Wegovy & trying to conceive

[PeonyPatch]

Hello,

looking for advice and support please… feeling sensitive, so please be kind 🤍 🙏

Can anyone tell me if being on Wegovy would stop us being able to be referred for fertility treatment?

I’ve just started taking it this week. I am 35 years old, I’ve got PCOS and my husband and I are trying to have a baby.

My local NHS fertility clinic rejected our fertility referral recently as they stated we had only been trying to conceive for 10 months, and they said we needed to be trying for 12 even though we have technically been trying for longer, just not all in one go. We have been together since I was 19, we’ve basically very rarely used any contraception over this time. Seemed like a tedious rejection. However, my GP said they’re willing to make a referral again for us in February as that will be 12 months of ttc in one go.

The only thing is I have started taking Wegovy this week. Mostly because I wanted to maximise our chances to conceive as I have PCOS and it’s meant to be good for insulin resistance and regulating ovulation. I was on Metformin for 6 months, but it’s made no difference to me/us, so that was another reason for making the switch to Wegovy. I’m not hugely overweight. My BMI is 26.5. I don’t smoke, or drink alcohol and I exercise. I eat a healthy, balanced diet.

I know you must stop Wegovy for 2 months before ttc. My thinking was, take Wegovy all the time I’m waiting for the fertility referral to be made again. Anything to help us, or help my body.
I am desperate to have a baby. I have no other children. I’m struggling with it now. I want to do all that I can. I really hope the fertility clinic wouldn’t reject my referral again because I’m now taking this?

If anyone has any experience of this, please let me know and I’d love to talk to you.

Honestly I think you’d have been better just carrying on TTC and not taking WeGovy yet. It can take up to a year (of consecutive months of trying) for it to happen for couples without any known fertility issues. Both of mine took around 13 months. You not being super careful prior to trying doesn’t really say much as you can only get pregnant a few days of the month. You are nowhere near obsese and I assume you’re taking this on a private prescription so you don’t even know if it would be recommended for you for your fertility issues. Far better to keep trying naturally while you wait for your referral and they see what they advise doing as next steps.

Your BMI is 26.5, why are you even taking it? Just stop.

How did you get it prescribed with your BMI?

I appreciate you've struggled to conceive, but you are, technically, TTC now. You're not on contraception. So I would say it's a bit daft to take a GLP-1, just in case.

If you want to do all you can follow the medical advice. Stop taking wegovy, wait 2 months then start TTC. All you’ve done is delay the process, as the clock will have to start from March for 12 months. You really should have spoken to your GP before taking WLI.

I got prescribed it due to my PCOS.

Sorry why and how did you get wegovy at all with a bmi so low?

You have to stop WLI when trying to conceive. I have been on them 12 months and was told by my diabetic team I would need to stop before trying.

My NHS GP have been pretty useless though. They just told me to come back in February. They haven’t given me any support with my PCOS at all, despite me filling out e-consults. My last cycle was 37 days long.

I appreciate what you’re all saying tho about delaying the process. I’ve spoken to my husband and we’ve talked about me stopping taking it now.

As I previously said. I was prescribed it as I have PCOS. My cycles are all over the place and vary from 30 to 45 days long. I was taking Metformin, but it wasn’t making much difference. I’ve decided to stop the wegovy now and just try to get seen by a fertility specialist. It’s really upsetting waiting while your cycles are like this. Not to mention I do find it hard to shift any weight despite exercise!

People are so jealous of anyone on this medication. I struggle thay with even a thread like this, the focus is on thay you got the drugs. At bmi 27 you’d have been eligible and I assume that’s why you got it, as you were at that when you started which is just a couple of pounds difference.

however on saying that, I’d not keep stopping and starting my ttc journey as it will impact your referral process.

Ah I see, that wasn't clear - I thought you'd bought it on private prescription like most people do. Did you tell the GP who prescribed the Wegovy that you were TTC?

I think you'll have to speak to your fertility clinic once you get the referral. It might be worth it in your specific situation, but I don't know if the NHS would go against guidance that you shouldn't take it while TTC - they generally don't. You might find it easier to go private, if that's an option. There have obviously been cases where women have got pregnant while taking it, but I don't know if there are any studies into it yet.

In my experience the NHS are not great with PCOS unless it's causing you a specific problem, which they will then try to fix - the PCOS itself is seen as just 'one of those things'.

Thank you! I also think I put a typo above but my bmi is 27.5. I got it prescribed privately but the doctor who prescribed it to me heavily reviewed my PCOS and other things.

The NHS have been useless with my PCOS. You’re right, they just accept it as one of those things. But at times, my periods have been so heavy, I haven’t been able to go to work and I’d have to take tranxemic acid for it.

I have now decided to stop taking the wegovy and I’ll be asking for a referral to the fertility clinic again in Feb. I really need to talk to a fertility specialist about what my options are. Hopefully they can prescribe progesterone or I can do ivf.

@PeonyPatch Did you not have to tick a box to say you wouldn’t TTC while taking it? Or did you talk to the doctor prescribing about TTC? It sounds like you’ve decided to stop anyway which is the sensible decision.

@Brightlittlecanary No jealousy here - I’m on MJ. Also took me over a year to conceive both times so I get the frustrations.

I spoke to the doctor prescribing and we agreed that I would not ttc while taking it and only ttc 2 months after stopping taking it.

I think it’s a sensible decision too. I guess I just feel a bit stuck at the moment. I know the NHS fertility referral is likely to take weeks once they’ve accepted it as well. The waiting list is 25 weeks. I feel like a woman on the edge!

How much Metformin were you on and for how long?

I have PCOS and the Metformin regulated my cycles but it took some time. I still take it now 7 years later.

Why don’t you change GPs and just tell them you have been TTC for longer to get a quicker referral.

If WLI is a private prescription just don’t tell the NHS doctors. Speak to a private fertility specialist for one consultation to find out how far before TTC you actually need to be off WLI and then come off it whatever that period before your NHS treatment.

Once you actually get the referral it’ll still take ages to get treatment.

FYI I have PCOS and had a BMI of around 27 for ages and wasn’t ovulating. I went on a mega diet (pre WLIs sadly although I would have NO issues using them 😂) and got my BMI to around 20 and like magic I started ovulating on a 28 day cycle and got pregnant first month with both my kids. I fully believe that for some people losing weight is a magic solution to PCOS (not for everyone!).

Happy to get flamed for telling you to keep things from the NHS/giving out dubious medical advice.

I was taking 500mg twice a day since July last year. I do think it helped somewhat, but I also had my two longest cycles while on it as well.

I have thought about changing GPs and I might, but I think it’s on my record now 😡 so I think I might just wait these tedious 6 weeks until I can re refer. I feel so so angry that the consultant who rejected me has esssentially gatekept a vital service for me for the sake of “2 months” worth of ttc. Sickening.

Well I’m trying to lose weight and bring my BMI down, but nothing is working. I’ve cut out ultra processed foods now, I don’t snack, only eat breakfast, lunch, dinner. 2 pieces of dark chocolate only if craving. No alcohol. No fizzy drinks. 2-3 coffees a week only! I really do think it’s the condition itself and not me. I also have Hashimotos.

not sure if there’s much point in changing GPs now because by the time I get enrolled, I’ll be close to 6 wwwks anyway right? What pisses me n my husband off is we will now have to redo all the tests, for me that’s bloods, vaginal swab, ultrasound, and for him a sperm analysis. I’m honestly so pissed off with it all.

we cannot afford to go private.

Do you have any advice for me with losing weight? That’s fantastic u lost so much x