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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 #3)

999 replies

RoseBud2015 · 02/09/2015 19:04

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 our second thread >>>>>>>>> HERE

You can find the stats >>>>>HERE

Smile
OP posts:
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9
stealthbanana · 01/11/2015 17:01

Flowers mistletoe

Ofc you can talk about it and I'm sorry you didn't have appropriate care at the hosp

Chattywoman85 · 01/11/2015 17:37

Hi Ladies,

Can I ask a question please?
I have PCOS and am taking inositol whilst TTC, do you know if it's safe to take if you become pregnant? Thanks

Eightyeight · 01/11/2015 19:34

Definitely ok for you to talk about it all mistletoe . So sorry that you had bad care but it's good that you've felt strong enough to make a complaint. I hope you're ok xx I had an early miscarriage after my very first round of clomid a few years ago and the consultant was happy for me to start another clomid cycle as soon as I felt ready so perhaps this is what your consultant will say to you in a few weeks if you haven't ovulated by then.

It's great that you think you ovulated naturally sunday Hope you made the most of it Wink Same as rose I have only ever been asked if I'm taking folic acid and never about other supplements. In this area, I only get blood tests with the clomid but I do have appointments with the consultant every 8 weeks or so. I hope you are lucky enough to get scans etc! Let us know how it goes.

stealth hope you feel better soon and fingers crossed that the clomid works its magic. Why didn't your gynae want to prescribe you clomid (sorry if I missed that in an earlier post)?

Freddiesmother · 01/11/2015 21:00

oh Mistletoe of course you can talk about it here. Good for you for making a complaint. Every now and then I wish we all knew each other in real life! Its such a hard and lonely journey and one very few people understand. Imagine what it must have been like dealing with this stuff before the internet.

Back to work for me tomorrow... defo back to earth with a bump just not the bump I had dreamed of. Have any of you done research into london clinics? I dont even know where to start!

stealthbanana · 01/11/2015 21:24

eighty it wasn't anything personal to me, she said that she preferred to have patients do clomid in a traditional fertility clinic setting as she thought (a) the monitoring was easier and (b) if the clomid doesn't work one has continuity of care (eg scans don't have to be repeated, the consultant knows your history and has done all the blood work).

Which is all well and good as a thesis but if ARGC won't take me and my gynae won't have me either I have a problem! Does anyone have a good fertility gynae on Harley St or thereabouts (c London)? Any recommendations? I might make a parallel appointment so if ARGC doesn't work out then I have a back up. Don't want to miss a round!

chatty I'm not sure. Can you call your clinic?

stealthbanana · 01/11/2015 21:26

freddie I really just looked at IVF success rates. ARGC have by far the highest, followed by the Lister. Then a handful of others. But I think it depends on exactly what your issue is, and also where you live - the easier to get to the clinic the better I think giving all the scanning and monitoring!

MrsC2013 · 01/11/2015 23:14

Wow, have just spent ages catching up after my little break off here!

Just want to say I'm so sorry for your loss Mistletoe I can't imagine how you are feeling and it's awful that the hospital treated you in that way. I can't understand how another human being couldn't sympathise in that situation!

Rose Congrats on ov'ing again! We certainly made the most of DTD at EWCM time but to no avail I'm afraid- I'll update below

Comeonbaby I take the Metformin during my evening meal too as per the instructions and have found it OK so far. I'm still only on one 500mg tab a day, but this will be increasing on Friday to 2 tablets, and so on every 2 weeks until I get to the max 2mg daily. Just hope the side effects aren't too bad on the high dose, but if it helps me conceive, I'll do anything at this point! Sorry if I missed it in the posts, but did you get your blood results back? I know you mentioned getting your BMI under 35 for private clinic cut off, is that the route you'll be going down?

Vixx Congrats on starting IVF. Hope it goes well for you in Jan

MrsC2013 · 01/11/2015 23:37

Stupid computer decided to conk out mid post, so here's the rest!

Oranges Sorry about first round of Clomid not working. As others have said, at least they have a plan in place for increasing the dose. I'm similar to Sunday in that I'm expecting to go on Clomid too, so will be following your progress. I still find it crazy that we all get diff treatment and monitoring depending on where we live! I always thought ppl on Clo would get scans etc but know, like you, not everyone does. Just find it bizarre!

Welcome to Sunday and Women- Women I've found temps invaluable, as I thought I wasn't ov due to bloods, but temps proved I have the last 2 cycles! I now think the bloods have never been done at the right time in my cycle (which I knew and have told them) but it just confirmed it for me and gave me something to hope for, as at least I appear to be ov'ing. It is a pain to set the alarm to take them, but for me, it's worth it.

MrsC2013 · 01/11/2015 23:48

AFM- Assuming this means And From Me!!

I got excited when I had the EWCM last time I posted mid Oct, then had my first positive OPK on CD31 2 days later (also my second wedding anniversary). I took this as a sign that this was 'the' month and got on with DTD. Felt really positive due to the signs I thought I had and high temps, however started bleeding one day before expected AF. Had a v light period so thought I might still have been in with a chance til my temps nosedived on last day of AF. Again felt stupid that I thought this month was it, seems I like to get my hopes up only to have them dashed again like usual!
Also feeling sorry for myself as have my next fertility app this Wednesday, when I'm hoping to get Clomid, and had the thought that even if they give it me, I'll have to wait until next AF to start it and as my cycles are 39 days atm, this won't be til early Dec! Obv I always want to be pg but def wanted to be before Xmas/ NY which is my bday, as it will then be another yr I'm not pg Sad

Sorry to go on, but I just needed to. Spent half the day with my 6 month pg with twins sis in law, and it drives me crazy that they don't even seem that bothered about being parents, but cos it happened easily for them, they are pg! Also seeing how fab DH is with our niece, he deserves a child and I wish I could give him one! Guess we'll just keep on as we do and hope we'll get there in the end

MrsC2013 · 01/11/2015 23:51

Last post from me tonight!- Wondered the same thing as Sunday re telling the consultant about meds. As I said, I'm due to see them again on Wednesday. Would you advise telling them temps are confirming ov for my last 2 cycles (bearing in mind they think I'm not ov and will need Clomid)? Also not sure whether to mention taking Agnus Castus- did someone on an earlier post suggest only mentioning this if specifically asked?

MrsC2013 · 02/11/2015 00:02

Oh dear, knew I'd forgotten something!- Had a new worry to add to the list. My LP last cycle was 10 days, which I gather is the bare minimum needed. This cycle however it was only 8 days Sad Does anyone have any theories about this, is it a sign of low progesterone?

bananafish81 · 02/11/2015 11:44

stealth ah, didn’t realise you were looking to speak to ARGC about non IVF options. Yes, they are a great IVF clinic (although very controversial - and cycling with them is about as expensive as it gets - one cycle runs to about £12k on average) but I’ve never heard of anyone going to them for ovulation induction.

I can recommend my brilliant gynae who’s actually taken me from Clomid through to IVF - he’s lead clinician for reproductive medicine at Barts, but I seem him privately at the London Clinic (his consulting rooms are at the Princess Grace on Nottingham Place, so just 2 roads from Harley St). He does all sorts of reproductive medicine and does all his own scans, so all your treatment is 100% personal with him. Happy to give you details if helpful x

stealthbanana · 02/11/2015 14:56

Banana that would be great - can you pm me details? Thank you so much! X

RoseBud2015 · 02/11/2015 16:57

Mistletoe As others have said- of course you can talk on here about your experiences. You have been through a hell of a lot and that's what this thread is for- for people to feel supported and able to vent in a friendly and supportive thread with women that wont judge or be unsympathetic. Flowers Great to hear that you have decided to complain and have started taking TTC vits again! Thinking of you! x

Chatty I'm pretty sure that one of our now-preg members (Rufus) is still taking inositol during her pregnancy, and from memory I'm pretty sure her consultant told her that it can actually reduce the risk of mc- but you may want to double check with a doctor just to be sure!

Freddie Hope your first day back went as well as could be expected! Where did you go for your honeymoon- tell all!

MrsC! Welcome back! The cycle you are describing with EWCM, a positive opk and lots of DTD was the same as me last cycle! And again this cycle! Last cycle I got mega excited and then had a meltdown when AF came. This time I'm trying to focus more on IVF and not over think every twinge- but it's so so hard! I completely get where you are coming from though. At your appointment on Weds could you ask them to prescribe Provera to bring on a bleed AND clomid? Then you could get on with it sooner?!

With regards to yours (MrsC) and Sundays questions about the consultant- others may disagree with me but if you are desperate for clomid and don't want them to give you a reason to wait longer then I would n't mention anything about any supplements you are taking, opk sticks, suspected ov or temps unless they specifically ask! My theory is if its that important to them, then they will ask you!

MrsC And a short LP is supposed to indicate low progesterone, as is spotting before AF, however from other threads it seems that many docs simply aren't interested in exploring this unless it gets to the stage of IVF.

AFM- 6DPO plodding along nicely, trying not to over think anything or get my hopes up. Very crampy and very painful boobs but this was the same last cycle!

OP posts:
Orangesarenot · 02/11/2015 21:38

Mistletoe please keep talking to us. I hope you are doing well today.

Mrs C I've read that vitamin B6, taken alongside vit B complex, can allegedly help with progesterone. Vit B complex is in Pregnacare, so I'm about to start taking extra vit B6 with it. They reckon to start with about 50mg of B6 a day, and there's 10mg in Pregnacare, so I'll take an extra 40mg a day. Some women take up to 200mg! Thankfully vit B6 is fairly cheap from supermarkets, but still ... throws more money into bottomless TTC pit

Sunday Mrs C Stealth and other potential Clomid people, in case this helps you, they didn't make me bleed before starting Clomid. As I've failed to bleed on Provera twice, they basically said 'what's the point?' They said if I haven't bled after 2 rounds of 50mg clomid that they'll look more closely. I tried arguing that clomid can thin the lining and it doesn't sounds like I've got much to start with, but they countered that Clomid only thins the lining of 30% of women; with the others it helps to increase the blood flow and thus increasing the lining to the uterus.

Rosebud FX!

Orangesarenot · 02/11/2015 21:47

PS MrsC Agnus Castus and Clomid don't mix apparently, so I'd stop AC before you start with Clomid. And I understand that you're keen to crack on, but I wouldn't recommend Provera if you don't have to take it - it can throw any 'natural' ovulation cycle you've got out of the window. Finally, just my opinion but I would be honest with them that you've ovulated naturally - they will still probably prescribe clomid to help regulate ovulation, and much better that they know the truth about your body so they can check what any test results actually mean. Good luck!

peardrop2 · 03/11/2015 09:32

Hi ladies! I've started reading thread 1. Wow it is long!! I've still got a lot to read but for now I just want to introduce myself and ask if I can join you all?

I am 33 years old. I was on Yasmin for many years with complaints of painful periods and acne. 3 years a go I came off it to have a baby. I didn't have a period for 5 months and through using the Clearblue smiley sticks to detect ovulation I became pregnant with DS who is now 29 months old. I got lucky. Whilst pregnant I developed gestational diabetes which I controlled through diet. My DS was born on his due date at 6lbs14 so not exactly big. I gave up my career to look after DS and really hoped for a small age gap between the next child. I've been TTC dc2 for 1.5 years now. I breastfed DS until he was 22 months. For months I thought this was the reason I hadn't fallen pregnant. I went to my GP to have the 21 day blood test. Results came back 2 weeks a go that I ovulated 1 out of 2 months. The one month that I did ovulate I had started taking Agnus Cactus but then I lost hope and stopped. In between all this I started doing research on PCOS and realised that everything points to me having it. The GP referred me to the fertility clinic but the waiting list is mega long. I went back to the GP this week and demanded a scan at the GP. He's agreed and I'm waiting for a letter. On top of that DH swimmers have been tested and fall just below normal. Although I am a healthy weight we're both looking at our diets and lifestyle. I know I haven't been diagnosed yet but I am absolutely convinced that I fit into the category and relate to a lot of what you ladies are talking about.

I hope that gives you a picture of where I currently stand Smile

bananafish81 · 03/11/2015 13:15

mistletoe of course you can talk about it here. So many hugs and hope you and DP can be kind to yourself

Sunday I echo the others re supplements. I run my consultant on a need to know basis. I did ask him about inositol (and other supplements related to diminished ovarian reserve) and he said no problem. I would imagine with soy isoflavones and agnus castus, because they haven’t been researched in any meaningful way, and they can’t advise whether they’re a helpful or unhelpful thing to take, no Dr is going to recommend them, because they don’t understand them. If you’re not on meds, I wouldn’t mention them. If you are on Clomid, I would personally avoid anything that could possibly interfere with your hormonal cycle, as it could mess up the Clomid,

stealth have PM-ed you re: consultant . Fx for the Clomid!

MrsC Good luck for your appointment - do keep us updated. I hate myself for being bitter about other people taking their children for granted. As though all it takes to make a baby is to have some sex and at some point you get pregnant. They have absolutely no clue about temperature taking, OPKs, ovulation induction, endometrial lining, progesterone levels etc. Urgh.

Rosebud congratulations on ov-ing again! This is brilliant news. Here’s hoping!! Hoping the cramps and sore boobs are a good sign Smile

If I ever get to transfer I’m going to be a nightmare on progesterone, as apparently the progesterone pre-AF symptoms mimic early pregnancy symptoms - except that as I don’t really have any pre-AF symptoms apart from cramping right before it’s due, so I’ll be symptom spotting everything! I’ve never in my life had sore boobs, so dunno how I’ll know if anything feels different because of the progesterone pessaries, or because there’s something else going on!!

AFM, thanks v much for letting me rant. Basically there’s two separate (but related) lining issues. The first is for IVF transfer. My lining hadn’t thickened up enough during my fresh cycle for a transfer, so would have had to be freeze all even if we hadn’t had the sample issue on the day (i.e. we’d have frozen embryos rather than unfertilised eggs, which will be fertilised when thawed). Hence we will have to do a medicated FET (frozen transfer cycle) where the whole focus is giving me oestrogen pills and patches to build up my lining to a sufficient thickness for a transfer to take place. We don’t yet know how I’ll respond to the meds - it might thicken up a treat. So then the issue is the same as in any other cycle - ie is the embryo chromosomally normal and could it implant and turn into a baby?

The second issue is my lining during a natural cycle. The problem is that the oestrogen meds used in a FET cycle prevent ovulation. So I’m not sure if there’s a combo of meds that can my lining to thicken up without stopping ovulation, so that we can at least try naturally in between IVF cycles.

Seeing the consultant next Friday to discuss next steps. The priority is def the IVF cycle and if we can do a FET before Xmas (or if it’s worth doing another stims cycle as soon as we’re allowed to, and batching both lots of eggs together to try to get more chance of a decent blastocyst). Will raise the natural cycle issue but obv the priority is what we do immediately next. Just so weary of it all. Can maybe one bit of my sodding body do what it’s supposed to do??!!

Oh and as well as one of my dearest friends giving birth to her daughter last week, this morning got a FB message from my husband’s brother saying he and his partner are expecting their second child.

And so it goes, and so it goes…

Freddiesmother · 03/11/2015 14:06

Welcome peardrop sorry to hear of your struggles. I am sure you will find the thread useful and supportive.

Wowser bannana that sounds so complex. Exciting that you might get a transfer in before Christmas though.

rose we stayed in the UK for honeymoon as we are saving for IVF and also we wanted to take DS with us for some but not all of it. He spent a long time asking me about when he baby sister will come and telling me all about how he will look after her. When he asks about having a sibling it's compleatly heartbreaking!

peardrop2 · 03/11/2015 20:56

Freddiesmother - thank you for the welcome Smile

I'm struggling to remember all your journeys as I read through the threads but I'm definitely not just a lurker Wink

Just told DH that he can no longer keep the laptop on his lap because it's effecting his sperm...he's not so chuffed with this news Confused

peardrop2 · 03/11/2015 21:15

Oh goodness...poor you mistletoe!! Sad

I'm still catching up. As you can see.

Freddie congrats on getting married!

Just wondering...how many of you have always known you had PCOS? How many found out when trying for dc1 and how many found out when trying for dc2?

Also, what do people think about vitamin supplements for men? My GP thinks it's all rubbish but then they're never that fond of vitamins are they?!

I'm going back on Agnus Cactus next cycle. Kicking myself for stopping!

Orangesarenot · 03/11/2015 21:27

peardrop welcome! Good work on demanding a scan and getting it.

bananafish "Can maybe one bit of my sodding body do what it’s supposed to do??!!" YY so much to that. I'm spending the next few weekends visiting new babies and helping other friends decorate nurseries. I'm so happy for them, but I'm so bored of TTC and taking supplements, and it still feels like even if I manage to ovulate, there's still so many damn steps to go.

stealthbanana · 04/11/2015 08:19

Thanks banana! R&R.

Clomid scan Friday. I am starting to have lots of CM (but not ewcm) and ended up with lots of twinges in abdomen whilst I was taking the pills but they have died down now. Let's see!

sundayraspberry · 04/11/2015 08:37

Morning all

Mistletoe hope you are feeling OK today? I wouldn't worry too much about not having af after your mc. My epau were happy for me to start ttc again provided I had a negative preg test 3 weeks after (poas and hoping for a bfn is a horrible feeling). As it turned out I had a vv light spotting 4 weeks after which I was told to consider a period. Glad you feel ready to try again tho x

banana really hoping you get something happening with the ivf before Xmas. It's an especially crap time of year to be childless, so perhaps having some distraction and hope will help.

Hi to peardrop. I never had regular af since starting aged 14 but only got properly diagnosed at 19 so I kind of always knew I had pcos. Tbh I didn't think I would have problems ttc for some reason, how naïve! I wish I had started trying sooner but it was not really an option.

Thanks all for the advice re supplements. My consultant is the 'scary but extremely efficient' type, so I didn't want to admit to the things I dabbled with in my post mc desperation! She didn't ask however and I have a prescription for clomid now. Gotta wait a few weeks to see if I get af, although I'm really hoping for bfp following my first natural cycle. I suspect I am setting myself up for a fall tho. 5dpo so just waiting now.

I'm just confused because I've been given 6 cycles of 50mg and just day21 bloods as monitoring. Consultant doesn't want to see me for 4 months so don't get the point of doing 50mg for all that time if its not working.

sundayraspberry · 04/11/2015 08:51

Oooo stealth cm sounds promising!

Forgot to add MrsC there's someone I chatted to on the ttc after mc thread that has a short LP. Seems v knowledgeable and think theres a thread going on the topic.