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

gin I am hypothyroid

Freddie I'm having acupuncture with a woman who specialises in fertility acupuncture

Like you I would never have thought I'd ever end up trying it, being massively sceptical

But a) what do I know and b) even if it's not doing anything at worst it's a waste of money and either way it's helping me feel like I'm doing something proactive

Freddie Like bananafish I also went to a fertility specialist for acupuncture because I wanted to do something pro-active and feel more in control of my body. Unfortunately though for me, after 4 weeks of treatment and £200 spent, I can honestly say it didn't do a thing for me! Sure it was relaxing and it made me feel like I was "doing something" but it didn't actually do anything! And I started to feel that I was kidding myself.

For me, I realised that the money would be better spent on having the odd full body massage as I find them a lot of relaxing and enjoyable, and to also focus on the very real possibility that if 150mg clomid doesn't work then it will be private IUI or IVF for us next (DH has 2 children so we are not eligible for NHS funded treatment after clomid) We both agreed that our money would be better saved for this, very real, eventuality (I have never ov'ed naturally, ever!)

I can honestly say I feel a lot better for putting the money aside for IUI/IVF then I ever did trying acupuncture. I feel like it is a much better use of our money.

However, like many I have heard many success stories of women using acupuncture. But no one will ever be sure if the acupuncture was the cause of the success or if the success would have happened anyway. For me, the possibility wasn't worth the money.

Freddie much like Rosebud I did have accupuncture for 6 weeks with a specialist and honestly it didn't do anything for me personally. I decided to go to reflexology instead as I found the foot massage way more relaxing.

That's not to say don't give it a go though, just my personal experience.

Yep I think Dollface and Rosebud have it spot on. People who ovulate on it, and / or who get a BFP who've had it will often (understandably) think the acupuncture may well have 'worked'.

The evidence for it is limited to non existent (the studies are pretty tenuous at best), so I'd def think carefully before throwing money down the drain

That's the rational part of me, which I know is right

However the mad part of me is thinking 'ooh I wonder if my session tomorrow will help my thin lining thicken up' - even though I know that's wishful thinking! And if something did happen this cycle, I'd never know if my lining had thickened up by itself or it was actually just about enough to be OK or the acupuncture had done anything. I genuinely don't believe it can make enough of a difference.

FeeFee my SIL had an ovarian cyst removed a couple of years ago, and she got a BFP in June in their first month of ‘not even properly trying but not trying to avoid’. V sadly she had an early m/c a couple of weeks later, but she’s been checked out and given the OK to try again. The m/c had nothing whatsoever to do with the ovaries - was just one of those things. She certainly had no problems conceiving, and she had polycystic ovaries (albeit not PCOS). AFAIK it was a fairly simple op and she recovered v quickly from it xx

Bloody hell with all these BFPS maybe I shouldn't have a break just yet
Big congratulations to everyone

We made the decision to have a break mid clomid cycle and for many reasons only managed to dtd twice at the right time so bugger all hope this time.
I'm going to go back on clomid in October so best of luck to everyone

I have chinese acupuncture and started in Jan, I honestly don't think it had anything to do with my BFP and was all down to the clomid, but i'm still having it now (not actually sure why I keep going, it doesn't even relax me). It did cause me terrible joint pain after my 1st few sessions so it was doing something. It was so bad I couldn't kneel down without crying out and I've never had knee pain in my life, also my wrists and fingers hurt.
I'm trained in western acupuncture, which is very different and is clinically proven to work but will not have any affect on fertility! Chinese acupuncture follows the energy flow through the meridians in the body. Western acupuncture finds the muscle knot that is causing the pain and you stick the needle directly in it, which causes the muscle to relax. I've put needles into a person's right hand before (in a meridian spot) and then had them compare their blood vessel dilation 20 mins later, the blood vessels had massively dilated in the hand with the needle in it, so the needles do something that can't be explained. I also strongly believe in the acupuncture points for nausea and sleep in my sickness bands.

battenberg sounds like huge congratulations are in order!!! fabulous news!!

thanks for sharing your pill popping regimes going to have a little look into them now

Rufus Is dry needling / neuromuscular release considered western acupuncture? I've had that done by a physio a couple of times and OMFG did it BURN, when the needle went right into the right spot (vs the first couple of times when it was slightly off and could hardly feel it). The twitch reflex when she got it right in the trigger point, and the muscle just grabbed the needle, was bonkers.

But it seriously helped. No pain, no gain!

Here is the test from the other day; I'm still unsure as it's very faint so need to test again in the morning!

I've had acupuncture before but felt like Hellraiser! I have tried Chinese herbal medicine before too but not sure if it helped or not

Can someone explain Angus castus/ soy/ inositol/ Etc to me please? I feel a bit dim

I have acupuncture and find it quite relaxing - I've been having western acupuncture for years and my Physio has explained what rufus just went through - there is a very solid basis for Western acupuncture (for pain relief rather than fertility) and western medicine can see the effect that needling on the meridians has but can't explain why. There's definitely no fertility-related basis for acupuncture but I quite like it. I also get weekly massages for my hypermobility so have that too, which is great for relaxation or would be if my massage therapist wasn't constantly trying to work out painful knots

I should say that all of the above is covered by my health insurance - I don't think I'd pay for acupuncture myself actually.

Battenberg - big congrats! Fx that line keeps getting stronger. Loving all these BFPs!

Mistletoes you will stay around even if you are taking a break from clomid, wont you?!

Battenberg That isn't even that faint! You are PREGNANT!!!! Congratulations!! When you're ready I would love to know your stats- meds etc please.... in detail so I can copy you

Are you ok for me to mark you as BFP on the spreadsheet or would you prefer I wait? I'm so excited for you! x

Thanks guys we all seem to be on similar wave lengths I have no idea what type of acupuncture it is but it's a fertility specialist.... Going to go for the first session and see.

Stupid question alert!! Still no af if my day 21 tests showed I ovulated should I not defo get a period this month given that I am not pg? Or is it possible I won't get a period anyway? Just wondering if it's a sign I never ovulated in the first place?

Thanks guys we all seem to be on similar wave lengths I have no idea what type of acupuncture it is but it's a fertility specialist.... Going to go for the first session and see.

Stupid question alert!! Still no af if my day 21 tests showed I ovulated should I not defo get a period this month given that I am not pg? Or is it possible I won't get a period anyway? Just wondering if it's a sign I never ovulated in the first place?

Thanks guys we all seem to be on similar wave lengths I have no idea what type of acupuncture it is but it's a fertility specialist.... Going to go for the first session and see.

Stupid question alert!! Still no af if my day 21 tests showed I ovulated should I not defo get a period this month given that I am not pg? Or is it possible I won't get a period anyway? Just wondering if it's a sign I never ovulated in the first place?

Stupid phone posting message a thousand time sorry!

battenberg ahhhhhh congratulations! That's Definately not faint!!

Now that IS a BFP Battenberg!!!! Yaaaaaaay!

battenberg congrats!!!

This is a new study about inositol and IVF incase it interest anyone, it basically showed that Inositol increased the amount of eggs produced!

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/26067283/?i=30&from=folic%20acid%20pregnancy

Just had to login on a PC so I can see your photo Battenberg! So many congratulations looks like a BFP to me

Battenberg that is SO a BFP. Fan bloody tastic!! So happy for you

Cor this group is popping them out like there's no tomorrow. Loving it!!

Ponty!! Did you get tested for it? What were your symptoms? X

MrsBiscuit Soy is taken for 5 days at the beginning of your cycle (like clomid) It is used to encourage ov as a natural alternative to clomid. Inositol is taken once a day (between 2000mg and 4000mg a day) and lots of research on PubMed suggests that it improves PCOS symptoms and can in some instances, when taken for a prolonged period of time, add ov. Lots of us ladies are taking this now thanks to Rufus- hopefully she can explain it to you in more depth.
As for Angus Cactus- no idea!!!

Freddie My understanding is that if you ov, your AF should naturally follow! That's why PCOS sufferers have irregular periods, because they ov irregularly (or never)........ But having AF does not mean you have defo ov'ed if that makes sense!?