TTC post pill - Halloween Party

[Moocher90]

Post pill party - Halloween Party

The dark mornings and nights are here and theres a full moon out! It’s that time of year when pumpkin sales go soaring, horror specials sell out at the cinema, and everyone is seemingly dressed up as a vampire or a zombie. To mark the spookiest time of year, we are sharing some of our tales of TTC post contraception.

Join us if your dare for a ghastly affair!

Welcome to the 13th post pill party thread. We are here for women who have recently come off the pill and women who have been off the pill for a longer time! Share and get support with the highs and lows of TTC.

@ChinChilly
@Juno231
@CharWils
@Moocher90
@MissM94
@MissC07
@Kay00
@TheDaydreamBelievers
@pineapple2021
@Theosmommy2011
@Lovebug06
@WhirlingD
@Carolinesturn
@Tillybabs
@redclueless
@Cams50
@sunshinedaisybuttermellow
@Kat668

Sorry to anyone I have missed off.

That's great news @TheDaydreamBelievers so glad you got your app. How are you feeling about going on the medicated cycles?

Actually feeling okay @Gracie2021. As you said, it feels so much better having a certain next step rather than all the waiting and uncertainty. And Yeap @SkeletonSkins you hit it on the head too; this gives a chance. For 2 years I've been scarcely (if at all) ovulating and haven't had chances. Now hopefully I respond to meds and have a chance

@TheDaydreamBelievers oh well that’s exciting, fingers crossed for a lovely spring positive!!

@Gracie2021 well I really really hope this one works but if it I guess at least you know what the plan is now.

I’m technically 5dpo but I’m not convinced I ovulated. I had a big fall in temp yesterday and then when I’ve taken my temp this morning the first time it was high again so I was like yay it’s back up maybe I did, but then I decided to temp again for some reason and that one was low and it’s been low each time since, I’ve check a few times in the past couple of mins. So idk. I know you’re meant to use the first temp but I can’t help but feel it was an error. What I don’t understand is I’ve had quite a few post ovulation symptoms.

I’m not sure temping is working for me to be honest, it makes me really anxious and then that’s affecting my sleep which in turn affects the temping.

@SkeletonSkins sorry to jump on your comments. Think I’m in a pretty similar situation to you, and would love to join the chat.

I came off the pill in January 2021 and was told I likely had lean-PCO in summer 2021. Lack of periods in this time and likely no ovulation. I was put on 500mg metformin in Sept 2021 and have just increased to 1000mg about 10 days ago. Have just got my referral submitted - after a lot lot lot of to-ing and fro-ing! Find the whole thing pretty stressful! It’s frustrating how hard it can be, made even worse when you want something so much.

Would be keen to follow your journey and others on the post too :)

@Saraht1991 myself and @Kay00 are similar stories - not much ovulating, on ovulation inducing drugs. Though both at 2 year mark and in fertility services now. Welcome!

@TheDaydreamBelievers and @kay00 thanks for the welcome! May I ask which ovulation inducing drugs you are on?

Where abouts are you? I’m down in surrey.

Ah I’m sorry to hear you’re in the same boat @Saraht1991, If you were born in 1991 looks like we’re the same age too! It’s so frustrating just waiting and feeling like you can’t do anything proactive to make a difference. Like @TheDaydreamBelievers there’s a few lovely posters with similar stories who have been really helpful to me and I’m sure you’ll be very welcome on the thread!

I had a frustrating phone call from the pharmacy yesterday just as a follow up from me being prescribed metformin. She asked me how it was going and what I knew about why I’d been prescribed it. So I explained about pcos and insulin resistance and she then went on to say that did I know about the important of weight loss and diet and how that would be just as important for me as the metformin. I was a bit taken a back to be honest, she’s never seen me in person so had made a bit of an assumption there. I said well I’m a healthy BMI and I do try to eat well and not too many carbs. She said oh right well the thing is you need to be doing exercise. I said I swim 4/5 times a week and walk good distanced most days, I also have a hobby which involves running. She didn’t really know what to go with then, and just said, well don’t eat foods with lots of sugar. To be fair sugar is my downfall and I could definitely do with eating a bit less but I definitely don’t eat loads. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, so a bit of chocolate on a Friday night doesn’t feel like the biggest sin in the world. Anyway I just felt frustrated that it felt like there was an implication that the PCOS is almost my fault, in a way, and if I would only eat better and lose weight it would go - but without checking what my diet is like to begin with and just making an assumption based on my diagnosis. I’ve actually had food issues in the past, nothing awful but at one point that sort of comment would have lead to me really cutting my calories to an unhealthy level. Not sure if I’m just being over sensitive though as I’m sure ultimately she was trying to help.

I’m possibly 5dpo. I wish a could get a blood test to confirm ovulation but my doctors aren’t being hugely helpful and I feel like I’m constantly on at them at the minute. I’ve continued to have sore nipples and I’ve had some cramping today but that could be the metformin. My lh has stayed really low and it would normally be rising again now if it was a failed attempt, with EWCM too, but I’ve not had any for a few days now.

@Saraht1991 at next period I start letrozole. Had zero help until literally one day ago when the assisted conception clinic saw us! @Kay00 is on clomid I think.

@SkeletonSkins have you had insulin resistance confirmed?? I’ve never been tested, so I’m just hopeful that it will do something and get my cycles back! Like you, sugar is my downfall! But I eat pretty healthily, but there’s the presumption that if you have pcos that you lead an unhealthy lifestyle. Friends that I have with pcos are generally really healthy slim people! How have you found the metformin so far?

@TheDaydreamBelievers good luck!! How have you found the assisted conception clinic? And how long did your referral take until you got to see a consultant?

@Saraht1991 NHS Scotland (Glasgow) - referred Oct 2021, 'seen' (telephone) mid Feb 2022. Worth noting we paid for all the assessments privately otherwise we would have waited a long time for those (semen analysis, AMH, 2x pelvic ultrasound, hycosy).

@Saraht1991 no not confirmed but doing things to reduce my insulin response does seem to have helped. The metformin was initially a bit bumpy due to the symptoms but it’s totally fine now! How is it for you?

Oh @TheDaydreamBelievers that’s interesting about tbe testing, do you mind me asking how much that cost? It’s definitely something we’re consisting paying for as I’m conscious that the waits can be very long.

I’ve decided to stop temping for this cycle. I’m fairly sure I ovulated and if I haven’t then I guess I’ll find out when I get no period and no BFP next week. I guess there’s s small chance I could have not ovulated and then get a period, but that doesn’t generally happen for me and I’m willing to take that risk. Temping was giving me so much anxiety and stopping me from sleeping, and then massively affecting my mood. So we’ve stopped and j had the most amazing sleep last night! I still have very sore nipples which I’ve never had before so I’m taking that as a sign ovulation happened!

@SkeletonSkins £1,000. Our local private clinics do a £500 package for AMH, pelvic scan, semen analysis, consultation with a consultant gynae who specialises in fertility. We then also paid private for a hycosy (£500) in same clinic.

The NHS said the wait list for semen analysis atm is 3mo, the waitlist for hycosy is ~8mo, for a pelvic scan around 6mo. For us, it was worth 1k to skip those stages

@SkeletonSkins I’m now up to 1000mg metformin a day. The aim is to get up to 1500mg, but I’ve only been on the 1000mg for just over a week and I don’t feel ready to move up yet! I find it plays havoc with my stomach for the first few weeks, so just need to let it settle! What level have you made it up to?

Definitely worth considering some private options if you can afford it. We were quite lucky with the waiting times for SA, pelvic scan. But haven’t had the hycosy yet.

@TheDaydreamBelievers thanks for that, definitely worth it and would be affordable for us. Definitely considering that as an option.

@Saraht1991 yeah I was the same with the tummy issues, I’m on 1000 at the minute, due to be reviewed in may to possibly increase but if I’ve failed to ovulate this time then I’m going to ask if I can just increase it now.

@TheDaydreamBelievers so pleased your finally getting somwhere with your referral! Keeping everything crossed for you!

@SkeletonSkins that phone call with your pharmacy sounds really frustrating.

We found out on Friday we're having a little girl, both super shocked as we were both convinced it was a boy, I think it's still sinking in to be honest.

@ChinChilly oh wow absolutely amazing, congratulations!! Does it feel real now? How far along are you if you don’t mind me asking?

Congratulations @chinchilly! Hope you have some beautiful names in mind xx

@SkeletonSkins I think its still sinking in! 18 weeks now it's going so quick!

@TheDaydreamBelievers we haven't thought of any names or brought anything yet but I'm thinking we need to get organised now.

@ChinChilly ah congratulations! So glad she decided to play ball this time and not hide from the camera ☺️ Hope the sickness has died down too for you.

@Saraht1991 Welcome! I'm also in Surrey 👋

@MissC07 thanks!! Ooh where abouts?! I’m in Surrey heartlands CCG!

@Saraht1991 I'm also Surrey Heartlands!! (Had to go on my GP's website to find that out 🤣)

Morning all, hope you all had a lovely weekend. I’m 7dpo today. My nipples are so sore today, like actual little daggers! And I’ve got some pink/brown spotting this morning, really hoping it’s not a sign that AF is on her way very early. First time I’ve seen blood since last August though so either way a sign that something is happening.

@SkeletonSkins that’s great! Hopefully that’s the metformin doing it’s job! How long have you been on 1000mg for now?

Hi ladies. Just popped back to see how everyone was doing.

Absolutely huge congratulations on your news of having little girls @Juno231 @ChinChilly over the moon for you both!

Sending huge hugs and wishes to everyone ❤❤