PCO, the pill, and pregnancy

[Bek123]

Hi, i'm new to the forum and have found the threads on PCOS very interesting.

Recently, I had an internal u/s after having mid-cycle spotting, and painful periods. I was found to have significant PCOs. My Gyno was reluctant to diagnose me with full PCOS because my hormones in the blood test were ok.

She put me on the pill for at least 3 months in order to regulate my period (which i reluctantly did even though i hate being on the pill).

DH and i want to try for a baby after the 3 month period is over.... should we wait a while to start trying after i stop the pill? I've heard different stories......

[ticklish]

Hi Bek,

I have PCOS and was on the pill for seven years before we decided to try.

At the time, I was advised by my endo that the timeframe in immediately coming off the pill can be the most likely time for women with PCOS to get pregnant. Something to do with the ovaries having had a rest and possibly functioning normally for a little while before returning to the PCO state.

Drs usually recommend waiting 3 months before trying to come off the pill, just to make sure everything is okay. I see that you are only on the pill for 3 months to give the ovaries a rest, so the advice might be different for you.

I did get pregnant on the third cycle after coming off the pill on our first try but unfortunately we went on to lose that baby. Some drs believe that while some women with PCOS can fall pregnant more easily in the period just after coming off the pill, it can also increase the risk of miscarriage. Also remember that the chances of miscarriage are less than 50% (probably around 25%) so you actually have more chance of having a baby than losing it if you do fall pregnant. I was on the pill for a number of years which is very different from your situation.

My advice to you would be that while you are waiting the 3 months, prepare your body for pregnancy with proper nutrition and pregnancy supplements suitable for you which include folate, to give yourself the best chance. I was totally not prepared the first time and I really felt my body was totally depleted after being on the pill for so long. My second pregnancy was successful!!

A lot of the things you are reading about TTC after the pill might relate to women who have been on it for more extended periods of time.

I hope this helps.
GOOD LUCK.
TICKLISH.

[Kirsty77]

I ahve PCOS. My hormones are out of whack, I ahve most of the signs and symptoms but the pill never helped me to regulate my periods. In fact it was just as bad on the pill as not on it. I was eventually put on clomid to help me concieve and lucky for me I concieved 2 cycle with Gemma and first cycle with Jasmine. To be honest I start trying as soon as you come off the pill...jic. You need to know if that isn't working and if there are other things to try.

Goodluck in your journey hun..

[Bek123]

Thanks for your responses ladies.

I just want to emphasise that my Gyno actually said that I might not have full PCOS because my hormones are ok, and that I might just have PCO. I know there is a difference.

Also, I was on the pill for about a year and came off about a year ago because I hated how I felt on the pill... it was not nice at all (moody, irrational, dehydrated, headaches).

So i've gone on the pill now to stop the mid-cycle bleeding. So far ive gone through one pill cycle and i DID have spotting - which apparently is normal when you first start the pill. So fingers crossed for this month.

In 2 months when I do come off the pill, and bearing in mind i might not have full PCOS, would your advice still be the same?

Perhaps I should wait a few months and use condoms before we start trying.

I have already started taking folate tablets!!! So i'm prepared in that aspect.

So much to think about...

[ticklish]

Yep same advice. Just concentrate on being as healthy as possible when you want to concieve.

I don't think because you have PCO that it makes any difference to the theory that the break in ovulation can help the ovaries return to normal function, even for just a short time after a break as they have a chance to be free of the cysts for a little while. Probably why your gyno prescribed it.

I too can have normal hormone levels in some cycles and am not a particularly bad case of PCOS. I have signs and symptoms but am not overweight or insulin resistant. Maybe why my endo said the pill thing may work for me (as it did but not with a good outcome!!). It is my LH to FSH levels that can go out of whack. I have had up to 40 cysts each side when this has happened.

I think the same theory goes postpartum. I am hoping anyway and so far so good, with 1 normal cycle (32 days) after AF returned 13 months postpartum with breastfeeding. Hoping to be "regular" for the first time in my life.

BEST OF LUCK.
TICKLISH

[Bek123]

Thanks for all the advice, ticklish.

I have been researching myself and i pretty much thought that because my hormone levels were ok and i'm not overweight, i didn't have full PCOS.

My Gyno said it could be but it could just be PCO. I guess it's hard to diagnose.

My sister has had really bad PCOS all her life. She had problems conceiving (3 years unsuccessful) - but in her case she hardly ever got a period, even when she was on the pill. Her first pregnancy were twins after taking a few rounds of hormone therapy tabs - the first twin miscarried at 3 months gestation, and the second was a still born.

She didn't get a period after her still born baby for ages. Then she gave birth about 18 months later to a beautiful girl. She never got her period after that, but amazingly gave birth to a second girl 2 years later - miracles do happen (so i'm holding onto that every time i freak out about being infertile). Our prayers for her were answered...

My ultra-sound showed my ovaries were covered in cysts, and that one was 2.5cm in diameter. I must admit, that freaked me out a little.

My Gyno said that because I ovulated 2 months in a row (the first time I saw her was for the blood test - I had just ovulated; the second time was a month later for the internal u/s and it showed I had just ovulated). I have always gotten my periods every single month (give or take a few days) so i'm hoping infertility won't be an issue. The only reason I knew something was wrong with me was because of the spotting mid cycle.

The gyno said it's hopeful because it appears i AM ovulating.

But i'm 27, and i've been married almost 2 years. Although we initially said we would start trying after 3 or 4 years, we both want to try asap because who knows - it may take ages to fall pregnant. Then again, it may not - in any event we are SO ready for a baby!!!

I guess I really am worrying for nothing because we haven't even started trying yet!!!

[Kirsty77]

Yep same advice again here to. There are so many of us that have a variation of the symtoms but ahve been diagnosed with PCO or PCOS. My hormones are really out of whack, my periods are all over the place, but I'm not overweight and I also don't have insulin resistance. I also do not ovulate, not even close to ovulating on my own.

My younger sister has been diagnosed with PCO has she has even less symptoms then myself and yep she ovulates.

[ticklish]

Hi Bek,

Sorry to hear about your sister's losses. This journey can be so so difficult sometimes.

I too struggled to get any sort of cycle back after losing my first baby. I think the stress had a lot to do with it.

[I think that is why I am considered PCOS, as opposed to PCO because at times I struggle with really irregular cycles, have hirsuitism and acne even though hormone levels can be normal (just the LH:FSH ratio out of whack at the irregular times) even though I have no weight problem or insulin resistance.]

I also know that miracles happen everyday and I am so happy it hear that your sister was able to overcome her really bad PCOS and have 2 beautiful daughters.

My DS is my little miracle! And I am hoping for another one.

I went through fertility testing and was told that I was extremely unlikely to EVER EVER conceive naturally again due to my lack of periods at that time. I simply was not ovulating. Well, as it happened I was actually pregnant when I was given this advice and found out I was three weeks pregnant a week later. Luckily I had refused to take the FS prescription for drugs to bring on a period.

I believe DS happened precisely at the moment when we had both totally given up any hope of ever concieving naturally due to all my bad test results. We were so desperate for it to happen after losing our first. Our first pregnancy happened so easily (on our first go!!) and I believe this was because we didn't think about it too much and didn't care whether it happened that month or later. We just seem to be unable to concieve consciously. This time we are not trying to think about it too much, go with the flow, and if it happens it happens.

If you can get regular cycles I would say that you have an excellent chance of having prefectly normal fertility (a few days variance each month is considered normal!).

I'd say, don't worry, enjoy the BD when your ready and don't think about it too much.
I'll throw some baby dust your way in a few months time...

[Bek123]

Thanks Ticklish, that is so sweet.
I'll let you know when/if things progress..