It's probably not the first choice because many women with PCOS can be treated with non-invasive treatments (with metformin which makes you more sensitive to insulin), Spironolactone (which lowers excess androgens) and healthy eating and exercise), which will get their levels down to healthier norms, enabling them to likely ovulate and conceive naturally.

I know I wouldn't get ovarian drilling done until I was sure that I had already gotten my levels to a good place ,(I'm assuming you probably had some irregular bloodwork results). Why go through the procedure if, say, your levels are elevated (for example, testosterone, triglycerides, fasting glucose, etc) and then one may not be able to carry the pregnancy to term? I am not TTC but I do my research, and this - to me- sounds like more of a later-stage procedure. It seems like your Dr isn't going for the most conservative treatment option first, and being new to having PCOS, that troubles me. But hey, if your levels are pretty good and nothing else is working, and you feel sure about it, then go for it. You could always try to get a second opinion from a reproductive endocrinologist (that's what I'd do if I were in your shoes and new to this).

I'm surprised they suggested ovarian drilling so soon too! It's not done as often anymore because of all the other options available.
After clomiphene had absolutely no affect on me, my doctor listed it as one of the options along with IUI & IVF because we live 4 hours away from the clinic and would need to go in every other day for cycle monitoring. He figured 1 outpatient surgery would be logistically easier. Also, ovarian drilling is covered by our provincial health insurance plan so it was financially easier as well.
We met with the surgeon and decided to try IUI first due to the possible complications of the surgery.
After 1 canceled IUI cycle and 1 IUI cycle converted into an IVF cycle, I did end up having the surgery though.
Let me know if I can be of any help to you.

It's pricey and not covered by most insurances and it also can kill half of the egg supply!!! And it's painful!!! I will adopt before taking this method!!!

Yeah, definitely! The drilling ends up scaring your ovary.... If there's a way to ovulate naturally and you don't mind waiting, it's much less risky to try the conservative way vs the fast way. I've only ever heard of that being done if the usual treatment fails, rather than skipping it all together. If you have any other questions about what I've been through, just let me know!

@A myPCOSteam Member, thanks for the helpful info. Yes, thinking about it in hindsight I do feel like I was diagnosed two seconds ago and now we are going to the extreme without trying anything else. I'll definitely need some answers as to why I am a viable candidate for such a drastic measure right off the bat

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