Trying to conceive first child with PCO/PCOS or irregular long cycles

[Catconfusion]

Hi there,

I'm currently on my 3rd cycle ttc my first child and I suffer with irregular cycles due to PCO. I conceived first cycle but it was a missed miscarriage at 10 weeks. My second cycle was a chemical pregnancy. I'm now on my 3rd and it's day 34 with no ovulation yet. I'm using Ovusense to temp which helps to show when I've ovulated. I can't help but worry it was a fluke to fall quickly like I did. Just wondering if there's anyone else in a similar situation struggling with long cycles as I'm finding it really frustrating. Looking forward to chatting to some of you! x

Hi Catconfusion!
Sorry I don't really have any advice but i'm trying to conceive baby #2 & i think I'm going to be in the same situation with long cycles. I came off the pill 3 months ago, had a withdrawal bleed and nothing since. Whenever I've not been on the pill previously my cycles have always been really irregular or very long. I've been trying to find out more info online but all that comes up is stuff about PCOS and i've never been diagnosed with that. Do you have PCOS or just undiagnosed long cycles? I find it so bloody frustrating because there doesn't seem to be anything you can do to achieve more regular cycles. And doctors don't take it seriously or want to get to the bottom of it in my experience. I think i'm getting more stressed about it because I'm 36 in a few weeks so terrified I've left it too late now.

I wish you lots of luck in conceiving and a healthy pregnancy. Fingers crossed it happens soon for you 🤞I'm sorry about your miscarriage and chemical pregnancy, that must have been devastating. But on a positive note it seems like you have no problems in conceiving which is good. Keep us updated 🙂

I was in the same situation as you with my cycles, anywhere from 60 to 140 days over the last 18 months for no apparent reason. No PCOS or other underlying issue we could tell.
I was also using ovusense and opks. I'm currently 9 weeks pregnant after trying all the vitamins to help regulate me, in the end I found using inositol along with drastically improving my diet (I lost 2 stone, I know that doesn't help if you aren't overweight) to be the one thing that helped shorten them until I got 2 cycles in a row around 35 days in length. Previous cycles I did seem to ovulate during each of them but I think having the shorter time leading up to it helped produce a healthy enough egg.
If you have anything you want to ask me I'll try to help.

@Aph413 I've bought inositol and have been taking 2 a day (2g) but know the recommended amount for those with pcos (that's me) amounts to 4g. Could you tell me, what did you take?

At their best my cycles are just shy of 7 weeks but when I conceived DS thry were 3 months
Now ttc for the last few yars5, on clomidene second cycle and still don't seem to have ovulated.

Do you track your periods on an app?

@Mycrazylife85 I took 4g a day, morning and evening. It also took a long time to build up in my system as many others had told me. But it didn't shorten my cycles entirely on it's own I believe, although I think it helped me with the weight loss too.

Hi @Niffler2019 I'm sorry your periods haven't stabilised after the pill. I've heard it can take a little while.

Unfortunately I was diagnosed with PCO in my early thirties. My ultrasound showed cysts and my cycles had been very irregular since I was a teenager. My blood tests showed normal hormone levels so they didn't diagnose the full disorder. That was 8 years ago.

I'm 39 nearly 40 now. It took me a long time to find the right person to start a family with. I was shocked to fall pregnant straight away and had hoped the PCO wouldn't cause me problems. Now I'm having this long cycle I fear it's symptomatic again. It just feels like the first pregnancy was a fluke. You're more fertile after a mc so maybe the second was too.

You're right there's so much conflicting information on it. The only solution offered seems to be crazy diets and I'm not that convinced they would lead to a normal cycle anyway.

Now I've conceived twice my doctor isn't worried and won't repeat the blood tests I had 8 years ago. Even though they were miscarriages. I've read pcos can cause miscarriage but my GP has said no. She also said it's genetic so I still have it so should try and keep healthy. The cysts were gone on the miscarriage scan but I've heard they can go with pregnancy anyway so there literally is no cure.

Have you ever had an ultrasound to see if there are cysts?

Try not to worry about age too much. 36 is still young reproductively speaking and you could have ten years left. I would say push the GP for more tests though as getting treatment if there is something wrong can take a while.

Good luck to you. I know how frustrating it is when your cycles are not predictable. Xx

Hi @Aph413

Thank you so much. It's lovely to hear a happy story. It sounds like the weight loss did it for you. Unfortunately I'm a little overweight now but that was due to weight gain during my missed miscarriage. I got to 12 weeks when I had the surgery so the hormones and sickness related eating piled the pounds in. My bmi is 28 which I know isn't awful but I'm trying hard to lose it.

I just started insotisol and I'm hoping it'll help. I tracked my cycles with Ovusense for three cycles before I ttc and they were so varied.
I did however ovulate each time albeit late in. I'd have an 8 week cycle then a 4 week one. Both cycles I got pregnant on I ovulated day 22 and 28 so would have been 5/6 week cycles.

Good luck with the pregnancy. I'm really happy for you as long cycles make it really tricky. I'm exhausted already! Xx

@Mycrazylife85 I'm taking 4gs a day. I use the Zita West powder. Xx

@SleepingStandingUp thanks for sharing. I know several ladies who've conceived a long way in to their cycles so although I'm cd 35 now I'm still hoping I ovulate.

I'm sorry it's taking you so long this time. My Mum and sister both needed clomid and I fully expected to as well. I've asked my doctor if I could try it but she wants me to carry on naturally as we had too conceptions even though miscarriages.

I have Ovusense which produces a graph of temps. I put these into Fertility Friend as well to get more info. Below is my current Ovusense chart so still no raise unfortunately 😞. Xx

Hi Catconfusion, My experience is for your reassurance really:

I was very concerned that my PCOS would affect my fertility. I would often go around 3 months without a period. Weight wasn't the issue as I've always been around a size 8-10. I wanted to get toned up for our wedding so I began running 5k 3 times a week and visiting the gym. The increased exercise seemed to regulate them. As soon as we were married we started to TTC. We conceived our DD first cycle.

Second baby was much more difficult. My cycles were long again and I wasn't doing all the exercise I did for the first. I was active though, chasing around a toddler and I hadn't yet realised/understood that increased exercise helped me regulate. My cycles were averaging an 8 week cycle at this point so not sure if I was even ovulating. We tried for a little over a year and were referred to a specialist. I was due to go the specialist on the Monday and the Friday before I found out I was 6 weeks pregnant! I only did the test to make sure I was clear before going to the specialist.

We want a third: I had returned to exercise, cycling and climbing. I found my cycle regulated again to 32ish days. I fell pregnant on my second cycle but unfortunately ended as a MMC at 12 weeks. I conceived again 2 cycles later and am now 4 and a half weeks pregnant.

What I know now about my cycles:
I'm an active person already and I've noticed over the years that if I increase my exercise then my periods regulate. This is how I seem to control my cycles. Unfortunately, I know it won't be the same for everyone.

So to query 'is it a fluke?' No, I don't believe it is. Sending love, as I know how frustrating just not knowing when you ovulate is! Best of luck and hope you get your BFP very soon.

Hi again @CatConfusion
Do you mind if I hop on for some help and other people's experiences?

For those that are interested here is my story! (Sorry it's so long! I rambled a bit!):

I have suffered with irregular cycles ever since I started as a teenager.

It didn't really affect me as a teenager because I didn't care that I wasn't bleeding every month!

I was in my early 20's when I began to lose weight, for my self esteem and confidence. Which seemed to shorten my cycles a little but but they were still incredibly long!

I met my boyfriend (first one, I was late to the dating game) and it was getting frustrating for us because we never knew when I was going to be bleeding (and let's say we had a couple of messy experiences in the bedroom!) So I went to the doctors about my irregular cycles.

Me being as naive and not clued up about anything I agreed to going on the pill. Which completely regularised my period (yay!! ... or so I thought!).

A year or so later we began talking of having a baby.. and I started panicking because the pill hadn't regularised my cycle at all.. it had just covered up a possible problem. I came off the pill and they went straight back to being long cycles.

So I gave it a couple of months and went back to the doctors and he sent me for an ultrasound and blood tests. The blood tests all came back normal and the ultrasound showed lots of small cysts on my right ovary. The doctor then said about PCO (not PCOS) and that I will be fine to get pregnant it just may take longer with the longer cycles.

We waited a few more months to start trying because we wanted to enjoy a holiday we had booked before trying.

I began charting my cycles in January, cycle 1 (37 days) I ovulated. Cycle 2 (39 days) I ovulated but the temp shift wasn't as high and cycle 3 currently CD43 no ovulation as of yet. But my temperature did rocket this morning but I'm not sure if that was just because I slept badly or I ovulated.. if I ovulated we have completely missed our chance! Because we haven't DTD for 2 days 🙁

So here we are now.. miserable because I think we've possibly missed ovulation.

So if anyone has any advice on TTC that would be so helpful!

I am still trying to lose more weight to help my cycles but I'm really struggling at the moment. I am quite active but food is beating me.

I am nervous to try new supplements.
I was reading about agnus castus yesterday and the information leaflet says not to use if trying to get pregnant so I was so confused! And now worried to try it.

What is inositol?

I started a thread the other day about it and got quite alot of peoples stories that had a long journey and its scared me so much.

Thanks for any input and sorry to have taken over your thread catconfusion!!

Arh thanks @snowflakeeel that's really encouraging. Congratulations and I'm sorry for the loss you had. My mmc is literally the most traumatic thing I've been through and then the chemical after. Tbh I do wonder if this cycle is a WTF cycle and next time will be better.

Great that you found exercise helped. I'm a little limited as I have osteoarthritis in my hips so I can't run or do anything too weight bearing. I've also put on a bit of weight in the last year. Surprisingly I've found periods better with the weight gain as I was a bit under weight. My bmi is now 28 so I need to lose a bit. The pregnancy put a stone on me as I had hypermesis and was eating lots to try and keep food down. Obviously gutted since we lost the baby anyway despite sickness usually being a good sign.

Your information was really helpful and I think I'm going to make more of an effort to do exercise based on it. I'm doing yoga at the moment but probably need to do more cardio.

Good luck with the pregnancy! Xx

No problem @EssJayyCee Any insights into this baffling condition are welcome! Xx

@EssJayyCee in answer to your questions about supplements...Inositol is a natural chemical in the body thought to be deficient in pcos ladies. Taking a supplement with it in is thought to help with egg quality and the functioning of the ovaries. It can be taken throughout pregnancy and has been shown to even help with labour and preventing preeclampsia.

What I would say is Agnus Castus is a powerful herb. There's a warning because it isn't advised in Pregnancy but as far as I can see it can be taken up until confirmed ovulation. In the past I found it really worked for me but wasn't trying to conceive then.

It is a little scary to see how long people have struggled but also lots who fell very quickly. It's a great sign you are ovulating. Remember some ladies ovulate regularly and have unexplained infertility so regular cycles don't always lead to a quick baby.

I thought I'd start the new thread as couldn't find much discussion on MN about irregular cycles. It causes so much distress during ttc and I think it's helpful to get support from others' who understand. Xx

Ess I sympathise. I finally got a smile on my ovulation kit last night but had the most horritic pain through my middle (trapped wind I think) that I couldn't even have contemplated a heated snog let alone PIV. 3 yo so no chance of morning sex. Will hopefully dtd tonight but worry little egg will have wilted by then.

@SleepingStandingUp good news about Opk. I can't use them as get false positives. Just find it frustrating so gave up on them. Also too expensive with the long cycles. Sounds like severe ovulation pain. I get in upset tummy around that time too! Xx

I cheat. I track from x days after tablets but every few days until the first sign the. Use the cheaper ones. Let's hope egg is still around tonight

@SleepingStandingUp that's good idea. I might have to think about that. Just frustrated by having no idea at the moment on day 35! Xx

@SleepingStandingUp hope your egg is there tonight too!

@SleepingStandingUp oh no! I got trapped wind the other night. So so painful I feel your pain.

Do you think it is possible to conceive the day after? We DTD this morning but I think it's too late.

Also, I am not sure it definitely was ovulation.

@CatConfusion I think I'm going to keep trying for a few more cycles until i try Agnus Castus or Inositol. This is still my first cycle ttc after all. Who knows what will happen!

I hope ovulation comes for you soon!

@EssJayyCee I think that's understandable considering it's early on. Just bare in mind it can take a few months to get supplements into your system. I wish I'd started Inositol earlier as very safe and effective. Agnus Castus is probably bringing out the big guns so to speak. It's a bit like a natural clomid so I'd use a few months in if cycles still erratic and no progress has been made. I'm only confident using because it definitely has shortened my cycles in the past. Xx

Well my app gives me a smiley face for 48 hours to say SEX NOW!!!!! so I think it's hard to predict the exact moment and sex around that date is good.
I tested last night so dtd tonight and then Tuesday lucky hubby!!

It took nearly two years with DS 1 but conceived naturally with some weight loss and exercise. Currently trying to loose weight again.

Might try insitol for next cycle

@SleepingStandingUp is that the digital ops? Can you start them at any point during your cycle? I'm thinking about giving them a go. I'm fed up of wandering what's going on.

I spoke too soon. I just got a peak on a cheapie. Annoyingly we can't dtd as DH has his sperm analysis tomorrow. We did get one in yesterday so I'm hoping that's enough to cover tomorrow!

I struggled for a decade thinking it was all due to w/PCOS before they realised I had hypothyroidism. When I started medication for that I got pregnant immediately. (Ended as ectopic (twice) because of tubal scarring from all the lap&dye and explorations they had done.)

BUT- I know getting the thyroid balanced definitely improved my fertility day 1.

So it's a really easy way to improve your chances if there's an issue.
✨✨✨🌬baby dust to you✨✨✨