DianaG's story (long)

DianaG · 08-17-2002, 04:10 PM

Hi everyone! I am new to Soul Cysters and would like to introduce myself. My name is Diana and I am 33 years old. I have always had PCOs (I think), but was not diagnosed until about 3 years ago after we had been trying to get pregnant for 5 years.

I first started my cycles at 12 and they were very irregular. I would sometimes bleed for weeks and sometimes go for months without a period. At fourteen and many tearful schooldays (I remember having to leave school early because I couldn't sit in an hour long class without overflowing whatever protection I was wearing- I was so humiliated) my mom took me to a gyn. He had me charting (although at the time I didn't know what charting was) and decided I wasn't ovulating. I was put on bcp to regulate my cycles and stayed on them until I turned 25. That is when we started trying to conceive after having been married five years we felt we were ready.

Needless to say bcp only masked the symptoms they didn't fix anything. (by the way I was thin as a teen and didn't gain weight until after my marriage)

Finally a few years ago I ended up in the ER hemoraging because I had gone 13mos without a period. I had to have a D&C and the doctor on call took me as a patient. He tested me and diagnosed me with PCOs. He however, does not go with the glucophage set of doctors and had me on provera ten days a month to bring on Aunt Flo. Anyways, Jan of 2001 we started clomid and after 5 cycles I O'd on 50mg and got pregnant. Unfortunately, my sugar during my first appt was high and I ended up going for a 3hr gtt. I failed miserably and ended up in the hospital in Sept. A few weeks after being released and diagnosed diabetic I went in for my first u/s to see the baby's heartbeat and discovered that the fetal sack had grown, but I had a blighted ovum; no fetal pole had developed. I was so devastated I wanted to die. I went in the very next day for a D&C and then was sent to an endocrinologist for the diabetes.

He tested me and I came back as type II. My pancreas is actually overproducing insulin, my body is just not using any of it. He put me on glucophage and 4mos later I O'd on it and got pregnant. When I tested positive both he and my Ob told me to stop all medication including the glucophage. I did. The next day I started spotting and spotted on and off for 2 weeks before completely miscarrying at 7wks. Two miscarriages in 5months and diagnosed with diabetes about killed my spirit, but I got through it by concentrating on one thing at a time. Getting my diabetes under control with no oral medications.

I was put on an insulin pump and it has done wonders for me. I now have a HA1c (tests your blood sugar over a 3 month period) of 4.5% which my doctor said is better than some non-diabetics! He is doing some progesterone, FSH and other hormonal testing this month and watching my charts for a couple of unmedicated cycles to see what my body does before he decides which fertility med route we are going to try.

I loved how the glucophage made me feel. I stopped losing my hair, my skin looked great, I lost weight and my sex drive about killed my husband. I wish I could still take it, but since my doctor doesn't want me taking it while pregnant I do not want to get pregnant on it and then take it away when I feel that if it straightened out my hormones enough to ovulate then I must need it. I am content to try just the insulin, which I know will not hurt the baby and try clomid and progesterone supplimentation this next time. Maybe, during the next two months before we can try he will decide that it is ok for me to take glucophage the first trimester. Time will tell.

I am feeling much better and now that I am learning more everyday from my friends online and books, I feel more in charge of my life and pretty again.

Well, that is the long story of my life and my dealings with PCOs. I really feel that my undiagnosed PCOS might have led to my diabetes. I am just thankful to be diagnosed, so that I can take care of my health now before any long term damage was done to my kidneys or eyes.

It is so great to find such a supportive community.
Best Wishes,
Diana