Matt and I have been trying to get pregnant for over a year now. Since I'm 25 and he's only 29, when we were not pregnant after 6 months of continuous trying, I began to worry. After a thorough evaluation by my fabulous new OB-GYN, I was diagnosed with PCOS, or Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (for those wikipedia-obsessed, enjoy the knowledge). PCOS is basically a hormonal condition that affects 5% of women, and is the most common cause of anovulation, or when a woman rarely or never ovulates. In layman's terms, my little eggs that are suposed to be released monthly actually never "leave" and result in the formation of cysts. Thus, we have difficulty getting pregnant! I will say that I have never known more about the female reproductive system than I do now...neither has Matt...even against his wishes:) And the internet sites for PCOS support are the bomb.com! Soul Cysters is a wonderful aid...
After my initial doctor's visit in January 09 and my diagnosis in April, I was put on a concoction of fertility drugs to try and promote ovulation and reduce the appearance of cysts. Here's the infamous cocktail:
- Clomid (initiates the release of the egg)
- Estrace (promotes estrogen)
- Crinone (offers progesterone support)
Of course, this is where the story turns typical Caro. During the third month of treatment, a cyst the size of a tennis ball on my right ovary decides to explode. The doctor would prefer to say "ruptured"...I prefer to say "EXPLODE". After a day full of abnormal pain while working in the Natchez office, I managed to drag my hunched-over self via doctor's orders to the Natchez ER (which I vow to never visit again) for fear of a ruptured ovarian cyst. Long story short, I recovered fairly quickly sans surgery and after a month of prescribed birth control and "no trying", my OB-GYN gave us the go-ahead to start trying again.
I'm not sure if it was the residual pain or fear of another cyst forming from the meds, but Matt and I decided to take a break from the fertility treatments. And that's where we stand. Though I haven't gotten back on the fertility treatments, I have tried a more holistic approach to dealing with PCOS. Vitamins, vitamins and MORE vitamins!!!
- Evening Primrose Oil
- Black Cohosh Root Extract
- Vitamin B-6
- Fish Oil
- Prenatal vitamins
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