A question?

[Staceyk]

I have PCOS therefore my hormones are all over the place, too much of some too little of others. So I was wondering IF I did ever get pregnant, would it show on a home pregnancy test? How do I know if my body can produce HCG? When I have trouble with all other hormones?
Or is this not possible? Does the body have to produce HCG to be pregnant?
Sorry if this sounds a silly question.

Hi,
hGC is essential for ovulation rather than pregnancy as such, so most women with PCOS need drug therapy to maintain hormone levels and produce enough hGC in order to ovulate and conceive.
I think this can cause false pregnancy positive tests in women with PCOS, but whereas home pregnancy tests simply say yes or no, a doctor's test is quantitive and tells the levels of hGC in the blood/urine, which would give a more accurate idea of pregnancy.
There is lots of info on PCOS here

Thanks Poppy

I have been on Metformin to help my PCOS, for 3 months. I don't know if this affect levels of HCG. But basically what you are saying is that I could have a false positive, but not a false negative? I was only wondering if home test may show as negative, I could be pg just not producing enough HCG to register?

Stacey

This is what happened to me, AF hadn't arrived after 60 days so did a few pg tests (different makes), some were + some were -, so I went to see my GP who took a urine sample and asked me to call back 4 days later (the longest 4 days of my life, I can tell you), it came back -. I then had another appointment to see my GP after they too received the results and they stated that it was all down to my PCOS and the hormones, every couple of weeks a woman with pcos has a surge of a certain hormone and this is what the tests were picking up. I was that convinced I was pregnant, that I was feeling sick, tired nearly all the symtoms and 3 days later AF arrived, now I have had my lot of clomid and are due to start IVF at LGI (Leeds) in the Autumn. But on a positive note I did concieve my DD on Met, 4.5 years ago, so I will keep my fingers, toes, eyes etc crossed for you. Good luck!!!!

malinki

Thanks for that, so basically all I can do is pg tests on a weekly basis? I dreading it, I have promised myself I will not test til July, and it's been a long June. Thing I'm worried about now, is that if please god it is + will I get all excited and possibly be in store for a huge dissapointment. OH well no point in worring about things I can't change I guess. Good luck for IVF, I have a lap & dye booked in Oct!

Hi StaceyK,

If you do become pregnant with PCOS (and it is not an absolute barrier to conception) a positive result will show up on a normal pregnancy test. Your body will produce the hCG hormones required.

The problem with PCOS as you are no doubt aware is the imbalance of LH to FSH hormone. Many PCOSers have an excess of LH compared to FSH.

I would certainly not do pg tests weekly - it will become completely soul destroying if you do this. Same thing would apply with using the ovulation predictor kits - these are of no use at all for PCOS patients.

You say you have a lap and dye booked for October - have they not considered ovarian diathermy instead?. Would strongly suggest you ask them about this type of keyhole surgery. This actually may be more appropriate for you as a lap and dye is often used as a test rather than a treatment. Diathermy is a procedure whereby the surgeon operates on the cystic follicles on the polycystic ovary and lasers the surface with an electrical laser or needle.

They can always do an HSG (tubal x-ray), this is the "dye" part of the lap and dye. Also with this particular test you are awake rather than under sedation.

HTH

Hawaii

Hi Hawaii

The lap & dye is just for them to test, to see if tubes blocked etc. They want to see if it is just PCOS that is stopping me conceiving.

So you don't agree with Malinki then? If I was (pray God) to have positive test, then you think it does mean positive! it cannot be my hormones giving wrong reading??

Just in case you haven't seen my history, I started ttc#1 in Jan 03. didn't have any af's for 6 months, then docs gave me progestrone to give me af's. but still could not manage on my own. Then in March 04 I had freak af all on my own without any assistance/drugs, and started taking Metformin Apr 04, I had another af May 04, so seems like I could be getting a cycle all be it, 60 days.

Stacey I had 8 tests that said I was pregnant, and 6 that were negative, all taken at different times, I did boots, clear blue, sainsburys and 1st response. The GP even told me that the lines were there on the tests as positive and thats when she asked me to provide a urine specimen. Like I said the rest is now history as I am joining the IVF thread in the Autumn. My Gynie (Kath Fishwick) at Dewsbury also confirmed what my GP had said about PCOS and that I had had a hormone surge and this is very common in women with PCOS, unless you have any other symptoms, please don't waste money on tests, go to see your GP and talk with them, or call your gynie and see what they say.

Stacey, sorry forgot to mention that when I conceived my daughter on Met (I had been trying for 5 years before I finally conceived through sub-fertility treatments, I fell pregnant 1 month after my Lap and Dye, they drilled my ovaries (very common in PCOS sufferers) and unblocked my tubes. I knew I was pregnant as I was sick, had sore boobs, and no period, of course everyone is different, with PCOS sufferers they tend to advise you to take your longest cycle in about 6 months, like mine was 63, so I started testing on day 63, then 64, 65,66, 67 and then on the evening of CD67, AF came. So if AF has been quite regular, do the test if you are late, if you very irregular, take the longest cycle date. I really hope you are, and keep us posted, I wish you all the luck in the world. Do you keep a diary by any chance??? (By this I mean somewhere you chart you AF days and CD's, when you have sex etc etc

Hi Stacey,

I have PCOS and when I finally got a positive result (two months post ovarian diathermy surgery) it was a true positive. There was no doubt (have seen a lot of negatives beforehand).

In your case I would seriously consider asking them about doing another test called a HSG (tubal x-ray) instead of the lap. If they are primarily doing this op (the lap you refer to) just as a test then they could do something else instead and save you the trauma of an op. The last thing you want is for them to do this surgery only for them to say you may need another op (diathermy)!!. I have seen this particular scenario before hence my warning.

With best wishes

Hawaii

Morning

Malinki, I do keep a diary, have done since Jan 03! my last 2 af's have been CD60! I know I was waiting for July to come to test, but this morning I just couldn't bring myself, to face the upset, so still haven't, in all honesty I know I'm not, I have no symptoms at all, and only on CD 43, so I know I should wait to end of July really.
Hawaii, they were going to do a HSG, and then decided to do new test Hycosy, where they view inside through ultrasound and placing camera inside (yuck) and then put a tube in a flush liquid. I went to have this done, but they said they couldn't, they managed to do the scan, which is when they told me very bad PCOS, but they couldn't insert the tube, aparently my womb very high up, and I was too tense (there's a surprise) it was also very painful, so they said kindess thing to do is to put me right out, and throughly test. I was meant to have lap & dye in Jun, but as I had AF March & May, they decided to pospone it til Oct, to see how I got on naturally.
Thank you both for your comments, really helpful

Malinki Where are you?

I really need your advice please, I tried to "contact another talker" but Mumsnet said you have requested not to be contacted, are you there?

Ok looks like Malinki isn't about.
I wanted to ask her personally rather than tempt fate on public board. I am on cd57, cycle been 60days. I tested today, and I have positive result! can't quiet believe it after 18 months of ttc. I have done another different make test and that also +. Malinki suffers from PCOS like me, and I know she had 8 positive tests, which turned out to be wrong, as it was just hormone surge. I wanted to know if her + had been faint or not. Both mine are very very strong and immediate.
I have booked to see my GP tomorrow morning. and I have left a message for my fertilty specialist to call me back, as I am currently on Metformin, and want to know if I should carry on/stop or wait til GP has confirmed?
I am so confused at the moment. I didn't say anything to DH this morning, which was really hard, but I don't want to get his hopes up, only to find it's just a surge.
I really wish malinki was here as she has the exactly the same probs as me, and has been through all this before.
My other huge problem is I am out with friends tomorrow night a big night out, the thing is I normally drink & smoke, if I don't they will know straight away, and I really feel thats tempting fate, especially when I haven't told DH. But then I feel disgusting if I was to smoke & drink after trying so hard ttc. Any advice welcome, but please if I could ask for you to hold back from Congratulations, as I need for it to be confirmed before I can even think of that!