More than average follicles, possibly due to hormone inbalance

[bugoven]

I had a transvaginal ultrasound yesterday and was relieved to ear that I have a uterus and two ovaries, all of which are structurally healthy and normal (actually whooped and made the sonographer laugh).
However she said I have more than the average number of follicles and that this is possibly due to a hormonal inbalance such as PCOS.
I am tempted to just eat healthily and carry on TTC for a little longer.
Anyone had this result and been ok?

Yep. I have a polycystic ovary (had one removed last year and it was polycystic too). However I do not have PCOS. There is a huge difference between having PCOS and simply having polycystic ovaries: people with PCOS have polycystic ovaries, but people with polycystic ovaries do not necessarily have PCOS.

PCOS is a syndrome resulting from an imbalance of hormones, of which cystic ovaries are one symptom. Others include facial hair and being overweight (although some people can have PCOS whilst still being a normal weight). The silver bullet though is blood tests: people with PCOS have elevated levels of testosterone, amongst other hormones (hence the facial hair). This is thought to be a result of high levels of insulin, and therefore diet and weight loss is often used as a treatment.

Ovulation is often a problem if you suffer from PCOS due to this hormonal imbalance, hence the concern about fertility.

Polycystic ovaries merely means that you have a lot of cysts on your ovaries. This is not necessarily a cause for concern if you ovulate normally (as I do). See:

www.getridpcosnaturally.com/cystic-ovaries-can-they-cause-fertility-problems

Cautionary tale - the consultant I saw who told me I had PCOS based on one ultrasound (I went to see him after not getting my cycles back after coming off the pill) put me immediately on metformin, a drug used to help treat PCOS (it works somehow on insulin levels). Being naive and trusting a private doctor on Harley Street (bitter - me?!) I took the drugs. The drugs did nothing except making me feel sick all day long. I researched it myself and realised I didn't have PCOS, just polycystic ovaries (and was slightly underweight). I therefore stopped the drugs, saw a nutritionist (I wasn't eating unhealthily at all, but I learnt an awful lot about a healthy diet!), got my periods back and fell pregnant first month of trying. So do NOT assume that you have PCOS until you have all the blood tests etc done which suggest this.

Does that help?

oceans thank you so much for that answer. I suffered from irregular periods up until my early 20s and was tested for PCOS with blood tests only and those showed I had normal hormone levels. I have struggled with my weight and have some but not more than average hairiness so I am almost sure I'd get the same result again 8 years later - that I do not have PCOS. I agree that diet and healthy lifestyle is the key and to be honest the main reason I am overweight now and wasn't a year ago when I started TTC is because I gave up all the dangerous energetic things I used to do like climbing and mountain biking.
My many follicles may be absolutely normal and healthy for me. I can feel the improvement in my general well being as soon as I make an effort to eat better, exercise and look after myself so I think I'll just go with that rather than drugs as a boost for TTC for at least another few months.
Thank you

bugoven

Would not leave this for too long, how long have you been ttc for now?. If it is coming up to a year then I would seek further medical advice asap. PCO can require careful management.

Eating healthily etc will help but it will do nothing to address the recurring problem of the multiple cystic follicles on the ovaries. Did the sonographer also mention the size of the ovaries; a polcystic ovary can appear larger than normal (walnut) size.

If you can remain within the correct weight range for your height this will be of great benefit. Some women find that a low GI eating plan helps and is sustainable as well.

I would think you have had this problem since your teens; my periods were irregular from onset of menses and stayed that way as well.

There is a difference between PCO and PCOS but its a fine line; the commonality between the two is the cystic follicles on the ovaries.

atila the sonographer said everything was structurally normal and healthy as far a she could tell but that I had more follicles than would be expected and that this would suggest my ovaries were polycistic. She went on to say that this could be due to a hormonal inbalance such as PCOS. The results/photos will be sent to my GP who will be in touch. I will then take whatever advice/treatment they have to offer.
I have been TTC for 8 months but to be honest I have a work patten that requires me to sleep in so I think my lack of success so far had been just as much about timing as anything else. OH is going to docs to get himself checked out. I think we would both benefit from a healthy diet and weight loss so I am happy to try that whatever our results.
Thanks for your reply.

bugoven

If your ovaries are polycystic then you may well need some additional help in order to conceive. Its not about timing, forget all about that particular idea.
It can take some considerable skill to recognise a polycystic ovary and they can appear larger than normal walnut size. Hopefully GP will refer you to a subfertility unit once the photos are received for further evaluation.

As mentioned some such patients find following a low GI/GL eating plan helpful when it comes to either PCO or PCOS.

attila I don't mean timing in that I'm trying to guess when I'm ovulating or anything just that I'm only home about half the time so chance of me missing opportunities are very high.

bugoven - are you ovulating regularly (or as regularly as 'normal' women do - i.e. most months around the same sort of cycle day)? I was told that this was the chief worry when looking at women with PCO: since I ovulate naturally regularly there was no concern.

I can't be sure really. Some months everything feels "normal" and I have a cycle 28 - 34 days. Reason for scan was to check what was happening after faint positive HPTs and possible CP/early miscarriage. I will be willing to have my ovulation/hormones investigated if the doc thinks it's necessary.

Sounds like you probably are ovulating regularly if you're getting pregnant and having cycles of a 'normal' length.

I've never heard of PCO causing CPs, although obviously if your hormones are out of whack that could lead to them.

Maybe you should push for tests rather than letting the doctor suggest them: worth it just to put your mind at rest?

oceans it was only very faint for a few days and then my cycle went mad with all sorts of other symptoms so I can only guess that's what happened. I had a 50+ day cycle and spotting twice then 34 days this month so maybe it was a CP/early miscarriage but I can only guess. That was Feb so hopefully I am ovulating normally.
Thanks for advice.

I have PCOS.
I also have a 2 year old dd :)
Trying to conceive was a real uphill struggle for us, and after all the consultants appointments and all sorts of other things, I ended up on antidepressants.
My dh and I, stopped all our dealings with the nhs, took a very expensive holiday, and a few weeks later I got a bfp, totally out of the blue and unexpected entirely.
My periods have always been ridiculously irregular, I could have a 3 day period, a 3 week period, and I could go 3 months without any at all.
My hormone levels are totally up the creek!! And cycle tracking was near on impossible.
I took Agnus Castus also, not too sure how much that had to do with conceiving, but I believe it helped with the implantation. Your GP would be better to advise you on the use of that though, and if it may/may not help you.
I wish you all the best in ttc. I think keeping yourself happy is half the battle!!!!

lovehandles that is a. Wry encouraging story, thank you. We're off to Paris next weekend but that's a freebee from DP's work as a bonus. Guess we should book a paid holiday too then =)

*very encouraging

It's really hard not to let it bog you down. But it's definitely worth the effort of doing stuff together that makes you happy. Enjoy Paris!!! Make the most of a free hotel!!

Thanks lovehandles. I've spent the whole day sleeping and crying which of course is not at all productive an possibly completely unnecessary. Need some time off work and a holiday which is exactly what I have next week and just in time I reckon

bugoven

I have had diff reults at diff stages of the pcos detection, for instance in my early twenties i had a scan that said i had it - but my blood tests were normal.

I concevied accidenlty after taking agnus castus/wild yam simply to try and get normal regular periods which I dont get at all. Literally three of four months etc without one,

After that pregnancy about a year later I was also heavier and out of interest spok to doc about PCOS, he said - alot of women have been mis diagnosed with it - sent me for another scan and also blood tests.

this time they came back testosterone high, BUT when i do ovulate I can feel which side it is - and I actualy only ovulate FROM THE pcos AFFECTED SIDE!!! the normal looking side I dont seem to ovulate from!

A consultant put me on metformin, and told me to totally cut all sugar - red apples, red peppers , rice, bread , pasta out of my diet, except in extremly small portions. I was put of the metformin as another doc shoved it at me in the past, and it made me feel sick too and it scared me.

so consultant said - start off on one dose and he gave me slow releasing metformin, after first tab, this time i felt much better on them, in fact quite much better in myself on them!

I had been trying to conceive for two and half years and after five months of metformin, agnus castus, wild yam And by chance two jars of manuka 15+ honey - AND some personal training sessions in which I lost 10 pounds.....

whhhoooppeeeee.....after giving up - i am now 19 weeks.

I also cut down on wine but not out altogther but very little, and did alter my diet but in no drastic way, i did reduce carbsm but still had a few choc bars...

I have to say though I do see agnus castus mentioned alot in success stories, you have to take it for a while though - and also metformin not only helps to regulate blood sugar but also I thikn somehow stimulates something in the reproductive area.

i have also heard another natural powerful hormone regulator is brocoli.

Well that's my favourite vegetable and I ate nearly a while head of it last night

I too used agnus castus, although I dropped it down from 4 capsules a day to 2 capsules a day this time around. Not sure whether it did anything, but it definitely helped me feel like I was doing something if that makes sense.

If you want a nutritionist referral, let me know - I'll let you know who I saw. She had fertility problems herself so is massively understanding.

And just as a hopeful booster/another success story - I got a BFP yesterday on our first cycle of trying for #2 from my polycystic ovary (I only have one, so am fairly certain of where the egg came from)!. It can and will happen - keep the faith (and enjoy that hotel room!!).

Thanks oceans and Congratulations =) I am feeling really hopeful now. Have also added some PCOS and fertility diet reading to my kindle. Mainly seems to be common sense but the feeling of doing something is do positive.
Wishing you a happy, healthy pregnancy