After being on birth control for five years, I assumed that it would be easy to get pregnant when I went off, but that was not the case. When my period disappeared a few months after going off birth control, I assumed I was pregnant, but instead, I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS. This syndrome can make it difficult to get pregnant.
The idea that I might not be able to conceive on my own was devastating, but my journey had a happy ending. I conceived with letrozole the first time around and by surprise the second time around. Here is how my experience with PCOS has unfolded.
Diagnosis
My first sign that something was wrong was missing my period, but not being pregnant. I wasn’t ovulating. When I went to the doctor, I realized that I also had been experiencing other symptoms, such as difficulty losing weight. Because of what I experienced, they diagnosed me with PCOS, and the first thing they did was put me on a particular medication to lose weight, which can help with ovulation.
Medications
For people with PCOS, it is common to prescribe Metformin, which is generally used for people with diabetes. It can help lower your weight but also has nasty side effects, such as diarrhea. I noticed that the side effects were worse if I ate stuff I shouldn’t have, such as foods high in carbs and sugar.
Once I got my weight down about 10 pounds, they prescribed letrozole to help with ovulation. Sometimes they also will prescribe clomid but said at the time that letrozole could be more helpful for people with PCOS.
I was able to conceive on my second or third round of letrozole. Once pregnant, they also had me take progesterone at the beginning to help keep me from miscarrying. Since people with PCOS can have problems with their hormone levels, this was a precaution.
Managing Symptoms
After I had my first child, I reduced my carb intake and lost weight. I was at a healthy weight when my son was conceived. He was all natural and a surprise, so I know that getting my weight down helped to manage my symptoms. I gained it all back during my pregnancy.
Since he was born, it’s been more challenging for me to get my weight back down. Reducing my carb intake while stressed about two kids is more complicated. PCOS never entirely goes away, but you can help by caring for yourself. Managing stress, moving more, and watching my diet are all things I’m working on to help counteract the effects.
