PCOS and trying for #2

[BlackRose]

Hi Ladies!

I have PCOS and have been blessed with a beautiful son (who turns 1 on Thursday!!). I really want DS to have a little brother or sister and feel like it's a good time to start TTC'ing again. I was really lucky with my last pregnancy, I was seeing a fertility specialist and had been given a script to start my first round of clomid but found out that I had fallen pregnant naturally. I had a perfect pregnancy, my body did what it was meant to do. Now, I'm back to irregular cycles... my last cycle was 47 days and the cycle before that was 26 days! Driving me insane!

I am praying that I conceive as easily as I did with DS but I'm also thinking I need to get the ball rolling a little incase it's a little more difficult this time round. I'll be seeing my doctor on Friday and will work out a plan of attack - metformin? hormone panel? another ultrasound? FS referral?

Anyway, nice to meet my fellow "cysters"! Look forward to getting to know you and your journeys to motherhood!

Erica x

[BlackRose]

Well I went to the GP today to discuss my options for treating my PCOS and he's put me on Metformin 500mg twice daily. I've heard this helps with regulating my cycles and weightloss. I had GD with my first pregnancy so he said that it's possible I'm insulin resistant too. Anyhoo, I'll be interested to see if I get a regular cycle. My cycles are all over the place at the moment. Anyone else had an experience with Metformin and cycle regulation?

Thanks!

Erica x

[Mich83]

Hi Blackrose - I found out today i have polycystic ovaries. had blood tests for insulin stuff and hormones which i'll get back early next week, which will no doubt confirm PCOS.

my GP has given me a referral to another doctor, i think a gyno, which i'm going to tuesday week. GP mentioned metformin to me but said that i cant conceive on it because its not safe for pregnancy or something??? is this what u have been told also? i'm hoping i will get some clomid.

also i'm looking into health insurance because i dont have any. i'm not worried about having a baby in a public hospital but concerned that all this PCOS stuff will make me have lots of doctor appointments. what cover do u have ? its all so confusing!!!

[~*Kat*~]

Blackrose goodluck with ttc #2. It took me 5 years and 1 operation and clomid to conceive our #2 but an very welcome but unexpected #3 has been conceived now too so its a matter of guessing really. Loosing weight is really hard with PCOS but if do able and always helps increase ur chances of falling pregnant.
Mich the pulic system is great with PCOS and having it already the private insurance will class it as a preexisting condition and it will be more expensive. PCOS wont make having a baby any different than normal u can still have a bub naturally.

[BlackRose]

Hi Blackrose - I found out today i have polycystic ovaries. had blood tests for insulin stuff and hormones which i'll get back early next week, which will no doubt confirm PCOS.

my GP has given me a referral to another doctor, i think a gyno, which i'm going to tuesday week. GP mentioned metformin to me but said that i cant conceive on it because its not safe for pregnancy or something??? is this what u have been told also? i'm hoping i will get some clomid.

also i'm looking into health insurance because i dont have any. i'm not worried about having a baby in a public hospital but concerned that all this PCOS stuff will make me have lots of doctor appointments. what cover do u have ? its all so confusing!!!

Hey Mich!

I have PCOS and fell PG naturally. I had a normal pregnancy, carried my baby to 39weeks 2 days. The only problem I had was I developed Gestational Diabetes (most likely due to my PCOS the OB said). I had no problems giving birth and my DS was a healthy 8lb 4oz. I had no extra appointments with my OB because of my PCOS.

I have top private healthy cover, went to a private hospital to give birth to my DS because my OB is family friends with my family and we could afford his private fees.

I am taking metformin now and I do believe it has shortened my cycles, I ovulated last month (as you know!) and I've lost 3kg since starting it (haven't changed my diet or exercise at all).

Metformin is safe to take during pregnancy. In fact, if I fall PG again my GP has recommended I stay on it to hopefully prevent GD happening again.

When I was trying to conceive DS the Gyn put me on clomid, but I never had to take it, cos I was already pregnant.


I hope this helps. Good luck with the specialist appt. Let me know how you get on

Erica xoxoxox

[BlackRose]

Kat that is awesome that #3 was an unexpected blessing. I love hearing stories like that, it gives me hope

[~*Kat*~]

there is always hope sweetie
Another thing is not to be too focused on ttc make sure u take time out for just u and Lachlan and just u and DH when u can so as u have other things to distract u (its more mentally than anything but) it will help u conceive if ur more relaxed about it.
Or u could try what I did and go on the mini pill and then come off cos it was making me sick and I needed time for it to be out of my system for the marina to be put it and whamo I fell pregnant (shock of the year)

[Mich83]

thanks for all the advice. i feel alot better knowing i can still have a normal pregnancy and birth. i hope it doesn't take too long

do any of you follow special diets? i'm not overweight at all but could mabe improve my diet and exercise to improve my chances. any advice?

[BlackRose]

Mich - I try and eat a "whole food" diet - ie minimal processing as possible. Easier said than done. I try to avoid rice, pasta, bread and potato... and stuff made with sugar (pastries, cakes, lollies, biscuits etc etc)...

Because I have insulin resistant PCOS this diet works best for me.

There are heaps of diet recommendations for PCOS on the net.

xoxox

[Mich83]

thanks blackose - i've started on a low sugar and low carb diet. still eating them but not as much, and heaps more fruit and veggies. tonight for dinner i had lamb with HEAPS of steamed veggies. it felt good. i hope i have good will power. i just think of a cute little bub that i want so badly.

get blood test results soon so i'll have a better idea of what is going on. i guess i would have insulin resistance? is that why i have polycystic ovaries???

[BlackRose]

Not necessarily Mich.

Ladies with PCOS can have one, two or a heap of the issues that are lumped in with the spectrum that is PCOS.

For example, I have mild PCO, IR, normal androgen levels, no abnormal hairgrowth, and irregular periods where as you might have PCO, irregular periods and an abnormal LH:FSH ratio but not IR... That's why they call it a syndrome.

Good luck for your BT results. Hopefully you'll be able to find out if your hormones are out of whack or if you do have IR

xox

[Mich83]

thanks, makes sense. i'll see how i go.

i only seem to have the irregular periods and a few pimples. i'll stick to the diet anyway cause its probably a good thing

will let u know. hopefully they will have my results tomorrow (i did the test on thurs so i'm hoping its long enough).

with the IR test they took my fasting blood then i drank this sugary drink then i went back 2 hours later and they took it again. i thought i read somewhere that they were meant to take it at the one hour mark as well? do u know?