Fertility Advice!

[emzylou_4]

Hello!

I just wanted to reach out and ask for a bit of advice. I’m 27 and started my periods when I was 12. Throughout my teenage years, my periods were extremely irregular and I really suffered with weight gain and bad skin. I was on the pill but when I was 17, I went to my GP and asked to be tested for PCOS as my Mum is a sufferer. I was sent for an ultrasound where they told me that they couldn’t see fantastically because ‘there was something blocking the view!’ I found out 3 weeks later that the blockage was my now 8 year old son! So I never fully went through all the testing but it was kind of just decided that I did have PCOS. My periods have continued to be irregular with some months my cycle being up to 50 days and others 30. Now 10 years later, my partner and I have started trying for a baby. We have only been trying for around 5 months. But I have been doing a lot of research online, have cut a lot of foods out of my diet and have been taking a lot of natural supplements to try and help things.

I know that obviously it can be a waiting game but I am quite concerned that it’s not going to happen as easily this time (quite different actively trying for a baby when the first one was a bit of a shock!) My partner now is also not the father of my son. I have a lot of friends currently going through fertility treatment who also suffer from PCOS and this is something that worries me about falling pregnant naturally. I had the copper coil as I didn’t want to go back on the pill and had this removed back in February but through reading online have now read that this is actually just as damaging to the reproductive system as being on the pill!

I just wanted to get into contact with others who have maybe been down the more natural supplements route/being on Metformin and other prescribed medications to fall pregnant. I’m finding it really difficult to fully track my cycle due to the difference in the amount of days it seems to be each month and it’s causing me to become a bit flustered about it all! Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I’m currently taking vitamins including Inositol (I’d read it was one of the best!) but have heard positive things about NAC too but Metformin still seems to come out on top of both of these. I’m quite reluctant to approach my GP at the moment as I’m worried I will get turned away as we’ve not been actively trying for a year yet.

I find the research online all a bit overwhelming as every website you look at seems to recommend something different! I have a healthy BMI but have dropped 11 pounds in the last two months through my new diet. I haven’t noticed any difference in my hirtuism (the main thing that bothers me!) and have been drinking spearmint tea like it’s going out of fashion as I was told that it’s very good for this!!

Like I say, any advice would be very much appreciated as I’d really love to know what has worked for others

[Hols969]

There are different opinions on the combined pill - most endocrinologists who treat pcos recommend it as it masks the symptoms and can increase your changes of getting pregnant quicker when you come off it as you are less pcos and less hairy too

[MedStudentP]

Getting pregnant can be hard enough for many women without PCOS so I wouldn’t let 5 months of trying get you too disheartened!

I’d strongly advise an appointment with gynaecology or endocrinology who can assess your individual situation to see if anything might help you!

Clomiphene Citrate or Metformin etc would be the classic prescriptions but it depends on you specifically so if it’s really getting to you then best to get a specialist appointment as 9 out of 10 you will have a child on your own (with maybe a little help)

Hope this helps u feel more confident about the whole situation!

[Purpleproject]

I previously got referred to the fertility clinic years ago when in a previous relationship and so it was noted on my medical record therefore I was eligible for referral back again after 6 months of trying. So I would definitely recommend going back to the doctor and explaining.

I have been trying for 10 months now and been on metformin since march, switching to slow release as the stomach upset was too much for me, a laparoscopy to check what's going on internally, and started the first dose of clomid last cycle, unfortunately I have irregular long cycles (45-100+ days) but they worked for me before to get my ovulating, so hoping it does again this time.

Using an app makes tracking easier, I use fertility friends. It's helpful if doctors ask questions about length of cycles etc.

Best of luck to you