PCOS

[AhhhhABaby]

Not sure if this is the correct place to be asking.

I recently got diagnosed with PCOS after being admitted to hospital with a huge cyst on the ovary then again when it ruptured. This is when they scanned and completed blood work and said I had PCOS. I am still awaiting treatment but Google I found it I could have fertility issues. This has came as a shock but at the same time just making me face the fact which I think I already know. Although not 'trying' as such me and my other half don't use anything as would like a family but realise at 22 there's no hurry!

So just wondering how long did it take you ladies with PCOS concieve and should we really start actively trying knowing it could be a long way ahead?

Please....no hate, emotional state at the moment as been diagnosed with this and hemiplegic migraine (migraine with paralysis and all other horrid symptoms) since March and it's been a life changing to say the least.

[InThisTogether]

Hi OP, I just got diagnosed with PCOS because I've been TTC for a while now and nothing's happening. It's scary when you're diagnosed but it helped me to realise I've always had PCOS, now it just has a name. In an odd way it was helpful to me because I realised why I was having all these symptoms (irregular periods, weight gain, bad skin, excess hair etc)
You can get some great books on how to cope with it and maximise your changes - lifestyle changes essentially.

I can strongly advise you get yourself an app like FertilityFriend or similar and begin to chart your temperature etc (the app's explain it all). It helped me no end to start to spot symptoms of when \ whether I ovulate and therefore maximising my chances.

It CAN make things more difficult but equally it's not a doom-and-gloom sentence, it's just helpful to be aware of. Have you had any hormone / gynaecological tests? I'd suggest you get a gynae appointment if not - they can help advise you.

There's no way of knowing whether it will affect your chances of conceiving - it could take a month or a year or more - so try not to let it worry you too much - just try and have a good sex life as with PCOS it's harder to pinpoint when you ovulate and therefore they advise when TTC you dtd every 2-3 days throughout the month.

Also helpful is www.verity-pcos.org.uk/ which my gynae recommended to me as all of the women on there are living with PCOS. Good luck OP, forewarned is forearmed and you sound like you've got your head screwed on about it all.

[stealthbanana]

Sorry to hear that you've been diagnosed. If you're not ready to fall pregnant yet then I really wouldn't worry about it, other than trying to follow a PCOS-friendly (basically low GI) diet and keeping an eye on your blood sugar regularly etc. some PCOS-ers ovulate regularly and fall pregnant fast, others (like me) don't ovulate at all and need fertility assistance. The good news is that even if you fall into that latter category you have loads of eggs - it's just a question of getting them out! So at 22 you will have more than enough time to figure it all out.

When the time comes we have a friendly thread over on the conception board, please do join us. Good luck!

[AhhhhABaby]

Thanks inthistogether and stealthbanana.

It to has helped me realise that the excess hair, sudden weight gain at 16 (used to be under weight before then to now me over weight ) and irregular period mean something. I had just assumed at the time this was something every teenager went through except I got it worse.

I have had blood work done to see hormones and doctor said the hormone ratio was sitting okay but could be more evened out, all other tests were fine, two other hormone ones she said can take a few weeks so I these weren't back (I should really phone tomorrow to find these out). I'm currently awaiting referral back to gynaecology after gp said she wasn't happy to the difference in the scans I had twelve days aparts (one showing cyst then again when ruptured, the second when PCOS was picked up).

Although not trying for a family right now we are not preventing it from happening either but before I found out I have PCOS I had a gut feeling I couldn't have kids, to the point I expressed this thought to by other half, now just feel when I see gyncology it will be confirmed!

[Fuzzyduck21]

Ahhhhababy that's so strange as I said to dh right at the beginning before trying that I suspect we will have problems. No idea how I knew (although irregular periods poss was a good indication!) but I too had a gut feeling.

I have.a strain on pcos although can't remember what they called it. We tried for a year and then were prescribed clomid. It's likely they will suggest the same to you if it doesn't happen naturally. X

[WalkThePlank0]

I was diagnose with PCOS at 30 because I had bad acne and was told to expect some problems conceiving. At 36 and 38 DH and I decided to try for a baby - fell pregnant immediately each time. No one was more surprised than me. However, I have always had regular periods and I think that is the indicator for fertility.

[ChipsandGuac]

I was diagnosed with PCOS at 21 and was (unintentionally but happily) a Mum at 22! I now have 4 children so it doesn't have to be the end of the world. And I haven't had more than about 100 periods in my entire life. I'm 40.

[InThisTogether]

Even though it's not my post, I'm finding comfort in these replies too - I'm about to start clomid after ttc for 2+ years, really trying not to get all my hopes up as before we starting ttc it wasn't the be-all and end-all and I'm trying to remain calm and level-headed about it all!

[YouBoggleMyMind]

Diagnosed with PCOS just over 4 years ago. Period didn't return after I came off the pill so I began tests to find out why at the Drs. Had blood work and a scan. At that time it didn't matter so much as I wasn't in a position where I needed to think about having children. DH and I have been trying for our first baby for 18 months and i'm just about to embark on my last cycle of Clomid at the highest dose of 150mg before discussing next steps.
hindsight is a wonderful thing, if i'd known it would take us this long and that we'd need help, I would have tried sooner. xxx

[Kez87]

Hi i was diagnosed with pcos at the age of 21 before then we had been trying for a year i always thought there was something wrong but never thought to much about it then a year later i fell pregnant but sadly lost it then after 6 long hard stressful years i fell pregnant again i found out i was pregnant very early on the day after i found out I started to bleed so i went to the hospital and i sadly lost one before i got to the hospital then i had the scan and there was my little baby with a very strong heart beat 😍 So i was having twins but then they told me that it mite not last because the sak was very low had to go back 2 weeks later so from there on i was just worried everyday am i going to lose my baby or not is it going to be this day or that day when. When i went back they told me the sak had gone back to where it should be high so the chances of me having the baby was 95% chance which was a blessing for me i had lots of scans and everything was going great getting big and stronger every time. now i have a beautiful 9 month old daughter so its not impossible so think positive and i would be trying more if you really want a family it could take weeks, months even years i wish you both all the best xx

[VimFuego101]

I second the advice to start chatting your cycle with Fertility Friend. A low GI diet can also help with PCOS symptoms.

[FeelingForSnow]

I have 2 children both naturally conceived. I was diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 18 or before due to irregular and extremely painful periods when I had them. I fell pregnant with my DS at the time when I hadn't had my periods for over 4 months (we were not TTC). I guess it would have been my first cycle after not having them for a while.

We planned DD straight after DS and I fell pregnant immediately.
I think PCOS is not fully understood and from my experience (Im 32 now) it has ups and downs. It gets better then worse and then better again.

They say that lifestyle has got a lot to do with it and Im sure it does. There are periods in our lives when we are more active and change our foods etc.

There are a lot of women out there that live with PCOS and don't know it because it did not affect their fertility or the symptoms weren't too obvious.

To answer your question, I think you should start TTC only if you are ready to have bfp next months as it can happen.

Hope that helps.

[msatlantis]

I knew I had PCOS from the age of 16. Until I was about 22 I was very overweight and got maybe one natural period a year. I overhauled my diet and started doing quite a bit of exercise and reached a healthy weight within a year. I also went on the pill.

I'm 31 now and came off the pill two years ago. Within 6 months I had a regular- ish cycle of a period every 5-6 weeks. I worried about it being difficult to conceive.

My OH and I decided not to specifically start 'trying' - which I think adds stress... And didn't bother with any tracking or monitoring. We just enjoyed making love, and did so maybe 5 days a week. Within 3 months I was pregnant.

My advice would be that if you feel 'ready' for a baby then just enjoy having regular sex and see what happens. As you're young there is no need to get all clinical just yet.

[AhhhhABaby]

A bit confused now...

My doctor said I would be getting referred back to the gynaecology department but I've had my letter through and I've been referred to the department of fertility and reproductive endocrine centre. A bit confused after going into the nhs website.

I'm only meant to be going treatment for PCOS and to why it was picked up on 2nd scan when cyst ruptured (12days after the first one)

Have anyone else been send the the above department instead of gynae? Xx