TTC with PCOS (Thread lucky #4!)

[RoseBud2016]

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 our third thread >>>>>>>>>HERE

And you can find our stats >>>>>> HERE

Hi Mrs C that is such a shame the consultant did not ring you to avoid a wasted month!! Do they realise the stress we are under? Did you have any side affects on 50mg? I am just waiting for my AF to arrive then can start my first cycle. Had to take a week of Norithisterone as I don't have periods naturally. Stopped taking the pills a couple of days ago so expecting to take Clomid in the next couple of days.

stealth that's awesome news that they decided to move quickly to ivf. How are you feeling about it? Good luck I'm sure all will be fine xx

MrsC I started on 50mg Clomid which did nothing but 100mg worked for me, I went from 4 to 107 progesterone level. So I'm sure you will be fine. My consultant told me most people do need the higher dose. I know exactly how you feel though as I thought the first dose would work for me also. Good luck for next month, fingers crossed! xx

shellbell Any sign of AF? That's great that you get IUI on nhs, I am not entitled to that in my area it's either ovarian drilling and then IVF or injections and IUI privately (which I don't think is an option for me!) but fingers crossed we won't need them and the tablets will work for us!xx

feefee so glad you're getting some response. Sounds like we are on a similar timeline - I am on day 11 of stims but of course the first 7 days were iui stims not Ivf so not sure where that puts me! I will probs end up doing a freeze all too because of lining/overstim issues. What meds are you on? Do you have a sense of when EC might be or is it still too early?

honey thank you! I am ok with it, it hasn't quite sunk in yet and am having a minor Panic that I haven't "prepped" my body properly for ivf. But it's better than the alternative (cancelling cycle) - am just hoping I can get some good embryos out of all of this, there's a long way to go yet.

mrsc nice to see you! Can't believe the flipping hospital is so hopeless. Definitely get a scan (even if you pay for one) you really need it!

rosebud thinking of you xx

Thanks stealth. Nice to have a cycle buddy I've been on menopur since CD2 (112.5 IU, then 150 IU, then 225 since CD12, and cetrotide since CD6. Have you got a scan tomorrow? I'm anxious to see what has happened over the last couple of days - my belly has got less uncomfortable rather than more . EC might be on Friday (CD23), which would be one week after starting to show a response. Hopefully I will have a proper sense of timing tomorrow.
Thanks Nurse Hope all's well with you.
Dunlin, exciting that you are starting clomid any day now - good luck!

feefee yes we are proper cycle buddies. I'm v unlikely to have a transfer though. Wow you really have been stimming for awhile! You must be sick of mixing up the cetrotide by now - for some reason I find the cetrotide needle a bit more unpleasant than the gonal f.

I do have a scan tomorrow morning so we'll see what a couple of days of 150iu gonal f has done. Have had lots of weird sensations but tbh I don't think it really means anything either way - I managed to grow my 26mm follie on my double clomid cycle without so much of a hint of a twinge, and other times I've sworn I can feel things growing and the scan shows nada. Pot luck, I reckon!

Honey still no sign 🙈

Question for everyone...can aspirin help thicken the lining?? Xx

If the problem is blood flow it might but I wouldn't self medicate.

Either further back on this thread or toward the end of the last thread I wrote a post about thin lining ( sadly a bit of a specialist subject)

Good luck at your scan, stealth! I'm on the way to mine now. It's not the cetrotide needle or even the drug itself that are getting to me (as I don't usually seem to get much itching/swelling with it, unlike others). It's the painstakingly trying to make it dissolve properly and get rid of the air that's always hiding in the neck of the syringe without losing too many drops that have been stressing me out. I have to hope that it's doing its job though.
shellbell, frustrating to be waiting still! Bananafish is super knowledgeable, do hunt out her post re lining. [Waves at Bananafish!]

Morning Feefee!

Still no sign... Don't know how long I should wait until I phone the hospital?

I started to look last night for Banana's post but was looking on my phone! Will check on the computer later today 😊😘

Glad to be in this wee group with people who know what's going on 💜

Don't worry too much ladies about getting every last drop out of medication vials - you usually find that there's a bit extra in there because they know it's impossible to get every last drop

Hope your scan went well feefee!

Mine did, doctor was happy with the way I'm responding & lots of the smaller follies are starting to catch up too. He doesn't count follies but just from my sideways eyeball of the ultrasound I've got 3-4 at c 14mm and still 20+ between 10-12mm.

Doctor would like to keep going low and slow to get the most eggs possible, so has edged back my gonal f from 150iu to 125iu. He is saying it's more likely than not that EC will be early next week.

Next scan Thursday. This is taking forever! But happy.

feefee I must admit I don't worry too much about air bubbles - I just draw it all back, squirt it a little and if something is caught in the neck then so be it. We're only injecting into fat! And it's annoyingly flaky to mix but I just remove the mixing needle after I've put the water in and give it a good Tom cruise stylee cocktail shake with my 2nd finger on the top and thumb on the bottom. This cavalier attitude is possibly why I shouldn't be allowed to inject myself with anything!

Fallen off this thread lately! Glad to see things are moving on nicely for everyone.

DH has his SA tomorrow (again!) So is doing the mad dash up to the hospital with his sample! Can anyone tell me - can GPs prescribe metformin? I'm sure mine said that on the phone the other day. Would you recommend it or shall I just go to clomid?

My GP told me that he couldn't prescribe me any, it would need to be my specialist 😔 Would be so much better if he could!! Xx

My endocrinologist prescribed my metformin, Cwtchy. I don't think my gp would have done so.
Shellbell, how long has it been? It can feel like ages even if objectively speaking it isn't!
nurse, that's helpful to know! I talked the injection through with the doctor today and feel a bit better too.
stealth, that's great, and going slow is a good idea. According to the photo I took of my chart, I've now got 30 between 10mm and 15mm (plus one at 29), though the doctor said I had 20. Not sure if she was in a rush interpreting the results from the scan or if I'm reading it wrong! Anyway, she has dropped me back down to 150 IU menopur, pending my blood test results. She didn't seem over concerned re hyper stimulation though, which is good. Egg collection on Friday or Monday and I might need to trigger with buserelin to try to reduce OHSS risk.

One at 17, not 29!

Great! Sounds like we are roughly in the same place :)

Hi ladies,

I posted a little while ago but struggle to keep up as I am on a few different threads. I don't want to just post me me posts so I promise I will try to keep up better. It is interesting reading about your treatment cycles, hope they are going well and are successful!

I saw go today to discuss my recent scan results. Polycystic ovaries but not sure if syndrome as she didn't do full blood panel, lh:fsh was normal day 3 but last month just happened to be a fairly normal 29 day cycle (although I didn't ovulate until cd 21 so also have short luteal phase as well). This month I am on cd 26 and not ovulated yet... Lots of pelvic pain, feels like ovulation pain but I haven't yet. Pols all almost positive. Temps low. She is referring my to gynae. Hopefully get an appt through soon.

Just a quick question, go wants to do progesterone bloods(she didn't seem to know much about fertility) she wanted to do the bloods today but I pointed out it was fairly pointless as I haven't ovulated yet. She then said it can be any day after ovulation, I thought it had to be 7 days post ovulation... Or is it 7 days before af?? I have such short luteal phase 8-9 days it might be tricky.

Do you all have dark opks most of the cycle? Mine really fluctuate: they have been dark then light then dark, light etc for weeks!

Thanks in advance x

Hello ladies, dropped off this thread a bit. Good to hear things are moving in the right direction for a lot of you.

I dug out my blood test results from 5 years ago when I was first diagnosed to see what they actually tested. It appears they checked my FSH and LH levels, thyroid, a full blood count and glucose. No tests for testosterone or anything else. Thyroid, FBC and glucose were normal.
My LH levels were elevated and they've said in the report that there is a 2% difference between lh and FSH and this supports a diagnosis of pcos. I think I was about cd 2 or 3 when the bloods were taken.

Now a lot of research I have done on pcos suggests that the lh/FSH ratio isn't used in the diagnosis of pcos anymore. Do you think I should ask to get them rechecked again? And also ask to have testosterone and estrodial checked too? And arrange day 21 progesterone?

Interestingly that some of you mentioned about thin linings. I remember when I had the scan and they saw the polycystic ovaries (bearing in mind I hadn't had a period for a couple of months) and the sonographer said my lining was thin considering where I was in my cycle.

Sorry for all the questions, just want to arm myself with as much info as possible before seeing gp.

Good morning ladies!

How are we all today?

Feefee AF is Mia for 5 days now!
I don't know how long to leave it before I phone the clinic as need to start my second round when it comes...

Sunnydays opks don't really work with people who have pcos as we give off a higher lh level or something

Xx

pugmummy you're absolutely right - elevated LH isn't one of the official diagnostic criteria, although it is commonly found in PCOS

To be diagnosed with PCOS you need at least 2/3 of the following

1. Irregular or absent periods
2. Either / both of clinical (eg acne or hirsuitism) or biochemical (elevated blood testosterone levels) signs of hyperandrogenism
3. Polycystic ovaries on ultrasound

Elevated LH or insulin resistance are common but aren't diagnostic criteria for PCOS xx

Hi everyone,

I just wondered if anybody knows when your on Clomid days 2-6 what day you should ovulate and when af should be due? I had 21 day blood test and I definitely ovulated. I'm on day 30 and wondered when af should be due?x

Ah crap. It was Bananamonkey, not Stealthbanana. Sorry, you probably think I've lost the plot. To be honest, I probably have. Ignore me, Stealth.

My latest news is DP and I had the most almighty row last night. I dont think he's remotely interested in trying again anytime soon. He thinks I'm selfish and no where near ready to be even contemplating it.
Trying again was the only thing keeping me chugging along after the MMC. He even said last week that he couldn't wait to try again which is why I got excited about it.
He said last night that I'm pressuring him, even though I suggested compromising by waiting a month, rather than waiting for a period that probably won't show up for months and months due to bastard PCOS.

He doesn't undertand and I don't think he ever will do. We've never had a row like it. I think he's built up all his grief and exploded. He made me feel like I was trying to replace our baby
Needless to say, I'm feeling like I've gone back to square one, which is a pity as I'd just started to smile again.

Sorry. It's all very me me me.
I really hope to be able to join you lot properly soon.

Actually, while I'm here, someone I know suggested taking a high dose of B6 in case my luteal phase is short. Though obviously I'll never know if it is with PCOS.
Are you all taking any regular supplements? Figured there's no harm in being prepared for if DP changes his mind. I've started on the conception supplements already (Boots own brand)

Oh and the thin lining if you're not ovulating the lining will be thin compared to where you would be in the cycle if you had a dominant follicle and your body was gearing up to ovulate. Thin lining can be a problem with clomid or after long term use of the pill where you are gearing up to ovulate (or to have retrieval during IVF) but the lining isn't keeping pace with where it should be so an embryo can't implant. Thin lining in an anovulatory cycle isn't really a problem insofar as that's normal

Hi everyone, hope you are all well. Really looking forward to some good news on this thread soon.

Well that's 2 months in a row that I haven't ov'd, so my theory that I ov every other month is not accurate! It's been 19 months now, so clomid it will have to be. I can't keep waiting & hoping, need to be pro active. Will book in my consultation as soon as this month's AF has arrived. I want to start next month and just relax in March.

Really didn't want to go down the clomid route, so worried about multiples. But what choice do I have? What if clomid doesn't work? Oh God, what if it doesn't work? Resign myself to the fact it will probably never happen?

Honey Would be interested to know the answer to that too.

Frazzle I feel for you, it's so much pressure. I'm surprised DP and I are still together.

Villagefete my doc gave me Letrozole which has a lower possibility of causing multiples!! They put me on that as my womb is heart shaped... Maybe you could consider that...

You need to try and be positive 😊 It will happen xx