Help with questions about meds and cycle charting or just someone to talk to!?!

MorganRae · 10-24-2009, 01:20 AM

So I have been diagnosed with PCOS for about a year now. I have been reading a lot of info. I know so much more. I have some new meds and I have lost some weight about 25lbs eating better ( IR) taking met and now taking femara. I can tell that I am ovulating but I don't understand any of this. Anyone care to share their expierience with femara? Or just new and care to talk to me? I'd like to learn about this whole cycle charting thing and i don't understand what a luetal phase is. I don't know how to tell what day I am ovulating.

butterfly3861 · 10-24-2009, 11:27 AM

Hello Morgan. I am on my 6th cycle of femara so maybe I can help with some of your questions. I was diagnosed in 2001 or so with PCOS I take metformin as well and with the combo of dieting I have lost 60 lbs or so. So are you on a monitored cycle? That means that when you take your meds you are having ultrasounds to see if the follicles with eggs in them are maturing. If not, and you don't have high LH levels you should use ovulation predictor kits to see if you are having your surge. You usually ovulate 24-36 hours after the surge. Also you can chart your temperatures to see when you have ovulated, but it does not give you a head atime warning. If you have any specific questions please feel free to ask. I have been on the femara train for a while. I just entered by luteal phase, which is the time from ovulation to the day you get your period. It should be around 14 days. Anything less than 10 is a sign of a LP defect, which can hinder implantation. So, I'm not sure if this round worked but I have ovulated all 6 times. I think it's a great med.

Acajou73 · 10-24-2009, 12:16 PM

Hi,
Femera never worked for me. I didn't even ovulate with it. I have been pregnant 4 times. I lost the first 3, but this one is going well. Anyway, what worked for me is met and weight loss. I wasn't TTCing any of those times. They were all happy surprises.
With the first 3 (they were back to back), I lost about 40lbs and my met dosage was 2250. With this one, I lost close to 100lbs and got pregnant 7 months after starting my weight loss journey. What dosage of met are you on?

MorganRae · 10-25-2009, 10:47 PM

Well I had some strange side pain in May of 08' and several trips to the ER, and ever test under the sun and 10,000 later in hospital bills. After an ultra sound with enlarged ovaries, they had me do a Laparoscopy and everything looked 100% except my fat gut. lol They though I had endometreosis and since then looking at hormone levels they think I have PCOS. So they started me on 500mg Met and It does wicked things to me so that's about all I can tolerate right now. Milk seems to help though. Got married in June of 09 and so I was trying to loose weight for my wedding and went on a Low GI diet and since Aug they decided I am IR so i've down 22lbs. which is better than none at all. I've been taking provera also to help me purge my periods. Otherwise I got long periods of time with out them. I have been trying to slowly increase my dose of Met but just can't seem to do it. This will be 3rd round to Femara. No I haven't had any ultrasounds done since starting Femara 2.5 mg. I didn't know they made ovulation tests. I think I have ovulated but I am not sure how to tell besides with a kit, I mean do I just test on day 14? My cycles even with provera tend to be about 34 days instead of 28. All of my hormone levels are right where they should be. Just average, not high. I keep getting these violent headaches, I think from hormone changes. My hubby works in and out of town so it's hard even if I did ovulate, for us to have alone time. I don't want to be one of those people who is controlling about timing sex. I figure if it happens it happens. But I have definatly felt alot more going on. More cramps ( used to never have them) I feel little bits of pain. My periods haven't been as heavy or as long, which is nice for a change. I went months and months of solid periods. Not fun. I appreciate your help in answering some of my questions. Thanks. I hope to get pregnant soon. Do you know what are the major risks of being pregnant with PCOS? ( I mean besides miscarriage) I will add you both if that's okay. Thanks
Morgan

butterfly3861 · 10-26-2009, 12:12 AM

Hey Morgan- If your cycles are 34 days then you likely ovulate around day 18-20 of your cycle because your luteal phase will probably not be more than 16 days. I know with femara that I ovulate around day 15-16 but have ovulated as late as day 18. When you use the ovulation tests, you should start testing around day 12 until you get a positive. You can also have blood tests after ovulation to check and make sure it happened, but if you are getting a period you probably are, unless you don't get one until you take provera, then that means you're probably not. My cycle is about 31 days with femara, but it is okay that yours is 34. It is really essential to time intercourse though for best results so ovulation kits are very helpful. I can feel myself ovulate on femara, so that's a sign but not a surefire way to tell. Are you going to an RE or an OB? The RE is more detailed with the tests they give you, ect. I guess I am lucky to be able to tolerate so much met because I wasn't ovulating, even with meds until I started taking more. I am now on the max does of 3000mg and I don't have any side effects and like I said I have lost 60 or so lbs so it has been very helpful. Give it time and I'm sure that you will be able to increase. you can buy Ovulation tests at the store or even dollar tree has them if there is one in your area. Good luck. I added you to friends so e-mail me if you have questions. Sad to say but I have some experience with Femara for sure. I am hoping this is the last time, as I am in the 2ww.

butterfly3861 · 10-26-2009, 12:15 AM

Morgan- Oh, I forgot....I don't think there are a lot of risks per say, but it depends on your specific symptoms of PCOS. Miscarriage is one, pre-eclampsia, if you have high bp and gestastional diabetes is what I have been told.

MorganRae · 10-26-2009, 03:58 AM

I ended up seeing a specialist here in SLC, Ut I don't really know what he is though. It's an OB clinic, his card says D.O. He was the one who performed my laparoscopy. I know he told me I could come and get blood tests done, but that didn't make any sense to me at the time, but I think it does now. He's incredibly hard to get an appt with. I got sometime in Nov. It's $75 co pay after insurance to be seen at his clinic. So I really haven't wanted to pay $75 each time. Maybe I can time my apt within that time frame and get it done then. well I make sure to initiate more about that week window time. lol I had seen 12 other doctors before seeing him and they all thought I might have PCOS and they just suggested I go back on BC. I had read about met on this site and suggested it an none of them would prescribe it. None of them really listened like the does. He asked me what I thought would be effective. So i've stuck with him. But the Met makes me extremely tired. ( i have argued with the nurse) she tells me it's not a symptom of met but I can stop taking it and be great! take it again and i'm fatigue and it wrecks havoc on my bladder. I keep getting cysts. I have been taking it at night and notice it less, but I can take it and for 5 hours after I have to run to the bathroom. I take it at night i'm good. Do you have any side effects with Femara? Thanks again.. i'll make a trip to dollar tree.

Acajou73 · 10-26-2009, 07:39 AM

The major risks for being pregnant with PCOS...well I think the hormonal problems are what usually cause miscarriages in pcos women. Most doctors recommend that you stay on metformin throughout the first trimester. i personally chose to stay on it throughout my pregnancy. Another thing we typically have, not always, are clotting disorders. I lost 3 babies before mine was discovered. I would insist on being tested for those before you get pregnant. It can save you a great deal of heartache...believe me. what other fertility treatments have you tried?

what dosage of met are you on? how much do you weigh and how tall are you?

I tried femera once and it didn't work for me and screwed up my periods for a few months.

Acajou73 · 10-26-2009, 07:44 AM

oh and are you taking baby aspirin?

MorganRae · 10-27-2009, 04:45 AM

No is baby asprin good? I am 5 feet tall and sadly 190 lbs. I was at 210 in Aug.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajou73

The major risks for being pregnant with PCOS...well I think the hormonal problems are what usually cause miscarriages in pcos women. Most doctors recommend that you stay on metformin throughout the first trimester. i personally chose to stay on it throughout my pregnancy. Another thing we typically have, not always, are clotting disorders. I lost 3 babies before mine was discovered. I would insist on being tested for those before you get pregnant. It can save you a great deal of heartache...believe me. what other fertility treatments have you tried?

what dosage of met are you on? how much do you weigh and how tall are you?

I tried femera once and it didn't work for me and screwed up my periods for a few months.

Acajou73 · 10-27-2009, 08:04 AM

One of the reasons for not being able to conceive or having a miscarriage is due to a poorly lined uterus (endometrium). It can improve the quality of the lining. If you do get pregnant, it can also greatly improve the quality of the placenta.