Poly cystic ovaries

[Helsbells]

My husband and I have been trying to get pregnant since September with no luck and I have not had a regular cycle. I went for a blood test and got the results back today saying I have PCO's. Just wondering if anyone here has had any experience of this?

[fifi folle]

Sorry to hear you are having trouble. Are you being referred to a gynae? Or speak to your GP as there are things they can prescribe (such as Metformin or Clomid). You could also try charting your cycle with Basal Body Temperature. See Fertility Friend, here's my chart http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2ad257 it can hep identify when you ovulate although charting doesn't always work for women with PCOS. I have endometriosis and a history of recurrent miscarriage so my issues are somewhat different. Acupuncture can also help (conceived three times whilst having it!) Forums like Baby and Bump have sections for people who have been ttc for a long time/have issues, http://www.babyandbump.com/problems-trying-conceive/ and can give lots of support.

[Helsbells]

Thanks for the links, I have a prescription in my hand for metformin but wanted to think about more natural alternatives before popping the pills! I have been tracking my temp but it is all over the place, 37 degrees one day 32 the next! I am feeling fairly hopeful but just wondering what others experiences are and the alternatives.

[chickenchargrill]

I had an absence of periods when we were trying (7 months without any!) tests all came back negative for anything medical so I went down the alternative therapy route. I increased my omega 3 intake, and because I'm at risk of diabetes, followed a low GI diet. I also included foods such as licorice, peony and phytoestrogens (soy, alfalfa, lentils and chickpeas). I'm assuming that's why they've prescribed metformin?

You can find a list of good foods and herbs to try here - http://www.natural-hormone-health.com/n ... -PCOS.html

I still struggled to chart properly, but tried via excretions rather than temperature in the end. And also trying to forget that we were trying to make a baby and just enjoying ;)

[chickenchargrill]

The little chap in my profile picture is the end result of just over 2 years trying :) Totally worth it all.

[Keaniebean]

I have PCOS Hellsbells and it is a truly vile thing to have, one of those hidden diseases that people don't understand.

I now have three children all conceived naturally. I had my fist at 21, second at 26 and third at 28. I have no idea how long it took to conceive my first as she came as a shock, but it took a about a year each for the other two, but I know others are not as lucky as I have been reguarding children.

If i can offer any advice to you it would be, do not gain weight as it is SOOOOOOOOO hard to get it back off again, to the point that I have not managed to do so. I gained 4 stone with my first pregnancy and have been fat ever since, although I think the Metformin is meat to be quite good at helping symptoms ( I have never been prescribed it). The weight gain accentuates all the horrible symptoms, like the mood swing, the excess hair, the acne, the blah blah blah million and one other bloody symptoms that come with it.

Feel free to ask me ANYTHING and if I can help you I will, although I have never bothered to go to the doctors with my problems as I am very mis-trusting of my GP for various reasons.

[chicken feed]

i was diagnosed at 15 had my first child at 20 a year later i was rushed in hospital they found the cysts hav worsened and said they did not expect me to be able to have more children 2 months later i was expecting again. after years of being back and forth to hospitals and doctors they decided i needed a hysterectomy not connected but with my history they decided to take away the overies too.

i wish i could have been operated on sooner (after having my family) the hair growth was very anoying and at time embarasing it used to just sprout the bloating was a nightmare i used to keep clothes in 2 different sizes. but as has been said drs dont seem to know too uch about it to give much usefull help.

at 15 i was told my chances of having a family were very slim it too 2 years of trying the second time no trying needed.

any questions just ask away.

[Helsbells]

Thanks for the replies. It is encouraging to know other women have conceived even with PCO. I must be lucky in a sense because I have not really got any other symptoms other than not having any periods. I have a little more fuzz on my upper lip but nothing that warrants any treatment. However having said that I would happily take the hair, bloating, acne, mood swings etc it it meant I could ovulate and have a baby.
No periods =no ovulation=no baby (as far as I can tell)
However the doc seemed fairly hopeful (even though I haven't had a period since December) so that combined with the Metformin (no side effects yet) means I am no feeling totally bereft!

Thanks for the encouragement.
x

[Keaniebean]

Just a FYI Helsbells, in the 99p shop at the moment they have some herbal suppliments called Menocare. Obviously they are aimed at women going through the menopause but they have a herb in them called Vitex (agnus castus). I know there are lots of women with PCOS who swear by this herb.

I just bought 6 packets so will see how I go on them ( retail value is normally around £7 too )

[Helsbells]

Thanks Sarah,
I shall take a look. I have heard of this herb before.

[Keaniebean]

I just found this site Helsbells. I haven't seen this before but it looks really usefull, especially if you haven't already done loads of research on the subject.

http://www.brighthub.com/health/womens- ... 10409.aspx

[tiameg]

I was diagnosed with PCO'S and told I couldn't have children...well tried all manner of treatments, hormones, metformin etc. (many had nasty side effects too) everything seemed to work for a few weeks/months then stopped working. PCO's is very common yet GP's don't really seem to know to much about how to treat it. Gave up trying meds for it and have just managed it best I can by trying different things, herbs, diet etc. nothing had much effect on it for long. Despite this, I've had two kids naturally so don't think it's not possible. The only thing that has worked for me for any length of time has been progesterone cream - it really does help symptoms. Cant get it on NHS, have to buy it yourself. If you look at the cream only buy it from the UK site that will come up first in search engines for term progesterone cream, as a lot of companies make it in a form we can't absorb from cheap sources and it's ineffective. The one from the UK site is high quality and does seem to work. Good luck, don't give up hope!

[the.fee.fairy]

I've got PCOS too.

It goes two ways, the first is that it comes out at puberty and makes you gain weight and sprout hair and stuff then. SOMETIMES this one stops after a pregnancy.

The second one is brought on by pregnancy and makes you hold any weight you gained and the symptoms come out then.

I've got the first type. I was diagnosed at 18 and given metformin. BE CAREFUL!!! When i was 20 i was told by a consultant gynae that using metformin if you're under 16 stones can cause the cysts to get a hard shell on them, or feed them the sugar from your body.

I stopped metformin pretty quickly after that. I had a scan and my ovaries have 5mm cysts on them. They didn;'t say how many, just that i'm 97% sterile...

However...so is my cousin and she's got 3 kids...

It can be hereditary. My mum has PCOS, and we suspect her mother had it too. My cousin (mum's sister's daughter) also has it.

[trinder]

Nice to have had this post bumped ( no pun intended) as now we all know Hellsbells has had her first baby. So she too joins the ranks of the "can do" group

[the.fee.fairy]

Haha the reason is: I haven't been here for ages so i'm replying to all the things i find that interest me...So there might be a large number of old posts bumped...