# Pcos, endometriosis, secondary infertility- longing for a baby



## Scxx (Jan 11, 2017)

Hi everyone, this is the first time I have ever wrote in anything like this. Sorry I've done it in the wrong place or not correctly! 

I will start at the beginning of our story, any advice or tips are welcome.

after trying to concieve for 8 months with no luck I started to worry. I had conceived my son 6 years ago in 21 days (I was so blessed) so why was this time so much harder?

We went to the docs who said nothing was wrong, regular 28 day cycle, good Sperm count for my husband. It just didn't add up. We privately went for investigations- £3500 later,  now we have some of our answers. I have pcos and endrometriosis.

I'm 7 days post laposcopy and hystoscopy (I think that's what they are called) our consultant has said we can have one round of fertility injections and skip the tablet stage. Has anyone been here before? Xx


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## Seraphim (Nov 11, 2012)

Hi.

I can relate to this.

Quick intro from me (been several years since I last  visited F.Friends).

I have 3 kids, including boy/girl twins. 

Since my first child at 18, I've averaged roughly being pregnant (without intending it to be this way, its just how it worked out) every 5 years-ish.

I never *tried* to be pregnant.

Had period issues all my life, hormonal ones also. All bloods repeatedly fine.

After my twins were born I pushed my GP hard. He sent me for a scan to shut me up essentially. Gt a diagnosis of PCOS on both ovaries and the scanographer literally could not believe Id conceived twins naturally.

I also develop this rather odd swelling in my throat. Get pregnant again, it ends around 11-12 weeks along.

Horrendous time after that. Periods all over the place, bleeding so heavy there wasn't a sanitary product on the market that could deal with it.Debilitating and controlling situation. Go to GP. Puts me on dianette. Equally horrendous side effects for a year including hair falling out, eye's drying out, my skin crisping as soon as I went out into daylight.

I stuck it out , had a stash of medications that tackled each of the side effects of Dianette. Then they tailed off after about a year and it seemed to work. Regular periods, regulated the severity of the bleeding , it got manageable. 

Told if I wanted to I could continue taking Dianette fr as long as wanted. Just had regular blood pressure testing.

After about 2 years on it it stopped managing symptoms well. some symptoms of PCOS slowly returned.It stopped regulating periods, my skin started becoming unpredictable, I developed extreme skin sensitivity. 

No other treatment was offered except briefly they gave me HRT. Useless. so I didn't continue with that for long.

GP sent me for my very first laproscopy where they found Endometriosis and apparently lasered it away.

So I had PCOS and Endo diagnosis'.

Then me and the OH decide we would like a baby together (my others were from separate relationship.

At that point I'm 36. Off Dianette I come. Still get periods monthly.Start off fine but over time as Dianette I suppose completely left my system they got worse.Culminating in them being as horrendous as they were pre Dianette.It was gradual mind you- took about 2 years for that to reach this point again. 

In mean time after 6 months of no pregnancy - I get on the GP's case to look into things. GP was rubbish but wont go into that. New GP practise and on the fertility clinics books. Did all the tests, had my 2nd lap surgery, dye test scans etc etc.

All came back fine.No probs.

End of the line with that as local authority wouldn't fund anything when one of the people in a couple already has kids (my partner has none, I have 3).

My partner is real angry- understandably.

Tests done on partner- 3 sperm counts, all showed 3 different results going from the sublime to ridiculous. He's been told he has low sperm count. Been told he has fine sperm count but poor morphology (shape of sperm) etc.

He's irritated about the whole thing and thinks they're all quacks because essentially every test has come up with a different result for him.

Anyway- I'm now 41. So we've been TTC for about 5 yrs. No luck at all. *But*, and this is my 2 cents of advice- what I have learned after its too late is do not take any medication what so ever- no matter how innocuous it seems - without first researching it and especially reading in forums such as this- other woman's experiences using these drugs about what the side effects are.

Just don't do it. I know how tempting it is to want to just do it, whatever a Dr says- they're the experts right? And if it means you get your pregnancy then you sign yourself up for it.

But please , please , please go into it eyes completely open first so you know what the reality could be for you the consequences for your body in taking these drugs.

Because you see, I have just found out that over the last 7-8 yrs I've been freely prescribed stuff (some also available t buy over the counter) that contributes to affecting my OH sperm to prevent it from getting to my egg/s . And this was stuff I was prescribed by different GP's in different practises, all of whom were fully aware of us TTC.And it wasn't disclosed in the patient info leaflet it could affect TTC chances.

I also just found out my GP's switched me from 1 skin cream to a different one (on the premise that it was safe to use if pregnant)  when in actual fact it was in fact the same risks for birth defects as the other one and they did it because it cost less !

We believe drugs declare side effects in all circumstances in the leaflets they supply but they do not. Many possible problems and risks are not identified - you read if pregnant or planning to become pregnant seek advice from your GP.... *That* is where they fail to declare this info. So the only way you will get the facts is to research it yourself.

It seems from my experience that some GP's just don't know, and others simply don't give a rats behind .

As a direct result of several unconnected GP's in my life over the last 5 years (and we are talking GP's in different practises and some in different parts of the country) I've been using multiple medications whilst making it very clear I am TTC, that have been actively quite hostile towards my being pregnant , have risks associated with possible birth defects and in the case of Dianette - its been 5 years and I have just had my first 2 months of periods that are "normal" for me.

If I had not taken my GP's recommendations/prescriptions maybe my OH and I would have had better luck- we most definitely would have had better chances. So we lost 5 years of possible successes- and my thirties to TTC unknowingly dealing with unnecessary stubling blocks from trusting them and using the drugs they prescribed.

The best information comes from reading other woman's experiences using those medications. They tell you the truth unedited and without any bias.

My OH and I are starting all over again- on the plus side- without these inhibitor medications in the mix - if we don't make babies together at least I know its on our terms and isn't because I found out too late that some drugs side effects ruined any time we have left of TTC.

I wish you all the luck in the world


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## Bessieabs (Apr 14, 2016)

Hi
I have pcos and endo both was diagnosed prior to trying. We've been trying since Dec 2015 with no luck. Had HSG test done and tubes are fine and open. Partners spermys are good so it's all down to me. I never had periods and doctors said I probably haven't ovulated for many years whilst on contraception. I am on 3rd round of clomid and waiting for AF to start round 4. Round 1 didn't do nothing upped the dose for 2nd and 3rd round. Managed to have a period all by myself which was a milestone for me. I am also on metformin. 3 times daily for the pcos. I am very disheartened at the moment as I just feel like everyone can easily get pregnant and there's me who can't. I also feel like I am letting my partner down by not giving him what we planned for a long time ago


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