Ugh...LONG... please help...

I am going to link this for the IF grads bc it really applies to what to do with IF when you arent trying to get PG, but maybe someone can help.

I am going absolutely crazy and I really am getting depressed about this.

My issue is PCOS and before I started IF treatments I was on the pill for like 8yrs. Once I went off the pill I never got my period on my own at all without provera or BCPs.

I get PG through a FET from IVF and had Sadie in Jan.

Since Jan I got three AF's but very long cycles in between 80 days, 45 days, 60 days or something like that.

I get my last AF in the beginning of August.

The last week in August I start spotting, which I thought was weird cause it was only a couple weeks since my last AF. I spot for SEVEN WEEKS. Always super light and brown. I think there was one day that I had to wear a pad instead of a liner, but that was it.

I made an appointment with my OBGYN and he says I could
A. go on the pill
Dont want to bc it causes a whole host of other issues with me and I want a break from meds

b. Take provera once a month
Dont want to cause they make me PSYCHO...srsly, DH calls them the psycho pills.

C. Do nothing
I figure it is better to deal with the symptoms of no meds, rather than deal with meds and then the EXTRA symtoms from those.

It's kind of like the lesser of evils...

Anyway. I had a two week break from the spotting and today it starts again. I am HOPING that this is an AF, but I cant take this. OB says it is ok to spot and did an exam but I cant be spotting for months at a time. Its awful.

Do I make an appointment with my RE for a consult? I plan on TTC again late summer.

I am EXHAUSTED all the time so I am taking iron pills which has helped a lot, but I still think more is happening.

It is all really taking it a toll on me. I just want to be normal.

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

I have PCOS and just had my first baby and I have been wondering about what is going to happen to my cycles and if/when AF will arive.

As for your options to try and get your periods to be more regular, what about taking metformin? My dr. prescribed metformin and it was enough to get me to have regular cycles. It wasn't however enough to get me to ovulate successfully and conceive unassisted. We had to do clomid, ovidrel, and iui. But maybe ask your doc about the metformin for now. GL and feel better!

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

I'm so sorry you're going through this. You sound just like me (I have PCOS and conceived DD through IVF). I had DD in March, and have gotten AF twice since then! I will randomly spot, but I am not spotting for nearly as long as you are.
As of now, I am not doing anything. I REALLY don't want to go on the pill. DH and I won't go through the FET process for at least two years, so at this point, I am just waiting it out. I have to make an appointment with my OB though to make sure that all is okay.
Since you will be TTC sooner than me, I'd probably touch base with the RE and see what he/she thinks is the best thing for you! GL!

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

I'm in the same boat.

No AF without help.

My OB gave me a 4th option - Metformin.

That has helped shorten my cycles somewhat.

I am CAH-RAZY on BCP and Provera. Seriously bad.

So do nothing or Met were my only options.

The upside is the Met is also helping me lose weight a bit too.

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

Metformin did jack sh*t for me when I was on it before getting pg....

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

Well, I have YET to get a period. My OB gave me 3 options as she said it is not healthy to go longer than 3 months without one.

1. Go back on BCP (which I did not want to do)

2. IUD - again, didn't want to since we are not done having kids (hopefully)

3. Take Provera every 3 months. Again... NOT an option as it's EVIL...

I know I was no help, but these were the options I was given.

I think once we're done, then I will consider the IUD.

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

Posted by Jen2999

Metformin did jack sh*t for me when I was on it before getting pg....

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

I'm no help for AF after pregnancy, as I haven't gotten it yet and DD is 10 weeks. I only got AF on my own like- once a year before DD.

If you are planning on TTC again relatively soon, I would just make an appt. with the RE to get regulated now.

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

I have endometriosis, so my situation was different. Have they recommended deprovera? It's a shot you get 4 times a year and you don't get your period.

I did really well on it as far as it the endometrios goes. The only bad part was I bled the entire time. I guess there is a small percentage of women that will happen to and I fell into that category. I have several friends that did well on it.

They are recommending that or pregancy for me at this point. I had my daughter at the end of December. My symptoms are back and my periods are 47+ days. It took an FET to have my DD, so I don't want to screw around with my fertility for much longer by doing nothing in case I decide to have another child. It was such a struggle to have Ava.

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

My periods started coming back 5.5 months PP, and have been fairly regular since, but I have a feeling my hormones are getting out of whack now. I'm expecting this cycle to be longer than they have been.

When I asked my ob/gyn about this, she suggested going back on metformin, which I refused because it made me really sick, and I don't think it did anything for me anyway.
She said that she doesn't want me going more than 3 months without a period - that I should be getting at least 4 a year. If I go more than 90 days without AF then I should call for a provera script.
As much as I hate provera (we call it the b!tch pill around here), I can deal with it 4 times a year if I have to. Why did your gyno want to to take it every month?
I've been spotting since my last AF ended and it totally sucks. Just one of the reasons why I think my hormones have gone back to their messed up state.

I think if you go to the RE now, he is just going to take the provera route since you are not ready to TTC yet.

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

Message edited 10/26/2009 10:50:22 PM.

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

Lauren...

I think he is trying to prevent the constant spotting by taking it once a month or every other month or whatever.

It HAS to be some kind of hormonal issue..low progesterone maybe?

I dont know. I am so freakin frustrated.

I feel like sh!t. Ugh.

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

so sorry your not feeling well- and the spotting!

I'll be dealing with the same thing once I have my baby. If I start having issues, I'll probably do the provera every 3 months.

Another option is Fertilaid, which is supposed to help regulate your period- but you have to take like 3 pills a day and you may become fertile with it.

FertilAid

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

I would love to hear if you come up with a solution because my doctor told me that if I am not TTC then I will have to be on BCPs. I also have PCOS and metformin hasn't done anything for me.

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

I'm with you, Jen...I haven't done anything about BC because I feel the symptoms of PCOS may be more bearable than those on the Pill

Re: Ugh...LONG... please help...

i also have PCOS and basically have the same cycles as you without being on BC. I would personally go on BC again only because I cant deal with spotting and guessing when my period comes (besides feeling yucky- my hormones are CRAZY!) I say wait it out and then see what are the pros and cons of each... will BC ultimately be better for you?

ETA: I never felt any side effects from being on BC.... always felt better AND as a matter of fact it was easier for me to loose that un-wanted weight!

Message edited 10/29/2009 8:21:43 PM.