Hi Everyone,

My husband and I just decided this past December that we are ready to take the leap into parenthood within the next year or so. I am so excited about someday becoming a mom! I was diagnosed with PCOS almost 2 years ago and have been taking Metformin (1,000 mg) since November. Before that I was on a lower dose. I have VERY irregular periods and it's so frustrating when you're trying to get pregnant. I had one last May, then another December 30th, then not again until Feb. 22. It seems that they are finally coming a little more, but still not every month. I have no idea if I'm even ovulating or not and don't want to waste the $ on any at-home ovulation kits, since I don't even have a period to help pinpoint. The last time I saw my doctor was in January and it was to discuss severe migraines that I was having. I mentioned to her that we were going to TTC in the next year, which was the original thought. She told me to stay on the Metformin and it would help with ovulation. Since then we've decided to start trying sooner, as in now. Partially due to the fact that I'm 31 and hubby's 45...we're afraid age might be a factor, plus I've read that there's more chance of Down's Syndrome after 35. Also, I'm imagining we won't get pregnant too quickly due to the PCOS.

Oh, and I've also tried charting my basal temperature, but even my temps are all over the place!

To make a long story shortened, somewhat... what would any of you recommend as my next step? Should I set up a 'preconception appointment' with my doctor? Or just keep to a scheduled sexual routine, in hopes of it just happening?

Thank you in advance for any advice!

Hi Jamie-

Thanks for your advice. I have been trying to lose weight and I would rather have most of it lost by the time I do become pregnant. I guess I was just mostly frustrated because I'm not sure if I'm "working" properly. I guess I will just hold off for awhile and lose weight first. It can be such a let down when I know that my body isn't doing what most womens are (having periods/ovulating) and I just feel broken. It's hard to explain. I guess I just had to vent! Anyway, thanks for your suggestion and listening to me gripe! Good luck to you and your husband with TTC, too.

There's an article in the current issue of Canadian Living that addresses the issue of IR, PCOS and infertility. I can't post the whole article but the researchers were recommending a lower carb diet - 70 grams carbs, 70 grams protein and 35 grams of fat. It might be worth a try. South Beach might work with Fitday used to track carbs, protein and fat.

Thanks alot, Ruth! That is really helpful to know the break-down of carbs, fats and protein. You're absolutely right, too, South Beach (with the Fitday monitoring) may be the healthiest and most sensible way to get myself under control and in prime baby-making condition! Thank you so much for the suggestion, I'll give it a try!

I also have PCOS. I am trying to take off as much weight as possible while TTC. I have been taking Clomid at the beginning of each cycle and then going in for blood work on either day 20,21,22. They check to see if the Clomid is working. I have been TTC for a few years and I didn't realize that you can be having periods w/o ovulating.

Hopefully if I cant get pregnant, and they know that Im ovulating, we can figure out if something else is going on.

Hi
Im almost 35.. I have pcos.. been trying for alomst 5 years..
Just recently i had a m/c
My advice to you is to find a good doctor. and if your not pregnant within 6 months. go to a Fertility specialist..
the time goes by really fast.. i cant believe im almost 35 and no children..
but I also advise you

NEVER GIVE UP! I didnt think i could get pregnant and look i did..
im working on losing 15 lbs now.. in july going to ttc again..
i know the next time the baby will stick!

Good luck to you!

That breakdown for carbs/protein and fat equates to a 40/40/20 diet like BFL has. Body For Life is a great program. It isn't hard to follow, and it encourages exercise (even if you need to tweak the cardio portion, in my opinion).

Ladies, with PCOS and IR, you are at higher risk for gestational diabetes, toxemia, high blood pressure, and even more weight gain and an even harder time losing it afterward.

Please take my advice and don't do like I did. I weighed 200 when I got pregnant, and I was 272 when I gave birth. The PCOS symptoms went wild during pregnancy. It was much harder to lose weight afterward than prior to getting pregnant. I had to be induced for a premature birth because of the weight gain and swelling. I didn't get to give my son his best chance at health because of my weight.

Anyhow, I'll get off my soapbox.

Thanks everyone for the tips and advice!

ElayneRae- I will really keep my fingers crossed that the Clomid is working for you and that you are ovulating.

Friday- I am so sorry to hear of your m/c. Thanks for your suggestion of the fertility specialist and not giving up! Good luck to you with your weight loss efforts and your TTC journey!

Jennifer- Thank YOU for putting this PCOS stuff and pregnancy into perspective! I'm really afraid of my weight being out of control when (if) I become pregnant. Knowing what you went through is a wake-up call to me. Thanks again! Oh, and I don't know much about Body for Life...I will have to research that as well.

Something that does concern me about having children is my unhealthy relationship with food. Not only do I want to give them a good start in life by having a healthy pregnancy, but I don't want them to suffer with food issues and being overweight their ENTIRE life as I have. So, I need to start living a better example of eating healthy so that I can model better behavior for my future children. They're not even here yet and I want them to have the best that I can give them!

Thank you again everyone!

Hi Ladies,

Just to share my little journey towards bringing DS home. I was diagnosed with PCOS when TTC for ds - we were referred by our Gyn to a Reproductive Endocrinologist who then helped us. Yes, I needed to lose the weight, and the exercise factor is crucial towards regulating the hormone.

It took quite a long time, because the first few cycles we were put on clomid, then pregnyl to release the egg and natural BD.

The clomid dosage was increased slowly - and when I was ovulating, and we did not conceive naturally, we did the clomid + IUI method.

After a few rounds of that, the next step was injectibles + IUI

A few more rounds, then, we had to progress to IVF.

I did do a lot of walking, then power walking, and low-carbing initially when trying to lose weight to ttc. The doctor told me in no uncertain terms that exercise programme is integral towards the success of ttc. At the point when I lost about 10% of my weight (I weighed about 180lbs then,) I resumed my periods normally.

It takes time, so I would advise to find a good RE soon since you already have the diagnosis of PCOS. It was a long journey for us, but at the end of the day, when I had DS in my arms, it made everything worthwhile )
Good luck in your journey

From what I found out from having PCOS: exercise, eating a low GI diet and checking into any food allergies or intolerances can help increase chances of getting pregnant.

In addition to PCOS, gluten was another reason why I had not gotten pregnant in 14 years. I went gluten-free and *BAM* two months later, hello pregnancy!

I have PCOS & we had tried for 6 years before I got pregnant. A huge part of that is I was so terrified to go to the doctor about my fertility as I was sure I would just be told to lose weight, which I was trying desperately to do.

Anyway, I have found that the only way I lose weight successfully (& maintain it) is to limit carbs (much to my chagrin - I always felt it was a silly fad - lol) but more importantly to workout. And by workout I mean workout HARD. Not just hours of cardio but grueling weight workouts as well.

We were really lucky to have the first round on clomid & pregnyl work. But I think a huge part of that was the year on metformin & a lot of hard work to get my weight down some.

I'm at 13 weeks now & haven't gained a lb yet. My goal is to keep my weight gain to under 10lbs which is approved by the doctor since I still have a good chunk of extra weight on me. I'm also keeping my workouts & nutrition going - it's a lifestyle right?!

Good luck - it's doable!

Have you talked to your doc about upping your metformin dose? 1000mg is fairly low. I didn't find any difference in my cycles until 1500mg.

Hi rebelridergirl and others,
I thought I would chime in on the PCOS and TTC, I'm an old hand with PCO having got my diagnosis about 20 years ago. After years of research, experience, many drs, 4 pregnancies and 2 children I know almost as much as they do. I've been on Metformin for almost 10 years now and would never give it up and have never had a dr argue with that. the thing that worried me in what you say is the amount of time between periods. My drs, all REs insist that I never go more that 6 weeks between periods, the longer between the higher the risk of cancer and worse. My metformin dosage was started at 1500 mg, and recently it has been increased to 2500mg. I have very regular periods, and concieved my daughter 7 years ago on just metformin after not being able to concieve on years of injectables I was 42 years old at the time and she is perfect in every way. I also think the metformin kept me from miscarrying again.

I would talk to a gyn about the lack of periods tho, from everything I've learned it is very dangerous to go too long between.