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 😁

Welcome @Newbie0818! I've seen some of your posts in the long cycles thread too :) Sorry about your diagnosis, I got mine this week too from my GP and it was a bit of a shock at first (had a big cry when I got off the phone with the GP!), although I had a feeling something was off. Have you been referred for any sort of treatment?

@swirls3468 I'm also curious to know what the skin tablet is? I've taken antibiotics before for acne which cleared it up, but it came back as soon as I stopped so not really a long term solution. My acne isn't too bad at the moment though. Funnily I only get it on the left side of my face (chin /jaw/cheek). No idea why! I find that two cups of spearmint tea every day seems to keep it a little bit under control - is anyone else doing this?

@fifi1989 Hello! My skin actually flared up randomly when I was on the pill but was under a lot of stress at the time and suffered when I was a teenager as well. My skins never been terrible but I'd say I had moderate acne at the time, mainly on my jawline, and cheeks. Was very sore and itchy. I got referred to a dermatologist who put me on a tablet called roaccutane. It's a really strong medication with loads of side effects but I was so desperate for clear skin and it was totally worth it. It took about 6 months to work. There's strict guidelines about contraception though as if you get pregnant it can cause defects to the baby as it's a strong form of vitamin A. So won't be good if TTC obviously. But yeah it's a really good medication. I've started to get a few spots recently and been a year since I've stopped taking the tablet but hoping it's just hormonal and will clear up, only like two on my cheek xx

@Newbie0818 Hey I know what you mean it's so good to have people in similar situations and knowing we aren't struggling alone. Cus everyone I seem to talk to tells me of stories about people that got pregnant so quickly.
Although I have heard a lot of people have pcos and don't even know they have it and go on to have children. It doesn't affect everyone's fertility. Posh beckHam has it and has loads of kids 😘😃

@swirls3468 I'm hoping to go on roaccutane after having a baby but currently I'm taking vitamin b5 which has gotten rid of all the cystic acne I've been having lately, I still get a few spots but they're not agony. I've been on it about 3 weeks now and there's no studies about pregnancy but I'm going to try to reduce my dose a little bit just to be on the safe side. It apparently comes back if you stop taking it though which is why I want the roaccutane

@fifi1989 ah yeah I remember your name too! Sorry you got a diagnosis too. I'm feeling a lot better but on the day and day after I was like you and couldn't stop crying. Now I just kind of feel like I knew it was coming and all I can do is keep trying things to help :/ hope you're feeling better. I didn't, they just said if after 18 months I still haven't conceived then they can help ... just such a long time :( but they're giving hubby a sperm analysis just to be sure that's all ok. What about you? X

@swirls3468 wow that's good that the tablet worked for that long! Yeah that's true, I'm sure it'll happen eventually. I think I was scared initially as I've always had a massive fear of not being able to get pregnant, and for me it was like it was coming true. But I'm pretty certain I ovulated a few days ago so I'm being hopeful x

@Pinkbunny2811 that's interesting. What dose are you currently taking? I wonder if it's in Pregnacare. I don't normally get cystic acne but the last few weeks I have been and it really bloody hurts doesn't it!

Thought I'd say hello as well. TTC for over two years and in the process
Of my gp referring me, seeing a specialist and all
The investigations in between I've been diagnose with PCOS, likely endometriosis and a heart shaped uterus all of which make things complicated :(
I feel like crying on a daily basis. It's lovely to
Know I'm not alone and to see some stories of hope.
I'm waiting for a laparoscopy but they are on hold at the moment due to covid so in total limbo, all the while I'm not getting any younger.

@ElsiesJourney oh lovely you really are going through it aren't you ❤️ I hope you can get your doctors sorted soon, covid has been so disruptive. I agree, it's so helpful to be able to talk to others on here x

Hi everyone, also wanted to say hello as fertility specialists suspect I have PCOS and endometriosis - as another poster said (@Newbie0818 I think), in an odd way it's nice to know you're not alone.

I've suspected PCOS for years, but aged 15 drs just put me straight on the pill which of course masked all the symptoms. I finally came off the pill for good aged 27 and whilst my acne has touch wood now cleared, I still have irregular painful cycles (27-37 days) and based on temps and OPKs don't seem to ovulate or at least not every cycle. My AMH levels are good for my age and not high which is apparently often an indicator of PCOS, so may not be that or may be mild if I do have it. Was very surprised at the possible endometriosis diagnosis though - I cried afterwards, but feeling a little better that we now have a plan (have early cycle bloods and a scan, then day 21 bloods next cycle; following cycle will start Clomid if all tests do point to PCOS then finally a laparoscopy if nothing improves).

@ElsiesJourney I'm potentially in a similar boat to you although not officially diagnosed with either yet. We've been trying since Oct this time (9 months but feels like forever!), but wasn't safe during 2018 and nothing happened. I'm 34 and just thought this would've happened for us by now x

Greetings to all my PCOS sisters! Ha
Thought to jump on here too as I have 'skinny' pcos (+immune issues). I am trying for my second. Just recently heard about inositol so ordered some from Amazon which should be arriving today. Got myself a pill box too as I will be taking iron, follic and maybe Coq10. Also cutting out sugar completely and going to try low carb...is it okay to eat brown bread, pasta and potato's on occasion? Metformin is like a punishment, I literally cannot eat anything when I am on it but I am going to ask for some as I believe it helped me conceive my first. I really hate that covid has ruined everything for us. It's hard enough as it is without the government delaying everything :(

@ElsiesJourney I am so sorry that you feel like crying every day. I am in the same boat. I had a failed FET result last Thursday and I have been crying since then, I just cant get getting pregnant out of my head and I am afraid it will not happen. I don't know too much about endo but I am planning to have some endo investigations done as i've had 2 failed FETS (3 embies in total) so I am worried. Have you thought about getting anything done privately? My clinic was closed for 2 months because of covid which was really tough for me. I took expired clomid (yes desperate times) so I felt like I was doing something. It's a really frustrating and difficult journey and i find it hard speaking to people who arent in the same boat as I dont think they fully understand.

xxx

Thank you all, I go from being sad and wanting cry to just totally overwhelmed. Fingers crossed surgery starts up again soon.

I have started to look into private treatment to work out some costs. I desperately want to start feeling better, I'm not very good at showing how bad I am (I'm a bit of a swan) so anybody I have opened up to has been genuinely surprised.

Any tricks and tips for not feeling like you have to put on a brave face???

I had started writing a diary because it's the only way I've found helps me dump all my emotions out on a page. I decided the other day to turn it into a blog if anybody's interested. It's purely selfish, but if reading my stories helps anybody else then that's a small bonus. Don't judge my ramblings :)

thwartedfertility.wordpress.com/

@zoeyj my consultant recommended isofolic alpha. I've done a fair bit of reading around it and the combination of supplements seems to be very positive. I've ordered some as I'm flipping willing to try anything.

@Tink2019 your story sounds like mine with the pill. It's so annoying isn't it. With the endometriosis, how does that affect everything? I don't know much about it other than my aunt has it and she said it's very painful and affects the uterus? Sorry if it's difficult to talk about x
And good on you for starting a blog!

@Tink2019 I agree, can't help but think has the pill taking made things worse. I'm going to do some research for sure

@ElsiesJourney Ahh I know that bag of mixed emotions well. For me it's angry, sad, helpless.

I don't really share anything with anyone to be honest...It's hard talking to people who don't understand and when I have to I will put up a front when inside I am dying. Not fun. I keep a journal too, it's good to get it out. Well done for starting a blog, I will check it out!

My inostiol arrived today so looking forward to hopefully seeing some positive results too.

The costs of going private at first were quite scary for me. Are you thinking of the central London clinics?

xx

@Newbie0818 To be honest I'm not really that clued up on endometriosis as it didn't cross my mind until the consultant said it. I seem to have a lot of the symptoms though - after googling I think there are different stages so impact on fertility varies. Only way to properly diagnose is laparoscopy so we're hoping a few diet tweaks and Clomid will be all I need. If not then they do the laparoscopy and treat any endometriosis there and then. Makes me feel weird thinking about an op through my belly button so have everything crossed it doesn't get to that!! Plus we've gone private for initial tests (to speed things up) so would really need the drs referral by then as god knows what cost of that would be x

[quote ElsiesJourney]@zoeyj my consultant recommended isofolic alpha. I've done a fair bit of reading around it and the combination of supplements seems to be very positive. I've ordered some as I'm flipping willing to try anything.[/quote]
Hey I did some research on this and looked good. I ordered it and started it a couple of weeks ago. But it's bloody expensive at £90 for 3 months. I'll give anything a try though. Let me know how you get on with it xxx

@Swirls3468 gosh I know I placed the order too- and actually with my situation unfolding it might not even help but much like you I'm willing to try anything and everything.

Mine should be arriving tomorrow so maybe we can compare notes!!

@ElsiesJourney Just read your blog, it was really sweet to read and bits made me chuckle, you are really good at writing.
If you want to vent to me then go Ahead. I can imagine how you are feeling. I always had a gut feeling I would struggle to conceive but it's hard to believe when it actually comes to it and you still can't. I think it's also when you feel like you can't have something, you want it even more.
I just get obsessed and google stuff constantly.
How old are you if you don't mind me asking and which cycle are you on? Xxxxxxx

@ElsiesJourney @Tink2019 @zoeyj @Newbie0818 @Pinkbunny2811 @fifi1989 @SparklesandSunshine @ApplePie86 @ChicaXS @ForeverHopeful67 @ForeverHopeful67

Does anyone have any tips on detecting ovulation with pcos? I think I (may) have ovulated for the first time this year I had a period a couple of weeks ago and been feeling some weird pain down there. I don't do any of that temperature charting or peeing on sticks cus I literally do not have the time. So other than that I'm clueless if I'm ovulating or not!!

@swirls3468
Figuring out ovulation for me was SO hard. When I was on clomid I used Clearblue Digital Ovulation sticks because the whole two lines thing used to confuse me I need a straight answer yes or no...or in this case a smiley face. Other symptoms to watch out for is stretchy CM that stretches 2cmish between your fingers, boobs hurting is another for me. Also, I use my sticks in the evening as I found it quite time consuming in the mornings too. Hope that helps!

@swirls3468 I'm 35 and haven't started IVF yet. We've been TTC for over two years but now I'm waiting for a laparoscopy to see if IVF is an option for me.
Keep your fingers crossed for me!!
Glad you liked it and it made you chuckle, it's just me ranting really :)

@Newbie0818 it is in pregnacare but only 6mg... I'm taking 2500mg daily 😂 as far as I can tell it's in most foods so isn't harmful. B vitamins are generally quite safe.

Hey ladies,

Sorry I've been absent for a little while, been a hectic week or so with work and I was quite unwell the week before last. Just taking some time to read through people's stories.

I still haven't heard from the clinic at King's about my postponed HyCoSy appointment to check my tubes. I've decided to try and stop obsessing and tracking things a bit as I think it's making me more stressed and sad but it's hard. I tried doing OPKs but with such irregular cycles, it seems pointless as they always seem to come back negative and it's disheartening and been trying to track BBT but I don't understand it.

I've started taking coQ10 and Selenium as well as my Folic Acid and Vit D and trying to get back to healthier habits pre-lockdown style!

I haven't been given anything like Metformin or Clomid yet, I don't know if I can talk to my GP or not as I had started with consultations for fertility earlier in the year and should have been getting results and next steps in August but that's been moved to January 2021 now!

@swirls3468
For me, ovulation is when my boobs are very painful and swollen haha. But it's different for everyone, there's loads of signs so you kinda have to work out what it is. I've been off the pill for years now and that's the only reason I know my body so well.

Croselle

Would ditch the temp charting as well; with PCOS its problematic as you just end up with a chart akin to the Rocky Mountains so nigh on impossible to interpret with any degree of accuracy.

I would suggest in the meantime you educate yourself further about PCOS. Verity is also a good website to use in this respect as it is all about PCOS and after all knowledge is power.

I would also look at following a low GI/GL (glycaemic load) eating plan as this can be beneficial to PCOS patients.

It may be an idea to phone them weekly or fortnightly to see if there have been any cancellations; you may get seen quicker that way.