Fertility Background

For those of you visiting for the first time, here's a little background. Tom and I have been trying to have a baby since I went off the pill May 1994. We were married in September of that year, and had planned to get a headstart. I was only 20 when we began and turned 21 right before our wedding. In November of that same year, I went to my gyn to figure out why I wasn't getting pregnant. I'd also gained 60 pounds since May! He said "Don't worry about it, you're young." He was a quack, and his exam was very uncomfortable. I found out later that other women complained about him too, but aw well. Well, a long time and a lot of negative pregnancy tests later, we learned I had PCOS. At least I had a name for it!

My ovaries were clear when I was first diagnosed in 1996. But that doctor's only plan was two cycles of clomid. When that only produced a progesterone level of 0-2 he said my only other options were either surgery or going on the pill. I left that visit in tears. I knew I wasn't ready for surgery, plus I didn't have cystic ovaries anyway. I didn't want to go on the pill since I'd convinced myself that it was the pill that screwed me up, and it seemed to be a step in the wrong direction. So we just kept trying, and being disapointed over and over.

Years later we decided to give another doctor a chance. Dr. Marichal is wonderful, and did an ultrasound that same visit. This was in July 2002. I had just finished Graduate School and was about to start working, while Tom was going back to school. The U/S showed that both my ovaries were now completely encrusted with cysts. There wasn't a bare patch anywhere. We were quite upset. Next step was an HSG to see if my tubes were clear. This turned up that my left fallopian tube is completely blocked off. More disappointment! Within two days of this, before we could meet with Marichal again, we found out Tom's work had cut off his health insurance unexpectedly. Someone in HR had gotten a bit ahead of themselves since he still had a month to go before he was leaving. So we canceled our follow-up appointment and figured we'd start again when I began teaching elementary school in the fall.

Well, by the time my insurance kicked in, I had pretty much decided there was NO WAY I could teach and have kids. After work I didn't even want to see anyone under 4 feet tall. We put my fertility on the back burner.

After two years of teaching I was completely burned out. I started a new job the third year, August 2004 working at the UF Libraries. I loved it! I finally felt good about going to work!

In January 2005, my ovaries began to cause me pain. Sometimes one, sometimes the other. I called my doctor and he sent me for an ultrasound. That showed what we already knew, both ovaries were completely swollen up with cysts, all the way around. My doctor's office referred me back to Marichal. I couldn't get an appointment until April 6th. It was a long two months.

When we saw Dr. Marichal again, he remembered us. He also knew a lot more it seemed about PCOS. He brought me a brochure, and said something I'd never heard before. The cysts were just egg follicles that had matured, but never released. They harden into cysts, but they will REABSORB!

I was so surprised! I'd never heard of that! He also said he'd put me on Metformin and that if we wanted he was sure he could get us pregnant. So then he left the room so we could talk about it. We decided to go for it. I was 31 and Tom had just turned 37. It was now or never.

Well, by May 31st, after just 1&1/2 months of being on Met and Yasmin (a birth control pill) I went in for another U/S. And believe it or not, my left ovary was COMPLETELY clear! My right was nearly clear! I didn't think it worked so fast!

We jumped right into a cycle of 100mg Clomid on June 17th. I actually ovulated on July 6th for the first time ever, although my progesterone level was a very low 6.9 at 6 days past ovulation. (Should have been 10 without Clomid, or 15 with Clomid.)

Dr. Marichal said to check for pregnancy on Monday, July 18th and if pregnant we'd use progesterone gel, if I started a new cycle though, we'd up the Clomid to 150mg and include Progesterone therapy starting at 3 days past ovulation.

I'm so excited about being a momma! Tom is thrilled and very involved in everything. He had his sperm analysis done again and everything is fine there, so we might be able to pull this off!

Wish us luck!