Anyone in Edmonton Who are just starting out??

Stephers · 07-31-2008, 08:18 PM

Hey guys,

I was diagnose with PCOS about a month ago. I was told that because I haven't been trying for a baby for a year, that they won't do anything until it's been a year. Is this what you guys got?

Also I was told to lose weight and that will hopefully help things along. (Like I haven't wanted to lose weight before. HA!)

Anyways, since this who process is still new to me, thought I'd see if any other Edmonton gals got the same response and how you guys are dealing with it!

Thanks for any feed back you want to share!

Steph

Shejayd · 07-31-2008, 09:28 PM

Hi Steph, just thought i would say welcome to the boards! Come join us over at the Alberta thread, http://www.soulcysters.net/albertan-...l-08-a-251739/, there are a few girls just starting out, and some well seasoned that can offer some advice. There are a few girls from Edmonton, and all over the province. Hope to see you there

ducky · 08-02-2008, 04:18 AM

Hi, who told you that? Your regular Dr? I was diagnosed in 99 but did not want to TTC until 2004. I had been seing an RE at the Edmonton Fertility Clinic at the Royal Alex for my PCOS so I went to them when I wanted to TTC and they said that with the PCOS I need help right away and they started me with Clomid. "Normal" people are supposed to try for a year before getting help, but, we know we are not "normal" and that we need help now. See if you can get a referal to a Reproductive Endocronologist, I see Dr. Sagle and she is wonderful. Oh, and she never said anything about my weight, and I'm on the heavyer side.

Stephers · 08-03-2008, 02:18 AM

Ducky!

THANK YOU! I don't know if its cause we are newly weds..w e just got married last Oct, but I feel like.. what if this takes a really long time. I'll be 28 in Jan and I know that the older you get the harder it is (normally)

Did you Dr refer you to the RE? And this is silly but what is TT or TTC?

And (sorry for all the questions) is Clomid really expensive? I was at my reg Dr. and she mentioned that the gyno wants to put my on Metformin... thought?

Thank you soo much!!!!!!

Steph

ducky · 08-04-2008, 06:56 PM

Hi Steph, TTC is trying to conceive. I was refered to an RE when my regular GP didn't know what was going on, (I originally though I should see about not having a period for over a year) they sent me to a gyno who then sent me to the RE. Of course, this was a long time ago, 1999. But, I'd gotten my diagnosis then and knew I'd have trouble TTC so when I wanted too, I went and saw my RE. I have been on met since 1999 when I first was diagnosed. Then when I was TTC I took clomid with the met. I'm on 150 of Clomid (the max dose) and it is around $95. I don't remember how much the lower does was but I think it was at least over $50. When I was TTC with #1 I think over the course of getting the dose right then staying on it until getting pg it cost me around $550 to $600 because I didn't have coverage for Clomid. Check into your plan if you have one, now mine covers it. If you can get a referal to an RE, for sure go, they will get things moving along.

Lisa26 · 09-09-2008, 06:32 PM

I also am trying to get pregnant, my doctor said the same thing I have to wait for a year and then he will send me to someone else. It is frusterating because I havent been ovulating! I am 26 and want to get pregnant before 30 but at the rate my doctor is going, it will be next lifetime!!!!

Karleen the Bean · 09-09-2008, 10:49 PM

I am 27 living in Edmonton and TTC but I haven't had a period in 2 years. When I went to my Doctor he said I might have PCOS. Now I have an Ultrasound appointment on Sept 11 and an appointment with an ob gyn appointment on Sept 18th. I'm so nervous and it feels like a kick in the teeth. My DH and I waited to get pregnant because we wanted everything to be perfect. We traveled and we both started our careers, we just bought a house. Now it's the right time for us but I guess someone had other plans for us. It feels like everyone I know is pregnant, and people are always asking us when were going to start trying I always just say it's not the right time for us, but really I just want to scream that we already are trying and they should just shut up because it isn't going so well. When I confided in my friends one of them told me about how she doesn't want kids but she has to be really careful because her doctor told her she's hyperfertile. I thought about punching her in the face. (not really ) but instead i said oh that's so terrible for you!

Stephers · 09-10-2008, 03:16 AM

Lisa & Karleen,

I totally understand how you feel and where you are coming from. My best friend is due with her 3rd at the end of Oct and I'm throwing her a baby shower on the weekend. Was at the Superstore yesterday getting stuff for the party and couldn't' help but pick out the cutest little boys outfit... and then standing right there in the middle of the infant boy section, I almost broke down crying! It's like you said Karleen, everyone i see if either pregnant or has small kids and it's like the world is rubbing it in your face! It's brutal and frustrating and depressing!

As for the ultrasound, try not to stress too much (as hard as that is) it won't help you and it'll make you feel worse. I had the ultrasound (internal) done in June and it wasn't too bad. the tech was super nice and really made me feel at ease. I went to the gyno about a week after and that was another story. He hardly looked me in the eyes and spoke so fast I caught maybe every other word. And he didnt' even explain what PCOS was. My advice with that, is make them tell you everything. If your Dr. is rushed, make him/her slow down.

Since then, I have started to change my diet. I eat foods that fill me up longer and try (not always winning the battle lol) to stop eating before 8 or 9 everynight. I've started a very hard core vitamine schedule and I've just started doing acupunture. Nothing has happened yet, but I've gotten more energy and my hunger has been curved... all of which started to get out of control once I got off the Pill in Dec.

Anyways, I've rambled on long enough. If either of you want to chat more or anything, feel free to email me, stephers.s@gmail.com

hang in there! I wish I had more helpful things to tell you, just know you aren't alone!!!

Steph

Lisa26 · 09-10-2008, 12:24 PM

Karleen,

That must be hard having your friends flaunt it in your face. Luckily all my friends are single or married and dont want kids, so I don't have to put up with that on a daily basis.
When I was diagnosed I was flown all around canada (literally) going to see specialist after specialist to see what was wrong with me because I hemoraged when I was 11, two months after I got my first period. It took them 7 years to diagnose me, finally when I was 18 I was sent to a gyno that lived 4 hours away from me and he read my chart and I came in the room and he said you have PCOS, he did some further tests and I was on birth control from 12-18 on and off and from 18-26 straight with no breaks. I went off last december in hopes of getting pregnant and have only had a handful of periods since. Went without a period for three months this last time and now I have had it for almost a month straight!!!! I asked my Dr. if there were any other drugs he could put me on and he said no, we only treat this with birth control...now I am not dumb certainly this problem has come along way. OK my rant is over...thanks for listening!

ducky · 09-29-2008, 04:05 AM

Lisa - find another doctor! You've already been diagnosed with PCOS and he's telling you to wait a year? If he will not refer you on to an RE find another family/regular doctor that can refer you to an RE. I was diagnosed in 1999, offered BCP's at the time but chose metformin then (which was a fairly new treatment at the time - point is that was 9 yrs ago!) BCP's are not the only treatment. I started TTC in 2004 and they started me on clomid right away, no waiting around, in fact my RE said that with PCOS there is not point in waiting the year as they already know there are fertlilty issues. Like - only O'ing a couple of times a year. The Womens Fertility & Endocrine Clinic at the Royal Alex is great, you just need the referal. I see Dr. Sagle there and she is wonderful. I can not praise the women enough. She was my RE for both my pg's so I give her some credit, although DH had a lot to do with it too

Lisa26 · 09-30-2008, 12:01 PM

Ducky....
I am going to see a naturopath on Friday and hopefully they can help me some as well. As for the doctor situation, I have to go for hormone tests this week and then he said he will start a chart and refer me to a clinic. Hopefully it isnt too long of a wait. I am getting really impatient!

ducky · 10-01-2008, 03:14 AM

I know whenever I want to see my RE it is almost a 3 month wait. Hopefully it is not that long for you, summer is over so it might not be.

jo.davies · 11-06-2008, 04:51 AM

Hi ladies... welcome to the boards... I also wanted to let you know about the Alberta thread that Sheena informewd you about on here... there are ladies from Edmonton on there who have experince with the RFP and metformin ( I am in Calgary). I would definitely tell your doctor to refer you to the RFP or find another doctor who will... as it is you wait like 6 months for an Appt. and then your appt. can be another month or so after that... so its not a quick thing... while you wait for your appt. I would recomend seeing a nutritionist... that's what I did and the weight melted off and I was never that much overweight... as it is I was on 2 cycles of Clomid before I got pregnant... but I lost like 30lbs before that as well and definitely think it helped... best thing I ever did and I would totally recomend it to anyone who had PCOS... they can basically tell you what you should/ and should not eat without even needing metformin or other drugs... it is a lifestyle change but one I think totally worth it.... Tell them you have PCOS (my nutritionist knows lots about it) Sugar is our enemy... try Splenda prodcuts instead and aspartame when no splenda available... there is lots of expereince at my nutritionist of women with PCOS just going to see them... getting their symptoms under control and not needing the drugs to get pregnant.... worth it while you are waiting for your appt. at the RFP.....

Oh and no the Clomid is not very expensive at all... I have excellent drug coverage so it depends what you have, but Its not that bad at all...

lmy723 · 11-13-2008, 02:26 AM

Hi - I too am new to the boards and live near Edmonton. I'm so glad I found this forum, and that other ladies that live nearby and deal with the same challenges in the health care system are online!!

I'm awaiting my next appointment with by OB/GYN to get official confirmation of PCOS, but my referring doc gave me lab results today that pretty much confirm the diagnosis. Lots of emotions, but the biggest is frustration that it's taken so long!! I heard the same line from my family doc - be patient, it will happen, it's normal not to conceive right away. We've been trying since Feb '08 to conceive #1. I ended up getting a referral from my diabetes endocrinologist.

My take on the one year wait is that - fine, I'd wait if everything was normal, but my cycle wasn't, and before 5 years of BCP, I was NEVER irregular!
I hope you too can find a doctor that will really listen to you and your concerns, and take a few steps to sorting out what's going on!
Lisa

bananachiki · 11-18-2008, 06:57 PM

Hi I'm in Edmonton too, just had my internal U/S today, which I will forever refer to as the dildo cam. Thankfully my Dr isn't very busy and can get me in Friday (today is tuesday) to talk abou the U/S and my fasting chloresterol/glucose and testosterone. My FSH/LH ratio has already come back high.

I already know her opinion on the subject (that I should go on BCP to regulate and decrease my chances of cancer, and metformin to help jump start the weight loss and to help me ovulate), but i'm worried that going on BCP will only cause me difficulty when I am TTC (which will be in about 4 1/2 yrs, another 3.5yrs of school, and then working for a yr to build up maternity leave).

Before I knew I had PCOS, I was consulted for an IUD (since I'm so far away from being ready to concieve). I hated being on BCP, I was moody, always hungry, I gained a ton of weight(which now I realize might be due to the PCOS) and I was horrible at remembering to take them. Does anyone know if the IUD (w/horomones in it) would have enough progesterone to help me now with my PCOS?