PCOS and ovulation testing kits - might they help?

[AnnaK]

I have PCOS and was wondering whether ovulation test kits would help better my chances of conceiving. Or are the kits reliant on a hormone that PCOS sufferers don't have? I have periods very irregularly, so I must ovulate occasionally?

[ladymuck]

I can't give you a black and white answer, but women with PCOS tend to have elevated LH (lutenising hormone), and it is this hormone that an OPK (ovulation prediction kit) tests. So a PCOS woman might get many false positives....

I pride myself on always managing to get a positive result on an OPK. So in the days when I was ttc I could always get some action, and these days should I want to avoid any action I can still try the same technique

OPKs are expensive, but if you try it for a month or so you'll soon twig whether you are one of the women who have the permanent high LH, or whether your LH is low enough that the OPK will track the surge.

[MeerkatsUnite]

Hi,

I would strongly urge you not to use OPK's if you've been diagnosed with PCOS (speaking as a fellow PCOSer). Spend the cash on something else instead.

As Ladymuck correctly points out, these kits measure the amount of LH hormone, she also correctly states that many women with PCOS have elevated levels of LH. Therefore these kits will read the elevated levels of this hormone and give a false reading.

Not all women with PCOS have elevated LH levels but most of them do. I have permanently high LH levels (these were tracked over a period of months via blood tests) so such tests would be of no benefit to me at all.

Was wondering if you are currently under the care of a gynae; such a person would be the best one to see in this regard if you are ttc (especially if you've been diagnosed with this already).

You may ovulate very occasionally (this can happen in some PCOS patients but not all) but you will not be absolutely certain. Hence me suggesting seeing a gynae for further evaluation and treatment.

HTH

Meerkats

[AnnaK]

Thanks for the tips. Will try anything once but in this case maybe I won't bother!