Hello. New to TTC, but have PCOS

Mythril

Hello. I wanted to introduce myself, but I am not sure where. I feel like I'm on my own little island. Pregnancy and ttc seem to be this cut and dry thing, but nothing about my body has ever been so easy! 

I didn't get my period. I was fifteen when my mom dragged me to the family doctor to ask them about it. They put me on birth control after giving me something to start my period (I don't remember what it was called. It's a ten day white pill I've taken twice now in my life.) They diagnosed me with testosteronitis (I don't even know if that's a thing...) They wanted to give me a pelvic exam, but as I was 15 and still a virgin that was not happening in my book! Anyway. I had periods regularly as long as I was on birth control, which wasn't long because my life was rocky and we couldn't afford it. I didn't have periods while off of it. Until I was 18 and going to college. Then of course I had my very first on my own period. Then I had about one a year on my own. I went back to the gynecologist at 21 or 22 and have been on BC since, and regular as long as I'm taking BC. I started a ketogenic diet and while I am on that, if I'm not taking BC, I will have periods more often. Still not regularly, but every few months, sometimes in a few months in a row. I know that is going to be an important tool to me getting pregnant, but I'm not strict on it right now due to stress binge eating--not a good excuse. 

Next Tuesday I go in to my gyn to talk to him about TTC. My husband and I want to start trying immediately after the ball drops next year. :P Yes, I know. It's a weird time to start but we have good reasons. I am not sure what he's going to tell me. I'm afraid he's going to say, try on your own for a year. That would make me insane knowing that I don't have regular periods and that I don't think I could possibly ever know when I'm actually ovulating. I am hoping that he will give me something that will help me to ovulate without preventing me from getting pregnant, the way that BC does. I don't know if such a thing exists, I'll be wandering around the internet and this site trying to gather up all the information I have.

So, hi. If I'm annoying I'm sorry. I'm looking for people who are actually on my little island with supremely infrequent periods who can tell me that hey, they understand and it's possible and this is what I can expect. 

kerismatic

Hi there! Welcome I think you've come to the right place.  I was recently diagnosed with PCOS and have been able to go through some initial testing even though we've only been TTC for about six months.  I'm on CD 100 so I'm taking 5 days of Provera to induce a period.  Maybe this or something like this was what you were prescribed way back when?  I'm also taking Metformin to try to bring my insulin levels down as high insulin impacts ovulation.  That and I've started seeing a nutritionist to take a more holistic approach to bringing my insulin levels down (and losing some weight).  I imagine that unless I'm able to become more regular they will begin me on a medication that helps increase ovulation (like Femara or Clomid).  Though my fertility journey has no bearing on yours, I share it to highlight that there are options available.

A few pieces of advice for you:
1. I see that you are brand new to TB.  Lurk... read various posts and get a sense of how this community works, what type of support is offered, and what the no-no's are.  Particularly helpful is the thread at the top of the TTTC board ("Welcome New Visitors").
2. Lurk the TTGP board too.  There are some drive-by pee-stick posters and special snowflakes who ask if they're pregnant (both no-no's), but if you can filter through that there's some really helpful information and a lot of really knowledgeable women who have a lot to offer. The WTO and TWW threads there are helpful to participate in once you actually start trying (see #4).
3. Check out the weekly IF-check in threads on this board.  I think you'll see that there are more people on your "island" than you may have imagined.  Consider joining this check-in if/when you're ready.
4. There are ways to confirm ovulation through temping.  You can also learn about other ways to monitor your body's fertility signs to optimize your likelihood of good timing (e.g. CM, CP, OPKs).  Buy a BBT, Download Fertility Friend (FF) on to your phone or tablet and do the tutorials that FF offers.  It's a wealth of information that will be important on your TTC journey.  I would suggest you start tracking now (even though it sounds like you won't be actively TTC until January).  This way you can get a sense of the process and get into the habit.

Good luck!  I hope your time here is short. 

ceclarlinetlo

Welcome! There are several ladies active here with very long cycles such as yourself - and others like myself that also have irregular cycles caused by PCOS though not quite as long (mine range from 28 to 56 days).

I agree with everything said above - a lot of great advice!

ahende04

Welcome!! Take it all in, there is a wealth of information here! Good luck and hope you don't have to stay on this board long

wifeinraleigh28

Welcome!!  You do not have to try for a year before meeting with a RE for testing and treatment.  We didn't, because we knew from a home sperm test there were likely MFI issues which they were able to confirm.  If there are known issues an RE will start working with you to get you pregnant right away!  Best of luck!!

twomommiestobe

@kerismatic did a great job of pointing you in the right direction for loads of info. I skipped right to a RE (reproductive endocrinologist). They specialize in infertility and most OBs aren't the best when it comes to issues with ttc or even monitoring you while on medications. You aren't having regular periods (which means you are not ovulating regularly) so you will need some type of help. It might be simple diet changes, weight loss, meds, or more intense help like iui or ivf. Even if you want to start in Jan, I would work on trying to get dr appts and start testing now. It is a long process to get it all started.

GoldenKeys

Welcome to the bump!   I understand that long cycles are frustrating but PCOS is not a diagnosis of infertility.   Many women successfully get pregnant on their own with PCOS, even with longer cycles.  A better board for you would be "Trying to Get Pregnant", which is for women who are new to TTC, and they do have quite a few women who are TTC with PCOS.   This particular board is for women who have tried for more than a year or are completely anovulatory, etc.   My advice to you would be to do the following:

1. Read "Taking Charge of your Fertility" as soon as possible.  It will explain why you get regular withdrawal bleeding on the pill, which isn't the same thing as going through a natural cycle with a period, but kind of feels the same.  It will inform you tremendously and help you be an educated patient if the time comes to see a doctor.

2. Also read up on PCOS or check out sites like SoulCysters which will give you a wealth of info on PCOS and it's treatments.

3. Think twice before taking fertility medications so early in the game, even if offered by an OB.  You do have PCOS but not an infertility diagnosis.  Meds come with their own risks and can actually do more harm than good to your fertility if not properly administered.  I have seen this first hand on too many occasions.

4. Concentrate on getting healthy and getting your insulin levels in check. Investigate if metformin, dietary changes, and exercise might be all that you need.  I personally would not see a doctor for at least three months and only if I was anovulatory for those 3 months.

5.  If it turns out that you need more help, see a reproductive endocrinologist and not an OBGYN.  They are the specialists for getting you pregnant, and OBGYNs are there to help you stay healthy while pregnant and delivering your baby,  They are two separate and distinct professions.

I hope that we won't have to see you on this board, because it would mean that a year has passed without success.  Good luck!

Mythril

Thanks everyone. I don't have periods. One a year was being a little optimistic. I do a keto diet to keep my insulin in check. I don't take metformin, it has been prescribed to me but I really hate taking it. The appointment with my gyn is just a first step.

Mythril

Also, I'm sorry I posted in the wrong section. When I read the information it said women diagnosed with a known fertility issue. I thought this applied to me since I have been diagnosed with PCOS and don't ovulate on my own. But I will move on over to the TTC forum. I feel like it's going to be a hard year.

kerismatic

@GoldenKeys - I'm sorry, but isn't TTTC different than the IF board?  I can understand not being part of the IF community, but based on the below excerpt from the "Welcome New Visitors" thread, I would think that participation by @Mythril would be acceptable here.  Can you please clarify?

ETA: I realize I misspoke in my original feedback... saying to lurk the IF-weekly check in when I actually meant the TTTC weekly check in.

"What is Trouble Trying to Conceive?

We all have different thresholds for what we would consider "trouble." Most of us on the board would interpret that to mean that you have a diagnosis, such as PCOS or symptoms, such as irregular cycles that will make getting pregnant more challenging. Some people have no symptoms or diagnosis, but have been trying to conceive for over a year without success, or 6 months if they are over 35 years old. Some people have had multiple miscarriages. And some people have other reasons for being here."

GoldenKeys

Mythril said:

Thanks everyone. I don't have periods. One a year was being a little optimistic. I do a keto diet to keep my insulin in check. I don't take metformin, it has been prescribed to me but I really hate taking it. The appointment with my gyn is just a first step.

If you are anovulatory then you're definitely in the right place!  I may have missed part in your original post, somehow I gathered from speed-reading your post that you had PCOS with  long cycles and were coming off of BC in January.

kerismatic   The TTTC board falls under the Infertility category at the Bump.  It's totally confusing, I know!  Especially with the error that I have in the Welcome Visitors post.... thanks for posting that paragraph because it definitely needs to be corrected and edited.  

Just a little backstory...

There is a long and winding history (that happened long before I was here) that caused the formation of this board as separate from the Infertility board.   There were differences in stage and length of TTC that made it really necessary.   Even so, there will always be a sizeable overlap between the two boards.  Both the IF and TTTC boards are geared toward those of us who are diagnosed as infertile or testing for infertility.   Loosely speaking, Infertility board concentrates more on IVF and the  TTTC board is generally designed for those of us on fertility medications, IUI, fertility testing, and generally further along in the TTTC process, after trying naturally has already failed.

That being said, there is no point in trying for a year if you don't ovulate in the first place.  That in itself is enough for an infertility diagnosis.   The gray area is *newly* starting to TTC  with longer cycles due to PCOS, etc.    While those of us in that category are always welcome to post here (as is anyone else, even people who aren't TTC)...  the TTGP board may be a better fit for those new to TTC.   There are many women in TTGP who are newly TTC with PCOS,  and one will find many more women with the same struggle to communicate with.

Never fear,  my goal is to keep this a very welcoming board, and I'm not in the business of kicking anybody out, but when I recommend other boards it's to guide people to where the best fit for them might be.

I'll edit and clarify that paragraph in the New Visitor's board asap...

kerismatic

Thanks @GoldenKeys for the clarification.  That is helpful.  And I definitely agree that OP should check out the TTGP board and had also recommended that to her... particularly as it relates to the basics of TTC.  I'm sure the ladies here are beyond that point in their TTC journeys and would prefer not to be boggled down with some of the questions that would best be suited for TTGP.