Help Me With Metformin!

[honeybee]

While TTC myfirst, the RE said I was borderline PCOS. We were able to conceive DD naturally after a year. We are now ttc #2, and instead of ovulating on cd 17 of a 28 day cycle, I'm ovulating cd 21 of a 28 day cycle! Not good. I'm 17 months postpartum, and my midwife prescribed 1500mg metformin for weak ovulation. Here's the thing, I took it for three days, and it made me so so so sick!! I even try to limit my carbs, and eat a big meal. I have a three month supply, and would love to regulate my ovulation, and try naturally the rest of this year before we go back to the specialist. Any tips on how to take it? Does it sway pink or blue? We were swaying blue last time, and this time as well. Also, does anyone have any success stories getting pregnant while only taking metformin?

[GirlieCat]

Your body will adjust to the metformin, don't stop taking it if it makes you sick. Best to get the extended release version and take all at night. You should also ease into it by doing 500 for a week, then go to 1000 for a week then go to the 1500 week three. Each time you increase you will feel sick for a day or two but it goes away. I had absolutely no sickness after a week at my full dose. I loved the met and what it did for my cycle...went from a 40+ day cycle to a 30 day cycle in a few months. I got pregnant 4.5 months after starting metformin. I am still on it now through my first trimester as it is said to reduce miscarriage odds. I think it sways slightly pink. Good luck.

[skillet04]

My sister conceived twin girls while on metformin.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

[atomic sagebrush]

It sways slightly pink, but the PCOS will also sway slightly blue for you so it all evens out. :)

I would suggest starting at a lower dose (you may have to call for a scrip for that) and the extended release version is better tolerated. Over time you will adjust and gradually may be able to increase dose.

I think you have this already HB but I do have my alternate version of HE diet here for PCOSers. http://genderdreaming.com/forum/gender-swaying-general-discussion/9052-swaying-under-special-circumstances-part-3-pcos.html

If at all possible, one of the best things for you is exercise. It will really help with regulating your cycles.

[honeybee]

Sigh. Still not pregnant lol. And last month, I took 21 fitness classes in the month of March burning 400-600 calories each class! I've lost 21lbs too (not all in one month obviously lol.) 8 day luetal phase last month. I ended up dropping the met as it made me so sick. I did a monitored 50mg clomid cycle with progesterone in January, and that was unsuccessful too. Sometimes, I just don't get it!

[atomic sagebrush]

What's your weight now (if you don't mind my asking)?

It's time for hubby to have an SA.

[honeybee]

Not at all! I'm down to 190. He had his less than 2 years ago, and the doctor said he was fine. He had perfect everything. I think it's me in that I'm not ovulating. I'm getting all these false positives, but just don't actually ovulate! Even with 50mg of clomid, i only had 1 egg that got to 15mm. And at my last ultrasound, I still hadn't ovulated yet. But, we will repeat his SA in June when we pick treatment back up.

[atomic sagebrush]

Not at all! I'm down to 190. He had his less than 2 years ago, and the doctor said he was fine. He had perfect everything. I think it's me in that I'm not ovulating. I'm getting all these false positives, but just don't actually ovulate! Even with 50mg of clomid, i only had 1 egg that got to 15mm. And at my last ultrasound, I still hadn't ovulated yet. But, we will repeat his SA in June when we pick treatment back up.

Let's have you start with Pregnitude. It's kind of a poor man's Metformin and it may really help get you ovulating again. It's widely available, if you Google it you'll probably be able to pick it up at Walgreens or someplace close.

Are you getting AF??

Keep doing what you're doing. Lower carb, full fat dairy ONLY (do NOT do any skim milk, it's terrible for blood sugar) keep exercising, and yes keep taking that weight off. TTC in the meantime. What we are hoping for is that we're turning that radio dial back from too far to the blue side (giving you PCOS) and back towards the middle of the road, and that eventually your body will release an egg hopefully before we turn too far back to pink! :)

[honeybee]

Let's have you start with Pregnitude. It's kind of a poor man's Metformin and it may really help get you ovulating again. It's widely available, if you Google it you'll probably be able to pick it up at Walgreens or someplace close.

Are you getting AF??

Keep doing what you're doing. Lower carb, full fat dairy ONLY (do NOT do any skim milk, it's terrible for blood sugar) keep exercising, and yes keep taking that weight off. TTC in the meantime. What we are hoping for is that we're turning that radio dial back from too far to the blue side (giving you PCOS) and back towards the middle of the road, and that eventually your body will release an egg hopefully before we turn too far back to pink! :)

Thank you, I will order it today! Yes, I get AF every 28 days without fail. I'm super regular. And I get a positive opk between cd 17-19.

[atomic sagebrush]

If you're getting AF then the odds are pretty high that you're ovulating.

Are you starting BD every 2-4 days or so, BEFORE you expect O?? That is something you could possibly tweak if you aren't doing this already. Start BD every 2-4 after AF ends, and keep rolling with it even after you think you've Oed. This way you're covered in case you ovulate sooner or later than you expect to. Also, if your hubby can do it while still leaving enough gas in the tank for the pos OPK attempts, you may want to step this up to every other day for a couple days coming into your pos OPK and also after the pos opk. Just don't have him go so much that he can't perform when it counts though. I just want to be sure you're covered in case you're really Oing CD 14 or something like that, or O is delayed again and doesn't come till CD 21 or whatever. :)

[atomic sagebrush]

If you're getting AF then the odds are pretty high that you're ovulating.

Are you starting BD every 2-4 days or so, BEFORE you expect O?? That is something you could possibly tweak if you aren't doing this already. Start BD every 2-4 after AF ends, and keep rolling with it even after you think you've Oed. This way you're covered in case you ovulate sooner or later than you expect to. Also, if your hubby can do it while still leaving enough gas in the tank for the pos OPK attempts, you may want to step this up to every other day for a couple days coming into your pos OPK and also after the pos opk. Just don't have him go so much that he can't perform when it counts though. I just want to be sure you're covered in case you're really Oing CD 14 or something like that, or O is delayed again and doesn't come till CD 21 or whatever. :)

[honeybee]

I, I just looked at our charts, and we may usually hit o-3, and then o-1, and o for example. Or, o-1 and then o-4 or o-5 depending on our travel schedules. So Af ended yesterday. I will try to have us start BD'ing tomorrow. I think every four days could work for us. One midwife said she thinks I'm ovulating but it's weak, and hence maybe egg quality. The RE said I may be getting false positives and never ovulating, but I do have a true 28 day cycle. The luetal phase is anywhwre from 8-11 days.

[honeybee]

Oh and as a follow up, should I not take the pregnitude then if it seems I am ovulating regularly?

[atomic sagebrush]

No, it will help you anyway.

I really think we need more BD. Start sooner than you think you need to and go after you think you need to stop. That way if you're missing the egg you can still kinda "luck" your way into it.

Getting positive OPK and AF to me indicate that the odds are all but 100% you're ovulating. I think we just need to get that egg quality up (Pregnitude may help with that) and then get our sex in at the right time. :)

[honeybee]

Thanks Atomic! I went to cvs today, and I saw pregnitude for $40, and pre mama (it's fairly new) for $12. It had the exact same ingredients, and amounts listed so I got that. I had it with some spearmint tea today on cd 6. Thanks for all your help! Here's hoping I get my blue (or any bundle) soon!!

[atomic sagebrush]

If it has the same stuff, great!

how long have you been doing the spearmint?

[honeybee]

I always drink a glass or two. I love spearmint/peppermint/green tea. I should clarify, I bought tazo spearmint green tea, and have been drinking a glass or two all this cycle. Today is cd 7. Last cycle it would've been earl grey and lemon ginger. I remember I ran out of tea on my brother's birthday, and bought the Tazo Zen because I wanted green tea. And I've heard spearmint is good for PCOS. The only other thing I'm taking is coq10 when I can remember it, and vitamin D prescription supplements.

I've been trying to eat more healthy fats (avocado/ olive oil) and drink more water. In January, I had a bag of oranges to eat, and noticed it was the one month I had a 14 day luetal phase! I wonder was it all the vitamin C?

[atomic sagebrush]

Once a day, or more than that?

The reason I ask is we have had a correlation (unexplained) with pink swayers drinking mint tea and having trouble conceiving for no apparent reason. We have also had some experiences with green tea messing up some people's cycles as well.

Hey, if oranges seem to help, enjoy! I ate tons of them when I got my boys.

[atomic sagebrush]

Once a day, or more than that?

The reason I ask is we have had a correlation (unexplained) with pink swayers drinking mint tea and having trouble conceiving for no apparent reason. We have also had some experiences with green tea messing up some people's cycles as well.

Hey, if oranges seem to help, enjoy! I ate tons of them when I got my boys.

[honeybee]

Once a day, or more than that?

The reason I ask is we have had a correlation (unexplained) with pink swayers drinking mint tea and having trouble conceiving for no apparent reason. We have also had some experiences with green tea messing up some people's cycles as well.

Hey, if oranges seem to help, enjoy! I ate tons of them when I got my boys.
SOrry, just saw this! No more than once a day, and then sometimes not at all. For instance, its been super hot, so I haven't had any tea at all this week!

[atomic sagebrush]

Ok then that's fine, I doubt that would be enough to do anything negative!

[honeybee]

The good news: Holy EWCM! I started the premomma cd 6 or so, and I had so much!

The bad news: Everyone was sick as a dog in my house. My toddler had a 105 fever, we were on seizure watch, and then it rotated to DH and I. BD was not happening!

The hopeful news: I got a positive opk cd 18, and we BD last night CD 19, which was ovulation day. Any shot?!?

[atomic sagebrush]

Definitely a shot and the thing is, if you guys were sick, you could have a delayed O going on too. I'd BD again tonight if poss and then EOD from here on in. What if you don't O till CD 20 or 21 or even beyond?? It does happen with some frequency - ya get the pos OPK and then your body decides to just hang onto the egg a little longer. :bluecheer:

[honeybee]

Af is here. Only had a 8 day luetal phase again :(

[atomic sagebrush]

When are you starting OPK?

[honeybee]

Day 11. I'm thinking of trying vitex. I just want to get pregnant at this point.

[atomic sagebrush]

What are

No vitex. Vitex has cut odds of conception DRAMATICALLY for people. It is not the "miracle conception aid" they make it out to be. Would much rather see you on Clomid quite frankly, at least that works.

[atomic sagebrush]

Agh sorry posted too soon

What is your BD pattern other than around positive OPK??

I am wondering if we're missing O entirely. Some people never get positive OPK.

[honeybee]

Ha no worries! I did a clomid cycle with the doctor and had little response. One measley 15mm follicle at cd 16, and they could tell I still hadn't ovulated yet. She also prescribed clomid that cycle. She will only do one more clomid cycle so we are saving it for next month when I will be on a cruise for my 30th dab smack in fertile week!

Other than around opk, 1x a week.

[honeybee]

That should've said she also prescribed progesterone that cycle.

[honeybee]

Oh and I had a blazing positive opk on cd 18

[atomic sagebrush]

I think we need more nookie! Even if we didn't miss O, more sex = higher fertility for reasons we can only guess at. I would do 2x a week (and if you can space them regularly, even better)

[honeybee]

Yes m'am!

[atomic sagebrush]

Good luck, and tons of blue, but more importantly sticky, healthy baby dust coming your way!!

[honeybee]

Thank you so much for all of your help! I called the midwife today, and she said I can do one last clomid cycle with her. I have an ultrasound tomorrow, and will take 50mg of clomid cd 5-9. I took it 3-7 the last time, and only had one 15mm egg. She's hoping the egg will be more mature at days 5-9.

[atomic sagebrush]

That's great news!! Good luck!! LMK if I can help in any way!

[honeybee]

cd 17 ultrasound. TWO dominant follicles!!! One 18mm, and one 14mm, and the doctor said my endometrium was the prettiest she's ever seen. They said I should ovulate soon. We've had sex cd 13, 15, and 16 so far. I wonder will the 14mm follicle keep growing or stop?!?

[honeybee]

Positive opk at 4am, and we bd at 5:45am before work lol! I wonder if ovulation is tofsy or tomorrow?

[atomic sagebrush]

AAA exciting! It all depends on when the first egg drops! If the second follie is ready to go, it will within short order (since both will respond to surge) but if it's still too "unripe" then when the first egg ovulates, it will start making progesterone that will lull the smaller one back to "sleep" and your body will reabsorb it.

:bluecheer: No way to know when O will happen, just keep BD for the next couple days!! Like bunnies!!!

[honeybee]

Thank you!!! I'm trying not go get my hopes up too much! And of course I had more avocados and beets in my salad for lunch!

They prescribed progesterone for the short luetal phase. I know I'm supposed to take it after I think I've ovulated, but how long should I wait in case the second egg hasn't dropped yet?


Oy, and now the cramping!!

[atomic sagebrush]

Most will start it 3 DPO and that is more than enough time for that second egg to drop.

[honeybee]

Gotcha! Hopefully, this was enough. Rallying DH this morning was super tough.

We have BD cd 15,16,18,19 and positive opk was 4am cd 18. I don't honk he will be able to do it tomorrow cd 20!

[atomic sagebrush]

If he can't, skip a day and do CD 21 just in case.

[honeybee]

9 day luetal phase, and AF just showed up. And I was on 100mg progesterone!

[atomic sagebrush]

Oh darn it. :( I'm sorry. Have you tested or just going off AF?? You may want to take a test (and if you do Clomid again you MUST take one the day you start the medication) because you can be pregnant even with the bleeding.

[honeybee]

I haven't tested, but it's a full blown AF. I can take a test later today to be sure though. I think I want to try on our own over the summer and move to the RE in the fall. We are taking a cruise for my 30th birthday in a couple of weeks, and Disney in July. I'm also going to sign up for a fall race, and hopefully drop another 20lbs to get to 175lbs, which is where I was at when I got pregnant with DD. But, alas, pcos makes it hard!

[honeybee]

Test was negative. at least we will be on a cruise my whole fertile week. I just need to figure out how to lengthen my luteal phase beyond the progesterone pills!

[atomic sagebrush]

Best thing you can do is get the weight off. I know it's really hard but it will help more than all the vitamins and herbs in the world. :heart: