Hiii - Intro *child mentioned*

[gwapes]

Hello all! 

Hope you guys don't mind if I join ya. I'm a former TB member who stuck around the SAHM board mostly, and had a brief stint on the 2nd IF board before my departure. I have a 2 yr old DS, who took 5 years to conceive. I was never dx with anything, though I kept telling my DR "something isn't right here" but, I was ignored, he eventually happened naturally and shockingly (DH had just lost his job the week before). We tried TTC#2 and after 14 or so cycles went to the OB. CD3 blood-work found elevated prolactin, TSH, and elevated insulin levels. Also had CD7 U/s and got the dx of PCOS. It came as a complete shock
I've been on metformin and synthroid for a little over a month now. The plan is to go for more blood-work 1 week after my next + ovulation to check progesterone and prolactin levels. He might try clomid, but he might refer me to an RE. So that's where we're at. 

Other stuff? Hm DH & I have been married 7 years, we just moved from CA to IA. I work from home part time and am taking a break from grad school. 

Looking forward to getting to know you all

[LavishPeach]

Hi and Welcome! Sorry you find yourself here.

Please please please do not take clomid (or any fertility medication for that matter) without the proper monitoring. @ketchup will probably jump in with a better explanation as to why, but the short version is you can do irreparable damage to your reproductive system if you are not properly monitored. Since most OBs refuse to do the proper monitoring, it's probably in your best interest to just request a referral to an RE.

Good luck!

[bluefairy5]

Welcome gwapes! It's not Thursday yet (we do Throat Punch Thursdays), but early TP to your original doctor for not finding your PCOS! WTF.

I also have PCOS, and something to be aware of is that PCOS can give false positive results on OPKs (because the body is making too much LH relative to FSH, so with the high LH the test assumes you're about to O). You may be O'ing normally (plenty of people with PCOS do; and presumably your OB is ordering the progesterone test to hopefully confirm ovulation) but just wanted to give you a heads up on that.

You'll definitely get a chorus of gals here telling you "Don't take Clomid from your OB!" for various reasons, all of them legit. They range from the very dramatic and scary (paging @ketchup again) to the humdrum like mine: without several follicular phase monitoring appointments for ultrasound and blood work, my OB (yep, I did a Clomid cycle with her, unawares) had no idea that my body develops follies on Clomid a-okay... but doesn't ovulate them without a trigger shot. So I lost 2 months there, instead of 1 month (my RE ran me through a Clomid cycle without trigger the month after my OB, so presumably he would've discovered the trigger need after cycle #1). Not to mention, Clomid can prevent your lining from developing fully, making implantation difficult or impossible, and an OB who isn't following you with ultrasounds won't know that, so won't know to have you take baby aspiring, or Rx estrogen supplementation, or Viagra, or a host of other things they try for improving lining.

Anyway, glad you finally have the proper dx! PCOS is fortunately one of the "better" diagnoses, as far as success rates, so that's something, at least.

[NariaDreaming]

I had no response to Clomid, which I wouldn't have known without monitoring.


Welcome to 3T

[remylove1011]

Welcome! I agree with PP's on the Clomid and not taking anyting unless you see an RE for it. Sorry that you doctor didn't catch your PCOS earlier.

[lindy04aggie]

Welcome and good luck!

[Ann612]

welcome! I think you'll benefit from all the knowledge the ladies have on this board. Definitely go the RE route!

[bluejoan]

Welcome!! PPs covered why not to take clomid (other fertility drugs) from an OB. I'd work on getting in with an RE. They may want to redo some testing depending on what they see in your records.

Have you had an HSG? Did you Husband have a SA?

[lillee]

Hello and welcome!

[mrsg80intn]

Welcome!  I'm new to this board as well.  Seems like a great group of ladies though :-) 

[bluejello]

Hello and welcome! I'm sure you get the point by now (lol) but the safest thing to do is get to a RE before you take any fertility meds. Good luck to you

[gwapes]

Thanks for the welcome

So lets see, I did have an HSG with asshole DR. in 2010. He did do that much. DH did have a SA at that time too. Both of which were clear and good.
.
Re: Ovulation sticks. Last cycle, a 58 day cycle, I had +'s Days 19-22. OB was "confused". Never mentioned the false positives Hmm :/

Thank you Ketchup for sharing your story. That's very scary stuff!! I have a friend with 2 utes who ordered Clomid online. Eeeeek.

Would you guys recommend I not continue with the OB and just make an appt with an RE or see what the next set of blood-work says?

[tptbabe]

Definitely get a referral to an RE, rather than continuing with your OB. If your insurance covers some IF testing, but only under an OB, then you could consider completing the testing before moving on, but that's the only time that I'd consider it. Otherwise, it could be a giant waste of time, and put your health in jeaporady. The RE may want some or all testing repeated too though, so there's that to consider as well.

You'll definitely want the SA repeated, as that can vary widely, if in fact there is any MFI at play. (It could have been a fluke good SA before, or a new problem could have cropped up since that time. We are a perfect example of that!) The HSG may or may not have to be repeated. Some REs would like to have it done again after that time, or they may order the SHG instead. All other testing will have to be repeated.

[daydreamsam]

Everyone gave you awesome advice so I am just going to add my welcome! Sorry you find yourself here but I am glad you found us! I hope you are able to get in to an RE quickly and get this show on the road

[BunnyBerry]

Please see an RE. They're the experts in hormonal balance.

Checking blood 7 days after an OPK+ makes no sense...you could have one or more positives before you O, or even not O. OB's who try to treat IF make me stabby.

Although they've found (and are treating - Yay!) hormonal issues, if you haven't yet had HSG and SAs, make sure to get those done before any treatment cycle.

Oh, and welcome.

[snd1231]

PP gave great advice! I just wanted to say welcome.