PCOS Clomid IVF Natropath - confusion!

Hi,

Earlier this year, after coming off the pill last year to conceive, I was diagnosed with PCOS. I don't really display symptoms of PCOS except it is apparently very obvious on internal scans.

I have now taken 5 cycles of clomid (combined with metformin) to simulate ovulation. Each time after my blood test the gyno has said I haven't ovulated so upped the dosage from 50mg to 100mg and for the last 2 cylces I have taken 150mg!

Still nothing. I had scans during what should have been ovulation time in my last cycle and it showed 3 eggs growing very large (they got to 38cm, should drop at 24cm)! But they never "dropped". So no ovulation.

I am now on Day 2 of my next cycle and had an appt with gyno. He suggested I go straight to IVF.

It feels so sudden and a rather blanket approach but I am now 33, so time is sort of getting short.

I have also been seeing a natropath who is positive but can't do the full natropatheic thing until I come off the traditional meds.

I am quite confused. Has anyone been in similar situation?
Should I give clomid another go (doc not real positive but says might work and "it's up to me"
Should I give natropath a few months
Should I go straight to IVF (not sure I am ready yet though)!

Any advice?

Thanks so much,
Kim

Hi Kim,

Your story sounds so similar to mine, I felt like I had to answer even though I normally only read what's going on.
I too have PCOS and we have been trying for 14 months now to fall pregnant. I went on the metformin and felt awful so I stopped after a couple of months.
In this this time I also had 2 laps and they took out endo too - so I'm faced with both endo and pcos. Great!
I was starting to really panic because I felt that so many people and docs were giving us different advice and we both knew that we just weren't emotionally and physically ready to go down the IVF path....so through the insistence of a friend , I went and saw a naturopath. So far the results have been great. I went from bleeding all the time, to now having some sort of a cycle. The herbs and pills have been great and I've been on them for 4 months now. I've also gone to a FS and she has told me to keep trying naturally for 4-6 months more and then we will discuss options. Everyones journey is different but for what it helps, I don't believe you would have anything to lose to see your naturopath -give it a time frame of say 6 months and if nothing changes, then start looking at more medical intervention. I can only speak for myself, but I will only go down the IVF path when I know I've exhausted everything else. Good Luck and take care. ;)

Hi there,

I hadn't seen your reply until now! How is your journey going?

I went off Clomid and on natural medicines and changed diet (much less sugar, few carbs, little alcohol etc) and am feeling great. However I have also seen a new Fertility Specialist at the same time. He thinks IVF is a way down the track 3rd option for me which is interesting & reassuring. He actually suggested two new courses of action (my choice which one).
1. FSH and LH injections daily and twice weekly blood tests to monitor
2. A laparoscopy to "burn" some of my follicles. Apparently this can have 80% success rate but for no real medically explained reason but the burning off of some follicles enables ovulation.

Have you ever heard of option 2? I have heard of Option 1 but it isn't that common in Australia as highly regulated by the government.

If you know anything of the above two treatments and how they have worked for others with PCOS who haven't responded to clomid I would be grateful for advice.

Many thanks,
Kim

I don't know if my experience will help but I will post for you.

I have one child, DD, took 15 mos to concieve, she was concieved after loosing 5kgs in one week period. I wasn't aware of my PCOS then.

In Dec 08 I started seeing a Orthomolecular Nutritionist... sorta like a Naturopath but looks at your blood work to determine what's going on. He said my insulin elevation and my hormone levels point to PCOS. But I didn't go get a scan to confirm actually having cysts on my ovaries. So he put me on a low carb diet to combat the insulin resistence. On this diet I lost about 20 kgs by May and my hormone levels were normal ... insulin still a problem... but I was on a regular cycle and seemed to be ovulating, well I must have been because I concieved after having relations on the day I should ovulate. I haven't had any of the medications since I haven't been diagnosed by a Dr. Along with the diet, he had me on progesterone 4% and dhea 2% cream (Bio identical progesterone), also was on Magnesium supplements.

Now the diet he had me on was very similar to Atkins. I don't think it would have taken me any further than it got me though. Right before I concieved the weight loss was dwindling and it wasn't doing anything to bring the insulin down. This was surprising and he reckoned I was cheating but I wasn't. So I have ordered the Insulin Resistance Diet book to see if that can help me after bub comes. As with my first bub I did really well for about 6mos to a yr after she was born with weight control and hormones being pretty level. Hopefully this time I can keep it going by eating properly.

Thanks for sharing your experience Mariahswind.

I get a bit confused with terminology. I know a laparoscopy sometimes means a "lap band" as I have a friend with one but I guess I am one of the "lucky" ones where PCOS doesn't affect my weight so don't need to lose weight.

The laparoscopy my FS suggested is to burn some of the follices/cysts away in hope to induce ovulation.

Hi 20094me,

I can't say I've heard of option 2 but I have heard of option 1. At the end of the day I guess it's a personal choice..can I ask did you give a naturopath a go? Reason I ask is that I'm now 11 weeks pregnant after I started the herbs! I was told it would take 4 months to work and I virtually fell pregnant 4 months to the day...a coincidence I'm sure..but a nice one :) Which state do you live in?

Hi,

Yep, have been seeing Naturaopth for approx 5 months. The first 3 months I was using the clomid etc so the natural drugs weren't strong as to conflict them. Last 2 months I have been using the stronger herbs and vitamens (and feel great). I had said I would give the Naturopath 3 months (but seeing my cycles are out 2 months is really only 1 at the moment so perhaps I should continue for 4 months).

The other reason I am favouring surgery is that I think I could still take the herbs in conjunction with it as there are no other ovulation drugs in my system.

Very happy that it worked for you!!

Kim

hello kim ,

My name is helen and i too have PCOS aswell and i have had a d&c last yr to flush out and to check everything out, and then straight away was told to consider looking into IVF, i wasn't offered to go onto clomid but i am taking metamorphin tabs, so i have decided to go a different direction, i have visited a natural path and i have been taking the herbs only for 3wks and i just got my AF'S,( last time i had them was nov 09) which i was told i'd have to wait for 2-3 mths for the herbs to start working, so iam going to wait and see if they come next month as they are supposed to! :D:D:p. Any ways, i'll try anything i can and hopefully i'll prove them wrong !!!
Hopefully on what ever you decide to do will have the outcome we all want a BABY :D:)

Hi there,

I am too another PCOS girl. I have had it since my teens.

The option 2 you are talking about sound similar to ovarian drilling. This procedure is often done when the it seems the Ovarian capsual is too tough for the follicles to break through, causing follicular cysts constantly. It is throught by drilling or burning off some of these follicular cysts that the capsual willbe weakened allowing the follicles to be able to break through the membrane as they normally would at ovulation.

I was told as a teen that I would need this done. It seemed to become a little out dated as medications and other procedures become more advanced. I was then told again by a different Dr after doing MONTHS and MONTHS of clomid that it may be needed. But the FS did not agree. I concieved DS naturally after 12 months solid of clomid.

Hi, the thing ismy o never said anything about clomid, he offered to do a laproscopy to clean and have a look, and i had mention to him about it and he said there's a small chance of clomid working, and i thought well he should know, but after my op, he straight away said to look into IVF, to me that seemed a bit quick, he wouldnt consider to try other things and maybe later on head down that path.

So now i am trying a different approach, i am on herbal tablets from a natural path, she seemed to understand where i was coming from, and i hope that by taking these tablets they can improve my cycle and hopefully i ov???. I started them a month ago and already i recieved my AF'S, after 3mths, so i have to wait till next month and see if they come again :crossfingers:

I am so happy to here other ladies out there that are on the same page and they have successfull stories, it gives me hope....:D ( teary eyed) thank you.