Thread: 1st RE Appt.

My experience with PCOS and working with an RE seemed vastly different than working with a gyn... my gyn kinda seemed like she was "trying" things.. but the RE gave me hope, just because he KNEW so much more and could answer all my questions as soon as I asked them.

My consult visit I actually hadn't even been diagnosed with PCOS until I saw the RE... because it had been awhile since my last period(gyn only prescribed Provera once so we could try clomid).. He wanted to do an endometrial biopsy to make sure everything was OK there... I had already brought my bloodwork in with me for him to look at... and he did an ultrasound... also during the pap was weird cause he was actually checking to see if my uterus was tilted and whatnot, no one had done that before.

We started with me going on Provera to get my period to start... Now this is where my situation was different... based on my bloodwork.. I wasn't having issues with insulin resistance. All PCOSers supposedly have problems with it.. but mine wasn't showing any signs of it... my main problem was Adrenal Hyperplasia... so I was put on Dexamethasone I had to take daily... and let it build up for a month.. didn't ovulate on my own so I went back on Provera... the next month we added Clomid.... on Clomid they do ultrasounds to track your ovaries and can usually tell whether you are going to ovulate... and relatively close to telling you when (I believe I went in on CD10 and again at CD13 or CD14). I did two rounds of Clomid and Dexamethasone. Not responding.

I had the choice of him doing Ovarian drilling... or giving Metformin a shot for a little while. I chose Metformin because we were paying out of pocket and couldn't afford surgery. That month I was told I was going to ovulate... then that I actually wasn't at the 2nd ultrasound.... went on Provera.. period didn't come... had to take a pregnancy test to get another prescription for Provera... and SURPRISE. I was at such a low point taking that test. I remember tearing up, gritting my teeth and kicking my bathroom cabinet because I was wasting money on yet another pregnancy test I didn't need to take. That "anovulatory" cycle turned into my now 2 1/2 year old son.

That was just my experience... I was a member of a fertility website and used their message boards... there were SO many women that couldn't ovulate before or irregularly that had PCOS that were very successful with Clomid(usually in conjunction with Metformin)... or they would try another drug called Femara instead. There's also injectibles.... or if you are ovulating on Clomid and it doesn't seem to be working.. you could have an IUI done. Sometimes they check for blockage and do a hysterosalpingogram to check for it... and that alone seems to "clean out the pipes" and women are more fertile after having that done for a few months. I saw quite a few women suddenly get pregnant on those cycles. The great thing about working with an RE was they didn't just seem to wait around... my gyn wouldn't give me Provera until I was at CD60.... my RE it was right around CD28.. on to the next cycle.. I felt way more hopeful working with the RE. It felt like I wasn't just sitting and waiting around forever.

It can be a rollercoaster.. going from hope to despair and everything in between... but for as long as you can hold on and handle it... keep at it. You'll have that beautiful little one in your arms one day.

One thing women need to understand about chlomid is that it can decrease and even eliminate your fertile quality cervical fluid while you're on it. Without fertile quality cervical fluid, the sperm has no way to travel to the egg, therefore no pregnancy. So what good does it do you to ovulate, if you aren't producing the cervical fluid needed for successful fertilization?

It is not impossible to get pregnant with PCOS and in most cases, shouldn't cost thousands of dollars to do so.

Order a copy of "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler. She discusses infertility issues, PCOS, and anovulatory holdups along with things like chlomid. You will learn a tremendous amount and will feel much more empowered when speaking with your gyn or RE. Begin charting your cycles (the book teaches you in depth how to do that as well).

There are LOTS of women who through charting and appropriate medical care get pregnant even with PCOS. It doesn't have to be a nightmare.

Beautiful Disaster makes an excellent point about charting, and that book is really detailed and helpful in learning how to understand everything regarding cycles and charting. It is extremely helpful in giving you information on what your cycle is doing(or not doing, like my case). It'll be easier for the doc to see more of whats going on through your cycle.

There are also ways to help out with drying up cervical mucous that can happen from Clomid as well... besides making sure you're drinking lots of water... evening primrose oil can help.... omega's... if necessary you can take mucinex... just the regular old kind.. no extra letters... it helps things get a little more runny. There are things to help with the side effects if you need them.

(I apologize if my experience seemed scary or like a nightmare in any way... I didn't want to hold back on whatever info I could give you regarding my experience with my RE... so I'm sorry if it seemed scary, it really was not. I'm used to discussing the situations with women in the same boat as me, so we don't hold back. For me, the experience was way better than when I was just charting day after day, month after month, of all my anovulatory cycles(but without charting I wouldn't have known I didn't ovulate the entire time we were trying to conceive)... there was literally nothing I could do to get myself to ovulate naturally. So to an RE I went. It can be a heartbreaking experience to want a child so bad, then there's the feelings of being less than a woman because you have been unable to conceive naturally like all women are supposed to be able to. That's what I meant about the rollercoast. Just wanted you to know there are people here who understand what you are going through. Sorry if it didn't come across clear enough.)

I'll definitely look into getting that book. I want to conceive and I'm getting to the point where I want to know everything possible on how I can make that happen. I'm not asking for a bunch of kids, I would he happy with one, one of my own. Thanks for the info on Clomid. Have you ever heard of Pre-Seed it's a "fertility-friendly" personal lubricant that is said to be safe to use when trying to conceive. It supplements moisture without harming conception. I've heard of couples being successful using this. Or will possibly Colmid still decrease or eliminate your fertile quality cervical fluid internally, meaning hormone, I'm guessing? You make a good point "So what good does it do you to ovulate, if you aren't producing the cervical fluid needed for successful fertilization? Would that be something a RE will test ? I also heard the baby aspirin (81mg) can help. True ? What's your take on something like Primrose Oil, like FortunsFoole suggested.

*FortunsFoole, please reply if you have any info on Pre-Seed as well.

Originally Posted by Beautiful Disaster

One thing women need to understand about chlomid is that it can decrease and even eliminate your fertile quality cervical fluid while you're on it. Without fertile quality cervical fluid, the sperm has no way to travel to the egg, therefore no pregnancy. So what good does it do you to ovulate, if you aren't producing the cervical fluid needed for successful fertilization?

It is not impossible to get pregnant with PCOS and in most cases, shouldn't cost thousands of dollars to do so.

Order a copy of "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler. She discusses infertility issues, PCOS, and anovulatory holdups along with things like chlomid. You will learn a tremendous amount and will feel much more empowered when speaking with your gyn or RE. Begin charting your cycles (the book teaches you in depth how to do that as well).

There are LOTS of women who through charting and appropriate medical care get pregnant even with PCOS. It doesn't have to be a nightmare.

Beautiful Disaster The above reply is for you.

Originally Posted by FortunsFoole

Beautiful Disaster makes an excellent point about charting, and that book is really detailed and helpful in learning how to understand everything regarding cycles and charting. It is extremely helpful in giving you information on what your cycle is doing(or not doing, like my case). It'll be easier for the doc to see more of whats going on through your cycle.

There are also ways to help out with drying up cervical mucous that can happen from Clomid as well... besides making sure you're drinking lots of water... evening primrose oil can help.... omega's... if necessary you can take mucinex... just the regular old kind.. no extra letters... it helps things get a little more runny. There are things to help with the side effects if you need them.

(I apologize if my experience seemed scary or like a nightmare in any way... I didn't want to hold back on whatever info I could give you regarding my experience with my RE... so I'm sorry if it seemed scary, it really was not. I'm used to discussing the situations with women in the same boat as me, so we don't hold back. For me, the experience was way better than when I was just charting day after day, month after month, of all my anovulatory cycles(but without charting I wouldn't have known I didn't ovulate the entire time we were trying to conceive)... there was literally nothing I could do to get myself to ovulate naturally. So to an RE I went. It can be a heartbreaking experience to want a child so bad, then there's the feelings of being less than a woman because you have been unable to conceive naturally like all women are supposed to be able to. That's what I meant about the rollercoast. Just wanted you to know there are people here who understand what you are going through. Sorry if it didn't come across clear enough.)

Your experience didn't scare me. I asked for your experience and thank you very much for sharing it all with me. I've heard of Primrose Oil, should I ask the RE about that or just start it?
I'm really not letting myself get down on myself for not be able to conceive just yet, I know for some it's harder, I just didn't think I was the some. I'm only 24 and never thought I would have to go through this with TTC.

Because I respect your opinions;
These questions would be for both, Beautiful Disaster & FortunsFoole, Would charting be a waste for me? I haven't had a period in about 2 1/2 years until now after taking Provera.
PCOS is new to me and I've read that you can still ovulate but it's harder to predict. I just don't want to waste money on a lost cause. Should I wait to talk to the RE and take her advice, I'm getting really anxious. If you all can't tell already. I'm not sure if she will continue me with Provera since it works for me, and I know if I stop I won't have a period.
While doing research I read your first appointment with a RE is best scheduled during the first week of your menstrual cycle so that baseline hormone levels may be assessed. to see a RE, will me taking Provera make my appointment less effected? Right now I'm Day 2 after finishing my 12 days of Provera and Day 4 of withdraw bleeding.

Pre-Seed is designed specifically to mimic a womans natural body secretions, so if you're not producing fertile cervical fluid while on chlomid (or any time really) you can use Pre-Seed as it provides a nice environment for the sperm to travel.

So basically, for you and MANY other women with PCOS (it's one of the most prevalent hormonal disorders women have) what happens is your follicles that would normally be ovulated each month, remain inside your ovary. Then, some of them swell and turn into cysts. Research is pointing to the fact that there is an interaction between high insulin levels and insulin sensitive ovaries. Chlomid is a popular aid for women with PCOS trying to get pregnant and yes, it inhibits the "production" of your cervical fluid, but a product like Pre-Seed can help you with that. And also, like you mentioned, Metformin. The book FortunsFoole and I were telling you about mentions promising results with a nutritional supplement called D-chiro-inositol which helps lower insulin levels and let you have a natural ovulation. Wouldn't that be awesome!?

Those are all things you can talk with your doctor about. As for the baby aspirin, I have not heard that one, but doesn't mean it's not true. Primrose Oil, I'm a believer that certain herbs can be very helpful to our bodies though they are not FDA regulated, not scientifically tested, and most doctors won't recommend them to you. I have don't have any information on whether or not Primrose is helpful in your situation.

On the Taking Charge of Your Fertility website there is a forum, one of the forums is for women with PCOS who are trying to conceive. There is a wealth of information there regarding just about everything known to man that anyone has tried. AND you'll see lots of successful pregnancies there of women with PCOS. Google " TCOYF and you'll end up there. But you have to promise to stay here too.......we want to here all about your journey and you can be a support and light for many other women going through a similar experience.