Newbie PCOS question

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Total newbie - have also posted this on the infertility forum (sorry if that isn't the right etiquette!) and apologise in advance if this turns into a random ramble...

Just got back from the hospital, where a transvaginal scan showed the appearance of polycistic ovaries (but not necessarily PCOS, which I find rather confusing). Am going back for my Day 2 blood test in a few weeks as the nurse rather excitedly announced to me mid-scan 'you will be ovulating within 12 hours!'

I am obviously pleased I am ovulating but what I still don't understand is this - if the bloods confirm PCOS, but I have the 'ovulating kind of PCOS', what can I actually do to increase my chance of concieving? If I don't need medication to bring on ovulation is there other medication I might be given to help the implantation? Pretty clueless as you can see!

Some random info about me in case it helps: I am slim / healthy BMI, no acne, and aged 33.

You sound just like me, I am 26 and have PCO (not S) which means that I ovulate and don't show any other signs of having polycystic ovary syndrome apart from having loads of eggs in my ovaries. No excessive weight / hair / acne etc. my problem was that I only get my period every 2/3 months, but I now have a healthy 6 month old baby boy so it is not impossible to get pregnant and I did it completely naturally. You shouldn't need any help, you just need to try for a baby whilst you are ovulating and the following day too!

I just used ovulation tests to find out when I was ovulating cos my cycle is so screwed up! However I now want to try for a second baby and haven't ovulated in 6 months so might be needing some help second time around....

If you have any more questions just let me know :)

Thanks for the reply! I guess I'll know more after the bloods in a few weeks. I am hairier than the ordinary person but not hideously so. And since coming off the pill 5months ago i've had a period/bleed each month (although they have varied from 28 days to 40 they are settling down to around 34)

Trying just to take each step as it comes and not get ahead of myself, which us definitely my default position!

get as much info as poss when bloods come back - find out if you do have the syndrome and get tested for testosterone as well.

even if you are slim - make sure you eat well and follow a more GI based diet - its all about blood sugars and insulin - people with the syndrome cant process carbs well....if you keep your weight down and under control though - you sort of lower the impact of it all right down....the more weight gane - the worse it gets.

I have two babies by the way - both conceived during health kick periods of more exercise - eating really really well....i just wish when i was first diagnosed i was told how vital it was for me to keep weigt down - as once it goes on with this condition its really really hard to shfit!

however - once you get bloods back and stuff - keep an eye on how long you have been trying because if a doc does need to refer you - that can take months and months in itself...and then they may start you with metformin which helps to regulate bloood sugars and also does something with the fertitly part....i think the next step would be clomid - ....

You sound similar to me. No one can decide whether I have PCOS or not. Some drs say yes, some say no. Some scans have indicated my right ovary is polycystic but the left is normal, and some vice versa. A scan this week indicated both looked normal. I am a bit hairy too but don't have acne and have a normal BMI. I ovulate every month.

I find having a low GI diet helps to control my insulin reistence symptoms.

The dr I saw this week said that there are many degrees of PCOS and I obviously have some tendancy towards it, but not the condition at its worst. He doesn't think it is affecting my fertility anyway.

PCOS usually affects fertility by stopping women from ovulating. If you are, then it's probably not PCOS that is your problem (there is some indication that the associated insulin issues can cause some problems but you can largely control that through diet). We are officially unexplained and about to start IVF after 26 cycles of proper trying proved futile.

Thanks so much for the replies. I am really lucky in that my GP referred me for the scan / bloods two cycles after I came off the pill / started trying. I know some doctors wait a year before doing anything so I was incredibly grateful. And I have high hopes that she will refer me again if needs be.

I will dig out my list of bloods that I am going to have and post them - then you can let me know if there are others I should push for as well!

It's always great to hear of success stories, so pleased it all worked out for you eliza. Do you mind if I ask what kind of exercise you did?

I have started reading up on GI today, which is really interesting actually. Definitely something I will follow.

One question I do have - as I was lucky enough to have my scan timed with my ovulation (both nurses there said 'oooh, get home and have sex right away - it is happening in the next 12 hours!') does this mean that I will ovulate each month? And at roughly the same time every month?

There is no such thing unfortunately as the "ovulating kind of PCOS". It's a very individualistic disorder that affects each woman with it very differently; the commonality is the cystic follicles on the ovaries. However, women with either PCO (polycystic ovaries) or even PCOS can ovulate spontaneously but its usually only on a very occasional basis. Even though it looks like you are ovulating now there is no guarantee of this happening again next month or at around the same time. Ovulation is not an exact science and a woman can ovulate earlier, later or not at all in any given cycle. It is also possible to have periods without ovulating.

There is also a very fine line between PCO and PCOS.

You ought to be seen by a gynae cons or at the very least the same medical staff each visit. Continuity of care is vitally important here.

At the very least you should be having a day 2 test to check and compare your LH level against that of your FSH and a day 21 test to measure progesterone levels. They should also be looking at your levels of androgen hormones and testosterone levels.

Following a low GI/GL (glycaemic load) eating plan can work well for many PCOS patients. Keeping within an ideal weight range for your height is also a very good idea; excess pounds can exacerbate symptoms and its hard to shift.

www.verity-pcos.org.uk may be helpful to you.

Good luck with it all