[Jrene]

Im semi new to the site... went thru a down time.. I guess we've all been there.

In 2004 I went to my gyn at least 6x's with cyst that kept busting and I would bleed at least 4x's a month. She never had any answers for me. So then we started ttc#1 in may 06. I was going to my gyn, but I didnt feel like she was taking my seriously.. Which really made me mad! So I made an appt with an RE, which I went to yesterday (he is GREAT) . He says to me "Im pretty sure you have PSOC from your history here and having 2 miscarriages, Im almost positive thats what it is." Then I think back to 2004..why in the world didnt my gyn come up with that??!! And I told him what happened and how she never gave me an answer. I said to him "No matter how bad the news is, please give it to me straight." he said he'd be very honest with me and he didnt know why my gyn didnt tell me then I have PSOC... he said it was pretty cut and dry.

GRRR... all this time it was right there in front of her face (no pun intended) and the light bulb never came on. I feel like I've wasted all this time.. But not anymore... I'm going to find a new gyn.

Sorry if for the long vent... okay... I feel better. I finally feel hopeful for the first time in awhile. It feels good to have the hope and courage we first start out with, but sometimes lose on the way.

Plus the RE said I have an excellent chance of getting pregnant... I sure hope so!

Wishing all of us wonderful girls and baby dust for ALL!!!

- J rene

[slobin]

J'rene,

I'm with you with the frustration of having drs miss our diagnoses. All 3 of my problems were missed for 2 1/2 years while I was labelled as "unexplained"! Firstly, I was hypothyroid with thryoid antibodies. I asked repeatedly about this and all 5 of the doctors I had seen blew me off even after my 2nd miscarriage. Then I found out ON MY OWN about immune IF problems which go hand-in hand w/ thyroid antibodies, not one doctor mentioned it I found out myself thru my own research. Then 21/2 horrible years as I was about to start IVF my new RE who I switched to due to all the others being out to lunch diagnosed me with non-obese PCOS and started me on Metformin. Why did none of the MANY doctors I have seen mentioned this as a possiblity? Now I see so many posts by women with years of IF who started Metformin and got pg on their own. Great! For me it's too late for that because I am 38, so onto IVF. I know that if at age 35 when I started ttc if just one doctor had really tried to diagnose me (rather than sell me IVF and rush me out of their office and charge a fortune for that) they could have put two and two together and figured out at least one of my 3 problems, rather than me figuring it out myself and having 2 heartbreaking m/cs and wasting almost 3 precious fertile years!

But all I can do now is move on and hope that my IVF with Metformin, full immune treatment, etc. work. My only advice is be your own doctor, your own advocate, RESEARCH until your eyes fall out- that's how I figured out all of my stuff and I know that if I had sat back and waited for my doctors to figure it out I would be guaranteed no baby. We have to be our own doctors and look under every rock. My advice is learn everthing you can about PCOS b/c your doctor may diagnose you but may not know it all. PCOS is also linked to immune IF, so if after treating your PCOS you still can't get pg, or you m/c again, please research immune IF. (There are many posts on this forum from a ways back on this). When I got my PCOS dx I Googled PCOS and Metformin and found some good articles (sorry I didn't save them or I would forward them to you). Are you starting Met?

Good luck to you!

[Jrene]

Slobin - I can't imagen how you must be feeling. It really is a race against the clocks. It stinks... it sucks how ever you wanna label it. I have started the met - Im on 500mg for one week then I take 3. I hope to God this works. I personally don't think Im strong enough to deal with this for years and years. Im a very impatient person, I guess Mother Nature has taught me that its not when I want it but when shes will to let me have it.

Somedays its the farthest thing from my mind then some days its all I can think of. I have those crying spells, I guess we all do. Doctors don't know it all, I don't think God wanted them too. Cause then we won't depend on Him. I pray that we all reach that goal of motherhood...

Have you ever been in a place and you're surrounded by babies or pregnant women everwhere.. All you can think is " what the freak? " how are some people so lucky? What did they ever do in their life to get on Mother Natures good side... its a personal battle, why some of are faced with it .. I'll never know.

I just hope they know how lucky they are.

I wish you luck with the IVF!


- J rene

[slobin]

J'rene,

Yes EVERY day I am surrounded my so many babies and pg women b/c there is such a baby boom where I live and in my circle (probably for everyone). It is incredibly hard to see so many women have babies with ease and stroll around like it's no big deal when all of us here would do anything just for one!

Hang in there!

[Gemmabean]

Jessica,

I was diagnosed with PCOS Nov. 05, after 5 years of being told I had "unexplained infertility," not unlike Slobin. Can I just tell you how much I hate that term? Seems like a sign of laziness on some doctor's part... but I digress...

(Please visit my blog if you want to learn more about PCOS.)

I think Ob/Gyns need to be better educated about PCOS. I think they should also refer us to an RE sooner rather than later. I saw 2 ob/gyns and 2 "infertility specialists" over 5 years before my NURSE PRACTIONER suggested I had PCOS and sent me to an RE.

I'd heard of PCOS several years ago and had asked all docs if it was possible if I had it. They ALL SAID NO. Basicaly because I don't have "unsightly" facial hair.

I'm also on Metformin. They had me taking 2x500 in the morning and 2x500 at night, I didn't do too well with that, so now I take 4x500 EXTENDED RELEASE at night and it's MUCH better.

The first thing I noticed on Met was my acne cleared up SO fast I couldn't believe it. I also lost about 15 lbs in 3 months after YEARS of struggling with my weight.

As you know a syndrome is made up of many different combinations of symptoms. I have many symptoms of PCOS and NEVER would have imagined they were related until I started doing more research on PCOS.

My favorite PCOS author is Colette Harris. She lives in the UK and does have PCOS. She has written SEVERAL books re/PCOS and even PCOS & Infertility. She is also very sweet. After reading one of her books, I sent her an email and SHE WROTE BACK! Too cool.

Anyway, if you have any questions, lemme know if I can help. My blog lists some numbers that I've collected like the fact that PCOS women not on Met have a 45% chance of MC and PCOS women ON Met have a 9% so you are on the right track sweetie.

Let your doc know if you have any problems with the Met and they can alter it, don't suffer through it.

Take care of you.

Love,
Julie

PS I was at a funeral Wednesday and there were a TON of pregnant women there! So yes, they ARE everywhere!

[Jrene]

Thanks for all the helpful replies.

I've been feeling alittle whoozy today. I wonder if its something to do with my isulin levels? I went to get my script filled for metformin and my insurance wants prior authorization. Which I think is a bunch of cha cha. But what can you do? So Im waiting on that. Whats weird with me is I used to be 110 lbs and now Im a 160lbs.. its taken me about 5 1/2 years to all this weight on. But every diet I try doesnt work. So Im hoping I can get off about 30lbs.


- J rene