I am sure many can relate.. I have PCOS diagnosed at 35.. I figured it out but took a while to find an endo who knew about it. TTC since Jan 2009 so not that long, got pregnant in March, miscarried between weeks 4-5, but took 6 weeks to complete miscarriage. No one tells you what to expect, I felt crappy the whole time, fatigued, bloated, and the blood seemed never ending. April 1 - HCG decreased, April 13 - expelled clots, etc.. Had my endo check-up April 28th - my testosterone levels normal, my t4 1.3, tsh 2.2, but positive thyroid antibodies, she said if I get pregnant next time to take an aspirin daily? I have read many places that they feel thyroid hormone should be treated. Went for f/u with OBGYN today and brought a copy of my labs, he had no idea that miscarriages are more common with higher antibodies and questioned why I thought I had PCOS.. What is wrong when the "patient" knows more than the doctor and the doctor does not listen or think the whole picture through. I AM SO FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyone else?
i'm so sorry for your experience. i wish i could help you with your doctors... if your ever in south jersey i know a guy...
but seriously, asprin therapy is the main treatment for immune disorders, and seeing that they are the most common causes for loss, i would take the asprin just as a precaution. thyroid disease is also a concern, but i have a regular endo for that (and a RE and a thousand other doctors). i hope you find the answers you are looking for. we are here to help anytime you need to vent.
dianna
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Dianna - 30 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Don - 25 Married 1/11/08 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Isaac lives in heaven now
April 21st, 2009 BFP 7/6 IT'S A GIRL 10/5
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So sorry for your loss. I too have thyroid antibodies (Hashimotos thyroiditis). I am on synthroid as my thyroid levels are hypo without it. I've read that taking 200mcg a day of selenium can reduce thyroid antibodies so I started taking it, that may be something you want to look into. But yes, I've read too that women with thyroid antibodies have a higher miscarriage rate (lucky us), and as you can see from my siggy I've had 3 miscarriages. My first pregnancy was successful, that is my son. Not sure if taking the baby aspirin will help or not, I was taking baby aspirin during my latest pregnancy and still miscarried. I'm not sure that baby aspirin would do anything to help the thyroid condition, but since the thyroid condition is autoimmune we are at higher risk of having other autoimmune conditions, so the baby aspirin might help if there is an underlying autoimmune clotting disorder causing the miscarriages. I totally know what you mean about incompetent doctors. I have had the hardest time finding a decent doctor. I had a few doctors tell me there was nothing wrong with my thyroid before I found an endo who discovered my hashimotos thyroiditis. My OB/GYN was totally clueless about PCOS. I've also had a heck of a time finding a good doctor to test and treat my recurrent miscarriage issues. I've finally found a good RE and am going through testing with him right now. He treats recurrent miscarriage aggressively, which is what I wanted. I will most likely be on prednisone to supress my immune system and heparin or lovenox to prevent clotting next time I get pregnant. Good luck to you, I hope you are able to find some good and knowledgeable doctors, and I hope your next pregnancy is a sticky one!
Ele i totally understand your frustration. I have had a total of 3 miscarriages and until this last m/c i had no answers they just said it was bad luck. it was the nurse practicioner who finally sent me for the right test and discovered i have MTHFR which is most likley causing my miscarriages. i am sorry you are having such a rough time but dont give up hope just keep searching until you find the answers you need and a dr who will listen. its your body and your journey and unfortunately it seems that more times than not we have to take our theories to our dr's who should know more than we do but dont. i wish you much luck....
__________________ Angel 1 -4/06-5wks Angel 2 1/08( stephanie grace) 6wks Angel 3 2/09 (steven blestman) 8wks Current meds: ba, prenatal, 2mg folic acid & B complex- Dx'd with PCOS 1/08 dx'd with mthfr homo. 4/09 Entering a clinical study for clomid/Femera- Tammy-39-Steve 48-ttc 6 years
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Thanks all for your help! I am sorry to hear so many of us going through similar things. I have heard about selenium too and will take that after I request a thyroid ultrasound.. The prenatal I take does not have selenium so I am sure I need it! I am a picky eater! Has anyone had their folate level checked, I see so many people taking extra folate beyond the typical amount recommended? Best to you all!
I'm so sorry about your loss! And fooey on stupid doctors! There are so many stories about that around the board. I hope you can find good help in your journey. Doing our own research and experimenting tends to be the best bet, sigh. I hope the supplements help and that you are successful soon!
__________________ Metformin 1500mg, Yasmin, managing IR/pcos with lower carbs
First pregnancy ended at 23 weeks due to incompetent cervix.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mary Catherine will be in our hearts forever, November 28, 2003.
Second loss March 9, 2004 at five weeks
Third pregnancy, Cerclage at 13w
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Fourth pregnancy, Cerclage at 13w
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Elegirl-I actually haven't started the extra folic acid yet, but I will be starting it because I just got the results of my repeat pregnancy loss testing back since I first responded to this thread. Turns out I am positive for compound heterozygous MTHFR. Since MTHFR is associated with an inability to absorb folic acid, women with MTHFR must take a very high dosage. I know tcrock responded to this thread and has MTHFR, that is why she is on it as well. I will also be on heparin next pregnancy since what I have is associated with blood clotting. Talk about lousy doctors, my old RE didn't test me for any of this. Had he tested me for it and treated it, I may not have lost my most recent baby back in Feb. So glad I got a new doctor!
justinsmom that is exactly how i feel. i changed ob's with #3 hoping he would be more careful because i had already had 2 m/c's adn he was supposed to be a high risk dr. but he didnt. even when he ordered RPL testing he did not order MTHFR test. apparently he knows little about it. if i had not seen the nurse practicioner the day i got my results i would have never known. she is the one that ordered it!!! we go to dr's for answers and it sucks that they are not up on all the data to give us the best possible answers they can. by the way how much folic acid are you going to be taking? i am flying blind since i dont have insurance and i want to be sure i am taking enuf. especially now that i am in the 2ww. thanks so much
elegirl i am sorry u dont have the answers you need. but i have found that you have to do alot of research on your own and know what questions to ask the dr directly. refuse to take-im not sure or i dont think thats an issue-push them to test for EVERYTHING that may even remotely be the problem..sending you tons of hugs..... let me know if i can be of anyhelp
__________________ Angel 1 -4/06-5wks Angel 2 1/08( stephanie grace) 6wks Angel 3 2/09 (steven blestman) 8wks Current meds: ba, prenatal, 2mg folic acid & B complex- Dx'd with PCOS 1/08 dx'd with mthfr homo. 4/09 Entering a clinical study for clomid/Femera- Tammy-39-Steve 48-ttc 6 years
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Tammy-It's good to have people to talk to that have been through similar experiences. After my experience with my old doctor, my advice to anyone with repeat pregnancy loss is to ask questions, do their own research, find out exactly what they are being tested for, and find a new doctor if their doctor isn't testing for/knowledgable about everything. I'm so glad we both FINALLY got some answers. It's just too bad we had to lose another baby before getting them. I am going to be put on on foltx which is a prescription strength folic acid/B vitamin complex. It says here what exactly is in each tablet: http://www.rxlist.com/foltx-drug.htm I haven't gotten the script from my doc yet so I don't know if I will be on one tablet per day or more.
I'm sorry you are dealing with the no insurance thing on top of all of this. I think I read that you run a daycare, right? So frustrating that you work hard and run a business, but because you work for yourself you don't have insurance. Hopefully you will be able to get on heparin or lovenox as soon as you get a BFP. (You will be eligible for state coverage then, right?) From what I have read, your type of MTHFR (homozygous, 2 copies of the same gene) is most severe and my type (compound heterozygous, 2 copies of 2 different genes) comes in second. So I definitely think the heparin/lovenox are worth a try for both of us!
Elegirl-I hope all is going well for you and you are on your way to finding a good doctor. Maybe even create a post with the area you live asking for recommendations. Sometimes recommendations from women going through the same thing is the best way to find a good doc. I actually found my new doc because a woman I met online with similar issues to me happened to live near me and highly recommended her doctor.
Justinsmom- thanks for you help with the foltx- i go to the dr today to get my metformin renewed and will talk to the dr about it then. i was praying it was on the walmart $4 list but cant seem to find it so far. Yes i have the most severe case of MTHFR-of course- if i have to have it i will be at the losing end-lol figures. i will push for lovenox or heprin when i get pg and will charge my first script if i have to. i dont want to lose another baby thats for sure. i get scared sometimes because of my insurance situation and think maybe i should not even try to get pg again. but then i see a baby and i know i have to at least try again. i have a hard time though because if i have always had MTHFR why did i have a healthy pg so many years ago? it makes me so aggrevated sometimes.grrr...
elegirl- let us know when you find a new Dr because i know it can make all the difference in the outcome and the treatment that you recieve
__________________ Angel 1 -4/06-5wks Angel 2 1/08( stephanie grace) 6wks Angel 3 2/09 (steven blestman) 8wks Current meds: ba, prenatal, 2mg folic acid & B complex- Dx'd with PCOS 1/08 dx'd with mthfr homo. 4/09 Entering a clinical study for clomid/Femera- Tammy-39-Steve 48-ttc 6 years
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Tammy-I feel the same way. I had a healthy pregnancy with my son, I'm wondering how in the world he made it into the world with all these issues I have. I did read somewhere that some women with MTHFR can have a healthy pregnancy before finding out they have it so maybe that is the case with us. And my doctor told me that it sometimes is possible to carry to term with MTHFR, you just have a much better chance at miscarrying. I think with treatment, our chances for a healthy pregnancy are good. I've read a lot of success stories.
Miscarriage - bad experience- MD 
I hope you can find good help in your journey. Doing our own research and experimenting tends to be the best bet, sigh. I hope the supplements help and that you are successful soon!
