TTC

[aries11]

Hi all!
I’m 26, 330lbs and have been diagnosed with PCOS.
My husband & I are currently TTC.
According to my Flo app, I’m 9 DPO and due for my period in 6 days. Although, my period is very abnormal and I haven’t had one now for 3 weeks. I usually bleed for roughly 7 days, then have a 5 day “break” and can then go on to bleed for another 10-15 days (currently getting further testing done through my doctor).
I’m not so patiently waiting for the 2 week wait to be over so I can take a pregnancy test!

I’m just really excited and needed to tell someone as we’ve opted not to tell our families that we’re TTC

Edit: Sorry for the weird formatting, I’m on mobile.

 

[garrettholliman2001]

@aries11 The apps literally calculate the halfway point between periods to tell you when you’re ovulating. This is inaccurate especially when you have irregular periods and I highly recommend using the ovulation test strips at home. It’s super easy and you gain such valuable information!

 

[dm1057]

@garrettholliman2001 Basal body temperature tracking can also help, especially with PCOS where you can have multiple LH surges in a cycle.

 

[garrettholliman2001]

@dm1057 It can, but I tried tracking my temp for 4 months and it was really difficult to predict ovulation, rather I could tell AFTER I had ovulated. So I would really be worried about using the temp method with irregular cycles. I do not have pcos and my cycles were pretty regular and I still found that method difficult. The strips are definitely easier and clearer and it was the preferred method from my fertility clinic.

 

[dm1057]

@garrettholliman2001 I would use both, not one or the other. BBT can confirm ovulation occurred, which an LH surge can't, which can be useful for PCOS when ovulation might be uncertain.

 

[dutyandthebeast]

@dm1057 I used both as well, especially with PCOS where ovulation is very uncertain. Definitely don’t just rely on apps to suggest when you ovulate based on cycle length because it’s not going to be accurate with PCOS.

 

[joey1234]

@aries11 Unfortunately you may still need to wait till your period is due for the most accurate results. Good luck!!

 

[newilya]

@aries11 Did you track ovulation outside just an app? Using OPKs or BBT? If not, you could very likely not be in your TWW as women with PCOS do not ovulate regularly. TTC was actually what lead me to get diagnosed as I found I ovulated around CD40-60 instead of CD14 as was typical for a standard cycle (and what apps would base it on). I would recommend using OPKs + BBT for PCOS as we can have a few false LH rises each cycle due to hormone imbalances.

Here are some things I’ve done to regulate my cycles (I now ovulate between CD20-30 when unmedicated, which for me is a huge win because it’s sooner and a smaller window): I take Ovasitol. I eat for insulin resistance. I exercise regularly. I met with a dietitian who specializes in PCOS and fertility and she helped me get my vitamins adjusted so I would be getting enough of the vitamins that women with PCOS tend to be deficient in.

Best of luck with TTC! It is 100% possible to get pregnant with PCOS, even on your first go, and I hope that’s you.

 

[jpocd]

@aries11 Good luck! I also have PCOS and was about the same weight when I got pregnant. We tried for like 9 months before it happened but it did happen even though I’ve had many doctors tell me it never would.

 

[tebbett]

@aries11 Yay! Good luck!! Definitely recommend taking ovulation tests. It’s the best way to know for sure you’re in your fertile window! It’s easy too and they are pretty cheap! You can buy a bunch in bulk on Amazon for like $10-15! They helped me get pregnant.

 

[godliness]

@aries11 Tracking your ovulation with an app like Read Your Body is super helpful (there are so many out there). Recording your BBT at the same time before getting out of bed (or doing anything at all) every morning is key to confirming ovulation and understanding patterns in your cycle. However, for TTC, you using OPKs is helpful to know when you need to have sex, because you'll know when you're getting into the right window of time prior to ovulation.

Two books I recommend, which I wish I'd read before starting trying to conceive. I've had two chemical miscarriages recently and I'm trying to fix some things and improve my odds, so I've been doing a lot of research. Check out "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" 20th anniversary edition (I actually emailed the author Toni Weschler, and she's going to be publishing an updated edition in 2025!). It's great for lots of details about fertility, conception, and tracking. The other book is "It Starts With the Egg" by Rebecca Fett. This book has more helpful information for those who have fertility challenges, like PCOS, and it's science based and up to date.

Best of luck!