28 TTC #1 with PCOS

[hopefulbaby]

Hello!

I'm looking for some buddies! Any other ladies TTC out there with PCOS?

DH & I have been trying for 11 months now... I just found out from the gyno that I have PCOS in Dec & he's refering me to a fertility specalist next week... I'm going for a blood preg test tomorrow morning (as a percaution) and an HSG this friday.

Anyway... was wondering if anyone on the boards here are going through a similar thing. Would love to form a support group!

 

[cupcakemomof2]

I have been told by my GYN I have PCOS as well. We have two children and we are hopeful for baby #3 to be conceived soon! My son was conceived naturally, while with my daughter I had to be on Clomid for 50mg, and I got pregnant on the second month while taking it. I was just recently told that my issue is PCOS though, with my daughter they couldn't find anything wrong, except for I wasn't ovulating. I have a pretty normal menstrual cycle, usually 30 days, or 32 the most.

I have also been trying supplements from this holistic doctor I have been seeing, Ovex & Utrophin. They both support uterus and ovarian function.

Here's to hoping you ovulate and conceive this month! I know how frustrating this journey can get!

 

[hopefulbaby]

cupcakemomof2 - Two children already!!! wow! I hope my PCOS doesn't pose too many problems to conceving soon too. Hearing your story makes me SUPER excited. Maybe the fertility specalist will try us on Clomid too.... I'm eagerly awaiting the appiontment for wednesday.

Is your holistic Dr. a Naturopath? I've been considering seeing one becuase my gyno and family Dr say that the only thing I can take for my PCOS is birth control pills but that will only mask the probelm. I don't have insulin resistance and my blood work came back with only raised testosterone levels.... The more I think about it the more I want to see a naturopath or something becuase I don't want to put more hormones and "crap" like that into my body if i don't need to. I NEVER want to take birth control pills again and regret taking them, even though there is no real proof it can mess your system up. All I know is that I didn't have PCOS and I was regular before the pill and now after the pill I've had nothing but problems.

 

[hopefulbaby]

I haven't been journaling every day! Bad me!

So I had my HSG yesterday and it was just aweful...... It was the most pain I have ever experienced in my entire life (broken limbs included). I really hope that no one else has to experience pain like I did.

For anyone who has to get an HSG, here is my full experince of how it went, sorry for TMI! I had taken 2 T3s, one an hour before the procedure and one when I was supposed to have the procedure. They were running a bit late so I figured it would be better to take another one, just in case. I was very anxious before the test so I'm sure that didn't help one bit! Right before they were ready for me they let me use the washroom to empty my bladder and I went into a dressing room to change into a hospital gown. The nurse told me to only leave on my socks and bra and to remove my belly button ring (I asked if I needed to). After that the nurse took me to the... I don't know what to call it procedure room I guess? There was a big x-ray machine thing over a metal table that had a hospital pad on the end of it. The nurse explained the procedure to me and helped me up onto the table where I had to kind of ballance at the end a bit because there was no sturrups (annoying). The table was sooooooo bloody cold! UGH! You think they could be cooshy or warmed up or something. Now I got even more nervous. I asked the nurse if DH can come in with me becuase I was feeling a lot of anxiety and she told me that unfortunatly he can't because of the MRI machine and that it's better to have less people in the room becuase there would be two Drs who would also be in there. She promised me that she would stay with me the entire time. She kept her hand on my knee which helped. She also said that the Dr would explain everything as he is doing it.

After a few min the Drs come in. I'm pretty sure one was the x-ray technition and the other was a Dr. The Dr. introduced himself, explained a bit more about what he was about to do, not to worry and that he would explain everything he did as he went along. And then it begins...

The Dr. inserted a speculum (like they do with a pap smear). I concentrated on breathing and tried to meditate as best as I could to try to relax myself. Then the Dr. said he was going to wash my cervix with a solution. I didn't feel that part at all. Then the Dr. said he was going to insert a cathater in through my cervix and I might feel some cramping. So much for deep breating after that point. What I felt was more than cramping. It was a sharp pain and I accidently shreaked. The nurse tried to calmn me down and was rubbing my knee saying it would be over soon. After a few min of the stabbing pain the Dr. said that he was going to use a balloon to dialate my cervix because he could not get the catheter through my cervix. That was extreemly painful and without meaning to I started crying and I had to concentrate on not screaming. The nurse is now holding my hand. Then the Dr said he is going to put on a clamp and I may feel a pinch. Meanwhile I'm thinking omg clamp, what???! The pinch hurt but it wasn't as bad as when he was trying to get the catheter through my cervix earlier. The Dr got the catheter in (didn't feel it this time, but I was having a lot of cramps like period cramps).

Then, the Dr said I had to slide up the table so they can position me under the x-ray machine. This was quite uncomfortable... The Dr. and Nurse helped me slide up the table. Then the Dr said he was going to put the fluid in and that I may feel some pressure and cramping. Wow did I ever. I was now back to crying again. It felt like I was being stabbed from the inside, and I felt tons of pressure. The cramps were nothing compared to the stabbing pains. The nurse was now squeezing my hand and rubbing my knee and trying to engage me in conversation. I have no clue what she even said to me becuase the pain was that bad. I had to lay really still for the x-ray pictuers which was quite difficult. I also had to turn my body to the left and right as the Dr was adding more fluid. I felt like I was going to die the pain was so bad. All I remember thinking was they better hurry the eff up becuase I'm not going to be able to do this for much longer.

The entire procedure took about 20 mins. I'm sooo happy DH was right in the next room. Even knowing he was there helped me get through the pain. I had to wait in the waiting area for a half hour before they let me go home, because of the bad reaction I had to it. I forgot to bring a pad with me (I ususally use a dixie cup anyhow, not like I wanted to put ANYTHING up there now) but the hospital gave me one to use. The Nurse said I may bleed for a bit after and that the "die" they used was clear but really sticky so not to worry about extra disscharge. She said if I got a fever or felt very ill or had a bleed for more than a few days to come back to the hospital.

Anyway, DH took me home and I parked myself on the couch with the remote and our two doggies for the rest of the day. I was very sore and bleed a fair bit. By the time the evening was there I had stopped bleeding but was still very achy.

Today I feel MUCH better. a bit sore but WAY better.

 

[cupcakemomof2]

I used to work for a Radiologist, I was an office manager, and MANY women came in for an HSG, I also happened to be pregnant then, so everytime they would see me they would look hopeful! They were like, I want a baby too! I was like awe, (at that point I did not know I had PCOS.) I don't have insulin issues, but, the reason they determined I have PCOS is due to multiple follicular cysts on both my ovaries (which last month they disappeared, weird.) and also my FSH and LH levels were out of place. He did not mention the testestorone issue, but I don't know.

As far as the Holistic doctor, I have not gone over the complete evaluation, just a preliminary. When I was given the muscle testing, and then when he put these vitamins on top of my stomach, he said that my body immediately strengthened once he placed those on me, so I am taking them. The only time I didn't take them was when I started the two days of Clomid, cause I wasn't sure if it was safe to mix them up (even though they are only vitamins.) Google Utrophin and Ovex or Ovex P, I am taking just the Ovex. I am thinking of getting the full exam by him if this month doesn't work on achieveing pregnancy either! I recommend someone like that, I don't like being on BC pills. The only time I was suggested those was when I actually had very heavy menstrual cycles and they tried to stop the bleeding a bit so I went on them for about 2-3 months.

 

[cupcakemomof2]

It is so odd why I am facing these issues now, but when I conceived our first, there were no issues, lol. How weird! I guess just maybe giving birth to the kids changed my body somehow, I don't even know, all I know is, I want a BFP soon - hope you get yours as well!!

I started facing my PCOS issues after the pill as well, and to make matters worse, I took that after my daughter was born for a few months! It totally screws up your whole system - it's things that just keep adding on to your body, it's not "natural," and neither is Clomid but the reason that gives me some hope is because they say it makes you ovulate, lol. After we hopefully conceive our third I am thinking of just either being super careful without introducing pills into my system, or just close my tubes! I am only 28 too, and I love kids..so that tube thing might be a hard decision. Not like I want 4 or 5 kids or anything, but I just never know....

 

[hopefulbaby]

Hi again

I know I should see a naturopath but I've been avoiding it.... Mainly becuase of the cost! We're going to see what the fertility specialist says tomorrow and then go from there I guess.

Hrm... I guess every pregnancy is different. How long have you been TTC #3 ?

I would be thrilled with 4 or 5 kids. But I haven't even had one so we'll see..... lol

I've heard a few ladies ended up with PCOS after the pill..... Yet Drs say the pill doesn't cause PCOS. I dunno, sounds fishy to me. I will never, ever take the pill again after what we've been through. So not worth it. I'm very happy Clomid worked for you I'm sure I'll find out tomorrow but how does Clomid work exactly, besides making you ovulate? Are there certain days of your cycle when you take it? What if you don't get a period becuase of PCOS.... Do they give you pills to start your period so you can hurry on up taking Clomid? I hope so.... lol Seriously, after over a year TTC I'm so done with waiting. Are you taking Clomid right now?

So, we got the results back from the HSG. Good news and bad news. Good news is that my tubes are clear Bad news is that I have a Polyp in my uterus (kind of like a skin tag) which the gyno says may interfer with fertility. He says he can remove it and test it in a lab to make sure it's not cancerous. They did find cancer cells in my cervix though from a pap smear and I'm on a wait list for a coloscopy and biopsy for that so I wonder if the polyp is realted or not... The gyno wants me to wait until we see the fertility specialist tomorrow to see what he says first. My uterus is totally not behaving AT ALL! Bad uterus!!

 

[cupcakemomof2]

AHHHH, well I heard the polyp only delays your TTC for about 6 weeks. I think you can't BD for a couple of weeks, then give TTC a break, then try again. Did he tell you that's the only way to test for a Polyp by the HSG? Maybe I should get tested, I mean, I have had ultrasounds done when I was bleeding heavily during the summer (like, two periods a month) but I'm not sure if ultrasound alone would discover a polyp. I had excrusciating uterine pain for about two months during that period of time, right before my period, like the kind of pain you experience when you go to give birth, it's not pleasant and I found it fishy because it's something I have never experienced before except for when I went to have my kids.


As far as I know Clomid helps with ovulation, and sometimes it is is also prescribed to men for hormonal issues, but differently than women. I think it may have something to do with the ones that have problems with their sperm motility. I've never missed a period on PCOS, if anything I had them too often, lol. When I take Clomid they seem to stay on track no matter how the hot flashes symptoms feel so deathly! When I tend to go off Clomid for a month, I begin to get the mid cycle bleeding/spotting, so it's weird, it's all hormonal for me. If you didn't get a period for 3 months most doctors would want to give you Provera to bring it on (because it's not good to not have a period that long, for your own good,) then if you are also trying to conceive, once you get the period from the Provera, you go on Clomid on CD3-7, or whatever is suggested to you by your doctor.

I'm glad your tubes are all open! That's very good news, I wouldn't worry much about the polyp, better out than in!

 

[Andielina]

Hi there! I was diagnosed with PCOS in December. I'd never had problems with my cycles until this past year. In February of 2011 because of anemia issues my old doctor put me on generic birth control pills. I had never been on them before. I hated them. My periods were still very heavy, I still had a lot of cramping, my boobs jumped 2 cup sizes (and they were already a D to start with- sheesh!), and I began gaining weight on my belly. So around June before I got married I decided to skip my 'white pills' so my period wouldn't come and I went to the next pack. I did this to try and bump my period up a week so I would not be entertaining Aunt Flow while on my honeymoon. This was a terrible idea. (a little tmi) I bled for 4 weeks straight. I stopped thankfully the week before my wedding. So after I got married I decided to just chuck them. I quit taking them. Then my cycles got wacky. Very heavy, a few days late here and there, and I felt like I had PMS ALL the time!!! It did not make our first few months of marriage very grand, I'll tell ya. In October I was 3 weeks late. I had NEVER been late before like that and was so excited- thought I might be pregnant! I spent SO much money on pee sticks and nothing but big fat negatives. So I scheduled an appointment with a new obgyn (since I didn't like my other doctor and we had moved in May anyway) and he is wonderful!!!!! When I went in I pretty much just broke down and spilled my guts about everything. He listened and examined me and to make such a long story short he did the blood work and confirmed PCOS.
His first suggestion- go back on birth control pills. I told him I wasn't sure I wanted to do that, so he asked me to trust him and that he would do whatever it took to find the right ones for me. And he did! I'm on Loevra (or something like that). It's got less hormones and is more gentle. Since being on them (this is only my second cycle) I have noticed the black hairs popping up on my chin and neck have disappeared, my PMS has only reared its ugly face when it should, and my period was SO much lighter! Lighter than it's ever been!
I had a follow up appointment this week and they are going to test my glucose and insulin to see if I'm insulin resistant. If I am they are going to let my try metformin. He also determined I have hypothyroidism (which isn't helping weight loss at all) and if the metformin isn't needed he will put me on cyndroid to whip my thyroid back into shape.

Now I'm not an advocate for doping up on pills to fix things- and I definitely am not going to be on birth control for long, but I am thankful to see how it's getting my hormone levels back to normal. And if I can begin and keep up the low carb, high protein diet my dr suggested he thinks when we begin ttc that it will be a lot more successful.

Sorry this post is to long. I hope this helps in any way. I was surprised to learn it is something that can develop through weight gain and/or messed up hormones. I was also disheartened to be put back on birth control (dh and I cannot WAIT to get a ). So, I know personally how frustrating the battle with pcos and our womanly issues are. But, having a supportive hubby helps loads and making sure you have a good doctor you can talk to was a huge help to me. He wants to see me healthy and preggo as much as I do and that means the world!