How long did you wait?

clrntplr · 11-03-2009, 06:11 PM

I'm new here. I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2000 but I've been TTC since May. I am on 500mg of Metformin and I am now on CD54 and taking Provera to induce AF. I have an appointment with the RE in two weeks where we will most likely discuss Clomid/Femara/etc. How long did you TTC before you moved on to drug induced ovulation? I'm really struggling with how to make this decision. Thanks for your insight.

pauliesgirl935 · 11-03-2009, 07:01 PM

i TTC for about 6 months before my dr put me on metformin (i had 1 provera - induced period in that time). i was on met alone for roughly 6 months before we tried clomid.

ChaoticChris · 11-03-2009, 07:04 PM

Four years, but with a two year break to have gastric bypass. I wish I wouldn't have waited though.

clrntplr · 11-03-2009, 07:13 PM

If you don't mind me asking, what led you to the gastric bypass? I've been considering the LapBand but I'm not sure how to approach it. My RE is very into weight loss and doing things the "right" way but I'm not sure that is my direction.

WifeyC · 11-03-2009, 07:55 PM

I TTCed for over a year without drugs for ovulation. Last November, I had some serious issues with my PCOS and thought I was losing enough blood to need transfusions. I was wrong, thankfully. But I regret now waiting so long to get the ball rolling. But I had no idea it would be like this. You don't want to wait, most women with PCOS need the extra help.

kimmee · 11-03-2009, 08:19 PM

I had a gynecologist who gave me a script for clomid right away. I told her that I had been diagnosed with PCOS several years before, and was already taking met for several years. SO she gave me a script for clomid right away. However I didn't start taking it until this month. So, all in all, about 11 months before going on clomid. I would have taken it earlier but I'm in school and wanted to wait till I'm almost out.

Antigone · 11-03-2009, 08:26 PM

I decided to do so after about 6 months and only having ovulated naturally once during that time. I was ovulating more often the previous year but for some reason stalled this year when I started actively started TTC again. And despite metformin my testosterone was way up again this summer. But it took another 4 months because I had to switch to my husband's insurance, and then I had to wait for the appointment, and then I had to take provera and wait for my period. So it ended up being about 10 months in all. Mainly my reasoning was impatience over ovulating so rarely.

jkess79 · 11-03-2009, 09:07 PM

We waited 6 months. I ovulate on my own, but around CD 25. As soon as I told my OB I had PCOS and wanted to TTC, I got a clomid script. Before the met I wasn't ovulating, so hopefully this will do the trick. Like you, I struggled with the decision to start medicated cycles but I figured that even the Clomid might not be enough and we might end up TTC for a long time.

Good luck with your decision!

Eumie · 11-03-2009, 09:24 PM

I will have one cycle unmedicated, but only because I have to have a sonohysterogram to look for polyps or fibroids. Otherwise he would have started me this cycle, which would be my first. I think it depends on your history with PCOS. My gyno tends to err on the side of clomid/femara.

ChaoticChris · 11-03-2009, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clrntplr
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If you don't mind me asking, what led you to the gastric bypass? I've been considering the LapBand but I'm not sure how to approach it. My RE is very into weight loss and doing things the "right" way but I'm not sure that is my direction.

First of all, what may be the "right way" for her may not be the "right way" for you. Your doctors are smart, but they don't necessarily know everything you would hope they would know about YOU. When I started showing the signs of PCOS back in 1998 or so I started gaining weight. I was a very active 160 - 175 lbs and suddenly shot up to over 200 lb in the span of about 6 weeks, and over the years it just steadily climbed. By the time I was 30 I weighed about 340 lbs, and DH and I had been trying unmedicated other than spiro for just about 3 years. I had heard that losing even 3% of your extra mass could alleviate PCOS, so I figured why stop there, and had the surgery. The main reason was that I wanted to have babies and I wanted to live long enough to enjoy them. It wasn't that hard to approach, but my GP (god rest him) was always very open to letting me self diagnose, so when I said "hey I want to look in to bypass" he said "call this guy, he's one of the best in the area." and things just kind of took off.

Now I am not advocating it by any means for somebody that isn't morbidly obese, I had a freak accident with a staple failing and ended up with peritonitis when my old stomach leaked into my abdominal cavity the day after my surgery. I ended up in a coma for 2 days and very literally almost didn't make it. Had it not been for a nurse that actually listened when I said that something was wrong I wouldn't be here today. I would definitely suggest lap band over the bypass unless you've really got more than 150 or so to lose. However, it is strongly suggested that you wait 18-24 months after surgery before trying to conceive. I would assume that as the lap is adjustable that time table would be different. Also remember that it takes a lot of time and various DR visits and even time frames implemented by certain insurance carries before you can just walk in and get the procedure. At any rate it's going to put a serious delay on your plans no matter what route you take. All total from when I decided I wanted the surgery to when I had it was 6 months, then the 2 year wait, now the "why isn't anything working? wait. If she wants you to drop 20 lbs that can be done a lot faster and without any extra hardware hanging out of the belly.
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The other thing that I and my doctors have noticed is that a fair number of cysters who have bypass tend to fall short of their goal weight. Once the big loss is over you end up being just as resistant to weight loss as you were before. I seem to be stuck at 215 and have about 40 more I'd like to lose that I just can't seem to shake.

All in all, it obviously didn't help my infertility, but at least I know that if I do get pregnant, I'll be able to keep up with the kidlets and perhaps even live long enough to see them graduate college. Good luck with your journey, and feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

heatherhopes · 11-03-2009, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clrntplr
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If you don't mind me asking, what led you to the gastric bypass? I've been considering the LapBand but I'm not sure how to approach it. My RE is very into weight loss and doing things the "right" way but I'm not sure that is my direction.

I took a break from TTC to get the lap band, and at that point I did not know that I had PCOS. If I had known, and knowing what I know now, I'm not sure I would have done it. With waiting for the surgery and the doctor's requested period before we TTC again (2 years), I feel like I lost a LOT of time. All told, it was about 3 years, when now that I know, I feel like that could have been spent dealing with the underlying issue instead, and I was already 30.

I didn't lose anywhere near all of what I needed to lose, though I do console myself with the fact that I can adjust it and lose more after this journey is over.

gratefulgal · 11-03-2009, 10:42 PM

i got off OCP in may (was on for 6 years), started provera in august, provera #2 in october, dx pcos october and clomid with provera #2. just finished my first round of clomid. hoping i O'd. hoping BFP! but it's not looking that way...best wishes to all of you ladies!

winddrop · 11-04-2009, 09:59 AM

Prior to BCP I didn't get my period. I have been on 500mg Met since 09-08. I went off BCP in March and had two ovulatory cycles right off BCP. As soon as AF didn't come in June I decided to go to an RE. The RE put me on Provera, had me slowly up my Met from 500mg to 2000mg, I had an HSG in August and DH had a SA done. My first cycle of Clomid didn't start until October.
My feeling has always been, if I'm not ovulating than I'm not actually TTC. If you aren't ovulating on your own then don't waste time. If you aren't ovulating there is a 0% chance of getting pregnant.
Plus Clomid doesn't always work for eveyone. Consider that you might have to go through 6 rounds of Clomid with BFN, then on to Femara, or injectables or IVF.
The process for women with PCOS can take years. I believe the rule for a woman withOUT medical problems on average is a year of TTC after the age of 30 befor BFP.
Plus it's good to know if there are any other medical issues that you or DH might have that can get in the way.GL

melismpls · 11-04-2009, 10:11 AM

About six months.

clrntplr · 11-04-2009, 12:06 PM

Thanks ladies. When I was first diagnosed, I knew I would probably need help TTC but I guess I was a naive 19 yo and didn't know any better and it wasn't really the first thing that I worried about at that point. Now however....