TTC PCOS

[R0ckCh1c]

Hi, I'm 30yrs old & my partner & I have been trying for a baby for almost a year now since I came off the pill. My cycles have been all over the place & I've have had blood tests & an internal scan which shows I have polycystic ovaries (both ovaries). I now have to wait for my partner to have tests which I'm told could take a couple of months before we can be referred to a fertility clinic. I'm feeling really low and depressed about the whole thing & have got friends & family around me that are pregnant & haven't been trying for as long as me. Although I am pleased for them, I can't help but feel disheartened at the same time as wish it was me who was pregnant as been trying much longer than they have... Especially as some are pregnant with their second & third child... I'm still struggling to conceive with my first. They don't seem to understand or take my feelings into consideration & when we go out it's all baby talk. Haven't got anyone else to talk to who understands what I'm going through... Is there anyone out there in the same/similar situation as me?

I also have PCOS, this is the advice I was given

Advice from Dr
To start trying to conceive straight after coming off pill, no waiting.
If not successful within 3 cycles to go on clomid and possibly metformin.
May need to go back on pill to reduce cysts and then try cycle again.
Insulin Regulation
Need to start low GI diet. Reduce sugar intake.
Should also do 5/2 fasting diet as improves insulin production and sensitivity.
Regular exercise in morning to improve release of insulin like growth factor.

From Mumsnet users
Inositol 1000mg twice daily or 650mg 3 times daily

I am in love with Inositol! It has completely changed my metabolism, eating like a pig and losing weight!

examine.com/supplements/Inositol/#summary7-0

Hang on in there!

I have PCOS and it took me 20 months and 18 cycles to get a BFP so I know how you feel! I honestly though we were going to start IVF. My advice would be to do all the above - especially getting on Clomid/some other fertility drug as soon as possible - it's worked for many a PCOS lady. My BFP came on Tamoxifen which is pretty much the same as Clomid. Good luck!

Hi r0ckch1c
I feel your pain! Although I haven't been TTC as long as you, I'm already feeling pretty crap about the whole thing so can imagine how awful it feels for you.
I'm also 30 but was diagnosed with pcos when I was 15, told to go on the pill immediately and be prepared to never have children !
Fast forward 15 years of being on the pill and DH and I decided to start TTC. Since Sept I've only managed a withdrawal bleed and 2 AFs (one 57 day cycle and one 67 day cycle) I'm now on day 33 and I can tell its going to be another long one.
Thanks to the advice on here I went to my doctor after 5 months TTC and had a very understanding doc who agreed to start the ball rolling early and referred me to a fertility clinic. Since then we have had all of the same tests as you confirming "no signs of ov". DHs SA also came back as low quantity so it looks like we may also have that to contend with!
Like you I have tonnes of friends who are falling pregnant very quickly and all at the same time! Its hard not to get completely down on yourself! I feel like a total failure to my DH... he has 2 children from a previous relationship (both of which were conceived first time 10 and 12 yrs ago) I also find the constant baby talk draining and upsetting. There seems to be this assumption with people I know that you come off the pill and fall pregnant straight away..... its so frustrating!
What are the next steps for you now? X

Thank you all for your comments and advice... It's nice to know you're not alone and have others you can talk to who understand exactly how you feel.

Next step for us is getting my other half checked out. My doc won't do anything with me until my partner has his 'swimmers' checked out... Said that will give them the fuller picture & then can move on from there. Our docs are a nightmare to get appointment though... At least 3wks waiting list each time! Guess it's just the waiting game until then.

Does my docs have to decide which hormones to give me & levels based on my blood results? If so, guess I'll have to wait until we get sent to the fertility clinic?

I was using the ovulation sticks but don't think they work properly as some cycles it's like I have ovulated twice which of course is wrong and of course doesn't match with what my docs have said... Could that be because my hormone levels are so unbalanced they are triggering false results?

Rosebud - I say exactly the same... People think getting pregnant will happen as soon as you're off the pill... Some it does... What about all those on Jeremy Kyle who fall pregnant from one night stands! Then those who really want to conceive it seems to take forever! Wish I'd come off pill much earlier now!

Hope you all get that BFP you desire soon xx

It is possible to ovulate multiple times in a cycle. Read the study below. I had LH surge on day 13 this cycle, then ewcm and open cervix day 14. I'm now on day 35 with BFN and had ovulation like pain on both sides for last few days but no physical signs, OPKs show surge again. I've found OPKs very difficult to use and have missed my LH surge completely several times despite my body showing signs of ovulation. If you read CBs guidelines it says not suitable for PCOS!

I'm thoroughly fed up with this cycle and just want AF to hurry up as I don't feel at all pregnant.

www.newscientist.com/article/dn3927-women-can-ovulate-more-than-once-a-month.html

R0ckch1c my understanding is that the doc cannot prescribe fertility meds like clomid and metformin. My doc told me that they can only be prescribed by the fertility clinic once they have received all of the test results and analysed them all. But it might be that its different in different areas of the country, and that this isn't the same for everyone?

I also really struggle with the opks. I have had more than one positive at different points within the same cycle and have had the ov pains and sore nipples to go with it. But I now think that the opks were just indicating that my body was gearing up for ov but it never actually manages to- that's what my tests results are showing so far anyhow!
But as Rufus says it is possible that some people ov more than once in the same cycle, particularly if you have very long cycles! It's all soooo confusing!!!! Interesting article by the way Rufus!

I am currently having blood tests every week until my next AF so that the doc can monitor my hormones levels each week and see if there definitely aren't any signs of ov. Because my cycles are so long, this is likely to be for 8 weeks!!! Luckily I'm not needle phobic It will be interesting to see if there are major fluctuations in my hormones that correlate with when I get positive opks..... we will see!

Oh and R0ckch1c when I'm feeling down and sad about everything, one of the things I say to DH is how unfair it is that people like the ones on Jeremy Kyle seem to only have to look at another chav to fall with another unwanted pregnancy, and yet here we are stuck in nomansland, desperate for a chance to do it ourselves and trying our absolutely hardest but getting nowhere! Life can be so bitterly unfair sometimes!

Good luck with our partner's SA. Fingers crossed his come back fine x

Rufus interesting you say about CBs guidelines re opks, because I have been accepted for their dual hormone opk clinical trial despite me being completely honest about my situation and PCOS.

RoseBud I'm also on the CB trial. Have a huge box sat on my table waiting for AF!

Incase anyone else wants to sign up
uk.clearblue.com/survey

Me too! Its taunting me! lol