How long did it take you to get pregnant?
I’ve been diabetic for 17 years and hypothyroid for 10. My husband and I have been trying for a year now and nothing. Thyroid was just checked and everything is where it’s supposed to be, a1c is a 5.9, and still, nothing. I’m starting to get really frustrated. I can’t decide if we should go to the doctor to make sure it’s not something else that’s preventing us from getting pregnant or if we should just keep going like we are and praying for a miracle.
So, other diabetic/hypothyroid people out there…did it take you awhile to get pregnant, too?
We really didn’t take much time to get pregnant - and this really doesn’t have anything to do with being diabetic. BUT one thing I discovered this last time around was that if you have problems with dryness and use things like KY or something like it, then EVEN THOUGH they are not sold as spermicides, they cut down your chances of conceiving by like 75% or some crazy number.
Like I said, it didn’t take us very long - but we did get prego the first month we stopped using that stuff. And I have another friend who had been trying for a while and I told her that, then she got pregnant shortly thereafter too.
It might not be this at all for you - but I thought on the off chance that you didn’t know this just like me, then it might help you out. 
It took me 7 months. I had a hysto … something … forget the long term, but it is an x-ray to view the fallopian tubes and the process can re portably “clean out” the tubes … got pregnant the next month! Maybe you are a candidate for one?
Me and my partner have been trying since april…no luck yet but theres still time…we are hopeful
Well it took us one try of just not using protection & trying the entire week I was ovulating.
If it’s been a year for you I’d see if you can get into a IF doctor to see if they have any recomendations. It could be something as simple as going on clomid to get it going.
Best of luck to you. I hope you get BFP soon!
My husband actually saw something on the History channel (or something) about that. I thought it was crazy, too, and we stopped using it about 7 months ago. But thank you! I wouldn’t have known about had my husband not seen it on tv.
Do you know the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility? Maybe you’re already doing what it recommends, but if not, it’s worth a look, at least from what I’ve heard.
This is a high recommend from me, this book (TCOYF). It completely changed everything, mostly because it taught me things about best and worst times to try to get pregnant but it also helped me learn how to listen to and chart about my own cycles. Using the book helped me come to my MD with concerns about ovulation, and then to proceed with some more evaluation for not ovulating.
Turns out I have PCOS which had never been diagnosed, and never an issue I’d noticed. I did some reading about PCOS and T1, and it turns out there is a higher incidence of it among those who administer insulin via injections or pumps. I certainly hope that’s not what’s keeping you from getting pregnant, but if it is, my story has been a success story, and it took very little intervention to help us along (5 days of oral meds and one “trigger” injection). Totally worth it, and now I’m 35w pregnant.
I admire your patience; I don’t know that I could have waited a year once we knew we were ready to try.
Good luck!
What is PCOS?
Poly Cyctic Ovarian Syndrome - and she is right, it is quite common for women with diabetes. I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure they even treat woman who are not diabetic with Metformin for this condition as well?
Hi Anna,
I have diabetes 23 years and hypothyroidism 20 years. I was trying a just over a year when my nurse suggested that we get tests done to see if there were any issues. My husband had his sperm checked and it was discovered that was where the problem lay. I had that hysterosalpingogram (or whatever it’s called! HSG for short), the xray to check the tubes are ok and all was ok with me. We didnt bother going for IUI because we were told that there was not a high chance of it working due to his sperm not swimming well. Anyway, we went the IVF route and we’re expecting in Feb!
So, bottom line is that it may not be your diabetes or hypothyroidism at all! Dont get frustrated about it. Maybe suggest to your endo that you’d like to get the ball rolling re testing? It was my GP that actually sent my husband because when I got the appointment for the fertility clinic that my endo sent us to, it was 8 months away and I was a little impatient! It ended up great that we had his results going into that appointment so at least we could just get my tests done more quickly then.
I hope it happens for you soon.
The problem is we can’t afford IUI or IVF. My insurance really doesn’t like to pay for doctors visits either. That’s why I’m trying to figure out if it’s a common thing among diabetics or if it is something we need to get checked out.
yes, thats right. it’s essentially a metabolic syndrome that happens in the context of the body perceiving insulin resistance. i’m not 100% clear on the mechanism, but basically the ovaries may not function as well in response (ie. irregular ovulation). Metformin is often given to nondiabetics to improve symptoms. Symptoms include things like irregular periods (if irregular ovulation, then of course irregular periods, off of birth control), excess facial hair, acne, sometimes obesity, and (visible on ultrasound) tiny painless cysts on the ovaries.
they can presumably diagnose PCOS by using a symptom checklist; some providers may trial clomiphene (clomid) to induce ovulation since it’s relatively low risk if PCOS is presumed. I had a diagnostic ultrasound and blood work, which led to my diagnosis. I’d say a good place to start though is learning about and tracking your ovulation, which TCOYF teaches.
I read up on PCOS online and I don’t think that’s what it is. My period were pretty irregular before I went on birthcontrol 5 years ago, but since going off of it over a year ago they’ve been pretty regular. I think the cause of them being irregular had to do with my thyroid being outta whack, though. My doc just checked my thyroid a couple of weeks ago and it’s fine with the meds I’m on now.
I completely understand. I’m not sure how much it costs in the States (presuming thats where you are!) but it cost us €7,000 by the time we went for all the tests, consultant visits and finally the IVF. It is certainly not easy. We have been extremely lucky that business is ok and family have been good too.
I wish you the best in your ttc journey. It may be that there is no problem at all and that its just taking a little longer than you hoped. I know thats so annoying to hear but fingers crossed thats what it is.
Also check out this link about diet and fertility: http://www.newsweek.com/2007/12/01/fat-carbs-and-the-science-of-conception.html
I’ve been T1 for 17 years and thyroid for 8 years. My husband and I concieved on the first try. I’m about 4 weeks along (scared out of my mind) and before concieving, I was very active. I was going to the gym 5-6 times a week for 1-1.5 hours . I think that the exercise definately had a lot to do with it. There is no harm going to see a fertility doctor if you feel uncomfortable. My aunt took clomid for 1 month and conceived right away after that. She spent 3 years trying to concieve. She had a unique outlook about her situation. She said, if she had gotten pregnant right away or 1, 2 years into it she would have had a baby but she would never have had or met her sweet and precious, son Leland.
I went off birth control a little over a year ago and I think I’m just now ovulating again. My cycles have been a little hard to predict over the last year but they finally started coming every 32 days in the last 3 months. I’ve also been addicted to caffeine for the last several years and have just started the slow process of getting off it in the last month (only one more week and then I’m off it for good).
I ovulated over the weekend (first time I’ve been able to catch it with the ovulating sticks) so here’s to hoping and praying that it happened this time. I’ll keep y’all posted.