PCOS and stress

[hanlie]

Hallo,

I have been trying to conceive for 5 years.  

My question is:  Is there a drug that I can use to reduce my stress levels while trying to conceive and taking fertility medifcine?

I have this theory - my periods started being irregular in my final school year when I was 18 - and the year was very stressful.
The dr then said I will have problem trying to conceive - which was true until I fell pregnant with my son without trying to conceive(a very stress free period in my life).  That was 6 years ago - and no lucky surprises since then.

Now we have a name for the illness - PCOS - and that still doesn't help me. The more we try - the more agitated and stressed I am getting - just saw my husband holding a friend's 4month old baby - and very upset again.  

Is there anything that I can take that can help me relax - I am by nature a person that stress a lot.

I am excercising and are going for acupuncture and will go back to fertility clinic next month - we took some time off just to relax and re-group again for the year ahead.

Thanks,

Hanlie

[hanlie]

Thank you - you made me laugh and gave me hope!

[USF-M.D.-DK]

hanlie,
any drug which might help reduced stress also likely will create problems for the embryo, so please don't take drugs to help relax.  however, a number of non drug treatments can minimize the effects of stress on your body, including exercise, massage therapy, acupuncture, meditation, relaxation response and some forms of psychotherapy.  
stress reduction never hurts, but don't rule out the possibility that your cycles becoming irregular might have occurred independently of stress. menstrual cycle irregularity may have contributed to the stress.  before i trained in ob/gyn and infertility at yale, i trained in psychiatry at harvard, so i'm a great believer in the mind-body connection.  it's just that the mind and body are so interconnected it's rare mind causes body problems without body problems also contributing to mind problems.  
i think you should begin to take medications to ovulate.  
PCOS can be effectively treated with a number of medications, including clomid and metformin.  once you ovulate you will get pregnant, even though it might take a few tries, and being pregnant will reduce your stress (until your children start to stress you out- the cycle never ends). david