PCOS

[mlister13682]

I am 23 years old and have been trying to conceive for over 15 months, recently I have been diagonosed with hypothyroidism and now PCOS. Will I always have PCOS? Will I ever be able to conceive on my own? Is there anything out there that can help PCOS patients ovulate without it being a fertility drug? Please help.

[Forum-M.D.-SP]

There are two approaches that can help with PCOS. Many women with PCOS are overweight, although not everyone with PCOS is. Also, most but not all women with PCOS have irregular periods. If you are overweight and have irregular periods, even a modest weight loss (5% - 10% of your current weight) will often result in the return of regular periods and regular ovulation. If this is your situation, a nutritionist, good nutrition for a weight loss program, and starting an exercise program can be of great help.

Secondly, some women with PCOS and irregular periods start to have somewhat more regular periods if they take a diabetes medicine called metformin.

Either of these approaches might allow you to avoid fertility drugs. As you are still 23 years old, you have time to consider these options.

However, if you are not overweight, and/or if your periods are still regular, then it is unlikely that either weight loss or metformin will work to get you pregnant.

These alternatives are great if they work, but most of the time they do not and fertility drugs end up being required.

Good luck!

[antawney]

Hello sweetie. Listen, I too have pcos and am 32 yrs old. I learned not too many years ago it is something you are born with, just gets worse and more noticeable as you get older. Do some research to lift your spirits honey, there are many successful stories with pcos patients. These stories are very encouraging to me and many times are what kept me going when I gave up. Depending on the severity of you pcos, you may be able to ovulate with fertility drugs, but most of the women I know of, including myself, have had to use some form of fertility. Believe it or not, it is not all that bad. At first, you will take Clomid, its a pill to make you ovulate. It may not work the first time, thats ok please do not get dissapointed. I have been on it off and on and have had no success but many women have.  The most important thing is do not let the idea of fertility help hinder you, trust me I have been there. Now I am at a new level of feeling like if thats the least I have to do to have a baby, it's ok. It is ok to have days you want to cry, you will have them, it is a hard road, but never never lose faith that its going to happen for you, fertility help is just that, help. Please feel free to ask me anything you want to know and I will do my best to help you.

[mlister13682]

Thank you so much for your help... the doctor put me on glumetza and clomid...I just really really hope i can get pregnant.

[jayjay149]

hi there i am 20 and found out that i have pcos last december i have been trying for a baby for 2 years. i know i am quite young but fact that i have this makes my partner an i more determined. the doctor told me that the older you get the harder it is to conceive. every month when i am late i get a little glimmer of hope that is shattered when i come on. i was pregnant last year and i found out in the july but then lost it 2 months later. i have been on metformin but they made me have upset stomach. my doctor does not take me seriously as i am only 20. does anyone know if there is any other help that you can get or is the gp the best thing there. he also says that there is no piont going to a fertility clinic as they cant do any more for me then my gp is doing!! if any one cant shine a bit of light on the subject that would be great!!!

[Tiffany86]

I am 20 years old and I just found out in June that I have PCOS. I have been ttc since April 06. My period has been very irregular for a long time. I do have a 4 year old(I know I was very young). I got pregnant in June 06, but I had a mc at about 31/2 months. The doctors told me they couldnt explain it. I also gained about 60lbs in a year even with dieting and excercise (another thing doctor couldnt explain). In may this year I had a period the whole month so my doctor did some test with my blood, told me I had PCOS and said it was no big deal. So i looked on the internet and found out more about it. I decided of course that it is a big deal. I got the number for a doctor who specializes in PCOS and reproductive health. So far he has put me on metformin, to lower my insulin which should help me lose weight, then causing my ovaries to sort of go back to normal. So hopefully I can get pregnant, if not then I have to take fertility drugs. I am not worried about taking the drugs I am just concerned about multiple pregnancy. Two wouldnt be bad, it;s just the thought of five or six that worries me. So just to let anyone who was wondering, there is doctors that are trained to treat women with PCOS, and they help a lot more than a general doctor. Or at least with my case. I would also like to wish everyone luck in getting pregnant.  

[ManaDee]

I am on another discussion forum about taking GERITOL to get PG. I have been TTC since March 2006. I am 22yrs old and did 9 months of fertility (clomid, IUI, and in home shots) nothing worked. I am going to start the Geritol today. I have read of several people getting pg from taking it. And I have had 2 friends tell me that they and somone they knew got pg from using it. It is a multi-vitamin that you can buy at wal-mart,cvs,walgreens, ect. Best of Luck to all.

[ChantayMarie71]

hi there I am 36 I have had PCOS since the birth of my 16 yr old.....we found this out when she was 2...we TTC for years and I too tried clomid on and off for years...HOWEVER we now have a 4 yr old they are 12 yrs apart....I was at my heighest weight 330 it was when i lost down to 300 that I got pg on the clomid that and taking it days a different cycle days but i cant remember now if it was 5-9 shoot i am sorry ill try to find some documentation from the days i took it...maybe it in my online diary www.mydeardiary.com look under author chantay back around august or so of 2002 is when i started it......anyways it finally worked this time...a really great website is www.soulcycters..com there is a lot of support and help there!! Sorry i couldnt help more...I have to say one more thing...dont give up cuz God DOES have a plan and purpose for everything and just because like myself we tried so many times and so many years...but eventually it really did happen...so i know i know i know its hard to hear when its you in the situation..but take it from someone who knows...Its all in Gods timing....~Chantay

[overthis!]

Hi I am 26 years old and have PCOS. I am not over weight you could eeven say i am underweight. I jsut found out that i have it and my husband and i are working on getting having another baby. Our daughter is 3 i thought it could be easy this time like it was with my daughter but the doc says i am not even ovu. he said it is normal with pcos. I am frustrated and i am not going to get on fertil drugs yet, i am worried about, mulitple births! any suggestions?

[Zelene19]

Hi, i think i have pcos, but im not sure, im 19 but ever since the age of 16 i have been having irregular periods, iv'e never been reallly close with my mom, so i just done feel attached to talked to her about these kinds of things, and i havn't been to the doctor either, because of school and work, so i just don't know what to do, because i've been reading about pcos and i heard some women can't have kids and i really do want to have kids of my own, my fiance is in the Army and even though we are young we do want to have kids now..so i just wish one of you guys can help me out on my first steps on what should i do. thanks

[babygirl_garcia]

Hey girl!
There are so many things out there now a days to help women with PCOS. It does sound like you might have PCOS, but the only way to know is to see your docotor and get lab work/ultrasound to check your ovaries, to be sure.  I am 26 years old and was diagnosed at least 3 years ago. But I am very over-weight and the doctor tells me I need to lose weight to increase my chances of concieving. This is difficult when you are so depressed seeing everyone get pregnant around you.  It is more difficult to get pregnant when you do have PCOS but you are still so young and would have to probably have multiple problems for you to never get pregnant. I have had friends with PCOS that actually got pregnant on their own, even when they didn't have a period for 6 months; so stranger things have happend. PCOS is caused by an insulin resistance that is why many of us are placed on Glucophage (Metformin). My doctor has had me on glucophage for 2 years and I am taking 1,500mg a day. I've tried clomid up to 150mg, but still no baby. Then my GYN sent me to a fertility specialist and they have an aray of options!!! They are very expensive though so you should start with the clomid if you do have PCOS and you are anxious to start getting pregnant. Clomid has a very low percentage for multiple births, generally it is twins that are seen from taking Clomid. But once you get into taking hormone shots with your infertility specialist you have higher risks for larger multiple births.  There is so much I've said, and I don't even know if it has answered your questions...there is so much more I know from personal experience, so just write back if you want to know something else.  But missed periods are just one sign of PCOS, but you really should see your doctor if you are worried about it being this.  I'll pray for the best!!!