PCOS and no luck conceiving!

[Melody85]

Hello ladies
I'm new to all this but would really appreciate some advice as it's all starting to get a bit disheartening...

I came off marvelon at the beginning of December (after 8 years - i was put on marvelon as i was diagnosed with PCOS). I had my initial withdrawal bleed and then 2 periods both on approx a 40-45 day cycle, then it all just stopped! I haven't had a proper period now for 9 weeks just spotting very frequently.

I started off using the ovulation tests frequently in dec and jan but then just gave up as they were negative everyday and it all became a bit disheartening, i also just did another pregnancy test yesterday in the hope that a miracle had occurred but no such luck

On top of not conceiving i have also put on quite a lot of weight and my skin has got terrible (despite working out 5 times a week and eating healthy).

I'm finding the whole process a bit depressing and was really looking for some advice on what others have done in similar situations??

I visited my doctor last week, who was helpful and sent me for blood tests and a scan but i have to wait till the end of june for a follow up appointment and am going out of my mind a little!!

Thanks for any help!

Hi Melody,

I have PCOS as well and have been TTC since November.

I have heard OV Kits are no good for ladies with PCOS as our levels are a bit out of wack and are hard to pick up. I have been temping and charting which was has been really useful as I have clearly seen that I have been ovulating (this month nothing but it seems pregnacare conceive messed my cycle up!)

I would try and month or so using temping though as it really helps - fertility friend is a great website to do this on.

When were you originally diagnosed with PCOS?.

What the marvelon basically did here was put PCOS, which has always been there, into abeyance. When you came off marvelon, these symptoms returned. Your current symptoms now are in line with this condition although it is a very individualistic disorder.

Verity's website is helpful www.verity-pcos.org.uk and I would suggest you educate yourself as much as possible about PCOS and the various treatment options. Bear in mind though there is no one therapy or treatment that will completely eradicate it as the cystic follicles on the ovaries always return. It can be controlled to a certain extent.

Some PCOS patients find following a low GI/GL eating plan helpful with regards to weight loss.

What blood tests did you have done and on what days?.

Would stay off the OPKs anyway as they can be of no use whatsoever when PCOS is an issue.

Is the follow up going to be at a subfertility unit, you need to see a consultant gynae asap. Both of you should attend this appointment as it can bring with it considerable nerves. Both of you should have your tests done in tandem, it is no point at all in solely testing you. I would also suggest you write down anything you want to ask well ahead of time, you do not want to leave there thinking, "oh I should have asked about...".

I have PCOS as well, and I am 6 weeks pregnant. This is my second pregnancy (I lost my first baby at 19 weeks).
Me and hubby got together in 2010 and pretty much had unprotected sex all the way until I got my BFP in Aug 2013. No sniff of one.
I started taking Inositol 650mg's X3 a day from the 1st of July 13 I got my BFP on the 27th Aug.
I got my second BFP after taking only 1.5 bottles of Inositol.
It's amazing stuff!

I also know another lady who used it and also got pregnant and has just had a little girl!
I really rave about this stuff!
Take a look at this website : www.pcosdietsupport.com/supplements/inositol-and-pcos/

If you google Inositol and PCOS you will get a lot of positive results from it!
Hope it helps! x

Yup, I was diagnosed with pcos in my early 20's and now 36 TTC for the first time since last January.

My first 2 cycles were 47 and 53 days long, even with the low gi eating and exercise. I started taking Inositol and my last cycle was 35 days long. Coincidence? I don't know, but I'm going to keep taking it. I ordered from amazon, just make sure you are ordering from somewhere in the UK or you'll have to pay extra shipping costs.

Not sure if I ovulated or not though.

Hi ladies
Thank you for your replies.
Cth - i will look into temping- never thought of that before!!
Attila - i was originally diagnosed 8 years ago (when i was 20) and put on marvelon, which as you say completely suppressed all symptoms, and i think made me think things might be ok... No such luck!! I just had blood tests to check all my hormone levels (I'm going to call this afternoon for results!) she said the tests you would normally do on a specific day in the cycle were impossible as i haven't had a period for so long!

The follow up session is just with the gp (who is v good) to see what we should do with regard to seeing a specialist.. Altho she did talk about just putting me metformin or something similar which i was quite surprised about as thought only a gynae would do that?!
Mrschoc - great to hear of someone who has successfully conceived, congratulations! I haven't heard of inositol so will have a look now!!

Will update with blood test results once i get them...

Hi

re yoru comments:-

"Attila - i was originally diagnosed 8 years ago (when i was 20) and put on marvelon, which as you say completely suppressed all symptoms, and i think made me think things might be ok... No such luck!! I just had blood tests to check all my hormone levels (I'm going to call this afternoon for results!) she said the tests you would normally do on a specific day in the cycle were impossible as i haven't had a period for so long!"

Blood tests can actually be done according to calendar days if the menstrual cycle is non existent. Do you know what hormone levels were actually tested?.

"The follow up session is just with the gp (who is v good) to see what we should do with regard to seeing a specialist.. Altho she did talk about just putting me metformin or something similar which i was quite surprised about as thought only a gynae would do that"

GP needs to stop messing about in presumed ignorance and now refer you to a specialist at a subfertility unit. Do not accept anything less that a referral. PCOS is a condition that should not be messed around with. You're right re the Metformin; only gynaes can prescribe that. Also not all PCOSers are infact insulin resistant; you need specialist advice and consultation with a cons gynae.

Temping and PCOS are uneasy bedfellows (like OPKs are with regards to PCOS) also so I would think long and hard about using such a method at all. How would temping benefit?. It would become a daily reminder that something is wrong. It is likely that you are not ovulating regularly if at all currently and you could well end up with a chart akin to the Rocky Mountains and impossible to interpret with any degree of certainty. It could just cause more stress and anxiety overall.

I actually disagree with attilia - I temped also and actually it was lovely to see I was ovulating.. Yes my chart's are a bit up and down but you can clearly see my ovulation... Will flash my latest chart (My bfp one so you can see.)

Congrats mrschocolate :) and melody, I would second the suggestion that you try to get referred as soon as possible to at least put your mind at ease that you're doing something, I know how frustrating it can be!

Congrats Mrs Chocolate Cupcake .

Spontaneous ovulation with PCOS can happen occasionally but if the menstrual cycle is generally non existent then it is more likely than not that ovulation is not happening regularly, if at all. To my mind charting in such cases like the OPs is not going to be of any real benefit, she needs a referral to a subfertility unit.

I agree, get referred to a fertility specialist! Only they can diagnose you and then start a treatment plan. There are quite a lot of options out there to help you ttc.

I had irregular periods and was diagnosed with PCOS by a great fertility centre. They were going to start me on clomid but before they could I fell pregnant naturally! They tracked my cycle by taking a blood test every week until a high level in progesterone showed ovulation.

I would not start temping, it can be very stressful and might not work with PCOS. Push for a referral and let the specialists find out what is going on and how they can help!

I agree, that going to a specialist is the best thing to do.
At least then for me something was done.
( clomid in my case)

Good luck OP

(I now have 3 DC)

Hi Op, I agree with all the ladies that say you should push for that referral, I was fobbed off by my first Dr because I hadn't been TTC for 12 months when I hadn't actually had a period for 6! Needless to say she isn't my Dr anymore and when I changed I was referred to a fertility clinic right away, (3 months wait for an appointment in my area so the quicker you get the referral the better in my opinion!)

I have tried both temping and OPKs and don't bother with either now.

With regards to the weight, a low GI diet didn't appeal to me but slimming world has really worked. I don't have much to lose but since being diagnosed I want to be on top of it. For the pesky spots, try a soap called Valderma!

Hi Melody85,
I was diagnosed with PCOS at 15, been on dianette 17 years, most symptoms of pcos controlled by it. Came off dianette in Feb and had my blood tests in May on day 3 of first real cycle. Dr said blds were norm and didn't show I had PCO, I asked for a scan, both ovaries were cystic. Dr then ate her words and said I did have PCO and it was likely that my ovaries were going to get worse over the next few months and that my symptoms would return. Now covered in acne and weight increasing! Told to go back on dianette to suppress cysts back down and ttc straight after coming off, no waiting!

Also told to do GI diet and 5:2 diet at same time for better insulin control.