*****PCOS - Anybody in the same boat?******

[fruitloop79]

I don't know if there are any threads already started but I've just officially found out I've got PCOS this morning - I've always known deep down. Please tell me it's not all bad I'm feeling very sorry for myself.
We've been TTC for 6 months - only 3 cycles. I supposedly ovulated on CD36 (now CD43) this cycle. Gynae reckons not preg cos uterus lining would've thickened. (Had a scan this morning)

Any hints/tips on treatment/TTC?
How to deal with symptoms?

How did Posh spice and Jools Oliver manage to fall preg?

---------------------

Hi - this thread is a little out of date. We've got some more information on PCOS here. MNHQ

Hiya...just noticed this thread in active convos, am quite miffed i haven't found it before as i would have wandered in ages ago, but

Does anyone else have migraines as well? I have recently found out that migraines and PCOS benefit froma low GI diet, but am a bit useless as i don't know what kinds of treats are low GI (if any). Anyone have any ideas? If i don't have anything nice i won't stick to the diet!

Hi Godzilla

I switched to a low GI diet in January to help me with my weight loss.

Basically, I go by the rule that sugar is bad.

So unfortunately, that rules out quite a lot!

However...get yourself a good low GI book and you will find that it is quite easy to follow.

I don't even really crave sugary/naughty foods and treats much anyway...but I find that eating low GI has helped me resist them even more which is great!

I now can say no thank you to a piece of cake at the office that I may have wolfed down in the past!!!

I couldn't tell you off the top of my head what treats are you allowed - but I do know that dark chocolate is allowed and healthy snacks like flapjacks are ok.

Just have them in moderation.

I was really worried that changing my eating habits to low Gi would be really hard and impossible to keep going BUT here I am 6 months down the line and I intend to eat this way for the rest of my life. It has made such a difference with trying to lose weight by combining it with low GI.

I also feel healthier and better.
Good Luck!

Scooby

Thanks for the info.

Yeah my GP seems to think that metformin is only prescribed to help lose weight in PCOS patients so that their periods return to normal.

I thought it was a bit to simplified an explanation!
I might ask to see another GP and ask to be referred again.

I am sure I have insulin resistance as well because I sometimes get real bad hunger pangs, and just as an experiment, I had a haribo to see what happened.

My hunger pangs dissappeared as good as immediately.
So i reckon it wasn't hunger - it was my blood sugar levels dropping and my body sent out hunger signals.

All very interesting.

Dungun - I was normal weight when I started taking Metformin. I had no side effects (I was lucky though, a lot of people do - it helped me to ONLY take it after a meal) and it brought my periods back and I conceived. Your GP is not fully informed. It makes me mad tbh. She should refer you and stop dicking you about.

Hi Dungangirl,

Re your comment:-

"I wanted to be referred to the endo & pcos clinic where they help PCOS specific problems ( including subfertility ) BUT my GP refused to refer me as I have managed to lose 2 stone myself and she thinks I don;t need metformin ( which is what that clinic always prescribes their patients )".

TBH its not up to your GP re whether she thinks you need Met or otherwise - that is not a decision she should be making. She should instead be referring you back to the endo/PCOS clinic for further evaluation. Infact this could be done in conjunction with the other clinic too.

Many GPs knowledge of PCOS is limited and this is not a condition anyway that should be messed around with by GPs (hence my first comment). BTW not all PCOSers are IR (insulin resistant) but many are.

Insist on a referral to the endo/PCOS clinic!.

HTH

Attila

DungunGirl - thanks for the info! I will borrow a book or two from the library first, then buy whichever one i like best.

Also - i conceived by being referred to an endocrinologist, who put me on metformin for 3 months (i got stomach aches with it even though i took it with food, but it wasn't too bad). My periods became regular quite soon into the treatment but i didn't conceive until after i had stopped taking it.

It also is true that not all PCOSians (is that a word?) are insulin resistant because i got myself tested and i'm not.

Hi there all,

Apologies for just crashing in but I'm hoping to get some help from you guys!

Brief history: I was told 1.5yrs ago that I 'might' have PCOS (had a blood test which I have now discovered was probably next to useless as the Doc didn't take it at a specific time of cycle and didn't do a second one to compare it with ). Didn't want to go down the route of meds so left it for a while. After ttc for 12 cycles and 1 miscarriage, I have finally admitted defeat and visited a [new - last one was totally inept] Dr.

She has asked me to have day 2 (?) and day 21 bloods taken - my question is, I have irregular cycles so how do I know when to book my day 21 test? I do chart my temps (which I know can't be relied on). This month however, I have spotted for about 10 days from about cd21 (highly unusual for me) so the Dr said to count the first day of spotting as CD1. I don't think this is right. But I don't want to have to wait for another cycle to do another blood test if this one is taken at the wrong time.....

Apologies again for just barging in, was just wondering about other peoples experiences when first finding out about PCO etc as its all new to me.

Thanks in advance

PnM

Hi PnM

Grr at your first doctor. This goes to show that when PCOS is suspected it is not a condition for GPs to mess around with.
With regards to the blood test you can actually have this done according to calendar days so in your case you could go for these tests on the 2nd and 21st July.

Spotting between periods should be checked out by the GP to ascertain the underlying cause. It may be hormonal (likely with PCOS) or something like a cervical erosion. In any event medical advice should be sought.

I think you should be referred to a gynae for further evaluation; you will likely end up getting referred anyway so I would request the GP to refer you now regardless of how the blood tests come back.

With regards to the day 2/3 both LH and FSH should be tested and compared against one another. With PCO/S these two levels are not usually the same (the level of LH is often higher than that of FSH). The day 21 is done to measure progesterone; this will show whether ovulation happened or not that month. With irregular cycles ovulation is less likely to be happening regularly.

HTH a bit

Attila

Am also crashing in, apologies!

Was wondering if anyone had any advice/similar experience...

Diagnosed 8 yrs ago with PCOS, appears am mostly not ovulating at all, although after 5 years of trying and failed attempts with Metformin and Clomid, conceived dd naturally (day 56 of my cycle!!) and she is now 2.7 so been referred again to attempt to conceive no 2.
Had HSG, ultrasound and blood tests done 9 weeks ago, just rang hospital to ask about follow up appointment. Secretary tells me I'm being referred on for IVF and appointment will reach me soon!!

Can they just decide this without me? Are they able to tell from my case history and some blood tests? Anyone had similar before?

TIA, Catrin x

Hi catrin,

Has the secretary actually got this right?. I would certainly phone back query her comment as its too big a step to undertake IVF without trying other treatments beforehand (are male factor problems also an issue?).

IVF should only be undertaken by PCOSers very much as a last resort (mainly due to hyperstimulation risks).

I don't know that she has got it right - I'm quite horrified that she was able to tell me this over the phone. You are right - there are problems with dh, he has very low motility.
Metformin and Clomid both did nothing before, so was half expecting IVF to be mentioned (it was before, horrid registrar said 'you haven't responded to any treatment, your ovaries are covered in cysts, your only options are IVF or adoption').

Hi catrin,

What a horrible blooming registrar!.

They could perhaps look into the possibility of you having ovarian diathermy (this is keyhole surgery whereby the surgeon punctures the cystic follicles on the ovaries with an electrical laser or needle) surgery before undertaking IVF. Ask about this. As mentioned undertaking IVF with PCOS carries a degree of risk to your own self because of ovarian hyperstimulation.

Think you should have been offered an appointment rather than being given this info over the phone.

It goes without saying that this proposed treatment, if the secretary's information is correct, should be discussed fully by both you and your DH with the consultant beforehand.

Thank you! Agree about registrar, I left in tears. Also agree should have been given appointment first before secretary said anything - even if she is right, it's not the way I wanted to hear it.
I will ask about the diathermy, I would rather not just jump striaght for IVF. I know it's a potential means to an end re conception, but I tend to see my PCOS as a whole body issue that affects so much more than just my fertility and all the other symptoms are equally as difficult to live with at times.
Thank you for your advice, it's much appreciated

I just thought I'd share my experience of PCOS too... I had/ have PCOS, no symptons other than absolutely no periods!
I started TTC 5 years ago and had a rotten time until a lovely doctor gave me Clomid (wonderful drug even tho it did turn me into a v moody cow for the few days I was taking it each month).
After a few ups and downs with that I was given 'ovarian drilling' a minor op which sounds much worse than it is. I fell preganant on Clomid a couple of months later and now have a 3 year old, 1 year old and am preg again.
You just need to keep doing your research and don't be put off by any unhelpful doctors (the go away and don't worry about it kinds - how are you supposed to do that?) until you find the right doctor and the right treatment for you.

Thank you for your help Attila - I am impatient and so have booked an appt to get my day 21 bloods done on Tuesday 24th. I am pretty sure that my body tried to ov on the 17th of June (ewcm, temp shift etc) so it will be 7 days after ov when I go which, I'm led to believe, should be at the right time.

The only other question I have is: does the day 2 test have to be done before the day 21 (so they are testing from the same cycle). The way I am doing it, I will be testing the day 21 this cycle and then day 2 of my next cycle - can they be compared successfully? This is what the GP suggested so I am assuming (and possibly a little niavely) that she knows this is ok...

Apologies for picking your brains again, am very grateful for your help though

PnM

Hi PnM

No need to apologise at all!.

If the GP has suggested that particular way I would go by that. If you're not ovulating the day 21 will show that anyway but you need the day 2 as well (as this measure LH and FSH). The day 21 measures progesterone.

What you could do is have the day 21 done on the 24th then follow it up with the day 2 on the 2nd July (go by calendar days)- and then have the day 21 on the 21st July. Then you have two blood tests done in one month cycle.

I would say that you can have a temp rise in the second half of a cycle when an egg has not actually been shed so your body may well have tried to ovulate.

Let us know how you get on, good luck!!

Attila

Hi guy's I'm just popping in to say hello. Also welcome to our newcomers

I've got nothing to report, I'm in for another long epic cycle. No sign of ovulation and I'm on CD37 now. It's so boring. I'm getting fed up with the Bding every 2-3 days now. It's terrible isn't it. Its supposed to be exciting and romantic making a baby together but it's just monotonous now

Atkins.

Atkins is bad news all round; its not sustainable long term.

What a weird thing to come in and say "Atkins"

Is the poster suggesting we all do Atkins? How lovely, maybe she should try it and see how healthy she is

Talking of diet, mine's been atrocious It's no wonder I'm not ovulating. I just can't get back into GI at all. I need to break my sugar craving. Maybe I should just tough it out for a few days, cold turkey. Gives me the shivers just thinking about it.

My trouble is, I'm a sweet fiend, I have to have a sweet fix or three . I'm also a carb addict. Even wholegrain doesn't fill me up. I'm surprised I'm not a lot bigger than I am actually. I have been trying not to eat after 2pm then just having dinner in the evenings and no pud. It's stopped me picking all afternoon which I suppose can only be a good thing but now I overeat in the mornings to compensate
Plus I've frozen my gym membership as I can't afford the monthly fees at the moment.

Ah, well. I'm off to have some brekkie, I spy croissants mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

FruityandNutty

I feel that PCOS is the primary cause of the non ovulation; its not just about what you eat or not eat.

Hard as it is to do I would forget all about this idea of "diet" and "good" and "bad" foods.

D'you eat breakfast?. Keep the croissants for the weekend only, you can also buy lower fat croissants which are just as tasty. Use honey if you want a sweetener. Write down what you eat and the reasons why it is eaten, sometimes we can eat because of either boredom and/or stress, not just hunger.

"Plus I've frozen my gym membership as I can't afford the monthly fees at the moment".

Not a problem necessarily, go walking for 30 minutes three times a week instead. Its also free!. Is there an evening aerobics/general fitness class or even a salsa class near you?. All are better than a gym with mirrors (oh I hate gyms with both loud musak and mirrors!. Apart from anything else it seems to me to be so old fashioned and 80s!).

HTH a bit

Attila

sorry, didnt have time to post longer, I have pcos and did atkins got pregnant really really easily.

not saying it will work for everyone, but low carb keeps hormones stable, and it worked for me...

if u desperate for a baby. worth a try?

ps, later stagers of atkins if done properly are very healty. lots of veg, some fruit, nuts and lean meat/protein...

healty unPROCESSED food!

if u were concerned u could skip induction adn just try that...

Have been reading (not all the way through yet, but it's really interesting and informative so far) 'The Ultimate PCOS Handbook'. I borrowed it from my local library but i am off to buy it from Waterstones asap! So much good advice re dietary changes...and i am looking forward to (persuading DH to) try(ing) it!

In very very broad terms it recommends a diet of 50% carbohydrates (whole foods and low GI), 20-25% healthy fats, and 20-25% good protein (low in saturated fats). Also recommends a variety of veg (5 portions a day), and fruit (3 a day).

My worry is the cost though - and that i don't think DH will agree to it which is very frustrating.

Re the Ultimate PCOS handbook amazon.co.uk sell this book cheaper than Waterstones do!.