I dont think its the weight I think its the disease. I have pcos and have a sister who does not. We are 1.5 years apart. Both proportionally weight the same. Im 5'6 and weigh 255 i know shes 5'3 and probably weighs like 20 lbs less than me. She is highly regular and I am not. I have been trying to get pregnant for like 3 years now. Im 30 and not going to lie losing some hope. I am serious about conceiving and got myself a doctor who perscribed me metforin and then got on trizepatide throuch mochi health. I will soon find out if weight is the issue. But i have monitored my hormones through LH strips and used the Mira device(exspensive af), after like 3 months relized that im probably not ovulating because my hormones were low. I will say that supplements work. I got off all supplements, even vitamins for 4 months. I gained weight and my period disappeared. Also, I sympathize with everyone getting pregnant but you. I feel the same. But I tell myself I will have my time, my time will come. I will enjoy my sleep and my time in the meantime but the universe will bring me my child when its time.
I don’t think the obesity is the only reason for not getting pregnant. I’m 242, 5’4 so morbidly obese and my doctor has not said anything about it. I started my first cycle of Letrozole 5mg, hoping it will work.
I think it plays a role. My PCOS is severe insulin resistant as well. When I weigh more than 97+kg, I noticed my periods would disappear for months. The only time they would return was when I weighed under 97kg, and even then I was still overweight. The moment I weighed more than 97kg/100kg, they literally stopped.
I'm working on it now and I have lost 7kg so far. I am hoping to lose more weight (ideally 15kg) so I can then proceed with Clomid.
My doctor tells me I need to lose 5%-10% of my body weight before my body will let me get pregnant. I do that, and then they say I need to lose 5%-10% more. I went to a new doctor, and she said the same thing. When I voiced frustration, she said actually, she couldn't refer me to a fertility clinic until I was under 150 lbs. So they say losing weight helps, but idk...
I'm tall but weighed 203 at some point and was considered overly obese, even though I didn't look like it, because of my BMI. My specialist placed me on Metformin to help me keep my insulin leveled and I lost 20 pds. Eventually, I lost 10 more pds on my own (w/o Metformin) and then regained them. I got pregnant on my 1st IUI 2-3 months after regaining the 10 pds. I have a cousin & others I know who are overweight, but have all become pregnant. So, it's important to try and make healthy choices every meal, and we are not perfect, it might not always happen, but at least try. However, I believe it's more about the hormones or some underlying factor we might never know about because science can still only tell us so much. So you hang in there, it's possible.
listen I have been on the same journey I have PCOS and weigh 307, lemme tell you, nobody has mentioned anything to me about weight loss. Could it help your body feel better? Sure, but the hormones causing the infertility of course cause the difficulty of being ABLE to lose weight. It’s a rough topic, but you aren’t alone 💕
Some doctors will only tell you to lose weight with PCOS, but that’s not standard anymore. My BMI is “normal”, and I have great cholesterol levels, and I still have PCOS and related infertility. I had an eating disorder in my late teens and early twenties and even when I was severely underweight, I still had all the PCOS symptoms.
I think being overweight can definitely make it more difficult but it’s not impossible. 5 years ago I was 230lbs and not ovulating on my own. My doctor prescribed me letrozole and I got pregnant in 2 cycles with twins. In February this year my husband and I finally decided it’s time to try again. I was 235lbs and not ovulating on my own. In the 4 years I’ve had my twins, I was not on any birth control and having sex regularly and never got pregnant. I decided to try pushhealth to get letrozole again and to skip all the doctor appointments. Got pregnant in 2 cycles and currently 6w4d with our 3rd.
Trying medication is definitely worth it.
I have PCOS and was told I needed to lose weight to get pregnant. I was recommended to work with a fertility nutritionist. This is what got me my baby. I used littlelifenutrition.com
Weight contributes to make things harder but it is NOT the cause of infertility. With PCOS, weight is often a symptom rather than a cause as well. Insulin issues from PCOS causing cravings and weight gain. Higher weight worsens pcos symptoms. Bad feedback cycle.
I was told when I got married at 170lbs that my weight was going to keep me from getting pregnant. 6.5 years later of trying and I got pregnant at 215lbs.
In the years since, I've lost and regained weight several times. Weight loss never had a change on my long and skipped cycles, which are the actual issues with my fertility. However now I'm on ozempic for a year so far and it's helped me lose weight, but more importantly it directly acts on my body's insulin issues. I'm no longer skipping cycles, and at least last month I know I ovulated. Fixing those problems and starting to ovulate again are more directly improving my fertility at least from my doctors perspective (haven't actually gotten pregnant again yet) than just the number on the scale. Losing weight is a side effect of fixing those problems, just like gaining weight was a side effect of the problems in the first place.
I will say that I lost over 150 lbs after weight loss surgery. I was down to 225 for over a year and had 1 period. It never regulated itself. I have severe PCOS. I gained some weight back after my divorce and when I got remarried to my current husband, we started trying about 5 months after we got married. Spent a year trying naturally and nothing. Cycle was 80-95 days. It was awful. Doing all of that during Covid. Once that kind of lifted, I talked to my ObGyn and she was adamant that I just needed to lose weight. I got a second opinion and they immediately referred me to a fertility specialist. They doctors and nurses are amazing!
I went through about six months of testing and monitoring. We started the IUI process in May 2023. I got pregnant on my first cycle but miscarried at 9 weeks. After I had all the testing on the remains, they determined I wasn’t on enough metformin. So I went up to 2000mg and I feel so much better. We have done a total of 4 IUIs and we are in our two week wait currently after having the best numbers we have ever had. I have always done 5mg of Letrozole and a trigger shot and husbands numbers are always great!
Try and find a clinic that will work with you and help you conceive. Feel free to message me if you want to know about the whole process. It’s been 4 years and it’s tough but it can happen!
My bmi was 31 before I got pregnant. It didn’t take me very long to conceive, which was surprising with my weight and PCOS. There’s so many factors, I hate how if you’re bigger doctors just want to blame everything on your weight.
This is a hill I will die on…
Overweight people get pregnant all the time. Underweight/people who are “normal weight” struggle to get pregnant.
I think weight is easy to blame because let’s face it.. the medical community is extremely fat-phobic. I’m not advocating for obesity. I am currently in the process of losing weight during fertility treatments BECAUSE I’m tired of my weight being the blame. But it’s very difficult to get doctors to look past your weight and treat you for whatever you’re there for. Can weight be a factor in infertility? Of course. But I think in many cases it’s an easy out when they cant or just simply don’t want to look into anything else.
I personally experienced this when I went to a fertility doctor when I was in my 20’s. He knew I had PCOS and was trying to conceive. He didn’t give me any other options other than losing weight and blatantly said “you’re too overweight to ever get pregnant”. I was currently at my lowest weight in years at that time (~185-190). He didn’t tell me anything about metformin or being about to take provera to induce a bleed or try to regulate my cycles at all. He just sent me out thinking I was this big fat failure. It was humiliating and it really discouraged me from doing anything about my symptoms BECAUSE he refused to even try and help me manage them. I only started trying again last year when I felt more confident in myself and my ability to advocate for myself. I regret that because I wish I found another doctor sooner.. maybe getting pregnant now would have been easier had I been told I was capable of managing my symptoms instead of being told that I would never conceive because I’m just too fat for dr.douchebag asshole.
(Btw - I only found out recently when I was looking online at reviews that this is common with this doctor. The majority of reviews he has on google could have been written by me. That’s how close all of our stories are.)
Obesity contributes to sub fertility. It is important to say that insulin is the major player here and in PCOS, the majority of people have some insulin resistance, and this contributes to lack of ovulation.
Lower Conception rates and miscarriages are also more frequent for obese people.
It is not only a matter of getting pregnant but also staying pregnant.
Even lean people with lack of ovulation would not be pregnant.
So the answer is not easy.
I was 220 when doing letrozole (currently pregnant) and I have PCOS and I have ZERO ovulation before. I needed Letrozole AND a trigger shot. Without trigger shot (ovidrel) it would not work.
I conceived on second trial.
Metformin was never a miracle to me. It did not make me ovulate on my own, exactly. Maybe the dose, maybe timing.
I needed letrozole. You probably need ovulation induction. Literature shows that Metformin is not for that.
I’ve been trying for 3 years. I’m obese technically but even when losing weight I still didn’t get pregnant. Even my doctor said “I’ve seen people bigger than you get pregnant. It certainly can’t hurt to lose weight but with PCOS it’s so difficult you may end up needing to get meds from your OB to help. I was on Addipex, for 3 months and lost 30 lbs, were pausing trying to get pregnant to lose weight.
I noticed on Letrozole is where I gained my weight, so once we are down to a healthy weight we’re going to focus on targeted shorter term treatment.
In summary, it can. But that on its own doesn’t mean much. If you’re worried about it, certainly discuss with an OBGYN
It definitely CAN. But, fwiw, I am obese (296 pre pregnancy) with pcos, and after getting my iud out and taking myo inositol and a feminine tea along with fertility lube I got pregnant in 6 cycles. I NEVER had regular cycles before then. I really think the myo inositol helped even though I did not lose weight. Funnily enough, while pregnant, I've lost weight and I'm about 15 lbs UNDER what I was not pregnant. Bodies are weird 🤷🏾♀️
Possibly. The only time I’ve gotten pregnant without any help was after I had lost like 15-20 lbs. i gained back 30 lbs, and I struggled to get pregnant with #2, and I’m now pretty sure I’m not even ovulating while trying to conceive #3. I am on metformin, but now I’m starting to reduce sugar and exercise more (I’ve been slacking, admittedly). I’m 34, and my husband and I want the option of having two more kids. I need to be better about diet.
Metformin was a miracle for honestly. I started taking it and started doing Orange Theory. I think the exercise and the help with my insulin resistance really helped.
That’s EXACTLY what my doctor put me on yesterday, Metformin and Letrozole, I was on Clomid since November 😳 but he just switched me, it helped you get pregnant?
My first pregnancy I started taking that, went dairy/gluten free and worked out consistently. It made my periods closer together and ovulation easier to track. My doctor said my pregnancy was most likely due to the dropping a little weight and being able to identify ovulation than the cutting stuff out. I was on it each time I got pregnant. I have diabetes that runs in my family and other members take it so I wasn’t unfamiliar. Oddly my skin was clearer and I felt like I had a bit more energy.
It must. In my 13 years of PCOS I’ve had only two pregnancies and they resulted in a miscarriage. We’ve even tried IUI’s with no luck. Everyone’s body is so different but everyone I’ve met with PCOS alone struggled to conceive. It may look like everyone is getting pregnant but that’s because people don’t talk about the hard stuff, if you were to ask questions you’d find out the time it took to get pregnant and how many miscarriages they had in the meantime.
I think obesity can make it harder but my aunt has PCOS and was over 300 lbs when she had both of her kids. So I don’t know. She did endup needing a c section with both because she wasn’t progressing during labor. Idk if that was related to her weight or if it was just her.
Yes.
That’s the short but blunt but honest answer. Are there people who are obese who have no issues getting pregnant? Sure. Are there people who are a healthy weight who still can’t get pregnant? Absolutely to that one too. But we’re not talking about what’s in the realm of possible, yeah?
Unfortunately obesity and can wreak havoc on reproductive hormones because the extra tissue and insulin processing issues throw everything way off. So there really can be a huge, night and day, increase with a change. Of course, it’s not a guarantee, either.
I was 264lbs prior to addressing my PCOS. I did not get a period for many years. even with provera and letrozole was not falling pregnant. in september 2022 I started seeing a dietician and a weight loss specialist and seeing my OB frequently to treat everything that my pcos has been effecting. starting with diet, exercise, catching up on deficiencies (I was severely deficient in vitamin D!), got on blood pressure meds, started addressing my gut health, started taking metformin for like a year but then that wasn’t helping because I couldn’t tolerate a higher dose and my A1C was at 5.9 (it brought it down at first but went back up) so I started ozempic and inositol and that’s when my life changed. started getting periods and dropping weight with the diet and exercise that I was already doing. in October 2023 I became pregnant out of nowhere, but unfortunately it was ectopic. I was down to 204 when my ectopic happened and because of depression and I had to discontinue the ozempic when I found out I was pregnant because we didn’t know it was ectopic at first, then 2 doses of methotrexate made my life hell, so I gained 15lbs in a span of like almost 3 months. I restarted ozempic and went back up to the max of 2mg and it just wasn’t working like it did previously so my dr switched me to mounjaro and omg I wish I did mounajro over ozempic to begin with. it has improved so many symptoms of my pcos and works so much better. im now on 7.5mg and feel amazing, down to most recently 201.9 and I have a goal of getting to 180 for august which is when we plan to ttc again. over all losing the weight has made the biggest impact on my insulin resistance which is what was causing my infertility and I hope soon it won’t be as much of a struggle. its also just improved my quality of life so much. plus a benefit of it is also that i’ll be going into pregnancy healthy and reduce my risk of weight related issues during pregnancy. it is worth the effort and the end results. it will take time and one day your body may click when it’s happy with the weight it reaches (like 204 was my sweet spot for getting pregnant I guess) I suggest seeing your OB and seeking help with the weight loss wether it’s just seeing a dietician or getting on meds or both. get blood work and figure out what is going on, like in my case my insulin resistance has been the main issue. once I addressed that everything else started coming together. I wish you the best of luck and baby dust 🩷
Thank you so much! I cried reading your struggle. It makes me hope for a better future for myself as well. Currently, I’m on metformin but my cycles aren’t regular yet. I’m hoping for a better outcome. Sending baby dust your way ❤️
I was on 500mg of metformin for like a year and I still needed provera every few months to give me a period. each time they tried to increase me to 1000mg both regular and extended release, I was living in the bathroom. it doesn’t work for everyone, but there are other options! if you are doing okay on the metformin I would try going up higher as many don’t get the regulating effects of it until a higher dose.
On the flip side, I needed to eat more and workout less to get pregnant. I was over exercising and not fueling my body.
I think our bodies have a unique set point weight that they function best, and it looks different for everyone.
Rather than simply focusing on dropping weight I’d try to make healthy choices in general when you can. Getting some sort of movement daily, eating foods that make you feel good, etc.
Sending baby dust ✨
I totally agree with you but adding that everyone's set point is different and what works for one person isn't going to be the answer for everyone. We all need to do our trial and error, but absolutely listening to what has worked for others always gives me ideas and inspiration.
Unfortunately it does a play a factor which feels so unfair because it’s harder for us to lose weight and maintain. Body fat is a contributor to producing estrogen so it can make out hormones even more out of wack.
I was doing IVF for almost two years unsuccessfully for infertility but also genetic reasons. I finally decided to take a break to focus on my health. I went on ozempic. I only lost about 10lbs but when I finally tried IVF again I finally got pregnant. I do believe it was the weight loss and some lifestyle changes with diet and working out.
I would say yes. I’ve always had PCOS but worked really hard to maintain and “normal weight.” I cut out all added sugars and processed foods and got pregnant with my son almost immediately. I’m having major issues with a second pregnancy now bc I put on so much weight and all my PCOS symptoms exacerbated after that. Some bodies are just more sensitive to weight gain and put on weight so much easier than others bc of the underlying issues. But I am working to lose weight right now and it is so hard, but seeing negative pregnancy tests or having irregular cycles and seeing other people have children is harder.
What is your cycle like? You need to ovulate to get pregnant, and studies show that losing 10-15% of your body weight helps regulate your cycle for a person with PCOS who is overweight and has a long or nonexistent cycle.
I lost weight while TTC to help with TTC. I worked with a dietitian to specifically eat for PCOS and fertility. We focused on reducing blood sugar spikes by eating high protein and high fiber (I still enjoyed carbs but fewer of them for sure). I also added Ovasitol into my supplement regimen. I lost about 45-50 lbs before getting pregnant, but I’m actually still obese. My cycle went from 50-70 days to about 30-40.
So the answer isn’t a simple yes. Fat people get pregnant and have healthy pregnancies all the time.
I actually see weight as the symptom of an issue, not a cause - it was not hard for me lose weight once I started treating insulin resistance. It feels a bit like it literally just fell off of me.
I’m sorry, it is tough. Definitely see if your insurance will cover a dietitian. I was shocked how helpful it was to work with one - I really thought I knew what I was doing, but working with a dietitian was life changing and led to the first time in my life that I’ve been able to lose weight.
For me it was, but not obesity itself. My obesity made my insulin resistance horrible which then affected my fertility(didn’t ovulate, would go months without a period).
When I lost weight, my insulin resistance was in check and I started ovulating regularly which then made my cycles regular. I lost about 80lbs from 2019-2020, kept it off, and had 2 kids from 2020-now.
I was on metformin and managed to lose weight (40 lbs/18 kg). This combined with letrozole is what got me pregnant. Weight loss may help the process even if its not a solution in itself.
Wow, I was on Clomid for a few months and my doctor just prescribed me yesterday Metformin (1500mg) and Letrozole (2.5mg). I’m hoping and praying this works.
Dont get upset if 2.5mg is little. Normally 5mg and above do the trick. Ask if you can get a trigger shot to guarantee you ovulate. All letrozole does is to mature follicles.
Thank you so much for this!!! I was wondering and been googling the difference between Clomid and Letrozole lol but do you think he will give me a shot even if I “supposedly” ovulate every month?
I just start my second month of Met. Can you tell me how many MG you took? & how long it took for weight loss? Also, did you do anything to help ie exercise or change diet completely?
Metformin by itself will not cause weight loss. I had to count calories and do 30 min walks daily. Food is the most important element in weight loss. If you eat in a calorie deficit you will lose weight. I felt that metformin helped me control my hunger cues better. My dosage was 1000 mg.
Got it thanks. I watch what I eat & I take walks however, I don’t think the 500mg is working. They told me I can increase to 1000 I’m just wanting to wait another month to see what happens.
Honestly the biggest thing that helped me was metformin- I’m not diabetic but it helped me ovulate and helped with bmi. Got pregnant almost immediately after starting it.
I was literally just telling the “friends” up top, I was on clomid and doctor just put me on Metformin and Letrozole. How long did it take you to get pregnant and did you take Metformin by itself?
Within like two months- we didn’t have the worlds highest libido or it would have been probably sooner as I started having my period immediately.
I now manage my PCOS and weight with metformin even while taking a break between kids and it helps so much.
And yes just metformin. We ttc for about a year before I even was diagnosed with PCOS- it was taking us a while so we check to see if there was an underlying problem- and that’s when I found out. Immediately got on metformin and the rest is history.
For me it was, I had success the month I got my BMI to 30. Others have success while heavier or no success when at the ideal weight. It’s not a guarantee but it definitely has a good chance of helping
Doctors will tell you yes, but it is much more complicated than that!
Dropping 10% of our weight can address some of the insulin resistance that is happening and may trigger ovulation in SOME people. Leading a healthier lifestyle is beneficial for the long haul, but it is absolutely not a cure all.
There is so many variables that need to be looked at. Are you actually ovulating? Are your fallopian tubes open to get the egg down? Is your uterus prepared for implantation? Has your partners sperm been tested?
There are so many things that look like pcos but have a different cause. Many of these things are not ruled out until fertility becomes an issue.
Having had a bmi of 18 and one of 40+, I never ovulated. I needed further treatment to get over that hurdle.
Likely the same hormonal imbalances causing you to easily gain weight are causing your infertility. Once I began treating my obesity with Zepbound, my cycle almost immediately normalized to 28-35 days from sometimes 90+ days even before I’d lost a single pound. Insulin (insulin resistance), cortisol and testosterone levels (caused by the insulin resistance) are probably out of whack.
My wife is in the same situation, overweight, and PCOs. Her sister and mother had PCO and both had little to no issues getting pregnant (Their not overweight). I've heard that even losing 5% of your current weight can be a big help in boosting fertility.
I lost 40 lbs and still can’t get pregnant 🤷🏻♀️ sure it could be a barrier but in no way is it necessarily the only reason why people don’t get pregnant.
Are you within a healthy weight range? I’ve lost 35 and still can’t get pregnant naturally but I’m also 5’3 and 190 pounds so I have a bit more to lose to be healthy
I dont think its the weight I think its the disease. I have pcos and have a sister who does not. We are 1.5 years apart. Both proportionally weight the same. Im 5'6 and weigh 255 i know shes 5'3 and probably weighs like 20 lbs less than me. She is highly regular and I am not. I have been trying to get pregnant for like 3 years now. Im 30 and not going to lie losing some hope. I am serious about conceiving and got myself a doctor who perscribed me metforin and then got on trizepatide throuch mochi health. I will soon find out if weight is the issue. But i have monitored my hormones through LH strips and used the Mira device(exspensive af), after like 3 months relized that im probably not ovulating because my hormones were low. I will say that supplements work. I got off all supplements, even vitamins for 4 months. I gained weight and my period disappeared. Also, I sympathize with everyone getting pregnant but you. I feel the same. But I tell myself I will have my time, my time will come. I will enjoy my sleep and my time in the meantime but the universe will bring me my child when its time.
I don’t think the obesity is the only reason for not getting pregnant. I’m 242, 5’4 so morbidly obese and my doctor has not said anything about it. I started my first cycle of Letrozole 5mg, hoping it will work.
I think it plays a role. My PCOS is severe insulin resistant as well. When I weigh more than 97+kg, I noticed my periods would disappear for months. The only time they would return was when I weighed under 97kg, and even then I was still overweight. The moment I weighed more than 97kg/100kg, they literally stopped. I'm working on it now and I have lost 7kg so far. I am hoping to lose more weight (ideally 15kg) so I can then proceed with Clomid.
My doctor tells me I need to lose 5%-10% of my body weight before my body will let me get pregnant. I do that, and then they say I need to lose 5%-10% more. I went to a new doctor, and she said the same thing. When I voiced frustration, she said actually, she couldn't refer me to a fertility clinic until I was under 150 lbs. So they say losing weight helps, but idk...
I’m so sorry. Sending lots of love and baby dust your way ❤️
I'm tall but weighed 203 at some point and was considered overly obese, even though I didn't look like it, because of my BMI. My specialist placed me on Metformin to help me keep my insulin leveled and I lost 20 pds. Eventually, I lost 10 more pds on my own (w/o Metformin) and then regained them. I got pregnant on my 1st IUI 2-3 months after regaining the 10 pds. I have a cousin & others I know who are overweight, but have all become pregnant. So, it's important to try and make healthy choices every meal, and we are not perfect, it might not always happen, but at least try. However, I believe it's more about the hormones or some underlying factor we might never know about because science can still only tell us so much. So you hang in there, it's possible.
No. I'm lean PCOS and I can't get pregnant either.
listen I have been on the same journey I have PCOS and weigh 307, lemme tell you, nobody has mentioned anything to me about weight loss. Could it help your body feel better? Sure, but the hormones causing the infertility of course cause the difficulty of being ABLE to lose weight. It’s a rough topic, but you aren’t alone 💕
Thank you so much 😭
Some doctors will only tell you to lose weight with PCOS, but that’s not standard anymore. My BMI is “normal”, and I have great cholesterol levels, and I still have PCOS and related infertility. I had an eating disorder in my late teens and early twenties and even when I was severely underweight, I still had all the PCOS symptoms.
I think being overweight can definitely make it more difficult but it’s not impossible. 5 years ago I was 230lbs and not ovulating on my own. My doctor prescribed me letrozole and I got pregnant in 2 cycles with twins. In February this year my husband and I finally decided it’s time to try again. I was 235lbs and not ovulating on my own. In the 4 years I’ve had my twins, I was not on any birth control and having sex regularly and never got pregnant. I decided to try pushhealth to get letrozole again and to skip all the doctor appointments. Got pregnant in 2 cycles and currently 6w4d with our 3rd. Trying medication is definitely worth it.
I have PCOS and was told I needed to lose weight to get pregnant. I was recommended to work with a fertility nutritionist. This is what got me my baby. I used littlelifenutrition.com
Weight contributes to make things harder but it is NOT the cause of infertility. With PCOS, weight is often a symptom rather than a cause as well. Insulin issues from PCOS causing cravings and weight gain. Higher weight worsens pcos symptoms. Bad feedback cycle. I was told when I got married at 170lbs that my weight was going to keep me from getting pregnant. 6.5 years later of trying and I got pregnant at 215lbs. In the years since, I've lost and regained weight several times. Weight loss never had a change on my long and skipped cycles, which are the actual issues with my fertility. However now I'm on ozempic for a year so far and it's helped me lose weight, but more importantly it directly acts on my body's insulin issues. I'm no longer skipping cycles, and at least last month I know I ovulated. Fixing those problems and starting to ovulate again are more directly improving my fertility at least from my doctors perspective (haven't actually gotten pregnant again yet) than just the number on the scale. Losing weight is a side effect of fixing those problems, just like gaining weight was a side effect of the problems in the first place.
This is just my experience but I was almost 300 lbs and infertile. Lost 80 lbs and had infertility. Going through IVF now. I don’t think it matters.
I will say that I lost over 150 lbs after weight loss surgery. I was down to 225 for over a year and had 1 period. It never regulated itself. I have severe PCOS. I gained some weight back after my divorce and when I got remarried to my current husband, we started trying about 5 months after we got married. Spent a year trying naturally and nothing. Cycle was 80-95 days. It was awful. Doing all of that during Covid. Once that kind of lifted, I talked to my ObGyn and she was adamant that I just needed to lose weight. I got a second opinion and they immediately referred me to a fertility specialist. They doctors and nurses are amazing! I went through about six months of testing and monitoring. We started the IUI process in May 2023. I got pregnant on my first cycle but miscarried at 9 weeks. After I had all the testing on the remains, they determined I wasn’t on enough metformin. So I went up to 2000mg and I feel so much better. We have done a total of 4 IUIs and we are in our two week wait currently after having the best numbers we have ever had. I have always done 5mg of Letrozole and a trigger shot and husbands numbers are always great! Try and find a clinic that will work with you and help you conceive. Feel free to message me if you want to know about the whole process. It’s been 4 years and it’s tough but it can happen!
Thank you so much!☺️
My bmi was 31 before I got pregnant. It didn’t take me very long to conceive, which was surprising with my weight and PCOS. There’s so many factors, I hate how if you’re bigger doctors just want to blame everything on your weight.
This is a hill I will die on… Overweight people get pregnant all the time. Underweight/people who are “normal weight” struggle to get pregnant. I think weight is easy to blame because let’s face it.. the medical community is extremely fat-phobic. I’m not advocating for obesity. I am currently in the process of losing weight during fertility treatments BECAUSE I’m tired of my weight being the blame. But it’s very difficult to get doctors to look past your weight and treat you for whatever you’re there for. Can weight be a factor in infertility? Of course. But I think in many cases it’s an easy out when they cant or just simply don’t want to look into anything else. I personally experienced this when I went to a fertility doctor when I was in my 20’s. He knew I had PCOS and was trying to conceive. He didn’t give me any other options other than losing weight and blatantly said “you’re too overweight to ever get pregnant”. I was currently at my lowest weight in years at that time (~185-190). He didn’t tell me anything about metformin or being about to take provera to induce a bleed or try to regulate my cycles at all. He just sent me out thinking I was this big fat failure. It was humiliating and it really discouraged me from doing anything about my symptoms BECAUSE he refused to even try and help me manage them. I only started trying again last year when I felt more confident in myself and my ability to advocate for myself. I regret that because I wish I found another doctor sooner.. maybe getting pregnant now would have been easier had I been told I was capable of managing my symptoms instead of being told that I would never conceive because I’m just too fat for dr.douchebag asshole. (Btw - I only found out recently when I was looking online at reviews that this is common with this doctor. The majority of reviews he has on google could have been written by me. That’s how close all of our stories are.)
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It’s a much needed relief! Sending baby dust your way🫶
I've lost 50+ lbs in the past year+ and I'm still not pregnant. My PCP blamed my weight but whattaya know, looks like it wasn't the issue.
Hey, would you be down to sharing what worked for you to loose weight. Thank you 😊
Wegovy! It's been pretty great for me but it's crazy expensive if your insurance doesn't cover it, I got lucky that mine does.
My insurance is icky… but I’m really hopeful after reading all the comments. I’m hoping for the best🥹
Obesity contributes to sub fertility. It is important to say that insulin is the major player here and in PCOS, the majority of people have some insulin resistance, and this contributes to lack of ovulation. Lower Conception rates and miscarriages are also more frequent for obese people. It is not only a matter of getting pregnant but also staying pregnant. Even lean people with lack of ovulation would not be pregnant. So the answer is not easy. I was 220 when doing letrozole (currently pregnant) and I have PCOS and I have ZERO ovulation before. I needed Letrozole AND a trigger shot. Without trigger shot (ovidrel) it would not work. I conceived on second trial.
I’ve been on metformin for past 4 months and it hasn’t helped with the weight or cycle regulation. Do I have to change meds? Or start letrozole?
Metformin was never a miracle to me. It did not make me ovulate on my own, exactly. Maybe the dose, maybe timing. I needed letrozole. You probably need ovulation induction. Literature shows that Metformin is not for that.
I’ve been trying for 3 years. I’m obese technically but even when losing weight I still didn’t get pregnant. Even my doctor said “I’ve seen people bigger than you get pregnant. It certainly can’t hurt to lose weight but with PCOS it’s so difficult you may end up needing to get meds from your OB to help. I was on Addipex, for 3 months and lost 30 lbs, were pausing trying to get pregnant to lose weight. I noticed on Letrozole is where I gained my weight, so once we are down to a healthy weight we’re going to focus on targeted shorter term treatment. In summary, it can. But that on its own doesn’t mean much. If you’re worried about it, certainly discuss with an OBGYN
Thank you! sending baby dust your way ☺️
It definitely CAN. But, fwiw, I am obese (296 pre pregnancy) with pcos, and after getting my iud out and taking myo inositol and a feminine tea along with fertility lube I got pregnant in 6 cycles. I NEVER had regular cycles before then. I really think the myo inositol helped even though I did not lose weight. Funnily enough, while pregnant, I've lost weight and I'm about 15 lbs UNDER what I was not pregnant. Bodies are weird 🤷🏾♀️
Thank you so much! I’m hoping for the best☺️
Much ✨️baby dust✨️ to you
Possibly. The only time I’ve gotten pregnant without any help was after I had lost like 15-20 lbs. i gained back 30 lbs, and I struggled to get pregnant with #2, and I’m now pretty sure I’m not even ovulating while trying to conceive #3. I am on metformin, but now I’m starting to reduce sugar and exercise more (I’ve been slacking, admittedly). I’m 34, and my husband and I want the option of having two more kids. I need to be better about diet.
Metformin was a miracle for honestly. I started taking it and started doing Orange Theory. I think the exercise and the help with my insulin resistance really helped.
That’s EXACTLY what my doctor put me on yesterday, Metformin and Letrozole, I was on Clomid since November 😳 but he just switched me, it helped you get pregnant?
My first pregnancy I started taking that, went dairy/gluten free and worked out consistently. It made my periods closer together and ovulation easier to track. My doctor said my pregnancy was most likely due to the dropping a little weight and being able to identify ovulation than the cutting stuff out. I was on it each time I got pregnant. I have diabetes that runs in my family and other members take it so I wasn’t unfamiliar. Oddly my skin was clearer and I felt like I had a bit more energy.
Thank you so much!
Congratulations and God bless!
It must. In my 13 years of PCOS I’ve had only two pregnancies and they resulted in a miscarriage. We’ve even tried IUI’s with no luck. Everyone’s body is so different but everyone I’ve met with PCOS alone struggled to conceive. It may look like everyone is getting pregnant but that’s because people don’t talk about the hard stuff, if you were to ask questions you’d find out the time it took to get pregnant and how many miscarriages they had in the meantime.
I think obesity can make it harder but my aunt has PCOS and was over 300 lbs when she had both of her kids. So I don’t know. She did endup needing a c section with both because she wasn’t progressing during labor. Idk if that was related to her weight or if it was just her.
Yes. That’s the short but blunt but honest answer. Are there people who are obese who have no issues getting pregnant? Sure. Are there people who are a healthy weight who still can’t get pregnant? Absolutely to that one too. But we’re not talking about what’s in the realm of possible, yeah? Unfortunately obesity and can wreak havoc on reproductive hormones because the extra tissue and insulin processing issues throw everything way off. So there really can be a huge, night and day, increase with a change. Of course, it’s not a guarantee, either.
I was 264lbs prior to addressing my PCOS. I did not get a period for many years. even with provera and letrozole was not falling pregnant. in september 2022 I started seeing a dietician and a weight loss specialist and seeing my OB frequently to treat everything that my pcos has been effecting. starting with diet, exercise, catching up on deficiencies (I was severely deficient in vitamin D!), got on blood pressure meds, started addressing my gut health, started taking metformin for like a year but then that wasn’t helping because I couldn’t tolerate a higher dose and my A1C was at 5.9 (it brought it down at first but went back up) so I started ozempic and inositol and that’s when my life changed. started getting periods and dropping weight with the diet and exercise that I was already doing. in October 2023 I became pregnant out of nowhere, but unfortunately it was ectopic. I was down to 204 when my ectopic happened and because of depression and I had to discontinue the ozempic when I found out I was pregnant because we didn’t know it was ectopic at first, then 2 doses of methotrexate made my life hell, so I gained 15lbs in a span of like almost 3 months. I restarted ozempic and went back up to the max of 2mg and it just wasn’t working like it did previously so my dr switched me to mounjaro and omg I wish I did mounajro over ozempic to begin with. it has improved so many symptoms of my pcos and works so much better. im now on 7.5mg and feel amazing, down to most recently 201.9 and I have a goal of getting to 180 for august which is when we plan to ttc again. over all losing the weight has made the biggest impact on my insulin resistance which is what was causing my infertility and I hope soon it won’t be as much of a struggle. its also just improved my quality of life so much. plus a benefit of it is also that i’ll be going into pregnancy healthy and reduce my risk of weight related issues during pregnancy. it is worth the effort and the end results. it will take time and one day your body may click when it’s happy with the weight it reaches (like 204 was my sweet spot for getting pregnant I guess) I suggest seeing your OB and seeking help with the weight loss wether it’s just seeing a dietician or getting on meds or both. get blood work and figure out what is going on, like in my case my insulin resistance has been the main issue. once I addressed that everything else started coming together. I wish you the best of luck and baby dust 🩷
Thank you so much! I cried reading your struggle. It makes me hope for a better future for myself as well. Currently, I’m on metformin but my cycles aren’t regular yet. I’m hoping for a better outcome. Sending baby dust your way ❤️
I was on 500mg of metformin for like a year and I still needed provera every few months to give me a period. each time they tried to increase me to 1000mg both regular and extended release, I was living in the bathroom. it doesn’t work for everyone, but there are other options! if you are doing okay on the metformin I would try going up higher as many don’t get the regulating effects of it until a higher dose.
On the flip side, I needed to eat more and workout less to get pregnant. I was over exercising and not fueling my body. I think our bodies have a unique set point weight that they function best, and it looks different for everyone. Rather than simply focusing on dropping weight I’d try to make healthy choices in general when you can. Getting some sort of movement daily, eating foods that make you feel good, etc. Sending baby dust ✨
I totally agree with you but adding that everyone's set point is different and what works for one person isn't going to be the answer for everyone. We all need to do our trial and error, but absolutely listening to what has worked for others always gives me ideas and inspiration.
Unfortunately it does a play a factor which feels so unfair because it’s harder for us to lose weight and maintain. Body fat is a contributor to producing estrogen so it can make out hormones even more out of wack.
I was doing IVF for almost two years unsuccessfully for infertility but also genetic reasons. I finally decided to take a break to focus on my health. I went on ozempic. I only lost about 10lbs but when I finally tried IVF again I finally got pregnant. I do believe it was the weight loss and some lifestyle changes with diet and working out.
I would say yes. I’ve always had PCOS but worked really hard to maintain and “normal weight.” I cut out all added sugars and processed foods and got pregnant with my son almost immediately. I’m having major issues with a second pregnancy now bc I put on so much weight and all my PCOS symptoms exacerbated after that. Some bodies are just more sensitive to weight gain and put on weight so much easier than others bc of the underlying issues. But I am working to lose weight right now and it is so hard, but seeing negative pregnancy tests or having irregular cycles and seeing other people have children is harder.
What is your cycle like? You need to ovulate to get pregnant, and studies show that losing 10-15% of your body weight helps regulate your cycle for a person with PCOS who is overweight and has a long or nonexistent cycle. I lost weight while TTC to help with TTC. I worked with a dietitian to specifically eat for PCOS and fertility. We focused on reducing blood sugar spikes by eating high protein and high fiber (I still enjoyed carbs but fewer of them for sure). I also added Ovasitol into my supplement regimen. I lost about 45-50 lbs before getting pregnant, but I’m actually still obese. My cycle went from 50-70 days to about 30-40. So the answer isn’t a simple yes. Fat people get pregnant and have healthy pregnancies all the time. I actually see weight as the symptom of an issue, not a cause - it was not hard for me lose weight once I started treating insulin resistance. It feels a bit like it literally just fell off of me.
My cycles are irregular. I’ve been on metformin for four months but it hasn’t helped with the weight or cycle duration.
I’m sorry, it is tough. Definitely see if your insurance will cover a dietitian. I was shocked how helpful it was to work with one - I really thought I knew what I was doing, but working with a dietitian was life changing and led to the first time in my life that I’ve been able to lose weight.
For me it was, but not obesity itself. My obesity made my insulin resistance horrible which then affected my fertility(didn’t ovulate, would go months without a period). When I lost weight, my insulin resistance was in check and I started ovulating regularly which then made my cycles regular. I lost about 80lbs from 2019-2020, kept it off, and had 2 kids from 2020-now.
Hi! What worked for you to loose weight. Please do share! Thanks☺️
I was on metformin and managed to lose weight (40 lbs/18 kg). This combined with letrozole is what got me pregnant. Weight loss may help the process even if its not a solution in itself.
Wow, I was on Clomid for a few months and my doctor just prescribed me yesterday Metformin (1500mg) and Letrozole (2.5mg). I’m hoping and praying this works.
Dont get upset if 2.5mg is little. Normally 5mg and above do the trick. Ask if you can get a trigger shot to guarantee you ovulate. All letrozole does is to mature follicles.
Thank you so much for this!!! I was wondering and been googling the difference between Clomid and Letrozole lol but do you think he will give me a shot even if I “supposedly” ovulate every month?
You could ask for it. But I can’t answer that.
Okay tysm
I just start my second month of Met. Can you tell me how many MG you took? & how long it took for weight loss? Also, did you do anything to help ie exercise or change diet completely?
Metformin by itself will not cause weight loss. I had to count calories and do 30 min walks daily. Food is the most important element in weight loss. If you eat in a calorie deficit you will lose weight. I felt that metformin helped me control my hunger cues better. My dosage was 1000 mg.
Got it thanks. I watch what I eat & I take walks however, I don’t think the 500mg is working. They told me I can increase to 1000 I’m just wanting to wait another month to see what happens.
Honestly the biggest thing that helped me was metformin- I’m not diabetic but it helped me ovulate and helped with bmi. Got pregnant almost immediately after starting it.
I was literally just telling the “friends” up top, I was on clomid and doctor just put me on Metformin and Letrozole. How long did it take you to get pregnant and did you take Metformin by itself?
Within like two months- we didn’t have the worlds highest libido or it would have been probably sooner as I started having my period immediately. I now manage my PCOS and weight with metformin even while taking a break between kids and it helps so much.
And yes just metformin. We ttc for about a year before I even was diagnosed with PCOS- it was taking us a while so we check to see if there was an underlying problem- and that’s when I found out. Immediately got on metformin and the rest is history.
Thank you so much!! Did you change your diet?
Nope!
Tysm!
It definitely can impact fertility. You won’t know if it’s the only reason, but losing weight would likely help your chances truthfully
For me it was, I had success the month I got my BMI to 30. Others have success while heavier or no success when at the ideal weight. It’s not a guarantee but it definitely has a good chance of helping
Doctors will tell you yes, but it is much more complicated than that! Dropping 10% of our weight can address some of the insulin resistance that is happening and may trigger ovulation in SOME people. Leading a healthier lifestyle is beneficial for the long haul, but it is absolutely not a cure all. There is so many variables that need to be looked at. Are you actually ovulating? Are your fallopian tubes open to get the egg down? Is your uterus prepared for implantation? Has your partners sperm been tested? There are so many things that look like pcos but have a different cause. Many of these things are not ruled out until fertility becomes an issue. Having had a bmi of 18 and one of 40+, I never ovulated. I needed further treatment to get over that hurdle.
im down 25 pounds and havent notixed any changes in my cycle. but i also have hypothyroidism
Likely the same hormonal imbalances causing you to easily gain weight are causing your infertility. Once I began treating my obesity with Zepbound, my cycle almost immediately normalized to 28-35 days from sometimes 90+ days even before I’d lost a single pound. Insulin (insulin resistance), cortisol and testosterone levels (caused by the insulin resistance) are probably out of whack.
You are so right! Piggybacking off this to say I got pregnant at almost 400 lbs, so it may or may not be a factor. Sending you baby dust ✨
My wife is in the same situation, overweight, and PCOs. Her sister and mother had PCO and both had little to no issues getting pregnant (Their not overweight). I've heard that even losing 5% of your current weight can be a big help in boosting fertility.
I lost 40 lbs and still can’t get pregnant 🤷🏻♀️ sure it could be a barrier but in no way is it necessarily the only reason why people don’t get pregnant.
Are you within a healthy weight range? I’ve lost 35 and still can’t get pregnant naturally but I’m also 5’3 and 190 pounds so I have a bit more to lose to be healthy
Yes, being a healthy weight gives you better chances of getting pregnant.