TTC with PCOS (Thread #2)

[RoseBud2015]

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

freddiesmum my day 21 blood tests were ready in one week. They get sent to your GP so you need to call them for the results. I recommend booking an app with the GP to discuss results as even if they are normal you might have questions. Good luck!

Mine came back with low SHBG so GP confirmed my PCOS and gave me metformin.

I have a repeat scan today to see how my cysts are. Really can't be arsed to go as just feel no progress really but I will make myself.

Good luck at the scan Dollface

freddiesmum my GP had my results within a few days!

bananafish that's so typical that your DH is going to be away!

It may sound silly but does anyone feel cysts like "bursting" in the second half of their cycle/long cycle? I think I can feel this all the time but may be imagining it!

Sonographer at scan was doing his usual rummaging about and asking what cycle day I was on and then asked me if I was having unprotected sex. Is that normal? Freaking out. I hate that they won't talk to you and you have to go back to your GP a week later. Have convinced myself I have ovarian cancer/ectopic pregnancy/ no ovaries all in the last hour.

doll face what cycle day are you on?

Afternoon All, I hope you don't mind me joining. I have spent most of today reading this thread should have been working!...

I was diagnosed with PCOS about 3 weeks ago , I was utterly devastated and in some ways still am. I am 37 years young and have been trying for 4 months. I have a regular cycle, AF comes every month usually between 26-27 days. I have been on the contraceptive implant for 9 years with it being removed in Feb of this year. The first cycle was absolutely normal, then every cycle since I have been having inter-menstrual bleeding, normally from around CD9 until CD21, then I stop for about 5-6 days then AF comes ON THE DOT. When the pattern repeated I went to the GP and she took lots of swabs and made an appointment for CD21 blood test. Went back a week later and wsa told I have PCOS. My FSH and LH levels were so out of whack she immediately said PCOS, they have a ratio of 3:1 and she told me that I was not ovulating. In addition I have some hair issues, but really minor just though it was a sign of getting older never crossed my mind it was PCOS!! She sent me away telling me she would give me 6 months to see if I can get it under control naturally, so of course that was LOSE WEIGHT! She told me a stone and half but I want to lose 3 stone, that is the weight I have put on over the last 5 years.......

Started a Low GI diet, in 2 weeks I have lost 3LB. I have started running using the couch to 5k app from the NHS and really enjoying that. I had already started that before the diagnosis so have been running for 5 weeks.

This cycle has been better, only had bleeding from CD9 - CD12, much better.

Even though I am making all these changes it breaks my heart that I am having this trouble, I decided to wait until I was financially secure before having a kid now wish I had just been reckless and done it earlier.

Your comments are really uplifting and informative and would love any comments. FX for all of you.

welcome Elle! I'm sorry you've been diagnosed with PCOS, it's shit, but there's so much that can be done!

fwiw, I think your regular cycles are a really good sign - mine are long and random and I rarely ovulate and I have a DC! I think for some women with PCOS, losing weight and exercising is key - it's so encouraging that already your cycle has changed. I am in the midst of losing weight too and my last cycle was dramatically shorter than the one before, so I really think it's worth doing. Don't feel discouraged, as you may have read there are SO many different things to try - it might take a little longer, but you'll get there

(oh and I actually even ovulated last cycle so as far as I'm concerned, weight loss is my silver bullet )

pontygirl I am on CD37 of a 39 day cycle.

Hi ladies

Welcome to the new joiners!

Will try to keep it brief as you know I am wont to ramble

Day 3 bloods were pretty catastrophic - FSH sky high and AMH plummeting through the floor. Completely different picture to my fertility work up 5 years ago.

Consultant said it could still well be lingering effect of the pill. And worst case he said I have age on my side for IVF as egg quality would be better than someone who's older.

He did the scan where we saw still v few - but some - antral follicles though left ovary did have one dominant follicle. He said the scan and the bloods didn't stack up as they were giving a different picture from one another - ie the scan was more favourable than he'd expected from the bloods. And he wouldn't expect ovarian reserve to plummet so dramatically between 28 and 33. Although the unusual does happen so I need to be prepared for the worst.

As I'd not really had a proper AF other than spotting we don't really know where I am in my natural cycle as such, so he said let's just start on Clomid so we can assess my response to stimulation. As much of a diagnostic exercise than anything really. So took my first 50mg tablet this evening and will go back in a week for another scan and see if/how my ovaries are responding.

I don't really know if I'm considered PCOS any more now that my symptoms appear to have vanished - apparently along with my eggs!

Never thought I'd be so grateful for a stressful work deadline as it'll keep my mind off everything. I'm fucking fed up with my bloody body just not working like it's supposed to. Chronic pain from spinal fracture, hypermobility and epilepsy - maybe swapping magic disappearing fertility for the PCOS diagnosis?!

Sorry ladies for moan and rant. That wasn't very brief, was it?!

bananafish that sounds so confusing, don't blame you for feeling like you want to rant. Sometimes just saying it can help it get much clearer in your head. Fingers crossed the clomid does something good.

I may be mistaken by I think I've just spotted EWCM (possibly first ever!) Don't want to get hope up too much but after a year without a natural period ghats got to be good hasn't it?

omg my fellow banana, how confusing and scary. sounds like starting on the drugs is the best thing. do you think the blood tests might have been done at the wrong time clutches straws?? are you going to get any more diagnostics done? at least your doctor sounds sensible. i hope you can find more clarity soon :(

i hear you on the low libido thing too - my DH is under such incredible pressure at work and we are definitely not at our shagging peak! i think i'm also confusing him with all my hypothesising about what might be going on ("i don't think i'm ovulating...maybe I am...I THINK I'M OVULATING NOW") and he doesn't know what to think. I think he should just trust me :)

on a happier note, guess what turned up just now? my AF! so i'll be on CD3-4 for my gynae appointment, perfect for blood tests - when does that ever happen? it's also exactly 14 days from when i had the bloating and cramps so that does give me some hope that i ovulated despite DHs intransigence this month...let's see what the gynae said. So all in all a 35 or 37 day cycle for me (depending on when exactly i counted from) - better than my last 60+ day cycle!

Thanks ladies

My not-really-a-proper-AF did arrive 14 days after the day I suspected I ovulated (+ve OPK followed by 14 days of high temps) so we can be pretty sure that the blood tests were done at approx the right time, i.e. at the beginning of my next ‘cycle

I was on a double dose of the pill due to my epilepsy meds, it’s possible that any suppressing effect on my ovaries would be increased

Taking the Clomid and re-scanning in a week to see how I respond is practically the most useful investigation we can do right now

So watch this space…

(Am I still allowed here even if I seem to not have any PCOS symptoms right now?!)

stealth hurrah for AF! That's fantastic news

bucket that sounds like a great sign to me, yay

Hello ladies, welcome to all newbies and and to everyone who needs them!

Sorry I've been AWOL since my bizarre rollercoaster news of Mon/Tues last week. The state of limbo sent me a little crazy, I think!

So, had my repeat scan this morning and there is a pregnancy sack (not yolk sac or anything quite yet) currently measuring 5w2d My uterus "looks good" and all the bleeding has gone. I have another scan in a fortnight to check for a full viable pregnancy (they'll be looking for a heartbeat) then I will hopefully be discharged from
EPU into midwife care! Tentatively excited Also very impressed with the SI, although DH is trying to take credit for "super sperm" battling through the PCO/S Men eh?!

Wow Chandelier that's great news!

banana what was your AMH if you don't mind me asking? I think the Clomid is a very positive step!

Chandelier big congratulations

Congratulations chandelier really pleased for you having some positive news!

chandelier huge congrats! amazing news

rufus it's a depressing number!

In 2008 my AMH was 28.76 pmol/l

My AMH measured last week at 1.5 pmol/l

Which is very low / undetectable according to the ranges for women not on contraceptive medication

Ovarian Fertility Potential:

Optimal Fertility: 40.04 - 67.9 pmol/l
Satisfactory Fertility: 21.98 - 40.03 pmol/l
Low Fertility: 3.08 - 21.97 pmol/l
Very low / Undetectable: 0.0 - 3.07 pmol/l

The ranges by age give me ovarian reserve of someone who’s pre menopausal

20-29 years old 13.1 - 53.8 pmol/l
30-34 years old 6.8 - 47.8 pmol/l
35-39 years old 5.5 - 37.8 pmol/l
40-44 years old 0.7 - 21.2 pmol/l
45-50 years old 0.3 - 14.7 pmol/l

I’m clinging on to the hope that the ‘not on contraceptive medication’ is a key factor in why my fertility appears to have completely fallen off a cliff between the ages of 28 and 33.

Consultant said ‘eggs don’t disappear overnight’, and something didn’t stack up, and could be that my ovaries are still asleep from the pill. And the scan didn’t show as bleak a picture as the bloods indicated.

So we’ll just have to see how I respond to stimulation. The dominant follicle suggested I was gearing up to ovulate this month. Really hope it doesn’t pop until DH gets home next week!!

Last Clomid pill is on Friday, scan is next Tuesday, DH gets back hopefully Thursday...

banana yes it is low but I've heard of women getting pregnant naturally with 0.numbers! You only need 1 healthy egg. I would definetly get your AMH repeated again to check that is the actual number. My AMH was 10 on my last test before my PCOS kicked in then it went to 70 which was an artificial number. My Dr did say she could get me pregnant once but if I wanted more then 1 child it might not be an option in the future and that she would recommend I had IVF so that there were embryos stored. Clomid worked for me and I have my 12 week scan tomorrow. I didn't ovulate until 10 days after my last Clomid pill.

Yay that's great news chandelier! Banana it sounds like your consultant is very thorough and fingers crossedfor clomid. I got my day 21 test results today 115 so I am chuffed. Didn't want to put myself through doing at test next week if I hadn't ovd. Just 6 days to wait and I can't stop thinking about it!

banana I am keeping everything crossed for you that the chlomid is all you need to get your BFP! It's all so scary, especially when the medics seem as confused by the results as any of us, but it sounds like your consultant is stepping up and doing stuff for you which is great.

I'm on CD38 today. Waiting for the witch to raise her ugly head today or latest tomorrow. I haven't got any symptoms she is en route though . My body is being so weird this last week. Sore boobs and a small outbreak of spots on my shoulder which I have never had before, not even as a teenager. I don't want to POAS until next week as I can't face seeing a negative and still being so far from getting my scan results.

dollface I could be totally wrong, like way out of the ballpark, but maybe the guy who did your scan saw something indicating bfp? coupled with the symptoms you're having, it kind of makes sense.

chandelier I've been checking back to see how you've been doing, I'm so pleased for you! all sounds really good!! congratulations!!

Thanks pontygirl. I thought that when he asked about unprotected sex and how long had I been on metformin but when he didn't say he had seen something I didn't want to get my hopes up. I hate the 2ww. You really want to POAS but at the same time, it's almost nicer not knowing if you see what I mean?

We shall see. I get the scan results on Monday and am going to take a test Monday morning so I can speak to my GP at the same time about the result, even if negative. Providing af doesn't show of course.

I've got everything crossed for you dollface. just seems like a strange question to ask... I don't think it means anything sinister though. the most likely thing in my mind is bfp but I guess you'll know soon enough! your restraint is admirable BTW! I am terrible for POAS!

Hello Everybody

I feel really bad for not posting for so long but I had to stay away from TTC Chat for a while, Ive basically given up on the idea now anyway.
So I did try to read back over everything but it's been so long!!! Hello to all the new ladie, this is the best place for advice and support when TTC with PCOS!
Glad to see everyone is still tracking and on top of cycle dates, appts etc FX for everyone with an appt soon and don't forget to ask those Drs everything that pops into your head
chand I was really upset reading what you've been through! Seemed so unfair that you've made it this far and done all you could for a BFPS and then that happens. But, at least you have been given some great news, I cannot imagine how tense you and your DH must be right now. Big hugs and FX for you xxxx

I have nothing new to report, still waiting for follow up from my Lap and Dye and still no AF.
Oh I got a dog! DH seems to think it will make everything better and TBH it did for a few weeks cos he's so adorable but know I am receiving comments about having a dog and not a child! Really upsetting, but I am used to giving my line about "not being ready for children and oh the pain"!!
Sending lots of love to all of you xxx

Hello ladies - can I come in if I bring wine? :)

I'm an old time poster, but have been away from MN for a long while, so feel all new again!

We've been TTC for over a year. The doctors have been pretty useless because I'm 'too young'. I've just had a miscarriage where I think I was around seven weeks, and I think (detaching myself from this all emotionally, that's separate...) this is going to mean being taken seriously will be even harder, as the doctor at the hospital spent a good while telling me how "at least this means we know you can get pregnant".

I'm now off to read through the thread, and looking forward to getting to know you all.