TTC over 12 months, what is going on? Possible PCOS? Pls help

[liveinhope100]

Hi all,

So I have been ttc for over a year now and it’s been such an emotional and stressful journey. I decided to pay privately for an internal scan and was told everything looks perfect except I may have PCOS. He said I have 18 follicles in my right ovary and about 14 in my left BUT my blood tests have come back normal so does this mean I don’t have PCOS? I’m so confused. I do opks every month and get a peak but does this mean even if I get a peak ahd LH surge that I still may not ovulate? I got pregnant once about 10 years ago but that did not last. So I wonder if it's possible to develop PCOS? Would love to hear if anyone else has been in the same situation and can offer some advice.

This month I have self-medicated on soy isoflavones (day 3-7) until the doctors finally do something about it but now my blood tests have come back normal I doubt they will even prescribe me clomid. (FYI – I also paid for an HSG and was told my tubes are clear). Any help and/or advice would be really appreciated.

[mynameiscalypso]

Do you have other symptoms of PCOS? I have poly cystic ovaries (ie lots of follicles) but I don't have PCOS. It's taken us a while to conceive but I don't think those are linked. What it did mean though was I responded well to stims when we had IVF (ended up with 11 or 12 Day 5 embryos)

[liveinhope100]

@mynameiscalypso I actually don't seem to have any other symptoms (except for mood swings which made me think of possible hormone imbalance). My periods aren't really irregular (28-31 day cycles except i did have a few 36 day cycles).

I didn't realise it was possible to have poly cyctic ovaries but not PCOS so thank you for the advice - will look into this more.

So is it still quite possible to get pregnant with poly cystic ovaries or it is likely I will have to go through IVF?

Thanks

[mynameiscalypso]

You sound very similar to me! There is no reason why you won't get pregnant though (I should have added that I am now 19 weeks pregnant with a non-IVF baby!)

[liveinhope100]

@mynameiscalypso Funny enough I actually recognise your username I think i remember it from months ago in the tcc/tww posts!

That is amazing to hear, congratulations and thank you for giving me hope that I can still get pregnant naturally

[liamhemsworthsrealwife]

Hey op

You'd need to have regular scans and bloods at various times of the month to see if and when you actually ovulate. You say your periods aren't irregular but a variation of 4 days a month and sometimes 8 days a month is fairly irregular. It means you could ovulate with a difference of 8 days! Which is tough to catch an egg unless you are having sex all the time!

What country are you in?

[liveinhope100]

Hey @liamhemsworthsrealwife, thanks for the reply.

I think that is next plan of action - to do follicle tracking and more blood tests to see if I am actually ovulating. I'm in UK (London) so will probably pay privately to get these last few tests done. And you make a good point, i always dtd around peak (solid smiley) but the peak is always around CD13-15 which doesn't make much sense if I have a longer cycle than normal.

[TulipsTwoLips]

Flooding as this sounds very similar to me!

[TulipsTwoLips]

Flooding?!? Following!

[MapleAndCats]

My fertility specialist said 25% of women have ovaries that present as polcycystic and it’s not an issue. You now must have both hormonal panels where the FSH is at least 3 times that of the LH AND ovaries that present on ultrasound as polycystic. If you are not struggling with annovulation and/or amenorrhea/extremely irregular cycles over 45 days, they are hesitant to diagnose.

[Dinosauraddict]

I have actual PCOS (not just polycystic ovaries) and in the last few cycles the length has varied between 20 days and 53 days. I also get a lot of excess hair (neck/chest/face etc) among other things. It’s uncommon to have PCOS without other (quite telling) symptoms - and the blood tests should tell you one way or the other.

[liveinhope100]

Thanks for all the advice. I got my blood tests back and apparently everything was 'normal' which I was really surprised about. So it seems i have ovaries that are poly cystic but don't have PCOS?! If this is the case I wonder if my doctor will still prescribe me clomid.

[Dinosauraddict]

I would guess the next step would be blood tests to see if you’re ovulating. Personally, the PCOS means that I don’t, but many people with polycystic ovaries do, or at least most cycles.

[Explorers10]

@dinosauraddict

Can you explain a bit more about pcos. Have you been prescribed something to help conceive? My gp said I have high testerone and androgens so has referred me to a scan to check if I have pcos. She was really confused as she said I’m not overweight and have no facial hair. Im really devastated as I conceived my 1st on 1st cycle with no issues and to be told this I’m still in shock

[MapleAndCats]

@Dinosauraddict did you have your tubes checked with an HSG? Usually they only prescribe an ovulatory medication if they know the tubes are clear. Have you had your TSH tested? Many times hypothyroid can cause your ovaries to present as polycystic.

@explorers10 there is such a thing as „thin PCOS“ but it’s less common as it is a metabolic disorder. The only way to know for sure is with a day 3 hormone panel and an ultrasound. Diagnosis usually is only after both are confirmed and your FSH is at least 3 times of your LH. The normal treatment is metformin and weight loss if your BMI is over 23.

[MapleAndCats]

Sorry @liveinhope100 should be tagged not Dinosauraddict

[OhDiddums]

If you have had a blood test for pcos and it's came back that you don't have it then you don't have polycystic ovary syndrome. There's a difference between having polycystic ovaries and having polycystic ovary syndrome. I have one polycystic ovary but do not have pcos. Very confusing. But as far as I have been told that alone would not affect my ability to conceive.

[OhDiddums]

Speak with your Gp. Maybe they could explain your scan results better.

[Explorers10]

Thank you for your comments. Sorry still in such shock to process this news. I had blood results back about testerone and androgens being high and therefore go has referred me to have a scan to check for pcos.

[Dinosauraddict]

@Explorers - The scan will probably be a transvaginal scan. If you’re interested and they’re not rushed off their feet then it’s fascinating as they show you your ovaries from all angles. My PCOS has been diagnosed 3 ways (blood tests, transvaginal scan and laparoscopy - the latter wasn’t needed for actual diagnosis though) and I am on metformin.

[liveinhope100]

@MapleAndCats I did get my tubes checked with an HSG and everything was fine - the dye went straight through which is good. I know the doctor ordered loads of blood tests which came back fine but I don't think TSH was on there - I will look into this more so thanks for that.

I'm going to a scan tomorrow as I have paid to track my ovulation this cycle so I can confirm if I am actually ovulating or not. I may pay for a progesterone test on CD21 and then I think i've done almost all of the tests available. I don't know why I'm so keen to go on clomid when i don't seem to have PCOS...I just want to feel like i'm doing something!

[MapleAndCats]

Clomid is often prescribed for unexplained infertility as well as it’s just that extra boost, not only PCOS.

[liveinhope100]

Ok, good to know. Thank you! @MapleAndCats

[cheezels]

@Dinosauraddict do you know by chance, say I have pcos and I go on clomid, can I still get pregnant or do you need to be on metformin too?

[SunStruck]

@liveinhope100

Hey, I have also been diagnosed with PCO but not PCOS (confirmed via blood test and sugar test). Prior to going on the pill many many years ago I've always had a regular period.

I've been told by my OBGYN that it shouldn't be any problems for me to conceive (I'm 35 though so worried anyway).

My follicular phase is very long though and luteal phase short, but hopefully can conceive without any help. I'm TTC cycle 2 at the moment.

[pinacollama]

My recent transvaginal ultrasound showed polycystic ovaries but my bloods were normal and I have no other features of PCOS. I’ve been referred to gynae, and my husband and I to the fertility clinic (we’ve been ttc our first for 15 months, we’re both in our 30s.