FINALLY I am getting a chance to post this. I have been so busy with work and life that I would get working on this post and then have to put it aside. Thanks for the patience! Likely only one or two of you is trying to get pregnant and has PCOS but if this helps you then I am a happy gal!
I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome when I was 13 and had more than one doctor tell me that children might not be in my future. I had not given up but had come to terms with that idea after going without birth control for years with no luck. That was until a doctor gave me not only hope but a plan. I am going to share that plan with you all.
1) Find out IF you are ovulating. I always assumed that if you had a period that you were ovulating but I was wrong. I had bought those ovulation kits and because my cycle was so screwed up I just assumed that I was missing that right times to use the kit. As it turns out, I was not ovulating at all. No wonder I wasn't getting pregnant! I was sent home from my first appt with this hormone specialist with the homework of determining if and when I ovulated. You can imagine my surprise when the whole month went by and NOTHING. When you know better you can do better right?
(A little aside about ovulation kits. If you are trying to get pregnant do not time your intercourse to what the kit says, it creates stress and often if you have ovulated you are already too late. Instead, use them to determine if and when you normally ovulate (just to make sure you are) and then just try to have sex frequently with every 2nd or 3rd day being ideal. Those kits cost a fortune and are not necessary).
2) Once I found out I wasn't ovulating I was put on progesterone cream. Blood tests often show "normal" blood levels of progesterone but if the test is not done on the right day of your cycle, that can be misleading. Most women with PCOS could use progesterone therapy. Within one month of starting I was not only ovulating but having a normal, light period. It was amazing.
3) Take Metformin. Now I am not normally a big pusher of drugs but this can be a miracle for women trying to conceive with PCOS. It certainly was for me. By normalizing the insulin and blood sugar levels in my body, I normalized the hormone levels. Some research also shows that metformin reduces the risk of miscarriage if taken during the first trimester as well as gestational diabetes later in the pregnancy. Metformin can be hard to get used to, it wrecks havoc on your digestive system, but those symptoms generally improve within the first two weeks.
4) Once you do conceive stay on the progesterone cream for the first 12 weeks as it also reduces the risk of miscarriage (a big concern for PCOSers).
If you have been trying to conceive try these steps and hopefully the outcome will be positive. If you have a doctor who isn't taking you seriously, find a new doctor. Ask to see an endocrinologist and get a proper diagnosis. Many doctors see an overweight patient and don't give them the care they deserve. Advocate for yourself and read as much as you can about this disorder. Knowledge is power. Feel free to send me any questions you have about PCOS. If you are in the Toronto area, I can share some names of doctors who specialize in progesterone therapy (they are not easy to find!). I am here to help and from one Cyster to another...there is hope.
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