LTTTC #1 w/pcos - Buddies?

[pvsmith12]

Hi ladies,

DH & I have been TTC #1 since March 14, 2010... I recently found out that I have PCOS (but no cysts on my ovaries - doesn't make sense to me, but ObGyn said I don't have to have cysts to have PCOS). I am currently on CD 19, cycle 7 on clomid (1st cycle @ 150mg) & take 1500mg Met/day.

Just looking for a buddy/buddies who are kind of in the same boat to share the journey with.

 

[mrs.monty]

Hi there! I am LTTTC #1 with PCOS, DH and I have been trying unassisted since 2003, because we just thought that it would happen..... but it hasn't. so we have started on clomid. I am on my second cyle, and had a trigger injection on Monday, so I am on the 2ww as we speak! Id love to be your buddy!

 

[pvsmith12]

Hi there! I am LTTTC #1 with PCOS, DH and I have been trying unassisted since 2003, because we just thought that it would happen..... but it hasn't. so we have started on clomid. I am on my second cyle, and had a trigger injection on Monday, so I am on the 2ww as we speak! Id love to be your buddy!

2003?! That is a long time. It's exciting that you are now in the 2ww, hopefully the clomid & trigger shot works for you. I am charting and currently on CD 21 and am showing no sign of Ov'ing yet.

 

[pinksprinkles]

Wow, 7 cycles of Clomid! Have you been O'ing well on it? And has the Metformin helped? And how has the Clomid been treating you? I have had the absolute WORST side effects ever.

My DH and I have been TTC since Sept 2011. I just got diagnosed w/PCOS this past week. I've got cyst covered ovaries, weight issues, and yesterdays BW showed insulin resistance that is also causing borderline high cholesterol. Earlier this year I took some stupid supplements that apparently worsened the PCOS and I went from O'ing every 30-44 days to not O'ing at all. Not happy about it, but at least it got me to the doctor, and after 6 months of appointments, I finally have a great RE and a diagnosis. I am so glad to know what is going on!!! I've had irregular periods, depression/anxiety, fatigue, weight issues, etc, since I was 12 years old, so after 17 years, I am happy to have REASONS for it all!!

This is my second cycle of Clomid (50mg) and my first cycle of IUI. My first round was with my OB/Gyn last month to treat anovulation, but they refused to do any kind of monitoring and it was a pain to get them to even do the basic infertility testing over the last several months, so DH and I switched to an RE this month. I am MUCH happier to be doing it this way. Last month was way too stressful and apparently OPK's don't work for me on Clomid. We decided to go ahead and do an IUI as well since both my DH's SA showed borderline viscosity. Anything that ups our chances I'm ready to do!!

My next appt is on Tuesday, so I guess they'll be putting me on Metformin then as well as doing my 3rd u/s of this cycle. CD12 u/s showed no dominant follicles, so FX'd CD15 shows progress. If I don't get my BFP this cycle, my RE is moving me up to 100mg next month.

 

[mrs.monty]

yeah, PCOS is a not fun! I have weight issues,(have lost 30 kg) DH and i bought our first house in 2003, and i went off the pill, straight away, we were ttc but not actively, medication, charting and all of that type of thing. then, my periods stopped, and we had not fallen pregnant, so I went to the womens hospital in Melbourne in about 2005, to ask for assistance, who basically told me to go away, loose weight and I will get pregnant, I spent 2 years getting told the same thing by them so gave up for a while, and thought it would just happen/i would loose weight. then we got engaged, so then we were again just going woth the flow, got married in 2009, fast foward to now and we moved interstate and I got older and my maternal clock has started to tick REALLY LOUDLY and I got a lot more desperate to have a baby of my own adding to this when we are one of 2 couples in our circle of friends/family etc that have not got any children, I hate when people ask "have you got kids"... DH and I went and saw a FS all tests came back good inclusing SA and blood work. (everything must have regulated since loosing some weight for me, but i still ahve atleast 40kg to go) anyway, FS put me on 100 clomid, first cycle I O'ed and everything was good, but I was working 2 hours away from home and obvously wasnt home for all the required BDing! lol. so I am hopeful that this month with 100 clomid and the trigger shot we have done the trick!

PVsmith12 we are at the same date in our cycles! have you been getting OPKs or Blood tests/ultrasounds to see if you have o'ed?

Pinksprinkles, love the name by the way! good luck to you this cycle. let us know how you went with your ultrasuonds etc.

My fingers and legs are crossed for all of us PCOS girls!

 

[Madgirl]

Im also LTTTC#1 with PCOS. PCOS is the devil lol!

I am currently on my second femara cycle in the TWW. I have done 6 cycles of clomid in 2010 and ovulated twice. Femara is being much more cooperative with me.

Good luck to all of us!!

 

[pvsmith12]

PinkSprinkles: I am actually pretty sure I haven't Ov'd at on on the clomid. I have been temping this whole cycle and it doesn't look good at all (although I admit I am not anywhere near a chart expert). I find that the Met helped lower the length of my cycles, which I am 110% thankful for it. When I was on it before I went from a 50+ day cycle to a 30-ish day cycle. Clomid has been ok, the only side effect I get are horrid hot flashes!! haha. I told someone once I was getting them and they just looked at me and were like, Aren't you a bit young for those? lol.

Yeah, my ObGyn said my body was resisting insulin and that's why she put me on the Met. I really hope it works for you! As for the supplements that caused you to stop Ov'ing... I would be livid. Completely. I have always had wonky cycles growing up as well but never thought about it until ttc. I was on bcps from mid 2008 - Mar 14/2010, which helped my cycle for a few months afterwards... but they just progressively getting longer. I also have to agree that the knowing is the best part. I was getting frustrated because I kept getting told that I don't Ov, but I was never told WHY.

That is a complete bummer about your DH's SA, my DH's came back with a low count... I sooo wasn't expecting it. I will definitely be praying that this round of IUI works for you guys, and I completely agree with the sentiment Anything that ups our chances I'm ready to do!!

Mrs. Monty: Congrats on losing the 30kg!! I cannot seem to lose weight at all. I have joined a class where the workout literally made the pounds just melt off of everyone else, I also tried walking, AND joining the gym. Then the Dr told me about PCOS and said that that was why I was having no luck losing. That's terrible about how the women's hospital treated you! DH's Nan told me I had to lose weight... I was just like, Ok... I'm not HUGELY fat, and it's not exactly EASY. Unless you want me to starve myself.

I am sorry to hear that your maternal clock has amped up the volume. My impatience has really gone up over the past 3 years, I always wanted to start my family young. I know that 23 is still considered young, but I wanted to have my first child by the time I was 19, 20 at the latest. It just goes to show you that when it comes to your life you can only plan so much. I also hate the "Do/Why don't you have kids yet?" Makes me want to either scream or cry.

It's a good start that all of your tests came back clear! Bummer on not being home during Ov time to bd!! I would have been super upset about that. Hopefully the combination of the clomid and trigger shot works! It's a good sign that you Ov'd on the clomid alone. Fx'd!!!

I haven't ever used OPKs and my Dr has never asked for BW/US throughout the cycle... I just temp and hope for the best.

Madgirl: I agree!! haha. PCOS =

Do you find you are getting better results with the Femara than you did with the Clomid? I asked my ObGyn about femara and all she said was that that was something that they would prescribe me in the city where the fertility clinic is, as well as the REs... just not sure which one she was implying she would be sending DH & I to. We priced the fertility clinic and it would cost us $500 for the initial visit alone.

AFM: Still just taking all of my meds and temping... along with like crazy! Haha. Saturday we went on a mad hunt through the city looking for a bbt thermometer because I forgot mine at home and we went up to visit the inlaws. So now I have mine that I keep under my pillow, and one that stays in our travel bag. I am super forgetful so I didn't want to be going out and buying one every time we went to visit someone (pretty well every weekend).

I am getting super excited about Christmas! I only have (max) 3 gifts left to buy and this week I am cleaning/decorating. The decorating had been put on hold because we were trying to get rid of an extra chair we had in the living room that we had no room for. Saturday DH & I are having a dinner party, and Sunday we are doing Christmas with my step-parents. What about you ladies?!

 

[mrs.monty]

PVSmith,
The nurses at the FS offices said that O testing via urine could be inacurate for women with PCOS due to the high levels of...... (i cant remember what) in the blood, and that blood testing is the best option. It would be good if you could get bloods done just to see if you have o'ed, that way at least you know! Hot flashes are the worst! When we went to FS out initial consult cost around the $500, that was with ultra sounds, Dr and nurse appointment, but they were very thourogh and covered all bases. and they are not that much now.

madgirl, good luck with your 2ww, when do you test? I will look out for you and have everthing crossed for us! I agree with you and pvsmith, PCOS is the

AFM: Yeah, I am 31 now and when we first started, (i was about 23) I was like you, DH and I met when i was 16, and he was 18. we both wanted kids young and thought it would "just happen". I feel old now and do I feel that the clock is tickin away! so my advise (if you want it that is!!!) is go for it and do it now!!! anyway, I am hopeful this time, as all blood work was good, SA was fantastic the nurse who read the result to DH said, you are a stud! and I am o'ing on clomid, and i had the trigger shot, so we know when i owould O, and i was home at the critical time and did all the BD i could manager for 5 days! so, now all that has to hapen is for the plantes to align, and hopefully we get our BFP this weekend...... I plan on POAS on Saturday. Saturday is 11 dpo for me. Will this be enough time to wait? I so want to do it now but because of the trigger shot I am told I may get a false positive, this would be more devistating that getting a straight out negative I think. cause we would have gotten our hopes up! i been getting some aching pains in my left side, and i am wondering it this is AF getting ready to come (although she is not technically due till about wednesday next week)? I am hoping it is implantation pains??? guess i will find out on Saturday or next wednesday.

 

[pinksprinkles]

I think for some reason LH levels can be high in women with PCOS. There have been many times where I've gotten false +OPK's. I've found that there are certain times of day where my body just goes a little batty with the whole LH production thing. It sure made for some confusion last week when I got another false positive OPK and then my RE found no mature follicles in my scan. So confusing!! I think now that I have figured out the times of day where I can test and get accurate results. They often say don't use FMU or late night urine for OPK's because not enough LH can build up, but since I already have higher levels it doesn't take as much to push it up over to positive. Doing my OPK's in the early AM and again around 8:30p seems to work for me. I also started using a CBFM this month. With PCOS and/or Clomid they say you get way more "high" days than you should, and that has definitely been true for me, but I'm hoping the "peak" days thing still works. We'll see!!

 

[karenh]

Hi all! I am LTTTC my first little one and have PCOS with not having multiple cycst as well. We did 2 rounds of clomid last year and four this year. I never ovulated. Now we are with and RE and on 7.5 mg of Femara. We have had 3 failed IUIs and our fourth is tomorrow. If this doesn't work we aren't sure what we are going to do. Everything is getting so expensive.

 

[sugarpi24]

I have PCOS as well...I tried clomid and it didn't get me to ovulate. Tried femera this last cycle and I got a size 22 follicle! And we did a trigger shot and timed sex...ill find out tomorrow if I ended up ovulating!! Ill be testing Christmas day to see if I get a BFP PCOS is the devil I agree!! I wish I had normal cycles and I was never late or waiting forever for AF my doctor said a lot of women with PCOS have insulin issues...thank goodness mine came back normal.

 

[karenh]

I have PCOS as well...I tried clomid and it didn't get me to ovulate. Tried femera this last cycle and I got a size 22 follicle! And we did a trigger shot and timed sex...ill find out tomorrow if I ended up ovulating!! Ill be testing Christmas day to see if I get a BFP PCOS is the devil I agree!! I wish I had normal cycles and I was never late or waiting forever for AF my doctor said a lot of women with PCOS have insulin issues...thank goodness mine came back normal.

Good luck tomorrow and next week!

 

[sugarpi24]

Good luck with your IUI. TTC does get really expensive...I'm so glad I have good insurance...I would hate to not have insurance oi that would suck

 

[pvsmith12]

Mrs. Monty: Yeah, I have been enlightened that apparently I should be getting my blood tested for different levels and what not. My Gyno never requested any though. The $500 was for the initial consult with me, and a more indepth SA for DH. Although when we got that quote it ended up working out to being a whole 2 week paycheck of mine. We couldn't feasibly afford that plus rent, groceries... all the other stuff.

I truly am sorry to hear it is taking so long for you guys to conceive... I hope it doesn't take too much longer! Oooh! Bonus on everything looking good!! 11 dpo should be fine to test, but if you're worried about a false pos, maybe wait until 12 dpo to be certain? I will definitely have my fx'd for you!!

PinkSprinkles: I have heard that about the LH levels as well. I didn't realize that it affected the OPK's, which I suppose I should have, considering the OPK tests for an LH surge. lol. I have some moments. That would be super confusing! The OPK's telling you one thing, then the Dr finding another. I never tried OPK's, so I am lucky to have never gotten a false positive on it. I was thinking about investing in a CBFM (230+tax... Ouch!), but then decided against it. I don't Ov, and I didn't want to put out the money on something that I didn't think would help. :/ Hopefully it works for you!!

Karen: Awe. So sorry to hear that you are having so much trouble - and that all of the clomid/iui's haven't worked for you! I will keep you in my prayers that you will get your bfp soon and won't have to worry about those more expensive procedures!

 

[pvsmith12]

I have PCOS as well...I tried clomid and it didn't get me to ovulate. Tried femera this last cycle and I got a size 22 follicle! And we did a trigger shot and timed sex...ill find out tomorrow if I ended up ovulating!! Ill be testing Christmas day to see if I get a BFP PCOS is the devil I agree!! I wish I had normal cycles and I was never late or waiting forever for AF my doctor said a lot of women with PCOS have insulin issues...thank goodness mine came back normal.

Awesome Sugar! That is great news! That gives me a bit of hope... not a single one of the previous 6 rounds of clomid that I did worked. Maybe it is time that I started putting a very heavy pressure on my Gyno to sign me over some Femara! With a trigger shot! I have insulin issues due to PCOS, and am super hoping that the Met will help with that issue.

I super super hope that when you wake up Christmas morning and POAS you will get your !

 

[karenh]

Thanks guys! I hope you get your BFPs sonner rather than later. We have insurence but it doesn't cover fertility treatments. Right now for the femara/iui we are paying $800 a month. After this month we moveon to either injectables and iui which is $4000 a month or IVF which is $15000 per try, or adoption which is $30,000-$40,000

 

[pvsmith12]

Oh wow, that is terrible that you guys are to that point where it's getting soo expensive. I thought paying about 160$ this month for meds was bad... I couldn't imagine 800$/month... or 4,000$!! I will really be praying that this cycle is your cycle!

 

[pinksprinkles]

sugarpi24- GL hunny! Let us know if it shows you've O'd. I'll keep my FX'd for you!

karenh- I hope this IUI cycle is "the one" for you and you can put all the TTC costs behind you. This is IUI cycle 1 for me and things have been going, well... eh. CD15 u/s today showed no follies, just PCOS cysts, so they upped my Clomid and I started 100mg/day for 5 day beginning today. If you do end up going the IVF route, you may want to look around at different clinics. My DH and I are planning to move to NY, NJ, or CT this next summer/fall, and we found a place in NJ that does IVF for, after meds, less than $10,000 a round. If IUI hasn't worked in the next 4 cycles, we will wait until we move to have IVF done. Right now, all inclusive (Clomid, 3-4 u/s, sperm wash/prep, B2B IUI's, and 1 sit down consult), our IUI rounds are looking to be about $1800 a cycle. Blah.

pvsmith12- How has the Metformin worked for you overall? Have you felt any different in terms of appetite, energy level, etc? I'm starting on 500mg/day this week, then 1000mg/day next week, and finally 1500mg/day the week after. Once I get there, and if I am doing alright wit the Met, my RE said we'd talk about switching me over to taking 1 then possibly 2 1000mg extended release Met tabs with dinner instead of having to do the three times a day thing.

mrs.monty- haha on your DH being a stud! That is cute. You must be so proud! My RE told me you have to wait at least 12 days to avoid a false-positive with the trigger shot, so I'd wait until at least then. I really hope you get your BFP!

Madgirl- I agree! PCOS is TOTALLY the devil.

 

[sugarpi24]

Oh my Karen! I hope this is the cycle for you!!

I hope metformin does the trick for you pvsmith!

 

[pvsmith12]

PinkSprinkles: Overall I have noticed that Met helps to shorten my cycles... Truthfully I haven't really thought about anything else in relation to the Met aside from hoping it helps regulate my cycles, but now that you mention it I have noticed lately that my appetite has majorly decreased. I know this isn't good but yesterday I didn't eat anything besides a few pieces of chocolate until supper. It's not that I was intentionally not eating - I just wasn't hungry. I might have to look into the extended release tabs... I am so forgetful so I just take all 3 of my Met pills in the am. I started doing that this week because I kept missing my 3rd dose. I'm not sure if it makes a difference. I know it says to take them 3x a day, but I am still getting the same dose my way. Thoughts?

Sugarpi: Me too!! I keep saying, even if we don't get a bfp this cycle - as long as we at least Ov I will be happy. Then we can go from there.

AFM: I was talking to a friend of mine who was in to see her ObGyn yesterday - her family dr thought she may have cysts on her ovaries since she was experiencing lots of pain, turns out she is cyst free... just has a bunch of eggs - and she had been asking the ObGyn a bunch of questions, some with me in mind. She told me that he had said there should be ultrasounds done to check the ovaries, just to see if they are producing eggs, blood work should be done to check levels... especially when being put on new meds to monitor and make sure the meds are working right. I have been going to my ObGyn for 2 years... I had initial blood work, and blood work to see if I was preggo because my cycle was over 3 months long. The only procedure she did was an HCG to make sure my tubes were clear. Thank God they were. So I was left thinking... is it worth it for me to waste any more time going to this dr when each appointment remains the same. She asks if the meds worked, when I say No she just ups the dosage.

What do you ladies think? I could really use some advice right now.