PCOS - any tips to help !

[BethAshTTC]

Hello everyone.
Little bit about me - I am 27 years of age. Me and my fiancée have been trying to get pregnant for over a year now. We have been together nearly 12 years and had the implant in for 10 years.
Had the implant removed last April. As I said we have been trying, I have done ovulation tests , preeseed/ conceive plus gel and even inserting a fertilily every time. We have been having sex every 2-3 days. Cut a long story short, I went to the gynaecologist last month to try and get some help as I had been told I have a cyst on my ovary 3 years ago. This was found when I had gastric bypass surgery - In two years I lost 18 stone in weight and have been stable for over a year.
In my appointment the gyneocologist shocked me by telling me I had PCOS and they found it last august 2021 . I did not know this and burst into tears. He said it must of been overlooked and just apologised. So after a chat and him telling me he does not think I am ovulating we decided that moving forward he requested my fiancée has a semen analysis done. Test results back and all parts of the test were above what was needed expect for morphology - 1% .
I sent the results and gyneocologist said for my fiancée to go for another test which was done this Wednesday 01/06/22. If the morphology is 4% or above then he will prescribe me Clomid for 6 months and if no result then he will check my tubes. If morphology comes back less than 4% then IVF is only option.
Sooo! After my long long post - by the way I thank you so much for taking the time to read!
I am just looking / searching for any advice or similar stories from anyone out there. Is there anyone that was told similar and managed to get pregnant? Can I do anything with my diet to see if I ovulate? Pretty lost at the moment , anything would be helpful ❤️ thank you xx

Hi lovely!
Not much advise on the test side of this, but was diagnised with PCOS at 17 - I'm now 30. I have been on contraceptives since non stop and just got my implant removed last November, and started taking Inositol (nearly) daily to help with ovulation and egg quality, after @pcos.weightloss advise on instagram. Lots of positive reviews, worth a google. Best of luck! x

I have PCOS. I take 1500mg metformin and had clomid to have my DD. I'm still on the metformin and have more clomid but before I try it I'm taking some supplements, myo inositol and d chiro something which lots of people say help PCOS.

Thank you so much for your reply Anasan, can I ask where you bought the inositol please ?

Thank you so much jevoudrais for your reply I really appreciate that. I have a phone call app with nurse practitioner in the morning to request metformin as I have heard good results of a chance this will regulate periods? Did this do for you and does it help with ovulation and if they will prescribe without me having diabetes. I am currently on a period after 95 days and it is very draining isn’t it. I am really hoping for Clomid ! But if fiancés second test comes back next week with less than 4% morphology then the gyneocologist said he will not prescribe it me . Then I don’t know the next steps other than IVF. But I have read positive reviews that men with good counts etc but low morphology and the woman with PCOS have still managed to conceive with Clomid. If the morphology has not improved do you know whether maybe private gyneocologists will prescribe Clomid with this SA result. ? Sorry for all the questions and I understand you may not know the answers but is nice to talk to someone who understands x

How did the appt go?

Metformin did regulate my cycles. They could be 24-48 days typically and are now more like 27-30. I don't have diabetes hence why I'm on 1500mg met, the diabetic dose is 2000mg.

I think letrazole is actually better than clomid and I'd see if that's a goer for you too. Clomid you can only have 12 cycles of in total but I don't think letrazole has the same limits. When I did research a few years ago outcomes for letrazole and metformin looked better than metformin and clomid but I was already on clomid by then.

Some will say you ovulate or you don't, but I feel like I ovulate 'better' on clomid. I think it boosts my progesterone higher than it would've if I ovulated naturally. I am prone to chemical pregnancies if and when I can get pregnant.

I don't know anything about sperm issues I'm afraid. I think ICSI and IVF can be goers for sperm issues though and make a real difference. For me I struggle to get pregnant and struggle to stay pregnant. Usually most women have one or the other, which makes it easier!

Hello my lovely, thanks so much for checking up regarding my appointment! It means a lot! So I had telephone consultation with GP . Explained the situation and my request for metformin and why. She said because I am under the gyneocologist for investigations then it has to be them to prescribe so as they don’t disturb what gynea are doing. So rang the gynea , spoke to secretary , fiancées results are not back yet. She has wrote letter for gynea and will get an answer either tommorow or Monday if I can be put on metformin. Hopefully they approve and fingers crossed partners morphology has improved so I can have Clomid. Seems like every day is so long waiting doesn’t it ! So pleased to hear about your cycles getting shorter and sorry to hear about your difficulties! How long have you been trying? Gynea thinks I am not ovulating at all and comparing to last 95 day cycle I understand now lol! I have changed my diet completely the last few days. It’s a struggle with food because of the bypass I only have a small stomach but trying to snack on boiled eggs, spinach, almonds, cashews and protein. I have just been reading about that myo inositol, is this what your on? Tablets or powder form.
I also take forceval multi vitamin, adcal d-3 and ferrous sulphate from the operation. Also do I need to take prenatal vitamins with the myo inositol or does it contain the right amount folic acid ? Sorry for all the questions! Thanks lovely, how’s your journey going xx

Sorry to hear this! Stay positive I have pcos and conceived two children natrually.

Wait loss helped me lost a stone then normal cycles again. Drs told me any weight loss even 1g can make your body reset your hormones which might explain the bmi stuff they focused on.

I found a low gi diet for pcos massively helped me. It was 6 months of veg, chicken, fruit and not much sugar but resulted in two babies for me.

I read a book by a dr called Maryiln - natural way for pcos and it massively helped my understanding of pcos and how it relates to food and hormones. That helped me more than any dr appointments!

I found vitamin b12 good people with pcos sometimes dont have enough and can help regulate hormones.

Hi Littleonek. Thank you for your response! I am so pleased to hear you was successful with both of your babies! I have a B12 Injection every 3 months because of my bypass surgery so that’s a positive, I have changed my diet to whole grain cereal with strawberries for breakfast, boiled eggs spinach almonds and crab sticks for lunch and a chicken chargrill with some broccoli for tea, I also add a protein shake or yogurt in between as I have to have a certain amount of protein a day after the bypass surgery. I am hoping this makes a difference as before I was eating a lot of cheese, I lived on it! I was also consuming a few energy drinks a day and I have also cut these out completely and focused on water and squash! It is very nice to hear success stories, it keeps you going in this TTC phase. Thank you x

Well done you are doing amazing! I joined the gym too and for me it massively helped with my energy and wait loss. Was super boring as I hate the gym!

This is the myo I take:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07YN43W7X?ref=nbsbbsswwas-reorder-mobile-t1yppprepk001_4&amp&crid=3QDRM1DBCGMJW&amp&sprefix=myo+

If they say yes to metformin ask for slow release. The standard metformin really upsets most people's stomachs. Given your surgery I would think that's a good argument for the slow release too. I went from 500mg for a week to 1000mg for a week to 1500mg for a week on the standard version and it was brutal. I was very nauseous and could barely eat. Once my body was used to it I was fine. Once I was on it they wouldn't let me swap to the slow release though, so definitely ask at the start. Glucophage I think it's called.

Need to take prenatal vitamins too, the myo is quite PCOS specific. Some people wouldn't take things like that but I'm at a point where I will!

In terms of timeline, for us it was:

June 2017 - started trying
August 2018 - prescribed metformin
Oct 2018 - chemical pregnancy
March 2019 - started clomid
May 2019 - chemical pregnancy
Oct 2019 - pregnant and stayed that way
July 2020 - DD born

We have started TTC again recently and I've already had a chemical. Got more clomid but haven't started it yet.

I've also taken the metformin continuously since it was prescribed. I felt so much better on it. Less tired, my skin is way better, I just feel better. I was fine on the pill as that regulated my hormones too, but once off it it was awful. I don't plan to stop the metformin in a hurry tbh even post children because it keeps things level for me.

Thank you Littleonek! I am feeling good and positive so fingers crossed!
jevoudrais - it was heartbreaking to hear your journey it really was but seeing your end miracle is very beautiful ❤️ I wish you all the luck this time and I hope it’s only good news from now for you! Do you recommend a good prenatal vitamin? I have tried pregnacare and seven seas before but undecided which one to carry on with!
I didn’t see this message until now gyneocologist receptionist rang me this morning - metformin prescribed! I feel so happy . But he has prescribed me 2g a day (500mg twice in morning and 500mg twice at evening) I do hope i am ok on it but will monitor any side effects !
I am so hoping this will regulate my cycles 🤞
thank you xx

That's great they've given it to you. Hopefully you won't feel too rough on it as I did to begin with!

Thank you for the well wishes. It's a hard old journey this kind of one as you know.

I use seven seas x

Hi lovely! I was feeling rough first few days but nothing in particular to pin point. But generally felt rough lol!
Well gyneocologist has rang today. My partners second semen analysis has come back with improvement ! I couldn’t be happier!
he has prescribed me Clomid , but I am awaiting a call back to see if he will prescribe me a tablet to induce my period to enable me to take the Clomid ( I don’t know the name of the tablet)
so hopefully they will ring me tommorow and I can pick them up!
I couldn’t feel more relieved and happy that there is a light at the end of all this! I had to update you jevoudrais . How’s your TTC journey going at the moment love ? Xx