*****PCOS - Anybody in the same boat?******

Afternoon ladies

It is ages since I posted on this thread ... I hope that everyone is going along OK.

I'm having a bit of a nightmare at the minute, forgive me while I off-load...
I was finally given a course of progesterone which I took and duely started my period, a week ago last Saturday (now on CD10) Despite being told that my consultant wanted me to do another course of Clomid, I was given injections straight away. So I went to see my specialist last Tuesday, CD4, and learnt how to do the jab myself. I have now done 4 jabs and had 2 scans. The first scan was last Friday and it showed 2 folicles - one on each side - one was 7.6mm and the other was 7.5mm. This was pretty good as, with Clomid, I was on the highest dose before I got anything this big and that was on CD14. So I went in today, feeling all confident and they only found one at 7.1mm and one at 5.6mm.
I feel so crap. My specialist said to do another jab on Wednesday and go for my scan as arranged but if there isn't any improvement by then I'll have to start jabbing everyday, instead of every-other day as at the moment. When I was first given the jabs I read the stuff that came with them and saw that I am on the lowest possible dosage so there is a long way to go before they will decide that this isn't working but that doesn't make me feel any better.
I can't really rant at DH about all this as his main reason for not wanting to seek help with ttc is that he thinks we will find it all too stressful and I'm worried that, if he thinks I'm getting stressed about it, he'll want to stop the treatment.
To make matters worse, my best friend told me the other day that she is expecting her 3rd - and it wasn't exactly planned but they are over the moon ... I really am happy for her but, at the same time, it makes me more sad for myself.

Sorry - this is such a self-absorbed post but I really needed somewhere to vent.
I'll go back through and try to catch up with what everyone else has been up to in the last month or so.

I've not heard of that scooby but very interesting!

Does anyone know if taking progesterone has given me a sort of 'false' cycle iyswim?

Does anyone know of any links between PCOS and alcohol? I'm currently doing a masters in sports medicine and I had an interesting lecture on doping in sports. Alcohol dramitically increses your testosterone levels over a short period yet if you drink excessively for long periods it reduces your testosterone levels. As PCOS often is related to high testosterone levels, does anyone know if there's any reserach that's looked at PCOS symtoms and alcohol? If you put the above into context the worst you can do is drink moderately as that will increase your levels. It would seem that the best option would be to give up alcohol all together, as the other option of drinking excessively has way too many other health issues! Have any of you given up alcohol and noticed any reduction in symtoms? I think I might try it over the next couple of months and see if it has any effect on my skin and ultimately, my fertility.

It's funny, I think I came to terms with the PCOS a long time ago, but I've had loads of time to get used to it. My doctor in the U.S. suspected it just before I moved here, and that was nearly six years ago. I was on the pill then and at age 26 it seemed like I had loads of time. I guess I did think it wouldn't take this long, and I'm starting to get more worried as each month passes. However, I know so many people with PCOS do end up conceiving naturally, so I'm still hoping.

That being said, FF took away my ovulation and coverline today, so now I'm on day 22 and waiting. I really thought I'd straightened myself out a bit, but perhaps all the stress of the last month has got me out of whack again.

Scooby I'm with you on the worst nightmare scenario I still cant come to terms with having PCOS.
I started taking Progesterone on cd89 - I just wanted to make absolutely sure I wasn't pregnant - strangely enough I kept thinking I might be as I thought I had ov'd very late. So I was put on a five day course. AF arrived 3 days after the last tablet. When I say AF it was barely anything at all. I questioned whether it really was AF! I got a bit of red on CD1 then it almost dried up completely by CD2 I was expecting 3 months worth of AF which I had at the beginning of the cycle (the last one being 88days). I can feel Attila's heckles rising as I say this but I am temping which actually I'm rather pleased about because in the last few days I had all the signs of ovulation but I knew I hadnt really ov'd because my temp hadnt risen. If I hadnt been temping I would have been 100% sure I'd ov'd and would be getting unduly excited by now!

I hope it all goes smoothly and quickly for you Scooby

This is my first time TTC so it's all brand new to me. Fortunatley my friend who's a Dr advised me to come off the pill before I wanted to TTC to allow my body to settle. Thank goodness I did otherwise I'd only just be at the begining of the whole PCOS drama. I've always been very maternal and wanted at least 2 children, but wanted to wait until the right time. Finding out I would require fertility treatment was my worst nightmare.

I was with the consultant for about 25mins. he was very helpfull and answered all my questions. I didn't expect to see the consultant, I work in the medical profession so am aware how rarely you actually see the consultant.

Fruitloop, I can't believe it took 96 days for the progesterone to work. Is that a normal timeline? I didn't realise it could take so long.

It's good to hear other people are going through the same issues as me. It makes me feel more normal!

oh poo....

Just found out someone else i know is pregnant!

Someone at work has just announed she is 3 months gone and expecting her 2nd!

grrrr...

Also forgot to say that I am finding it true about there being babies and pregnant friends everywhere as well!

So far I've had 5 friends have babies in the space of the 13 months. 3 of those were in the last 2 months!

3 more a pregnant and well...it is not funny anymore!

fruitloop

I understand how you feel totally!! I feel pregnant with my DS with so much ease...third cycle and jackpot!

Pregnancy went through absolutely normally, and i have a straight forward natural birth - didn't even take any drugs!

So silly me thought no.2 would be as easy as no.1 and therefore we were putting off TTC until we got the 3 year gap we wanted. OH well....here we are now...at the very least there may be a 4 year gap...might well be more !

I too always wanted to have a few kids - 3 kids...now with all this hassle I am going to be happy with getting a second and drawing a line under it all. It is just too stressful.

When I had my scans in pregnancy with my DS nobody mentioned I had polycycstic ovaries but they weren't looking for that in particular so who knows!!!!!

Good Luck Scooby with your appointment.

How long did everyone else get on their first consultant appointment? My consultant was literaly kicking me out the door after 15-20 mins.

I have that "Why me?" feeling constantly. I still cant get my head around it as I've wanted lots of children of my own for as long as I can remember!

So pleased your appointment went well. You seem to be going through the same process as me. I had to take progesterone to bring AF on. I was on cd96 by the time it finally came along! Then I had the HSG scan. I've got a Baseline scan booked for July then my follow up in August.

I've also got, what seems like, hundreds of close friends who are pregnant or just given birth. I think it's an age thing though as my friends and I are all approaching 30 which I think is quite a popular age to start a family.

I cant remember if this will be your 1st baby?

My appointment was very informative. I've got to wait 1 month to see if I have another AF, if not, take a pregnancy test and if that's negative start on the medication that gives you AF. Then I can have the apropriate blood tests and x-ray with dye injected. Once the x-ray's booked I need to arrange another appointment with the gynae.

As for developing PCOS, he said I could have developed it more recently - the ultrasound I had in 2004 was internal and normal. The ultrasound back in March was definitely abnormal.

I was also told not to loose or gain any weight. I'm following a PCOS diet at the moment, so I'm not entirely sure whether I should keep following it or not.

I'm certainly feeling a bit more positive about TTC. I had a really bad week with my 3rd close friend announcing she was pregnant and another who is 4 months gone came over for dinner. Does anyone else have that why me feeling occasionaly?

Oh good luck scooby Just a word of warning, it's a long old process. My follow up gynae appointment isnt until Aug! I hope they are a bit quicker with you! The Pill can disguise PCOS symptoms which is why a lot of poeple dont know they have it until they start TTC. Maybe you had PCO before The Pill then it developed into PCOS and was disguised iyswim?
I also had an U/S scan a few years ago which was normal then one recently which showed PCOS. Was your second scan an internal?

I've got my first appointment with the consultant tomorrow, so should be starting the whole PCOS adventure! Interestingly I had an ultrasound scan in 2004 which was normal, where as my recent scan showed PCOS. I've also only developed PCOS symtoms since coming off the pill. Prior to the pill my AF were regular, whereas since coming of the pill a year ago I've only had one. I'll be questioning the doctor as to why this is tomorrow!

Hi Fruitloop

I would lay off the ferning kit as well. Don't torture yourself by staring down a microscope. Did not like that sites sales pitch either, preys on people's vulnerability.

In my case PCOS was always present; there is an exceedingly fine line between PCO and PCOS (which is basically polycystic ovaries with one or more symptoms). The commonality between PCO and PCOS is the polycystic ovaries.

Back to Britain today, farewell FL.

Attila

oh that makes sense then to have the syndrome later on. I might just use that ferning thing in the morning in case my salt intake interfere's with the results

I was told that it is highly possible ( as I wasn't tested when I was a teenager as didn't show symptoms ) that I have always had polycycstic ovaries.....

BUT...

that it didn't turn into Polycycstic Ovarian SYNDROME until after I had my DS and I began having a few of the symptoms.

This is what the consultant said and also I have read that it is possible only to appear later in life...around 30.

Thanks DGG I'll have a look through that website.
I didn't know you could be pre PCOS. I thought we were born with it I've heard it is always present and symptoms come out at adolescence. I certainly had all the symptoms at adolescence. I had an abdominal scan a few years ago which didnt show PCOS (but I still had all the symptoms) but my trans vaginal scan showed I do have it. I just assumed the 1st scan wasnt clear enough to see it

Hi fruitloop

I used one of the saliva scopes when TTC my first DS.
Then ( before I was PCOS ) it worked perfectly!

In fact the day I conceived DS, I had major ferning on the saliva scope and sort of positive ovulation stick result .

9 months later HEY PRESTO!

In fact before I was diagnosed with PCOS it did strike me weird why I never got that full on ferning like I did before PCOS. So I don;t know...maybe it does affect it at least a bit!

As for the salt thing...I used to test first thing in the morning along with taking my temperature for my BBT. That way you should get a pretty good idea.

I have the ISIS Scope. This is what they say on their website:

www.isisscope.com/whyitworks.asp

www.isisscope.com/howdoiuseit.asp

Have a look and see!

I've just found this:

"? Saliva-based OPKs test for rising oestrogen levels as you near ovulation, not the hormone which triggers it. As oestrogen levels rise, the salt content of your saliva increases too and when the salt dries it crystallises into a fern-like pattern"

So, what if you've been eating a lot of salt that day? Then it would be void wouldn't it? Surely they would be no good unless you dont eat salt which is practically impossible as salt is in everything.

Mind you, I did the test this morning and got the slight ferning. I dont think I've been eating salt in my sleep! But maybe the ferns increased because of what I've eaten today

Does anyone know about saliva ov tests?

Now I'm well aware that ov sticks are a big no no with PCOS but what about these?

I've had one since before DS was conceived but never had any luck with it.

I found it the other day (I wasnt actually looking for it, thought I'd chucked it!) and thought, Why not? So I've been using it for the last few days. This morning I had very clear ferning, not full but definitely slightly partial. I tried it again this afternoon as I thought I might have been imagining it but I've got more ferning afternoon than I had this morning, still not full but very obvious. I've also been getting a lot of other symptoms of possible ovulation. I do realise this could be PCOS having a bit of fun with me but I dont know exactly what triggers the ferning. If it's LH then perhaps it is just a PCOS thing. Has anybody else used these?

oh fruitloop...the NHS are really irritating

At least fingers crossed once they see you in AUGUST you will put on clomid straight away!

Even though I saw the consultant last month, she still said she would prefer I lost just a little more weight before she gave me clomid...so I KEEP getting put off.

The most irritating thing is that my body seems to be trying on its own to ovulate ...and this recent failed pregnancy shows it is possible....BUT and here is the BUT
my eggs need help! THey aren't growing big enough in time....so clomid could be the magic pill!

Oh gawd, why is everything so difficult!

That's not due till July. It's a long old process isnt it!

Oh DGG I so wanna be put on Clomid by the summer but my follow-up appointment with the gynae isnt until August! Unless I can get a cancellation appointment. I cant imagine anyone will cancel that sort of appointment though - unless of course they get preg before. And even if they cant make the appointment, how many people actually phone up to cancel?

I was wondering if they should now be taking my bloods every week to check for ovulation?

I'm now waiting on a Baseline scan, whatever that is

hi ladies

back at work today and it is mad! So busy.

Fruitloop...wow looks like they have really done everything properly. Your values all look pretty good.

Fingers crossed you and I will be on our first round of clomid by the summer if not before!

I can't find anything to say what LH and FSH should be during the menstrual phase, but it looks okay for the follicular phase.