PCOS'ers...come in.

As I updated on my other thread, I asked for Metformin /Glucophage months ago. I was told I "didn't need it". Well, fast forward to now, a BFN after IVF #1 and almost $20k out of pocket down the drain, I think that situation needs to seriously be re-examined. My DH spoke to one of the doctors at my RE clinic and he said I should have been on it, that's why I got a BFN and none of my eggs made it to freeze and now going forward I will have to be on it for the next cycle. Which I will OF COURSE be paying for out of pocket again

Ok leads me to my question. If you have been diagnosed with PCOS: When did your doctor put you on it, what exactly are you taking, and if you were successful in conceiving - do you feel that the Met or other drug helped you to do so (with egg quality, etc? - this last question directed more at the vets whose advice I value highly)....

thank you

Message edited 8/10/2008 10:34:28 PM.

Re: PCOS'ers...come in.

Jen - you know my story, but I'll respond to your post anyway

I actually was put on Metformin by my OBGYN in Feb 07. When we moved to RMA in October, I asked Dr. B if I should still be on the Met since it hadn't really done anything to regulate my cycles and I wasn't IR anyway. He said absolutely because I'm older it would help with my egg quality. I'll admit though that I was very haphazard about taking it. Sometimes, I'd forget for a week at a time, other times I would forget to take my evening dose, or my morning dose. Even my first IVF cycle, I would forget doseages, mostly because I was just so overwhelmed with everything else, that it would just slip my mind. I'm not sure if the lack of my taking the Met was the reason I had such poor results in my first cycle, or if it contrbuted to my m/c. After getting the go ahead to start back up, I never missed a dose and had such a different outcome to IVF#2 all around.

So, I was on Met long before going to the RE.

ETA: Are you guys going to switch to Dr. B? I really, really hope you do!

Message edited 8/10/2008 10:59:38 PM.

Re: PCOS'ers...come in.

I am so sorry to hear about the situation you are in I'm hoping I can offer you some help!

I was diagnosed with PCOS in late December/early January of this year. My RE immediately tested me for IR (insulin resistance) which I tested positive for. He immediately put me on metformin (extended release). It did not help with my ovulation issue (I do not ovulate on my own) but I do think it's helped with my insulin problem.

I just went through my first IVF cycle and am fortunate enough to say that I am PG. I do not know if the metformin contributed to my egg quality or success, but I would like to think that a combination of everything has helped.

Have you been tested for IR? If not, that's definitely the next step. If you have been tested and are IR, you should definitely be on metformin. I would speak to your doctor ASAP before moving forward.

I wish you the best of luck!!!

Re: PCOS'ers...come in.

I started on Metformin back in 1998, I think. It was right around the time I got married. I remember looking up all my symptoms online (way before the countless medical sites) and all fingers pointed to PCOS. The OB/GYN I had at the time knew hardly anything about it and wanted to put me on the pill. I knew then and there I had to go to an RE on my own.

I ended up with Dr. Brenner, b/c a friend recommended him. After all the tests, he said my results were indicative of pcos, slight insulin resistance, etc. I was put on metformin. I also didn't take it too religiously. We weren't even TTC at the time. When I took it regularly, my cycles were very regular. Still long, 33-35 days, but regular. In 2003, I guess I started taking it regularly, b/c we were going to start seriously TTC. The first month I started taking it, I got pg. I didn't even know when I O'd, b/c I was already into 40+ days w/o AF. Unfortunately, we lost the baby 5 months into the pregnancy, but that had nothing to do with the pcos. I was on metformin throughout the pregnancy.

Metformin has never helped me lose weight and also has never helped with any of the other gross symptoms of pcos. But I still take it.

Good luck to you!!

Message edited 8/10/2008 11:15:21 PM.

Re: PCOS'ers...come in.

I was on Met for 4 years before we did IUI/IVF. My first cycle of IVF I cycled without the Met (got pregnant and then miscarried) ...The second cycle, I cycled with it and delivered twins. However, the dr. took me off Met 8 weeks into the pregnancy.

Even on Met, my cycles were shorter, but I didn't ovulate. And remember, just because you get your period, doesn't mean that you ovulate.

Re: PCOS'ers...come in.

Re: PCOS'ers...come in.

I went to a couple of REs and 2 of them said I didn't need it b/c I was not insulin resistant. ONe of them said, it wouldn't hurt. So I was on it for maybe 6 months (lost some weight on it) but then when I moved to NY, my new doctor didn't think I needed it. I got my BFP without it. My cycles were always with and without metformin anywhere from 28-38 days.

Are you insulin resistant? If you are not happy with your RE, maybe you should try interviewing someone else.

Message edited 8/11/2008 8:23:51 AM.

Re: PCOS'ers...come in.

I was diagnosed with PCOS last may. My Ob/gyn put me on met right away. I am not insulin resistant, and it didn't regulate my cycles. When I started with an RE they kept me on it because of high testosterone levels.
I didn't think it did anything for me, however, the cycle I had an HSG I was off of it for over two weeks and the dose of clomid that had produced a follie the previous cycle did notthing that cycle. I don't know if this was a coincidence or not.
I was on the met until last week - 16.5 weeks pregnant.

Re: PCOS'ers...come in.

Spoke to the nurse..

She said my eggs had fragmentation which *may* be helped by the Met. She is going to speak to the doctor (the new one) and see when I can start. I asked why I was not put on it in the first place - she said bc "it did not seem as if I would need it"....well OBVIOUSLY I do now!!!!!

Re: PCOS'ers...come in.

I don't have experience iwth PCOS but I would DEFINITELY be asking them to lower your price for the second cycle-especially knowing you were self pay. I would be so pizzed. Also your fee sounds pretty high. I paid 12K-my meds were covered but even if they weren't it still would have been only 16K. I didn't have ICSI but that would only be another 1500.