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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

TTC with PCOS (Thread #2)

999 replies

RoseBud2015 · 12/06/2015 10:56

If you have been diagnosed with PCOS and would like a small group of very friendly ladies in the same position as you to talk to, then this is the thread for you!

You can find our first thread >>>>>>>>> HERE

You can find the stats >>>>> HERE

Smile
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13
MorganLeFey · 07/07/2015 21:22

I'm a podgy PCOS-er (although cycle length/other symptoms/ovaries still pco when my BMI is normal!) at the moment & was really keen to try metformin. I got it from private Gynae - didn't ask GP as thought it unlikely that they would as it's a bit niche - & have been on for a few weeks now but only up to twice a day.

Early days to really report much other than potentially reduced appetite because of GI side effects which are a bit rough! Came across some studies on the google miscarriage research site that are motivating me to persevere with it though!

bananafish81 · 07/07/2015 21:23

Isit wahoo congrats on the promotion! Bloody awesome news. And hope you have a completely fantastic mini break. Aewesome timing!

I’ve used PreSeed - ok TMI but here's why we used it

  1. I didn’t have a lot of EWCM and Pre-Seed is formulated to be a similar consistency to help the swimmers travel where they need to be
  2. We use lube anyway, as, er, DH is quite, er, ample and I’m quite small framed. Perineal tears are not fun!! If you're also going for a quickie, a dab of lube can help to grease the wheels, as it were (TMI yet?!!) And normal lube is the wrong pH and kills the sperm, which is less than ideal.

So helps get the boys where they need to be, and helps improve things to get the boys in there in the first place, so to speak Wink

It's deeply unsexy, I warn you. It comes in a tube but also has applicators for use internally to get it right up there to help out / do the job of the EWCM. So you can use it externally for general fertility-friendly sexy times purposes (i.e reason 2) and internally for reason 1.

It's water based, so consistency is a bit like KY Jelly. Which means we found it wasn't brilliant for sexy times purposes as it dries mega quickly and gets a bit sticky. But YMMV!

It's the one that fertility clinics use, although there's also one called Conceive Plus that's also formulated to be sperm friendly. I got some but found it much stickier than the Pre Seed.

Over sharing much?! Hope that was useful, if not an insight into my bedroom antics Grin

MorganLeFey · 07/07/2015 21:27

Bananafish Guess what arrived in our post today?? Grin. Thanks for your pre-seed review - I thought I'd try it to reduce worrying about optimal CM, (TMI warning) making sure I always orgasm first (which helps make 'ideal' conditions but I'm starting to feel stressed about!) & generally to make things a bit less stressful in the shagfest that is soon to commence this month to make sure we've done everything we possibly can!

Dollface136 · 07/07/2015 21:52

Hi to all the newbies. Hope you find as much help here as I have. These ladies are keeping me sane (ish) haha!!

shell My GP won't give anything except repeat scans and bloods at the moment. Humph. Hoping the soy this month will have some sort of effect.

Isit I have been using pre seed because I have never had much cm of any kind let alone ewcm even when I had regular af. I use only half the recommended amount though and use the (tmi) insert near cervix method as don't have any issues with being...well... wet I guess. I read in TCOYF that the moistness you get when aroused is totally different to what is needed up there for DH's swimmers which is why I use it even though we wouldn't need lube. I find if you insert a small amount high enough it doesn't come out for a while either so no mess pre dtd. There really is no delicate way to write about all this is there haha. Grin

IsItIorAreTheOthersCrazy · 07/07/2015 22:51

Ah, this is mumsnet at its best!

None of that was tmi, it was exactly what I needed to know. I always wondered if it was worth trying as, um, wetness isn't a problem here Blush but if that's not going to help DHs swimmers then I think I'll have to try it.
Where is best to buy from (and not too expensive) please?

Ttc is a very unsexy business isn't it? What with tablets and counting cycle days and giving DH what he calls my teacher look when it's time to dtd and warning him to rest up and be ready! Grin

And bananafish thank you for the congratulations. I'm now slightly worried about getting a BFP as soon as I start!

ShortyK · 07/07/2015 23:01

Good luck with your appointment tomorrow Banana. I'll be thinking of you.

Isit I used pre-seed for the first time today. It didn't seem to different to other lubes but I had to insist that dh was not in the room at first because there is a rather mood-killing applicator to use to get it right up the cervix! Hmm

Shell I asked my doctor to prescribe me metformin but he said he'd rather I waited to see the consultant so they could monitor all fertility care. I'm sure if I pushed hard enough he would've given it tome. Turns out he didn't need to as the consultant just gave it to me. How long until umyiu see your consultant? Can you wait that long? Couldn't hurt to ask your doc if your appointment is ages away. I've only been on it a week and have started on a low dose which will increase over the next couple of weeks not entirely sure of its effects yet.

Hello newbies ! There is loads of great advice here for pcos sufferers!

I have my first clomid scan tomorrow. Eek! Fingers crossed for good news re laying an egg.

bananafish81 · 07/07/2015 23:05

Isit I bought Pre-Seed from Amazon. It’s not cheap, but a little goes a long way. You don’t need anywhere near the quantity the instructions recommend!

Yep, as Dollface said, (we’ve lost all decorum, so I’m not going to beat about the bush - no pun intended!) the wetness you get when you’re aroused is totally different from CM. These fluids are vaginal secretions that seep through the vaginal wall, to lubricate things for DTD. CM is, as the name suggests, fluid from/around the cervix, that’s a different substance entirely - EWCM is the right consistency for the boys to swim through to help carry them along through the cervix.

Even if you’re aroused, stickier, ‘hostile’ mucus can prevent the swimmers from getting through - it’s how the mini pill actually works as a contraceptive, by making the CM so inhospitable it basically plugs up the cervix so no sperm can get through. So given I didn't seem to have any fertile CM, I was quite generous with squirting it up there - told OH not to come anywhere near the bathroom and I would shout when I was done, and attempt to act alluring, to overcome any thoughts of what he knew I'd been doing beforehand haha

If this isn't not sexy chat I don’t know what is haha Grin

Shellbell0403 · 07/07/2015 23:21

Evening ladies...

I'm an overweight pco'r... I need to lose a further stone to get my bmi to under 30 to get clomid!! Just feel asthough it's not coming off as quick as I want it too!! Getting frustrated!!

dollface why are they I my doing that?? Have you asked for meds?

Is it... Did you feeling helped you? I felt I was doing well but had total chocolate cravings today!! Congrats on the promotion!!!

Shorty.. Unsure when next app is, once AF shows iv to book in for X-ray and dye test... Which v.nervous about! Not sure whether I should go and ask #confused...

What's pre-seed??

Rosebud hope your having an amazing time!!

Hi everyone else... Hope July is a good month

ShortyK · 07/07/2015 23:30

You have nothing to lose from asking... The worst the doctor can do is say no (!) and then at least you've tried. Especially if you don't know when your next fertility app is...

X- ray and dye - If that is an hsg you're having then please don't worry, it's not too bad. If it's anything like mine you will just feel sharp period pains for 30 seconds max. It's over so quickly Smile

chandelierswinger · 08/07/2015 07:57

Hi everyone Smile

shellbell It's sperm friendly lube! Now you can re-read banana's post and it all make sense!!!

IsIt I got mine from accesa diagnostics. I don't bother with the applicators tbh. Congrats on your promotion!

Shorty GL for the scan Star

banana GL for your appt Star

Rosebud Hope you're enjoying your hols Grin

Welcome newbies

NFM: stupidly poas this morning at 10dpo. Angry BFN obvs. Felt very peculiar last night and convinced myself I was upduffed. Now convinced I'm not and cross with myself for wasting a test and testing so early. All slaps on the arse gratefully received.

chandelierswinger · 08/07/2015 07:58

"Access diagnostics" IsIt sorry for typo!

Dollface136 · 08/07/2015 09:02

I don't know shell my GP wasn't even looking at the right thing on my scan result to start with so I have little faith she knows an arse from an elbow to be frank. I'm going in when back from holiday to another doc and asking for meds. Will keep you guys updated.

One the subject of pre-seed I have been using half an applicator worth, inserting it in the bathroom, then keeping my legs together and woddling (while DH isn't looking) to the bedroom and getting in bed as quick as my woddle will take me. So far he is totally unaware anything out of the ordinary is going on haha!

battenberg123 · 08/07/2015 10:03

I actually conceived using normal lubricant Blush when I had the chemical pg!

haha Dollface I can picture the waddling!

Chandelier sorry to hear about the BFN Sad, you never know though you may still be in with a chance! I'll try not to symptom spot on your behalf!

stealthbanana · 08/07/2015 10:48

hi- can i join you? am 34, TTC no1, came off the pill in early march and have had only 2 cycles (really 1.5) since then. I have always had a suspicion I have PCOS, based on very little evidence really - but I wanted to check early rather than waiting to TTC for a year. Luckily I have fantastic private health insurance so I bypassed the GP and went straight to a private gynae. I had blood tests done on Friday (don't have them back) and a scan done this morning; the dr doing the scan confirmed polycystic ovaries.

I'm seeing my gynae the last week of July (I'm away in between) to discuss next steps. Is there anything I should be doing before then? I am a good weight (5'9" and just over 9 stone) - a lot of the advice seems to be lose weight, but I'm not sure this is a great idea?

Unfortunately my DH also has a fairly low libido (he's super stressed at work) - this is just not going to happen for us, is it? :(

Dollface136 · 08/07/2015 11:19

Hi stealth, we now have two bananas in one group hooray.
Welcome.

It will happen for you, it will happen for all of us (eventually). We have to stick together!

Sounds like you have done lots already well done. I would suggest taking folic acid if you are not already as you should have it in your system before getting pregnant ideally. Also try Vit D. I hear us PCOS ladies can be deficient in Vit D.

May I ask how you went about contacting your private gynae? I have private health insurance through work but not sure how to go about getting private care for this so any advice welcome.

Fingers crossed after you get your results they will give you some treatment if needed, or if not be able to put your mind at rest that it is only mild.

Don't worry about DH's libido either. Once you know your cycles and signs of ovulation and your gynae has confirmed if you are ovulating, you can start timing dtd around that rather than being at it for months on end Smile I can recomend a book called Taking Charge of Your Fertility if you are not very clued up on your signs of ovulation and how it all works (I certainly wasn't!)

stealthbanana · 08/07/2015 11:29

Thanks dollface. Love the multiple bananas. We just need one more for a bunch Grin

It's just all come as a bit of a shock - even though it was only my intuition that got me to move things forward! DH thought I was absolutely mad to even be worried - ha, at least I get to be right Grin

I've always been a bit of a vitamin fiend, so I'm already taking folic acid and I've taken a Vit D supplement for a few years as am hypermobile and my orthopaedic consultant put me onto it ages ago (am a total wreck! i've got half the UK medical system on my payroll :) ). I've already had all the other blood tests and all my vitamin/nutrient levels are completely normal - the doctor said I was the first person that month they'd seen with healthy Vit D levels!

I'll get that book, thanks for recommending. I know shamefully little about how it all works.

Re private gynae, I have a Cigna International policy, and I don't need pre-authorisation for any treatment under my plan so I just picked the nearest in-network hospital to me (this means I don't have to pay and then be reimbursed, I just turn up) and selected the gynae I liked best. I'm seeing Archana Dixit at the Cromwell; I wanted someone who was open to more holistic ideas as well, as I think I'd like to e.g. look at acupuncture, herbs etc. She's great - I just booked in to see her and she organised all the tests within a week. So it depends a bit on your plan - if you need a pre-authorisation I'd be tempted to pay £40-50 and see a private GP and get a referral letter - once you're into the private system it's SO quick and I just couldn't be bothered messing around with my NHS GP - they're good doctors but it takes weeks to get an appointment and they're so anti-interventionist. If you call your insurer they can advise as to what's required.

bananafish81 · 08/07/2015 11:46

Hi Stealthbanana think I know you from the first month off the pill thread Smile - welcome!

Well, I’m nearly the same age, I’ve got PCOS and I’m also hyperbole. Are you me? Haha

Re: losing weight if lean PCOS - don’t! I’m lean PCOS too (was underweight, was told by consultant needed to put on weight and now in the healthy BMI range) and losing weight will do naff all for our symptoms. If anything, it can hinder TTC as the body needs a minimum of 22% body fat to ovulate, so I def wouldn’t focus on weight loss specifically. my consultant did say I should follow a low GL diet, as even lean PCOS is still usually related to insulin sensitivity, so this can help the hormonal imbalances.

Your health policy is awesome - I have BUPA but they don’t cover anything fertility or antenatal related…and cos I have a couple of chronic conditions (long term back pain from a spinal fracture, plus epilepsy. Oh and hypermobility - though it’s benign, not HMS / Ehlers Danlos - as well as PCOS) - the medical bills rack up. Hey ho!

Dollface the tip I have for pre authorisation is to use your language v carefully. It used to be you could call up for pre auth without an actual letter from your GP, now they’re stricter it’s a bit trickier. I got my initial consults paid for by BUPA by using the term ‘ovarian cysts’ and saying it was a gynaecological investigation, and NOT related to PCOS (a chronic condition, and consultations often related to infertility)

I’m not advocating insurance fraud, but being careful with your language can help a great deal…

bananafish81 · 08/07/2015 11:47

hyperbole? thanks autocorrect! that's hypermobile, oops!

stealthbanana · 08/07/2015 13:19

Hi "other" banana! We might be the same person - if you were born in 1981 (so am I) we well might be!

Interesting re the hypermobility - I have seen some research that attempts to link PCOS to HMS. Hmmm. Thanks for the info re weight loss too. I guess I'll go through all this when I see the consultant in a couple of weeks.

I know, my health insurance is fantastic. I used to be on a Cigna UK plan and it was horrible - I remember almost crying as they wouldn't cover some ankle issues I'd had (related to my HMS) as they said it was "maintenance" rather than "rehabilitation". Now my health insurance covers the lot - even massage!

So I just told DH about my results, and he freaked out but then recovered and sprang into action and booked a semen analysis! Ha ha! We are so alike - both analytical and just want to know all the facts so we can proceed down the best path. Bless him.

stealthbanana · 08/07/2015 13:47

ps when i explained that pcos was about your ovarian follicles not growing enough, DH thought I meant hair follicles and said "what do you mean, you have a hairy womb?!"

he has now educated himself via dr google :)

Dollface136 · 08/07/2015 14:53

Haha bless, imagine a hairy womb! With all the weird affects PCOS has I wouldn't be surprised if that was a thing tbh.

I honestly cannot wait to go and get my day 21 bloods out the way on Fri so I can take my results to a private consultant.

Day 19 today and still no ovulation temp shift. I have 1 temp that was really low but now they are just back to normal so that must have been an anomaly.

bananafish81 · 08/07/2015 18:46

Hi ladies

Apols for a long one (brevity is not one of my strengths, clearly!)

stealthbanana You guys sound very similar to my DH and I. Research everything to the nth degree, like to be over informed about everything. Mainly so can ask the Drs - given we aren’t! - the right questions. Love the hairy follicles!

Re: ankles, SO know that one. TBH I was again economical with the truth when I called up BUPA for another course of physio earlier this year. It was to do with my hypermobile ankles, but by saying I’d sprained my ankle (not a total untruth, as I was going over on them all the time, so was only a matter of time!) they were happy to approve it.

Though not my gynae appts - I’m seeing Mr Colin Davis, whose private practice is at the Princess Grace, but his NHS post is lead clinician for reproductive medicine at Barts. He is LOVELY, super reassuring. I know what you mean about having a load of doctors - I’m up to four consultants now!! How many do I need for a full set?!

OK nfm. Had a really positive consult with my gynae about my scary scan result. He didn’t say ‘oh we can disregard it completely because you’d only come off the pill’ but that’s cos he doesn’t know if there IS anything untoward, and is taking the PROPER approach of investigating it further and taking it step by step, instead of putting the shits up me and trying to sell me IVF. He said the pill could have affected the appearance of ovarian reserve, but there might be something going on - but if that does turn out to be the case (responsibly he can’t say ‘there likely is or isn’t’ as he doesn’t yet know!) then it will be a blessing to know this sooner rather than later.

So am going for my Day 3 bloods, week after next if AF turns up next weekend (based on estimated O date - never ever had an AF due date before in my life!!). If it doesn’t, said obv do a preg test just to check, but if it doesn’t cos I didn’t ovulate, then we should still do the bloods anyway. Said no point doing a scan now until had the blood test results to look at together, so will do one when come in for consult once they’re back.

He was really really livid about the behaviour of the Dr I saw, and the clinic in general. Firstly the fact she used the words ‘I’m worried’ and tried to push me down the IVF route without any real follow up other than ‘come back in 6 weeks so we can do another scan’. Secondly the fact that even though I paid for the AMH test that she said shouldn’t have been done, as the results would be misleading so soon after coming off the pill, she wouldn't give me the results - even though I’d paid for the bloody test. Thirdly, the fact the clinic insisted I complete the official govt HFEA forms about welfare of the child & diclosure of information before I even came in for the appt. These are legally required for IVF, but even though I queried why I had to complete them if I was only coming in for assessment, they insisted it was their policy and meant they ‘had my info already on file if I do start treatment with them’. He said that was grossly unprofessional, as they shouldn’t hold data on file that’s not needed.

He strongly encouraged me to write a letter requesting both the AMH result and for the removal of my information from their records, and to say that if I didn’t get a satisfactory response I would make a formal complaint to the HFEA. He said it gave fertility doctors and clinics a bad name when practices such as this go on. I will be writing a stern letter!

So, obv we’ll have to see what happens with the tests, but he said even worst case with the results I had, that I ‘still had eggs’ and certainly didn’t have the ‘danger danger red alert’ reaction I got with the Dr I saw for my scan. Who isn’t a consultant!

So, we shall see. But certainly feeling much more reassured after having seen him.

battenberg123 · 08/07/2015 19:32

Bananafish glad your consultant was more knowledgeable! He sounds like he knows what he is doing. I would definitely make a formal complaint too as they messed you around before and made you worry even more!

I saw another doctor today been prescribed metformin? But she didn't seem to concerned and thinks I should be able to fall pg without it so I'm not sure why she has given it to me Confused

stealthbanana · 08/07/2015 21:32

Geez sounds like that clinic was an absolute scam. How dreadful of them to be so cavalier with something so important. Sounds like you're on the right track now.

Good to have a pcos-hypermobility buddy on the thread! I'm a bit worried about how much the pcos literature goes on about exercise - I get so fatigued if I overdo it with HMS - don't see how I'll balance the 2 Confused

bananafish81 · 08/07/2015 21:54

stealthbanana advice like that (exercise) is general and across the board and doesn't take into account individual circumstances. With any chronic condition I think most doctors would say it depends on what's right for you. So for example most of the pcos advice says losing weight can help. Which is true for the majority of women with pcos, as it's more common for pcos to go hand in hand for weight issues. But that advice isn't the right thing if you're in the smaller proportion of women with lean pcos.

I'd ask your doctor about hypermobility management in pregnancy - my consultant said the pregnancy hormone relaxin, which affects collagen, could mean greater risk of pelvic issues. It might not. But good to have a trusted doctor who knows about your condition to give you the right advice for you. And listen to your body. If you feel absolutely shattered I would have thought the benefits of exercise would be outweighed in that instance by the negatives. But I am not a Dr and sounds like you have great specialists

I can also recommend the specialist my gynae referred me to so we could get a plan in place for ttc and hopefully beyond for pain management & my epilepsy. He's one of only five consultant obstetric physicians in the country, and specialises in the management of maternal medical disorders in pregnancy. Called Dr David Williams - lead consultant at the high risk unit at UCLH and private practice at the Harley St Centre for Women. Can't recommend him enough.

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