Losing Weight to TTC (Have PCOS)

[Charmed86]

Hi there! I'm new to the forum & was after a bit of advice

My OH & I are waiting to TTC, we tried a few years back, but it turned out that I wasn't ovulating at all. The specialists told me that I would need to lose 10% of my body weight before they'd consider trying things such as Clomid, but my head wasn't in the right place. I'd not long recovered from an eating disorder and dieting was messing with my head. I went back on the pill & that was that, I guess.

I've been feeling so broody lately & so jealous of anyone who is pregnant (which seems to be everyone right now!!). OH & I decided to lose some weight together & TTC again. I am 8lbs away from my 10% & hoping to come off the pill at the end of this packet.

I am scared of getting pregnant and having a baby, but I think that's normal? Most of the time I am excited! I think I'm just scared of the unknown, scared of things that could go wrong & giving birth terrifies me! I try not to think about that too much :/

Has any one else had much luck losing weight to get pregnant? How much weight did you have to lose? I know if I lose the 10% then I will be offered Clomid & there is a higher chance of it working than if I am at a higher weight, but I'd like to TTC naturally, if I can. My plan is to stop the pill at the end of this month & keep losing weight. I am going to give myself 6 months & if I still have no periods, then I'll go back to my GP & ask for a referral to the fertility clinic again.

I am a bit worried about coming off the pill though.. I have PCOS, no actual cysts, but I have a hormone imbalance & I don't ovulate, so apparently I have 2/3 symptoms. I'm worried that when I come off the pill, that my testosterone will go up again, will it make losing weight more difficult? Will it hurt me to not have a period for 6 months? I've read that not having a period for a long amount of time can increase the risk of certain cancers, but I can't find any info on how long!

I guess I just want reassurance & support mostly! I have so many questions and worries! It doesn't help that I suffer with anxiety too :/ Thank you all in advance xxx

 

[callmedan]

Hi hun & welcome!
I dont really know much about PCOS but didnt want to read and run! I understand it might be harder once you come off the pill to lose weight but I think if you really are determined and keep eating heathily and exercising you'll be able to do it! You could lose 8 pounds in 2/3 months I bet and then start clomid straight away!
good luck with everything x

 

[kitty1987]

Hiya

I didn't lose weight specifically to TTC but I have lost 5 and a half stone in 10 months. I have used an app called my fitness pal and exercised. As long as you have the willpower, you can lose the weight. Good luck

 

[Eline]

Hi Charmed, and welcome on B&B. I also have PCOS and I had an eating disorder in the past.

It's hard to predict how your body will react once you come off the pill. In the past the pill had a good influence on my period as last time I came off the pill I was regular for a couple of months before I became very irregular again.

If you worry about your testosterone levels: on this website https://www.pcosdietsupport.com/ you can find some tips on foods that help you lower the testosterone. I don't follow the actual diet plan on the website though as like you, I'm not a fan of diets. In the past I did notice though that my cycles were more regular when I lost some weight, but I don't want to focus on weightloss, I just try to keep a healthy lifestyle.

It can be interesting to start charting and to take your temperature to verify if you have ovulated or not.

Btw, I recently read on Soulcysters (a PCOS website) that research suggests that there might be a link between PCOS and the occurrence of eating disorders.

 

[comotion89]

hiya my Gynae doctor says due to my weight there's too much estrogen which is confusing my ovaries causing anovulation. I get a period maybe once or twice a year ...years back I lost 3-4 stone got them back every month 30 day cycles ...so she advised me to lose the weight or have no babies...no help until I'm under a bmi of 30...long road to go hah

 

[LaceyDo]

I've never been diagnosed with PCOS but I have hormone imbalances and lack of ovulation. I went off the pill and didn't get a period for a year and 2 months. After about 6 months off the pill I decided to try to change my diet around. I've read a lot about gluten intolerance and infertility so I went gluten free, started taking vit C every day, taking vit D supplements, taking probiotics, and using coconut oil in some of my cooking. I can't say that any of those things were any help with getting my period back but I can tell you that I lost 15 pounds without even really thinking about it. It felt like my metabolism just balanced itself out and the pounds just kind of slowly faded off.

I hope things get back on track for you. Good luck!

 

[tverb84]

Can someone who isn't overweight have pcos?

 

[Charmed86]

Thank you all for your kind comments! I am so frazzled trying to know everything & it's so difficult because it's different for each person.

tverb84 - Yes, there are people who aren't overweight and have PCOS. It's diagnosed normally if you have 2 out of the 3 signs, hormonal imbalance, cysts on your ovaries and annovulation (sp?). A Dr needs to diagnose it & they would normally run a few tests, including ultrasounds & blood tests. Being overweight can make it worse, but PCOS itself can make weightloss very difficult (and weight gain is more likely for some people).

Eline - That's really interesting to know! I wonder why that is? I will definitely go and check out what they've said about EDs & PCOS!

It's reassuring to hear that others have lost weight. I'm following Slimming World at the moment & the weight is slowly coming off. It's frustrating though that I have IBS & it's been really flaring up since I was on antibiotics a few weeks ago.

Thinking of coming off the pill at the end of this cycle. I don't think I'll get pregnant yet, but being on it is making me feel really anxious all the time, I can't stand this waiting!

 

[comotion89]

im a sufferer of IBS too its horrid isnt it? and yes my size 8 sister has PCOS 10 years she tried to concieve...she got pregnant had my nephew and periods became regular for her.

 

[tverb84]

What are the symptoms of pcos?

 

[Girly123]

Hey I have PCOS and came off the pill two years ago and temped. I ovulated about 4 times (4 normal cycles) then went over a year with no period at all therefore I wasn't ovulating. I have been to the fertility clinic and they have run all the normal tests and recently confirmed they are all clear so I should be going back in sept to be put on clomid. However as i ovulated when I came off the pill before I have gone back on it for two months (15 pills left of my second packet) and will then come off to see if it induces me to ovulate again. Worth a try at least. I first got diagnosed with PCOS after I didn't have periods for nearly 3 years, that was 8 years ago.

I am overweight but I am only 1.6 pounds above what I need to be to have a bmi less than 25 so not too much overweight. Even so though all the drs say to loose more weight. I do find it hard. I have found it way easier to loose weight on the pill as when I came off it was slowly creeping back on.

Good luck Hun. How many pills have u got left? We could come off the pill around the same time so baby dust to you xx

 

[NovemberSnow]

Congratulations on the weight you've lost so far! What is the 'ideal' weight for TTC? Is it just a case of being in the healthy BMI range or is it more complicated?

 

[Charmed86]

Hey I have PCOS and came off the pill two years ago and temped. I ovulated about 4 times (4 normal cycles) then went over a year with no period at all therefore I wasn't ovulating. I have been to the fertility clinic and they have run all the normal tests and recently confirmed they are all clear so I should be going back in sept to be put on clomid. However as i ovulated when I came off the pill before I have gone back on it for two months (15 pills left of my second packet) and will then come off to see if it induces me to ovulate again. Worth a try at least. I first got diagnosed with PCOS after I didn't have periods for nearly 3 years, that was 8 years ago.

I am overweight but I am only 1.6 pounds above what I need to be to have a bmi less than 25 so not too much overweight. Even so though all the drs say to loose more weight. I do find it hard. I have found it way easier to loose weight on the pill as when I came off it was slowly creeping back on.

Good luck Hun. How many pills have u got left? We could come off the pill around the same time so baby dust to you xx

I've got a way to go before I am at a healthy range, but my Drs are happy for me to lose the 10% and then start trying. I don't think it'll happen straight away, so anything else I can lose while I'm trying will be good

I'm sorry things got more difficult for you after you stopped the pill, that's a worry of mine, that I won't be able to lose weight as 'easily'. Although at the moment, there's nothing easy about it! My IBS is making life incredibly difficult right now & I've been feeling so unwell lately. I even thought for a second that I might have been pregnant, but nope.

I've got 8 pills left, I've read that coming off the pill can help encourage ovulation for some people with PCOS & I'm praying I'm one of them!! Last time I came off it, I had nothing for about 8 months & I went back on the pill. Sending baby dust your way! I hope this is our time xx

Congratulations on the weight you've lost so far! What is the 'ideal' weight for TTC? Is it just a case of being in the healthy BMI range or is it more complicated?

A healthy BMI is recommended, but my drs are happy for me to start trying once I've lost 10%. I'll keep eating well while I'm trying though and I won't ovulate until my body is happy with the weight I'm at, I guess xx

 

[tverb84]

Congratulations on the weight you've lost so far! What is the 'ideal' weight for TTC? Is it just a case of being in the healthy BMI range or is it more complicated?

I heard it's the healthy bmi which is best for ttc. I think it's 18-24. My bmi is 23.

 

[europa59]

Hey, I would go ahead and ask for the referral to the clinic now and see if they can find a way to make your periods regular while you're TTC naturally. I have PCOS as well and don't ovulate on my own due to hyperprolactemia (which occurs in only 10% of women with PCOS and no pituitary problems) but I ovulate just fine if I take cabergoline to lower my prolactin levels. My normal OB/GYN won't prescribe it, though, so I have to get it from the RE.

 

[Charmed86]

Hey, I would go ahead and ask for the referral to the clinic now and see if they can find a way to make your periods regular while you're TTC naturally. I have PCOS as well and don't ovulate on my own due to hyperprolactemia (which occurs in only 10% of women with PCOS and no pituitary problems) but I ovulate just fine if I take cabergoline to lower my prolactin levels. My normal OB/GYN won't prescribe it, though, so I have to get it from the RE.

I don't think they will send me for any tests at the fertility clinic until a few months have passed & I've not ovulated again. I daren't even ask tbh, because I know what they'll say. I remember the last time I went & the GP was a bit patronising and said it can take some people up to a year to conceive.. To which I said that's great, but I've not had a period in 8 months! Even I know that's not normal. Lol.

Having a tough time losing weight atm, my IBS has been flaring up & I've been put on so many laxatives! And now I've started to gain weight Feeling really sorry for myself atm. How am I ever going to have a baby if I can't even lose weight?