Metformin, pcos & Ovulation - help/advice

[Katie2021]

Hi

Ive been prescribed metformin as I’ve not had a period for the last 3 months and recently been diagnosed with pcos (we are trying for our first baby)

Just wondering if anyones been in a similar situation and how long did it take if it helped you to ovulate? Get pregnant or bring your periods back? and how much a day was you taking?

Im also taking inositol along side, and some vitamins

I know everyone’s different I just wanted to hear everyone’s experiences, im really struggling to have a clue with ovulation as the strips look like they get dark close but never positive,

if you think anything helped you please advise I eat healthy and exercise (walking and weights) 💜💜

When ttc my dd I went on 1000mg per day metformin, it took three months of taking it to get pregnant. I’ve just started taking it again to ttc dc2 and am hoping for a similar timeframe!

Hey I don’t have the answer but I’m in exactly same situation could honestly have wrote this. Just to let you know your not alone x

@Kelsie2022 hi just want to let you know since this post I’ve been taking metformin 1500mg per day and it took 8 weeks for my first period to come back ☺️ I’ve not had a second period yet as I’m not due on yet, but hopefully praying I’ll be ovulating again this month! Hopefully It will be regular again X

Hi there @Katie2021 :) i just wanted to check in how you are getting on now? I just came across your post as I am in the exact same boat atm. 2 and a half months in at a dose of 1500 a day but have only had 1 AF so far so nothing has regulated yet :(
Side effects have finally started to settle down though thankfully which is something!

Hi @SusieNI I’m about the same time in as you! And the same for me ! I had one AF (mine was very heavy and painful and long compared to normal but doctor said it was because I didn’t have one for so long) but yes I’m just waiting on my second AF or just to hopefully ovulate! But I’m on cycle day 40 and still nothing yet! So I don’t feel like it regulated me as of yet, wonder how long it takes! I’ve been referred to gyne for clomid to help me ovulate, but the waiting is so long for appointments!! All this waiting can be difficult! How are you getting on? Xx

I was on 1500mg metformin but it did nothing for me apart from made me sick lol I changed over to infolic alpha and it works amazing. Also on clomid now 🥰

Aw very similiar then! Im day 56 now and nothing :( meh! I've arranged a follow up appointment for a few weeks with my fertility clinic to start clomid, just dont want to wait any longer and move forward.

@SusieNI @Harper02 I use a temperature tracking device called ovusense to track ovulation too, and for the first time it’s confirmed ovulation through my temperature! I also got a super dark ovulation test line the same day! It’s saying I ovulated on Monday So I’m hoping I’ve ovulated this month! 🙏🏻

We luckily dtd sat sun and Monday as I was suspecting I was ovulating with the darker ovulation tests! So we kept it covered! It would have worked out i ovulated on CD45 which is a lot better than my previous 126 day cycle! Just the waiting game now, I’m going away for a week on Sunday so atleast that will take my mind off it until I’m back! How are you getting on xxx

Would you recommend the Ovusense? Is it comfortable..? 🙈 i saw it but thought it looked a bit much but am desperate as I cant figure out if I'm ovulating at all right now :(

@SusieNI just got off holiday and tested today and i got my BFP today !!! 😭😭 so I would really recommend it!!! I don’t ovulate often, having irregular periods and so I bought to confirm if and when I did ovulate as I have PCOS, it confirmed ovulation around the 19th September and i got my BFP at 13 dpo today!!! It’s was first month cycle using it and I think it helped me to estimate when I was going to ovulate because you see a temp dip so I just dtd when that happened (I joined a ovusense chat on here for all the questions with my chart) which really helped me understand it all.

yes you can’t feel it if you position it high up correctly because it’s numb so you don’t really feel it, also if you don’t think your ovulating Definitely book an appointment with the doctor asap, they will check hormones in blood test and maybe scan to see if everything’s okay, if your not ovulating they will figure out why and can give you tablets to help with it or even refer you to a gynaecologist to help xxxxx

ill attach a picture of my chart xx

Aww congrats @Katie2021 that's lovely news. Did you test before 13dpo? I'm 12dpo today but all negative so far.

@SusieNI how are you?

@Harper02 my first test was 13dpo, because I’ve been on holiday so decided to try not think about it in the 2ww until I was home, we just got back that day then I did a test pretty much as soon as I got in, and there it was! I didn’t expect it to be so visible because I’ve only ever had faint one xxx

i honestly felt like how I usually feel just before my period starts so I just put it down to that! , sore boobs started feeling kind of crampy, they was the main thing I noticed and the past couple of days have felt a little more intense cramps and sore nipples! and I did get a cold in the 2ww which can also be a symptom xxx

I thinks it’s different for everyone though it all depends when you implant if you implant earlier think you get stronger hcg levels for a positive test xx

Aw @Katie2021 I am so happy for u!!! So exciting for u and gives hope to the rest of us! 💕💕💕

@Harper02 I am good thank you! Just starting clomid now this month so a little anxious but excited to take this next step. How are you?

@Katie2021 aww that's brilliant. I've got the period feeling, had some brown spotting but period was due today so who knows. Keep us posted on how you are!

@SusieNI I'm doing grand, waiting for my period lol hope clomid goes well for you!

Metformin helped me and I have two gorgeous children! Took
Me about a year. Make sure you read about a low glycemic index diet and follow it. Xx

I've been on metformin since march and it hasn't regulated my cycles at all 😔

My personal experience of metformin hasnt been great.

Metformin has been really difficult for me to tolerate. The first few months were unbearable from the side effects but I've persevered in hope of them settling down and seeing some regularity

@SusieNI aww thank you! 💜 let us know how you get on with clomid! How exciting, im praying this is what works for you! do they track ovulation with you when you have clomid so you know what days your ovulating? I’ve been on a waiting list for it for a long time! So never got round to having it! But it’s exciting next steps as it seems to work for a lot of people! Xxxx

@Harper02 thank you 💜as long as af hasn’t arrived yet your still in! Do you track ovulation? This month I used something called ovusense (it’s quite expensive but worked for me this month so it was worth it!) you wear it at night and it tracks your temp overnight and puts in a chart on your phone, and when you see a temp dip it’s potentially ovulation so used that as an indicator to dtd more, and it confirms if you have ovulated. It supposed to be really accurate if you have pcos, after I bought it I joined a chat on here that was all about ovusense to ask a lot of questions about my chart haha it was so helpful xxx

@beonmywaythen aww amazing to hear! Did you keep taking metformin once you found out you was pregnant? I asked the doctor he was kind of like well you can but don’t have too. So I wasn’t sure what was best, I’m still taking up to now I read it can be helpful just up to 12 weeks, also hope you don’t mind me asking but did you have to take anything like progesterone once pregnant? Or did you maintain a healthy pregnancy naturally throughout? I’m just overthinking and worried if there’s something I should push for to help maintain having pcos xxx

@MK85 ive been on it about 15 weeks and this will be the second time I’ve ovulated, yes I hear a lot of people say that about metformin, it took a little getting used to at first but I’ve never had side affects like people say, the only time it ever upset my stomach on them was if I hadn’t eaten heathy that day, then it didn’t agree with me! Think it works different for everyone. Are you taking inositol? It’s a herbal version of metformin people don’t seem to have side affects with inositol so that might work well for you xxx I took it along side metformin so it could have been that that worked! I took it after i eat each meal Xxx

Im totally with you on the side effects :(
Im on it 3 months now and only in the last few weeks has it minorly settled down! Im just luck i work from home and have been close to a loo these last 3 months 🙈 I cant imagine what I would have dine otherwise. Have you also noticed Metformin is a carb lover? Lol if i tried to have a green smoothie/anything too fruity for breakfast Metformin was having none of it😂😂 its a toast lover lol

@beonmywaythen aww amazing to hear! Did you keep taking metformin once you found out you was pregnant? I asked the doctor he was kind of like well you can but don’t have too. So I wasn’t sure what was best, I’m still taking up to now I read it can be helpful just up to 12 weeks, also hope you don’t mind me asking but did you have to take anything like progesterone once pregnant? Or did you maintain a healthy pregnancy naturally throughout? I’m just overthinking and worried if there’s something I should push for to help maintain having pcos xxx

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Hey yes I did keep taking it. I have an obgyn in the family who said to keep taking it. I also had miscarriages before so I took progesterone suppositories for the first 12 weeks and I carried to full term two healthy babies. It won't hurt you or the baby to take progesterone so might as well. Miscarriages are heartbreaking. Xxx

@beonmywaythen aww sorry to hear about your past mc, I know it’s awful to go through 💜 that’s why I’ve asked the doctor about progesterone but he didn’t seem to be sure! He said he will ask the gyne and booked me another appointment for Monday to discuss and prescribe if needed, but I’ve also had previous miscarriage so I’m really keen to have it this time! Ok thanks for informing about the metformin I will keep taking, that’s reassured me xxxxx

@Katie2021 thank you I've everything crossed! Very nervous. Yes i need to be scanned every month whilst on it as there is a risk of overstimulating which can be dangerous ! So you are scanned mod way through your cycle and then the clinic will confirm if theres anything happening/ too much happening and whyher its safe to go ahead and dtd then! Very romantic...😂😂

@SusieNI aww I have everything crossed for you! Keep us updated 💜💜

@Katie2021 yeah I've tried inositol. It didn't work for me either. I've tried both myo alone , and also tried myo+d chiro combination to see if that made a difference since some women can't make the conversion. I've tried pretty much every herb and supplement out there over the years. I think I'm a lost cause to be honest