? for a Friend with PCOS

CW<3JW · December 2009

Hello ladies,

I have a friend with PCOS. She was diagnosed when she was 16 and went on the pill to continue regular periods at that time. She went off the pill recently to try to get pregnant, and has not gotten her period since the end of July. She went to her gyno and they gave her Provera. She just finished her pills on Sunday, and hasn't gotten her period yet. They said if she doesn't get it by New Year's, she needs to come in for bloodwork.

I know some of you have gone through this. Can you offer any words of advice/success stories for me to share with her? She is really worried that she won't be able to get her period and/or ovulate and get pregnant.

Thanks girls Big Smile

mara005 · December 2009

I was diagnosed at 18 and did the same thing, went on the pill to regulate myself. When I told the doctor I was wanting to go off the pill to get pregnant he said we would have problems, so I scheduled an appointment for a few months later to talk about fertility treatments. So I went off the pill, figured it would take a while to get "regular" and just had sex when ever we wanted, didn't put any pressure on ourselves and got pregnant right away.

I know my story isn't that helpful but I would just advise her to try not to put to much pressure on herself.

She is in my T&P.

09babymama · December 2009

I have PCOS. We were TTC and I was off the pill for just over a year before we got pregnant. What happened for me was I hadn't had my period since November/December and my Dr put me on Provera to get my period (I got pregnant in April). Well I never got it and was getting antsy. I called and they told me to wait 1 more week. After that week I sat down to call and make a appt with the Dr, but my friend talked me into taking a PT test first. It was positive. I have no idea what the chances are of that (since Provera doesnt help you concieve).

If it is just the the medicine isn't working, the Dr can adjust the dose to make it work- that is what the nurse explained to me the first time I called in. Best of luck to your friend. Tell her it is very possible to concieve with PCOS, it is just a bit more of a waiting game.

Excited_Mommy2be · December 2009

Provera can take a bit to kick in. So she could have her period any day now.

My story is very similar to hers. I got off BC, no period for three months, then no period for 5-6 months. Took provera, then Metformin. Then I did a combination of Metformin and Clomid for 5 cycles with no success. Then I scheduled an appointment with an RE, and got pregnant on one of my break cycles with only Metformin and diet and exercise. Go figure.

She can get pregnant with PCOS, but it can take longer with the weird cycles. I would suggest her scheduling an appointment with an RE, they are well experienced with PCOS. They can run a bunch of tests on her and her DH to determine what would best work on them.

GL to your friend!

duchessII81 · December 2009

My cycles never regulated after ditching BCP. Provera didn't immediately bring on AF but I want to say it did within 10-14 days of finishing the Rx.

The gyno should knock some of the prelim bloodwork out of the way, the results of which could be very revealing... day 3 labs, HSG, etc. I didn't waste much time with my gyno because they're not really in the biz of getting people pregnant, kwim? I bolted for an RE who quickly determined that I can't get or stay pg w/o meds. 24 months after the last BCP, we got PG on the 1st cycle with the RE.

Good luck to her - there are plenty of PCOS success stories out there and plenty of treatment options!

Denae'sTTC · December 2009

I am a success story! It took a while and lots of try and meds and IUIs.. but I am having a baby in 30 days! Tell her to hang in there and be her own advocate.. Go to an RE I feel OB's are not as good because RE specialize in making babies..

kimekat · December 2009

I have pcos but I get my periods but cycles lengths vary. Shortest was 14 days the longest was 75 days. I had a hard time getting pregnant. My gynecologist recommended me seeing a reproductive endocrinologist. Your friend might need to see one. During my second appt with RE, I had a certain type of u/s where you take an antibiotic at the time and they fill your uterus with water to check for blockages in the tubes and any other blockages. I had no blockages but did have cysts on my ovaries. However, i was told I had a mild form of pcos. She put me metformin 1500 mg. I was suppose to get clomid when I got my period but since there were no weekend hours. My period never failed to arrive Friday afternoon when the office was closed and I needed to get the clomid from them the 2nd day. This happened for several months and somehow managed to get pregnant without the clomid. Halfway through the 1st trimester I was taken off the metformin.

Depending on the age of your friend, her dr might also recommend her seeing an RE. An RE can check for any complications besides the pcos that might be causing her not to get pregnant.

JingP78 · December 2009

Just like previous posters, I got pregnant and OB diagnosed me with PCOS in 2006. I was already 28 at the time and already had one child. I always wondered why we were having such a hard time conceiving. I never thought I had a problem because I got my period regularly but the length of my cycle varied and I always had very heavy periods.

However, unlike the previous posters, my OB did not give me any meds. He encouraged me to get my weight in check be in the best health possible. He said it would help me exponentially to lose weight (I wasn't medically obese but I was overweight for my height). I partnered with my OB, my PCP and a nutritionist to get my health in check. When I finally lost 11lbs, this was 2008, I got pregnant. Unfortunately, it was not a viable pregnancy (not PCOS related). After that loss, it took a while to lose the weight I had already gained and because I was down on myself, I kept eating anyway. This third pregnancy, again, also happened after I had brought my weight back down. With my first child, I also got pregnant after losing a lot of weight. Losing weight helps to reduce the high insulin levels in the blood which can stimulate ovulation, and improve fertility rates. Not all women with PCOS are overweight or obese but this was true for me which is why I guess my OB recommended for me to lose weight first.

My success story has nothing to do with meds but it's successful PCOS story nonetheless. Trying to conceive when you know the odds are stacked against you has got to be one of the most disheartening experiences I've ever been through. I used to cry at the sight of a pregnant woman. Tell her not to give up and not to lose hope. It can happen for her too!

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