Infertility Issues

I have PCOS and was on Metformin for about a 15 months before I got pregnant. The clomid never worked for me. I took 1000mg of metformin and it changed my very irregular cycles to exactly 35 day cycles. We did fertility treatments (clomid, injections, IUI) and we were taking a break from all that (to save up for another IUI) when I got pregnant. Metformin was the only medication that I was taking when I got pregnant and I honestly don't think I could have gotten pregnant without it. My miracle baby is 7 months old today!! Good luck!!

My OB/GYN prescribed Metformin for me when my husband and I were trying to get pregnant. I do not have PCOS and Metformin did not work for me at all. I do have a friend who has PCOS and got pregnant while taking Metformin. Good luck!

I was diagnosed with PCOS, though I do not know they were right. I had sporadic, nonexistent periods. They did not want to put me on the metformin, they told me just to stay on the birth control pills until I wanted to become pregnant and then do fertility treatments. I was ready to be off the pill after 10 years so I stopped. After 6 months and only one period I started the South Beach Diet. After 3 days on the diet I had a period and the next month and the month after. After 3 months on the diet I was pregnant! There is even a chapter in the book about a woman with PCOS that became pregnant on the diet. it may not work for you but I feel compelled to pass this info along to you.

If you do try the diet it is ESSENTIAL that you are on prenatals with sufficient Folic Acid as you will be cutting a lot of fortified foods out of your diet.

Hope this help...the best of luck in your journey.

I haven't been on Metformin (which I know is your question) but I have been through IF treatments. If you are looking for a FANTASTIC RE, Dr Lyles is the best! His office is in OP and they are very professional and get down to business on what's wrong instead of beating up your body waiting for something to happen. Best of luck to you...I know that struggle is the worst!

Hello S.,

Sorry about your luck. I too am still on metformin to keep me regualr just so I might have a chance of getting pregnant. I was also on clomid for 6 months and did get pregnant but unfortuntly had a miscarriage. What I amsaying is that I did successfully get pregnant on it. SO good luck to you and yours! Goddess Bless!!

I got pregnant with my second daughter while taking metformin and progestrone supplements. We weren't even trying but I guess the two combined forced ovuation for me and it did the trick. I have pcos as well and was concerned I was going to have a hard time getting pregnant again.

So keep taking the drug. I know it's a harsh drug to take. It took its toll on my stomach sometimes. But see what happends. Good luck:)

I also have PCOS and I am on Metformin. My doctor had me on Metformin as well as Femara. Femara is used to treat breast cancer as well as fertility (so it is covered by insurance). The main reason my doctor likes it better than Clomid is that it does not increase the size of your ovaries (which I heard can be painful). So, after trying for many years to get pregnant, I took Metformin for two months and did two cycles of Femara and I got pregnant. We now have a daughter that will be one in a few weeks. Feel free to ask me any other ____@____.com.

I work with quite a few infertility cases. I do acupuncture and talk to the patient about nutrition. I have had a lot of success even with people with PCOS. Please feel free to visit my website at www.bcoh.org There is a lot of good information on there about infertility. If you have further questions, please email me at ____@____.com or just hit respond.

Good luck to you,

Dr. Jennifer Murphy

Vitex is an herb that is supposed to work a lot like clomid but is more natural.
Have you read "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler? If not, I HIGHLY recommend it. She also has message boards and a PCOS support group which has a lot of helpful info.
http://forums.ovusoft.com/Default.asp?cookieCheck=39528618

I haven't formally been dx with PCOS but we're pretty sure I have it. I'm going to try vitex before consulting the doctor.

Good luck!

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I feel very strongly about it. Stop all this fertility stuff, and seriously consider adoption. I did! We have a wonderful baby (who looks like me!) and I can't imagine life without her now. Believe me, once they put that little sweet bundle in your arms, you will forget completely that she didn't sprout from your loins. My daughter is MY baby, no matter what her DNA says. A Step Ahead Adoptions (Diane Hogan) will have that baby in your arms in 12 months or less. My paper "pregnancy" took only 3 months, and I got to have a glass of wine at my baby shower!

S.,
I have a 7 month old blessing that is a result of metformin, clomid, prometrium, a trigger shot, and a whole lot of prayer! I went off the pill and never had a cycle without the help of progesterone. I was diagnosed with PCOS and was prescribed metformin. I took 1500 mg of ER metformin for 1 1/2 years prior to getting pregnant. The metformin didn't regulate my periods but it sure changed how I felt. I did 3 rounds of 50 mg. clomid without success. The fourth round I took 100 mg. for 7 days instead of 5 and only had one good folicle but got pregnant. I think for PCOS it is finding the right combo. I went to PARINTS in Town and Country and Becky knows her stuff. Hang in there but be aggressive. Too many times doctors want to wait things out and not monitor all that your body is doing. Best of luck.

I was able to get pg using metformin AND clomid. I also really charted my cycle... It seems that I am an extremely late ovulator. I suggest getting a thermometer and being as proactive as possible. I also really used the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Good Luck!! Hope to here about your baby belly soon!! :)

Hello-
I have very rarely posted on here but yes, I did get pregnant on metformin. (on my first try nonetheless). I was diagnosed with PCOS the year before I started trying. The metofrmin was great, in that it alleviated my PCOS symptoms (lost weight, anxiety improved, etc.) I have the most awesome doctor and he really seems to understand this condition. His theory is that all women with PCOS have what is called Wilson's Thyroid Syndrome. You can google it. He put me on armour thyroid medication and then my symptoms REALLY got better. I am a big researcher by nature, so I read up everything I can find and from what I can tell Clomid is not a good idea with this conditon. It is often prescribed though and I am not sure why when you look at the research. My doc told me to keep up the cardio, lower my carb intake (because PCOS is a metabolic condition and high glucose levels interfere with fertility) and take my meds. He gave me the green light to start trying after I had been on the medication about 4 months and I got pregnant the first try. I know not everyone is this lucky, but sometimes I wonder if women are getting bad information? Good luck to you......Take care!
T.

I have PCOS and have an 11 year old, after years of treatment off and on the clomid, then a 7 year old after another 3 years off and on the clomid, injections etc. Then we tried for number 3 for almost 4 years off and on with the clomid and injections etc...At 40 I gave up, around the same time it was suggested I go on metformin. My husband also had fertility issues and my Dr. told me to enjoy my 2 miracles, because on paper we had less than a 1% chance of conceiving(2 other Drs. confirmed this). So at age 42, after 2 years of metformin, I thought I was going through early menopause when I discovered I was 10 weeks pregnant! I had number 3 at 43! All the nurses and the specialist I had to see because of my "advanced maternal age" said it was the metformin. I have heard about this being a huge success in helping with infertility in women with pcos. In fact, when we were at the end of trying for #3, I went to a dr. at Barnes who specializes in infertility/pcos. She is supposed to be one of the leading specialists in the country and a friend of mine works with her and got me an appointment. She said that it was a miracle I ever conceived without the metformin. I had already started taking it, but she said I was on too low of a dose. She said you should take 50mg 3x a day if you are trying to conceive. I don't know what dose you are on, but I would ask the Dr. about it if you are on a lower dose. Good luck with everything, I know how heartbreaking all this can be. I got married at 21 and it took us 10yrs. to have the first. Don't give up hope!

Hi. I also have PCOS...had baby number one after unsuccessfully trying clomid and then finally trying metformin twice a day. got pregnant 3 more times after that with nothing however all of those pregnancys ended in miscarriages. we then saw a specialist at barnes who put me on metformin 3 times a day as well as progesterone. baby number two is now 11 months old and i am back on the metformin trying for baby #3....pls g-d we will all be able to share in good news soon! good luck! :)

Hi S.. I too have PCOS and tried the Metformin and the Clomid. I done those for about a year with no sucess. I ended up haveing a procedure done called Ovarian Drilling. They went in and burned little holes in different spots over my ovaries. I had this done in November and by July, we where 3 weeks pregnant. I now have 2 little boys. We didn't have to do or take anything to get pregnant with the second one. If you have any other questions or want to talk you can email me.
____@____.com luck and keep your head up.

Hi S.-
I too have PCOS. I have been on metformin for 5 months. I have also done clomid for 5 cycles (I'm in my 5th cycle now). I have not yet been blessed with a miracle but i am hopeful! I just want to wish you lots of luck and send you a bit of baby dust! Good Luck!

I have PCOS as well. I was on Metformin for a year when I got pregnant. We took a break from actively TTC and when we started trying again I got pregnant first cycle. I got pregnant a second time when my daughter was 6 months old with no Metformin. I hope you have success with the Metformin!

Hi S., I too suffer from PCOS and I've been on met since Nov '07. I did get pg in Nov. but that ended in miscarriage. I got pg again on just met in Apr and am currently 11wks pg. If you would like to hear more about my situation, feel free to email me.

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