New here. Anyone else ttc?

Hi I'm Lola. I'm 26 years old. I was diagnosed with pcos about a year ago. I've started eating keto for 6 months. I was put on provera to jumpstart my period since I haven't gotten a period for 4 years.
I've tried clomid with increasing doses. Turns out I have luteal phase deficiency and my progesterone levels suck. They also gave me an hcg shot and the RE didn't like how I responded to clomid with trigger.
I am now on injectables and hcg trigger. I am also on progesterone suppositories.
Because of the injectables and trigger, I now have mild ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome (yay me).
While researching, I've found that women who start feeling worse because of the ohss, actually get pregnant due to the increasing hormones. I'm in my two week wait and my pain is subsiding and I'm feeling down that this might be another failed cycle...

Please tell me there is light at the end of this tunnel??
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Replies

  • marlymarly
    marlymarly Posts: 29 Member
    Yes, there is! I struggled with IF for 4 years, with PCOS. Have two beautiful kids now. I remember how it felt taking the shots, the pills and the long two week wait. Wishing you all the best and a very short IF journey!!
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    I didn't deal with this specifically myself, but please read back for recent posts. There are many other ladies here TTC. Also, doing some research on natural supplements that help with hormone balancing (Inositol and Vitex are amongst the more popular) might help your situation. Good luck.

    P.S. As someone who suffered secondary infertility due to severe progesterone deficiencies (triggered likely by adrenal fatigue and cortisol deficiency - since those hormones are considered more critical, any time I added progesterone to my system, my body "stole" it and converted it to adrenaline and cortisol since my body needed that worse.

    Make sure the rest of your hormones are being checked, too, as I didn't even know ^^ that was possible until my doc and I both did some research.

    Good luck and don't give up. There's some amazing information available in these forums. Be sure to check the "Success Stories" stickied post, too.
  • MeepleMuppet
    MeepleMuppet Posts: 226 Member
    I did the hypercycle and it worked beautifully. After two failed attempts to generate follicles, the fertility doctor decided to try the hypercycle, calling it "the big guns". Make sure you keep up with the progesterone for the first two trimesters. My kiddo was 7 weeks early. Healthy and huge, but technically preemie nonetheless. Good luck!!
  • emlott88
    emlott88 Posts: 75 Member
    Me! I've known since I was 12 that I had PCOS but only had it confirmed once TTC. I'm now 27.

    I've had an HSG and the ultrasounds. Now waiting for my period after taking progesterone to force it (because I don't get periods) so I can have the hormone testing done. The doctor said the first step will be clomid.

    It looks like you're pretty small - my doctor mentioned that those with "lean PCOS" generally have a harder time TTC - I was like, thanks doc! :/ Good luck!
  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
    @emlott88 At first the dr told me "I don't think you have pcos because you don't look like the stereotypical pcos patient." After looking at the ultrasound and seeing the string of cysts in my ovaries, my dr called me back saying "well looks like you do have pcos, here's a referral to an RE."

    I've been seeing my RE for 5 months now and it feels like we haven't made any progress. First week of the two week wait is down. I was so close to going to target to buy some home preg tests but I've been feeling super light headed. Didn't have enough energy to go.
    I took clomid three times with increasing doses each time. Then they moved me to femara. Good luck girly. My fingers are crossed that clomid works for you!❤️
  • pineygirl
    pineygirl Posts: 322 Member
    edited January 2016
    I have PCOS and I've been pregnant 4 times. I lost my first two. Had my son (a Clomid baby). Had another miscarriage in October of last year (this time it was naturally conceived twins).

    I ovulate on my own and get somewhat regular periods (every 35 to 45 days on ovulatory cycles). I ovulate late in my cycle though....from CD 23 to CD 32.

    I get pregnant easily. Almost every time I've tried. But any time I conceive on my own without Clomid I miscarry. So basically my eggs are crap. Clomid improves egg quality. It also reduces the legnth of my fertile phase which on a non medicated cycle can be over 10 days long. I seem to have trouble ovulating on time. I get the fertile mucus around CD 14 to CD 20. But I might not ovulate until CD 23 or 32. And ovulation is painful. Like really painful. Can be on par with kidney stone pain some cycles.

    The cycles I took Clomid....not as much pain. And the cycle I was triggered with hcg and conceived my son...no ovulation pain.

    I'm also taking 600mg of ubiquniol and 4000mg of inositol per day to improve my egg quality. I'm starting Clomid on Monday and taking it CD 5-9.
  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
    @pineygirl Wow 3 miscarriages.. That must be devastating I'm so sorry. And with twins as well..my heart goes out to you girly.
    What were your preg symptoms during the tww? Did you have any?
  • pineygirl
    pineygirl Posts: 322 Member
    With my one successful pregnancy I had a "hangover" that lasted 3 days from one glass of red wine on the night of 7dpo (around implantation). I woke up on the morning of 8dpo feeling hungover. Then for the next two days. On the 3rd day (11dpo) I threw up from the smell of cookies baking. I took a test right after and it was positive. Oddly enough the hangover feeling went away and I didn't have much morning sickness.

    With the twin pregnancy I had the almost the same feeling. And I remember burping a lot in the TWW with both.

    With my other losses I don't remember any symptoms in the TWW.
  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
    dgl3qlxag0hr.jpeg
    Couldn't wait and decided to go out and buy a test. What do you guys think???? I see like a ghost of a line but maybe I'm too excited and seeing things?
  • aSearch4Me
    aSearch4Me Posts: 397 Member
    @LolaDeeDaisy23 The picture is displaying kind of blurry on my screen, so it is hard to tell. But there are phone apps that can "invert" the colors on photos for you to help make colors pop. Although, the best method is just to wait a day or so & test again...What DPO are you?

    This cycle was my first one with positive HPTs, BUT I had negative tests on D10, D11, & D12 DPO. A very faint + line on D13 (so light I didn't believe it). And then D14 was a very very very positive line.
  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
    @aSearch4Me I took my trigger shot on Monday the 18th but it can take up to 48 hours to ovulate I heard? So when I took the test I could be 8DPO to 10DPO. I guess I should just wait a few more days and retest again.. But the wait is horrible. These are literally the longest two weeks of my life!
    I looked at the test after a few hours and you can see the line is a tad darker. Does this mean anything? I took your advice and played with the colors to make it stand out more.x6m8gyh6mzpn.jpeg
  • aSearch4Me
    aSearch4Me Posts: 397 Member
    Typically you're not supposed to read them after the time for the test has elapsed (usually no more than 10 min after taking it). I know it's hard to wait, but I'd wait another day or two before retaking it.
  • pineygirl
    pineygirl Posts: 322 Member
    Those tests are crazy sensitive and if you were triggered it could be left over from the trigger if you are 8 to 10 dpo. It looks really promising though. I lf you test again in 48 hours and it's significantly darker it's not the trigger and you are pregnant.
  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
    @pineygirl I took a test a few days after the trigger just to see what a positive test looks like and it came out negative!! I'm hoping it gets darker. I'll test again tomorrow morning when I wake up. I'm hoping and praying this is a real pregnancy
  • pineygirl
    pineygirl Posts: 322 Member
    Yay!!

    My trigger with my son was gone at 7dpo. If it was negative and now it's positive a few days later it's the real deal. You're pregnant!!
  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
    So I keep testing and the line doesn't seem to get any darker. If anything, it looks lighter :disappointed: also I feel like AF can come any minute. I'm just going to stop testing until I have my beta in 2 days.
  • MeepleMuppet
    MeepleMuppet Posts: 226 Member
    Also, buy a new brand. Pick the one that uses words. I had the brand that did pluses and minuses and I couldn't read it. I switched to the brand that uses "pregnant" and "not pregnant" and tested too early. So buy a clearer brand and follow it to the letter.
  • andisue50
    andisue50 Posts: 26 Member
    I'm ttc too. Just did IUI with Letrozole/Trigger shot and Progesterone. As far as the pregnancy tests, I know it's a long wait but the trigger shot can cause a false positive so it's really best to wait the full 2 weeks.
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    I am also TTC. We have been trying "naturally" with just temping and OPK's for about 18 months. I have also had two early miscarriages. No living children. Just got ANOTHER negative HPT this morning.

    I actually JUST returned from my OBGYN and we are ramping up the efforts beyond Progesterone after ovulation. I am starting back on Metformin (1500 mg a day), DH is getting a semen analysis done next week, I had a crazy amount of blood work done today and an ultrasound scheduled for next week to check for abnormalities. After the results of these things, I am probably going to start on clomid with a fertility specialist, unless the tests show something else that needs addressing. I already have the referrals, we are just waiting on the results of the testing I have scheduled.

    While I am a little sad that we are at the point of fertility doctors and treatments, I am also slightly excited, hopeful, nervous, etc. about what is to come. I feel a little better knowing we are going to start finding and addressing issues instead of "just keep trying". At least there is now a plan of action, that is more than I had yesterday.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    I can imagine having a "likely" plan of action provides a level of comfortable excitement. I'm crossing my fingers you get some good news - which is acceptable in any form!
  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
    Took my beta test today. The nurse said they'll call me by 2 with the results, no call. I called them at 3 and they won't have the results until tomorrow. I feel so sad. I started spotting this morning and I took that as my period. I always spot the first day of my period. I also stopped my progesterone suppositories this morning. I told my nurse and she said that it's very common pregnant women spot in their first trimester, so until we know the results, keep taking the progesterone. I appreciate her trying to be positive but I just feel like it's hopeless. I've been feeling crampy the past few days, like as if I am going to start my period soon. Also, all my pregnancy symptoms went away.

    @Emily3907 Two miscarriages... I'm so sorry. That is so devastating. But yes a fertility specialist is much needed. I've had all the tests! My husband's sperm is fine. It's just me with the sucky body/ hormones.
    They also performed the hsg test (god I am glad I never have to do that again) everything looks ok.
    Hopefully you respond to clomid! Moving on to other treatments is so draining, financially and emotionally :disappointed:
  • MeepleMuppet
    MeepleMuppet Posts: 226 Member
    DO NOT stop the progesterone. You both need it. In my immediate circle, we all spotted throughout the whole pregnancy. One had several periods in her first trimester but still grew a healthy baby boy and she doesn't have PCOS. It's just what happens sometimes. Everyone's different but please don't go against a nurse's advice. It's not just that she's being positive, it's medical.
  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
    They called back. Beta was negative. The spotting I was having turned into full on AF. They want me to come in tomorrow for an ultrasound. RE wants to put me back on injectables, trigger, and wants to try IUI. I'm nervous but excited. I feel like we have a better chance at conceiving with IUI. We'll see.
  • pineygirl
    pineygirl Posts: 322 Member
    Aww...sorry to hear. I'm having a trigger and IUI this week or early next week depending on how well I responded to the Clomid.

    My son was conceived from my first and only IUI.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    I just want to send out hopeful and healing hugs to all of you gals struggling through this hellishly miserable roller coaster of emotions, and I wish you all nothing but the best of luck. It breaks my heart to see these struggles over and over and over again. So...

    (HUGS)
  • andisue50
    andisue50 Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks, KnitOrMiss. I needed that today. Emotional roller coaster is right. And then add all the stupid medications and their side effects. And the wanting to be hopeful but being afraid to because of the months/years of heartbreak you've already experienced. I'm grateful that I have a good support system around me, but they can only sympathize, they don't really understand since they've never gone through it. I am a person that puts my faith in God, but sometimes it's hard even with faith. Okay, I just wanted to post this because I know all you girls are experiencing this craziness, too, and know that you are definitely NOT alone.
  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
    @pineygirl My fingers are crossed for you! Please keep me updated. Sending lots of baby dust your way!
    @KnitOrMiss Thank you so much for your support and kind words❤️
    @andisue50 Hopefully this is your lucky iui! I will be crossing fingers and toes for you and pineygirl! The two week wait is the worst. Stay hopeful! I really believe being positive will bring good things. Try to keep busy to take your mind off the wait.
  • pineygirl
    pineygirl Posts: 322 Member
    It's IUI day!! I was triggered yesterday with a 27 mm follicle (was 12mm two days ago...WTF?). Also had a 17mm that might pop out too.

    Wish me luck!!
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    Crossing fingers, tossing pixie dust and salt over my shoulder, and sending warm-fuzzy laden thoughts, energies, and prayers your way! :)
  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
    @pineygirl Sounds promising! Now for the dreaded wait!! Please tell me how the iui process went. Is it like a pap?
    I went for my ultrasound and I have left over cysts from the previous cycle. I'm now on birth control pills for two weeks and from there I'm starting up injectables, then trigger, and then my first iui.