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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To worry and wonder how hard conceiving is going to be with PCOS?

68 replies

thepolymysticovary · 01/04/2014 15:18

Last night DP and I had a chat and we both decided that now is the right time to start ttc!

I felt excited at this, but after a 6 year battle with constant flood bleeding and pains, I was finally diagnosed with Polycystic Ovaries and the beginning of uterine fibroids two weeks ago.

Now, I am 22 stone (feel so ashamed writing that, but that's how it is), and I have read so many stories of other PCOS sufferers who have simply made changes to their diet, shed some weight, and without the help of fertility drugs conceived. Now, I am not a fool and know that the road ahead with regards to ttc could be a long one, but can anyone give me any hope with success stories?

Thanks!

OP posts:

minouminou · 01/04/2014 21:01

Go lo-carb and get shagging!

Hope it works out for you.

pandarific · 01/04/2014 21:10

Good luck OP!

No kids here, but would like some in the future and I have polycystic ovaries though I do ovulate - does anyone know if it affects the age range you can get pregnant at? I've always wanted my kids at 34/5 but am worried that PCOS will mean the cut off time is earlier. Any basis for thinking that?

TheLostWinchesterWife · 01/04/2014 21:12

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 14. Told i wouldn't have children. When I was 22 told i would need IVF as ovaries were too bad. Shown a scan of them which showed right ovary covered in cysts and left even worse. Told left ovary not releasing any eggs at all. When I was 28 i married DH and we started TTC i asked the doctor about fertility and she said to try for 6 months then I'd be referred straight to a fertility clinic. I was 15.5 stone. In 4 months I was pregnant. Then when DC1 was 4 months a trip to hospital with abdominal pain turned out to be DC2. A scan showed the egg had been released from my left ovary (the one that never releases eggs) and I was 16.5 stone (due to PND and retained baby weight) then when I was 32 found out I was pregnant again with DC3 and I was 17.5 stone. Now 18 stone
Also had 3 MCs so....all in all 6 pregnancies, 3 children and an extra 2.5 stone. Not bad going in 3 years ;-)
I won't say lose weight it's hard and soul destroying but I will say eat healthy stuff and get a bit of exercise to be fit for giving birth. Good luck.

GinSoakedMisery · 01/04/2014 21:18

Another PCOS person here.

I had to have fertility treatment for ds1+2 but ds3 was a complete surprise.

Try cutting down the carbs at first, and make small changes to your diet. Don't do anything too drastic as you'll be more likely to binge.

Good luck op.

NatashaBee · 01/04/2014 21:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsSeanBean1 · 01/04/2014 21:23

My sister had such severe PCOS that, at the age of 27, she had had a total of 5 periods in her whole life. At 27 she was diagnosed with cancer and had 6 months of chemo. We were certain she would never conceive. 3 months after her wedding she was pregnant. Trouble free pregnancy and delivery. I, on the other hand, seem to have no diagnosable issues, had 5 years of unexplained infertility, 4 miscarriages, awful pregnancies and horrible deliveries.

All I would say is if you have no luck after 6 months then do try and track your cycles. Having as much knowledge about your body as possible will help you. We eventually used DuoFertility (a cycle monitoring system which trials have shown has as much success as IVF for PCOS and unexplained infertility). They used to do a money back guarantee if you were not pregnant in a year - not sure if they still do.

Taffeta · 01/04/2014 21:24

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 18 and told it was unlikely I'd be able to have children. When DH and I married at 35, thought we'd give it a try. First month of trying pg then MMC three months later pg with DS.

Was a stone and a half overweight after DS, tried for 12 months then MMC then another 12 months and lost weight, pg with DD.

eurochick · 01/04/2014 21:25

I agree with the low carb advice. You might also be prescribed metformin, which should help with both the fertility and weightloss.

Remember there are degrees of PCOS. Both I and a good friend have it. I have 12 periods a year and when I have been monitored I ovulate on every cycle (I do have other PCOS symptoms though - I didn't get away scot free!). She has no periods. Clomid didn't work for her, but she has a lovely daughter from her first round of IVF.

aermingers · 01/04/2014 21:28

I got pregnant first round IUI supported by acupuncture with PCOS. Am just about to start trying for no 2.

Also, the candida diet which cuts out sugar worked incredibly well for me and other PCOS sufferers too. It's sugar rather than carbs I think that causes problems for PCOS ladies, hence the link with diabetes.

There is an excellent and very supportive forum at verity.co.uk for PCOS.

tanyatanya · 01/04/2014 22:04

Hi Mystic. I have pcos and have a 2 year old (with the help of metformin and clomid) I also weighed around the same as you do now when I started ttc. I then lost around 4 stone through dieting and lots of exercise to get pregnant. I was still heavy at 18 stone but it was a lot better than my original weight would have been (and it probably wouldnt have happened at my orginal weight). I was just wondering how old you are? Pcos is a real b@stard but its not impossible, you just have to work really hard and not compare your weightloss to other peoples. I wish you all the luck in the world.

Youcanneverhavetoomanybooks · 01/04/2014 22:14

I also have PCOS - lots of symptoms - hair / acne and no periods at all now unless on the pill - very erratic since puberty - and was told that I don't ovulate. I'm not massively overweight, but was put on metformin when ttc and lost some then - you can't eat lots of sweet stuff when you're on it or your stomach goes up the creek. Anyway - to cut a long story short, I was never told I couldn't have children, just that I'd need help. Got referred to a great fertility unit and now have 2 lovely dd - one is 3 and one is 6 weeks old tomorrow. For the first, just needed some clomid - first cycle worked. For the second, 3 rounds of clomid and nothing, so 2 rounds of drug - sorry, can't remember the name - injected into stomach or thigh and it worked the second time.

I would say that what can take time is the early part of ttc with the help of drs - referrals etc - we seemed to spend a lot of time waiting for thee initial appointments, but once we were in the system (NHS - didn't go private) it was easier though there was still a lot of waiting for appointments for tests etc - they want to check everything out to work out what exactly the problem is and where you'll need the help. Don't give up hope and be kind to yourself. Sending a hug and hope things work out for you.

Youcanneverhavetoomanybooks · 01/04/2014 22:15

Oh, and I'm now 35 and started ttc at 31!

ItsSpringBaby · 01/04/2014 22:21

I have PCOS and only one fallopian tube after an ectopic. My periods are irregular, sometimes only with light bleeding/discharge rather than proper bleeding.

I am now 34 weeks after getting pregnant naturally. So even when the odds are stacked against you it can still happen.

Pipbin · 01/04/2014 22:29

I hope you never get to the stage of having IVF, but when I started it I had to lose weight first to get my BMI under the level for NHS help.
It was a great motivator. 'Do I want this biscuit or a baby?' 'If I don't go for a run then I can't have a baby.'
I lost the weight, but sadly the IVF failed.

Still, decide to start to lose the weight, hopefully you won't need help but if you do it'll be the first thing they tell you to do.

orangeone · 01/04/2014 22:38

Another with PCOS and 2 DD.

Another vote here for Metformin....

BEEwitched · 01/04/2014 23:05

I'm a size 24, have PCOS, when we started ttc I had a 42 day cycle - tried half-heartedly for 2 months, then first month trying properly and using an ovulation monitor to make sure I was ovulating and new what time of the cycle it happened - bingo.

I thought it would take years. I have had some complications because of my dodgy hormones but I'm 31 weeks along and it looks like there'll be a healthy child at the end of this in 2 months' time!

deakymom · 01/04/2014 23:06

i knew a lady who had a litter of children easily she had PCOS try not to fret too much it is possible xx

hobbjobb · 01/04/2014 23:21

I have PCOS and am currently 32 weeks pregnant with my first child

We thought it would take us ages but I conceived within 3 months of stopping contraception. Oh and I am 21 stone
I was on metformin when I conceived

I do regret getting pregnant weighing so much as you do get it in the neck a bit from doctors and midwives, my advice would be to lose weight as you TTC but give yourself a time limit in which you'll just relax and have fun, we said we'd try for a year with no stress and no pressure, then seek help if I wasn't pregnant by then, obviously it happened much faster than we thought!

Good luck

Original poster

thepolymysticovary · 02/04/2014 17:42

Thanks for your replies. I feel so much more hopeful now. I came off Norethisterone on Sunday. I was on it to stop never-ending flooding. I have had a light bleed since withdrawal, but I am doing everything in my power to stop a heavy bleed coming back so dp and I can get shagging! Oh, and I am on day 1 of the diet and I am rather peckish, but it will be so worth it!

OP posts:

Snatchoo · 02/04/2014 17:53

It's really nice to hear all these stories.

I don't have PCOS myself but a close friend does and I know she'll find this thread good to read so I'm going to link it to her.

mumminio · 02/04/2014 18:01

Firstly, it's not unusual for it to take a few months to conceive, so don't worry if it doesn't happen straight away.

Secondly, look at this www.dietcare.com and check out their PCOS section.

Lj8893 · 02/04/2014 18:10

I got diagnosed with PCOS in 2008. I was single at the time and so decided to come off the pill and just use condoms when/if I had sex. Although ( ashamedly) I did slip up once or twice.
When I met my dp I explained I had PCOS, and wasent on the pill as it played my hormones up and so we would have to use condoms. We did and then when we had been together a while, stopped using them on the fact that we thought it would be unlikely I would fall pregnant but it wouldn't be the worst thing. So we wernt trying, but we wernt not trying either!

I fell pregnant within 9 months of us not using protection.

Good luck op .

Lj8893 · 02/04/2014 18:12

Oh, meant to add that in that 9 months I had lost a small amount of weight and quit my very stressful job.

So no stress and a lighter weight seemed to work for me!

Original poster

thepolymysticovary · 02/04/2014 18:27

Wow, Lj, to imagine I could be pregnant in as little as 9 months would be absolutely out of this world! I have started eating healthily today. Gosh, it's hard, but I keep thinking of the fact that I could very well have a baby by the time I am 31 like I want more than anything.

OP posts:

Lj8893 · 02/04/2014 20:41

Best of luck to you

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