TTC with PCOS (Thread #3)

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

You can find the stats >>>>>HERE

Hi everyone, I have been reading the thread but not had time to reply as so much is happening on here! I have been thinking about you though, so sorry to hear some of you are having a tough time

How are you doing bananafish ?

Welcome to the thread peardrop and grace . Sorry that you both find yourselves here but these ladies are really supportive and also full of information! I was confirmed as having PCOS when I was ttc baby number 1 as I hadn't had a period for ages. Luckily the GP I saw took me seriously and once it was diagnosed I was referred straight to the infertility clinic. I hope you get your scan date through soon pear - it's so annoying waiting for appointments! It's great that you've ovulated naturally though.

sunday exciting news about the clomid! I hope 50mg works for you.

Well done on the weight loss mrsc ! It must be frustrating not to have the clomid yet but you are so close!!

Big hugs for you stealth but glad to hear you're having a nice weekend. Hopefully it's a good distraction. When I don't ovulate on clomid I start taking it again around day 35 (usually without taking provera) so makes sense for you to ask about that or about provera rather than wait 50 days!

Great news that you've ovulated again rose I will have my fingers crossed that AF doesn't show up tomorrow. But great that you know where you're going with femara and reprofit - plans are good!!

Hope the first week back to normal was ok freddie

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

I hate waiting for appointments Peardrop It feels like everything would be so much quicker if there was less waiting around! I remember I just wanted the scan to hurry up to confirm whether I had PCOS. Obviously not a nice diagnosis but I think it's better to be aware so you can plan accordingly. Sounds like you've done everything you can for this cycle so FX.

Rose I'm impressed by yours and DH's commitment, you really are doing everything you can and deserve for it to work out for you. Great that you're prepared as usual and have a plan in place.

Thanks Eighty I'm happy things will finally be moving on and now feel like I'm just willing it to be January already! How are things with you?

Hi mrsc I hate wishing time away but it is so frustrating having to wait for appointments or to see if things have worked when ttc - especially when everyone else has a chance every month! You sound really positive though which is great. I'm fine thanks - just pootling along waiting for my blood test to see whether I've ovulated. My internet cheapie opks weren't massively clear and I don't temp so I'm not too sure

Hi ladies, hope you're having lovely weekends.

MrsC so so with you on the waiting! I think TTC is 99% waiting and 1% actually doing anything. Hope you can keep yourself busy until the appt rolls around. And massive congrats on the weight loss, that’s brilliant

Welcome peardrop and grace - this is such a wonderful group of ladies, they are just the best bunch. Hope your stay with us is short and you get your BFPs soon

Sunday exciting news about the Clomid! Really hope it does the trick

Rosebud fantastic news about your clever ovaries. And exciting that the wheels are in motion with Reprofit. Will be great once you get your protocol. Hoping your DH’s SA goes well, although as ICSI can overcome any count issues, it shouldn’t be anything to worry about once you’re cycling. Would you have scans over here and go over for EC or go over once you start stimming? Keeping everything crossed you don’t need to get that far and get your Xmas BFP! xx

stealth gutted for you that the Clomid hasn’t worked this time - doesn’t mean it won’t though! Really hope you find the consultant helpful - as I say, I can only speak very highly of him, as well as really really knowing his stuff, he is very kind and sympathetic.

AFM, well I’m CD23 of my ‘resting’ cycle and no Ov. At the scan at the ultrasound clinic near work on CD13 and I had an 18mm dominant follie (but my lining was a crappy 4.6mm and no triple stripe). I still haven’t ovulated so I’m fearing that the follicle just kept growing without releasing the egg and will has turned into a functional cyst. So now of course I’m over analysing every twinge. Seeing the consultant on Friday to discuss next steps. Sod’s law I’ll have a cyst which will delay any FET or fresh cycles.

No idea if a cyst would delay a FET. Although as I could be waiting who knows how long before my next AF if I haven’t ovulated, unless I get Provera to bring on a bleed, I doubt there’ll be any transfer before Xmas. Really really wanted to just get the BFN over and done with before Xmas and come back in the new year afresh to do our next stims cycle.

If we can’t do a FET before Xmas, I’m minded to just skip the transfer and do another stims cycle as soon as we’re allowed, and keep those eggs in the bank. I can’t believe that one of those 6 eggs would turn into a baby, and don’t want to delay stims cycle #2 any more than is necessary - would rather try and make hay before the sun sets, given how rapidly my AMH declined.

Rose with reprofit do you have to travel to collect meds and give samples or do they have a sort of satellite clinic where you can do that stuff? Filled in the form at ARGC but its eye waveringly expensive and its 10 weeks to even get a consultation so I am looking at alternatives as well.

Happy Sunday all!

Ooh to whoever said it (sorry can't go back a page on mobile app) you can start Clomid without having a period? That's good to know! Will definitely make sure I y/n confirm ovulation then.

Yy to the waiting - it's the worst. Hurry up bodies!

Freddie we might end up being ARGC buddies!

Ps banana my lining on cd13 was only 4.9mm but the scanner was v happy with that. Maybe your natural cycle isn't a bust just yet? You only need 6mm+ to be viable.

Banana Weird about your dominant follicle ... I know that some follicles naturally retreat before popping rather than becoming cysts, so I really hope this is the case for you! Fingers crossed!
We are undecided on whether to have scans here or in Czech- its inclusive of the standard price at Reprofit whereas if I have them here it will be at least £100 per scan extra. I'd prefer to do it there but DH is concerned about taking that long off work to be with me (7-11 days) so it may be that I go out there on my own for the first few days and he joins me later to produce the goods!

Freddie With Reprofit they can scan/fax/send your prescription to a pharmacist of your choice, or you can buy them there. Some couples go over to "see the clinic" before their first cycle and buy their drugs then. But a lot of Reprofit ladies use a specific pharmacy in London (which is the cheapest they have found in the UK) and then pay for it to be couriered to them from there. They don't have a satellite UK clinic like Gennet does but it doesn't seem to be a problem! There is also no wait with Reprofit at all so as long as all of your results are up to date (ours weren't which is why we are waiting! but otherwise we could have been in there next cycle!) FF have a forum about Reprofit which you may want to take a look at. Come to Reprofit with me, we can keep each other company!!! x

Sooooo I had one tiny bit of red blood when wiping yest but nothing else! My boobs are mega sore and pre-AF cramps have disappeared. Trying not to get my hopes up but on top of this my temp shot back up today so I'm beginning to completely over think everything! Took a 25miu test this morn and BFN. Gonna wait til day AF is due now (Tues) and see what happens!

Fx rose - you're still in play!

Thanks rose that's really interesting. Just trying to figure out how it would work with time off work etc. I wish there wasn't a wait at ARGC just want to get the ball rolling. Going to be horrible if there hasn't been any progress by Christmas.

rose that's all sounding promising .... It's so hard not to let your imagination run wild but sounds like you are doing a good job of keeping yourself in check! Got everything crossed for you.

stealth what's your inpression of ARGC so far? They seemed nice on the phone but I don't have anything else to judge them by.

ARGC ladies - silly question, but is there a reason you're looking at ARGC and not at other clinics as well? Just wondered given ARGC's IVF cycles cost about twice as much as a cycle at most other London clinics and cycling there is so so intensive with the daily blood tests every morning. Personally I'm not sure I could have dealt with that - I found it hard going just fitting in the scans eod whilst stimming.

bannana I was looking at it because thier results are so good. Bare in mind I am v new to IVF and am just finding my way. I am looking into a few others too. I was thinking that I would rather do fewer really intense cycles (at a greater cost per cycle) than more at a clinic with lower success rates. But as I say I really am not an expert everything I know I know from this forum really. If other people have reccomendations please do share. I have been recommended Bourne hall in Cambridgeshire but it's a long journey for me.

Makes total sense Freddie - the only thing I’d say is that ARGC are selective with who they take on. They wouldn’t have taken me on, for example, as they don’t want to take more difficult patients with high FSH on, for fear of it affecting their stats. It’s also alleged (can’t say whether they’re still doing it, but it was investigated in a BBC Panorama programme about them) that they massage their figures by shifting poorer results into one of their satellite clinics so as to make their main clinic’s results look better. They are an absolutely brilliant clinic and I have friends who cycled with them and got their babies after several failed cycles elsewhere - don’t get me wrong. And although their immune treatments are controversial, they do get results. And their boot camp approach def ensures you get a phenomenally tailored treatment, which most definitely elicits fantastic outcomes. However I wouldn’t discount other clinics on the basis that their results aren’t as good as ARGC, as other clinics aren’t as selective about who they accept as a patient.

I’m with CRM Care London - I don’t know where you’re based, but the CARE group are terrific. I also know people who’ve cycled with the Lister and CRGH who speak v highly of them. I don’t know about non-London clinics, but just chucking some names into the ring, in case it’s of any use. Fertility Friends is super helpful for IVF clinic research - as are the IVF threads in the infertility section on MN xxx

Banana I've gone to them first because of the high success rates - that's it. On the face of it I should be a perfect candidate for IVF - v high AMH, fsh at 5.7, normal
BMI...in fact no issues other than not ovulating bc of PCOS!! I figure id rather go to the place with the best statistical chance of making it happen - their rates for u35s are 80%!!

I also like the idea of the intensive monitoring - I feel like having more data about what's happening will suit my personality and make me feel in control.

And my cycles are 100% covered by insurance regardless of where I go so cost is not relevant for me.

That said, if I go to the appointment and don't like them and/or don't agree with their approach I wouldnt hesitate to go elsewhere - probs the lister.

Freddie - I've only spoken to them on the phone too! My appointment is 24th November.

Thanks bannana I will look into CRM tonight. I am also really keen on perusing retrofit I just need to have an awkward conversation with my boss about whether I would be able to take the time off as sick leave or time off for medical treatment. I can't spare the annual leave because of childcare. I am going to email them later. I am in London too so that's a good reccomendation. I wonder if argc would take me on because of my BMI anyway? They haven't said anything when I filled in the form.... But wouldn't put it past them given what you have said. Gosh it's so complicated isn't it.

Cor blimey Stealth that’s an amazing policy - awesome! God yes, if I had any kind of fertility treatment covered I’d be rinsing it for all it’s worth! That's fantastic. You should absolutely be an amazing candidate for IVF - although hopefully you won’t get to the point of needing it, as you’ll be getting your Clomid BFP v soon

Freddie I know quite a few women who’ve got their GP to sign them off sick for a ‘gynacological procedure’ without going into the specifics of what it’s for - good luck with your boss xx

Yes it's pretty good (the insurance)! Takes the stress out. Also covers all the ancillary bumpf like acupuncture and private prescriptions so I am v lucky.

Just as well too as there's no way I could sign off sick for a couple of weeks to go abroad for IVF! Working from home is about the most I can swing.

Hi all
I'm supposed to have an ultrasound next week and then start the clomid after but got a feint bfp this morning! Am a little surprised seeing as I've only ov'd about 3 times this year, and its sooooo early, i'm only about 11dpo but I'm tentatively excited x

Wow Sunday. Congratulations! What a lovely surprise for you

Omg wow Sunday that's wonderful news!! Congrats xx

Oh wow, massive congratulations Sunday!!

Hi- Sorry Iv not responded to everybody sooner, had a bit of a melt down when AF arrived on Monday and my DH had to give me a mental slap and then big hug to sort me out.

peardrop I hope you have got your scan appointment, and good luck with the temping, I think it can really help you know your cycle and then you have more control of your treatments.

Sunday Congratulations on your BFP that is such good news. In answer to your question this is now #3 cycle but because I have been temping for 18 months (BC) I sort of fibbed and said we had been trying casually for about 10 months.

stealth sorry about the clomid, hopefully you can be put on higher.

Rose Im 28 and this is my 3rd cycle now. Hope AF has still kept away for you, good luck.

Mrsc That is amazing about your weight loss, I also want to loose a stone to get in a good BMI range and would happily accept some tips.

Banana I hope your follicle ovulated.

Sorry if I missed anybody and also for the essay. Thank you for all your welcomes and hopefully we all get BFPs soon.

Aww Grace. DH's seem very good at mental slaps don't they TG they're also good at hugs!

Good news from me. Not as exciting as Sunday but still good news. My scan letter has arrived!! It's due on cd6 so I could still potentially have AF which isn't so good Does anyone know when the best time to have your ovaries scanned for PCOS would be? Right at the start of my cycle doesn't make that much sense surely? Or do cycts show all the time?