Type 1 and trying to conceive

[Little My]

I've been trying for a baby for 21 months and would like some advice from any other type 1 diabetics who have experienced same difficulties! I am 35 years old and have been type 1 for nearly 3 years.I have good control, eat good diet and am usually fit and healthy.I have been taking folic acid for 2 years and recently tried my first cycle of Clomid which wasn't successful.I am due to try higher dose and second cycle. All ultrasound scans and blood tests show that I'm not ovulating and I have possible PCOS. I've heard that a Fallopian flush can increase chances of getting pregnant but my NHS fertility clinic seem to want me to try Clomid first and said to wait 6 months.I keep wondering if I should have a Fallopian flush done private to increase my chances as another 6 months feels a long time to wait.I'm feeling bit frustrated and unsure what to do for the best?! Any advice welcome please x x

 

[Jaylee]

Hi,

I'll tag in @azure

... Then go Google a "Fallopian flush".? It sounds a bit harsh...

 

[azure]

Hi @Little My

I don't know a lot about PCOS but I believe some ladies with it take Metformin. Has that been suggested to you as a possibility? Clomid is a common treatment, as I understand too.

If your problem is that you don't ovulate, it would be better to try to get that sorted before attempting any 'Fallopian flush'. That would be pointless if you hadn't released an egg. If there's some doubt about your diagnosis (PCOS) it may be worth pushing for further tests.

Edited to add - I presume you've had the usual hormonal tests and your AMH done?

 

[Little My]

Thanks for taking time to reply @asure! I have hormone blood tests every month at the docs on day 11,18,21 and 24 of my cycle.The last internal scan at hospital showed I had lots of eggs but they were very tiny and not maturing apparently.I'm ringing fertility clinic today to chase up my results about PCOS.

 

[azure]

If it is PCOS, then hopefully that will be relatively easy to sort out for you. I know it must be a worry to have something like that, but at least they've identified a probable cause if your problems, and that can only be a positive thing.

Good luck

 

[Little My]

I have now had confirmation that I have PCOS and despite the Clomid my hormone levels suggest I'm still not ovulating! Any advice what I should do next as the fertility clinic said they won't see me till Jan 2017 now for next apt?! Having been trying for almost 2 yrs already I really don't want to wait another 6 months All advice welcome please!

 

[azure]

I have now had confirmation that I have PCOS and despite the Clomid my hormone levels suggest I'm still not ovulating! Any advice what I should do next as the fertility clinic said they won't see me till Jan 2017 now for next apt?! Having been trying for almost 2 yrs already I really don't want to wait another 6 months All advice welcome please!

I'm not a medical,person but I have had issues in the past (not PCOS though) I believe there are varying regimes for Clomid - things like what Day to start and the amounts to take. So, if it was me, I'd think about trying Clomid a little longer to,give it a fair go. It may be you can get a dose/regime that works for you.

I'd also ask about Metformin to see if that would help at all. It is a treatment for PCOS but I don't know if it would be suitable or appropriate for you, but it's definitely worth asking.

Edited to add that the main thing I'd say is to get a specialist you trust and one who will be thorough and push on, rather than one that will faff about and waste unnecessary time.

 

[AndBreathe]

I have now had confirmation that I have PCOS and despite the Clomid my hormone levels suggest I'm still not ovulating! Any advice what I should do next as the fertility clinic said they won't see me till Jan 2017 now for next apt?! Having been trying for almost 2 yrs already I really don't want to wait another 6 months All advice welcome please!

LittleMy - I have never had a child, and I didn't have PCOS (and beyond child bearing age now), but applying my fairly basic logic I would say that paying good money for a tube flush could well be a complete waste.

Of course you would have the comfort of knowing your tubes were clear, but if the eggs aren't maturing enough to be released to the tubes, it doesn't feel like an urgent next step, but it strikes me it's worth focusing on the ovulation issue initially, as Azure suggests.

Could it be worthwhile having a chat with your GP about any potential treatment for your PCOS? I understand some take Metformin, which seems to help them. I'm guessing like all things both diabetes and gynae related, we're not all the same and it's a case putting the pieces of the jigsaw together, piece by piece and monitoring along the way. It must be so frustrating for you.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

[Sarahstar82]

@Little My, I am a type1 diabetic with PCOS. I have been type 1 for about 15years and suffered with PCOS for 20 years. I'm 34 and am 28 weeks pregnant, my husband and I had given up on trying about 2years ago but still didn't do anything to prevent a pregnancy, my husband was considering the snip for his 35th birthday which he turned 2 months ago. This is my second pregnancy my oldest is 9years old. I think I can contribute my first pregnancy to being on metformin, I have to add that I was not on metformin to conceive. It was given to me from the onset of me being diagnosed alongside using insulin. I'm extremely insulin resistant. With my second pregnancy I was not taking any metformin and did not seek any medical intervention. I had made an adjustment to my diet mainly because I was feeling very tired and had minimal energy, then for two months after had horrific periods and the third month found out I was pregnant. Before this I did not have a period for over a year maybe longer. Luckily my hba1c's had been in perfect range for a couple of years thanks to being on a pump. I wish you every luck in the world

 

[prancer53]

I've been trying for a baby for 21 months and would like some advice from any other type 1 diabetics who have experienced same difficulties! I am 35 years old and have been type 1 for nearly 3 years.I have good control, eat good diet and am usually fit and healthy.I have been taking folic acid for 2 years and recently tried my first cycle of Clomid which wasn't successful.I am due to try higher dose and second cycle. All ultrasound scans and blood tests show that I'm not ovulating and I have possible PCOS. I've heard that a Fallopian flush can increase chances of getting pregnant but my NHS fertility clinic seem to want me to try Clomid first and said to wait 6 months.I keep wondering if I should have a Fallopian flush done private to increase my chances as another 6 months feels a long time to wait.I'm feeling bit frustrated and unsure what to do for the best?! Any advice welcome please x x

A fallopian flush can occasionally cause scarring in the tubes which can stop eggs travelling through. I suggest trying clomid for 6 months and don't become stressed as it will not help.

Edited by a mod

 

[julia1984]

I had a similar long wait to you, about 3 years. I was diagnosed with PCOS and went on Metformin. After nearly a year on Metformin I was so anxious and stressed about why it wasn't working and our prospects that I approached a Chinese herbal therapist.

I am currently 14 weeks and haven't had much of a problem with morning sickness or anything.

I wasn't a believer in the Chinese stuff, wasn't recommended it by anyone either, just got fed up of waiting for the NHS to actually do something and was desperately unhappy with how hard it was to conceive, plus didn't want to do anything private as I wanted to try and do it all as naturally as possible and avoid ivf etc if I could.

Also I bought some conceive plus online and we used that the month we got pregnant as it helps the sperm swim or something. So if I was to be in the same position again when ttc I would definitely do Chinese herbal medicine earlier to try to get my eggs healthy, and I'd use the conceive plus to help the sperm get there quicker, as I reckon a combination of these were what made me conceive. Nothing else had worked previously and I had tried lots of options.

Obviously everybody is different, but if you do decide to go for Chinese as a trial, just set yourself a 6 month timescale coz if it hasn't worked within that time apparently it's not going to, and make sure the person you see is qualified and experienced to do the job. Hope that brings you as much luck as I had

Edited by a mod

 

[julia1984]

PS I forgot to mention that everything I read online and family etc had said about "we gave up trying and then it happened" and "just forget about it and it'll happen" and all that, which is what made me even more anxious as you can't stop trying for a goal or dream you have. Or certainly I didn't have the mindset to be able to stop! I never stopped trying and in fact the month I had conceived I felt premenstrual (as it literally was exactly the same hormones as time of month) and got so angry that it still hadn't worked, so I definitely was still trying! I just had assistance with the Chinese thing to help me relax and chill out, which I think helped the egg come

 

[Little My]

Thank you all for yor advice it has been really useful. Sometimes you feel like the only person in the world going through this and it's so reassuring to hear you got pregnant without IVF julia1984! I'm feeling more hopeful and I'm definitely going to do some research on Chinese herbal medicine/treatments.Thank you again I really appreciate you finding time to message me x x

 

[Little My]

Do you mind me asking if you have Type 1 diabetes Julia1984?! Good luck with your pregnancy and your little miracle baby x

 

[julia1984]

No problem, happy to reply when I saw your thread as I know what a lonely upsetting time it can be. Trust me though it all is so worth it when it does happen, and apparently having pcos is one of the easiest issues for the docs to sort. I just wanted to rush it a bit more hence did the Chinese therapy as it had been such a long wait anyway, every month felt like a lifetime, I'm also type 1, had it since I was 2 and I'm 31 now.

 

[Sarahstar82]

I really do think any alternative treatment would benefit. You need to feel comfortable with a practitioner, do research and Ask plenty of questions and check qualifications. I'm a clinical reflexologist and have seen many woman with PCOS go on to have baby's after years of trying. Stress has a major impact on the body and can have a negative impact on systems like the reproductive. If you find an alternative therapy that helps you to calm your mind stick with it.

 

[azure]

I prefer the term 'complentary' medicine Anything to relieve stress is good, but relaxing alone can't help some medical/hormonal issues. So a combination of relaxation and mainstream treatment is probably best - hence complementary.

And relaxation can be free There are plenty of free online that can help relieve stress and calm the mind. My recommendation is deep breathing - simple, quick and effective.

 

[azure]

I have now had confirmation that I have PCOS and despite the Clomid my hormone levels suggest I'm still not ovulating! Any advice what I should do next as the fertility clinic said they won't see me till Jan 2017 now for next apt?! Having been trying for almost 2 yrs already I really don't want to wait another 6 months All advice welcome please!

If you have the money to pay privately, you may want to look into seeing a consultant privately (unless you're getting the Clomid monitored and increased now over the next few months before that appointment) I can understand why you don't want to,wait that long. I paid to see a consultant. It wasn't cheap, but it sped things up.

 

[Sarahstar82]

@azure Yes I do too prefer the word complementary but for some reason put alternative! Blame baby brain. Alternative is old terminology. I think whatever works paid for or not, if it makes you feel great do it!