TTC - Advice for a confused but optimistic woman!

fend · 21-01-2013 12:06AM #1

Hi all,

Sorry in advance for the drone post ahead but I'm lost, confused, anxious but optimisitc

Went to my gyno roughly a year ago, who told me i have PCOS. Fair enough, not exactly what I wanted to hear, but hey! Working through it... She prescribed me metaformin (glucophage) 1000mg p/d, and Cyclogest Pesseries (progesterone) 400mg for 10 days per month (charted) to bring on a period, as without it, i could be waiting a YEAR or more for a bleed.
She also told me to go on Omacor and take Vitamin D tablets, as they are no harm and I could do with the boost.

Now, as some of you may have seen in a previous post of mine, my gyno is apparently a pretty traditional lady who doesnt appreciate pregnancy out of wedlock, however she is in the Galway Clinic, recommended by many, and knows my medical history, and to be honest bar the fact that she doesnt appreciate my opinion on my boyfriend and I TTC, i think she has done a pretty overall good job so far with my PCOS.

My bf and I have been together a long number of years, live together, he is self employed and financially we are doing A OK. We have talked RE marrage and to be perfectly honest, i just dont want to. Its somethig i have always had my opinions on and he is fine with that. We're happy and want to start our family.

I went back to my gyno a couple of months ago, stating the above but still she told me that its her policy not to aid couples who arnt married with TTC. Now obviously I am RAGING with this, as i dont appreciate spending 150per consultation to be told to shove off and get married before she can help me.

Basically, long story short, my GP is super supportive, knows me all my life and my partner and is super happy about our decisions.

What i am wondering, is can a GP prescrible Clomid or does it have to be a gyno/consultant. Also, has anybody taken clomid with cyclogest? Is cyclogest harmful if TTC?

Im totally lost and to be brutally honest, i really dont know where to turn. My GP is very lax about things in general, and isnt really up to date with fertility treatments.

I also really dont fancy spending an another ball of money on a new gyno to either A. Tell me the same thing, or B. Give me some other balls excuse that I have to spend hundreds on.

I would be much happier doing the work myself with my GP.

Anyone with similar experiences, please share! And anyone on cycolgest who is also TTC please please please help with my qs!!

Thanks for reading xx

Neyite · 21-01-2013 12:24AM

Hmmm, I'm presuming that your gyno is affiliated with Dr. B and Napro?

It sucks but that is the Napro stance. Dont like it myself because I'm not married either, but I went with Dr C out of Brooklawn for the Clomid. My Gp referred me. I think personally its safer to take clomid while being monitored. My consult with Dr C cost €200, Ovulation induction cycle cost €300 (€100 if cancelled cycle due to over stimm) but that included as many scans as required.

I know some GP's prescribe Clomid, some dont. I would suggest though that with PCOS and with existing gynalogica issues you may be better off to be fully monitored while taking the Clomid, but see what your GP says.

Best of luck!

fend · 21-01-2013 12:31AM

Thanks for your quick reply, My GP is great with bloods etc and id be much happier if he could prescribe the Clomid and i would happily go back every month for bloods to him. My gyno is just such a pain with the negativity as no one likes to be preached!! And paying 150 per month just to hear "any changes?" Is not my idea of money well spent!

I would rather spend the money on a baby, rather than the unnessisary costs to have one!

Is a GP prescribing it taboo or illegal?

Neyite · 21-01-2013 12:42AM

No I dont think its taboo or illegal, its just that there are medical guidelines regarding stimulation, from what I was told in GFC. Basically doctors cant implant more than 3 embryos or have more than 3 follicles stimulated (in the case of clomid) they would have to cancel the cycle. I think its to prevent Octomom scenarios.

The only way to check if you have 3 mature follies is to scan your ovaries mid cycle then they give you the trigger shot if you have 3 or less mature. I had 3 mature the first cycle so they cancelled it (they felt due to my build a triplet pregnancy would end in heartbreak for me), and halved my dosage the following cycle, which gave me 2 mature, but no joy. The third cycle I had 2 mature and one almost mature but Dr E made the call based on my previous fails. I conceived twins that cycle -but lost one to MMC @ 8 weeks. Carried other baby to term.

So I would guess if the GP does not have the ultrasound to scan you they may be hesitant to prescribe and not monitor. Bloods only give them the hormone levels and wont tell them how many follicles.

I know what you mean about spending the money. For us, it wasnt easy - we scrimped and cost cut and luckily didnt need to raid our savings before we got lucky.

I'd say chat to your GP. All they can say is no.

pwurple · 21-01-2013 09:56AM

GP can prescribe clomid, and progesterone just as you had... My GP did, but you will need the scans to monitor alright.

Just on the PCOS, what helped for me as well was jogging twice a week (or at least my GP advised me to). Nothing too hard, just a 30 min jog around the block.

lollpop · 22-01-2013 09:44AM

A GP can prescribe Clomid but lots don't. Mine doesn't. To be fair to her she said that it's a serious drug and she would prefer me to be monitored by someone who is a specialist in fertility. The other option is to go to dedicated fertility clinic.

It's really important that you have follicle tracking in conjunction with clomid so if a GP is prescribing it just make sure you are being scanned as part of the treatment. It's not as simple as going back once a month for bloods. With clomid you should be getting scanned multiple times within the same cycle to check the progress of the follicles and to ensure you haven't been overstimulated. You also should not be on clomid for more than a few months.

TTC - Advice for a confused but optimistic woman!

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