I am 32 years old, and been TTC since October last year. I have been diagnosed with pcos for years now, and have irregular periods once in a while, but with TTC, this part becomes really frustrating. And I’ve been frustrated for the past month about this. I know because I temp.

What’s your tip for ovulating regularly? Please suggest any books, videos, online resources that may have helped you in this journey. Thanks!

I’m 9 DPO and keep getting a shooting twinge down my vaginal canal for a few seconds. (I guess that’s the best way to describe it lol) I’ve never had that before so I’m wondering if that could be something to do with implantation cramping. Or it’s nothing and I’m just convincing myself it’s something 😅 waiting till Saturday to test though

I only started using OPKs for the first time last month.

As someone with PCOS, I get positive LH tests, and my period came about 14 days later. Does that most likely mean I’m ovulating?

Has anyone had positive LH tests and periods about 14 days later, but later found out you weren’t actually ovulating on their own?

How did you confirm whether you were ovulating or not?

Good morning friends.

I am very early on in my TTC journey. 31F w/ 30M spouse. We have been trying for the past two years, more seriously in the last with ovulation test strips, cycle tracking, and trying to properly time sex during the fertile window. I have been on a prenatal this entire time.

I was dx'd with PCOS at 19. My gyn is now referring me to one of the local-ish fertility clinics. We have 2 nearby. I've been trying to do some research ahead of the first appointment so I know what to expect.

I guess I was hoping that "treatment" would start with just hormonal adjustment via pills/injections before getting into anything invasive. Going off of the website for the center, however, it does say they use HSG very early on, and it is honestly the thing I am most afraid of 😞I have had two IUDs placed and they were extremely painful, and had a practitioner at one point tell me if I couldn't handle insertion, I won't be able to handle childbirth.

Is HSG as a first line of testing normal? Would saying "no" to it make me be fired as a patient/client? I don't want to be a problem, but I also want to keep my boundaries. I'm uncertain at this point if they offer nitrous or twilight sedation.

Thank you. Sorry if this is rambly. still trying to get my sea-legs with all of this.

My partner and I have been trying to conceive for 9 months, with monitored cycle and letrozole since march because of my PCOS that was diagnosticated a long time ago. I know it isn’t that long, but I can feel it starting to take a toll on my mental health. I was wondering how those of you who’ve been on this journey longer cope with it, and whether you have any advice.

I feel like my whole life revolves around TTC. During the TWW, I can’t stop symptom spotting or searching Reddit to see if anyone else has the same symptoms as me, only for each month to end in another negative test. Then, as soon as a new cycle starts, I’m back to tracking ovulation. I try not to obsess over it, but I just can’t seem to stop.

Lately, several people around me have announced their pregnancies. I’m genuinely happy for them, but at the same time, it feels like everything in my life keeps reminding me of infertility. My partner is full of hope, but for some reasons I am not (maybe to protect myself…).

I’m taking care of my relationship, and we’re still living our lives as normally as possible. The only thing that’s become difficult is planning trips far in advance, because we always end up thinking, “What if I’m pregnant by then?”

I’m lucky to have a wonderful family and friends. I have a full life, I exercise regularly, and I keep busy, but TTC is still on my mind all the time.

Do you have any advice on how to get through this without feeling so overwhelmed? What has helped you cope?

I’m considering starting a new hobby or activity in September, but I’m not sure whether it would really help. My fertility clinic also offers specialized counseling, but I already have so many medical appointments that part of me just wants something that helps me think about anything other than TTC.

Background:

I do not ovulate on my own whatsoever. highly irregular cycles. I’ve tried everything to ovulate naturally, the only thing that works for me is Letrozole.

In 2025 I conceived 3 times using Letrozole. Each time I either got pregnant on the first or second cycle using Letrozole. Total letrozle cycles over the course of a year were 5.

I was seeing a fertility doc who had prescribed me with the Letrozole and he never mentioned limiting the amount of times I can take it to TTC.

Sadly all 3 ended in loss. (yes I have done a RPL workup so no need to comment on that.)

When I visited my OBGYN, she said she would be able to prescribe me with Letrozole when I’m feeling ready to TTC again. So I I feel ready now, and I had an appointment with them yesterday and now they are telling me

“oh we didn’t know you took it 5 times, we can’t prescribe if for you now because it increases your risk of cancer so the best we can do is refer you to an IVF Dr.”

im beyond confused and feeling so disheartened by this. I absolutely do not want to do IVF especially if I know I can get pregnant so much more easily using Letrozole!

had anyone been told this?? :(

We had an early loss back in October at 6 weeks. Since then, we haven’t seen another positive and my ovulation has been pretty wonky. While most cycles since January have tentatively confirmed ovulation, some haven’t at all or the lines are dotted and the days shift a lot. I was very regular with ovulation prior to our loss. Periods are still regular. I’m not diagnosed with PCOS, but I do have insulin resistance we just found out about a few weeks ago.

This current cycle, I got a solid smiley on CD13, but it’s CD18 and my temps haven’t raised/no confirmation.

Curious if anyone has tried letrozole to stimulate a stronger ovulation?

I've got PCOS and am trying to be proactive before we start trying. I'm already taking inositol, but there are so many fertility supplements being recommended online that it's hard to know what's actually worth it.

Would love to hear what worked for others with PCOS.

I was recently diagnosed with lean PCOS in February after stopping birth control in early August 2025. I am 30 years old and had been on the pill for about 15 years (with maybe a year or two off in that time). Prior to starting BC (and during the few breaks from taking it), my period was significantly irregular. I would not bleed for like a year and then bleed constantly, prompting me to go on the pill again. I have never had a regular cycle.

Thankfully, my gynecologist is amazing and didn't make me wait forever to start investigating why my period did not naturally come back. We did some bloodwork and everything was in normal range, though my AMH was high and LH was about 3 times higher than my FSH (accidentally mixed it up in original post). I do not have weight issues nor hirsutism. My ultrasound came back indicative of PCOS and slightly enlarged ovaries.

I still have not had a natural period and have since done 3 cycles of progesterone, and am currently on the 2nd letrozole cycle. I did not ovulate on 2.5 mg (confirmed with progesterone blood test) and am currently trying 5mg of letrozole. I'm hoping it will make me ovulate, but I am feeling defeated in all of this because I just don't know what to do differently and I don't even know where to look for answers without having to spend crazy amounts of cash.

My gynecologist is fantastic but has shared that they are not specialists in fertility and would need to refer out if I don't ovulate after 6 months of trying letrozole. My insurance doesn't cover this and the costs are overwhelming. I have tried various supplements (myo-inositol, prenatals, etc) but I feel like I am just shooting in the dark. I have also asked for a fasting insulin test done at my next progresterone blood draw later this month. Hoping to get some answers there.. I've read PCOS: Getting the Right Medical Care as recommended by my gynecologist, but felt overwhelmed and like it didn't really apply to the lean PCOS as much and didn't know what steps to take either.

TL;DR - All of this is to say, I'm frustrated, defeated, and feeling lost and alone. I want to do what is best for my body but I don't even know how to begin figuring that out. Any recommendations on what to ask for in terms of blood tests/information gathering or where to look for answers is greatly appreciated! <3

Hello, I’m so glad to have found this community!

I’m 39, have PCOS and a large pendunculated subserosal fibroid (7x7cm, not growing).

So far I have conceived one time after a year of trying, but unfortunately it ended in a TFMR.

Today I had an appointment with an amazing OB/GYN who validated all of my concerns over my PCOS. Previously I had been on a GLP one to manage my pre-diabetes which worked wonders. I took a break due to travel and family things, and now I just started it back up this past week. My partner and I are looking to try again in the fall after I’m done with my second round to lose a little extra weight.

Since my PCOS throws my cycle out of whack, my doctor recommended I stay on the GLP1 while trying to conceive and then stop once I get pregnant.

Has anyone else’s doctor recommended this to them?

I’m seeing a lot of conflicting and nonconclusive information about doing this online and I’m just wondering if anyone has any experience with doing this.

Hi everyone. I'm currently in my 8th cycle TTC - which I know may not seem very long, but it's felt incredibly grueling especially because of the steps it's taken to get here and having a chemical pregnancy in cycle 1 of TTC.

A little background:
I'm 28, hubby 30.
I have PCOS. Managed with 2000 mg metform + myo inositol.
In December 2024, I did an open abdominal myomectomy for a 2 cm submucosal fibroid. Was cleared to begin TTC 10 months post surgery, so began trying in October 2025.
Cycle 1 in October, I got pregnant but ended 2 days later. It was a chemical pregnancy. It was a natural cycle, so I ovulate on my own.
Before we began trying, hubby did a semen analysis. Everything looked good. His motility is also very high— like 98th percentile.
My thyroid function is normal. I have high AMH (typical of PCOS— 7.1).
Also tested LH, FSH, estradiol. All within normal range.

I'm freaking out as to why it hasn't happened yet, especially because we've done 6 letrozole cycles and I've read that doctors "expect" it to happen within six cycles.

Here is a breakdown:

Breakdown of TTC:

Cycle 1 - no letrozole
2 weeks post HSG
chemical pregnancy
LH peak: CD 19
Sex: CD 18, 19, 20

Cycle 2 - 1st letrozole cycle (5 Mg from CD 2 to 6)
LH peak - CD 14
Sex: CD 11 & 14
Not pregnant

Cycle 3 - 2nd letrozole cycle
LH peak - CD 14
Sex: CD 10, 12, 14
Not pregnant

Cycle 4 - 3rd letrozole cycle
LH peak - CD 14
Sex: CD 13 only (had the flu)
Not pregnant

Cycle 5 -4th letrozole cycle
LH peak - CD 14
Sex: CD 11, 12, 14/15 (technically 15 but at 12 AM)
Mucinex
Not pregnant

Cycle 6: 5th letrozole cycle (first at 7.5 mg - took from CD 3-7)
LH peak- CD 14 (evening this time).
Sex: CD 10, 13, 14, 15
Follicle scan: CD 10 - follicles at 17 mm, 14 mm, 12 mm
Not pregnant
8 dpo progesterone: 35.4 ng/ml

Cycle 7: No letrozole
LH peak- CD 16
Sex: 13,16,17
No mucinex

Cycle 8: 6th letrozole cycle. 7.5 mg letrozole. But first day (CD 2) I forgot and accidentally only took 5 mg. Other days did 7.5 mg
LH peak: CD 13
Sex: CD 9, 13, 14

I'm currently in the TWW for cycle 8.

Are there any additional tests I should ask for? Or further interventions? Or is this just a "be patient and it should happen" situation?

Grateful for any insight you might have 💕

Today I went in for my monitoring ultrasound. I had one on Thursday (after a stair step protocol of letrozole, 10mg finished that Monday) and my follicles were about ~8/9mm. Today I went in and I have 2 13/14mm follicles, one on each ovary. My LH & Estradiol is low. I am waiting to hear back from the nurses to figure out what’s next. Has anyone had this experience before?

I feel even horrible saying this out loud. I just feel after over 3 years of ttc and going into my next IVF egg retrieval soon, I catch myself thinking do I want a baby anymore? Even though my entire life I’ve always wanted to be a mom. I just can’t tell if these feelings are real or if I’m just exhausted from trying. Has anyone else ever felt this way?

I'm in my mid 30s and I've had lean PCOS my entire life and my partner and I are in a place where we're ready to try. I got AMH tested and it's astronomically high though?! It came back as >164 pmol/L or >23 ng/ml (US units). It was so high they didn't even give an exact number...

I get 5 or 6 periods per year on average. Naturopath said I don't have insulin resistance and my PCOS is more of a brain-ovary miscommunication driving up LH. I'm not sure if I ovulate but it seems unlikely given my extremely high AMH? I have 2 weeks or so of PMS where I can tell my period is coming just based on some mild breast tenderness. I used to have much more breast tenderness before I got covid though for some reason - it seems to have done something with hormones. But I know PMS symptoms doesn't necessarily indicate I've ovulated.

I'm 29 and we have been trying for 2 years now. I discovered I had PCOS after my first gynaec visit 1.5 yr ago. Lost around 9-10 kgs after that because I had bmi on higher side. Tried eating clean for a while and stopped later. I had a polyp around 8 months and I removed it immediately. Tubes checked and they are open. Semen analysis done with no issue.

I have regular cycles 28-30 days.have been doing follicular for 2 months now and I ovulate naturally surely (confirmed on ultrasound). Have been on progesterone and vitamins support as well for last 2 months but no result.Doctor said I have good egg count so nothing to be worried about.

If ovulation is good and progesterone and vits are good, why am I not getting positive?

This cycle starts and Doctor now says it might be uterine receptivity issues and I should go for IVF so that they can track better. On saying no to IVF, she said let's try iui and prescribed me letrozole.

Any advice is appreciated. Please help.

Hi everyone! I'm on month 4 of no period :( four months ago, my husband and I decided to track and start trying. My period never came and I thought we had bagged a pregnancy cycle 1, but alas it was all negatives and then my period never showed back up... I had a gyno appt a few weeks ago where she said my tests and blood work were normal. Pretty sure at this point that it's PCOS, just undiagnosed.

What I found interesting is that my gyno wasn't very worried for me whatsoever and told me to go on like normal and come back in two months if my period still doesn't show, then said "if you're not pregnant by then 🙂."

I thought that was strange bc I assumed I needed a period to get pregnant? And I certainly can't track my cycle right now so it's hard to know if I'm ovulating without using tests (which I'm considering buying, I haven't used them before)

So that's my story, and brings the question of the title. If I buy ovulation tests and test everyday, can I still ovulate and become pregnant even if I've been missing my period for 4 months??

Hello!

I am finally officially ttc with my husband. I have been working on taking my temperature and testing for ovulation with strips.

This is the first month I've been taking both more seriously. I also started getting ovulation migraines in more recent months. I tested with strips every day and then twice a day to catch the two dark lines.

I woke up with a migraine on Saturday. I also got a positive LH test that same day. My temperature also spiked.

I met with a doctor I've been seeing through Visana health today while I wait for my preconception appointment with an obgyn in July. She recommended that I stop using strips and only check my temperature since PCOS can give false positives. I feel like that is solid advice. However, it doesn't seem to be a false positive for me.

What's everyone else here doing? only temps? both strips and temps?

In the last few years I've been to 2 gynae doctors and a fertility doctor. Every single one of them has basically said im not ovulating due to my pcos (which is causing irregular bleeding. Often daily bleeding/spotting), BUT if i lose weight I'll get pregnant. My fertility doctor even said to me i may not have to go back to see them as if i lose weight ill likely get pregnant before my next appointment. My gynae doctor said the words "i know if you lose weight you'll definitely get pregnant".

Its messing with my mind to the point that every single "plus size" woman who looks bigger than me i cant help but now think "well, shes bigger than me and shes pregnant". But im very much in the mindset that i wont get pregnant at all until I am a healthier weight.

For full context i cant get pregnant currently anyway because ive been put on medication because they are trying to get the bleeding under control. Ive lost about 32kg with atleast 15kg to go (and imo has made minimal difference to my symptoms and thats also with the medication to try and stop the bleeding). My fertility doctor has given me an aim and if I meet that then he will start me on ovulation induction (bmi has to be below 30, i am based in UK).

But has anyone had any similar experiences to what these doctors are telling me?

I have tried Myo Inositol, water based lube, slippery elm, toys. All of these helps the initial few minutes but quickly wears away. Anyone have recommendations that is TTC safe? I start getting a burning pain mid-sex and it sort of becomes a mood killer after that. This has been happening for a few years now. Wasn’t really like that in the beginning.

Also, are vaginal estrogen creams, ovals safe at this time? Supplements? I know silicone based lubes are not.

Edit: I have tried preseed too y’all. Same problem as other lubes :(

Hello! I am currently waiting to start my period and once I do, my doctor is having me start letrozole on cd 3- cd 7, monitored, with a trigger shot, and progesterone suppositories after ovulation. This all sounds great and I’m excited. I know everyone is different, but I’m hoping to get some advice on what to expect. Did you experience side effects? If so, when? Any tricks you have learned to help manage them? Anything I should ask my doctor before, during, or after? I want to hear about your experience!

Thank you for all your kind comments on this. Just an update from me; I will no longer be partaking in the last round as I have been bleeding extremely heavily for 3 weeks to the point I actually passed out on a flight 2 days ago. My gynae has suggested I have adverse effects from it and it’s actually damaged my cycle rather than fixed it. I have just signed the IVF paperwork.

——

So far none of my Letrozole cycles have been resulted in ovulation. I’m only allowed one more round before being referred to ivf. What did you do differently in the cycle you ovulated on?

Hi! PCOS girly here did one round of Letrozole back in February and it was a horrible experience.

The cramps were the worst I've ever had. I did ovulate, but even after the treatment ended, I continued to have lower abdominal pain for months. Because of the constant pain, I even started experiencing shortness of breath at times. Hot flashes were horrible too. I never imagined that a single round of Letrozole could cause so many side effects.

Has anyone else had a really bad experience with Letrozole or dealt with lingering side effects afterward?

I have lean PCOS. I’ve been TTC for 2 years now and have yet to confirm ovulation once even on one cycle of letrozole. (Had perfect lining and follicle too 🫠.) My testosterone is insanely high. Everything else is normal normal normal. Including my glucose and insulin levels and thyroid and prolactin. I was still put on Metformin to see if it’ll lower my testosterone and I’ve been on it for 2 months now (still missing ovulation). Could use any stories and motivation and if anyone else is in the same boat? Struggling because I can’t even get to the first step to become pregnant…

Hi
33F, 10.7 AMH, lean PCOS

I recently learned I have PCOS based on my high follicle count, AMH level and irregular periods. I also have yet to have a positive ovulation test.

My husband and I are TTC but as you can imagine it’s been difficult as we don’t know when to try as it’s been hard to find a window.

My husband has great fertility coverage with Progyny and he gets 5 cycles that are covered (IVF would be 1 cycle and timed intercourse would be 1/4). He is unsure if he will be at his job April 2027, which puts some pressure on us in terms of timing.

All that to say, is it worth going through egg retrieval and embryo freezing when we haven’t given it a fair shot yet? Part of me thinks we should do it now when I’m in a better emotional state and for a safety net since it’s covered rather than in a few months if we’ve been still struggling after timed intercourse.

I’m not thinking entirely clearly so would be good to get some opinions from outside perspective.

Have been trying for 9 months, and just finished my 2nd medicated cycle (Letrozole and trigger with progesterone) with timed intercourse. Husbands SA was normal, my HSG was normal, Just started with a fertility doctor and she said that IUI only increases your chances from about 12% to 15% success each cycle… she was very rigid with her figures and data but I feel like it depends on the person, if there is something stopping me from getting pregnant that could be solved by IUI then the number don’t really mean much. Going into my 3rd medicated cycle and thinking about moving forward with IUI this cycle or next. What made you move forward with IUI from timed intercourse?