At my whits end now!! :(

[mrsgtobe97]

Hello,

Unsure if this is the right corner of Mumsnet to be posting but I thought I'd give it a go, I'm really at my whits end with everything now and need some advice

I came off the pill December 2019, and since then I got my first real period in March, one in May, and one in July. I'm now awaiting the next one, my dr isn't concerned because I seem to be having a bleed every other month and she keeps saying to give it more time, but I'm certain something is wrong and my irregular periods is down to something else, I'm also overweight and I have been on a diet and exercise plan for a month now and lost nothing, I'm now starting to wonder if it's linked? Could my hormones be stopping me losing weight?

Maybe worth noting, when I was 15 (23 now) I had cysts all over my ovaries and was off school with so much pain for a long time, they eventually went away and I've never had them since but should I mention this to the dr?

I just don't know what to do and every time I speak to my dr I just get told to wait longer, but we want to try for baby when I get my weight down a bit, but I can't seem to do it, and my periods are so irregular it's going to make trying so so so hard

Thanks to anyone who has read this, just looking for some help :( what do I do?

You seem to have some of the classic symptoms of PCOS. I came off the pill at the end of May and only had one true period since. That cycle was 58 days, so similar to you. I didn't want to wait, so saw a private GP who referred me to gynae. I was given an internal ultrasound and my follicle count seems high (35) although apparently my ovaries look healthy and he didn't comment on the follicle count - probably because he's waiting for the results of my bloods which I'm having done tomorrow. I'm pretty convinced he's going to tell me at my follow up that I have PCOS. Did you tell your GP you are TTC? How old are you? Even if it is PCOS, there are lots of treatments to help with ovulation, like metformin, clomid and letrozole so try not to freak out too much - easier said than done, I know!

Hi, @mrsgtobe97 so sorry you're going through this.
If I were you, I'd be asking for a second opinion at this point. I was having really irregular bleeds, sometimes bleeding for 21 days solid, other times I'd have a break. There was just no pattern to it. When I went to my GP, they said I should have came to them sooner but it still too ages after that to be taken seriously. Eventually I seen another GP who started running tests and then I was referred for a scan. This was when Covid was starting to hit so I paid for the scan privately and straight away they thought it was PCOS. It came back clear but as I paid for this, I was referred further up in the NHS for a laparoscopy and a hyteroscopy that I was waiting on.
Now fell pregnant and symptoms have cleared away x
Good luck OP xx

@lawandgin

You seem to have some of the classic symptoms of PCOS. I came off the pill at the end of May and only had one true period since. That cycle was 58 days, so similar to you. I didn't want to wait, so saw a private GP who referred me to gynae. I was given an internal ultrasound and my follicle count seems high (35) although apparently my ovaries look healthy and he didn't comment on the follicle count - probably because he's waiting for the results of my bloods which I'm having done tomorrow. I'm pretty convinced he's going to tell me at my follow up that I have PCOS. Did you tell your GP you are TTC? How old are you? Even if it is PCOS, there are lots of treatments to help with ovulation, like metformin, clomid and letrozole so try not to freak out too much - easier said than done, I know!

Thanks for replying it's much appreciated, think I'm going to ask to speak to a different dr, I'm 23 and yeah I told her we were trying, she just said to give it time but it's just impossible to have sex every second day for 70 days! Xx

@ScottishLassie91

Hi, *@mrsgtobe97* so sorry you're going through this. If I were you, I'd be asking for a second opinion at this point. I was having really irregular bleeds, sometimes bleeding for 21 days solid, other times I'd have a break. There was just no pattern to it. When I went to my GP, they said I should have came to them sooner but it still too ages after that to be taken seriously. Eventually I seen another GP who started running tests and then I was referred for a scan. This was when Covid was starting to hit so I paid for the scan privately and straight away they thought it was PCOS. It came back clear but as I paid for this, I was referred further up in the NHS for a laparoscopy and a hyteroscopy that I was waiting on. Now fell pregnant and symptoms have cleared away x Good luck OP xx

Yeah think I'm going to ask to speak to a different doctor, they done bloods in May which said looked okay but I'm not convinced that would of shown anything at all xx

If it is PCOS then losing weight should help considerably.

Now you’ve tried it for a month then maybe make your current diet plan slightly stricter for this month.

@awsomer

If it is PCOS then losing weight should help considerably.

Now you’ve tried it for a month then maybe make your current diet plan slightly stricter for this month.

I'd be struggling to be any harder on myself, I've been exercising an hour a day for 6 days a week and eating 1400 calories

Have you been taking photos/measurements? If you’ve been hard exercising for an hour every single day then it could be that you’re losing fat but not weight because of muscle growth.

If it’s not that then I would look to changing plan. If 1400 cals every day isn’t working then perhaps switch to an intermittent fasting plan (16:8 or similar). Look into different plans to see what else could work for you, if your current one isn’t.

If OP does have PCOS then it will likely be more difficult to lose weight due to insulin resistance. I would not recommend going below 1400 kcals if you exercising for an hour a day OP. Although looking at nutrition (healthy fats over simple carbs, for example) may be helpful.

Hey,

I've also had some issues with my period! Off the pill end of November ; period Dec - March every 35 days! Then randomly went to a 67 day cycle, then to a 45 day as I used conceive plus ovulation support (off amazon or google it) and my cycle went from 67 days to 28 days and now ovulation day 21 so looks like I'm back to my 35 day cycle and I'm SURE it's due to the support supplementsn

I have PCOS but have managed to get it under control naturally. Not saying everyone could do this - maybe I only have it mild or something. But I can tell you what I did in case it helps.
I started taking myoinositol and folic acid together every morning. From researching it, I found that myoinositol is safe in pregnancy (some studies show it actually helps with gestational diabetes). I've been taking it for years and my cycle has been like clockwork since being on it for about three months. Supposedly it helps your cells be more receptive to insulin. I could never lose weight either (though am a healthy weight as I love exercise) but since being on the myoinositol I can lose roughly one pound a week if I eat 1250kcal a day with a good bit of exercise, such as walk 3miles and cycle 5miles.
I'm not saying it's an instant fix but if it works as well for you as for me then it might give you a helping hand xx

Hi Op! It can sometimes take a little while for your body to regulate after birth control but they say six months usually!

I would push to be tested for PCOS or other hormone issues and maybe ask if they'll that your thyroid as well? I usually book an appointment with whoever the locum/visiting doctor is at my surgery as they're less bothered about budget and are more willing to run tests!

I DO have PCOS and when I weighed less than I do now (have gained through stress/grief in the last few months) my periods were coming every month. This is the first time my period has gone missing since coming off the pill a year ago and it's definitely weight related for me.

If you do have PCOS, stress (and putting your body through exercise stress) can make it harder apparently? I am not an expert as I struggle myself but I have been told by an 'expert' that you're better off doing HIIT (high intensive interval training) for 15 minutes a day + strength training for 20 minutes a day, rather than doing cardio for an hour. Obvs not sure what you're doing but just a suggestion!
Sadly, I find doctor's are unlikely to do anything unless you go three months without a period! And they won't do anything about TTC until you've been trying for at least a year - at your age I've heard of people being fobbed off until they've been trying two years as they're 'still young' so be prepared to fight your corner!

Did you skip straight to 1400 calories and an hour exercise a day?

I lost 3.5 stone previously before the world fell apart. So it is possible even if you do have hormone problems!

I had similar happen to me OP. I was told they wouldn't investigate until after a year of unsuccessfully TTC. I went about 3-4 months without a period and actually fell pregnant with DS1 without having a period for months before.

Why did you go on the pill in the first place? How long were you on it? Which one were you on as some can take longer to leave your system than others.

My problems were put down to being on the pill for over ten years before TTC. I successfully conceived DS2 without the same problem (but I was on a different pill, not on it as long and stopped taking it six months before TTC).

MrsKin90 is right, OP - I jumped the gun a bit... def get tested for PCOS first! Saying that, myoinositol won't hurt even if you don't have PCOS (it actually used to be classed as a B vitamin I think, and your body makes some naturally too) so maybe it's worth a try if you're waiting ages for a Dr appt xx

@HerringGull I don't want to take over ops post but I'm interested to hear myo-inositol has helped you steadily lose weight. Can I ask what brand you took and how much?

@MrsKin90 I've used the viridian one which is premixed with folic acid. Also I used the jarrow one once, which has no folic acid. Did research it long time ago and can't remember what effect the folic acid was supposed to have 😂 I just take the amount it says on the bottle, which is about one heaped tsp every morning mixed in a little water.
Still have to really work at losing weight but at least it is possible!

Hi @mrsgtobe97,

I think you may have to try a new Doctor, but please mention you have had cysts before and can not lose weight. They will be more inclined to run tests if they know this. PCOS would explain why you didn't lose anything if your seriously cut your calories and upp'd your exercise.

Either way losing weight and diet modification helps, but it is difficult to balance with ttc. It may be easier to just forget about ttc for a few months and see how much you can drop in that time.

Hi!
I am really sorry about what’s happening to you.
I don’t know much about PCOS but I bought a book a few days ago that I think might be able to help you.
It’s called Period Manual Repair by Lara Briden. I have read a few books on the subject as I have been TTC for 2 years and it’s from far the best, its about how the pill can mess us up and what to do to fix your cycle. There’s a 30 page section on PCOS too if it’s what you have. You can identify the type and it gives you diet and supplement recommendations to fix it. Read the comments you’ll see it has helped many women :)
Good luck! X

Thank you everyone, I'm a bit confused now as I took a test to double check as I'm now on cycle day 72 and I got the attached, but I've tested with a FRER which is negative? This test is 10miu and no scooby when I ovulated

@mrsgtobe97 I'm sorry, I don't really know what it means. Maybe try again in a couple of days? Hope you're okay x

Hmm I see the line you mean. Does it have colour in person? It looks colourless in the picture and I would probably trust the FRER if it was taken with the same urine. I'd test again in 2/3 days? If it's a genuine positive it should be clearer by then 🤞🤞

Test negative so definitely was a dud as never showed on FRER, currently on cycle day 75 and feel so down, longest cycle yet and I've just no idea what to do, we are meant to be starting to try around spring next year and it's just going to be absolutely impossible and my dr won't do anything. Feel like giving up and going back on the pill 😭

Oh no, stick with it! It sounds like you've been doing really well with the diet - it's so tough to stick to something for that long when it doesn't seem to be working, so if you've got that kind of willpower you can definitely do it!
I guess you could maybe tweak the diet a bit more in your favour, so either an extra walk every day, or eat 150cal fewer or something like that (whichever you'd find easier to manage). Maybe also give the myoinositol a try for three or four months. There's another thread doing the rounds just now about it, and a couple of people with PCOS have been recommended it by their doctors, so definitely worth a go. I know you don't definitely have PCOS but it does sound a lot like it. Maybe you could also try another doctor if yours is not very helpful? It's not like PCOS is expensive to diagnose or anything so it doesn't seem very reasonable to refuse you.
Hope you manage to get some results soon xx

Got a phone consult with a different dr a week today so I'm hoping that can shed some light on it, just feel so down and just want it sorted now

had a private gp consult this morning through my work who is going to write to my own gp to insist I get investigated for PCOS, she wants me to get a full hormone panel done and a scan so I'm hoping I can get the ball rolling with that. She said it's likely I have PCOS so now it will be a matter of getting a diagnosis from my gp if they don't fob me off again!

That's really good progress! Hopefully that gets the ball rolling for you 😊