PCOS, metformin & TTC

[MyPeppyLimeBear]

Hi all,

I’m looking for any good news/successful stories of people with PCOS who have tried metformin or Chlomid or are in a similar position to me.

I’m 30, my partner is 35. I was diagnosed with adenomyosis in 2020 (I wasn’t trying then and was on the pill).

A few years on I met my partner and we started trying around November last year. I was diagnosed with PCOS a month ago as the Dr did a blood test that concluded I was not ovulating. She put me on metformin and referred me to a specialist (which I am on the waiting list for).

for info, my BMI is within the healthy range.

I have now been on metformin a month. I wasn’t expecting any miracles straight away but I just got AF this morning and I’m feeling a bit deflated. Would love to know your experiences around PCOS, annovulation and eventually, hopefully, conceiving.

I have amazing, supportive friends but none of them struggle with infertility so talking to people in the same boat would be so helpful..

TIA xx

I have PCOS (also not overweight). My cycles were always long and all over the place. No luck naturally with 9 months of trying (29-30) however I got put on letrozole and conceived on the third month. Lost that baby to miscarriage just before the 12 week scan. Went back on letrozole and got pregnant the first month (at 31), now have a 1 year old.

A plus point of having a diagnosis is that you should be eligible for fertility clinic referral after 6m of trying rather than 12m - the ovulation drugs can be very effective - the stats online don't look that encouraging however I guess they're based on everyone who takes them - the doctors I saw were always quite confident that I would conceive (young ish, healthy, not overweight)

Good luck ❤️

Also the consultant gynaecologist I saw said that metformin wouldn't have been useful for me since I wasn't overweight. So it may be that you just need to wait for your referral to come through and for you to go on ovulation induction medications. (If you have the funds to pay privately, they're a lot cheaper than private ivf etc so might be worth looking into)

That’s so interesting thank you so much for your comment. My GP suggested metformin as it can make some women ovulate supposedly, and I had particularly bad skin with PCOS so she thought it would help with that too. Was letrozole the first thing you tried? Did you see your specialist via the NHS or did you go privately? Xx

I think also sometimes the point of ovulation drugs is for you to be able to track your cycle and time intercourse accordingly. Metformin can be helpful in that sense.
Good luck!

@MyPeppyLimeBear yes letrozole was the only thing I tried. Was prescribed it and was under the fertility clinic on the nhs but actually saw the consultant privately after my miscarriage.

Hi! Just wanted to join this thread as it sounds so similar for me! I’m 30, TTC my first, was on the pill forever - came off in October and got diagnosed with PCOS after a blood test following a private scan a couple of months ago!

we are now getting referred to fertility and I’m hoping clomid and letrozole will be offered and work! X

It was a long time ago now, but I conceived with PCOS and adenomyosis, although exh had low motility too. I was offered Metformin due to being overweight, although at the time I was about 11 stone (I'm 5'7) so by nowadays weight standards, would not be. About 3 years after starting TTC, and lots of cycles of Metformin and Clomid we gave up and ended up conceiving naturally about 2 years later and having a successful pregnancy. I then had a miscarriage 5 years after that and never conceived again.

Wow yes! Very very similar to me! When were you referred to fertility and any idea when your first appointment will be? Have they put you on metformin too. Sending you lots of love I know it’s a tricky situation x

That’s really encouraging to hear about your successful pregnancy thank you. So sorry about your loss too x

@MyPeppyLimeBear we are just waiting to be referred - my partner has his sperm analysis on Thursday so once that’s back they will send everything through! Have you had a timescale yet? No the doctors never mentioned anything about that so I might look into it.

thank you - and to you too 🩷 it’s nice knowing you aren’t the only one isn’t it x

Thanks lovely. I received my referral letter about a month ago but heard nothing else so far. My partner has not had any tests done they haven’t mentioned that yet but I am in wales so maybe it’s a bit different here. Best of luck lovely xx

Metformin has regulated my cycles, and reduced some of the hairiness! No baby for me but I conceived my son before diagnosis and then had secondary infertility. I’m heading towards menopause now but still on metformin as apparently this is for life!

extreme pcos sufferer when younger here. About a stone overweight. Could never shift- probably about 2 stone heavier than all my very slender family members. Never ovulated in my entire life. Periods irregular and lasted 3-4 weeks- very heavy.

clomid useless- tried for several months

metformin worked immediately. Feel pregnant almost straight away. Stopped taking it and had a missed miscarriage at 8 weeks. Started taking it immediately and fell pregnant 1 month later- kept taking it until just after 12 weeks. Now have an almost adult child!

my ovaries kickstarted into action after the pregnancy. I dropped 2 stone overnight, periods became regular and conceived second child first month of trying.

hopefully that gives you a bit of hope! Good luck.

I was similar, took me a year to conceive dd1. It may be anecdotal, but I ovulated far later than I thought I was. I got an ovusense internal thermometer to track my cycle more effectively and fell pregnant that first cycle. I had ovulated about 8 days later than all my tracker apps had suggested I would so I was aiming for the wrong fertile window. DC2 I used ovusense from the beginning and fell pregnant first try

@MyPeppyLimeBear you need to be on metformin for 3 months for it to start working fully. You could get your fasting insulin and glucose measured to see if it's reducing your likely insulin resistance and rebalancing your hormones. Also worth cutting out simple carbs and sugar even if your BMI is normal.

I don’t have pcos but high androgens (testosterone) and have had previous irregular periods.

I’ve been TTC for 18 months did about 3 months on metformin and Myo inositol, and conceived two months ago the month after I had a hycosy.

We unfortunately had a miscarriage at 6 weeks but I think the one thing that made the difference was the hycosy, and also having sex later in my cycle so every other day from days 10-20.

I’ve also previously used Mira to track when I ovulate but tbh it was so expensive, if I was tp try again id probably get an oura ring for bbt and track CM.

Also I’m not sure if this has made a difference but I’ve also been trying to eat a high protein diet and strength training g for the past year too.

This is an amazing result thank you so much for your message xx

@CharLdn high androgens in blood work and irregular periods diagnoses PCOS. On what basis were you told you don't have it?

I had irregular cycle, TTC for over a year and was referred to a consultant. Internal scan diagnosed PCOS, I wasn’t overweight, normal BMI, no other symptoms other than irregular periods. I was prescribed Metformin, hadn’t had a period in months but started to feel as though I had really bad PMS, breasts tender etc., finally decided to do a pregnancy test which was positive! Couldn’t believe it, no one had any idea when my due date was! First midwife appointment guessed 16 weeks from feeling my tum, at my first scan (planned on being 20 weeks) I was 22 weeks plus! DC1 arrived a few days before the revised due date due.

My cycle did become more regular after that but when we started TTC DC2 and nothing was happening I went to my GP and asked for metformin. I can’t remember if he had to get approval from the consultant (this was a long time ago!), but I did get a prescription and fell pregnant within a couple of months.

Have to say as I had a positive test on the day my period was due thanks to the new regular cycle, it felt like I was pregnant forever compared to the first time😂. DC2 arrived the following summer, just turned 18 recently and DC1 is 22 (hence why I am sketchy about details!).

So I would say go for it, worked for me. Only downside was the side effect (diarrhoea), which was worse the first time. But it was bearable, probably less bad than some other possible treatments and absolutely worth it for the outcome we had. Good luck, keeping everything crossed for you x

Hi, I have endometriosis and was diagnosed with PCOS and adenomyosis when trying to conceive. I was put on metformin and letrozole - I conceived the first month on letrozole and carried on taking the metformin for 4 months.

I was diagnosed with PCOS at 28. Started metformin at 33 i think? It took several months to show any impact. Conceived DD1 after 3 rounds of letrozole on the NHS at 34 . Came off the metformin from 15w pregnant until after i stopped bf. Then went back on when DD1 was around 18months. DD2 was a surprise natural conception whilst I was waiting to have a HSG at almost 37. I had lost 10kg between DD1 and DD2, which obviously helped. Since having DD2 i havent gone back on the metformin but I have started taking inositol instead and am going to see if I can manage my symptoms between without the metformin. But we will see!