Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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.

Original poster

TTC with PCOS (Thread lucky #4!)

999 replies

RoseBud2016 · 01/02/2016 12:11

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

Smile
OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
FrazzleRock · 18/04/2016 15:32

Why did your GP refuse to prescribe it? I didn't even ask for it. I just wanted the symptoms of PCOS to bugger off. They offered it to reduce my symptoms (ie hairyness), but I've since found out it doesn't do that at all! Then I discovered it's to reduce the risk of diabetes.

Nurse15 · 18/04/2016 16:04

My GP wouldn't prescribe it as it isn't licenced for treatment of pcos - the waiting list to see a consultant here in NI is a year and so I paid privately to see a gynae consultant at the hospital where I work. I had to fight to get referred to gynae as my GP kept saying nothing was wrong despite having not had a period in more than a year. The metformin has given me 3 cycles in 4 months that otherwise wouldn't have happened! At the moment it's costing me about £12 per month for it so not a lot anyway!

Nurse15 · 18/04/2016 16:05

Also frazzle metformin is used to lower insulin resistance. Insulin resistance increases androgens which are thought to cause pcos, hence why it helps us a lot!! Hope this helps Smile

FrazzleRock · 18/04/2016 16:09

ah that's not a bad cost. Thanks for the heads up too. Wish it would reduce my hairyness though Angry.

Skrinson · 18/04/2016 17:05

Nurse and frazzle, can I ask you how long it took you to build up to three tablets a day? There was no concrete timescale given to me, the dr recommended building up to 3 tablets over 6 weeks in case it gave me the nausea/bad tummy, but I don't seem to be having any adverse reactions to the one a day, should I try and take a higher dose sooner or stick to the slower method do you reckon?

Skrinson · 18/04/2016 17:13

Also frazzle, I've read quite a lot about spearmint tea being good for helping with excess hair

Shellbell0403 · 18/04/2016 17:27

How did you ladies get put on metformin? I asked today and got told they didn't think would do me any favours xx

Skrinson · 18/04/2016 17:39

Shell I got it from the gynae my doctor referred me to x

Shellbell0403 · 18/04/2016 17:57

Skrin I'm under a consultant at the fertility clinic but the nurse said she didn't think it would do me any good... I thought it would and want to give it a try xx

Skrinson · 18/04/2016 18:26

Hmmm, I don't really know why I got it particularly. The only thing I can think of is because I'm a bit overweight and he wanted to get my weight down by a couple of kilos before my ovarian drilling procedure and before he'd put me on chlomid. My symptoms were irregular and long cycles but not horrendous, greasy skin, slightly thinning hair and slightly overweight. Not the worst though. Are your symptoms similar?

FrazzleRock · 18/04/2016 19:33

skrin I can't remember the first time around, but when I started up again in March, after my MC, it only took three weeks. First week one a day, second week two a day, third week three.
Thanks for the tip. I shall have a little research Smile

shell I didn't even ask my GP, I just said how depressed I was about the excess hair and asked if I could get laser on the NHS. They said no, but to try Metformin for PCOS, and some really crap cream. Neither of which worked! But I stuck with the metformin just to avoid diabetes.

I asked about Clomid but they said, because I've had three pregnancies, even though two were almost impossible to conceive, and one was a MC, they wouldn't help me with fertility.

Spotsondots · 18/04/2016 21:51

Hi all

Wondered if I could join you? Not yet managed to catch up on the previous threads so bear with me!

I'm 32, and am blessed with a wonderful DS who is 2.5y. We have been TTC #2 since January 2015 without success. Along the way I've been diagnosed with PCOS (ovarian cysts on ultrasound and irregular menstrual cycle, bloods apparently ok though not sure exactly what gp tested).

We fell pregnant in February of this year and were thrilled. Unfortunately when I went for my dating scan just before Easter at 13 weeks we discovered that our baby had died at 9 weeks and I miscarried naturally a few days after the scan. Devastated.

Just getting my head around TTC again and trying to optimise everything I possibly can. I have about a stone to lose so am working on that with diet (using my fitness pal) and exercise. I've read some stuff about dairy free and gluten free diets being helpful in PCOS because of the effect on insulin/glucose levels. Anyone any experience or advise on this?

Also interested to know what supplements I should be taking. Is inositol worth taking? Are there others that would help me? Currently just taking folic acid and vitamin d but about to dig back out the omega 3 and magnesium again as apparently they are important. Sorry for long lost.

Cosmomouse · 19/04/2016 13:32

Hi, I wonder if I could join your friendly group for support!

I am 27 years old and am trying for #2 with PCOS.

I don't have the classic PCOS symptoms such as being overweight or having excess hair, but I do have type 1 diabetes just to help matters! I have 2-3 periods a year as a general rule.

However, I have not had a period since having my little boy 16 months ago.

DS was a bit of a surprise, we had actually just decided to start ttc when we discovered I was already 18 weeks pregnant. I can only imagine it was a complete fluke though as I hadn't had a period in a year previous to that! And we slipped up... Once!

I haven't been on contraception since having DS.

I don't know if I am being very over anxious, but I am terrified we will not be able to have another, that I am too broken or the doctors won't help because we already have a little boy.

Do most people with PCOS manage to get pregnant eventually in your experiences?

My doctor has asked me to come back in July for blood tests. That will make it 6 months since I told them we were trying. She said she should wait a year really, but she is a bit of a star and said seeing as we were not on any contraception we can pretend! Due to me having no periods.

FrazzleRock · 19/04/2016 13:59

Hi to the new ones Spotsondots and Cosmomouse

Spots - I too had a MMC in Feb and it's terribly heartbreaking. I'm pleased you're getting back to TTC. Re diets, I have read that low GI is the best for PCOS. I tried it, but got a little bored. I try my best to stick to as low GI as I can without depriving myself of the odd whole bag or haribo refined sugar morsel

I don't know about supplements, I take a high dose of B6, Pregnacare conception, and magnesium. Magnesium helps to curb my sugar cravings loads, as I had terrible sugar addiction before, which is the worst for PCOS!

Cosmo I was the same re periods. Very few and far between. My GP put me on metformin which we have been discussing upthread. It is supposed to help with regulating menstrual cycles and I think it has done for me. Though mine had gone a bit crazy the last 6 months (nearly always bleeding, apart from the past two weeks and during my pregnancy), but I don't think it's related to the Metformin which I have been taking for a long time.
I have two DS's so yes you can absolutely get pregnant, just might take a bit longer than anyone else. I fell pregnant with DS1 with extremely rare periods. It took 2.5 years but we were not actively trying. DS2 took 11 months of actively trying everything I possibly could.
New partner now and my MC was conceived by fluke in early January, deffo not trying at the time. Babies were the last thing on our minds! Since the MC we have been on and off TTC, as DP keeps getting cold feet. I'm currently in my TWW. Test day tomorrow...

Good luck to both of you, I'm not very knowledgable at all about PCOS and all the options we have when things aren't going as well as we'd hoped, but these ladies are very clued up and have taught me a lot

DrewOB1 · 19/04/2016 14:01

Hello new ladies!
Inositol had been amazing, I feel human again since taking it.

AmyC86 · 19/04/2016 14:29

There's a small dose of the inositol in the conception pregnecare vitamins xx

I might give the magnesium vitamin a go- I too have an extremely sweet tooth (blush)

Spotsondots · 19/04/2016 14:55

Hi all and thanks for the replies.

Oooh, drew tell me more please? What dose do you take and where do you get it from? My reading says you should take about 4g, is that right? And seemingly you have to buy it from t'interweb.

I have some magnesium left over from previous TTC but I never really took it reliably, mostly cos I want sure what dose to take! How much do you ladies all take? Very interested in the effect on sweet tooth as I am rather partial to a huge family bar of chocolate or two. Blush

I am off to get a decent B complex vitamin from the health food store this afternoon as I realised the supermarket one has way lower amounts in it.

I am really focusing on cleaning up my diet and getting the right supplements in. I don't know if this will help but right now it's making me feel better and like I am slightly in control of my crazy body.

DrewOB1 · 19/04/2016 15:36

I take 2g, the dosage matters, too much and it seems to get worse again, so takes a while to find the right one for you.
I have so much more energy, weight is dropping off, not as many cravings too.

Spotsondots · 19/04/2016 17:11

That's really interesting, drew. Thanks. Where do you get it from?

DrewOB1 · 19/04/2016 18:13

I get mine from health / hippy store nearby.

DrewOB1 · 20/04/2016 14:59

Hey where is everyone? I hope it's good news :)

Shellbell0403 · 20/04/2016 15:03

Hey ladies!

Welcome to the newbies!

Just on quickly as at hospital for my next scan.. feel abit negative about it today!! Will come back on and do propers later xx

Shellbell0403 · 20/04/2016 15:18

Drew how you doing this cycle?

Well just out hospital and two main follicles growing again... one at 1.4 and one at 1.5. Lining is 6.1 so home for some pomegranate and some luck I hope before next scan! Lol

How's everyone else doing?

Skrinson · 20/04/2016 15:26

Shell, when you talk about follicles, what does it all mean?

Nurse15 · 20/04/2016 15:41

Dye test booked for tuesday at 11am assuming I can persuade my GP to do a serum HCG level today or tomorrow. Waiting on GP calling back to confirm if theyll do it. Been waiting on my consultant writing me another prescription for metformin as she gave me 3 months supply at my private appointment however that runs out on Friday, I've not yet got to the top of the waiting list in order to see her again. Her secretary is being so rude as i've rang 3 times now to see when my prescription will be ready, but seriously like it's been two weeks from I asked for it and asked if she could do a serum HCG before the dye test! Feel like banging my head against a wall at the minute, seem to be constantly making phone calls and getting nowhere.