If anyone can give any advice on how they deal/t with it, how they control their symptoms etc I would greatly appreciate it.

Many thanks in advance

Michelle:)

Hi Michelle, I'm curious as to what PCOS, stands for. Sorry if I'm being a bit dense

liberty

polycystic ovary syndrome

Thanks Admin :)

Hi Michelle, I don't know about PCOS, but I have experienced IVF :( If there's anything I can help you with, just let me know.

liberty :)

Hi Liberty:)

Thanks for the reply as admin explained. Basically its a disorder which affects the ovaries (they don't function properly):(

Liberty if you don't mind me asking (call me a cheeky git ) if you do but was IVF successful for you? and how many attempts? I know its a bit of a tender subject and I know the stress and upset it can cause. Any help advice or otherwise would be greatly appreciated.

Michelle:)

Hi Michelle, unfortunately the IVF wasn't successful for me. We had 3 attempts, and to be honest that was enough for me and hubby :( I do know lots of people for whom IVF has worked, and they have a variety of complaints. It is well worth researching your chosen hospital, and don't be miss-lead by their success rates either, one in particular will only treat people they believe will 'go home with a baby', as this increases their percentage :(
If you decide to go ahead with it, take into account the travelling involved, as you can find yourself going for scans every other day, and it's well worth being shown how to do the injections yourself, avoiding yet more time in hospitals or Doctors Surgeries. As for the drugs, well prepare to turn into the most grumpy, moody and often unlikeable person this side of the black-stump!! ;)

Have you already started your treatment? Let me know how things go, and I'll be more than happy to answer any questions, if I can.

Good luck Michelle.
Thinking of you.

liberty:)

Hi Michelle, my daughter also called Michelle :) had IVF & she now has a little girl :) She was so very very lucky it worked first time. She tried it a second time 2yrs later but had no joy & had no option now left but to have a hysterectomy just Sept gone, she had endometriosis & only had one ovary & fallopian tube which were in a bad way. Her friend who also went the same hospital (Lister)had a little girl on her fifth try. Agree with what Liberty says about checking out hospitals & learning to inject the drugs yourself. The side effects & the stress can make life pretty awful. But if it works.....
Hope things go welll for you & lot`s of luck:)

Christine, Spain.

i had pcos when in my teen to 29years old but in that time i did have two boys,know 23/24.after the boy i had the same as christine daughter hysterectomy,
a freind had the same as you and went on carol v diet and fell for her baby boy.

Hi Terri, it`s urprising how many women have these kind of troubles isn`t it? It was only when we started opening up about my daughters problem that I realised how wide spread it was.
Hope all`s well with you :)

Christine, Spain.

Hi :)

Thankyou for your comments on pcos etc. I was told by dietician at our hosp to go on v.similar diet to atkins diet but the trouble is I dont eat red meat and chicken 2 times per week max!!

I know its one of those thing where different people have very diffeerent symptoms its just nice to know some people are willing to help and lend an ear:)

Michelle:)

Hi Christine :) I also went to the Lister Hospital, I thought they were excellent, even though it didn't work for me, I would still recommend (sp) them. I'm so glad to hear your daughter was successful :)

liberty

Wow Liberty, what a small world!!!! :D We thought they were excellent as well & her friend did, really kind & nice. We were delighted as you can imagine, but can understand the terrible disappointment when it doesn`t, it`s very hard, so sorry yours didn`t work.

Christine, Spain.

Thanks Christine, I came to terms with it, in my own time, and got a Flatcoat instead :D

liberty:)

Hi Christine (was my mums name):) !!!

Thankyou too for the info, glad it worked for your daughter:). Its nice to be able to share it with somone cos my gynae was always reluctant to talk about further stages of treatment (IVF,ICSI etc)

Partner is more worried about having to give me injections I think but we will wait and see how things go.

Michelle:)

Blummin eck Michelle coincidence or what??? :D
Just wishing you more best wishes & luck for whatever you choose to do :)

Christine, Spain.

Hi Liberty :)

Thanks for sharing your knowledge of the whole process with me:), its really appreciated as Jg said I think yesterday if someone can help they will. So sorry it didn't work out for you:(

It isn't something I like to ask about but internet searches don't seem to give first hand experience knowledge if that makes sense.

I have beeen going to my gynae cons for 4 yrs now and was given clomid to try to regulate periods as they can be two to three per yr if lucky or unlucky as in alot of womens cases;). I took that for six mnths but it didnt wk and that made me feel pretty awful. I should start IVF spring next yr but need to decide hosp etc.

I will let you know how thing progress and (((((((((HUGS))))))))) for sharing that with me

Michelle:)

As I said earlier, anything I can do to help, just let me know :)
As for the injections honestly Michelle, it's easier if you do them yourself, partners are trying so hard not to hurt you, they actualy make it worse ;)
No-one was a bigger coward than me, but even I managed to get it off to a fine art. :)

liberty :)

Forgot to mention Michelle, you don't need to be referred by your Dr/Consultant (I wasted months not knowing this) you can contact the hospitals IVF unit directly, and they assess you, for a 'small' fee of course ;)
I may still have some of the tel numbers, (I contacted 8 before we decided), which I can pass on to you if you want.

liberty :)

Hi Liberty :)

Many heartfelt thanks again, and those numbers would be gratefully appreciated if you still have them.

Michelle:)

Michelle, I've had a quick look, and I only have the number for the hospital I attended. Give me a day or so, and I'll see if I can find the rest for you. I may need to email you privately, as I'm not sure how Admin feel about these things, as it could be perceived as advertising.

Even if I no longer have the numbers, I can remember many of the names, and getting the tel number should not be a problem. Leave it with me, and my dreadful filing system

liberty

Hi Liberty:)

Thanks for checking on the IVF info for me :) If you find anything and need to mail me my E-mail is on my profile

Thanks again

Michelle:)

Hi Michelle :)

Well I've searched high and low for all my old info, and can only find the stuff relating to The Lister Hospital, which is the one we went to.

Lister Hospital. IVF Unit. tel: 0207 730 5932.
The Bridge Centre. London Bridge. London.
St Georges Hospital. Tooting. (where Lord Winston works, when he's not lording it in the Lords ;) )
Guys Hospital.
HRGC (Human ReproduCtion and Gyneacology (sp) Clinc) I think that's in Harley St.

You should be able to get hold of their tel numbers, then ask to be put through to their IVF/Assisted Conception Clinc/Dept, and ask them to send you their information pack, which should include their statistics, fees , and whether they require you to attend counselling beforehand etc. St Georges and Guys are NHS run hospitals, the others are private, but you will still have to pay for the treatment at the NHS hospitals. If you have a good G.P. he may be prepared to prescribe the drugs you will need on the NHS (your chosen hospital will let you know the drugs and quantities), but that's back to the postcode lottery, if not, then this could add another £2000+ to the cost of the treatment . As I said, we contacted 8 hospitals, and some didn't even bother to get back to us, but the above are the only ones I remember. When you receive all the information take your time reading through it all before making your decision, and phone them up if there is something you're not sure about.

Good luck and let me know how things go :)

liberty

Hi Liberty:)

Thanks for the info I will definitely do homework etc its such a big thing. I am so grateful for all your help (((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))) to you.

Its nice to be able to get an honest opinion where I don't feel like I am being judged. I only know one person who has been through it who has talked about it, and to be honest all I got from her was you wont cope with the pain the thing is she's my best friends neighbour who lives 200 miles from me so she doesnt even know me.

Michelle:)

Hi my sister and a friend has pcos, my sister is ok with hers, she had her girls befor the pcos arrived,thankfully. the only trouble she has now is that she cannot lose weight she is on the metformin drug but still nothing, she is also diabetic. My friend has pcos and she at the moment is in the middle of ivf.

Hi Jane:)

Glad to hear your sister is ok, the weight thing is often a struggle as you know. I hope all goes well for your friend. Thanks for the post.

Michelle:)

I feel sorry for her with the weight she has been to the gym for ages now and not lost anything, she had to come of the drug as she had a fit the first one ever, she is now back on the drug and fingers crossed no fit. As for my friend she is starting treatment on friday, and the hospital she is going to are filming so you never know she could be on tv. and thanks i hope it does go ok with them both.

How are you managing with your pcos, have u put weight on? and do you take the metphormin?

mate had to wash her hair every day or it is greesy, sister has to wax everyday if you get what i mean.

Hi Jane:)

I started with PCOS symptoms 5 yrs ago the first thing being massive weight gain I put on about 3-4 stone in a yr. I also have the same problem with greasy hair, acne and waxing as you mentioned . I am not on any medication as doctor has said this will affect my infertility further. I also only have about 4 periods per yr if I'm lucky is this the case for your sister and friend?

I have started with infertility treatmet in the form of clomid which I took for six months which didn't work. I was told by gynae if this didnt work I would go on waiting list for IVF with NHS ,but then was told I couldn't have it because me and my partner aren't married.

As I said in previous post I am hoping to start in the spring privately.

I thank you once again for sharing your sisters/friends experience with me.

Michelle:)

michelle, Tracey (mate) is in the middle of ivf, she had to wait a few months as she had another cyst removed,she is not married and the nhs have funded this try she doesnt know if they will fund more than one. her partner is with her 100% it is hard on them and they have not found it easy. Trac is on tablets to bring her periods on, she was like u maybe one every few months. She would make a perfect mum, kids love her. she is 32 yrs old. The last cyst she had weighed what a baby would, people thought she was pregnant it was sad.

I can not understand, you should appeal about the nhs thing.
My sister isnt bothered about her periods, she has been steralized now, she has 2 children befor she had the pcos, thankgod. The thing she hates is the weight, and the waxing thankfully she doesnt get bad cysts.
we seem to have a lot of things in our family

diabetic, cystic fibrosis, pcos, ulcerative colites the list goes on.

Hi Jane:)

Sorry its took so long to reply computer has been playing up.

I hope everything goes well for your friend, I know how awful it can be hoping no period means you are pregnant . I have appealed to the hospital about their decision, but our local health authority will not allow anyone unmarried or anyone who has children from previos relationships with new partner to try.

I don't know if your sister or friend would be interested but there are two books that are available in WH Smith and probably else where called the PCOS dietbook and either understanding/dealing with PCOS the author is Colette Harris . They are both quite useful and give a good insight to things that can help.

Michelle:)

Hi Michelle, im sorry your local A wont help you, i think that is disgustin. My sister and friend have all the books, internet stuff, and help, they are freaks when it comes to reading up on things. Sister seems content with hers. I hope the ivf works for friend, she had some bad news at the weekend, i didnt know till last night, her mum had a stroke she is doing ok but it has shaken everyone up. Tracy is unsure as to carry on with her treatment on friday, i and others think she should.

How much will it cost you private? it is anoying as i dont think you should have to pay.