PCOS and TTC

[Charlottelouise1993]

Hello,
I have been off birth control for about 21 months now. I have PCOS so my periods are incredibly irregular. My cycles range from 40 - 90 days but usually around the 50 day mark. It seems that I probably don’t ovulate. I was on metformin for about 9 months of the 21 but I have stopped taking that now as I’m not convinced it is helping and I don’t feel comfortable about taking it long term.
Before I go to the doctor as with COVID I really don’t want to burden our NHS anymore, I would like recommendations on natural supplements I can take which will help regulate my periods. I know folic acid is obviously a key supplement for anyone trying to conceive but I mean supplements specifically for hormone stability which will hopefully stimulate ovulation.
Many thanks in advance 😊

What dose of metformin was you on?

I was taking Myo inositol but was told by my consultant not to bother as there is no evidence it works, although I've seen quite the opposite online!
One thing that's helped me is losing weight, I was never really overweight hugely but it's done me some good losing a few pounds

I was on 2 x 500mg tablets. When I start taking the tablets for the first time I notice my cycle lasts twice as long (90 days). This has happened twice each time I begin taking metformin again. Then after that it really didn’t regulate my cycle at all, still about 40 - 50 days long.

I’ll try out Myo inositol, thank you! I do wonder sometimes if these reviews are fake but hopefully not :)

My bmi is about 22 and I think I’m what they call ‘lean’ pcos so I’m not sure losing weight would help me but reducing my sugar and carb intake probably would!!

Maybe if you persevere with them they might level out? I had to go up from 2 tablets a day to 3 before I saw a difference to be honest !
But only you know your body and if they aren't agreeing with you then don't take them, have you told you gp?

My BMI is also 22 so a nice healthy weight now and my periods are regular 28-32 days! I honestly thank the metformin but understand it's not a miracle drug and what works for one might not for another

I take Myo-inositol, chromium and folate as well as NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine) both MyOva. NAC has been a game changer for me and made a difference in just one month. I also take Metformin too but I wouldn't say that's singlehandedly done much.

When I went to a fertility specialist regarding my pcos they recommended inofolic ( similiar to myo inositol just with folic acid) and although my bmi was only around 26 so not hugely overweight they recommended I cut down on sugar and carbs whilst I awaited treatment, I went 18 months without having a proper period then 3 months of eating better and taking these supplements I had my first period and got pregnant straight after, currently 30 weeks
Wishing you all the best on your journey!xx

I take both Myo- Inositol 4g supplement as well as 2000mg Metformin daily for PCOS symptoms as I'm undergoing IVF. I was told it's fine to take both Myo-Inositol and Metformin together as although they do similar things, they work differently in the body?

OP I understand stopping Metformin if you don't feel it's working (although you were on quite a low dose?), but I wouldn't be concerned about taking it long term - type 2 diabetics take it for many years without known problems, I've been on it for about 15 years myself without issue (in fact I think it's helped both with regulating my periods and losing weight but this did take a while).

Metformin has also been known to help reduce the instance of some cancers, as well as potentially lowering miscarriage risk for women with PCOS. From what I've read Metformin seems a great medication providing you can tolerate the typical upset tummy issues that are common (it did take a long while for those to stop for me!).

Thanks all, you have all been so helpful!! ☺️
I will give all these supplements a try!

I might actually start back on metformin again because maybe I wasn’t on a high enough dose. It just scared me that my cycle would double in length every time I start taking it! Then I convince myself I’m pregnant when in reality I’m not! To be honest when I take metformin I do usually notice EWCM 2 weeks before my period starts whereas I don’t notice this when I’m not on metformin so maybe it is doing something 😊
Thanks again!!

Have a read of "It starts with an egg" by Rebecca fett.

Be careful of the NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine). It caused palpitations for me.

Hi everyone, hope you don't mind me joining this thread

I was diagnosed with PCOS last year, with cycles ranging from 40 - 60 days. I was recommended Myoinositol by my consultant and started taking 4g daily, from mid November. It's taken a while to see proper results, but it seemed to reduce my last cycle length by around 20 days and I'm now in the cycle on CD15 and last night had a positive ovulation test result, with all the accompanying symptoms. I really think it's helped me so would recommend but you need to stick with it.
I also read 'It starts with the Egg' and am now rattling from all the supplements, but hey if it might help I'll give it a go! I'm taking N-Acetyl-Cysteine (no side effects so far), omega 3 capsules, CoQ10 and a multivitamin. So basically throwing the kitchen sink at it!

Hello @Patienceisnotmyvirtue and of course I don’t mind you joining this thread!! ☺️ That’s really interesting, I’m so pleased it seems to be working for you!!

I purchased Myo-Inositol Powder, NAC+, ‘Trying to Conceive Advanced Fertility Support for women’ which is basically a multi vitamin with folic acid, zinc etc in. It also has CoQ10 in but only 20mg so probably not enough to make a difference. I also take a generic multi-vitamin from Tesco and lastly the assistant at the health shop recommended Saw Palmetto as well as it apparently has a similar effect to Myo-inositol. I am taking a lot as you can see and spent about £85 which is too much so need to cut it down somehow haha.
I will let you know how I get on. So far I have been taking this for a week so probably not long enough to see effects but I swear my mood seems to be lifted!

@elsaesmeralda @YouBoggleMyMind @ForeverHopeful67 @IamnotwhouthinkIam @okokok000 @Patienceisnotmyvirtue
Hello all, I just wanted to update you all. After all the fab recommendations from you all, this is now my 2nd cycle taking these supplements and after 2 years of trying, yesterday I got a positive pregnancy test for the first time!! I am 4 weeks 1 day so I’m very very aware that I could easily miscarry / have a CP at this stage. But at least I got pregnant which is something i wasn’t sure was possible. So thank you all very much because I’m not sure this would have happened without your suggestions. Xxx

@Prayingforamiricle this is such fantastic news!! Congratulations and all the best for your pregnancy journey! xxxx

@Prayingforamiricle congratulations, what fantastic news! I’m so happy to hear that and hoping all goes well.
I used to go by @Patienceisnotmyvirtue, changed it.
I’m also pregnant, early days (6+4) but hoping it sticks.

@ForeverHopeful67 thank you so much! I’m not feeling too optimistic because it’s still so early. Although I have googled best rated primary schools in my area 😂 getting far too ahead of myself!

@Floryella wow congratulations, that’s fantastic news! It all sounds really positive to me xx

Congrats @Prayingforamiricle and @Floryella - wonderful news!

Hello ladies hope you don’t mind me commenting and joining this post, I’ve had such a rubbish year, I had a mmc last March and thought it would be easy to conceive again not long after as many people have told me that they did, unfortunately for me it’s not been that simple, I was diagnosed with borderline pcos in October along with under active thyroid and low b12, I was told my fsh levels and testosterone levels are in the right range and after months of medication messing around my thyroid levels are now back in range too, unfortunately I’ve had loads of progesterone tests and even one the day after receiving a positive ovulation test but every time my progesterone test results have come back at 1, meaning ovulation is not happening, I’m taking metformin 2000mg daily, and inositol daily but still my periods are super irregular, I’m currently on CD 38 and no sign of AF, because I had a child naturally 8 years ago the doctor isn’t willing to help me with any futher treatment and has just told me to lose weight, has anyone had any success with progesterone levels kicking back into range with weight loss or is this something I’m going to have to pay private for medication? Sorry for the long post x

Hi Everyone, hope your all doing OK?
@tinkers123 sorry to hear about your miscarriage and your journey since.
I also miscarried in October and really wish I hadn't heard all the stories about how "super fertile" you are afterwards, because I felt the pressure and it hasn't happened for me unfortunately. I am very fortunate I have a lovely 6yr old DD. I was told I had PCOS before she was born and that I'd need IVF but at that time we wasn't trying for a baby and she was a lovely surprise. Started TTC Aug 19 and after a long 11 months fell pregnant but mc at 12 weeks. I've recently been told my ovaries look polycystic but my bloodwork is not consistent with Pcos (my acne is defo consistent haha!)
So the GP has basically told me to stop worrying and try the low carb and cut down on sugar diet. It's been about 10 days in (it's blooming hard!) and AF arrived today marking a 27 day cycle, so maybe the diet might have an impact. I'll keep going and hope for the best and keep you posted. But as I already have a child I'm not eligible for any input so got to keep positive that this is going to be the best diet outcome ever haha! Good Luck ladies! We're all in this together! 💜

Hey hun @Emilou89! Lovely to hear your story 💜✨. I’ve lost over a stone and half in about 2 months, I was definitely at my heaviest when I went to the doctor but I’m now around the same weight as I was when I conceived last year but my cycles lasting 47 days + some months, my current cycle was 47 days long, before that 45 and before that 37 so it’s such a huge difference 😣. I’m due to have another scan on my ovaries end of the month to compare it to the previous one but surely if all my other blood work and ovaries “look fine” or whatever and the only thing standing out is the low progesterone I should be entitled to some medication to help boost my progesterone? I don’t even know what medication they do on the nhs to help with that when you’ve had children? Because I know they use something that has progesterone in to make cycles longer etc like contraception? Obviously I don’t want any contraception I just need the progesterone, I’m so so so desperate to have my rainbow it’s unreal 🙁 x

Hi girls,

Ttc with PCOS is challenging because everyone's is slightly different.

Officially there's 4 different types of PCOS, then you add BMI and metabolic syndrome to that, gives you 16 possible variations of the disorder.

fertilityscience.org/getting-pregnant-with-pcos/

However if you find out your type of PCOS, through various tests, and then specifically treat it, you are very likely to fall pregnant naturally.

The only caveat would be if your age and ovarian reserves don't leave you much time to try naturally.... then IVF may be the better option.