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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

PCOS? Share your stories with me please!

30 replies

CaveMum · 21/03/2011 22:05

I was diagnosed with PCOS last week.

DH and I are TTC#1, I came off the Pill last May but have not had a period since last June!

I have to admit that I was a little surprised at the diagnosis as I had assumed that PCOS was a problem for "larger" ladies Blush (I am a size 10).

My classic symptoms have been awful acne (skin like a 14yo!) and some facial hair issues, which to be honest I had assumed were due to the fact that I naturally have quite dark thick hair anyway.

I have been prescribed some tablets to induce a bleed before having an HSG test. Providing this comes back all clear I will be moving on to Clomid.

The point of this thread is to hear about other people's experiences, what worked for them, etc. I have been told by a few people that Vit B6 and Vit D supplements can help, as can Agnus Castus and Evening Primrose Oil. Did any/all of these work for you?

I've ordered a few books from Amazon so that I can read up on the condition, and also to get more info on a low GI diet (which I have also been told can help).

So, any advice you are willing to share?!

OP posts:
gardenpixie · 22/03/2011 10:06

Oh, sorry, forgot to say about vit B, my consultant recommended vit B6 in particular as it is the raw ingredient for progesterone (which is something PCOS ladies sometimes are a little low on). It extended my luteal phase to 13 / 14 days - much better than the 10 / 12 days I use to have!

gardenpixie · 22/03/2011 10:05

Hi Cavey , as you know from the FTF thread, I have polycystic ovaries too and was turned away by my GP for not being fat enough to investigate for the syndrome Hmm ... hence going private for a diagnosis.

The GI diet helped me enormously and my consultant also told me that regular, high intensity exercise is helpful in balancing hormones. It enhances your body's natural ability to regulate all manner of hormones and gets rid of any excess insulin that might be knocking around.

Other things I found helped was to cut back on caffeine and alcohol Sad . I found Agnus Castus worked extremely well for me and it kick started regular ovulation before I went on clomid.

I also found temping and OPKs did work for me and, on non-medicated cycles, both pick up the LH surge and temping then clearly indicates the shift into the luteal phase so I wouldn't rule them out until you've tried them for yourself.

Hope that's of use Grin

Original poster
CaveMum · 22/03/2011 09:57

Thanks both for your comments.

Atilla I am now under a gynaecologist ? my GP ordered the first blood tests and ultrasound and when giving me the results told me that I DIDN?T have PCOS but referred me straight on to a gynae who took one look at the ultrasound and said my GP was talking rubbish!

I?m waiting for my GP surgery to process my prescription of tablets to induce the bleed, so should get those later this week. All being well I will have my HSG test in 2 or 3 weeks time (gynae told me to call the hospital on the first day of my bleed to book the appointment).

Thanks also for the advice re AC ? I?d been contemplating seeing an acupuncturist (I?m quite a stress prone person at the best of times Grin) so will hold off on anything herbal till I?ve spoken to her (I?ve been recommended a lady who is a fertility specialist).
Do you think there is any harm in me looking at the B and D vitamin supplements?

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 22/03/2011 09:03

Cavemum,

Verity's website is good to look at re PCOS www.verity-pcos.org.uk.

As you have seen, PCOS is a very individualistic disorder and affects each woman with it very differently. The commonality is the cystic follicles on the ovaries (these disappear, only to be replaced by further cystic follicles. Some of these cystic follicles pump out hormones, others are dormant, one may contain an egg).

When I was dx'd with PCOS I was also a size 10.

This is also not a condition for a GP to be messing around with; they do not have either the time, knowledge or the expertise. You should be referred to a gynae as a matter of course.

If you are placed on clomid then you should be monitored whilst on it with preferably both blood tests (it can raise LH levels markedly and can impede fertilisation) and ultrasounds to see that an egg has left the ovary. No monitoring is not acceptable as you won't know whether its doing what its supposed to be doing. Clomid's primary job is to make the ovaries work harder. It is not always suitable for all PCOSers to take and clomid resistance can happen hence monitoring being also important.

Would be wary of self medicating with Agnus castus as this can sometimes make the underlying hormonal imbalance worse. If you really want to try this, I would suggest you first of all seek out the advice of a properly qualified medical herbalist.

Do not use temp charts or OPK's; both are unhelpful with PCOS.

x2boys · 21/03/2011 22:19

i have pcos have some symptons overweight unwanted hair periods extremely irregular can be six or seven months in between at times however i have two children conceived naturally ds1 extremely lucky we conceived within weeks ds 2 took twelve months just dont give up hope we didnt try any remedies as such just had regular sex as i had no idea when i was going to ovulate best of luck

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