I Need Some Advice on Pcos

Don't give up hope, but stop trying so hard. I know that sounds dumb, but that is what worked for me. I was diagnosed with PCOS on my husband's 21st birthday. We had been trying for a little while to no avail. That was 5 years ago. I now have a gorgeous 2 1/2 year old little girl and a very handsome 11 month old little boy. I took Chlomid and it didn't work. We had given up all hope. I finally got really sick one day and had been having other signs, so I thought just for laughs I would take a test. I cried when it came back positive. When I went to the doctor's office and he did an ultrasound, he said that there was just no way. He said he would have to wait for the test results, but it just couldn't be possible. There were just too many cysts. When the results came back he actually smacked his hand on his desk and said, "Well, I'll be damned. I didn't think there was any way!" What I'm trying to say is, even after having my daughter, they said there was no chance it would happen again. Low and behold, on my daughter's 1st birthday another home test came back positive. You just have to have faith that it will happen when it is meant to happen. They have told me for the 3rd time that it's impossible, so I guess we'll see. I hope this has been helpful. Just know that I understand what you're going through.

I have PCOS as well. My Gynecologist diagnosed me about a 1 1/2 ago. He placed me on Metformin. Even though this is a diabetic medication, it works for women who have PCOS. I have a beautiful 2 /12 year old daughter.
Before I had my daughter, I was irregular and struggled getting pregnant. I lost 70 pounds (this helps the PCOS symptoms). After I had my daughter, I struggled with my weight again and had missed menstrual cycles again. This is when the doctor put me on Metformin. I have not missed a cycle since. He also advised I would need to stay on it through out the first trimester if I did decide to have another child.

You should be taking high doeses of pharmaceutical grade fish oil and I would try acupuncutre.

Hi, A.,
Just make sure your husband's sperm count has been tested also. Some men are very resistant to this. A friend went through this & was really feeling like she was defective & when her husband finally submitted to the test, it turns out his sperm had very little motility (slow swimming). You may have already done this, but others out there reading it may not have considered it. Especially if they know they have a "problem". In my friend's case after thousands of dollars spent on IVF and lots of anxiety for years - when they had finally become resigned to not being able to have their own child, they gave themselves 6 months to start beginning adoption proceedings. They now have a beautiful daughter who is now 5 and IS their natural daughter. It was in God's timing all along. I pray for the same success for you.
D.

I was diagnosed with PCOS 12 years ago. I was blessed with my son almost 2 years ago. It required clomid and then femara to get pregnant, but it was worth it. A reproductive endocrinologist can help with that. Eli Reshef in OKC is wonderful. I was able to lose weight so it helped with all of my symptoms and I was able to stop the metformin and blood pressure meds. Are you seeing a physician now? You need to make sure they are aware of PCOS and all of the latest treatments. If not, change physicians. It will be worth it in the end. I found a natural diet that has also helped with symptoms: www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com. This book teaches what foods help women with PCOS get hormone levels corrected so that they can increase fertility. My doc liked it so much, she now has all her patients with PCOS read it. Also, my favorite online group is www.soulcysters.com.

See if your doctor will prescribe Glucophage (metformin) for you - one of the main theories regarding PCOS and conception has to do with insulin resistance - correct the insulin problem and you may start ovulating more frequently. I have insulin resistance and needed it to conceive my 2nd baby who is due in 3 weeks. I have several friends with pcos who have all conceived on their own (no fertility treatments) once they started taking metformin. Look into NFP methods to learn to recognize when you are going to ovulate to increase your chances of pregnancy.
Since you've been trying for 2 years, ask your OB/GYN to refer you to a fertility specialist if you aren't already seeing one - they can help in many ways before resorting to fertility drugs, IUI and IVF, although they may end up being your best chance if you're willing to try.

Hi, I have PCOS and was diagnosed 8 years ago . . .we personally went through Fertility treatments for 4 years and then magically and blessedly got pregnant (it was somewhat a rough preg) we have 3 children now. But to answer your question, some women use Metformin which is actually a type 2 diabetes med with clomid or exclusively . . .it actually helps control multiple PCOS symptoms including weight because of the way it controls your insulin/sugars. You may also look into the natural/herbal route; I have heard of using licorice root, Chasteberry, black cohosh, dong quai (ginseng, progesterone creams, and phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) and this site talks about some of these suggestions. Some of these have the added benefit of helping with PMS symptoms or regular PCOS symptoms.

http://www.vrp.com/articles.aspx?pag...ID=562&zType=2

I would love to talk to you personally about any symptoms you may need help with, or ?'s to ask different docs . . . are you seeing a PCOS specialist, endocrinologist, fertility endocrinologist, high risk ob, ect? You may also want to look into whether you are insulin resistant, many women with PCOS are and that may hinder the weight loss and exacerbate other symptoms including infertility.

This is a support site with hundreds of women like us . . . you might try it and see if some of them have suggestions too; Good luck and God bless!

www.soulcysters.net

I have PCOS too. I was told I would never get pregnant. I have one beautiful 4 year old daughter, and tommorow I will have my son. I got pregnant the first time on my own, this time I went on metformin. It worked for me.

I was also diagnosed with PCOS four years ago. I was having trouble getting pregnant too. After talking to my good friend that lives in Missouri who also had been diagnosed with PCOS, but had been trying for FIVE years to get pregnant, I asked my doctor to try me on Metformin. It is typically prescribed for diabetics, but for some reason it helps women get pregnant without taking an actual fertility drug. Not all doctors will prescribe this though. One good thing is (if you have insurance) it is covered because it is not defined as a fertility drug. Also, after trying for about eight months I got pregnant and my friend also got pregnant. I have a three year old and she has a two year old and just yesterday she had triplets! Don't give up hope.

Don't give up. I had PCOS and have 2 wonderful children. My first I tried everything and am not sure what worked. I took clomid and was put in the hospital 2 different times because my ovaries swelled. My 2nd I had surgery. I had an ovarian wedge resectioning done. This is where they remove all the cyst and remove a section of the ovaries so they are normal size. If you would like more info just send me a mess. Good luck!

Hi A.,

I also tried to get pregant for more than 2 years and could never get pregnant. Then I read about natural progesterone cream that you get from a health food store. Due to the chemicals in our food and in our skin products, many of us are estrogen dominant. Once I got on a progesterone cream, I got pregnant TWO WEEKS LATER. That was in 2005 and I am now on my 3rd pregnancy. The cream I took was one of the best according to my research. Below is the website and you can also call and talk to them and they will give you a lot of information. Also, if you live in Oklahoma, the Health Food Store on Sw 74th and Penn carries this product. It is important to use the natural creams rather than the injections or oral progesterone.

Also research estrogen dominance and you can cut out the food and products that cause this. It is very important to not use any products with Parabans as these mimic estrogen. I have seen many progesterone products that contain parabans. I even think Arbonne's progesterone contains it, so be careful to read labels before you purchase any products.

http://www.optimalnaturalhealth.com/fe/index.php

God Bless You!

I will tell you to just relax. I have fibroid tumors, one tube opened and an enlarged uterus and I still got pregnant. You might want to look at any stresses in your like. I was commuting two hours a day, my husband had a seizure, and I had a stressful job. I changed jobs, stop commuting, and got admitting into graduate school. When I stopped worrying about getting pregnant and starting focusing on other things I wanted to do in life, that’s when I got pregnant. I know that’s had to do, stop stressing, but that’s what worked for me. Now I have a beautiful daughter.

I never had the pcos but I did have cysts on my ovaries alot and some that ruptured. They had to do surgery on me to take one out and it turned out that my fallopian tubes were stopped up for some reason. I had been trying to get pregnant for years and after that I was pregnant within a year. Maybe just have them run the dye through your tubes to make sure they are clear. Hope this helps.

PCOS can be a very trying condition. There are many communities of women online who are struggling with the same thing. There are also alot of alternative therapies that many have found helpful. Medically, are you seeing an endocrinolgist who is possibly prescribing Glucophage or recommending other therapies? A low carb diet is much better than low fat for PCOS. I've also read about a component in Robitussin cough syrup that helps many women conceive. There is alot of info out there, hang in there and research, research, research! Praying for your dreams to come true, and that you are holding a baby in your arms very soon!

I too have pcos and have one child and pregnant with my second. Maybe have your thyroid levels checked if you havent already and talk with your doctor about fertilty treatments. I used clomid both times to get pregnant. Good luck, it will happen.

I'm very sorry to hear about that. I had endo really bad and ended up having a radical hysterectomy. God did bless me with 3 kids though. We felt that we were supposed to have more so we went through the state and became foster parents. We got a little boy from the hospital at 2 weeks old and he is now 1 and we're in the process of adopting him. Going through the state can be stressful, but we could not afford to adopt internationally. There are so many kids in our own area that need good homes. Hope this encourages you, please feel free to email me with any questions regarding foster care ____@____.com Bless
B. Alleman

Hi A.,

You are starting in the right direction with a good healthy regimen. Keep this source handy:: http://women.webmd.com/tc/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-...

Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and weight control are key treatments for PCOS. Medicines to balance hormones may also be used. Getting treatment can reduce unpleasant symptoms. But more important, it can help prevent possible long-term health problems.

The first step in managing PCOS is to get regular exercise and eat a heart-healthy diet. This can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. It can also help you lose weight if you need to.

* Try to fit in moderate activity and/or vigorous activity on a regular basis. Walking is a great exercise that most people can do.
* Eat a heart-healthy diet. In general, this diet has lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, and whole grains. It also limits foods that are high in saturated fat, such as meats, cheeses, and fried foods. If you have blood sugar problems, try to eat about the same amount of carbohydrate at each meal. A registered dietitian can help you make a meal plan.
* Most women with PCOS can benefit from losing weight. Even losing 10 lb may help get your hormones in balance and regulate your menstrual cycle. PCOS can make it hard to lose weight, so work with your doctor to make a plan that can help you succeed.

A doctor may also prescribe medicines, such as:

* Birth control pills. They can help your periods be regular and can reduce symptoms such as excess facial hair and acne. An androgen-lowering medicine, spironolactone, may be used with birth control pills to help reduce symptoms even more. These medicines are not used if you are trying to get pregnant.
* A diabetes medicine called metformin. It can help control insulin and blood sugar levels and reduce androgen levels. This lowers your risk for diabetes and heart disease and can help restore regular menstrual cycles and fertility.
* Fertility medicines, if you are trying to get pregnant.

It is important to see your doctor for follow-up to make sure treatment is working and adjust it if needed. You may also need regular tests to check for diabetes, high blood pressure, and other possible problems.

It may take a while for treatments to help with symptoms such as facial hair or acne. In the meantime:

* Over-the-counter or prescription acne medicines may help with skin problems.
* Waxing, tweezing, and shaving are easy ways to get rid of unwanted hair. Electrolysis or laser treatments can permanently remove the hair but are more expensive. Your doctor can also prescribe a skin cream that slows hair growth for as long as you use it regularly.

It can be hard to deal with having PCOS. If you are feeling sad or depressed, it may help to talk to a counselor or to other women who have PCOS. Ask your doctor about local support groups, or look for an online group. It can make a big difference to know that you are not alone.

i have pcos me and my husband tried for 5 years we went to a fertility doc that was crap. he did put me on a pill that diabetics use to shrink the cysts i took them for 2 years they made me feel awful i was taking 3 a day.i had 10 to 11 cysts. i finally gave up and stopped taking them we started going to a gym i lost 20 pounds and we moved to the town where we worked and i didnt know it i was preg the hole time we were moving. so i had my baby girl dec 26,2006 then i turned 36 in jan. so in total it was 5 years i think the medication and then i lost weight combined helped me ovulate. the pcos has something to do with diabeties i dont have it but the medician shrinks the cystis. if you need to know anything else just let me know dont give up! gook luck.

I also had that problem when I was younger....and my OBGYN doctor administered the fertility drug Clomid and after taking it 6 mos. I got pg. and had a precious son and 18 mos. later I had a precious daughter without taking anything...I'd tried six yrs. to get pregnant. Check with your OBGYN to see what your options are...& good luck...

I provide women's health information and seminars and the one area I specialize in is PCOS and getting pregnant. I got pregnant in 3 months with what I advise PCOS women to do and almost every other woman who has used the same regime has gotten pregnant in the 3rd or 4th month. I do have a few women I am currently working with who have just reached their 4th month and are still not pregnant though. I am NOT a doctor or a nurse, only an advocate and research a LOT of information on women's health. My website is www.purelybalanced.com. On that website you will see a banner at the top of the page for Women For Balance - go to that link (also my website) and there is information on there that can get you started. If you want more information and specifics as to what I do feel free to contact me.

C.
www.purelybalanced.com

I have PCOS too and have a wonderful OB/GYN here in OKC who specializes in this disorder as well as fertility. I also take Metformin and have seen improvement in my cycles and other effects of PCOS. The doctor's name is Mary Martin and she is affilitated with St. Anthony's.

Hello A.,
Have you ever heard of Progesterone Cream? You are lacking this hormone and this is why you have the tiny cysts, which is preventing you from getting pregnant. If you are interested, get back with me.

Vickie H.

I have never had PCOS (at least, I was never given the proper name for my cysts) but let me make one strong suggestion: Let Go and Let God! You may be trying too hard and that often prevents you from being able to get PG. If you put your faith in God and let Him take control, you will be PG before you know it. I never got PG for many years and never knew why but once I settled down and began to relax and enjoy life, not stressing over every little thing, I became PG at the age of 33. I now have a precious son who will soon be 9. I know that it is frustrating TRYING to get PG but "truly" relax and enjoy the process. DON'T concentrate on the reason, instead try NOT to think about what you are working toward.
I will be praying for you and may God bless you soon with wonderful news.

I also have PCOS... We tried for 2.5 years before we got pregnant. It was depressing at times especially because both SIL's got pregnant during that time (and neither was trying). I tried Clomid for a while, and well as NFP and ovulation tests to track fertility. I tried OptiVite(sp?) prenatal vitamins, but switched back to store brand. I was driving my husband crazy, so eventually we settled on a healthy balanced diet and wait-and-see. The month after we bought a trampoline (one of my childhood dreams), I got pregnant without medication or tracking. We were lucky and are currently trying for #2.
I had a coworker who tried for 11 years and finally adopted. 6 months after adopting, she was pregnant.
There are websites and books, and doctors can help. Try to stay positive. Reach out to friends and the online community if you start feeling blue. Make certain you stay connected with hubby. Best of luck to you. :-)

I have heard if you go on birth control pills for awhile- then stop them - while trying to conceive- you can get pregnant. Just like some women get pregnant if they forget one of their pills - they do because they drop an egg. But- it may be different in your case. The Dr. should explain. My daughter has polycystic ovaries. The sonogram looked like she had a string of pearls in her ovaries. She takes the pill to help- although she is not trying to conceive. Best of luck. J.

It took us 8 years to get pg. We tried several fertility treatments and nothing worked. About 4 years ago, I started going to a Chiroprator. 2 years later, our son was born. I also had a few massages to help start ovulation. A foot reflexology or full body massage can trigger ovulation, plus it's very relaxing. Let me know if you want more info on either option. I have a great chiroprator & massage therapist in Edmond. I can give you their contact info if you want it. Take care!

Hey A.,
Two things I would like to share with you. First have your hormones levels (progesterone, estrogen)been checked, if not that is the first thing that you should due. Without sufficent levels of progesterone, your body has a very difficult time making the uterus ready and capable of housing a fertilized egg. If your progesterone level is low, I would ask your physician about using bio-identical hormone creme as opposed to oral, or injections. I an a nurse and have had several friends in very similar situations. Hope this helps.
J.

i have two friends that have PCOS. They BOTH delivered beautiful baby girls! One went thru fertility treatments but the other just got lucky! so don't give up! Sorry i don't have a miracle answer! :)

Hi A.
I have PCOS and went through a lot to get pregnant. I would first say go and get an evaluation with and endocronologist, specifically with one who specialized in fertility. You don't have to jump the fertility ban wagon right away. OBGYNs are not experts in this area and do not know how to treat it. I was advised and followed a diabetic diet and was prescribed glucophage. It helped me but we had to do further fertility options. I took hormones, clomid, had injections and surgery to get pregnant. Then I nursed my daughter for 6 months and gave my ovaries a break and then got pregnant with my second on my own. I feel for you b/c I have been there. Please, please seek the advice of an endocronologist. They understand and can offer you more help than a family practice, internist or obgyn. Where do you live. I would love to recommend my doctor.

A.

A.,
From past experiences you may be taking vitamins and if they are solid they are going right through our body and you are not getting any benifit from them...Most important try to eat as if it the year 1930 and eat foods that area not laced with all kinds of enriched stuff and preservatives....try cooking from scratch do not use boxed or can foods..I know it take more time but it wil be worth it...I have done this lifestyle with my husband to deal with cancer and it helped so much..Dealing with todays foods is h*** o* the body...Take your time and plan..You can do it...
Take a look at monavie.com and read all the benifits you can derive from it..Not only will you be healthier you will be able to handle stress and everyday living better also...If you need help feel free to call on me..
Keep your spirits up..
J.

Hi A.,

PCOS, endometriosis, and other wacky hormonal problems run in my family and has caused lots of fertility issues for us. I also have multiple friends with PCOS.
What helped all of us get pregnant is natural Progesterone Cream.
If you are interested take a look here:

annemarie.myarbonne.com

Let me know if you have any questions.
I love to help women in your situation!

Blessings,
AnneMarie

I worked for an OB/GYN who put his PCOS patients trying to conceive on Glucophage (metformin is the generic), which is a diabetes medication. You may want to ask your doc if this would be benefical for you along with the diet. Good Luck!

Try going to fertilityfriend.com It helps emensely, lots of advice on things, like your situation, encouragement and support. It hlped me get pregnant with my daughter.

Have you seen your doctor yet? Glucophage/Metformin is commonly prescribed to women with PCOS and they found out that as a side effect it also helps them to ovulate, which is sometimes a problem. I know women who don't have PCOS that were prescribed Glucophage to make them ovulate when they were trying to conceive.

Hi! I have PCOS as well. I was diagnosed 3 years ago by a reproductive endocronologist doctor. If you haven't been to a specialist, I would definitely start there. I was on Metformin for awhile, but I had stomach issues on it and it never did regulate my periods. I have heard great things about it though! We had my husband tested as well to find out that he has fertility issues as well. Our chances of natural conception was really low. After a lot of discussions, my husband and I decided on adoption. I didn't think I could handle invitro with all the hormone drugs and such. We have a beautiful 22 month old adopted son......and miracle of miracles, I'm 16 weeks pregnant! Not long ago I went on birth control to regulate my periods. It worked but made me a hormonal mess and I ended up quitting them. I continued to be regular for the next three months, and during that time I got pregnant! I am positive that the birth control pill helped. My periods had always been so crazy and irregular due to PCOS, and after the pill they were regular, almost to the day. We had been officially and unofficially (meaning no birth control methodes) trying to get pregnant since we were married, 4 1/2 years ago.
Anyways, thats my story, just thought I'd share!! Good luck and hang in there. Whether natural or adopted child, its amazing. I wouldn't change what we experienced to get my adopted son for anything.

i know it sounds crazy but stop trying! you are too stressed out about it. let everything go relax and when you arent even paying attetion it will happen! it has worked a many times with people i know no matter what the infertility problem was when they just stoped trying to make a baby and instead just enjoyed the experience stress free they all got prego! so relax and have fun good luck!

A.~ I have been right there in your shoes and here is what helped us. I lost some weight and my doctor prescribed Metformin and Avandia (at different times) which are the meds that diabetics take but they really didn't help me. I have heard many, many people having success with these medications and they are inexpensive and your primary care doctor can prescribe so that would be a good starting point.

Also have you ever heard about or been tested for Cushing's Syndrome? I had several of the symptoms and my doctor tested me but I did not have it. I would definitely read through some information for it just so you can rule it out. I thought it would be the answer to a lot of my health problems and was actually a little disappointed when I did not have it because I wanted to know what was wrong with me and get it diagnosed and treated! Here is a link to one good website:

http://endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/cushings/cushings.htm

I ended up doing fertility treatments which I was fortunate and my insurance covered a majority of the costs. If you are interested in something like that I will be glad to give you several excellent doctor recommendations for the Tulsa area. I did not get pregnant until my 5th round of artificial insemination attempt but it did finally happen for me and it happened right when we had decided to give up and put it on hold for awhile.

My best recommendation would be to go ahead and have a consultation with a good fertility doctor and find out what your options are. They will start out by doing the test to make sure your tubes are not blocked and all your plumbing is in working order :-) My doctor told me that sometimes just the act of injecting the dye for the test can release some clogs and that is all the woman needed to get pregnant. Let's hope it is something that easy for you! After making sure there are no physical problems they will probably start you on Clomid which is another inexpensive treatment that is pretty successful. Here is a link to some information about Clomid:

http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-11204-Clomid.aspx?drugid=...

After my physical exam my doctor decided to do a D&C to completely clean me out because I had very infrequent periods and I guess there was a lot of stuff that needed to come out....sorry if that is too much information :-) After that I took one month of Clomid and then because my insurace was so great (at that time) they decided to go ahead and start the shots and artificial insemination process. My D&C was in January of that year and I did not get pregnant until late November so the whole process took almost a year but it was worth every single minute and dollar that it cost me. Now for the best news....I was completely surprised, shocked and thrilled when I found out almost two years later that I was pregnant again.....without even trying and it was all 100% natural! I am now the proud mother of one daughter, almost 16, that was adopted and two more daughters age 3 and 5.

There is some really good PCOS information here:

http://www.havingbabies.com/pcos.html

I hope my information has given you some hope. I consider myself a success story since I was able to overcome the infertility issues and have two children. Please feel free to contact me if you would like some more information or even if you just need someone to talk to. I loved my fertility doctors in Tulsa and would be happy to give their contact information to you. Good luck!