Trying to Concieve My 2Nd Child ---- Just Diagnosed with PCOS

Hi E., I also had PCOS, It took me a year to get pregnant with my first child, I ended up needing Metformin and Clomid. I was able to conceive my 2nd with just being on Metformin. It also helped to have a great OB. Feel free to ask questions. It can be done. Don't give up.

I have PCOS also. Went through the same thing before I had my first. We had to use just some fert. drugs but we had our little man. But I am now pregnant with number 2 and we didn't use anything!!! It just depends but you will prob. still be able to concieve. Let me know if you have any questions more than happy to talk. I understand how stressful it can be.

Hi E.,
I thought I would send some information from Dr. Ray Strand's website. Dr. Strand is on the medical advisory board of the company I work for. I love him because he tries to find the CAUSE of things and treat it naturally first rather than simply prescribing pills. He suggests that PCOS can be reversed through a lifestyle change. (Actually almost any disease can - it's just often difficult for people to make the changes.)
I have made many changes in the lifestyle of our whole family, and we are all much healthier. If you need any ideas or would like to talk further, feel free to contact me. I have more information that I can share.
Here is an excerpt from Dr. Strand. I hope you find it helpful! I LOVE this group. Everyone is so supportive!!
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"The diagnosis of PCOS is usually made through blood tests looking for elevated levels of testosterone and DHEA. These patients usually will have an ultrasound of their ovaries that shows multiple, small cysts (polycystic ovaries). However, the diagnosis is usually based on the patient's history, physical examination, and laboratory testing. As noted above, physicians are now realizing that this may be part of the metabolic syndrome and it is not unusual to see common findings that are the result of insulin resistance such as low HDL or good cholesterol levels, high triglyceride and cholesterol levels, elevated blood sugars, along with high blood pressure and central weight gain.

Traditional medical treatment may include spironolactone a diuretic used for those individuals with abnormal hair growth or acne. Birth control may be used to create normal periods for those who desire not to become pregnant. For those individuals who are having difficulty becoming pregnant, their physician may prescribe a fertility drug called clomiphene (Clomid). Because of the underlying insulin resistance and the high risk of becoming diabetic, some physicians are adding metformin, which is a diabetic medication, to their medications.

Since the underlying problem is now felt to be due to insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome, I have been treating my patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome with intensive lifestyle changes aimed at improving insulin sensitivity. When you combine an aggressive nutritional supplement program along with a healthy diet that contains those good low-glycemic carbohydrates, good fats and proteins, and modest aerobic exercise, you give yourself the absolute best chance of reversing this disease."

I have PCOS (had symptoms all my adult life, but wasn't officially diagnosed until about 5 years ago). I am pregnant with baby 2 at the moment, so it is definitely possible to conceive with PCOS! :)

I was not interested in trying fertility drugs (I didn't want to end up with lots of babies at one time), so I went the holistic route. A book I found very helpful for understanding my symptoms as well as homeopathic treatments was "Homeopathic Medicines for Pregnancy and Childbirth" by Richard Moskowitz, MD.

For me, once I found "my" remedy (Pulsatilla), things started behaving again. I took it first to try to regulate my cycles (like you, my body just stopped having periods--did that before I conceived our first child too).

I was already used to testing for pregnancy b/c of the meds my OB gave me so I would have periods (Prometrium), so when I still didn't get a cycle after a month of Pulsatilla, I tested and we were pregnant! So it did actually make my ovaries spit out an egg, which they hadn't done in almost a year. If we had been more careful with birth control, I would have seen a period instead of our current pregnancy. ;)

Anyway, it's worth a shot if you're at all concerned about the use of a lot of medications, the risk of popping out lots of eggs at one time, side effects, etc. The trick is just to find the remedy that most closely matches your body (he gives full descriptions of each remedy and case studies to show examples of how other women responded to using them).

Feel free to email me if you have further questions or anything. I've been dealing with PCOS for a long time and know all about its frustrations, inconsistencies, and unpredictability. :) Good luck!

You can definitely do it. I have several friends with PCOS who have had beautiful little ones after diagnosis!

Are you in Knoxville? There is an amazing doc here in town who deals with fertility issues and is such a wonderful lady. I saw her to conceive DS (I don't have PCOS but something along those lines) and am now seeing her to try for #2. Send me a message if you would like her info!

BTW, I wouldn't leave it up to your ob/gyn. Mine freely admits that this is not her area of expertise.

HTH and good luck!

My sister was just diagnosed with this..had the same symptoms and was ttc recently and couldn't so she was tested and diagnosed (she conceived 2 kids no problem, but that was 8 years ago) she's on a medication that is also used a diabetes med but i don't know what the dr said as far as her ability to conceive. I'd ask your ob/gyn or the dr who put u on that medication.

Yes . . . but you have to be very disciplined. Find the best reproductive endocrinologist in town and follow their advice to the letter. Eat like a diabetic, excercise everyday like your life depends on it, and take your medications by the clock.

My sister did this, lost a ton of weight, and had a beautiful daughter.

I have PCOS and hashimotos thyroid - which often go hand in hand. I finally conceived my third after reading the book Feeling Fat Fuzzy or Frazzled by Shames, MD, and seeing a Naturopathic Physician for seven months. It worked (I'm over due now), without drugs. There's also a website called womentowomen.com that is really useful. They are selling supplements, but that's what I needed (along with a lot of other things the ND tried with me, that ultimately balanced me). Good luck!

This may sound crazy but my neighbor had the same problem of not being able to conceive with PCOS. She swears if she "low carbs" it she gets pregnant. It's worked both times! I think she did the Atkins diet. Best of luck to you.

I will say yes to that i started taking metformin a year ago, and then my doc put me on clomid, and I started ovulating, I got prego last may unforunatly it ended around 3 mo, but yes it can happen for you..

I know how frustrated you are. I am also trying to conceive my 2nd child. I don't have medical advice for you. I would definitely recommend the book "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne. That has made all the difference in my mental outlook. I don't think you can conceive until you get rid of the stress that inevitably comes when you want something, but you aren't getting it. I will pray that you conceive. Good luck and God bless you.