PCOS and Metformin

I was quite surprised to find out recently that Metformin is a drug given to people with Diabetes and I couldn't understand how this would help me!
After all ...How is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome anything like Diebetes? 
I began reading about it on the net to gain a better insight into what exactly I was taking as I didn't want to be given something that I don't need.

So in a nutshell: PCOS sufferers frequently have insulin resistence, which means that their bodies do not respond quick to insulin. (Insulin is a hormone created by the pancreas!) ........it's quite in depth so I have added some links below if you'd like to read more for yourself!

I guess I just have to trust my doctor on this one and take the tablets, from what I have read Metformin and Clomid taken together increase the chances of ovulation and concieving greatly!

 
http://women.webmd.com/metformin-glucophage-for-polycystic-ovary-syndrome

http://pcos.about.com/od/hormones/f/Insulin.htm

http://www.advancedfertility.com/metformin-pcos-pregnancy.htm

My Mate Metformin! :-/

I have started taking the Metformin as directed by the doctor.....so 1 a day for a week, then 2 a day for a week and now I'm on 3 a day continuously.
I was apprehensive about taking them as I've heard that they cause really bad side effects but so far the only thing that I have experienced is heart palpitations.
Yes I know that's not exactly a small side effect and from what I have read it's not very common either but I was expecting a mixture of unpleasant things to have to deal with!
In fact I'm still not 100% sure that it is a side effect of the tablets as I know that you can get palpitations when stressed aswell, this could be the culprit?? 

Stupid Body!

Okay so I think I should explain in more detail what 'double womb' actually is.

The doctor said double womb which gave us the initial impression that I had two completely separate wombs which is not right. (Although I have read that it is possible!)

From left to right:  A normal Uterus/womb and then the next 3 pictures are of accurate, subseptate and septate wombs!

The doctor is not sure to which extent mine is yet but it's definatley one of them as it showed up in the hsg.

(I've attached a HSG image what it kind of looks like that I found on someone elses blog) 

Just to clarify THIS IS NOT MY ACTUAL UTERUS! but it is very similar.

Because there is a wall dividing the womb it can cause problems with the development of a baby and can cause misscarriage.....

 HOWEVER..

Since reading about this I have come across many people who have had this condition and gone on to have a normal happy pregnancy with a healthy baby at the end.

So for now I hold onto hope...and I'm trying to stay positive about it!

Take the Good with the Bad!

I've been meaning to update this since last week when I had my hospital appointment but I've had a really stressfull week, so couldn't make myself sit down and write about it all.

Here goes:

Last Tuesday (11th June 2013) we had our appointment with the fertility specialist.

I'd had a really bad morning and was already quite emotional so knowing that I had to go to the hospital made me feel even worse!

Me and Kenny got there about 15 minutes before our appointment and were amazed that the waiting room was empty apart from one other couple sitting opposite.

It's quite a weird feeling sitting there knowing that those people are probably going through the same thing and I found myself wondering what stage they were at, if they'd had treatment, had it worked?

First of all we had to wait about 45minutes to be called.....very unproffessional of them to leave us in suspense that long if you ask me.

Then we went in and met the doctor.

He started by saying that he needed all of our details again, name age, ever had a child, how long been trying.....blah blah  blah.

He then said "We may need to do some tests"

Well me and Kenny looked at eachother absoloutly gobsmacked as we've had the last 6 to 7 months of constant tests.

I probably sounded quite rude but I snapped and told him that I've had loads of tests and reeled them off.

He then checked our files on the computer and surprise surprise found all of our results.

He then went on to explain that he feels I have borderline PolyCystic Ovaries, he showed me my scan on my ovaries and said that there are about 7 cysts around one of them which is more than normal but not enough to say I definatley have PCOS.

He then said really flippently "has anyone told you that you have double womb?" at which point I think my chin hit the floor I was that gobsmacked!

I said No but he then went on to start talking about Kenny's results which have improved but still not brilliant.

My heart was racing and I felt sick.....I think Kenny could tell because he interuppted the doctor and asked if he could now explain what 'double womb is and what that meant for us'.

He basically drew a diagram of the womb and how it should be....I will do a seperate post on this to explain about it in more detail!

All I heard at the time was "it may cause probelms concieving and also problems carrying full term...something about possible misscarriage and that they may need to do keyhole surgery to see how bad it is" at this point I just cried my eyes out.

The nurse and doctor were both really quite sympathetic, told me not to cry but I think in my mind I was just thinking "why me? why this on top of all the other problems?"

The doctor then tried to calm me down a bit, he said that it may be possible to operate to open the uterus up but it depends on the extent of it and that for now he didn't want to worry about that, he wanted to concentrate on getting me ovulating!

He prescribed me Metformin and told us that there are lots of side effects to be aware of......"Kenny joked that I may end up pregnant but also bald" which did make me laugh!

He then said that he wants me to take Provera to induce a period (as I don't have them) and then start 50mg of Clomiphene in 4 weeks time! I will do this for 3 months and go for internal Ultrasound at certain points of the cycle to see if I've ovulated.

So I felt a mix of emotions when we finally got out of that room. I felt relief that I hadn't needed yet another examination, I felt happy to be finally recieving treatment and then I felt sad because even if I do fall pregnant I may be prone to misscarriages because of my stupid abnormal uterus!

such is life!

Infertility Journey Scrapbooking

 

 

A couple of months back when reading through fertility treatment advice I came across a blog of a couple who had been through fertility treatments for numerous years and had finally conceived.

They had made a scrapbook of memories, keepsakes and photos from the beginning to the end of their journey and it was amazing.

In their case they had been through numerous Clomid, IUI, IVF rounds with no success and finally went down the adoption route and this was documented in their scrapbook.

 

It was really inspiring and so I have decided to do a scrapbook of my own. (as you can see from the pictures)

 

It's quite therapeutic and I hope that one day I will have a child (one way or another) who I can share it with!

 

 

 



Just Waiting and Wondering!

I have my next appointment through with another different doctor!

Apparently this time it's with the fertility specialist who will be deciding what path we take next and what treatment we will be having.

I'm quite happy to be seeing someone who will be finally making some decisions but I'm also really nervous at the same time. I was told that I may need to have YET ANOTHER examination by this doctor now which made me want to scream some obscenities at the top of my voice! I'm so sick of having people poking me. I feel violated! Why why why ......????? Why do they have to keep on doing the same things over and over again?

 

So anyway that's that....it's on June the 11th which wasn't as quick as I'd hoped for but at least I have an appointment now.

 

Now all there is to do is wait and wonder what will happen next!

 



Just My Luck!

Hsg Test Day!

 

Yesterday was the day I'd been dreading for quite a while as I knew I had to go for my Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) Test at the hospital.

I was refered for this test to check to see if my fallopian tubes were blocked!

I'd had a really bad weekend and was highly stressed by the time Monday and the appointment arrived so was even more apprehensive about going. I really had to give myself a talking to beforehand to get myself together....deep down I knew that if I didn't go I would never get any closer to treatment.

So Kenny picked me up and we went to the hospital. My appointment was on time and I was asked to change into a lovely gown but for some reason keep my converse on, I was literally shaking but I couldn't resist taking a quick pick of how ridiculous I looked!

I was then led into a room (kenny had to wait outside) and there were two radiologists both female in the room. I breathed a massive sigh of relief when I saw them as I was expecting a male doctor again.

They sat me down and explained what would happen and what the test was for and I had to sign some forms just to agree to the procedure!

 

I've read quite a bit about this test and everyone seems to experience it differently.

I was expecting it to be uncomfortable but I never expected it to be how it was!

I will try to spare the gorey details as it's not very pleasant but I will briefly go over the procedure and how it was for me.

I had to lay on the couch and the xray machine (like a box that it above you) was moved so that it was over my pelvis....they then took a normal image of this area which appeared on one of the 3 screens next to the bed. I could see these which was quite good as it gave me something to focus on.

Then they started the test..... the speculum was pushed around until they found my cervix (if you are a woman who has had a smear test then you will know what a speculum is! lol), this was uncomfortable! They then had to insert a small thin tube which 5ml of die was injected through... this didnt really hurt but on the screen I could see that only a small amount of die had entered my uterus and the rest had spilled out.

So the radiologist explained that she would try again.....more uncomfortable pain and another failed attempt.

She appologised and said that this happens sometimes but not to worry as they could change the instruments being used.

So they started the test again with different instruments but this time it was really hurting and when she inserted the tube I was in so much pain I just wanted to cry. The only way I could describe it is like that feeling you get in your stomach when you have a water infection...that really sharp pain over an over again!

I had tears rolling down my face...but I knew that it was nearly over and needed to be done. I knew when the dye had gone into my uterus as this time my whole stomach went into cramps like intense period pains.

The radiologists were lovely and appologised for such a bad experience...they said that normally they only need to use 5ml of dye but in my case they had used 20ml! It did make me laugh because all I could think is 'it would happen to me'!

They then went over what the test had shown and my xray showed the contrast in my uterus and spilling through my tubes.....which meant no blockages! Horray!!!

To say I was glad it was over is an understatement....I went into the toilet and just cried my eyes out.

I then had to get changed and go for a blood test.

Yes one thing I've learnt so far through my journey is that the tests are constant and just as you finish one along comes another!

So off I trot with a tear stained face to the bloodtest department......I was seen really quick but as I gave the nurse my form she looked at it and said that she didn't know what one of the abbreviations meant, so off she went for 15 mins leaving me in the room full of blood test vials and needles!

At this point I went from feeling really fed up to laughing!

She finally came back and done the test but by this point I had already taken a photo and read what all the different abbreviations meant lol

                          

 

 Info on the HSG:  http://www.webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/guide/hysterosalpingogram-21590