I am sorry if this is not the right forum to be posting my question... Am new to this so not really sure where to go lol... as simple as it seems.
Here is my story - Diagnosed with PCOS at 11, heavy periods for about 3 yrs until I reached 14/15, then absent periods for up to 1 1/2 yrs at a time. My last period came on naturally on August 15th, finished 22nd August, I was so happy that I had done it by myself. However I did not ovulate, I bought one of those home ovulation kits and was so overwhelmed with fustration and sadness when all 5 tests concluded that I had not ovulated. I went back on Metformin after the last day of my period (Aug 22nd) and am fighting through the horrible side affects. (bear in mind I have been on Metformin off anf on since the age of 11!) My fiance and I are desperate for our first child, we have worked so hard to become financially and emotionally secure and no matter how hard we try we cannot fall PG!!! WHY? I am meeting with my GP on Monday 8th Sep (next week) to ask her for a referal to see an RE (Reproductive Endo) who will hopefully start me on Clomid? I just figured you ladies would be able to give me some advice and good news as you must have tired a simpler form of fertility (CLOMID) before IVF? Thanks so much for reading and my heart is with all of you.... Love Samantha and Jason. OH FORGOT TO ADD THAT MY PARTNER AND I ARE BOTH 22YRS OF AGE...
Welcome to this thread. Like most of us, it seems that you have also been through the wars! What dose of metformin are you on? I am on 850mg twice a day. The first few weeks were horrible - diarrhoea, nausea, stomach cramps. Now I don't even feel I'm on it. If you start slowly, maybe half a tablet for 5 days then half tablet twice a day for 5 days etc. and slowly increase by half a tablet every 5-7 days until you reach your maximum dose, seems to help. Also in your initial week try taking your tablet with dinner. Food slows down the absorption and makes side effects more bearable. I have found that if I eat sugary, fatty food then I get more side effects. Overall though, metformin is doing wonders for me. My cycles used to be 3-8 months long. Since starting metformin in April, they are down to 35 days.
OPK's seem to be very unreliable with PCOS since our normal hormone levels are mucked up. Also, you may be testing at the wrong time so don't catch the LH surge (it's hard to determine the "correct" time to test, usually afternoon. Don't despair you may still have ovulated. Have you tried using a BBT thermometer? I am charting my temperatures on Fertilityfriend.com because like you, I never knew if I had ovulated. My last 2 cycles have been "perfect" and I have more confidence now that I ovulate around Day 21. You can get a BBT thermometer from your pharmacy at around $20. Try and get one which measure to 2 decimal points (more accurate). Fertilityfriend has a charting course to get you started (free). You may need to chart for a couple of cycles before you can see a pattern, but it's definitely worth it.
They also talk about checking other fertility signs like Cervical mucus. I never had any before so hard to monitor. Am now drinking at least 3l of water a day and taking EPO 1g 3 times a day. This has helped immensely.
Hope this helps. Good luck with your TTC journey. Sending you lots of
Thanks so much for your reply! In answer to your question, my dosage for Met is 3 tablets daily = 1500mg per day. I only take it with food, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. I find that whatever I eat even if its a salad I run straight to the bathroom! I have been through the works with tracking my ovulation, BBT, Urine, Cervical Changes - But Nothing!It really helps to know that there are other females out there, that understand my circumstances down to the tee! I feel useless at the moment... And I feel that I will never be able to fulfill my dreams of being a mummy and starting my own family... This didn't concern me as much when I was diagnosed at 11, it didn't bother to know that in future it would be diffucult to bare children, or infact impossible. I feel like such a let to down to my fiance, despite the fact that he is 110% supportive.... Anyways enough of that... I just got back about an hour ago from my GP, she has given me a referral to see RE in sydney. My appointment will be on October 10th! I am very excited. Lets hope Jason and I can start the new year in better faith! Will kepp you all posted!!!
I think we are all experiencing similar things at different levels - that is why I find Belly Belly such a great place. There are some great women out here who can really help - or in the least just listen. I've found it really hard to talk to people who don't have the concept of what PCOS can do to our self-image, as well as our health and well-being.
One more suggestion regarding metformin, you may be able to get the extended release formula ( releases metformin slowly so you don't get as many side effects). It's called Diabex XR 500mg. You may be able to take the 3 tablets at dinner. May be worth talking to your GP about it (your GP should be able to swap you to this formula).
Also, this may be the last thing you want to hear, but it does help to stress less. Stress produces cortisol which in turn upsets your hormones. I used to have a very stressful job, long hours, driving 3 hrs daily in peak traffic, poor diet, no exercise. Since then I have started part-time work close to home, have cut out (mostly) processed and sugary foods and eat more fruit and veggies. I'm not good with sticking to exercise routines, but I do take my dog for a 1 hr walk daily or 2-3 20 minute walks. This has really helped me feel better and also to shed some weight. I am not overweight to start off with, so it was harder to lose the belly fat.
You are very lucky to have such a supportive partner and are also quite young which means treatment would be more successful with you. I am a very firm supporter of believing in oneself to achieve your goals. The medical profession refer to it as "self-hypnosis" to heal. Try telling yourself every morning and night that you can do this, your body can do this and that you and your body are capable of having a healthy, beautiful baby. Sub-conciously you will be sending electric signals to your brain to "fix" the hormone problem. I used to be skeptical (initially it does sound a bit voodoo-ish, I agree ) But I think it is working for me. I have never had a regular period ever in my life and suddenly do. Something's working somewhere!
All the best for you RE appointment. I have heard they are really good at pinpointing the problem and working methodically towards a treatment plan. Please keep us updated - and meanwhile have fun! Can you believe all these women on belly belly are going through the same journey? Hooray to us!
:goodluck2:
Pcos - Met - Clomid - Ttc - Fed Up!!!
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What dose of metformin are you on? I am on 850mg twice a day. The first few weeks were horrible - diarrhoea, nausea, stomach cramps. Now I don't even feel I'm on it. If you start slowly, maybe half a tablet for 5 days then half tablet twice a day for 5 days etc. and slowly increase by half a tablet every 5-7 days until you reach your maximum dose, seems to help. Also in your initial week try taking your tablet with dinner. Food slows down the absorption and makes side effects more bearable.
I have found that if I eat sugary, fatty food then I get more side effects. Overall though, metformin is doing wonders for me. My cycles used to be 3-8 months long. Since starting metformin in April, they are down to 35 days.
) But I think it is working for me. I have never had a regular period ever in my life and suddenly do. Something's working somewhere!
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