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

I think it's Ponty too! It has to be!!!

Just seen on the ante natal thread that Rufus has had her baby- a boy!

Crossed posts! Welcome back Ponty X

For acupuncture I just wore loose fitting or stretchy clothing that can be easily rolled up to make room for the needles. So leggings/joggers and a floaty top work perfectly!

Hi ladies. Can I join? I'm not 100% sure what my diagnosis is yet.. Waiting to see GP. I had a transvaginal uss today. The sonographer said I had immature follicles on my ovaries (at 8dpo) he said there were some but not all signs of PCO present. I had day 3 bloods at my GP, fsh:lh ratio normal, but GP didn't check for testosterone levels etc so not sure if they are normal. I have acne, bmi 26ish, no excess hair, basically some but not all signs of pcos. When I stopped the pill a few years ago I didn't have a period for 10 months. This time I stopped pill I didn't get a period for 3 months. My periods have varied from 32-52 days since. So I am having periods but irregular.

I temp and do opks. Based on opks and temps I ovulate but late in cycle and luteal phase is short at 9-10 days.

Basicacally my big question is this: based on my opk (which was very very positive for 2-3 days) and my temping I'm now 8dpo, and the sonographer said there was no corpus luteum so it doesn't look like I ovulated! :( is it possible to have positive opk AND sustained temp rise but not ovulate?? Iv attached my chart to see what you think. I know Pcos can cause positive opks due to high lh but can it cause high temps that look like you OV even if you haven't?

Thanks in advance. I was suspicious that I had pcos but i will still be disappointed if I have. i know based on the tests Iv had so far it looks mild but still hoping it doesn't cause too many problems. We have been ttc for about 6 months. Xx

The acupuncture is quite relaxing ponty mostly because they put an excellent heat lamp on me but I'm not sure if that's because I always get it done on Friday evenings and am therefore almost falling asleep. I don't find the needles stressful at all, they're pretty small and if you feel them going in that's when, imo, you get the needle "rush" anyway so I like that! I have to strip down to bra and underpants but maybe my acupuncturist is just a perve

Hi sunny! I can totally see why you're confused - if I were you I'd be thinking that I'd ovulated too - either on the date that FF says or on CD 17/18. Firstly I guess is to check whether you take your temp the same time every morning? If so, I have had charts like this in the past that have been veryyy up and down and I haven't ovulated until much later in the cycle. If I were you, I'd keep temping and having sex (tedious, I know) and see what happens. It sounds like you've got a really mild case, don't get too down about it! It can take the healthiest couples up to a year so don't feel discouraged!

stealth well I've booked a session for Friday now so I'm excited! She asked me where I am in my cycle and if I've ovulated yet (HA) and sounded generally really lovely, so it should be interesting. Poor thing though, having to potentially see me in my underwear. Tis not a pretty sight this time of year I tell thee!

Cwtchy, thanks for your reply. Yeah initially FF said OV on cd17, but when I had finished my opks it moved it to cd21... You are supposed to ovulate after positive opk so I guess that makes more sense but the temps do fit better with cd17. And my luteal phase is usually only 9-10 days. If I really did ov on cd17 I would be 11dpo now. If I pretend I had a pos opk on cd17 it changes my ov day back (see photo above) which looks nicer! Lol... But it wasn't quite positive that day :) must remember to change it back! Haha.

Yeah I know 6 months is still rely days so will just keep trying for now. Is there anything that you guys have found helps? I have read this thread. How do you find the acupuncture? X

You just have to tell yourself they've definitely seen worse ponty! Good luck on Friday, hope you enjoy it.

sunny I'm afraid I have no clue re temping so won't even begin to offer advice, but I will say that it is v possible for your body to gear up for ovulation (temps, opks etc) but then not actually do it. Are you having a blood test 7 days after the date you think you ovulated (roughly)?

My GP doesn't want to do day 21 bloods as we have only been trying 6 months, because they wouldn't refer me or offer treatment until we have been trying a year. Which is fair enough, I do understand that. They only did the scan/day three bloods because of abdo pain. Just frustrating when my temps opks suggest I have, and I had got my hopes up about symptoms this month, and then the sonographer dashes my hopes! At least I know to be prepared for af this month. Also odd that I do always get af 10 days after last positive opk and when temp drops... Also suggests ov? Oh well, like hubby says, just need to be patient and relax, and only worry if we get to a year with nothing. I keep having to remind myself. thanks for your replies. X

Ladies on the BMI front, my consultant told me that actually lean PCOS was often much harder to treat, as skinny women with PCOS were more likely to be Clomid resistant than ‘classic PCOS’ women - and that with classic PCOS v often ovulation could be restored via change in lifestyle and weight loss. He wouldn't give me Clomid until I got my BMI up to 18, as it was very low when I first saw him. So low BMI isn’t necessarily a brilliant thing when it comes to PCOS, apparently!

That's interesting bananafish, I have often looked at skinny women and been but it makes total sense that being thinner could be an issue too.

sunnydays that does sound odd that you have AF after +opk and temp drop. I'm not sure - some of the other ladies will know - is corpus luteum (or whatever it is they see after you've ov'd) visible right up until you get your period?

Really loving using my Ovusense monitor so far - I'm excited to see what it says every morning which I know is really sad. Needed to have sex last night (doing every other day atm!) But DH is ill which is really irritating

That's interesting about bmi banana, I know a few people with pcos with very very low bmis. One of them is struggling with fertility and gynae problems but all the others have conceived naturally with no trouble, if that's any reassurance.

Cwtchy, is ovusense the one you 'insert' at bedtime? I have heard it is the most accurate and good for pcos, but I think that info came from the company's adverts! Haha. How do you find it? Do you mind me aski how much it cost?

I really did this I ovulated, but I guess I do have to believe the sonographer. Temp dropped a little this morning, still above cover line, and boobs less sensitive... Think af is on her way x

Yep it's interesting that rose and i are Clomid resistant - ties in with what banana says re thin PCOS being more stubborn.

As I understand it the corpus luteum hangs around until basically AF arrives because it provides the progesterone you need to support a healthy pregnancy. So once the body figures out there is no embryo the progesterone stops, endometrium breaks down, AF arrives and corpus luteum is absorbed back into the body. A more learned pcoser should correct me if this is wrong!

Sunny I would be tempted to go and pay for a blood test - is that an option? There is absolutely no point "trying" another 6 months if you're not ovulating - nothing to try with! Or if you can't pay could you see another gp and lie about how long you've been trying?

Hi guys been floating for a few days now decided to post.

I'm not even sure if I have pros anymore. I got diognosed when I was about 18 and used to have a period every 6 months or so. I'm 27 now and when I was 24 I got pregnant with my ds literally the first time me and my oh had sex. I found out at 5 weeks and was completely shocked the thought never crossed my mind! Obviously I was over the moon though. I had him at 31 weeks weighing just over 2lbs and we had a real struggle for 5 weeks in the nicu but when we came home he got hypothermia as he struggled gaining weight and we're back in hospital. He is 3 now and everyone who was pregnant the same time as me (6 at my work!) have all had another but I was initially fearful as I didn't want another child to have to struggle so much in their early life. But others have made me see how lucky I am to have him and tried to say it was one of those things not my fault. So now I really want another baby.

I had the depo after he was born and I literally bled and bled for a year nonstop. They put me on the pill and other things and eventually 3 months of norwthisterone seemed to fix me. They sent me for a ultrasound and they said I had no cysts and my overies looked healthy and that sometimes having a baby can clear the pcos. And now although I haven't really tracked my cycle I know I at least bleed every month but whether it's a 28 day cycle I don't know. I didn't want to stress and go down the route of ovulation packs my plan was just to have sex every other day and hope for the best! So I had a period 03/01 and now I put myself as being 15dpo on a 28 day cycle. We had sex up until 25th every other day, which I would have thought would have a chance even if I ovulated later. From what I called 6dpo 26th I had symptoms (nausea cramping not sore boobs right up until 12dpo where I thought I may have had an implantation bleed could have been just spotting though :( then since nothing. Occasional cramps but that's it. I'm now 15dpo based on a 28 day cycle I don't know I have!! And tested this morning on a super drug early test and got bfn :( it's only my first month so I shouldn't be disheartened I suppose but it's so depressing and the not knowing how long my cycle is or if the pcos is back makes it harder. Should I count it as I didn't ovulate this month and start again as if this is day 1 or am I still on the same cycle? So confused and stressed ATM and kicking myself for being so overweight. Currently bmi 35 :/ I've decided I really need to diet but I'm struggling so much as I work nights so it's hard to get into a routine. Any friendly advice appreciated. Sorry it's so long.

Sunny welcome! Your chart definitely looks like you ov'ed, probably on cd17. But your temps aren't being taken at consistent times so it may not be very accurate! I would push hard for blood tests. Go to another GP if yours is being crap. As Stealth said, absolutely no point in ttc for another 6 months if you're not oving! Push hard and I'm sure they will give in.

Trying welcome! Even if you are having AF every month, doesn't automatically mean you are oving unfortunately! The only way you can find this out for sure is temp and get your bloods done 7 days after you suspect you ov'ed. I probably temp for a couple of months and see what it shows. Fertility Friend is the best ap for tracking your cycle in my opinion Good luck! X

AFM- So our day 3 IVF embryo report is back- we have 2 embryos with 10 cells, 2 embryos with 8 cells, 3 embryos with 6 cells and an extra embryo (that we didn't know about on day 1..... Weird!) that is a 4 cell!!! So 7 good looking ones (they look for them to be at least 6 cell by this stage) and an extra one that is lagging a little.

Had a little cry at lunch in a restaurant to celebrate! Those numbers look good, I think?!

Rose that is wonderful......well done wishing you nothing but good things and all the luck in the world!

AFM - I am 5dpo, in that TWW....trying the old no symptom spotting and failing miserably. If I am honest I have had not one symptom in all of my cycles, nothing nada! I have previously had nothing more than my usual symptoms of AF ...however this cycle, the cycle I think is a bum is a very different situation. For the past 2 days my (.)(.) have been so painful, in particular my right one. It feels like it is all bruised around the top all the way under my arm pit. It feels like I have done 100 press up (i haven't) I have done no more exercise than normal (5k run 3x a week!) It was so sore last night and during today that I have sat with a small hot water bottle on my (.)(.)! One thing I will say my (.)(.) never hurt, some times they ache but they have never felt like this. I had a breast reduction when I was 18 (so 20 years ago GOD makes me feel so old) so I have very little feeling and sensation in them (save for the nipples!) As well as this I have been having a sharp pain/cramp in my right hand pelvic region. Not an AF cramp, more like being poked with a sharp stick, it comes and it goes just as quick, leaves a dull ache for a minute then gone. I thought it was in my head but it has been on and off all day so I can't ignore it now! Something is different with my body right now......

Hi all (I wrote this post and lost it which has made me even more grumpy!)

AF reared her ugly head today! Boo hiss. This makes my luteal phase (if I did indeed ovulate) a rubbishy short 8 days! It has been 8-9 days on previous cycles, which is pants and definitely won't get me preggers.

But it did arrive when I thought it would after my positive opks and high temps, which suggests I probably did ovulate. I do wonder if due to my short luteal phase the corpus luteum had already broken down by yesterday hence why he didn't see it.
But then I'm not sure why there would still be immature follicles.

This is the first month Iv felt proper crappy and dissappinted when AF arrives. Until this months Iv just kind of been reassured that cycles were getting shorter. But now I just feel that I'm either not ovulating or I am and my luteal phase is crap, but either way I'm not going to get pregnant!! I just need to remind myself that when we set out ttc I was still thinking now it could take 10 months to even have a period (like last time I stopped the pill!) so even the fact that we can TRY before then is a bonus.

I think I will follow your advice and ask GP for day 21 bloods when they have got the scan report back.

Rose that amazing about your little embryos! Amazing about the extra you didn't know about!

Elle: sore boobs sounds like a positive symptom! Fingers crossed!

Hi trying to wait. Sounds like you had a really difficult time 1st baby. Fingers crossed for a calmer tide this time! I would count this still as your 1st cycle, until you bleed, whoever that might be. My 1st cycle was 98 days but I did ovulate (I think) on cd88.

I'm off to eat my body weight in and drink ! xx

Just quickly popping on!

sunny it is the one you pop in overnight! It was £270 with a discount code I found on the net. I really like it so far, much more accurate I think

And they offer pretty much constant support with their fertility nurses which is great!

I agree sore boobs sound good it's how I come to test at 5 weeks with my son.

Thanks for all the advice I will look into temping and definitely starting a diet on Saturday.

Sunny - we did have a rocky road with our son more than most know, but you wouldn't know it today and he's my absolute world. I can't complain about having a hard time when I know others struggle to conceive so I was so lucky. I just hope to one day give him a brother or sister. Wish I could join you with the wine and choc but working tonight! Enjoy

Hello ladies.

I stopped posting ages ago, as I had nothing new to report and no words of wisdom to offer. I have been keeping an eye on the thread but found it hard to keep up with everyone's stories and new introductions. I have been rooting for all of you and hope you all have a short and successful ending on this horrible infertility journey.
It would be rude not to congratulate banana I really hope you have a happy, healthy pregnancy.
Rosebud I am so so happy for you, I've known your story from the start and it's lovely to read how far you have come and how bloody close you are to a BFP!!
I have everything crossed for you.

Best of luck to all of you xxx

Pebbles!! How are you lovely? How are things with your tubes op? Thanks so so much and lovely to hear from you. Hope you are doing OK and know that we are all thinking of you. I wasn't expecting to have a BFP on my first transfer but miracles do happen - and IVF can and does work. Which it can and will for you! xxx

Hi pebbles glad to see you back (well, not really but you know what I mean), I'm pretty sure we were on the thread at the same time (I had a different name)

Anyone heard of SMEP? Or something like that. Saw a thread on it earlier. Is it impossible for PCOSers to follow? CD 33 here and no sign of Ov yet...

Just checking in making sure I don't fall off the thread again

I've decided to give soy a go to see if it shortens my cycle. I've figured out that if I count my spotting as a light period then my last two cycles will have been 56 days long each, though previous af was brought on by norethisterone..

Hello to the newcomers to the thread.