Friend with PCOS...Advice please

clairebear508

Hi dottydee

I would just like to reiterate what the other posters have said about just being there and listening to your friend. I have PCOS and have been trying to conceive for over 2 years, it really drives me mad when a friend tells me to relax and that it will happen eventually.

I was on clomid for 7 months and then was referred for ICSI. I am currently going through treatment, and yes although it is invasive, it is not as horrible as I imagined. I wasn't keen of the idea of injecting and can now do this without a second thought. Its funny what you can do when you have to. Maybe your friends hubbie could help administer the jabs for her?

I struggled when I was first diagnosed and went to see a counsellor when I started my first cycle of IVF. It was great to talk to someone who knew the ins and outs of everything and could help me rationalise everything.

I also found a website called 999 reasons to laugh at infertility very useful when I needed a giggle and a bit of light relief. I also joined a support group in my area, maybe there is one near you, if you look up infertility network you might see something.

Hope this helps somewhat.

Mrs_Ryan

Trazy wrote: »

My daughter in law has PCOS and has had one ovary removed but (thank God) with a little time she was able to conceive my now Granddaughter. Don't give up

thank you but sadly too late for me now... I have to have a total hysterectomy soon (next few weeks) due to the medical profession being so utterly negligent.

OP, my GP prescribed Metformin for me but I know not all trusts will fund it, where I used to live refused funding but when I moved to the next county they funded it happily. Would it be worth her having a word with her GP and cutting out her consultant?

dizziblonde

clairebear508 wrote: »

I also found a website called 999 reasons to laugh at infertility very useful when I needed a giggle and a bit of light relief. I also joined a support group in my area, maybe there is one near you, if you look up infertility network you might see something.

Hope this helps somewhat.

Yep, being there for her and seeing the dark humour in some of it will be a big help to her - because some of the stuff you go through when you're having problems is just soooooo absurd.

I remember being really disappointed when hubby had to go for his semen analysis and didn't want to make his... ahem... deposit at the hospital - trying to pick our way through rush hour traffic at 8am in the morning with a dying pot of you-know-what, trying to get it to the hospital in the timeframe allowed... and he WASN'T pulled for speeding - cos I'd have LOVED to see him explain that one to the police!

When you add in internal scans and probes that look like they've escaped from Ann Summers and some of the random stuff you end up doing when you've been trying to concieve for some time anyway (legs in the air, grapefruit juice, cough medicine etc)... you either learn to laugh or you become a sobbing wreck!

tea_lover

I would definitely agree with the posts saying whatever you do, don't say anything along the lines of "relax, it will happen one day".

I've got PCOS and endometriosis and have been trying for nearly 3 years now. I can cope fine with other people's bumps, and babies, and stories of family life etc. The one thing that absolutely drives me mad is people telling me to relax! As I told one of them - easier said than done when your legs are in stirrups and you're trying yet another lot of hormone treatment.

TeamLowe

OP, i echo what others have said, having a friendly ear you can chew off about these things would be so much help and you having children may actually be a boon, as you can understand how strong she feels about having a baby quite young, i know my most fustrating comment from my parents is 'you've plenty time yet' like i should welcome the thought of it taking years and years :cool:.

if you did want to add something productive, then tell her she's already making positive steps towards conceiving- the one thing under her control, to a certain extent, is her weight, reducing it will lessen her symptoms, even if she only loses 10% that could be enough to change things. it's a shame she didn't get along with the low GI diet as that's the one recommended for people with PCOS but as long as it's healthy, sustainable weight loss then she's doing the best she can

hope it all works out for her x x

rita-rabbit

Agnus castus (aka Vitex) is cheap - you can buy tintures in Holland and Barratts for about £6 for a bottle taking only 1ml a day or so to start you off. Or you can make your own:

http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Polycystic_Ovarian_Syndrome.htm

a friend of mine with PCOs is taking capsules and her periods regulated quickly.

redclover-infusion - YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kINxqaNW4HY

daska

Can't help with how to approach it with her but FYI apparently a very low carb diet e.g. atkins can have a positive effect as well some research here

wishing her luck