Warning: This is all pretty personal stuff, and it can get a little detailed. TMI warning, for those who may be uncomfortable discussing infertility, miscarriages, menstrual cycles, etc.

Anyways, do any of you out there have PCOS? Or have any of you experienced any fertility issues?

I'd like to hear about other people's experiences with either/both. Basically I want to know that I'm not alone, and maybe learn more about what it's like to live with? For me it's a recent diagnosis, so I'm just starting to come to terms about what it could all mean, y'know? Also, any advice on how to cope with all of this would be greatly appreciated - it's been pretty overwhelming for me...

Oh wow... I can't even begin to imagine the roller-coaster of emotions you must experience having to go through all that. I'm glad to hear you aren't going through it alone, though - words really can't describe the difference it can make having a supportive partner by your side.

Every now and again I find myself blown away at how far we've come medically. It's just wild to think that not long ago there wouldn't have been much they could do for a case like yours - and now you at least have some options (I don't know why a uterine transplant never crossed my mind as even possible - that's intense!). But man, reconstruction surgery in less than a month... that must be both exciting and terrifying for you! I hope everything goes smoothly and that you recover quickly. =)

Also, I can understand what you mean about surrogacy. I know that it would absolutely crush my heart to see another woman carry my child... I'd just break emotionally. My husband and I have discussed it; if this (ovulation meds) doesn't work, we're going to try and adopt (rather than escalate to IVF). Adoption can apparently be a long and stressful process, and yeah they may not be our genetic offspring, but to us they would still be our child. We'd know we were giving a home to someone who really needs us, and we feel good about that. Especially since the alternative would be to spend more time and more money on what may end up being a fruitless endeavour to fight nature, and I honestly don't know if I could endure that.

I'm glad to hear that you're on top of all this, and that despite your young age you're already considering your options for the future. I wasn't too bright in that regard; I didn't absolutely insist on more investigative testing until we had already been trying for a while, and I ended up wasting a few years as a result. I'm 27 now - so yeah, I still have time... so long as I don't waste any more. =P

I'll be thinking of you this month. If you're comfortable with it, I would love to be updated on how your surgery goes (I'll worry otherwise - it's just what I do XD). Also, feel free to message me if you ever just want someone to talk to (that goes to anyone reading this, btw =P).

You already know my story but I hope you'll get pregnant. Don't give up! ❤️ I don't have PCOS nor any type of disease. According to my doctor, it seems like I'm going into a premature menopause or something.

Thank you. =3 I'm starting to feel cautiously optimistic for the first time in a long while. But, as I said before, I don't want to get too ahead of myself. Even if this does work, I'm still at a higher risk for another miscarriage - I need to make sure I'm emotionally prepared for all possible outcomes.

Premature menopause was one of the things my fertility doc looked into specifically. Based on my symptoms she had a feeling it was likely to be either PCOS or that, but she was able to rule it out. I looked into it a bit before we got the results (researching all the things that could possibly be wrong is always a pretty dumb idea D=), and it scared me. I'm so sorry you have to go through that... Is there anything that can be done to postpone it? I wasn't able to find much in my research. I remember you mentioning you weren't entirely sold on the whole "having children" front, but even just from a hormonal/health perspective that's gotta run you through the ringer a bit, eh? In any case, I do hope it's manageable for you. =(

My mom had four miscarriages before me. She never gave up tho, so I'm positive for you. I remember that she had endometriosis.

Losing weight, that's all I can do. But that is easier said than done. I've been struggling with my obesity since I was five. I've been going to the gym for three years, but I recently had a miss. I'm really tired and exhausted of getting my hopes up for nothing at all. I'm 22 and I have hairs where I'm not supposed to be, acne as if I was a teenager and my periods have been chaotic. I used to have really heavy flow periods until I had anemia and B12 issues. I took the medicine and that's when I started to have 3-4 months spaced periods and they last two-three days. I saw several doctors and all they spit on me is to get a bypass surgery which I will never do.

So yeah, I'm not interested in having children anyway for important reason. @ Narceu

Yeah, not ovulating can really wreak havoc on your hormone balances. Your body just mucks it all up and can start producing more male hormones in response, and next thing you know you're growing excess hair and breaking out. I'm incredibly lucky in that I have clear skin, but I used to think my hairiness was just a product of my Scottish heritage - now I'm not so sure. Have you ever tried going on the pill? I know it's supposed to help in cases where the hormones go all wonky like that. I know I'm gonna have to start taking it after we're done trying for that reason, anyways (nooot looking forward to it D=).

And I absolutely hate when doctors refuse to take concerns seriously just because someone's overweight/obese. Their only solution is "lose weight and tell me if it improves", as if that's a cure-all, without even pretending to investigate. Yeah, in some cases losing weight can be the solution, or it can help, but there can also be a lot more going on that goes overlooked in the meantime as a result. In my case (and what could very well be in yours, too) I have trouble losing weight because of my fertility issues, and not the other way around.

Eh, Canadian healthcare - sometimes you get what you pay for. =/

I was diagnosed with PCOS last fall. I thought it was endometriosis for several years before a friend of mine with PCOS told me to do some research. Once I did, I called the doctor and asked them to do the tests for me. I've been on the pill since I was 16 people of all my period issues: tons of bleeding for one more straight, no bleeding for several months straight, horrible cramps, terrible acne, skin tags on my neck, debilitating depression, and blood sugar problems.

Thankfully the pill helps with the period and acne issues and I'm on antidepressants for the depression. I'm also really lucky in that I don't have a lot of excess hair. I have a few stray hairs on my chin but they are so fine, only I know they are there or you need to get super close to me to see them.

The only real issues I have at the moment are the weight and the blood sugar. I carry all my weight in my mid section and my face but I'm really muscular everywhere else. I've tried eating healthy and exercising but I just put on more muscle. I'm going to try Advocare when I get some more money to buy the 24 day challenge. My friend has done it several times and she has lost a ton of weight and inches from her waist.

As for the blood sugar, you need to pay attention to your body. I've learned that if I eat breakfast, I need to eat lunch by 2:30 or my blood sugar drops. I also need to eat dinner by 8:30 for the same reason. I usually carry a pack of Belveta Biscuits in my purse just in case I am out somewhere and I don't get a chance to eat. They usually carry me over until I'm able to eat a real meal. I also use my dad's glucometer from time to time just to check if my blood sugar is in normal range and it usually is unless it's low.

As for the infertility, I'm not at that stage in my life yet so I don't really know what to say. I'm single/ in a new relationship and I'm not even sure if I want kids. I would recommend talking to a specialist to see what can be done. If you physically can't have kids, look into fostering or foster to adopt. There are a ton of great kids in the system who deserve loving homes like the one you can give. Once you find the right one, you won't even know they aren't biologically yours. My cousin adopted her daughter from China about 10 years ago and even though she didn't give birth to her, she is still her daughter.

Good luck and if you have any specific questions, I'll be happy to answer them if I can.

Oh wow, the pure strength of will your boyfriend's mother must have had... It's truly admirable. I love hearing stories like that, though; not because of all that they had to go through, but because they never gave up despite all obstacles. It really does give me hope. Thank you.

My husband seems particularly excited about the idea of adopting/fostering, so we may just go ahead with it regardless if this works or not. One of my dad's friends fostered a lot of children over the years, and he and his wife even adopted three of them, so I plan on picking his brain a bit. I have no idea how to go about the process, but I figure asking him would be a good start. XD

We don't plan to ever stop trying, really - but if the ovulation medication doesn't work I'll need to level off my hormones another way, and the simplest way to do that is with birth control. But, if it does come to that, I'll first see if there's any other alternatives that will allow us to keep trying while still keep my hormones in check. Until then, fingers crossed this works. =)

Also, I can't believe I was bitching about having to go across town to see my specialists - that's a crazy commute! I admit I don't know a lot about American healthcare/insurance (especially now that it changed [I think]?), but that's got to add up fast... I'm Canadian, and even still, some of the tests the clinic ran weren't covered and needed to be paid for (as well as the medications prescribed, but that's standard); I'd hate to think what this would be costing us if we were in the States.

I'm really glad to hear that the pill does help, since I'll have to start taking it eventually (not looking forward to having 12x the number of periods in a year, though XD).

I unfortunately do have excess hair; most notably on my arms and legs (I bleach the former, shave/wax the latter). I also do get the odd stray hairs growing from under my chin/on my neck/along my jawline and even occasionally on my chest, but I pluck them as soon as they come in. I also have to wax my upper lip; but thankfully they're both thinner and lighter hairs, so that's not as bad.

I also suffer from anxiety and depression; but that also runs in both sides of my family, so I'm not sure if it's a product of having PCOS. I was on antidepressants for a few years (some time ago now); they helped with my anxiety, but didn't do much else. I stopped taking them, but I didn't investigate any others to see if I could find a better fit. I may consider it again at some point down the line, though.

Also, I've been struggling with my weight, too. I'm 5'11", so I admit I carry it well, but a lot of it is in my hips and thighs. I exercise regularly and am conscious of what I eat - but the extra weight is unreasonably stubborn. It's frustrating because at this point I'm not sure what else I can safely do. I likely don't eat enough as it is; in any given day I'll only eat somewhere between 1100-1400 calories (MyFitnessPal ftw). I'd be starving myself if I ate any less, and I'd have a hell of a time making sure I get all the nutrients I need. I have managed to drop down 30lbs from my heaviest, but I've been holding steady at my current weight for about year. I've recently added more exercise into my routine, but I'm scared pushing myself too much will end up doing more harm than good.

My doctor have reassured me I'm not showing any signs of insulin resistance, but I know that could change. I'll be honest, I'm terrified at the prospect of it. I was already higher risk just based on my family history; now it feels like it's all but a guarantee. I was joking with my sister the other day: I'm already a lactose intolerant vegetarian - throw diabetes into the mix and it'd be faster to list the foods I can eat. D= Ah well, if I do develop it, at least I'll know I did everything I could to try and prevent it.

But yeah, I've been going to the fertility clinic for the last few months (they were the ones who were finally able to diagnose me), and I actually just finished my first round of ovulation medication today. I have to go in several more times this month to test if I'm responding to the medication. Adoption/fostering is currently our Plan B, but both my husband and I are rather fond of the idea, so we may just go ahead with it anyways. =)

And thank you for commenting. While I am sorry for all that you've had to go through (I wouldn't wish this on anyone), I have to admit I am grateful to hear about your experiences with it. It's scary not knowing what the future has in store for us, but it's nice knowing we aren't alone in facing it, y'know?

You're welcome. I'm sorry you're going through this too. It's a suckey disease for sure.

I would recommend you looking into Metformin or other meds that are similar. It's used to treat type 2 diabetes but it also helps with fertility. It's worth looking into.

That sucks about the hair. I'm really glad I don't have that problem. I do have skin tags on my neck and I've tried getting them removed but they just appear again. I did some more research into Advocare and have decided not to do it because it's not as healthy as my friend made it seem. I'm going to check out that MyFitnessPro though.

As for the depression, anything is possible. I just know you are more likely to be depressed if you have PCOS because all the other hormones are screwed up. If it still bothers you, try taking a different med. I'm on Celexa 40 mg and it helps a lot. The medicine helps me function.

Good luck with getting pregnant. It may not be in my cards, but I always wish the best for those who do want it. I'm around if you need to talk

I read into Metformin a bit; my mom also suggested it, mentioning that some family members took it during the earlier stages of their diabetes. My doctor didn't mention it specifically when I last saw her (just that there may be other options based on how I respond to the Clomid), but I was planning on bringing it up the next time I went in. I read a lot of happy stories from women with PCOS who conceived while using it, so it definitely piqued my interest.

I've had the occasional skin tag in my armpits, but they've been few and far between. Suuuper annoying, though - I don't envy you. D= No acne, either. Or hair loss - reading that one scared the bejesus out of me! My hair does shed like crazy, but it always has and I've never developed any bald patches (thank god).

MyFitnessPal (click!) is just a website that lets you track what and how much you eat, to help keep you aware of what you're putting into your body. You enter in your height, weight, and your weight goals (you can even enter in how much exercise you plan on doing each week and it will factor that in), and it gives you your ideal calorie intake for each day based on that information to help you either lose weight, maintain, or gain (depending). It also helps track some key nutrients, and you can customize which ones it shows you based on what you want to keep a closer eye on. For example, I have it set to show me calories, fat, protein, iron, calcium, and sugar, as those are my main dietary concerns - but it offers a wide range of options. I may try and include fibre, as that's said to be important in keeping diabetes at bay.

The only antidepressant I've tried was Cipralex (I think it's more commonly known as Lexapro in the US). I've had family members who have also tried it and responded similarly, but went on and had more success when trying others (Prozac is the only one I can recall atm). Definitely something worth considering, for sure. I'm glad yours is working for you; it can be debilitating and downright harmful if left unchecked, so I'm happy to hear you're taking care of yourself. =3

I will always understand when someone says that they don't want kids; it's an extremely personal (and life-altering) choice, and it shouldn't be taken lightly or treated as an obligation to humanity. I highly value treating people and the lifestyle choices they make for themselves with respect, and I really appreciate it when others do the same for me. So, again, thank you. =)

I tried the pill during two years. While I did have less hair and acne, the health risk is really here and I'm not sure if I'm willing to risk it.

I'm just going to make an apointment with another doctor and make them investigate. If there IS remotely nothing for me, then I may consider the surgery.

Less hair is enticing, but the pros have to outweigh the cons. Gotta do what's safest for you and your health, eh?

Yeah, that's a huge decision not to be made lightly. Best to investigate and make a decision based on as much information as you can gather. See if you can get a referral to see a specialist; they'll be able to hook you up with some more invasive testing that may lead to more conclusive answers. Once you better understand what's going on, you'll have a better idea of what you need to move forward.

Good luck. =)

Good luck! Hopefully the medicine will work for you. I've heard good things about Metformin too.

I shed a lot too but I still have a lot of hair. I've contributed that to being anemic. The skin tags are annoying but I realize it could be worse, so I don't worry too much about it. No one has ever mentioned anything to me, so they either don't notice it or don't care. I do have a dark patch of skin right in the middle of my neck that gets red. People have asked about it and I just tell them it's eczema.

I will most certainly give the My Fitness Pal a try. I'm usually pretty bad at keeping track of what I eat, so maybe this will help.

I don't have PCOS, but I would like to share my fertility history, for what it's worth.

My husband and I have been trying for 3 years to get pregnant. We started undergoing tests after a little more than a year and it turned out everything is perfectly fine with me, but my husband has an issue with his sperm. For some reason, his immune system thinks they're intruders, and it creates antisperm antibodies - and a lot of them. This causes the sperm to stick together in groups, making them unable to swim properly.

This result meant we had to take a bunch more tests, which virtually led to no new information at all, but it did take us almost an entire year before our doctors finally came up with a treatment plan. We tried 3 cycles of intra-uterine insemination, but no luck there. Several more of what often felt like utterly pointless appointments later, our doctor finally suggested ICSI treatment. But I too carry some extra weight and even though not a single doctor could find anything wrong with my ability to get pregnant, they refused to perform ICSI on me until I lost weight.

This was a very difficult and emotional time for me. I found it unfair that I was being refused treatment, for my husband's problem. The long, long wait between every appointment, even if it was just to arrange some paperwork, made me mad. In the meantime cycle after cycle passed, and even though at some point you stop hoping for good news, it still stings when you get your period. To top it all of, at this time both my best friends told me they were pregnant. Both planned and very wanted, luckily, but both just weeks after getting off the pill. Hearing that is kind of like throwing salt on an open wound, you know. Even if you're actually super duper happy for your friends. I went to see a psychologist then, took meditation lessons, and cut down on my work hours. Luckily I have a very understanding boss.

Another 6 months went by, I lost almost 20 pounds, and we could finally start with ICSI. The treatment wasn't easy. Injecting yourself with hormones several times a day, having to schedule work so that you can go to the hospital 3-4 times a week, and finding the energy to run a household with two high-demand dogs in the meantime sometimes makes you more than a little crazy. But for us, it was definitely worth it as I am now 11 weeks pregnant.

I sure hope that your ovulation meds will do their magic, and that you'll be pregnant soon! And in the meantime, don't be too harsh on yourself. Take time to enjoy the things that make you happy, and to relax when you feel stressed or overwhelmed. Best of luck to you!

I've come to realise that we all have something we'll be super self-conscious about that others likely don't notice/don't care about. I try to remind myself of that any time I start to fuss about something. XD

First off: CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so very happy for you! =)

And thank you for sharing your story. It's nice to hear from people who know and understand my frustrations. It can be a very isolating experience... We haven't told many people that we've even been trying (just our immediate families and a few close friends, and only after the tests had started), because we suspected it could take a while and didn't want to get anyone's hopes up. My last miscarriage was late-term, so everyone knew about it... I never want to have to go through that again, so we've been quiet. And now I just feel like I don't have very many people I can confide in about what we've been going through these last few years who would actually understand. Half my friends have happy families, and the other half are singles who just aren't at that place in their life yet - none of them could really sympathize, y'know?

It is interesting to hear about it from the other side, though. I often wonder how situations such as these might affect the spouse. My husband reassures me we're in this together, but I know it must be hard for him in a way much different than it is for me. I worry about him in that sense; as much as I need support, I know that he does too. Is there anything you'd recommend that might help him cope with all of this (something that helped you, maybe)?

This whole process really does feel like an uphill battle. It can be really hard to keep yourself from just lying down and giving up, even when you know you're making progress. It's exhausting, having to fight this hard for something that should just come naturally... But it's hearing stories like yours that keeps me going. Words really can't describe just how happy I am that you two were able to push forward, and that all that pain and hard work wasn't in vain. That child is going to be so loved. =)

That's a really good point. I've been self-conscious about myself for most of my life. No matter how hard I work on it, it doesn't get any better.

Thank you! I understand how it feels when none of your friends or family can sympathize much. My best friends knew, but yeah, since they both had no baby plans whatsoever when we started trying, and still ended up having babies before I even got pregnant, that was mostly just awkward. We did tell my parents too, but only after the tests showed my husband's problem; since I'm an IVF-baby myself, so I knew they would understand what we were going through. But of course, those treatments 30 years ago versus now are quite different xD It was interesting at some times though, to be able to compare. Nobody else in our families knew we were trying - and they still don't know I'm pregnant either. I would totally dread having to share a miscarriage with the world, that must have been so hard on you!

What helped my husband (and myself) much was the fact that we kept talking to each other about literally everything. Our hopes, fears, doubts, frustrations, positive or negative feelings about the tests and the results, just everything. Not every man likes to share everything he thinks, and sometimes you might need to drag it out of him, but once you know how to get him talking, it'll definitely help you both. Situations like these put a lot of stress on a relationship, but if you can share everything, it also makes your relationship stronger. Also, keep doing the things you guys like doing as a couple. Go on holidays, go out for dinner or drinks, whatever. It doesn't solve anything, but it'll help keep you sane, and to keep realising why you have to keep going.

It definitely is exhausting, but don't give up! Look at the bright side: now that you have a diagnosis, you're a step closer to finding a solution. =)

That must have been really nice to have; not only were they family who could sympathize, but the exact same procedure, too? Definitely knew first-hand going in that IVF could work, eh? =P

Out of the two of us, I'm the one who's more likely to have a harder time expressing how I'm feeling. But having open communication is something we've always valued, and encouraging it has certainly made our relationship stronger. Date nights can be a little hard to come by, since he tends to work 6 or sometimes even 7 days a week - but he's been asking for more time off specifically to be able to spend more time with me, so hopefully we'll see that remedied sooner rather than later. =)

One of my oldest friends got pregnant accidentally last year; she was happy, so I was happy for her, but I was still envious that she could get pregnant so easily when she wasn't even trying. She then spent her entire pregnancy publicly complaining about how awful an experience it was (no complications, just standard pregnancy discomfort) and how she shouldn't have to apologize for saying so just because there are infertile couples who would give their left arm to be in her position (cough). She is one of the few people who actually knows what's been going on with my husband and I, too. I knew it wasn't directed at me, but I couldn't help but feel hurt every time she said stuff like that. The other day she messaged me saying she's going to be in town soon and wants me to meet her son, but I have no idea how to tell her I just really, really, really can't handle that right now. I feel like a terrible person for feeling like this, though... I dunno. D=

Woops, double post!

I have PCOS and just wanted to contribute my experience with Metformin - I've been taking it for five years now. My Gyn warned me repeatedly to use contraception extremely consistently or else risk getting pregnant immediately. I ended up getting the coil (not in the right place for kids right now), but I know from my doc that many of her patients got pregnant extremely soon after starting on Metformin. My doc also told me taking Metformin now reduces the likelihood of developing diabetes later, so I'm glad I made the decision to go on it.

Apparently Metformin leads to the weight dropping right off at the standard dose, so I take a low dose (2x500mg) because I´m not overweight and my insulin resistance isn´t bad. I don´t drink alcohol at all as a precaution against liver difficulties down the road, although it´s merely suggested you drink sparingly - I never drank a lot, so cutting it out completely was an easy decision. I started taking it step-wise, i.e. I started with once a day 250mg for a week, 1x500mg for a week, then 2x500mg for a week. I´m pretty settled in now, though occasionally I forget to take it and get woozy or suddenly have massive sugar cravings. It has, however, taught me to "feel" my sugar level a lot more accurately and eat better (unless I´m super stressed), so I have fewer issues with plummeting (hangry) / soaring (hyper) blood sugar. I am somewhat "hairy", in that I have the characteristic PCOS line of hair up to my navel and dark hair where one would assume light (I'm dark blond), but taking Metformin didn't affect that, nor has it cleared up what little acne I have. Maybe I'd need a higher dose for that.

Any questions feel free to ask :)