Just diagnosed with pcos been trying for 9m some advice please

[Leahf]

Hey everyone,

Today I’m feeling pretty low and looking for some advice and things that worked for you when ttc with pcos!

Yesterday I had it confirmed that I had pcos after my ultrasound scan I’ve had bloods and they’re sending me for further blood testing before referring me onto a fertility clinic! I live in the U.K. so all of these things take a while, In the meantime I’m wondering if there’s anything more I can be doing?

I eat a healthy balanced diet, my bmi is 23.4, I’m fairly active, I’m using pregnecare preconceive tablets and I’m using a concierge friendly lubricant! I’m trying to cut down to one coffee a day and I’m cutting down on sugar
I’ve been trying to track my ovulation but I’m not really having any peak results using opk’s.
I am going to start after this cycle tracking my bbt!

Is there anything else that worked for you guys? Any lifestyle changes? Vitamins anything?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I feel very low at the minute and like I’m in a limo whilst waiting for referrals and treatment 🙁

You mention coffee but what about cola type drinks or tea?

Try Myo-inositol (MyOva or Ovasitol) it's good for PCOS women.

OPKs don't tend to work well for PCOS women cos our hormones aren't balanced. I use Ovusense for tracking my temp and confirming when I ovulate.

I’ve cut right back on tea I only drink camomile of a night time really!

I’ve seen my ova on amazon but was sceptical!

I will try ovusense thank you 😊
I’m willing to try anything really but I already feel a little deflated without even being seen at the fertility clinic! Just hoping it gets better from now on 🤞

Inofolic is a supplement with Myo inositol and folic acid. Worked for me both times and conceived within 3 months the first time, and 1 month the second. 2 beautiful, healthy babies when I didn't think I would be able to have any as BMI was slightly too low for fertility treatment.

Another recommending Myo inositol, I have pcos and have had 4 pregnancies - the 2 that didn’t end in miscarriage were the ones I was taking myo inositol daily.

I have PCOS and tried to concieve for five years without any joy. As I'd a healthy BMI and was a size 10 my consultant said my diet was fine and so I never researched that aspect of PCOS any further.

After five years of no success and just waiting to reach the top of the fertility treatment list I felt I needed to do something proactive so I made an appointment with a private dietician, I'd kept a food diary for two weeks prior and she went through it with me and we discussed my eating habits. She recommended very minor and easy changes... After three months following her advice I fell pregnant naturally, currently 16 weeks. Best £40 I ever spend.

Also, please don't think PCOS is an infertility sentence. It can be managed and lots of women do get pregnant. Good luck.

I literally couldn't recommend OvuSense enough. It's absolutely amazing, pricey- yes. But so easy to use and very accurate!

However,

Medicine-wise. Metformin has been a total life saver for me, I had no hope before it as GP's basically won't help us at all due to my partner already having children ☹️ I know I wasn't ovulating prior to taking it. They started me on one tablet a day (500mg) and it didn't really do anything but I fought for the higher dose of 1000mg and it's made me ovulate every month without fail and has took my 100 day cycles down to an average 30 days, it's actually made me hopeful that we will have a baby one day. So hopeful that be actually disregarded the 2 years we've spent trying because I know for a fact I didn't ovulate, we're 2 cycles in and it feels like a fresh start.

Alleviating stress levels has really worked for me, literally just chilling out as much as I can. Not sweating the small stuff. Having a daily walk. Has worked amazingly too. I just feel in a better headspace and I feel that helps a lot.

Everyone is different but don't stop fighting for what you feel you need. In my experience, doctors can be pretty lazy and have been more likely to actually help me if i go to them and actually tell them what I think I need. It's not right but it seems so have been the way it's happened for me!

Good luck OP🥰

Just so you know I have pcos, and a dd whose 20 months. I never thought I’d be a mum. I had about one period a year. It can happen. This is just a hope injection. Xx

Thank you so much everyone for your suggestions!
I’m going to try everything recommended as I don’t want to wait about for my referral to come through with the fertility clinic🤦🏻‍♀️

I feel abit down after the news just purely because I’m anticipating a long journey of trying after already been trying for almost a year which has been hard enough mentally!
You just never really expect to have problems do you when you picture having children! Everything else is ready and perfect I just need my little baby now!

I can’t thank you all enough for your comments it’s made me feel a little bit back in control 🤗

Hi @Leahf I don't have any advice, but I am also in a similar place as I have just been diagnosed with PCOS too. I already have a daughter who is 2.5 and unfortunately had a miscarriage in December and since then symptoms have flared I think because everything has been irregular since then. Including irregular cycles, no ovulation, hair loss etc. I'm also really interested in the Inositol as have read alot of success with that, tomorrow I have a gp appt I am going to push for the metformin as my BMI is high.

What further bloods are they doing for you? Xx

Hi, I was diagnosed with pcos after coming off the pill and periods going awol for a year. Although my blood tests looked fine, I suffered with spots, irregular periods, and a scan showed cysts on my ovaries. I had clomid for my first pregnancy but after him, my cycles were normal ish and it all calmed down. I then went on to have 3 more children naturally and am expecting our last now.
From my research, pcos can be relieved by eating a low gi diet, switch to wholemeal, go easy on carbs, don't be afraid of extra protein and good fats, and try a little exercise every day or every other day. Keto diet perhaps? Ovulation sticks did work for me, and it showed my body tried to ovulate around day 14, but failed, then tried again around day 19, and I had slightly shorter luteal phases of about 10 to 12 days. So don't presume you ovulate 14 days before your period.
I would try to eat healthy fats too, Avacados, olive oil, eggs, both of you to take a multivitamin for ttc, and perhaps ubiquinal supplements for you both (slow releasing coq10).

I hope things work out for you, like they did for me! Pcos doesn't mean you can't have children, just means you might need a bit of extra help

I have PCOS - it took me 18months to get pregnant my first child and 18sec for the second 🤣

It's stressful and heartbreaking.

I learnt to ready my body, checking my discharge, temperature, pain, moods etc.
I could tell roughly where my ovulation was.
My cycles were anywhere between 19-60 days.

I did go for acupuncture and had a Chinese herbal tea made for me. I also had a laparoscopy to check out a few things.
I was regular after that but can't say what actually helped the laparoscopy or the Chinese medicine.

The more you stress about getting pregnant the harder it becomes. It's a vicious cycle I'm afraid.

Oh and using metformin is meant to help with regulating cycles for pcos, are yours irregular? You could ask your GP if you can try metformin while you wait

Echoing pps to encourage you. It must feel really upsetting to be faced with this diagnosis after having already tried for a while. But there is loads you can do to swing the odds in your favour and get your body working optimally again.

Switch your diet to low carb (but not keto, which will reduce fertility), and take all the supplements. A nutritionist might be a good idea if you need help with meal ideas, or somebody to pull all the info and research together for you, though you can find it yourself if you have time.

Acupuncture is great for balancing hormones. You’ll need a fair few sessions, though, as you need to give the body time to respond to it.

Fertility hypnotherapy can make a massive difference too. Not only does it really help with the stress and gives you coping strategies, it also doubles fertility rates. The mind can have a huge effect on the body, so you want to make sure it’s working for you, not (inadvertently) against you.

Exercise should be in moderation, as too much reduces fertility, especially for PCOS.

Good luck!

Thank you all for your replies!
I have ordered inofolic that should be delivered tomorrow! I have also been looking into Mira has anyone used this?

I’m not 100% sure what these bloods are for as I’ve already had bloods done before my scan🤔
I’m going to look into a nutritionist I currently buy Gousto every week so I think I eat fairly healthy! I’ve not had any caffeine in the past few days! I just need to see if I’m doing the right thing with my diet!

I’m also going to try and do some more light exercise

Good luck 😀

@Leahf

Thank you all for your replies! I have ordered inofolic that should be delivered tomorrow! I have also been looking into Mira has anyone used this?

I’m not 100% sure what these bloods are for as I’ve already had bloods done before my scan🤔
I’m going to look into a nutritionist I currently buy Gousto every week so I think I eat fairly healthy! I’ve not had any caffeine in the past few days! I just need to see if I’m doing the right thing with my diet!

I’m also going to try and do some more light exercise

Just wondering how you got on, did the inofolic work for you?