Tuesday, September 30, 2008

We have a plan!

Josh came with me to see Dr. S this morning while GiGi B. (great grandma) came over to watch Tyler for us. I was so unhappy with the way I was treated in the hospital (I should say lack of treatment) by my previous ob/gyn after I had Tyler by emergency c-section that there was no way I was going back to him. My friend referred me to Dr. S after she had seen her after her long time doctor had retired. I couldn't be more happy with her! She is only about 35, which I like because she has a fresh outlook on things. She explained PCOS in a very simple way and even though I've heard it already, I think it was important for Josh to hear it from a professional. I really liked that she didn't just talk to me, she talked to Josh too. She never made me feel like I was in this alone or that it was only my problem. This is OUR problem and I have no doubt that Josh will be a great support.

Right off the bat she noted that we have a 2 year old and asked how we got pregnant with him...lol. We told her it was after our first month trying and she, just like the other doctors, was very impressed! Then she had me go into detail about my PCOS - the diagnosis, when I went back on the pill after Tyler was born, when we started TTC #2, and when my period started getting off kilter. She thought that I was probably ovulating when I first went off the pill and now I'm obviously not. I was very impressed that she spent an hour and a half with us to get to know us and get a good idea of my history.

The most important thing to come out of this appointment - WE HAVE A PLAN! She talked about putting me on Clomid right away, which we are familiar with because our friends are taking that right now. It basically will help my body make estrogen to help ovulate, releasing an egg...or two or three, etc! There is a possibility of multiples, but let's just keep our fingers crossed for one, ok?! :-)

1 - Start 2nd round of Progesterone for 10 days
2 - First day of AF is day #1, day 5 through 9 I will be taking 50mg of Clomid
3 - Day 11 I will start taking ovulation prediction tests.
4 - If no AF by day 30 and BFN, call and will start Progesterone again.
4 - Stop taking current blood pressure meds (unsafe for pregnancy) and start 200mg Labetelol twice a day with a low dose of a water pill, hydroclorathizide or something like that! I don't feel like going to look at the name!
5 - Continue Zantac, Zoloft, Prenatal Vitamins, Vitamin D and potassium.
6 - Take 500mg metformin 3 times/day. This is usually a drug to control insulin levels for diabetics but since screwy insulin is a side effect of PCOS it has been provent to also help treat it.

This is one of the cheapest ways to help conceive. My meds were $14, so the most expensive part will probably be the ovulation predictor kits. (Not sure how much they are, I haven't picked one up yet.) Depending on how things go they can up my dosages, change timing, etc. It might work right away and it might not work at all. There are a lot of variables so it's kind of a science project!

We are choosing to do this because it is available to us and we would really like to have another child. Please don't look at this is though we aren't thankful for the child we already have, because we know how very blessed we are to have him. Since I know I have PCOS we are going ahead and using the resources that God has given us and start this new adventure. We're just going to take this one day at a time.

For anyone that is unfamiliar with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrom) please check out this site to learn more: http://www.4woman.gov/faq/pcos.htm

2 comments:

Ashley said...

I'm totally certain that it was the metformin that helped me get pregnant (and hopefully stay pregnant).

Also, you can get cheap OPKs at www.saveontests.com. They'll come in a few days.

Kerry said...

best of luck on your TTC journey. We'll keep you in our prayers.

Mike and I have been "trying" basically since Zachary was born (we never use anything to prevent but then again we rarely had the energy to undress early on with a new baby!) Anyway...this month I'm upping our odds with the Ovulation tests and praying like crazy as I'm getting too old to keep trying to add another child (or two!) to our family this way. Zachary needs a younger sibling so he'll have a playmate at home :)