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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

TTC with suspected PCOS

138 replies

NLO94x · 15/03/2023 16:34

Moone Boy Waiting GIF by HULU

Hey! 💛
I'm in UK and been TTC for over a year, it is hell!!! I've had doctors appointments, scans and blood tests and everything seems to be coming back to PCOS, I have most of the symptoms so it wasn't a surprise! I'm currently on the waiting list for a gynaecologist but have no idea how long I'm going to be waiting, is anyone in a similar position and if so how long did you have to wait? 💛

OP posts:
lottieb92 · 23/03/2023 10:57

@rainbowssky so I’m not a pro but from my research I found
I need to reduce insulin resistance as much as possible / doing this by limiting sugar and carbs and dairy
(I don’t really know if I have it - to what degree, my bloods have always been totally normal, but none the less it won’t harm trying!)

i am reducing my high intensity workouts (that was easy change haha)
so I do walks, some light weights, quick spin sessions 3-4x a week.
I took my blood sugar for a week and it seems stable and fine! So not doing that anymore as I had enough to remember.

but insulin resistance and high stress can really ruin fertility with pcos I have seen online.
ive lost 7.5 lbs and I wish to lost 7lb more… 5-10% weight loss can help ovulation and egg quality.

im throwing it all in now because we are about to get to ivf stages… so to me this all is A LOT but I am prepared to make the sacrifices if I get what we’ve wanted for so long 💗💗

Original poster
NLO94x · 23/03/2023 13:08

@MK85 wow I'm sorry it's taking so long for you 😢 hopefully your gynaecologist appointment won't be too much longer 😩🤞🏼🤍

OP posts:
sl7uk · 24/03/2023 08:51

I stumbled across this podcast yesterday and I couldn't recommend it more for women ttc with PCOS who are having to go through treatment. It's so educational and will help you know what steps to take and what to ask your doctor at appointments. Recommend having a listen if you haven't! https://www.thefertilitypodcast.com/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-with-professor-adam-balen-podcast/

I have a GP appointment next week to discuss next steps as I'm still not getting periods, so can't even try at the moment :( Feel like the constant waiting at each step of the process is the hardest part

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome with Professor Adam Balen • The Fertility Podcast

We have spoken about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) on the podcast numerous times in the past so make sure you scroll down to find link to previous episodes. Kate is an expert on the topic, working with women on a daily basis to support them with t...

https://www.thefertilitypodcast.com/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-with-professor-adam-balen-podcast

Original poster
NLO94x · 24/03/2023 14:38

@sl7uk amazing I will defo give that a listen this weekend!

Hope everything goes okay at your appointment, it's such a slow process 😫

I've started the myo-inositol today, hoping for a miracle!💙

OP posts:
lottieb92 · 24/03/2023 15:30

@sl7uk i listened to this and it helped me as well a fab listen! ✨ x

@NLO94x persist with it, I just started my second month, they say 3 months for it to be working very well 🤞🏻🤞🏻

cdn298 · 03/04/2023 16:26

Just stumbled across this thread..
I conceived DS after TTC for 8 months and only had 3 AF's in that time.
We are trying again for DC #2 but have been trying for 7 months with no luck and only 1 AF in that time, I went to the GP who took bloods and said all was fine with those so has referred me to Gynae but that was in October and i have heard nothing since.

I am convinced i have PCOS due to various sympotoms! Just ordered myo-inositol after reading all your comments so fingers crossed xx

Original poster
NLO94x · 06/04/2023 15:29

@cdn298 I had my first doctors appointment October time but think they only sent the referral in January and I haven't heard anything since!
Good luck with myo-inositol, it's my first cycle using it and OPK seem to be higher than usual and earlier than I expected, I should really try BBT too!
Fingers crossed it works for you 💛

OP posts:
cdn298 · 06/04/2023 22:42

Could this mean I’m close to ovulating?? Never had one this dark before. They’re usually really faint!

ignore my dodgy fake tan 🙈

TTC with suspected PCOS
IWillBeWaxingAnOwl · 06/04/2023 22:55

I don't have PCOS but do have some kind of ovulation disorder.

Our journey:
6 months TTC, only one period in that time so referred to gynaecology
Conceived, baby died at 11 weeks
{paid for private scan, hycosy, bloods}
Saw gynaecology 8 months after referral. They said "ovulation disorder", took no other steps
Had to TTC another year after loss before they would refer us to infertility/assisted conception
3 month wait to have initial appt and get semen analysis, were happy to use private assessments as the information (helps that it's the same clinicians!), started letrozole
2.5 years into TTC, another positive test (randomly, letrozole wasn't working for us)
Now 34wks pregnant

In terms of supplements, our NHS fertility clinic recommended inofolic acid from fertility family

lottieb92 · 06/04/2023 23:45

@cdn298 you want it to be as dark if not darker.. id keep going with tests, if you think you’re close I sometimes do two tests a day!

As the surge can be quick then you are likely 24-48hrs from ovulation as soon as you get your positive 😜, Good luck x

MK85 · 06/04/2023 23:52

@cdn298 the line needs to be equal or darker than control line

sl7uk · 07/04/2023 10:32

@cdn298 welcome to the chat! That’s great news you conceived despite only have a few AF’s, there is hope out there for the rest of us! So sorry you’re having trouble this time round. As for the OPK’s, I’ve been told if you have PCOS or an ovulation disorder then sadly the OPK’s aren’t useful as our bodies are constantly trying to ovulate (and usually failing) so our LH levels are higher than usual, giving false positives 😣

How are everyone else’s journey’s going? I have made the decision to go private with my fertility treatment as I can’t wait 8 months for my gyni referral to happen..and I still don’t have any AF. Had my first consultation yesterday..all very daunting!

sl7uk · 07/04/2023 10:35

@IWillBeWaxingAnOwl thanks for sharing your journey and congrats on your pregnancy! Hope all is going well, not long left for you now!

Can I ask what you did when Letrozole wasn’t working? Did you ever try Clomid? And how long were you on these for? I’ll be going on one of these and keen to get some advice. Thanks x

IWillBeWaxingAnOwl · 07/04/2023 10:57

@sl7uk we were still in the process of increasing letrozole doses (were at 7.5mg for the next round) but then randomly despite that round "failing" (no ovulation by day 40), we then conceived sporadically! So didn't get to see what next stage is.

MK85 · 07/04/2023 11:24

@sl7uk I have severe pcos and still find the tests extremely reliable at pinpointing when I'm ovulating

DeclineandFall · 07/04/2023 11:59

I have PCOS. Was at fertility clinic for about 7 years. Tried most things but didn''t go down the IVF route.
What was most effective in getting pregnant was managing to regulate my periods to 35 days by regularly excercising, low sugar, losing weight.
Boring but it worked. Conceived not on a day I thought I might be ovulating. So you could add regular sex not necessarily when you think you might ovulate.

Un7breakable · 07/04/2023 12:25

Becareful with cod liver oil as it contains too much vit a

Original poster
NLO94x · 09/04/2023 09:48

Has anyone had results like this before? It's my first month on myo-inositol so don't know if that's something to do with it but I seem to have had strong tests all week 💛

TTC with suspected PCOS
OP posts:
lottieb92 · 09/04/2023 09:52

@NLO94x wow I’ve never had that. So sorry I won’t be much help, I have taken myoinositol for nearly 8 weeks and ovulation was later than I was expecting both of these months however?

so perhaps making some changes x

IWillBeWaxingAnOwl · 09/04/2023 10:45

@NLO94x honestly, I found opks completely useless. With any ovulation disorder you might either have really wide peaks or tiny sharp ones. I'd recommend temping more but then again it can also be soul destroying so...

sl7uk · 09/04/2023 17:18

NLO94x I'm still not getting periods with my PCOS and all my OPKs look like that, so sadly I've given up with those. How are you getting on with the myo-inositol? I've done 3 weeks worth now but haven't seen any change just yet, will keep persevering!

I had my first fertility consultation last week and I have to have Ovarian Drilling as the consultant said I am very unlikely to ovulate, even with ovulation induction tablets like Clomid 😔Looks like a v long journey ahead for me

Original poster
NLO94x · 09/04/2023 19:02

@IWillBeWaxingAnOwl I'm going to try that next cycle I think, I need to just put a note on my morning alarms or can guarantee I'll jump out of bed and get on with my morning without thinking!!

@sl7uk I've read that it can take 3 months to work, I have been getting headaches not sure if that's just a coincidence or to do with the tablets! Oh no I'm sorry to hear that! Have they given you any idea what they could do to help? 💛

OP posts:
IWillBeWaxingAnOwl · 09/04/2023 19:04

@sl7uk just to note that the evidence base for Myo inositol is based on use for 3 months plus. So keep going!

Original poster
NLO94x · 09/04/2023 19:05

@sl7uk sorry I misread your last comment, fingers crossed this works for you 💛

OP posts:
Wherethewind · 09/04/2023 19:07

Haven’t read the full thread by my advice to you is ditch most of the investigations and go private IVF if you can. The NHS is soooo slow and for fertility that’s a disaster.

I timed out. 😔