PCOS TTC-positive outcomes?!

[BTV2000]

Any advice/positive outcomes gratefully received!

I have been newly diagnosed with PCOS and my partner and I are planning on ttc later this year.

My GP diagnosed me based on ‘irregular’ cycles (I have a period every month but my cycle varies between 27-35 days) and my hormonal blood tests. She advised me that some women struggle to conceive because they don’t ovulate due to their irregular periods and that I should try to lose about a stone in weight which will help regulate my cycles (FYI I am 12st8 with a BMI of 27.5)

I did explain to her that I practice FAM and chart my cycles and can clearly see a temp shift along with other fertility markers each month but she still seemed pretty pessimistic...

My understanding of PCOS and TTC is that a lot of women either don’t ovulate so don’t conceive (understandably) or assume that ovulation always occurs around day 14 so may miss their fertile window unknowingly?

I’m hoping that by continuing to learn what my body is up to and continuing to chart my cycles that it’ll make it easier for me to conceive when the time comes?

I’d be interested to hear of other women’s stories and if anyone just has any advice in general?

I’ve started taking my fertility support vits, continuing an anti inflammatory diet (carb controlled, low sugar, low alcohol etc)

My GP has been a bit useless so any experiences from others with PCOS would be helpful :) especially anyone who has had any fertility MOT tests prior to conceiving-but I’m wondering if that’ll just make me look for a problem?!

I would further educate yourself about PCOS and living with this condition long term. It will also help you re treatment decisions when you are ready to conceive (read up about clomid, injectible drugs, ovarian diathermy to name but three). It can be controlled to some extent but no one therapy or treatment will completely eradicate it. It is a very individualistic disorder and does affect each woman with it very differently. I have PCOS and am a parent but our particular journey to conceive took over a year and went onto involve ovarian diathermy surgery).

Both of you should be tested further and in tandem by the subfertility unit. Would not bother with anything like fertility MOTs now as you've got a diagnosis. Verity's website is also worth reading www.verity-pcos.org.uk/

Your body can play tricks on you. I would actually refrain from temperature charting altogether; its pretty much useless when it comes to PCOS and you could well end up with a chart nigh on impossible to determine with any degree of accuracy. You can get a rise in temp in the second half of the cycle when an egg has not been shed so charting is not infallible. Many gynaes do not take much if any heed of such charts either precisely because they are so unreliable. Other "fertility markers" like cervical mucus are also pretty poor indicators of ovulation. I would also suggest you not use ovulation predictor kits either; again these are problematic when it comes to PCOS. These kits actually advise that they are not recommended for use in PCOS patients. The reason is that these kits measure LH: as many women with PCOS have an excess of this hormone to start with the kit merely reads that thus giving a false positive result.

If you can remain within the correct weight range for your height this will also help. Rather than low carb which is not sustainable in the long term, I would look at following a low GI/GL (glycaemic load) eating plan which is more sustainable and is more helpful to those diagnosed with PCOS.

Be kind to yourself; it sounds trite but its true. As you have been diagnosed with PCOS I would look into getting referred via the GP to a subfertility unit sooner rather than later; these appointments can take some considerable time to happen. Initially at least you are better off going under the NHS. Both of you should attend their initial appointment as you can give each other moral support and ask questions. No question is daft and I would also suggest writing down anything you want to ask them well ahead of time.

Good luck to you

Collette Harris has written some cookery books with PCOS in mind.

I have Pcos but conceived naturally. Had been prescribed clomiphene 50 mg for 6 months but for some reason even though I was ovulating on it , still wasn’t getting pregnant. Then when we lost all hope on the 7th month, conceived our daughter without any fertility meds. So there’s hope! Stay positive, exercise and eat healthy. You are doing all the right things. We are now Ttc 2nd child but again the same issues. This time only different thing I’m doing is tracking ovulation through the ovulation sticks and their app. Praying for little miracles for us all! It will happen! Stay strong and never lose hope.

I have PCOS but seem to have got it under control at the moment though a combination of low GI diet (as far as possible, I'm not crazy strict) and myo-inositol which was recommended by my consultant. I have lean PCOS but apparently losing just a bit of weight can really help too.

I chart, and I use ovulation strips as they work for me, but as AttillaThe Meerkat says they aren't reliable for everyone with the condition. It's a wide spectrum and can affect people in different ways.

I agree it's best to get the process of referral underway as soon as you can as the waiting times can be very frustrating. Understandably due to the pandemic there's a big backlog where I live so we're ending up going private (we have a male factor issue as well).

Good luck!