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

[bananafish81]

That's really interesting about the yellow body failure - I'd never heard of that, consultant said it made no difference whether a clomid cycle came off a natural bleed or an induced bleed, will have to ask him. I'd always assumed the reduced pregnancy rates were to do with clomid thinning the lining and drying up CM in women women - as happened to me. It made me ovulate but the tracking scan showed it had thinned my lining so there was no way anything would have been able to implant or sustain a pregnancy. So it can - in some women - induce ovulation but reduce the likelihood of pregnancy. Femara (letrozole) doesn't have that side effect - it's not licensed in the UK for ovulation induction but it seems to be increasingly the drug of choice in the US. Really intrigued by this yellow body thing you mention! X

[Lucina6]

As I said it is not 100%, only a link, but so far the research seems to be on solid ground. I agree CM and endometrial thinning defo play a part, but I'm one of those that research the whole field before charging... Yellow body failure is mostly thought to be due to the fast that induction messes with your normal cycle so your hypophysis has s bit of a shock, so stuggles to get back on track. Again only theory, but right now, I'm listening to all the options, lol.

[bananafish81]

I'm the same Lucina I like to read up on stuff so I can feel well informed and ask the right questions when I see the Dr. Could you share a link? I must be Googling the wrong terms as I got lots of results for luteal phase defect but couldn't see anything obvious about yellow body failure. Really interested!! X

[Lucina6]

Elsevier is refusing to allow me to copy the paper done on human tissue. I have the ones done on primates before that one was started. I don't know how into stats and biology are you but give it a try:

www.reproduction-online.org/content/82/2/743.full.pdf
press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/endo-121-2-466

[stealthbanana]

FeeFee - if I drink more than a small glass of wine on metformin it makes me vomit a couple of hours later. It is both extremely annoying and also a blessing because I usually drink quite a lot so it moderates me whilst ttc. I haven't bothered stopping alcohol altogether (or any other food group) - I have a glass of wine most nights, will wait for a bfp before I give up anything!

[stealthbanana]

Ps I don't think it's doing anything for me either but we live in hope!

[mistletoeprickles]

Morning ladies
DP brought me home two different types of cheapy tests. BFN this morning but I'm now four days late and did ovulate so something has got to happen soon. Don't feel like AF is on its way.
Very frustrating

[FeeFeeLaFew]

Ah, Rosebud, sorry that AF finally got you. I've been googling Clomid success stories to cheer myself up, and read somewhere that ovulating on Clomid can kickstart natural ovulation - FX for that while you wait for your appointment to get Femara. (I'm still staggered they gave you a date 5 months away. And I thought my three month wait for the initial appointment, which I've managed to bring down to two by ringing for a cancellation, was bad enough).
Bananafish - that is super quick. Try not to stress at night - easier said than done, I know. Set a timer and then tell yourself you're not allowed to think about it anymore! (That's one of those tips I read somewhere... not sure if anyone actually manages to do it). Aim to be excited, not scared! How did you find the hypnotherapy?
Lucina, I am fascinated by what you say about inducing AF maybe not being a great idea. Having not had AF in 15 months (which was only a withdrawal bleed anyway) (if you don't count what comes out after the laparascopic surgery, yeech), I am resigned to needing to do that if I am ever to use clomid! Is it on private healthcare that you are getting the weekly prodding and poking?
Stealthbanana, thanks, that's useful to know. Poor you about the vomiting! How long have you been on it now? Do you often have a gap? I don't think I've had any side effects from the metformin. I am really off my food this week but reckon that's more likely to be post-op and all the things they dripped into me then. Or the fact that I am not exactly moving much at the moment so not needing many calories!
Mistletoe, that must be disappointing, but presumably it is still really early days so could easily be a false negative? I am sure I have read here that all kinds of pee tests are less reliable for PCOSers - so could you get a blood test at your GP?

I had a depressing start to the day - I went to the GP for my prescriptions and was able to talk a bit about my ACU referral. I hadn't seen her before and she was pretty blunt - said she's pretty sure I will need IVF, ie that Clomid won't work (though did say that 'anything can happen') so I should get onto the 18-month waiting list ASAP, while trying clomid in the interim. I'll be ringing my CCG today to find out the eligibility criteria. But I've already let DH know that the thing I said, not very seriously, three years ago (on the pill and blithely ignorant of how my PCOS had certainly not got any better since first being diagnosed) that we might want to use our savings for, is looking more likely. 18 months is a really long time.

[Rufus200]

dollface I am so very sorry

Prof Greene at UCL is currently doing a study about neurological defects and Inosoitol. It is showing that folic acid and Inositol taken together reduces spina bifidia in women that have already had a case of spina bifidia.

[stealthbanana]

Feefee no I've not taken a break before - have only been on it 6 weeks! I've been fine with it but I certainly feel it if I eat really rich food too - you're lucky having no side effects.

[stealthbanana]

And grrr at needing ivf. But sensible to out your name down in parallel with trying other things.

[stealthbanana]

• put
  
  Is there a reason your doc thinks nothing else will work??

[FeeFeeLaFew]

Stealth Ah yes, six weeks isn't very long! Fingers crossed for you. My gynae thought three months is the magic number by which point you know if it will work or not. I had two months on 1g before my dose was doubled, which is a little over two months ago now.
Re GP, I think it was because of the lack of response on metformin and no ovulation since last summer. But then I thought that was exactly what Clomid is designed to help. So I'm going to try to stay hopeful. It may also have been the inconclusive dye test, but I'm trying to stay positive about that too.
Rosebud -keep trying your consultant's office. I've just rung mine again and was given an appointment the week after next. Eep! So with two phone calls I have brought it forward by almost three months.

[stealthbanana]

It also turns out by this mornings experience that I really really do have to take it with food. Ugh.

I'm on 1g too - maybe they'll double it for me. I want to see how this cycle goes - am pretty sure I oved 2 cycles ago (but not last one) so we'll see if there's a pattern and will have the day 21 bloods this time too.

I'm surprised they'd write you off because of non response to metformin - is there a link between that and non response to clomid?? I didn't think so. You should defo get the dye test redone as no point messing around with ovulation stimulation if there's something going on with your tubes. Either way, am sure you will get there in the end - it's just such a long road isn't it?

[stealthbanana]

Oh and once again i thank my lucky stars for my extremely good insurance - I can get appointments within a week, the only limiting factor is my job! Am also going for my first fertility acupuncture session tomorrow which is also paid for. I am such an impatient person I think I would go mad if I had to wait months! Rosebud keep pestering them like mad - they HAVE to fit you in!

[IsItIorAreTheOthersCrazy]

stealth I think I'm having the same pattern. It's so bloody annoying!

Just quickly checking in to say that my day 22 progesterone level was 7 this cycle, so no ov. So far I've had:
Cycle 1 - 50mg clomid - no ov
Cycle 2 - 100mg clomid - ov
Cycle 3 - 100mg clomid - no ov
Cycle 4 - 150mg clomid - ov
Cycle 5 - 150mg clomid - no ov

It's stressing me out to think about it so I may step away from the thread a little - me and DH had a talk yesterday and it's clear that my stress and constant analysing / thinking - worrying is just piling even more pressure on an already stressful situation. He's so worried about me that I think i need to take the time to sort my diet out, get my metformin dose right, use OPKs and temping, look into this every other month pattern of ov'ing and just work out where we are. We're 2 years and 3 months into ttc and it feels like it's one step forward two steps back.
I'm not really going anywhere but will just check in a little less often.

Fingers crossed for all of you!

And dollface I'll be thinking of you xx

[mistletoeprickles]

AF arrived undetected earlier today but my god it's painful, clearly having all of my cramps now rather than a few before to let me know

[PontyGirl]

Bloods have been done, FF says I'm 8dpo but I'm not really very sure. I guess I will know next week when I get the bloods back. Hormones are making me feel like a monster.

[RoseBud2015]

Mistletoe sorry for the BFN and AF- at least you can focus on the next cycle and you are out of limbo!

Feefee Thank you my lovely! I am phoning and phoning them (practically stalking them!) each day begging for an appointment.... so far my efforts haven't worked but I'm definitely wearing the receptionist down! lol This afternoon she said that she thinks she can get me in in a couple of weeks time but need to phone back in a few days for a definite answer!

[Freddiesmother]

Dollface I am so very sorry. I am thinking of you. There are not any words in this situation.

Rose- I am sorry this wasn't your cycle. Good advice on hear about pestering your consultant.

Mistletoe Sorry for AF. Onwards and upwards

God we haven't had much good news recently at all have we? Got my tracking scan tomorrow. Don't have any pain in the ovary area so not sure there will be a follicle. DP and I are having a tough time with everything at the moment so if we have to DTD all weekend we will have to sort things out!

[Freddiesmother]

By the way Stealth I am really enjoying fertility acupuncture. Just having an hour to talk through your physical well being with someone and then just stop physically and focus on relaxation is wonderful.

I have no idea if it makes any difference but I certainly find it therapeutic and I will take as much of that as I can get right now!

[RoseBud2015]

Freddie Sorry to hear you and DH are having a tough time! This TTC lark really is soooooo bad for us and our relationships. Good luck with your scan tomorrow! Is this your first round of 150mg? Has it not sent you completely crazy?! x

[Freddiesmother]

rose no it's my third go on 150 I have ovulated every time but still no joy. We are not really arguing just both SO stressed out. I am really struggling to cope and work and am really seriously thinking about jacking it all in to focus on my health and being around for DS a bit more as I am working crazy hours.

Yes it sent me UP THE WALL last week. I have never felt like I did when I was taking the Clomid this cycle. Just horrible.

[RoseBud2015]

Freddie Bless you! Hopefully crazy side effects are a good sign of a strong ov! I also contemplate (almost daily) giving up work! What I would give for a mundane job with no anxiety and only realistic expectations........

[Lucina6]

Question for all you ladies, you all seem to be monitoring your temps, although that isn't that reliable. Weren't you offered weekly progesterone measuring? My GP refused to continue without that. Theory is to do them weekly and the last one is when my AF decides to show up, then that one and the one the week before are taken into account and my own personal Clomid dose is being calculated for best results, plus 12 weeks worth of progesterone if I'm low, so my luteal body can't play any shenanigans.