Cheryl... you're more than welcome! I just got an appoint to setup an IUI 2nd of July and I had the referral sent last in last Thurs... talk about quick!
So I thought that I would take the time to post what I've learned and done thus far...
Desparate to lose my "muffin-top" which was recently acquired in my mid-20's courtesy of PCOS, I allowed myself to fully succuum to the "wedding-diet". I went to see a nutritionist who educated me about portion controls and eliminating/minimizing sugars in my diet. Who knew that fruit juice and artificial sweetener was too sugary for someone like me dealing with insulin resistance? What an eye-opener! To maintain my bloodsugar throughout the day for my 5'2" frame, I eat 5 small meals (3 bigger than the others) and drink plenty of H2O and careful to cut all food/beverage intake past 8pm.
Then I hired a personal trainer at the gym and learned that for women who have a difficult time losing weight and carry it mostly around their midsection and arms, the best workout was to alternate every other day between upper body and lower. I start with the eliptical for 45min within my target heartrate zone followed by weights with quick-high reps combined with core excersizes.
Needless to say... I lost over 25lbs to reach my ideal weight of 120lbs just in time to say "I do." I was able to have one or two periods on my own (non-existant before) however it still wasn't regular so I started taking Vitex and other herbal supplements... still wasn't regular. For some herbal alternatives out there it generally takes 4 - 6 months to see results... I just didn't have the patience.
My husband and I decided to really start trying and booked an appoint with my Endo. He told me that when I'm off the pill I might experience what's called a "rebound effect" where it would be the most likely to OV within the first month.
Didn't happen and in the meantime went to get a Pap where I found out that I had precancerous cells and it was dangerous to get preg at the time. I suppose hormones during pregnancy can accelerate the growth of cancerous cells. That was in Oct. and the soonest appointment here in Calgary for a colopscopy was end of Jan. I was able to get in to see a specialist in Red Deer MUCH SOONER and had both the procedure and LEEP treatment done by mid-Dec... way before my consultation in Calgary! Post treatment, had to abstein for 6 weeks then went straight on Clomid. Wish I would have been on Clomid during those 6 weeks... just so that I would know if it was possible for me to OV at all (wasted a month there).
Three cycles later... no OV and in fact little response...even after seeing an acupunturist (which did help me deal with the wicked side-effects I was having). Also learned that clomid drastically reduces CM and tracked down Pre-Seed online (took a month for it arrive). Asked to go straight to Gonal-F and got in for HSG 2wks later. All clear now and had referral sent for fertility clinic here and Red Deer. Wish I would've asked for one when I was on my 1st cycle of Clomid... considering it's half a year wait to get in here in Calgary. Now if I OV but no preg, will be able to get in to a clinic in time for IUI for cycle 2! My argument is, why spend $900 a month to take a chance on nature when IUI is only $200 - $400?
I'm 4 days into injections and responding well... good news soon hopefully! I hope what I have to share helps someone just starting on their TTC journey.
Sincerely,
Nikky
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Diagnosed with PCOS since 2001
Nikky (28) DH (27) Married 11/06
TTC over 1 year
HSG normal
3 cycles of Clomid
On 1st cycle of Gonal F |