TTC WITH PCOS

[swirls3468]

Hi everyone!
Just thought I'd make a thread for anyone TTC with pcos. I have not formally been diagnosed with the condition but pretty sure I am due to my irregular periods and the way my ovaries look on a scan.
I came off the pill August last year and had regular periods and then they just completely stopped in January. I had to have a tablet to induce a period in the end.
Anyway it's been a while now and hard to try and conceive when you know you probably aren't even ovulating.
Any body in a similar position?
Also anyone has any tips/ supplements that might help?

Thanks 😁

@Justanothercyster will do! I've just done another one and I think it's a bit darker?

Sorry wrong photo!

@Tillyisabelle2018 definitely getting darker 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼✨

@Justanothercyster I hope so! I've done another this morning and it's darker again..

I don't want to get too excited and feel like it's too good to be true but I suppose the tests don't lie!

@Justanothercyster just an update - definitely positive!! I've done about 5 more tests and each one is stronger! I'm actually a bit in shock as we definitely didn't expect this!

@Tillyisabelle2018 congrats 🎉🎉 how long have you been ttc for?

@Justanothercyster thank you very much! About 15 months 🥰

@Tillyisabelle2018 congrats 💛

Hey ladies, someone on here asked about what an anovulatory chart looked like before but I can't remember who. Here's mine from this cycle, af started today 🤷🏼‍♀️

On cycle day 35 of a regular 28 day cycle. Have always been regular. No bfp and no period! Had what I thought was implanation spotting 10dpo to 13dpo. Just pink and brown when wiped never enough to fill a pad. Have no idea what is going on!

I just think diet in general helps just make sure you're eating a healthy amount not over eating and cut out as much sugar as you can as PCOS causes insulin resistance (cutting out a major food group like carbs doesn't help this as that is slow release energy so it's best not to do that)! I didn't have a period for 6 months started on a calorie controlled diet to shift a couple of stone which I did by just reducing portion sizes and not snacking my period started again in their own and I've been pregnant 4 times in 4 years since then!! Xx

I love carbs too much but I cut sugar and reduced my portion size (i was way over eating) I wasn't massively overweight but lost 2 stone I'm now in the middle of healthy range for BMI and after my periods stopped for 6 months they restarted again on their own albeit to a 6 weeks cycle. I've been pregnant 4 times in as many years regardless of my PCOS twice accidentally (happily so), once on the 5th cycle of trying and once on the 1st cycle! I don't have 4 kids under 4 2 ended in TFMR due to an unrelated genetic condition! Xx

@Sunshine3013 how did you get on in the end? Did you test?

@MummyBearBoo you're lucky x

No I'm now 18 days late. Haven't tested for a week or so - will be going to the gynaecologist this week so will see. The only time I've ever been late before was when I was pregnant with my twins.

@Sunshine3013 when are you going to test again? X

Hi ladies, can I join? TTC my second baby with PCO. I've tried many things to regulate my periods:diet, exercise, supplements etc. Nothing has ever worked. All blood tests normal. I did used to have cystic ovaries in my early 30s and I'm 41 now. During my pregnancy scans last year they had cleared up. I had two miscarriages before my son last year and one after Christmas when my son was just 9 months. I've fallen pregnant the only 4 cycles we've not used contraception so falling seems easy, keeping them not so much. I'm currently in my first cycle post mc and on day 28 with no detected ovulation yet. The waiting is so stressful as I'm sure you all know. It's so deflating to get a peak opk, a slight temp rise and then it falls flat. Not sure what else I can do. Inofolic made my cycles worse. I wonder if that's because my bloods are normal. I've even seen an endocrinologist who said she couldn't tell me what was causing my issues as not typical PCO though she thought its a very mild version. Anyway sorry I'm rambling just hoping to chat to people who understand how stressful it is etc with irregular cycles. x

@catconfusion hey welcome! Have you tried taking inositol? I started it a few months ago and not only has it cleared my skin up amazingly it's also made my periods lighter, regular and I'm ovulating. I order from www.earthsnuture.co.uk the inositol supplement they have and its worked wonders for me.. Still no bfp yet but its only been a few months. Worth a go!

Hi @Sunshine3013 I tried it before I had my ds and it messed my cycles up even more when I took the recommended dose for fertility. I had a couple of weird cycles where the follicle didn’t rupture properly and I got spotting and bleeding without ovulation. I spoke to a fertility nurse about this who recommended I take a lower dose. I’m not sure the lower dose is doing anything as my cycles have gone back to long and irregular after having ds. Luckily I do ovulate but it’s really sporadic so stressful ttc.

It’s great inositol is working for you though. I’ve heard great things for pcos. It’s supposed to be great for egg quality as well. I really hope you get a bfp soon.

With me it’s not a clear diagnosis as everything is normal apart from my irregular cycle. I’d had loads of tests that all came back normal. Yet something must be causing it. I have always had these issues since being a teenager. I have a higher bmi after having ds but my cycles are worse when I was slimmer. I conceived ds at slightly overweigh and now bmi is 29/30. I’m eating relatively healthily. If this cycle doesn’t work I’m going to cut sugar out. It didn’t really change anything last time I tried but I know I could do with losing a bit of weight. x

Has your doctor tried you on metformin?
Also evening primrose oil is good. I find it helps balance out the hormones.
You could also look into an enzyme called sereapeptase - women with blocked tubes use it to unblock their tubes.. But it targets inflammation all around the body. You can get it on amazon or in Holland and Barrett.
Ttc is complicated.. It seems everything has to be perfect to conceive. I feel like if it doesn't happen for me I just have to be content with my twins and know its not destined for me again! I'm 31 though so hoping I have more years to go in the ttc realm and I'm just taking the supplements but letting it happen, not concentrating on it every month as that also accumulates stress which isn't meant to be good for us.
I hope you get your wish of becoming pregnant.

I tried it many years ago when I ttc with an ex. The endocrinologist said no harm in trying but as I had no other indicators of pcos she didn’t think it would help. It mainly made me feel sick and cycles still long. Turned out ex had extremely low sperm count so not really sure if it made me more fertile.

Also have tried evening primrose which I seem to remember helped with pms symptoms. Not sure it shortened my cycles. How does taking it work with ttc? Is it safe in early pregnancy? I’ll have a look at Sereapeptase. I’m not sure if it’s an inflammation issue. I’ve been on anti inflammatory diets before and didn’t help. I don’t know, maybe it is. Also pretty sure tubes are clear as I had my son last year and was pregnant just after Christmas but had an early loss.

I agree, ttc is really complicated. Luckily the conception part seems to happen for me. I’ve had three miscarriages though, too before my son and my recent one. My cycles are so difficult to track. It makes trying so stressful which I’m sure makes it worse. It’s nice to chat to people who understand. I don’t know anyone else who has these issues. Although my sister has pcos. With her it was a bit less complicated as she got a diagnosis. She conceived on her first cycle with metaformin.

Congratulations on your twins. How old are they? I really hope you have another baby. How long have you been trying? Xx

Yes it is a journey and I agree metformin is awful, but it does work for some.

Yes evening primrose oil is safe in early pregnancy. It helps with fertile cervical mucus and balancing hormones.

My twins are 6 😊 - I had them naturally also and have had a few miscarriages too..

Just takes more time to conceive.. But I'm sure it will happen for the both of us. Stay positive and relax, its important.

Yes, my sister says it properly sorted her out. She had one ds and the second was natural. She’s had regular cycles ever since her second ds. I think that’s why I held out hope having a baby would put whatever the problem is right.

I might see how this cycle goes. I’ve had three peaks so far and I’m on day 29. I got one yesterday so I’m hoping I might get a temp rise tomorrow. My ds was conceived on day 33 so I guess I’m not out yet. If this cycle doesn’t work out I’ll get some evening primrose. Thanks for reminding me. I tried Angus Castus as it helped when I was younger but it made my cycle worse so I’ll probably stay away from that.

Aww it must be lovely to have twins. Pregnancy loss is tough. I’m sorry you’ve had to go through it. Hopefully now you’re ovulating you’ll have some luck. You’ve totally got time on your hands. I read something about how ladies with pco/pcos generally are fertile for a couple of extra years later in life. I’m hoping that’s the case as I’m 42 in June.

I have to say the mcs took me by complete surprise. I presumed I’d struggle to fall pregnant rather than lose pregnancies as my mum needed Clomid and sister had issues, neither had miscarriages.

I fell pregnant first accidentally on our honeymoon and lost the baby at 10 weeks. Had a d&c and then got pregnant again straight away but miscarried again. Our son was conceived 4 months later after two strange anovulatory cycles. We’d decided to wait for him to turn 1 before trying again but I got pregnant after dtd once at Christmas then miscarried. I’m now on the next cycle after that. I guess that might be why it’s a bit messed up. The first two I had after stopping breastfeeding were 35ish days so not too bad.

Anyway I’m sure it will happen for us both too. You’re right, positivity and relaxation is so important. Yesterday I had a big temperature drop and I was so upset as I was sure O had happened. Then hours later got ewcm and another peak so it can all change really quickly. We will get there! X

@Sunshine3013 I finally ovulated on day 34! Now for the waiting. Hope you’re doing ok! Xx

Hi ladies, hope you're all well. I just wanted to update you ladies that I got my bfp last weekend 🌟after 18 months and just about to be put through for ivf because of pcos and male factor, we were VERY surprised!

I hope it doesn't upset anyone, but I just wanted to share some hope for ladies ttc with pcos as I know it helped me when it was me x

@Justanothercyster that’s fantastic news. I’m so pleased for you. It sounds like such a long and difficult journey so it’s great you have a bfp. Fingers crossed it’s a sticky one. Xx