PCOS/Long cycle-ers - place to moan/chat

Just a quick question re over the counter pregnancy tests and blood tests. It's my 48 and still no period. My periods are usually 28 -36 days long, with the longest ever being 40 (I never went over 36 apart from that one time). I think I ovulated around 20dc, and had a go ttcing. I had spotting every day 25- 31dc, but pregnancy tests (I did two, most recently clearblue) are negative. I called the fertility nurse I've been in touch with (I've got pcos) and she said as tests negative, she will give me pills to bring up my period. When I asked about blood test, she said no need to do that as urine tests are very sensitive now. As for the spotting, she 'doesn't know' and apparently is not going to do any tests. Should I go for blood test (private?) or assume pregnancy tests are correct and take the pills? As for the spotting, I hoped for these to be 'implantation bleeding' but of course could be anything, should I insist on tests being done to check hormones etc?

He wasn't impressed when I produced the pot but then just got on with it. Think the form caused him some confusion! Fingers crossed your other halfs result cones back good. That's so stupid!! Guess the main thing is that you have an appointment. I have had no AF since coming off the pill so like to see how they will work that one out....

Thanks!! SA back already as normal or above average - proud DH! Right of to google hycosy.....

That's right gwenabee on both counts. What's the first steps there? Hows things with you?

Just catching up with this thread....I've been referred to the hospital and now have to wait for that appointment. Clueless as to what happens next as the GP wasn't too helpful!

Most get referred to the hospital first.

Not all PCOSers are put on Metformin, it is possible to have PCOS without actually being insulin resistant.

Hi attila. Yes that's the procedure . Thank you for giving more info.

They haven't tried anything. I was just referred to the hospital in September.
Do they usually put people on metformin in the first instance or do most people get referred to the hospital?

msvee

It sounds like you are being booked in for a HSG which is a tubal x-ray. Its a useful test to have done as it can give information not easily accessible by other methods. Deformities INSIDE the tubes can only be seen on such an x-ray. The procedure should not be at all painful providing the dye (a teaspoonful or so is used) is injected both slowly and carefully. You should be given a couple of painkillers beforehand. Do wear sanitary protection afterwards as that dye does come out.

Have they tried either using injectable drugs or even offered laparoscopic ovarian diathermy surgery?. Either can be helpful to those with PCOS although no one therapy or treatment resolves PCOS (as those cystic follicles do return).

Hi ladies.

I was diagnosed with pcos nine years ago. Ttc for five years no luck. Met a new partner and was pregnant 18 months later but sadly miscarried. Ttc again but periods all over the place sometimes bleeding for a month other times il miss one , other times ill have a period every ten days.

Had my hospital appointment where they scanned ovaries and im booked in for the scan where they flushe dye through your fallopian tubes?

I bought ovulation strips but I stopped using them because of disappointment and I was also pregnancy testing every time I felt sick!!

Very stressful especially as it seems everyone else is getting pregnant. Friends who had miscarriages around the same time are celebrating babies firsts birthdays and looking forward to births and I feel useless like something is telling me that you can't have everything you want.

DearDinah

I would change GP practice seeing as this one is so unhelpful and I do not think this nutritionist is being all that helpful either to you apart from it costing you a small fortune (they're good at taking money).

What you describe symptom wise is more akin to PCOS than possible thyroid issues although these should be looked at as well.

A decent non woo website re the thyroid gland is this one www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/index.html.

The blood test that should be done in any case is a day 2 to check and compare your LH level against that of your FSH level. These two hormone levels are important as they kickstart the ovulation process; if these two are awry (which they often are if PCOS is an issue) then ovulation is affected.

May I ask why the lap op was done initially?. I only ask this as this is usually done when endometriosis is suspected.

You really ought to be now under the care of a gynae at a subfertility unit.

Does anyone have thyroid issues causing them to have long cycles?
I'm 6 months off the pill and I've been seeing a nutritionist since Nov to try and level out my hormones nutritionally (since GP wouldn't do anything to help me). It's costing me a fortune and I am banned from sugar/dairy/yeast (all in time for Christmas!)
Anyway, she has suggested since my cycles are still in their 40's, acnes still bad, BBT is low and mood swings are horrendous I may have a thyroid issue and wrote a letter to my GP requesting certain blood tests.
GP got the hump and said she wouldn't test for a few things requested (Vit B's and D) and booked me a blood test for progesterone and thyroid on the 30th (said it was non urgent).
No one takes my concern of PCOS very seriously, I'm thinking since i had a laparoscopy in 2009 which didn't show anything up.
The GP dismissed my low BBT as nothing and said acne and mood swings would be down to our stressful family situation.

Gwena, that must have been so annoying for you. For her to have the results and not let you have them. Hopefully you'll get the results and the appointment through soon! What does the accupuncture help?! Also, just to add all my blood tests were "normal" but the scan picked up the PCO.

Have my appointment later this week, hopefully I'll find out how they intend to proceed....

gwena, that's so annoying they won't give you the results immediately! The first time I wanted blood results printed out at the GP, they had to get permission of the GP, but now that he's given it they just print it out immediately. I don't know why that consultant is being so awkward.

Apparently your blood results can be fine but you still can have pcos. Don't ask me how though!

tanya, I have not heard that ovulation after day 20 is bad. I think it's fine, it's the same process isn't it, where you just get your oestrogen/lh surge later on, which matures an egg, it just happens later than normal. I have heard a few stories of women having healthy pregnancies/baby's from ovulating later on.

Hi everyone! Do you mind if I join you?
I am a fellow PCOS'er! We are TTC no 2. DD is 11 months old, we have been trying for 6 months with no luck. I took clomid to conceive DD and I also took it the last 2 cycles and i havent ovulated. I have now been told I am clomid resistant. They have recommended me for a trial of a new dose of injectables specially for clomid resistant PCOS ladies, so I'm just waiting to start that. However, I had what I thought was AF on Monday and tue, but it kind of tailed off so I did a preg test (just in case lol) and of course it was negative, later that day I got loads of EWCM so I did 2 different ovulation tests, both were positive! That was day 40. Could I really have ovulated that late, and if I did will everything be ok.... Stuff I've read says its bad to conceive past day 20. I did have a false positive ovulation test earlier in the same cycle as I had a blood test to confirm ovulation but it came back negative, but I really think this positive ovulation test was correct...
It's nice to know there are others in the same boat, it's a lonely place to be TTC with 50+ day cycles!

My AF was all over the place before I went on the pill but as I teen I didn't really care, the pill sorted things out. Or so I thought, now I think its just masked PCO all along. From what they said, I think its straight to treatments I just dont know what) rather than waiting otherwise I wouldn't have been back the next day for swabs. Guess I also need to actually get what all my blood results actually were, rather than just "normal".
Having a read on here, its all potentially so complicated this TTC lark. Its a whole new world!

ah that makes sense if you already had a complaint. I don't know much about the process though. I guess if everything else is fine, they either might wait for your cycle to start itself or give you progesterone to start a bleed. They might see if you then ovulate on your own and if you don't they might give you something like clomid to start ovulation.

I'm 30, its only come about due to the original complaint though and its taken about 18 months to get anywhere with that. It now just happens that the two cross over that the GP seems to be taking any interest in sorting it. Sorry to hear its taken others much longer to get to any help.
Do you know what the process is from here?

I did, and too be honest it was googling that which made me think it was PCOS. The doc hadn't thought of that until I mentioned lack of AF. So scan really wasn't connected to TTC. But now as they know I have PCO and want TTC they have gone full steam ahead on that sides of things.