If clomid works why do I have to go through such heartache?

[MyFirstNoodle]

I was diagnosed in Feb 09 with PCOS via an internal scan and blood work. I didnt have a period between sept 08 - feb 09.

I have been religiously trying to conceive since June 09 which isnt a very long time compared to most of you ladies. I have recently had some blood work done (on the 2nd of feb) by my new GP to see if I am ovulating by myself. (personally I don't think I am as I havent had a period since Nov 09)

I spoke to my GP almost 2 weeks ago and told him even though im young (almost 20) having a baby is something I want more than anything. I am finacially and emotionally capable of looking after a child. I asked him because of my PCOS is there anything he can do to help me....he said NO! All he can do is check to see if I'm ovulating.....after reading so many posts from you ladies about Clomid/Metformin and provera I asked my GP if I could take any of those medications. Again he said NO....unless I have been trying to conceive a year I am not entitled to any medication.

I dont understand....someone that has PCOS and clearly has fertility issue's surely I wouldnt have to go through so much heartache every month of negative HPTs and thinking I'm pregnant when I know in my heart that isnt possible!!!! Why can't I have the medication now?

Also this is a question for everyone that has used clomid and Metformin - does it work? how many rounds does it usually take before you conceive and how long were you TTC before being prescribed it??


I keep dreaming I am pregnant......I had another dream last night but then I wake up and realise I'm not. I know it sounds stupid but I am getting really down about it all......all I want to see is a and have my beautiful baby....no-one understands!

Please give me some advice as I dont think my doctor takes me seriously because of my age. I would like to know what my options are and next steps??

I dont want to be TTC for 10 years if I can prevent it.

Thanks ladies and good luck xxxx

 

[Blue12]

Hey hun sorry to hear you are going through this.

Although pcos does interfear with fertility for many - some definitely get pg on their own with pcos.

That being said - not having a period for that long of a time would demand some type of attention. Many GP's cannot really do anything for fertility (beyond blood tests for ovulating). I also realize sometimes due to age they do not give you the attention.

I would just demand to be referred to a gyno for not having periods regularly!!!!! Sometimes if you demand that is the problem (and don't focus on the ttc problem) they will give you the help for not having a regular period. Maybe try focusing on that problem and get your period regulated (which in turn could help ttc).

I know some people who clomid and metformin has worked and also many who it hasn't helped at all. Once you get an appt with a gyno or fs you could possibly get some more testing done too - like having your tubes checked too - and let them decide if clomid or metformin is right for you.

Best wishes and let us know how you get on.

 

[jojo-m]

Thats so rubbish when they know what is wrong with you! And you know what? A lot of fertility problems we are facing as a nation these days are due to leaving it so late to have babies, we are designed to produce babies in our twenties so a g.p having that attitude just sucks!

x

 

[a_missy]

i agree with jojo-m, they shouldnt try and put young women off of having babies when they're physically at their peak to have them. i do understand why they suggest you try a year before you start investigations though. chances are you could be pregnant by summer 2010. a friend of mine has PCOS, she was diagnosed as a teenager and she managed to concieve after a year and had a lovely little boy just before christmas. theres hope for you yet, its only been 6 or 7 months. maybe getting some more information on PCOS would help? i know my friend had lots of books on it and she was very careful with her diet and all sorts of things. look into it more and see what you can find out...

blue12 has the right idea though, maybe you should ask to see a gynaecologist about the fact that you dont have periods rather than a fertility issue, then maybe you could get some answers that way instead?

dont lose hope though, i knows it a very painful journey but its worth it in the end when you get your BFP and you will! wishing you lots of luck

 

[Jennifer8]

I have PCOS and am on my 2nd cycle of clomid and metformin. I got a positive ovulation test this month which was great for me as i was told i wasn't ovulating.

I agree that if they know what your problem is they should prescribe the correct medication if thats whats needed. Or at least refer you to gynae dept.

Good luck to you.
x

 

[littleblonde]

I have pcos but before finding out i just had irregular periods. I asked my doctor to send me for tests regarding my periods and not ttc. I was diagnosed with pcos. Didnt get any help though. But i conceived naturally anyway. So maybe go down irregular period route 1st and see what happens from there

 

[MyFirstNoodle]

Thank you everyone I am very grateful for the advice and happy to see some of your pregnant or have a child! Good luck to everyone waiting!

I will see what my doctor says when the blood test comes back and asked to be referred regarding missed periods.


Many thanks again xx

 

[VickyLou]

Hi Myfirstnoodle im 22 been trying since i was 19, and i have only just been given Clomid. Its a long tiring road cause of your age they dont really want to help cause they think your too young. The best thing to do is relax try not to think about it too much cause that will only stress your body out. Hard i no but try and forget about it. When you get the bloods back from your doctor ask him to refer to a specialist this hopefully will get you a place at the fertility clinic from there you should get clomid.

The NHS will not pay for fertility treatment for anyone under the age of 23 though. Well not were i am from anyway.

 

[MyFirstNoodle]

Thanks VickyLou I didnt know NHS wouldnt pay until your 23!!!!! Im from London isist the same here then? Thats stupid! Well I guess theres no chance of me having a baby befpre im 23 if the treatment is REALLY expensive!! xGood luck x

 

[annmc30]

ive got pcos i had clomid/metformin for 2yrs nothing happened until afew months after stopping it i had a m/c which was heartbreaking from 14yrs of trying but u defo got 2 go c gyno cos gps wont prescripe unless getting them from the gyno first hope u get what u want soon, i start my ivf soon just got 2 wait for my period to have bloods done then start treatment

 

[VickyLou]

Thanks VickyLou I didnt know NHS wouldnt pay until your 23!!!!! Im from London isist the same here then? Thats stupid! Well I guess theres no chance of me having a baby befpre im 23 if the treatment is REALLY expensive!! xGood luck x

Yeah i think it is the same for london. The treatment is not that expencive hun, i just got clomid for a 6 months percription is cost me £14 from asda but then i have to pay for 3 scans in the first month which are £58 eacH.

I hope you get what you want huni xx

 

[MyFirstNoodle]

Thanks VickyLou I didnt know NHS wouldnt pay until your 23!!!!! Im from London isist the same here then? Thats stupid! Well I guess theres no chance of me having a baby befpre im 23 if the treatment is REALLY expensive!! xGood luck x

Yeah i think it is the same for london. The treatment is not that expencive hun, i just got clomid for a 6 months percription is cost me £14 from asda but then i have to pay for 3 scans in the first month which are £58 eacH.

I hope you get what you want huni xx

Thank you very much for that. I gues clomid hasnt wrked for you yet?? c

 

[Millnsy]

Hello

Sorry to hear you are having a hard time being taken seriously. I wasn't ovulating and after 12 months got referred to the ferility clinic and went through various tests and treatments including HSG and a Lap & Dye which diagnosed mild Endo. I had 6 rounds of Clomid before moving on to IUI. The whole process took 2 and a half years. I know its hard but patience in the whole TTC process is really what is needed. Also, Clomid is not the wonder drug that some people think it is. There are so many other factors to TTC, Clomid only really helps with about 10% of the process so don't pin all your hopes on that. I'm not saying you will have other problems and as other ladies have said, many people still conceive naturally with PCOS.

I wish you the best of luck.

Millnsy x

 

[VickyLou]

Thanks VickyLou I didnt know NHS wouldnt pay until your 23!!!!! Im from London isist the same here then? Thats stupid! Well I guess theres no chance of me having a baby befpre im 23 if the treatment is REALLY expensive!! xGood luck x

Yeah i think it is the same for london. The treatment is not that expencive hun, i just got clomid for a 6 months percription is cost me £14 from asda but then i have to pay for 3 scans in the first month which are £58 eacH.

I hope you get what you want huni xx

Thank you very much for that. I gues clomid hasnt wrked for you yet?? c

I start my first course tomorrow chick, so fingers crossed.

 

[DragonMummy]

Hey hun. I have pcos too - I was diagnosed last year and am TTC my second. I have a 3 and a half year old son who we conveived naturally (it took nearly 3 years of NTNP) and I have been on Metformin for 4 months which has produced a total of one egg!

I know it's frustrating but all of the PCT's have rules about what age/situation etc they will and will not help. However, all is not lost, there are things you can do.

I have 2 books that are really helpful. One is PCOS for Dummies which was about £10 from Amazon. It gives an overview of PCOS in lay terms, as well as nutrition advice to get your BMI down to healthy and to keep your body as fertile as possible, following a low GI diet which is surprisingly simple - there's nothing you can't have, you just have to swap some stuff round (white or wholemeal bread for stoneground etc) the other is The Infertility Cure by Randine Lewis which focusses more on TCM (traditional chinese medicine) and curing other areas of your body that could be affecting fertility. Theyre great because they make you feel like youre actually taking control of your destiny, rather than being carried by the NHS current.

Feel free to pm me if you want a chat x

 

[mummy.please]

Hey hun.
I am in the same situation. I am 20 and was trying to get pregnant for nearly a year. I went to the G.P after my period was missing and my tests were negative. My doctor sent me away telling me to return in a month if there was nothing. When I returned a month later she did a full blood work. She found I had signs of PCOS. I have all the other symptoms that go with the condition so she sent me off for an abdominal and internal ultra sound. They found 13 cysys on my right ovary and they couldn't canfirm how many were on my left. I have not had a period now for nearly 6 and a half months. I was refered to the infertility clinic who have declined me as I need to do a 2nd day blood test after being on polymedgesterone (not sure of the spelling) I am now not aloud the results over the phone so have to collect these friday and sort out my referal. My partner is now waiting for his appointment to so a spern sample for testing. It seems so stupid to me that my G.P has been able to sort my blood tests and send me for untra sounds and can give my partner a sperm analysis and yet I have to wait for a referal which could take 3 months to see some over paid baffoon to sign a piece of paper to say I need Clomid when my G.P has already told me this!!!

How are things progressing with you now?

Jess

 

[sarlar]

i would recommend asking for provera to start a period if you are not having one! I have been ttc for 15 months and am 25. i was not able to get clomid until the 11th month after they completed testing. one important thing to remember is drugs like metformin are only needed if you have the insulin resistance with pcos so depending on your labs you may or may not need that drug. also clomid is only helpful if you dont ovulate. they definatley arent miracle drugs but will help IF YOU HAVE the problems they are meant to fix. I had to have and HSG to check my tubes and lots of lab work before i got clomid!! i am currently on cycle 2 and ovulated last month/bfn, and have a positive opk this month and waiting. good luck and BE patient!!

 

[mummy.please]

I am not ovulating and havn't for a long while it seems. It's just so frustrating that doctors dont take women with PCOS seriously and there isn't more help readily avalible to us all. Get my bloods back in the morning so fingers crossed! xx

 

[DragonMummy]

hey hun - little update from above. Metformin did nothing for me but pcos doesnt alter my insulin resistance so I suppose it wouldn't! But clomid works a treat - I have ovulated 2 out of three of my clomid cycles so I am more than happy with that.

I think all GP's are reluctant tp prescribe any fertility meds, can you get him to refer you to a FS? (and TTC since June last year - I make that 13 months!) If not, I was reliably informed by someone on here that going private isn't as expensive as you might think - she had consultations and got clomid for about £250 - otherwise you could try SOy Isoflavones? You can get them from health shops and amazon and you take them like clomid - for 5 days at hte beginning of your cycle and they act like "natures clomid" - they basically stimulate the same way clomid does.


HTH xxx

 

[Sazaroo]

Thanks VickyLou I didnt know NHS wouldnt pay until your 23!!!!! Im from London isist the same here then? Thats stupid! Well I guess theres no chance of me having a baby befpre im 23 if the treatment is REALLY expensive!! xGood luck x

Hi

I got fed up with the nhs and ended up going private.
The consultation was £150, the scans were £120 each. I had 3 scans altogether, one to diagnose PCOS and the other two to check the clomid was working.
So literally in 3 weeks from my 1st appointment I was ovulating for the first time in a year.... and it only cost me £510

I know thats a lot of money to some people (it is to me as im self employed!) but my hubby paid half and I have great family network if I needed any more. Just a thought x

xxx