. 31. TTC #1. Was told to try for 6 months, then I could get treatment. No idea what form that will take at the mo.

Since diagnosis I have been trying to monitor everything I possibly can. BBTs indicate I am ovulating. I got a Clearblue Advanced Fertility Monitor (which isn't recommended for people with PCOS but I wanted to try anyway). And am now trying to learn how to chart my cervix and my cervical fluid. I have found these incredibly useful for knowing what's going on and at what time.

I also have the book Taking Charge of your Fertility by Toni Weschler which is actually just incredibly interesting! I never knew so much about my cycle!

I'm not sure I'm a typical PCOS person as my hormones play ball some cycles, but then not others. Will hopefully find out more in 2 weeks.

Hope this ramble helps a little!

[Lilwelshyrs]

Lig, I haven't really looked into a specific diet yet, no... Will try a low GI diet, even just to keep some of the symptoms down :)

Andrea - amazing! How long did it take you to conceive once on the clomid? Did you have to take metformin or anything else first?

Otter - thanks for your little ramble :) it all helps :) are you finding the fertility monitor helpful? I've downloaded the Ovia app which is meant to predict fertile days, but obviously it doesn't account for people with PCOS. You can chart your cervix and cervical fluid on that too. Because I've never had regular periods, I've always ignored anything down there... Wish I'd known and been a bit more in tune now!!
I'm going to start doing all the temperature stuff now, too. I'm curious as to how successful all this will be and how long it'll take :)

X

[otter32]

I think it's how longs a piece of string?! Each person is different.

I have found the monitor very useful but then my hormones seem to be ok some months. I don't think they work for everyone with PCOS.

There is an internal temperature sensor called OvuSense that is supposed to monitor your temps better. Pretty expensive though! I am tempted! But at £300 it's a bit much!!

[Lilwelshyrs]

Yeh, a bit on the steep side... Not something you can share with someone either haha

[otter32]

Haha no! Can you imagine?!

My temps are all over the place, so I am tempted by this. But it's a lot of money if it doesn't work too.

[Lilwelshyrs]

If you have PCOS, why won't they treat you sooner? They put me on the metformin when I moved out of London - the doctors were much more helpful where I am now in Sussex than my local GP in Vauxhall! Which, bizarrely, was a fertility and sexual health clinic... I was told I needed two specific blood tests which needed to be on certain days of my period... Which was difficult because I didn't have periods lol.
xx

[otter32]

I was told I had to try for 6 months before I got treatment as I might be able to conceive naturally. They said its 12 months without any condition. My appointment is 5 November but I don't know what route they will take.

I want a fasting glucose test before they decide whether to give me metformin. From what I've read, there might not be any point in me taking it if I'm not insulin resistant.

I have a lot of reading to do before then to figure out what they should be doing with me!

What has your process been with both docs if you don't mind me asking?

[Lilwelshyrs]

Er, not much of a process to be honest... We started trying back in July 2011 and by trying I mean we stopped not trying.
I had only just come off the pill at this point and when I saw the docs in the September/October, I was told to come back in the January as then the pill effects should have worn off by then.
I still had had no regular periods but then got called away to work abroad for 2 months. Typically, then my periods were like clockwork haha! When I came back, they stayed super regular until the week of our wedding (oct 2012).
I had AF on our honeymoon - whoopee (maybe not lol).
Then I was regular again for another month (Nov) and then nothing.
I had seen another doctor at this point and she said I needed to have two blood tests. One taken on the 5th day of my period and the other on the 10th (or something like that - it was specific period days anyway). Needless to say I never got a period again haha.
DH got tested and he came back all fine and dandy.
Then we moved to Sussex. I went to a new doc and they immediately sent me for an ultrasound which confirmed PCOS. I spoke to the gyno who said I could be referred to the specialist.
We decided against going any further as we felt that if we weren't able to conceive naturally, perhaps we weren't supposed to at all.

Still I wasn't taking my pill and my periods haven't come back regularly at all.
Then I had a chat with my doc 4/5 weeks ago and we talked about getting my weight down (im not huge but my bmi was teetering on not qualifying for fertility treatment) and that the fact that I have trouble losing weight could be linked to my PCOS (im a horse rider and a dog owner and my job is physical!). So he put me on the metformin.

I'm now going to see the docs again just to talk about where I'm at and perhaps being referred to a specialist.

Obviously my process has been quite a drawn out one because of work commitments getting in the way and also we've not been in a huge rush...

The fact you have got PCOS says to me that you should be taking something sooner rather than later...?

I hope this makes some sense lol... I do apologise if this isn't what you meant at all!! I also hope it helps a bit!
Xx

[LIG1979]

I had an accidental diagnosis during a scan for a miscarriage. I got all the blood tests done immediately and then saw a fertility nurse at the hospital about 6 weeks after that. She told me to keep doing what I was doing (e.g low gi diet, exercise, less alcohol etc.) and then get an appointment with the Dr. when I have been trying for a year. So the diagnosis meant that I was at the dr stage by a year rather than referral to nurse.

Meant to say before the low gi diet did take a while to work but my cycles started coming down within a couple of months. They also say loosing weight helps but I was pretty slim at that point and gained weight when I started doing low gi.

[andrea315]

It was on my 3rd month first month on it I had a period 2nd month nothing and 3rd month pregnant :-) she is my only child our little miracle

[otter32]

LIG I've been trying to follow the low GI diet. Not doing too bad, but think I've been a bit lax cos I don't know if I'm insulin resistant and whether it would actually help me. My cycles can be between 26 and 56 days. Each cycle is a lottery!! I'm very sorry to hear of your mc. Must be so hard.

It's odd to see the different processes, I'm guessing this is for different areas of the country.

lil hopefully you will be like andrea and take a short while!

[naty1]

I have both pcos and hypothyroidism and it is relatively common to have both. So i would get tsh levels checked. Ivf clinic wanted under 2.5 for treatment.

Were you abroad in a hot country?

I found i get ewcm with metformin. Though judging by getting some during ivf before EC it doesnt mean. I have ovulated, it seems to happen when i get high oestrogen.

I found eating a lot more protein reduced my follicle count

[Lilwelshyrs]

Wow, Andrea, that's fab! :) I do hope it'll happen that quickly for me too :)
The metformin seems to be working - I am getting middle of the month pains, yay...

What's ewcm, naty? And reducing follicle count... That's a good thing, right? I'm sorry to ask silly questions lol.

I would like to try a low GI diet if it helps, but like you, Otter, I'm not sure if I'm actually insulin resistant. Taking the metformin has helped with weight loss as I feel like I've really dropped off lately :)

[Lilwelshyrs]

Apologies, I just found this!!

www.mumsnet.com/info/acronyms

Maybe I'll keep this page open whilst I get the hang of all the acronyms lol :)

[otter32]

Def do that lil! I think I'm getting the hang of it now!

naty I had a full hormone check done as I saw the doc due to night sweats. They thought I was going through early menopause! Turns out it was the high testosterone.

I am changing my mind now and thinking I may just see the doc and ask for tests before I get prescribed anything.

Looks like my little sis may have PCOS too I told her to get checked and she had high testosterone. Had a scan last week and gets the results this week. Sad times.

[Lilwelshyrs]

It's not all doom and gloom :)
Us ladies have many success stories :) and hopefully there'll be more from ourselves, soon.

I'm due AF soon... Curious to see if it's "on time" for a change, thanks to the metformin!

How exciting it all is haha
X

[otter32]

Have you had any side effects from the metformin lil? And did they do a fasting glucose test before they prescribed?