Need Help with a PCOS Question!

I have PCOS and fortunately I have two healthy kids. My oldest was IUI and my second was conceived with me only being on Metformin/Glucophage. Are you on Metformin/Glucophage? If not, I'd suggest discussing that with your doctor, probably your Reproductive Endocrinologist. My RE recommended I go on birth control for a month and do some additional tests, but I didn't do it. I think he wanted me on them just to keep me on schedule, but I chose to not take them. If you are having a bunch of cysts, it may help to rest your ovaries. I think there are so many different things that can help, we just have to find the one that helps us.

If you aren't seeing an RE, I'd suggest seeing one. They are much more educated with fertility issues and may be able to come up with a plan to help.

If you have any other questions, feel free to message me.

Good luck!!!

I wanted to add that with my second, I did one round of accupuncture - I think I ovulated one week after that and that's when I got pregnant - coincidence - I don't think so.

1 mom found this helpful

C.,

Here is a personal story of a local Dallas mom who healed her body with yoga:

http://www.yogadallas.com/site/page/pg3809-as68-pn_Natura...

If the "natural" route interests you, you probably need more than "vitamins". You need proper guidance from a natural health care provider, perhaps in addition to your reproductive specialist. A good local practitioner is Dr. Margaret Christensen, MD. Read about her at her website www.christensencenter.com. Her practice is closed. Ask to be put on the waiting list and you might get in pretty quickly.

You can do a lot to educate yourself in the meantime. I don't know what book you read, but some good books and websites are:

-Women's Bodies Women's Wisdom by Christiane Northrup. Dr. Northrup's former practice in Maine has a good website with lots info. www.womentowomen.com. If you search PCOS, you'll get lots of stuff such as this:
http://www.womentowomen.com/insulinresistance/pcos.aspx

-The Fertility Cure by Randine Lewis. Se also Randine's website http://www.thefertilitycure.com/

-The Whole Person Fertility Program by Niravi Payne. See also Niravi's website http://www.niravi.com/

The stress of infertility can be devastating. So many women share your feelings. Don't lose faith in your body's power to heal.

Good luck!

Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi C.,
I saw one other mama mention acupuncture. I would like to recommend a great practitioner if you choose this route: Kim McLaughlin at The Center for Healing Arts in the medical district of Fort Worth. She does great work, looking at the whole system, no just treating bits and pieces.
http://www.centerforthehealingarts.net/

Good luck!
M.
www.yogapotential.com

1 mom found this helpful

I too have PCOS, and I have been trying for baby # 2 since July, I was told the same thing I would have a greater chance of getting pregnant once coming off the birth control well, I still haven't have a cycle nor am I pregnant, however, I also did research on this method when 1st being told by my doctor and a good percentage of women with PCOS get pregnant this way, I would say its worth trying, I am currently trying to lose about 15 pounds, this is how i conceived my 1st child, a little weight lost

good luck

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are an excellent way to help get the PCOS under control as well as help with conceiving. To find a practitioner in your area go to acufinder.com. I have known many women who conceived naturally while doing acupuncture after not conceiving or having multiple miscarriages.

I was diagnosed with PCOS as well and was told it would be very difficult to conceive. After a few years of trying on our own, we were referred to a fertility specialist by my OB/GYN. After blood tests were completed, she suggested Metformin. My husband and I had been taking Geritol before I started the Metformin. Within 3 months, I was pregnant! So, I don't know if it was Geritol, Metformin or the combination of the two. My fertility specialist said she didn't expect me to get pregnant as fast I did.

I also made my mind up that year not to worry so much about having baby. It was kind of hard to do b/c I was a third grade teacher, but I knew I had to make changes. The changes paid off, we had a healthy & beautiful baby girl!

Oh, I tried the BC pills(GYN)...and I actually think it prolonged the process. My specialist, didn't agree with the BC pills since we had been TTC for sometime.

God Bless

C.,
I too have PCOS and was only recently diagnosed after trying to get pregnant for a year and a half, 2 yrs now. A friend of mine with PCOS recommended www.insulitelabs.com I haven't gone on it yet, but as soon as my finances are better I'm going to. Its herbal supplements and vitamins that are supposed to reverse PCOS. After she was on it, she got pregnant in one month!!!I can't wait to try it. Good luck to you as well! Maybe we'll both get prego!

Hi C.-

I empathize with your situation and have been there myself. I have PCOS and it took me 3 years to concieve. What finally worked for me was a mix of modern medicine and accupuncture. It's worth a try...I was VERY sceptical until I conceived my son this way! I also had many misscariages. Don't loose hope it WILL happen!!! We are trying for baby #2 now and I'm going to try accupuncture again. Oh, i would also suggest seeing a reproductive endocronologist (sp?) not just your OB.

Good luck!

I don't have advice re: your fertility treatments or the method you OB has suggested (altho doesn't sound like it could hurt unless you are over 35, and then it may take you longer to begin ovulating again when you get off the pill), but I have to ask a question. Have you & your husband considered adoption? It is a very personal decision, but had we known before our 4 miscarriages (including twins)how wonderful adopting a child is, we would have done it much sooner. I would challenge ANY parent who thinks there is any way they could love their biological child more than we love our gift from God. Just food for thought. Books that helped us: "Dear Birthmother" and "The Open Adoption Experience". Best of luck on your quest for parenthood. Have faith!

I understand what you are going through! Please DON'T GIVE UP! I have suffered with PCOS for over 5 years and I was able to conceive naturally after losing a lot of weight (120lbs). I had lap band surgery after my weight sky rocketed and my cycles went crazy (anovulatory). I dealt with the acne, too much testosterone, etc and had about 7 or 8 female type surgeries. I even lost a tube from a ruptured tubal pregnancy. Losing the weight did the trick. If you are at all overweight, do whatever it takes to get to your goal weight. It will fix so much with the PCOS! Good luck to you!!!!!!!

I don't have any answers, but I too have PCOS and have two daughters. I just wanted to recomend the doc I used. Kevin Doody in Bedford. I think the clinic is called THe Center for Assisted Reproduction. When I was going through all this, I researched RE's and he and his wife had the best success rates in Texas (at the time). The practice was great and I really felt taken care of. It was a long drive for appointments, but of course it was worth it! Good Luck. I know how frustrating and angry and sad and unfair this battle can be.

I actually have heard of some folks having luck right after coming off of the pill that have PCOS.
I am so sad with you that it's been such a tough road to mommyhood. Our son is an IVF baby and we went through 3 yrs of surgeries, 6 IUIs, and all sorts of other pills, tests and such before IVF worked for us.
I can tell you though that I think the key for IVF working for us was 2 things. 1) Before going through the procedure, I got massages and was completely relaxed and I was just convinced that it was going to work. I didn't stress about the procedures or the money and just considered all of it the best investment I'd ever make.
2) We used Dr Michael Putman of Baylor Dallas and his embryologist, Lilly. I can tell you that I don't think they get any better than him. The meds did not bother me, I loved everyone in their office and it worked on the first time. You might try him. He has 4 patents for surgerical tools for women and was the president of the national board of infertility a few years ago AND he does this because he loves it not because he's money hungry. We were going to move and I couldn't bear the thought of finding another doctor to try and have another.
Good luck and God bless. It's a tough time but I can tell you that I feel so blessed to have seen my son from an embryo to the adorable 2 yr old that he is and I wouldn't change a thing!
2)

I was diagnosed with PCOS while TTC. I never heard that the pill would "heal" my ovaries, but it will allow you to have a normal cycle, which prevents the cysts from developing. It also helped control all of the other "fun" symptoms that come along with PCOS.

For many, Metformin is helpful. I took it prior to my IVF cycle. My system was very sensitive to stimulation, during the cycle, but my RE was able to formulate a protocol that was successul.

Like some others, I would recommend consulting with an RE. I saw Drs. Le and Haas of Advanced Reproductive Care Center. www.ivfmd.net

I see that you've tried metformin with no success, but I think that combined with acupuncture is what worked for me. My husband and I had been married for 17 years and suffered 5 miscarriages before finally conceiving my daughter. She is now almost 3 years old. I started metformin and folic acid 3 months before the IVF cycle that was successful (my 7th one). I also had to take low-dose aspirin and heparin injections during my pregnanacy to prevent another miscarriage (I was found to have a mild case of MTHFR - that can cause blood clots to the placenta). Anyway, I feel that the above combo is what finally worked for me. Good luck

Hi C.-
No advice, but when we were TTC and going through all the treatments, I used resolve.org for lots of Q&A stuff. Might be a good source of info for you.
:)

C.-
I completely understand what you are going through. I have PCOS and have had numerous treatments with professionals. They all came to the same conclusion that I would never have children. A friend who is a nurse whose sister went through similar problems recommended I see the Doodys at the Center for Assistive Reproduction in Bedford. THey are a husband and wife team and they now have added Dr. Anna Nackley as well to the practice. After some hesitation I went to see what dr. Kathleen Doody had to say. She was the most thorough doctor I have ever seen. She was able to detect other problems that I had the were being untreated and therefore I would never have conceieved. I scaled back on my work load to destress and went through the treatments they offered. Yes, it still was a rollercoaster but at least it was a better informed rollercoaster. I am happy to say that I now have four healthy sons all conceived with their help.

I would also like to add that a friend of mine from Portugal was having fertility problems. She is a doctor herself and when she and her husband were moving to the States she asked professionals in Portugal where she could go here for the best care. They told her that the States are huge and she might need to travel a long distance but the most well known names in the business are Dr. Kathleen and Kevin Doody. They are that good. Really they pioneer treatments. Good Luck!

DON'T GIVE UP!! I also have PCOS and i am now over 40 with 3, yes 3, beautiful kids! 17, 9, 4...yes, each took a while but they are here. I got pregnant after loosing wieght like others here have mentioned, but it was not a huge amount...only 25-30 lbs. I also know, our second was a result of the overy with a very large cyst (and pregnancy reduces them!). Relax and know it will happen at just the right time!

I have 2 friends that both had positive results from accupuncture. The lady they went to specializes in female issues, but is in practice with a man who handles the other aspects. They are in Plano. I am not a homeopathic person in general, but this helped them both after modern medicine couldn't or didn't.

First off I will add you to my prayer list. Next, my cousin has PCOS and tried to have a child for about 10 years with no luck. She got pregnant, but the baby was born around 5 months and didn't make it. She then got pregnant again and her son was premature and stayed in the NICU for a couple of months after birth. He is now going to be 5 in December and is healthy and happy. There lives are truly fulfilled. She went on a diabetes drug as well, but it wasn't Metformin. She goes to a Dr. Mayer I believe. Would you like me to get the info for you? Let me know and I will do whatever I can to help you! Good luck and God Bless!

I have a friend who miss carried 3 times, she was able to keep the pregnancy to full term and had a big baby boy. She was and is using nutritional food supplement. I know of others who have tried so many things and finally used the same supplement and was able to get pregnant and carry to full term. Let me know if you are interested and I will give you the details.

Best Wishes!

I also have PCOS and endometriosis. My fertility Dr. recommended the same thing, except we went straight to IVF. It worked for us. My ovaries got a break and became stronger. It actually decreased my cysts. However, my Dr. put me on a different birth control than my body was used to prior. I don't know if that made a difference. I wish you and your husband luck.!

I have PCOS also and I know what your going through. We went through the same treatment and 12 miscariages before we got our son. I only have a small part of my left ovary remaining and the pregnancy that worked immediatly followed a d&c. I do think that the bc method works. Please don't give up, I can't tell you not to think about it, because I did everyday, but it's so worth it in the end. Everyone in my family told me I was crazy with each miscarriage, that it wasn't in gods plan. You should hear them now, "he's a miracle". And if they told me that I may have to go through 12 more miscarriages and 5 years of fertility treatments to have one more successful pregnancy, I would do it all over again.

Good morning. I am finding that PCOS is more common than I thought. I have been dignosed as well and have conceived 3 times after my diagnosis (1 before) but lost one of them to miscarriage. I got pregnant using prevera then clomid. I felt terrible so I only took 3 of the pills, then voila.....a baby. The prevera thins the ovary walls so you can ovulate then of course the clomid is fertility. I was pregnent quickly after that. Lately, I have been having alot of medical issues brought on by the PCOS and my Dr. suggested early menopause or even pregnancy as it "fixes" it. Ultimately I will need a hysterectamy but just am not quite ready for that yet. :-( Good luck and let me know how it goes. ***K.***

Oh dear, I sympathize with you. I tried desparately for years to conceive. Years of ovulation kits and basil body temperature charts, years of various fertility treatments and procedures, wacky home remedies, diets, positions...I even visited with a "witch doctor" from Mexico, (he really wasn't a witch), who did these terrible massages to my abdominal area...oh the horror. Anyhoo, my doctor also suggested bc pills after he diagnosed me with PCOS in 1997. That is when I stopped TTC -- I just couldn't take it anymore. I didn't want to continue trying because it was making me an emotional wreck, but I didn't get on the pill either. In 2003, after a terrible divorce, I started taking bc pills to regulate my cycle. I remarried in Oct '06 and stopped taking the bc pills because of my age and I figured I couldn't get pregnant anyway. I found out that I was pregnant in Jul '07, and delivered my little bundle of perfect in Feb '08. I don't know if the pills had anything to do with it or not. I will pray for you. Good luck.