TTC with PCOS (Lucky Thread 5)

[Shellbell0403]

Hey everyone,
If you would to chat, rant or discuss TTC with PCOS with a lovely group of people going through the same thing and with some wonderful knowledge and experience then please join us ☺

Will post the links for stats etc shortly ☺

Just wanted to pop back on to update you all. I miscarried early on last month, and so took a few weeks off to figure out what I wanted. I found out yesterday that I am pregnant again. That's twice in two months after not a sniff of a BFP for 2 years. It's all down to the metformin, which has totally changed my cycles - I've gone from 90 days to 40 days. I don't know what will happen from here on in, I just needed to write it down somewhere. I did a clearblue digi last night that said 2-3 weeks which at 13dpo was hopefully a good sign.

ellewalk I'm so sorry for your loss, and can completely appreciate your feelings re: trying again. I went through the same motions, and for me it was grounded in the fear that I could not go through it again. I'm not sure I consciously completely decided to go for it again to be honest. I hope you start the road to feeling better soon, what you have been through is tough and deserves time.

CwtchyQ thank you for your kind words. Congratulations on your BPF, I have every thing crossed that this one sticks. I'm still not sure about what I want to do, my mind changes every hour. I just feel so empty and sad. I just don't think I can risk going through this again. It has been horrid. Physical I am pretty much back to normal. Still spotting but I suppose that is to be expected. You take care x

Hi Everyone,
Newbie here and mumsnet lurker I've been ttc #1 for nearly 3 years now, huge recent weight gain, diagnosed with PCOS a few weeks ago and just struggling to get my head around everything, not sure where to start or where to go from here.
Everybody around me IRL being pregnant doesn't help the loneliness, what a curse. You all are so strong even if you don't feel like it for you all.
Really really sorry to hear your news elle extra for you, I was honestly rooting for you and the others. Hearing bfp with pcos stories gives us all hope.
Everyone seems to have some sort of contact with gp/hospital but I feel like I'm in the dark because they flat out refuse to see me until I lose weight which is so unbelievably frustrating. I'm CD 24 and spotting, absolutely gutted. Wondering whether there's any point shelling out a small fortune for digital opk's, since PCOS plays havoc with your body anyway.
Some really touching stories on here and I hope you all get your bfp's soon. X

CwtchyQ so so sorry for your loss and congratulations on your bfp. Big hugs X

Hey ladies! How are we all doing?

Cwtchy congrats on the bfp!!

elle hope your doing OK!!

upthetree opks don't really work for us ladies! Keep ur chin up xx

Hi Shell how are you? Im on second round of clomid at 100mg but its a big birthday this weekend and ive got lots on. Would drinking affect clomid?

Hi ladies, I'd love to join you if I may? I've read all through this thread the past 2 days and have found it extremely helpful and sanity inducing to see others feeling the same way.

elle so sorry to hear that, big hugs!

Cwtchy congrats on your BFP!

I'm 29, TTC #1, from the Macclesfield, Cheshire area being seen under Macc hospital.
We've been ttc since October after finally being given the go ahead by docs - I'd had bladder issues which were far from pleasant and we had to postpone ttc for a year whilst that was sorted. If a silver lining can be taken from it though it's dragged me unwillingly into forced healthiness! lol (absolutely no alcohol, caffeine, anything fizzy, artificial additives, gluten, or dairy [with the exception of organic live yoghurt which doesn't make me ill]); I also quit sugar in March as I read it was v. inflammatory so bad for PCOS and my bladder issue was inflammatory so I thought it was worth doing. It's the hardest thing I've ever done, I had a 2 week migraine and seriously considered I might die ; I quit smoking 7 ears ago and this was 100 times harder. I'm very very happy I managed it though and am out the other end and definitely feeling better for it, no more cravings etc. BUT I'm on cycle day 101.... I get so annoyed with my body which I know is stupid but I feel like 'I gave up wine, chocolate, and cake for you and you still don't want to work, like seriously?!?'

Had our first hosp appt the other week, they took a load of bloods and swabs from me, oh has his sa on the 15th of this month and then we're back at the hosp on 23 Aug to discuss all the results.
In the meantime I'm taking a tincture that has agnus castus in amongst other things and took tribulus for the first time this month. Also been adding maca and freshly ground flaxseed to my morning shake and take pregnacare. Today I ordered inositol and EPO based on what I've read here, not had EWM for a loooong time so hoping the EPO may help!!
Apologies for the life story!!

Thanks shellbell how do you ladies track/predict your ovulation? I've ballooned from a size 8/10 to huge and my cycle has gone awry when it was like clockwork before. All because I'm ttc. Or something. It's so frustrating. I don't feel like I've tried hard enough because i haven't chatted/tracked/temped apart from using an app on my phone and keeping a note of cycle lengths and then predicting when ovulation is likely. Amateur I know and now I feel like because of this PCOS it was all a waste of time I didn't even consider that I may not be ovulating. Not sure where I should start now.
I had suspected PCOS for a while and it took me such a long time to get it diagnosed, but my gp still won't send me for an ultrasound which leaves so many annoying loose ends.
danika well done on the diet overhaul! Good luck for your upcoming appointments. Sorry but what's inositol epo and ewm?
dh has his sa this week too and I've lost 7lb in the past 2 weeks so fx it continues!

Charted*

lois one wee night drinking won't affect it!! Let your hair down and go for it.

upthetree keep an eye out for EWCM and check your cervix position etc

Hello! Not TTC as pg but just wanted to post a success story. I had quite bad PCOS- hormone levels all over the place, no ovulation, cysts all over my ovaries etc... We tried naturally for 4 years with no joy, then had 4 miscarriages (I think for to poor egg quality & hormone levels). I then had my son with help from clomid, progesterone, estrogen and metformin. I'm now unexpectedly pregnant with number two! My consultant says sometimes shortly after the birth of one baby, your body can be 'reset' a bit on the hormone front.

Anyway, hope this wasn't out of turn. I just wanted to give hope if you've been trying for a while.

upthetree thank you . I too went from an 8/10 to putting on 2.5 stone very quickly after coming off my pill - if it weren't for my enforced diet overhaul bc of my bladder it would've almost certainly continued. I still eat generously - as in I don't ever let myself feel hungry, but my diet is definitely protein heavy now instead of carb/sugar heavy and I no longer get the cravings I used to mistake as hunger. With the sugar overhaul my bmi went back down to 21 almost as quickly as it had grown!
I tried temping 'properly' for a month and a half and it just looked like crazy mountains (like a few others on here from what I've read) so I wouldn't worry yourself about it. I've not long started using opks but apparently they aren't great for us either.
How long is your cycle length? And why won't your GP send you for an ultrasound? That's annoying.
Inositol is a supplement I learned of on this thread (give "inositol pcos" a google), epo is evening primrose oil which some have said taken earlier in their cycles has helped bring on... ewm which is egg white cervical mucus (the clear stretchy stuff) which is good for conception. Congrats on the weightloss!!

primary so sorry to hear of your losses but so happy to hear you finally got your baby and now another BFP! Congrats! It's certainly lovely to read a success story!

shell hi (waves)

upthetree should have also added the ewm is an ovulation indicator

Im on inofolic which is a mix of instolol and folic acid. Dissolve the sachet in water and have twice daily. Its from pharmasure and its 81 quid for 3 months. Im thin pcos and struggle to put weight on.

Lois I take pregnacare which has folic acid which is why I went for just the inositol powder, should I be having more folic acid than is in the Pregnacare? Have you found what you've been taking to have helped at all?

The inofolic combines the two so i use that
No difference yet by consultant says it helps pcos and IR. He also said it reduces miscarriage risk

Lois oh that's good to know, many thanks! How long have you been taking the inofolic for?

I'm a newbie and really hope you don't mind me joining?
I'm also looking for abit of advice.
So we've been trying to conceive for 15 months, I have been taking clomid for 4 months but have had 2 months break as we have been waiting for hubbys second SA. The first one had really low morphology and motility. Last year after an early miscarriage first month of trying I had no periods for about 5 months. After coming off the clomid the past 2 months I have had a period although have been told I'm probably still not ovulating!
I have been booked in for a lap & dye with ovarian drilling (which terrifys me!) on the 18th with nhs. But yesterday we saw a fertility specialist privately who gave us hubbys second SA results that have significantly improved and are now apparently normal. He has recommended deferring the lap for 3 months while I take clomid for another 3 months. He also said he would only recommend the drilling if my LH levels were high which he wants to test for during my next period which is not due until after the date of my lap. So I'm not sure whether to defer like he said (although not sure when the next available date would be on nhs) or go ahead and have it done although I might not need it And there are risks?

Sorry for the essay, just finding things very hard at the mo and could really do with advice and speak to people in the same boat! xx

Hey Lyla, welcome. So sorry to hear what you're going through, but that's great your other half's sa has improved. I'm not as far along in the process as you but I'm sure others will be able to advise you.
I'm new too, it's quite quiet on this thread at the moment, but this is also a great place to paste your post, I'm sure some of the ladies there will be able to help www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2481523-when-to-expect-period-provera?msgid=62208605#62208605

Hi Danika thankyou very much! How long have you been trying for? And have you tried anything so far?
I will try that other post, thankyou xx

danika thanks! Will definitely look into inositol and inofolic too. Thanks lois.
My cycle length was 35 days prior to weight gain, nowadays it's anybody's guess. It ranges from 3 weeks to 9, not sure what to expect when.
I shouldn't say that the gp won't send me for an ultrasound it's more that they're not keen to do so, she recommended weight loss before we decide what to do next.
Have you had any sign of AF or +ve opk yet?

Welcome Lyla

I don't have the experience to be able to fully answer your question, hope somebody can give you some first hand advice soon!

I do know someone who conceived twice using clomid however, and as far as I know it can take some time (up to a year) to help regulate the cycle/induce ovulation so personally I would go for delaying the test for 3 months, especially since the SA results have improved hopefully that gives you more of a chance.

I do understand that it could take a long time to get booked in again on the nhs and also I have read on here that the dye test can clear blockages resulting in conception. (sorry I know that doesn't help!)
Good luck I hope you come to decision soon

upthetree thankyou, that does give me abit of hope with the clomid. Although I have already been taking it for 4 months, which feels like forever!
I have decided to have it done (so nervous though!) and worried that I might wake up with no ovaries or something! But I feel like it would make me feel better to know there's no other problems or to find out there is but not to have wasted 3 more months doing clomid if I have a blockage or something. Still not sure about the ovarian drilling though??

How long have you been trying for? xx

Hi girls,
I've been trying since Oct (but feels like longer bc doc didn't let me for over a year whilst I was having a bladder problem sorted).
My evening primrose oil and inositol arrived so I'll start with those at the end of this month I think.

Tree how much weight do they want you to lose? How do you feel about it? Hopefully the inositol/inofolic may help. For me it was quitting sugar and eating high protein that made mine fo and stay gone.

Lyla I wouldn't worry at all, just go with it and hope it helps! I've been taking a tincture for a few months that has agnus castus as well as ither things in and I add freshly ground flaxseed and maca powder to my morning protein shake. The one thing I did differently this month was take 10 days of tribulus tincture (which I read can reduce cysts and act similarly to clomid) - well I've had no egg white cervical mucus since I stopped taking my pill but had some this month so Im hoping it's doing something, made sure to drag my oh into the bedroom just incase

Lyla good luck hope it goes well, keep us updated . More knowledge about your body is never a bad thing so good choice.
We've been trying for 2 years naturally, only recently have I decided to use opk's (started month 1) and charting and temping etc. (Not started)

Gp seems hesitant to test me further than DH's SA and some bloods, curious as to how you got them to give you clomid after 11 months, sounds like you have PCOS too if so when was it diagnosed?

danika hi I need to lose about 1.5 stone before I can get a referral.
I understand what you mean about feeling like you've been trying for longer it feels like we've been trying for years and years.
I'm just taking pregnacare at the moment, hoping it will cover everything. Have you used any ovulation predicting methods aside from cm and position? How have you found it?