PCOS, Periods, Provera & Pals. Plus All The Bits In between.

[AmyC86]

Welcome to our third thread on PCOS. What we don't know isn't really worth knowing. We're a friendly bunch of women who have a few things in common. We all have either PCOS or unexplained infertility and we're all on a mission for a BFP!!!!

For new members, and old alike here are the links to our 1st and 2nd threads:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2481523-when-to-expect-period-provera

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2685865-pcos-periods-or-lack-of-and-a-lovely-bunch-of-ladies?pg=1&order=

Now without further ado, let's continue on our journey.......

Sorry changing. That's rubbish. Do they want you back in for a follow up scan? Did you say you were taking metformin?

Sorry to hear that changing. I'm sure you've said before but where are you On your ttc journey now? Have you been on clomid long? Do you also take metformin?

Oops, sorry boggle just saw you asked that too.

Ps. How is your counselling going boggle? I've been offered 6 weeks of 1 to 1 and not sure whether to do it or not.

Hi summer, yes I'd recommend counselling. Mines tied up with other MH issues I'm addressing but she allowed me to cry and talk about what we've been/going through without judgement. She's helping me to try and look at things in a more positive light. Got my 3rd session on Wednesday.

Hi both,
I tried 2000mgs of Metformin a few years ago and it still made no difference. They said there was no point in doing a follow up scan, just to take the Provera at 28 days.
I've been TTCing for over a year now, first round was this one. I tried it unsuccessfully 6 years ago as well. I just know it's not going to work this time either.

Sorry to hear that. How long did you take metformin for before giving that up?
I only ask because I had been taking it for about 2 months with no difference at all. But recently I've had a period, I'm losing weight and also my appetite is changing so I wonder if it took a while to get going.
Did they give you a next step? Is it another round of clomid or can you see if something different might work?
I'm very worried that my DH thinks that clomid is a wonder drug that basically makes you pregnant. If we are given it after my scan next week I think he thinks that that will be it. He is even angry with me for being negative saying it probably won't be it!
We are on different wavelengths at the moment

Glad it's working for you boggle. My first is on 1st march so hopefully if I give it a go I'll find some comfort in it also.

I was on it for over a year, starting from 500 up to 2000. Still didn't have a period during that time, and my bmi was very heathy. She said to try another month at 100mg of Clomid but feels a bit pointless to be honest.
I'm sorry that it's putting pressure on you and your DH, I just feel guilty at the moment that I can't give him a child.

Clomid only worked for me with metformin, have you tried them together? Might by why clomid isn't working on its own.

It didn't work last time with it, but I only tried 50mgs. Maybe I should ask next time?

Perhaps you just need a good whacking dose of clomid. I have everything crossed for you that this next round works. And you don't need to wait 28 days to take provera. You can take on the 35th day of your cycle. That's what I was advised and did for the first 3 clomid cycles that didn't work. Sending you lots of love ❤️

Oh thanks boggle that's good to know. Sorry I've been such a misery guts tonight, will pick myself and dust myself off tomorrow! Though I have to say that although it was naughty I'm really glad I double dosed, I think sometimes we know our own bodies better than the doctors...

You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. The strong women on these threads have got me through some really dark times. Hope I can repay this back, even a little bit xxx

Hmm, you are probably right Boggle, I'll probably get all stressed out about hanging out with other people's babies and it will turn out I was worried over nothing!

Sorry to hear about your scan Changing. Sounds like it might be worth asking about taking metformin and clomid at the same time. If it helps at all, I have had cycles where my does of clomid worked and cycles where it didn't. Although I appreciate that it is different if a dose has never worked for you. Look after yourself.

Hope you're feeling a bit better this morning changing sending you hugs

summer is that your hycosy scan? What's your next step after that? I know you are going privately for your scan. Are you going privately for Clomid too?

My doctor has used my old blood tests and referred me to the FC. Fingers crossed they accept it

Boggles right Changing don't be sorry. This is what the thread is for! After my posts lastnight DH and I had a real good chat about things (helps that we are currently watching the Cold Feet box set from season 1 and they have just started talking about IVF). In a much better place now, but so pleased we had the discussion about it.

Hopefully you can have a big dose of Clomid and Metformin together as the next step Changing, but if you really think that it isnt going to work maybe you can start to talk about the next step with your doc? What would that be do you know?

SLady yeah its the HyCoSy. I've heard mixed reviews to be fair - some say its great as it flushes the tubes and gets them open and extra fertile but without the severity of a lap & dye, others found that they had to have a further investigation i.e. an actual lap & dye and so the scan itself was worthless.

Depending on the result I'm guessing clomid will be next. We were hoping that the NHS referral would be here by now but it isnt, and I bled last week so the scan has to be before the end of this month. Since it might be months before my next bleed we decided to pay for the scan and have it done so that we get the answers now. We are lucky that we have the money to do certain parts privately, but I dont think we will do clomid privately as the costs really start to ramp up then. We'll see.

Hi Everyone I had posted on here a while ago asking what symptoms people had of PCOS and when to go to GP and after a bit of advice Went to my GP and got routine bloods taken.

(mini background stopped the pill in June after being on it for 11 years had about 5 long cycles with each cycle getting shorter then last period was 1st Decemeber and NOTHING ever since!)

Had my Follow up GP appointment today and all my blood results came back absolutely normal my oestrogen, progesterone, LH, FSH thyroid etc every one of them absolutely normal.

So my GP said the shortening cycles are normal and to be expected after stopping the pill but this big gap since december is pretty unusual but can happen with being on the pill for so long and my body adjusting. She was very nice and said there isnt much more they can do just now but if i have anymore unusual symptoms to come back and i have the choice to come back in June to request a referral to the fertility clinic.

Now for my dilemma....... As i haven't had my period since 1st dec. she did offer me Provera to help get everything kick started. She did stress that it would induce a bleed that wouldn't be an actual period and whether i choose to take the provera or not is up to me but basically if i choose to take it or not wont change my chances of getting pregnant sooner. She said right now if i don't take it my biggest issue is not knowing when i ovulate. if i do take it i will have the same issue as its not a real period and i would need to wait for another cycle. I dont really know what to do half of me REALLY doesnt want to pump myself with more hormones incase it sets me back but the other half is thinking maybe i need this jump start to get my cycles more organized.

Since Provera is in the Title here Thought I would ask for any adivce or suggestions would be really appreciated I have the prescription but GP said it would be my choice if i want to get the Provera and take it or leave it and wait it out for a period ( or get pregnant)

I've taken provera to induce AF in order to take clomid. I don't know why she'd say it's not a proper bleed, as mine were. I personally didn't have any side effects with provera. You never know, the provera that induces AF may well kick start stuff for you.

Hi Kitty. I am not a doctor, but that is not how I understand Provera to work.

The way a menstrual cycle usually works is that you ovulate and your levels of progesterone rise. If the egg is not fertilised, the level of progesterone falls, and this is the signal for your body to start your period. If you don't ovulate, you can get stuck without this trigger to start your period.

Provera is just a progesterone pill. You take it for about a week, to elevate your progesterone leves, then when you stop taking the pills, your progesterone level falls. You have therefore artificically triggered a period. The period is still real. Your body is now reset and will hopefully (if no PCOS or whatever) start the ovulation process.

You can absolutely ovulate in the weeks after a provera bleed. You do not need to wait for the next natural cycle.

I think maybe what your GP might have been trying to say was that even though you have not had a period for ages, technically you could still ovulate tomorrow and have a natural period. By taking provera you are overriding that option and will have to wait a minimum of 2 weeks before ovulation can occur.

Satsooma do you think taking provera could then alter the levels of hormones by elevating the progesterone more than it usually would. I.e. for me I have been holding off taking my progesterone pill to induce AF as I worry that when I have my bloods taken on CD2 they may be different to what they would have been if I had a natural AF as I'd have been taking progesterone 10 days before.

I always thought Provera worked in the same way as the pill. As in, its a withdrawal bleed. When you stop taking it progesterone levels fall and it induces a period the same way as when you stop the pill for a 7 day break you have a period.

Much better explained than me satsooma! 😂

Again, not an expert, but I think progesterone is tested separately on CD21 anyway (proably around 30 days after you stop taking provera), so it should not get in the way of your early cycle bloods. I'd make sure to mention it to your GP, but I think it would be fine.

Yes, a provera bleed is a withdrawal bleed. The difference with the pill is that you continue to take it for the majority of your cycle, so in addition to withdrawal bleeds, it also stops you ovulating and does various other things that I don't understand to prevent pregnancy.

If you didn't start taking your contraceptive pill again after a withdrawal bleed, you could ovulate and fall pregnant. Same thing with Provera.

Thanks boggle thats good to know not everyone has side effects as my GP did say i could become very hormonal if i take it.

Satsoooma thanks for much for your explanation! you definately have explained it alot better than my GP and settled my mind from it all :) At first when i left my appointment i was swaying towards not taking it but now I think ill definately look at both sides and have a good think about what to do.

SLady yeah I thought it was a bit like the pill too. I think my GP kinda put me off a bit she made it sound like it would be a hormone overload for a few days then might not even help me in the end.

Thanks so much everyone :)