Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

To make a long story short, it was confirmed today I have PCOS.

As far as TTC, my option is to take metformin and see if my cycles regulate on their own (but he predicts that will take at least 6 months, if it regulates at all) .. OR I can start right away with provera and clomid, if time is a factor and I want to get pregnant faster.

Anyone have any experience with this? My concerns is that we'll wait 6 months hoping the metformin will regulate me and it won't so then we will end up using the provera/clomid after all, anyway.

Any insight? Experiences, etc?

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

Who is giving you these options? Your ob/gyn or an RE?

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

I was on metformin for almost a year and that didn't make me ovulate, I got AF on my own but that was after 50-60 day cycles. Clomid was the trick that finally made me ovulate. I was told the combination of Metformin and Clomid had a better success rate than one or the other on their own. I never had to take provera though. On the 60-something day cycle my dr was going to prescribe it if AF hadn't come within a couple days.

Good luck and if you have PCOS questions feel free to fm me if you want.

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

I was put on Metformin right away. I also told my RE i wanted to be aggressive as possible.
I was diagnosed with PCOS at 18yrs old and I was never EVER regular, so I didnt feel like waiting any longer to find out.
We started Metformin, Provera and Clomid all the in same cycle and this was my result
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Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

my sis in law was diagnosed, and never did anything..was pregnant on her own within weeks (while she was deciding what to do.) The dr called it serendipity...you never know..sorry i don't have a better answer, but thought i would share...

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

Posted by PennyCat

Posted by SweetTooth

Who is giving you these options? Your ob/gyn or an RE?

an RE.. my ob/gyn was VERY dismissive

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

My RE diagnosed me with pcos although I don't actually think that is my issue b/c my only symptom is irregular periods. He never suggested metformin- we did provera than clomid with a trigger to make me ovulate. We eventually moved on to injectables + iui, but it took one IVF cycle to get prego.

You should post on the IF board, its a wonderful board with a ton of info and support.

Good luck!

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

I have PCOS but was ovulating regularly BUT I did do a lot of research and heard great things about Vitex (chasteberry), which is an herbal supplement that is supposed to regulate cycles in women with PCOS.

ETA: I took it for the month before getting my BFP. It didn't seem to change my cycle so I don't know if it works but I didn't have any negative side effects.

Message edited 1/18/2010 7:30:09 PM.

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

metaformin worked for me the 1st cycle to bring on af. i was then put on clomid for a few cycles right after that.
but i have heard metaformin did not bring on af for some for a few months. i would talk to your dr about provera if af does come after a cycle or 2. GL!

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

I wanted to give the Metformin a chance before going onto the Clomid. Clomid can do damage to your uterine lining over time--I believe there's a 12 cycle lifetime maximum. So, I wanted to be sure that it was a step I needed to take.

I did 4 months on the Met. alone and I didn't ovulate. The next month I added in 100mg of Clomid (hot flash city!!!!), triggered with Ovidrel and got my beautiful Ryleigh!!!

I also want to throw this out there, for the future...I am supposedly "anovulatory", and acted accordingly (rather, DIDN'T act accordingly ) after DD was born. Yeah, well...DD is going to have a little brother or sister that was not planned--I finally ovulated on my own! So, apparently with PCOS, your body can "figure out what to do" after going through pregnancy--something to keep in your files for later use!

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

i have PCOS and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

I started taking metformin in December of 2007 and my cycles went from 60 days to 36. I started clomid in April of 2008 after 4 months of metformin and got pregnant the 1st month

Ive been taking metformin ever since and it took me 4 cycles of clomid to get pregnant; 3 cycles of 50mg and 1 cycle of 100mg

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

You know everyone has different results so here is my story...

I was diagnosed with PCOS fairly early.. when I was about 12-13 years old. Maybe even earlier. I cant even remember.
I started taking Metformin about 5 or 6 years ago and it has not regulated me... Im sure it has helped me however with some hormone levels but as far as having regular cycles, I cant say I ever had any....

We went to an RE when we were ready to conceive... tried three months of clomid... each month increasing dosage... nothing. We jumped right into IVF and it resulted in a pregnancy but for whatever reason I miscarried at 5 weeks...

So its up to you how agressive you want to get with the whole conceiving process but I found that Clomid did nothing for me... The side effects werent even bad at all...

Good luck though with whatever you plan on doing!!!

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

I have PCOS and my docs put me on Provera and Clomid immediately. If she sees that I am not Oing on Clomid again (50mg of Clomid didn't work at all last month and I didn't O), she will increase my dosage to 150mg and prescibe metformin also.

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

I was diagnosed with PCO (polycystic ovaries) and oligo-ovulation (meaning I did not ovulate regularly). I have very regular periods (Every 30 or so days) so my RE thought that I definitely was ovulating. He told me that my PCO was probably a result of insulin resistance and told me to cut out a lot of carbs. He didn't want me to go all adkins but, basically he said for breakfast if I had a choice between cereal and eggs, to choose the eggs, for lunch if I had a choice between a sandwich and salad, to choose the salad and for dinner, if I had a choice between pasta and a steak to choose the steak. I asked my RE if he thought I should take metformin and he said for now lets just cut out the carbs and see how it goes.

So that is what I did and I lost 10 pounds in a month. In the meantime, he put me on clomid and we did an IUI (for possible morphology issues). We got pregnant our first round.

Re: Question for those with PCOS... from a TTCer!

Thank you everyone!!! I guess I just have to wait and see what happens I'm just glad this is a common problem that other people know and understand.