PCOS

[louise182]

Hello, I'm 22 years old and have recently started ttc. I visited my doctor yesterday as I came off logynon in january, had normal periods in march, april and may after a short withdrawal bleed in feb, but nothing in june, july or so far in august. I put it down to my body reacting to withdrawal from the pill but wanted to be sure it was something of nothing. The doctor said it isn't normal and the pill shouldn't have this effect. He has referred me for a scan and blood tests, and said as I have acne he wants to check for pcos. I wasn't expecting this atall and the thought of struggling to convieve terrifies me. Can anybody who has been diagnosed with pcos reassure me with success stories and maybe give me a little more infomation about the condition and how it may affect me if I do have it? I was shocked the doctor dismissed the sugestion the pill could be to blame as before and during logynon my periods were very regular and normal and I have no other symptoms than acne which only flares up now and again. Thank you.

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Hi - this thread is a little out of date.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

I've got pcos and have two children, conceived without medical assistance.

I am fat as hell and have a full beard and moustache though

I have to take metformin. I have massively high levels of testosterone.

I have to take provera to give me periods nowadays.

Thanks for your reply :) great that you were able to concieve, reassuring to know its possible! Even though I have read about women who have children without help I worry that I will be one of the few who can't if I do turn out to have pcos :( I wish he hadn't suggested anything specific and just said he would refer me for tests as I now have several weeks of uncertainty and worry! I have no exessive hair, I am not overweight either which is why it confused me!!! I feel I may have started a long difficult journey!!

Another PCOSer here. I was absolutely terrified when I was diagnosed when I was 19, back when PCOS was finally identified, and I was told that I would be unlikely to have children.

12 years on, I now have a very giggly 7 month old, conceived without medical assistance, and a trouble free pregnancy. I conceived within 3 months of stopping the pill too.

Still have 'hair issues' but they have improved since having DD.

I was essentially left to it, took metformin for a while but it didn't do anything. I found losing weight, which is easier said than done for a PCOSer, has been the key.

Oh, crossed post. Even if you aren't overweight, still making some changes to your diet might be hugely beneficial to improving your PCOS (if that is what it is). There's a good book, the PCOS diet by Rose Elliot which is my bible.

Thanks annekins, it is great to know it can happen! How often do you have periods roughly? Because I can't understand how you could work out when you are most fertile if you don't have regular periods!

I was diagnosed at 23 and told I'd never have kids. I'm overweight and have pretty much all the unpleasant side effects.

Now at 32 I have a DD who has just turned 2 - it took us two months to conceive her. And I have a 6 month old DS; in his case, we went from wondering if we wanted to try again to a BFP in two weeks flat : )

Don't worry about it too much, you might not have anything to worry about!

Wow that's amazing! How can doctors say for certain someone won't convieve! I may well be worrying over nothing, I think it is more of a routine thing but he seemed to dismiss blaming the pill, he did say just as I was leaving "I think you will have babies" which was slightly reassuring but at the same time not sure how he could know that!

How can doctors say for certain someone won't convieve!

Because a lot of them are twits. I'm sure lots of them are absolutely lovely, knowledgeable and restrained in their conclusion-jumping-to, but many of the ones I've been treated by really are just twits.

My story is almost exactly the same as annekins and some0ne. I was diagnosed at 20 and told I'd struggle to conceive. When I did start TTC is more our less convinced myself it wouldn't happen and had prepared myself for it taking a very long time. I now have two DCs, both conceived within a month of trying.

I've not been overweight (until recently!) But have always been hairy, which was my only visible symptom apart from irregular periods. I have about three or four a year. As I had no idea when I ovulate we basically just had a lot of sex!

I have a friend with PCOS and she had a bit more trouble conceiving and took clomid (I think that's what its called). She also sadly miscarried a baby. But she now has two healthy DVD too.

There is a website called verity (google it) which has lots of info about PCOS if it turns out that's what you have.

Good luck with TTC.

DCs not DVDs obviously

Bloody phone, sorry about all the typos.

[www.verity-pcos.org.uk Verity]] for lots of info and support for women with PCOS.
Fwiw, I have 3 DDs, two of whom were naturally conceived, one needed clomid. I talk to lots of women who get diagnosed and then in the next breath told they'll never have children, and it makes me so cross!

Low GI diet, and moderate exercise is reckoned to be the most helpful thing you can do initially, and then add in things for specific symptoms. If you're not overweight, then try and keep your weight stable. But don't panic about fertility!

The pill won't have caused it (it's probably genetic), but will have masked any symptoms up till now. So it can seem like its the pill to blame, but the condition will always have been there.

Verity

Thanks so much everyone its so reassuring to hear stories like these :) will take a look at the website xx