How It All Came About

       I was a "normal" 14 year old girl.  I enjoyed school and I loved to read. (Still do!)  At some point I started having migraines all the time. They would come and go but never really go away. My mom took me to the pediatrician and he suggested a neurologist.  We had a few appointments with the neurologist but they didn't help.  At some point someone mentioned to mom about taking me to the OBGYN. 
  
       It turns out that I had PCOS.  My hormone levels were tested and they matched  the usual hormone levels of PCOS. Since I had not had a period yet the doctor wanted to put me on birth control so that I would have periods and it would hopefully help my migraines.  After a few months on birth control I only had migraines on my period weeks.  I ended up trying about 5 different birth controls to find one that stopped my migraines all together. What worked was having a pill that had a small amount of hormone in it rather then an empty blank pill. The best birth control for me was the Seasonique.

       Back then it never really bothered me that I had PCOS. I don't even remember being told it would effect my chances of having children either...and back then I don't think it would have bothered me.  What 14 year old girl is worried about whether she can have children or not?  I was supposed to lose weight but has anyone with PCOS really have success doing that? I didn't. 

    Fast Forward to March 2010...

 

       I was turning 19 and was getting married in 2 months. I was getting ready to stop taking birth control because my soon to be Husband and I were leaving it up to God when we started a family. I never thought it would be 3 years later and I still wasn't pregnant.  Our first year of marriage was interesting. My hormones kept getting worse and worse until I wasn't attracted to my husband like I used to be. I had problems "down there" as well. Anytime we made love it was painful. I didn't realize until later it was because of the hormones....or lack of hormones in my case. After the year was over I decided I had had enough! My husband and I decided to make an appointment for the beginning of 2011 with a new OBGYN.  We researched about where to go and a few of the ladies at church were going to Grace OBGYN in Asheville, NC. It was a Christian office and all the ladies were very happy with the doctors.  As long as we live where we do I WON"T be changing OBGYNs anytime soon. I love the staff at Grace OBGYN!

 

       My new doctor wanted to do an internal ultrasound to confirm that I had PCOS.  It was amazing to see my ovaries for the first time.  They were covered in cysts and my doctor said they were pretty impressive. Not really what you want to hear about your cyst covered ovaries. My doctor then decided it would be best to go back on birth control for 3 months and then try Clomid.

 

We did our 3 months of birth control and then went back to Grace OB.  We tried Clomid 5 times over 5 months. I made an egg once but my ovaries never released it. Since we had no success my doctor tried Letrasol and that didn't work either. He told me that he had tried everything he could and was now referring me to an infertility specialist.  His parting words were "I know its rough but just think....Next time you come back here you will be pregnant." I cling to that and I don't plan on returning until I'm pregnant.  

 

 

       I was referred to MAYHEC REI also in Asheville, NC.  I love this new doctor just as much as my other one! He wanted to see if taking clomid for 2 days longer would help.  (I had also started a program at our local YMCA. It is a diabetes prevention program and to date I have lost 22lbs.) We went back in 2 weeks to do an ultrasound to see if we had any eggs. We had 1! It was the most beautiful egg! My husband and I were both overjoyed to see that egg! I received a HCG shot so that my ovaries would actually release the egg this time. Now it was the waiting game. We had to wait 2 weeks and then if my period didn't start I could take a pregnancy test. Of course my periods always showed up an hour or so after the negative test. I also had morning sickness all day long those 2 weeks.  I was sure I was pregnant because my mom also had early morning sickness. Well....my body goes into shock with all the hormones and it mimics the morning sickness a pregnant woman experiences.

 

       After trying  3 more times without a pregnancy and having 2 or 3 eggs each time my doctor wanted to see if my fallopian tubes were blocked and check my husband's sperm.  Everything was fine with both my husband and I. The procedure for me was very painful though! The next cycle of clomid my doctor wanted to do an Intrauterine Insemination (sperm is placed directly into the uterus). We tried and it failed.  This last month we decided to give the IUI another chance. It also failed. Now I feel like we wasted 1,200 dollars. That is what it cost for both of the IUIs.  I can't even begin to describe how painful infertility is but my friend really wants me to try. I will but that will be another post.