TTC with PCOS ... any advice welcome.

[Flossy86]

Hi Ladies

So my husband and I started to try for a baby for the first time this month and I’m currently in my 2ww and my brain is working over time.

3 years ago I was diagnosed with PCOS after having 15 periods in 8 months after I had appendicitis. I had the implant at this point but the doctor had me get it removed when things went haywire, prior to that I had had a great 18 months of no periods on the implant. I then suffered horrendous pains even though had changed to the combined pill and after a referral to gynae and an operation later I had been found to have scar tissue attached to my uterus, pelvis and abdominal wall as well as endometriosis. Whilst doing the operation my consultant flushed my tubes which confirmed at the time they were clear but I had a significant number of cysts on each ovary. My GP told me to stay on the pill until we decided we wanted a family and make the most of the first month off as there could be a hormone surge that could be to our advantage.

So here we are having decided now we want a family and don’t want to put it off even longer, I’m 31 and DH 33, but I’m scared of the reality that it could take ages and have recently read there is a significant increase in the chance of miscarriage.

I’m just trying to get as much advice and encouragement as possible from anyone that’s been through the challenging journey of ttc with the added hinderance of pcos. I’m trying to cross my fingers that there might be a chance that it won’t effect my fertility too badly. As a teenager before my days of taking contraception I did have very regular periods. I did use opk this month and appear to have ovulated on cd18 and hoping this is a positive?

Sorry for a long waffley post, just need some reassurance. Thx

 

[Smithy91]

Hey Flossy, sorry I don't have much advice or stories to share, however I didn't want to read and run, (hate that!) I wish you And your husband the best of luck and I'm sending you lots of positive baby vibes!

 

[Rach beattie]

Hey flossy there is loads of lovely ladies on her who can give u great advice about pcos. I'm currently awaiting my first fertility appointment with some signs of pcos. Just wanted to let u no tho that I asked the gp about the increased risk of miscarriage and she said there is nothing to back this up so try not to worry about that. Good luck in ttc journey x

 

[kj1]

Hey Hun, I have PCOS and only had a handful of periods in almost three years after coming off of birth control. I tried loads of different natural/herbal remedies etc I found online but they were all a bit rubbish. I came across a thread about Inofolic in another forum, thought I would try it for the recommended three months before moving onto medical intervention and conceived 2.5 months later on the first month I ovulated. I combined it with temping and OPKs. It also contains folic acid which you are meant to take for three months prior to conceiving anyway so added bonus, plus it increases egg quality. I think I must sound like a broken record as I keep banging on about it but honestly, after so many years of nothing I would recommend it to anyone suffering with PCOS. I know how rubbish it can be! Good luck x

 

[Flossy86]

Hey Hun, I have PCOS and only had a handful of periods in almost three years after coming off of birth control. I tried loads of different natural/herbal remedies etc I found online but they were all a bit rubbish. I came across a thread about Inofolic in another forum, thought I would try it for the recommended three months before moving onto medical intervention and conceived 2.5 months later on the first month I ovulated. I combined it with temping and OPKs. It also contains folic acid which you are meant to take for three months prior to conceiving anyway so added bonus, plus it increases egg quality. I think I must sound like a broken record as I keep banging on about it but honestly, after so many years of nothing I would recommend it to anyone suffering with PCOS. I know how rubbish it can be! Good luck x

Thank you KJ1 that is reassuring. I’m trying to decide if I need to go to GP to talk it all through so I know my options if it doesn’t happen naturally In the coming months. Can I ask how long you had been trying before you got BFP? I will look in to Inofolic.

 

[phonixgirl]

Hi Flossy. Inofolic is very expensive and is just folic acid with inositol. I have PCOS and have found the best things you can do are:

- take myo-inositol (you just mix with water)
- avoid refined sugars (this includes all white carbs)
- do gentle exercise like walking or yoga
- take chromium (was the only thing that stopped my spotting, works like metformin)
- try soy isoflavones (works like clomid) - this can make things worse but if so things restore quickly - Good if you're not ovulating though
- your GP can give you metformin and clomid but many are reluctant, hence the alternatives above
- take COQ10 for egg quality
- Maca is great for hormones generally

Good luck, PCOS is a bitch. I'd say the best thing out of all of them not prescribed is chromium. xxx

 

[phonixgirl]

Also def go to your GP- I was fobbed off loads of times and really had to push before they actually did anything. Metformin has reduced my period pain loads xx

 

[kj1]

As Phonixgirl says, it’s quite expensive and you can actually just create essentially the same thing at home by combining myo-inositol and folic acid. I bought three months to try as I felt it was easier buying something ready packaged then having to weigh everything myself but would probably buy them seperately now in the future when we try for number 2. In answer to your question, I came off birth control in November 2015 and spent the first 6 months not trying not preventing then moved on to actively TTC. My periods were getting longer and longer (usually 90 days+) so was pretty frustrating, hence why I went to see a number of doctors and somographers so I could work out what was going on. I was diagnosed with PCOS in June 2017 and was referred to a fertility specialist so I could start with fertility medication. I was actually prescribed a months worth of the pill from the last specialist that I saw so that they could accurately book my blood appointments for particular days in my cycle, but weirdly I had this odd feeling telling me not to take them as I just felt like my body was gearing up to ovulate and lo and behold, that was the month I got my BFP! I know for a fact that for me it was the Inofolic that kicked my body into gear as I hadn’t been ovulating for so so long. Again, im not a specialist in PCOS at all and I’m not saying it would or will work for everyone but it did for me and so I want to be sure that anyone in a similar situation or position is given every opportunity then can to get that happy ending we all deserve. Good luck xx