Hi G.,
I have PCOS. I am 25 and was diagnosed when I was 21 because my OB/GYN noticed I have an irregular uterus during a routine exam, so he did a sonogram. I could see the screen and my ovaries looked like baby swiss cheese- tiny little cysts all over the place. I never noticed any symptoms because I always had a regular period (exactly 28 days- ugh!)
He put me on birth control to prevent my body from creating cysts (your body creates one every period cycle when you ovulate- being pregnant & breastfeeding also prevent ovulation) and sent me for blood work to see if I needed glucophage. He told me if I wanted to conceive I would need to wait 4-6 months after coming off birth control before I tried, and I would most likley have a difficult time getting pregnant.
People with blood sugar issues are more apt to develop PCOS than people who do not. Diabetes runs in my family, but I have not developed it, and hope not to. When he mentioned glucophage, I told him that I am already careful with my diet and exercise regularly to prevent the onset of diabetes. He said that a good diet and exercise are better than any drug, and if that was working would be able to tell from the blood work. To my relief, I was doing well without another drug (I HATE DRUGS, ESPECIALLY BIRTH CONTROL).
I was on Ortho Evra and got blood clots from it (which destroyed veins in my legs), so I was taken off all birth control nov 2005. Blood work showed that I have a predisposition for heart attack & stroke due to clotting, and excessive hormones compounded the problem, so no more birth control, ever, and no option for infertility drugs if I had trouble getting pregnant.
He did another sono and saw that most of the little cysts had ruptured or joined together into one of 5 larger cysts. He said he wanted to do another one in about a year to see if more had ruptured and healed by themselves. I never got that far...
My husband and I had not talked about trying to get pregnant, and we were using condoms up until we went out to Montauk for a weekend in June 2006. We had no condoms with us, and I thought he would pull out, but he smiled at me and kissed me and did exactly the opposite. Only took once, and it was 8 months after coming off birth control.
My best advice is 2 things-
1) to have her take a serious look at her diet and exercise. I did this when I was 18 and 35 lbs overweight (a lot for someone 5' tall) and having a lot of trouble with hypoglycemia. I changed the way I eat and exercise and never looked back. I did this because I have seen my grandmother suffer with diabetes and prescription after prescription, and I was headed down that path. It actually helped out in so many ways I can not name them all.
2) try to do this without drugs via natural, wholistic, and alternative therapies before jumping into infertility drugs & in vitro. It doesn't work for everyone, but it is far healthier for her & the baby if it does. IMHO- if you can do it without medical interventions, you are better off. Every drug you put into your body has side effects, and everyone reacts differently. This is especially true for unborn children. The effects of infertility drugs on children and adults later on in life has not been widely studied.
Changes in lifestyle are often the best remedies, and often "cure" more than the one problem you are focusing on. Good luck, and best of health to all of you!!