My History

On January 29th, I saw on Daily Strength, a question regarding Vitex.  The replies from the post stated that these women had great success with it.  I looked it up and thought I would give it a try.  I went to the store and bought Vitex and progesterone cream.  I started taking a cough decongestant on the 28th because I read that it can help with the cervical mucus. I also decided that I must have been delirious on the 28th when I thought I had a visit from AF.  Of course I am delirious, 59 days without a period?

When I think about my history and my diagnosis of PCOS, I always wonder if I didn't cause it.  I was on BCP for years that I only needed to have a visit from AF 4 times per year.  I wonder if that could have tricked my body into only having AF every few months. But then when I read symptoms and information on PCOS and LPD, I have had those for years. I switched from ob/gyn to ob/gyn trying to find out what was wrong with me until I met my current ob/gyn in 2003.  I always thought / knew something was wrong, but no doctor would listen to me.  I was diagnosed in 1996 with a hypothyroid.  Then depression some several years later.  I had a laproscopy and hysterscopy in 2002.  The ob/gyn punctured my uterus during these procedures.  She thought I had endometriosis, but said I didn't after these procedures.  I found my current ob/gyn in 2003 at a women's event.  She asked me to give her a chance and I did.  She didn't diagnose me with PCOS until last year, but she has always listened to me and taken my concerns seriously.  When I first started seeing her, she found a BCP that worked for me and seemed to "cure" my symptoms.  She is the doctor that recommended I go on BCP that I only need to have AF 4 times per year.  My visits from AF were horrible, so I agreed.   Things were fine.  DH and I decided we would start TTC in June 2006.  In March 2006, I stopped taking BCP and was pregnant in May 2006.  We had a healthy, beautiful little girl in 2007.  I did have GD during the pregnancy. 

58 or 2?

Call it lack of sleep or too much sleep, I am not sure.  I posted yesterday that a little while after I got off the phone with the nurse, I started my period.  I know this is weird and probably TMI, but I don't know if I really started or not.  I did not bleed the rest of the day.  Did I dream it?  Am I going crazy?  All I can say is now I am even more confused than ever and don't know which CD I am on.  Is it 58 or 2?

CD57 to CD1

Last week my symptoms just continued to get worse: nauseau, diarrhea, exhaustion, irritability, cramps and pain in my stomach, back pain and loss of appetite.  On CD50, I tested again, of course BFN, so I called the ob/gyn.  I talked to the nurse.  She asked if I have had my thyroid checked recently.  I told her I had, just about a month ago.  She suggested that I try taking 1 Metformin in the AM and 1 Metformin in the PM for 1 week and see if that helps.

I have been taking the Metformin as the nurse suggested and I have noticed some difference.  The diarrhea and cramping are not as bothersome.  However, the nauseau, exhaustion, irritability (lack of patience), back pain and pains in my stomach have continued.  I called the nurse back this morning, I am on CD57 (and received another BFN this morning). She asked if I had tested resently.  I told her that I tested this morning.  She scheduled an appointment for me to come in to talk to the ob/gyn, but it's not until the 23rd.  She said that the ob/gyn won't be back in the office until Monday and she would talk to her then and called me back.

Of course since then I have started my period.  I am thankful, as much as you can be, when you are cramping, in pain and still not feeling well. 

I have been so tired this last month or 2.  It is just so difficult to even get out of bed.  I have to force myself to just get DD breakfast.  I feel horrible that I am not able to do the things I used to do with her.  I can't even get crafts or things together for her to do while I am laying in bed.  I hate to say it, but a lot of times, all I can do is turn on PBS.  I hate that I am not able to work on the alphabet or other educational things with her.  I think the guilt from that and the exhaustion, pain and frustration from PCOS have me defeated.  All I can think about is how I am a terrible mom because I can't do more things with DD. Before I thought it might be silly to send her to preschool, but now I am starting to think it is the best thing for her.  I just feel I am not doing right by her.  I think she is bored being here with me. Hell, I am bored being here with myself.

CD47 and Nothing

I tested again this afternoon, which was actually my morning. I fell asleep last night, but then woke up and couldn't go back to sleep until this morning. I was extremely tired and ended up sleeping until the afternoon. Thank goodness DH was home to get DD in the shower, feed her breakfast and hang out with her. The test came back negative again. Tomorrow will be CD48, which is when I started in November. I think I'll wait until CD50, test again and call the ob/gyn (unless I start my period before then). Even if I start my period, I am still going to call the ob/gyn to tell them about my intense stomach pains and having no let up on symptoms. I am also thinking it is time to inquire about fertility drugs.

I Get So Emotional Baby

My cycle in December started on CD21, which is really strange for me. I am normally lucky if I start on CD30-something.

So now, here I am on CD46 and nothing. Friday I went to the $1 Store to buy a few pregnancy tests. I took one that afternoon (I know morning urine is best) and got a negative result. My body must really be messed up. All day yesterday, I was nauseous. I have been extremely emotional. I noticed that on Thursday when DH and I attended something for DD. Just the thought of sending her to school and listening about how her day would be, made me tearful. I don't feel tearful / emotional like depression, but like extremely emotional. Everything DD says makes me want to cry. I have also lost my appetite. Nothing sounds good to me. These are all similar symptoms I had when I was pregnant with DD. So I don't know what is going on. Maybe I tested too soon. Maybe I am just not pregnant.

I am thinking that it is time to call the ob/gyn again. My body is not working still (apparently). I have been on Metformin for about 6 months and Prometrium for about 5 months. I must not be ovulating still. I think if I was I would be pregnant by now. I am thinking that I will call her to see what our options are for fertility drugs. I believe she will start me on Clomid, but not sure how that works.

I was really hoping that I would be pregnant and far enough along by DD's birthday party. I think it would be so neat if the first gift (or last gift) she opens is what spreads the word to everyone attending the party. I thought I would wrap up a "Big Sister" t-shirt and a big sister book or 2. Wouldn't that be awesome? I think it would. In fact I have been thinking about it so much that I am going to be totally disappointed if we don't get to do that this year. I keep thinking, when would be the next great time we could do something like that.

I have also been trying to figure out how or when I would tell DH. Would I tell him right away? Probably because I would be so excited and relieved. If it happened soon, I could tell him on his birthday. Wouldn't that be a great birthday gift?!

I am getting really depressed and resentful that I am not pregnant yet. It is very hard to understand why I can not get pregnant or why this is happening to me. We had no problems getting pregnant with DD. It just doesn't make sense. But I am sure a lot of women feel that way.

Here's to hoping if I am not pregnant, that I start my period soon, so we can TTC again soon.

Scare and Follow Up

At the end of September, I had a scare. I started bleeding. It kind of freaked me out because the first thing I thought of was - miscarriage. I stopped bleeding the next night. I have never had that short of a period. The next day I called the ob/gyn's office. The nurse said that it was just because my lining was so thick and it's just thinning out.

I was hoping (and thinking good thoughts) that we would be pregnant in October. I felt that at that point we were both ready. This was only the first cycle we had been TTC. I said several prayers to God that month. DD had been asking for a baby sister or brother. She said she wants one. I think she would be a good big sister. She deserves to be a big sister. I think she is ready, too.

I saw the ob/gyn on October 27th. They did a pregnancy test on me and it was negative. She started me on Prometrium until I had a period. We thought I hadn't had a period for about 50 something days, but in actuality it was 30 days. She said any bleeding is a period, no matter how long it lasts. When I called the nurse in October, she told me it wasn't a period, so I didn't count the days correctly.

By November 10th, I still hadn't started my period so I called the ob/gyn's office.I had been taking Prometrium for 14 days. The nurse said I should start within 2 weeks. It was Day 45, I started on Day 48.

I started charting my temperature (with a regular digital thermometer) on November 19th. I tested ovulation using an ovulation kit (that is old) on the 22nd, but it said I wasn't ovulating. I haven't checked my temperature since the 25th because the thermometer I was using is off by 2 degrees. Plus I've read it is best to use a BBT.

Something Must Be In The Water

I can not believe all the people I know that just had a baby or that are pregnant. It is ridiculous. Here is the list (sorry to bore you):
1. S had a boy in April
2. CB had a boy in April
3. LS had a girl in April
4. EE had a girl in June
5. N had a girl in July
6. K had a boy in July
7. AB had a boy in October
8. A had a boy in November
9. K had a girl in November
10. EB had a girl in November
11. TG & MG had a boy in November
12. CE had a girl in December
13. J had a baby in December
14. BG & NG had a girl in December
15. D is due any day now
16. W is due this month
17. A is due in April
18. TL is due in March
19. TD is due in March
20. K is due in March with twins
21. SB is due with a girl soon
22. KB is due in a few months
23. LP & MP adopted a girl in April
24. GG & B are due in January
25. LN & TN are due in April
26. JP & AP are due in February
27. SS is due in April with twins
28. R & N are due soon
29. B is due in a few months
30. T & F are due in August
31. JB & EB are due in August

That is a hell of a lot of people and I am sure that I am forgetting about a few or will learn of more pregnant people in the next day or so. It seems like everyday I am hearing that someone is pregnant.

While I am super excited for everyone, I can't help but feel very jealous. With my recent diagnoses, I just worry that it will never be me, that I will never be pregnant again. It really bothered me when I would hear news of someone being pregnant when DH wasn't ready to start trying. I feel like we have been given a time limit on having kids. I am really worried about using fertility drugs or fertility treatments. First off, the cost and secondly, the possibility of multiple births just stresses me out. I have really been keeping my stress, worry, frustration and sadness about all of this to myself.

But will we be OK family wise? I want more children more than anything. I think DD would be an amazing big sister. I feel like she would be losing out on so much if we can't give her that opportunity. She deserves to be a big sister. She deserves to have brothers and sisters that look just like her or have similar features and that love and adore her (as she will them). I want to have more than 1 pregnancy and more than 1 biological child. I would like to have at least 4 children (not all at the same time). I want to have 3 more pregnancies and all end up in live births with healthy babies being the outcome.

You might wonder why I am afraid of miscarriage. With the LPD diagnosis, the biggest risk is that if I do / can get pregnant, that I will miscarry. I do not have enough progesterone in my body to be able to maintain a pregnancy. I am glad this was found out now and not after a miscarriage. I really hope that we don't have to know the pain that comes with miscarriage. I know EE, CB, and B know that pain. It must be so difficult and I do not want to have to go through that.

DH and I talked, well I cried, one evening after leaving a friend's house. I love being around my friends, but it is really tough when they are almost all pregnant or recently given birth. That is when we decided to start TTC. It was August 29th.

We are not TTC because of all of our friends, but because he is finally ready. Before it was him holding us back. He stresses about finances too much. I think of finances too, but know that things will get better. God will provide. I am trying to find more kids to babysit. He will graduate in 2011 and get a better job (if not before). We will be OK. If we have to, we can / will sell the house. We could stop the 401K and defer my school loans. The credit cards will be paid off at the end of 2010. We will be OK financially. The other thing holding us back from TTC was issues with his family that affected our marriage.

I did have mixed emotions about getting pregnant because of the way things are with DH's family. I talked about this with E. DH and I have a strong marriage - that has been proven. We can't let them dictate or decide when we will continue or add on to our family. Problems with them could very well always exist (as long as they are around and in our lives).

LPD Diagnosis

The ob/gyn's office called on July 18, 2009 with the results of my bloodwork. Apparently my body is not doing what it's supposed to. It is not making enough progesterone, so I have to take progesterone during days 14 - 28 of my cycle. So now I have been diagnosed with Luteal Phase Defect (LPD), too.

PCOS Diagnosis

July 16, 2009, DH and I attended an ob/gyn appointment. I have been off BCP since October of 2008. My periods were fine the first 4 months I was off the pill, but then just stopped. My cycle before DD was about 30 something days, now it was 42days long (well the 4 months I had a period!). March and April I didn't have a period. I only had a period in May because the ob/gyn's office prescribed Provera. I missed a period in June and July. I was not ovulating.

The ob/gyn did a pregnancy test and it was negative. She said that I was not ovulating. Apparently my lining is too thick. The estrogen in my body is turning into testosterone, which turns into insulin. She said that every women has cysts in their ovaries. It is one of those cysts that gets fertilized or if it doesn't causes your period to start. Your body only allows the best cyst to get fertilized. Well apparently I don't have any of those "best" cysts. I have what is called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). The ob/gyn said this is why I am gaining weight in the stomach. The fat is just collecting there. She said this is why I am having pains in my stomach as well. We are going to try to treat it with Metformin, which is a Diabetes drug. She is also doing bloodwork to make sure everything else is OK. The Metformin could also cause stomach pain and diarrhea.

When the ob/gyn was telling us this, I was about to lose it, but tried to act OK. I looked over and saw DH tearing up and knew I had to be OK about it. I didn't want both of us to cry over this. After the appointment, while I was waiting for my script and bloodwork req, he lost it and had to leave the office for a minute.

He went to the lab with me. They got me in and out of there rather quickly. I picked up the script for Metformin that evening.