Clomid and Metformin...any successes?

Question

Hi Ladies! This is my very first post. I have a unique story (as many of us surely do). I have known for 3 years that I have PCOS, so I knew when the time came that I was going to have a hard time TTC. My whole life I have had irregular, if any, periods. If I wasn't on birth control, I never got one. So, for 10 years I took birth control every. single. day. Whoa. Anywho, so when TTC came around, my gyno suggested Provera/Progesterone to help start my period. I did that once in Sept 2017. Then waited to see if my period would start on it's own. No luck...now it's Feb 2018 and still no luck (I waited that long because we got married in Feb and went on our honeymoon. I didn't want AF around then!). So now they gave me provera again. Round 2. I got my period on day 11 just like the last round and then waited the suggested 45 days to see if it came again. With this round, I also monitored my body temp and took ovulation tests for 15 days straight around the predicted day for ovulation according to when my period was. Nothing. I have heard that PCOS can cause false tests but I have no clue if that happened as my temp never went up either. So, now I'm catching on that Provera is not working. I decided since I know my body and I'm in control of it, that I would do my own research. I did lots. Lotssssss. With my new knowledge of POCS and TTC, I was able to convince my Doc that I was ready for a different treatment and the one I wanted to try was the combination of Metformin and Clomid. There's science out there that shows the positive effect of women with PCOS taking metformin (plus it helps with the weight gain! I'm down 6lbs in 3wks - combined with healthier eating habits, mostly low carb). Not all Docs will prescribe the metformin. I really had to convince her with my research. So fast forward to today, I did one more round of Provera to get my period, started the Metformin with that, and now I'm on my first day of taking clomid days 5-9. I took it right before bed since I read most women had success that way with avoiding side effects. I got nauseous at one point that woke me up but never threw up. That's all so far. 
So here is my question. Have any of you ladies found success in this combo? I am so incredibly desperate to conceive. I am trying anything. But havent been so confident since there's been no ovulating in my life so far. 
Can't wait to find some women with similar experience to mine!! Good luck ladies. Much love, xoxo

Answer

I was diagnosed with PCOS 10 years prior (had been on Metformin the entire time) so I knew what I was in for. Before we started TTC I went to the gym & lost weight as I wanted to do everything I could to make the process easy on hubby & I. So off to the gym I went, lost 15kgs, I was also following a strict Clean Eating /AIP Paleo diet to help & then on our 2nd month of trying we found out we were pregnant. I was in shock, I thought we were going to be trying for ages. I’m now 34 weeks pregnant 🤰🏼
I feel that the weight loss with PCOS was the thing that really helped. 
Baby dust to you

Good Luck

Answer

I'm so sorry you've had such a struggle. I have PCOS as well and have been working with a NaproTechnology doctor. She has really been helping me get my hormones in check and ovulating better. They are the best doctors for infertility I've found so far. Maybe it's worth checking to see if there are any in your area.

Answer

I have took that combination and was able to conceive my now 15 month old little boy. They had to give me a higher dose of metformin though. I am now trying to conceive baby number 2 and the dr has put me on the same combination of medicines

Answer

Glad that you did your research. Provera is just to help start a period, so it would have effects beyond that one cycle. Metformin helps with ladies who can't ovulate as well as regulate your cycle, not just insulin resistance. Clomid has some side effects later down the line. During my 2ww I had all the symptoms of early pregnancy, so I advise you not to analyze every symptom that you come across. I took 1 cycle of Clomid on its own and didn't ovulate when they did my 21 day progesterone check. Next few cycles with metformin actually helped push the progesterone higher to show that I did ovulate. I failed my Clomid cycles but that's because my body didn't really respond to the medication. However, it did help with the ovulation. I can at least vouch for that. Best of luck to you.

Clomid and Metformin...any successes?

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