PCOS - Trying to conceive

[ElizabethCatherine]

Welcome to our 5th thread :)

A lovely bunch of ladies all here to help each other along the way with any questions or concerns we all have when TTC with PCOS

Ahh. Feeling the love everyone ❤

Hi All,

Sorry to butt in as I don't have a diagnosis but I had an ultrasound at the beginning of July that showed at least 20 cysts on each ovary. Not sure I 'belong' on this thread and hope it's ok!! It was Cd 6 and some were about a centimeter, some tiny. I've done a blood test CD3 but only for FSH. I don't have the result and obviously this one result doesn't tell me anything about possible PCOS.

My next appointment is Sept 11. This is my question: does it 'help' in any way to have an actual diagnosis? What further tests should I be pushing for? Are there better or worse outcomes for PCOS than PCO??

I have some facial hair. I pluck vigilantly every few days. I am no longer overweight, having lost over a stone in the last couple months. I do have longish but semi-regular cycles from 28-39 days in the last two years. We have been ttc very nearly 18 months and had two chemical pregnancies that both ended at 4w3d. No one in my family has PCOS and many have concieved well into their 40s. Cousin had surprise baby at 43, my mother was second to last born when my grandmother was 41.

Any and all advice completely appreciated!

Good luck! Ive got my scan for the same thing in two week, been waiting months for it.

I had a blood test for my lh and fsh to see the ratio. Once Ive had my scan my dr said she will compare the results to make a diagnosis.

Did the person who did your ultrascan say if the cysts you have are in the normal range as i thought there had to be a certain amount for it to be diagnosed with pcos? (Ive done some basic googling ;) )

She said 'wow you have a lot of cysts'. And then said 'see all those black things? Those are cysts' I counted at least 20 on each side... maybe more?? She tried to turn the screen at that point so I couldn't see. And that was the end of the scan. No more was said about it. I left.

I'm left totally none-the-wiser... hence trying to get wiser;) and getting totally desperate...

Hi all, I just saw this post on active and thought I'd comment, hopefully giving you all a bit of hope.
I fell pregnant in 2009 with my first child within 3 months of being with my partner, I was actually on the pill, but after the initial shock we were very happy!
Skip a few years and I started to get symptoms of PCOS, I had the tests and yes sadly I did have it.
I was heartbroken, laying on the bed with the internal scanner thingy inside me with the nurse saying that yes she could see cysts on my ovary, and al be with other tests it was PCOS I was crying whilst asking if I'd ever have another baby.

We stopped using any form of contraception almost right away hoping it would happen when the time was right.
Years later and still no BFP, I must have taken 100's of tests over the time, every time feeling more and more deflated.

People used to say to me things like, "oh you're lucky you have one child" and "you don't want another now anyway, and go through all that baby stage again" yes I know I was extremely lucky but it still hurt thinking I'd never be able to conceive again

So now here we are, our first baby is nearly 8 years old! Where does time go? And I am currently almost 36 weeks pregnant finally it happened for us! I took no fertility medications but did lose almost 3 stone last year back to a healthy weight, so that probably helped.

Baby dust and all the luck in the world to you lovely ladies and huge unmumsnetty hugs too!

Hi physicskate, there isn't a cure for pcos it's mostly about managing the symptoms. One of those being lack of ovulation or erratic ovulation which means it's more difficult to conceive. That's what most of us on this thread are trying to manage at the moment. If you want to conceive then you need to push your Dr to be referred to a fertility clinic and the first step is to have the initial tests done which sounds like you're doing. CD 2-5 and CD21 blood test, ultrasound etc. There is a difference between pco and pcos, my consultant told me I have pco but perhaps only have the syndrome mildly...which is the excess hair, weight etc. Dont worry too much about the number of cysts, its never been relevant for me. It's good you're having fairly regular periods and sounds like you're probably ovulating. A blood test 7 days before your expected period (the CD21 test although might be later in the cycle for you) will help tell you if you're ovulating which would be useful to know.

Welcome littleonek

Thank you for your story thatmummy glad everything's worked out for you. Good luck with your 2nd pregnancy

Thanks a slady... I know there isn't a cure. I get the managing symptoms stuff.

Does it help in terms of getting investigations, moving forward with treatment to have a diagnosis? It seems my docs aren't interested in the tests that might lead to one... my gp told me to go have more early miscarriages and I've had one appt at fertility clinic. They ordered three blood tests, none of which will lead to pcos diagnosis...

In terms of treatment, are there differences to pcos and pco? I suppose there are as pcos is so individual...

I guess there is nothing to be done, really and I'm just doomed to not having kids.

Hi all,

I agree it's so nice to just be able to say what you think/feel on here with people who get it.
physicskate I guess you are kind of in limbo until your next appointment. I don't know a great deal but I know there are several things they can try like meds. Hopefully you will get some more answers and a plan of action going forward.

I thought I was getting on ok with the Metformin 3 a day but I spent all afternoon and evening yesterday lying on the sofa feeling shite. Bloated, hungry yet too nauseous to eat, tummy cramps, upset tum etc. At work now and feel a bit like wallowing in self pity. Am feeling a lot better than yest so might eat something soon.

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Yes you need the tests done before you can be referred to a fertility clinic for treatment. You need to push your gp for the tests/referral. Treatment for pcos and pco is the same. It's a hormone imbalance which means you don't ovulate or ovulate erratically so they usually try Clomid first which stimulates ovulation. Hope that helps physicskate

Sorry you're feeling crappy soapychoc fingers crossed your feeling a bit better continues!

What do you ladies think about ovulation strips? I had an ectopic pregnancy about 7 months ago and am now TTC.

I've had pcos for about 4 years, regular periods etc...

Hi ladies,

I have 2 new boxes of Metformin left I don't need anymore, I am happy to give it away. (My treatment worked and I am now pregnant :) I live in north London with easy access to Finsbury park, Archway or Highgate.
Please let me know

@Veinarde speak with your doc first before you stop if you haven't with metformin! I was told to continue it if and while I'm pregnant and not to stop taking it

@ElizabethCatherine thanks, I'm now 12 weeks so my doctor is happy for me to stop. X

Guys!!! Holy miracle I just got my period this morning!!!!!! We'll just started so I hope it's a period and not just a not of spotting but OMG OMG! It has been 12.5 months since my last period and BAM! NOW WHAT?! I was literally going to go in for ivf next month and start my medication for that on Tuesday... This is crazy it's like it's a sign. I don't really know what to do now! What if I have ovulated?? Or maybe I still can't ovulate? Will my period come back now or maybe I won't get it for another 6 months!? Ahhh all the unknown is driving my crazy. I was so set on IVF next month and now this just got thrown in the mix! What do you think I should do?!

If that was Clomid you were offering up veinarde i'd be snapping it up haha! My Dr hasn't offered metformin and I really want to find out why! Although with all the side effects everyone has on here id be nervous about taking it.
Woo ElizabethCatherine maybe it's your metformin that is starting to work and bring back your cycles. You could wait and see if you get pregnant naturally but seeing as you didn't want to try Clomid as you were in a rush to start the IVF with timings then I would probably say just carry on with IVF :)

@ElizabethCatherine I think you'll probably just have to speak to your doctors and see what they recommend. If it's taken this long to get one, personally I'd still be set on going for the IVF xx

Ah you're right I maybe will just carry on with ivf but maybe start in October instead of September now just to try and track if I ovulate after this period I'm just dying to know! Just so crazy.

@SLady they put me on 500mg metformin and I've only been on it for 1.5 month I noticed no side effects what so ever, nothing! It's a very small dose 1 x a day. Some people with pcos are given 3 a day so I'm sure that could be quite hard on the body but my dose was so little I didn't notice it and maybe that is what has helped me with getting a period!

Is there a blood test to ask for that can confirm if I ovulated or not? How soon into or after your period to go for the test if so? X

Oh really that's good to know elizabethcatherine and it's obviously done something too if you've had your first period in over a year! You can have a progesterone blood test which needs to be done 7 days before your expected period, (so ideally you'd have had one done last week to see if it was ovulation that brought on your period)

I'm on 2 a day of metformin and hated it at first but my body seems to have adjusted. I think I might've even ovulated as CM has changed like never before! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼 If I have OV'd I'll be due AF anytime from this Sunday really

@ElizabethCatherine I'm afraid you can't check now as you have had your period, which means your progesterone levels will drop to zero, it's oestrogen turn now, progesterone normally kicks in half way through your cycle x

@ElizabethCatherine in order to check ovulation they check your blood for progesterone x

Thanks everyone! Guess I'll see what the nurse has to say on Tuesday about timing now for things as this may have messed up timing a bit! X

I thought I posted this yesterday but for some reason I can't see it on the board now!!
ElizabethCatherine that's amazing you came on naturally! It's such a tricky one, not the same but before I was due in was a cervical dialitation and laparoscopy under GA. I was told there was a 18 week wait which I was devastated about as I could move on with treatment until it had been done to check my tubes. I had a phone call to say it could be brought forward by 12 weeks, 3 days later I came on!! For me it felt like a stress had been removed which brought on my period! Not sure if that's actually possible but seemed too much of a coincidence as I'd been on mentformin for 2 months with nothing!! Hopefully the nurse you she will have some good advice as the best thing to do now.
How's everyone else getting on?

I'm fed up at the moment. The last few months my breasts have been really sore before my period and they're really bothering me at the moment. It never happened when I was on the pill. I have seen online that it is probably caused by progesterone. Do you guys think that's a good sign I'm ovulating? I know it's only very early days for me, but it is such a pain not knowing if there is anything 'wrong' with me or not. Hope is a really uncomfortable emotion. Can't talk to anyone as I don't want anyone to know I'm trying to get pregnant.