Questions about Met and Monitors

stormspirit · 06-03-2003, 01:52 PM

Hi everyone! A little background on myself: I was dx with PCOS in 1999. I was only 20 at the time and had been married for a year. We decided we were ready to have a baby so I went off the Pill. At first I thought that my missing periods were due to taking the Pill for quite a while and then stopping, so I called my gyno (I was put on the Pill by my mother when I was only 15 because I had very irregular periods coming once every 6 months or so and lasting around 8 days with very painful cramps). When I called my gyno complaining that I had not started for two months he gave me Provera and wished me well. The next month was the same so he decided to see what was going on. He knew immediately that it was PCOS, although he didn’t tell me what it was called for quite some time. I went through 6 rounds of Clomid and had ultrasounds every months with no ovulation. His next recommendation was ovarian drilling. I’ll be honest, that scared me to death. I never went back to him, and about a year later I decided to go to a new gyno that I had heard a lot of great things about. I told him everything and he got my records from the first gyno and decided that with a little time passed he wanted me to try Clomid again for a few months. I did 6 more months, no ultrasounds and used fertility tests, to no avail. I was very frustrated, so I didn’t go back until it was time for my next annual. That was when he introduced me to the idea of Metformin, but it was another year before I actually started taking it.

During all of this time I have done a lot of my own research on PCOS, and I have to say I have learned more on my own than any doctor has informed me. I think I finally understand a lot more about what is going on with my body. I have a lot of the symptoms. Since I stopped taking the Pill I have gained 50 pounds. My hair is not falling out, but I do have lots of hair in weird places. I rarely have a period, maybe one every 3 or 4 months. But my main concern is the infertility. It’s been 4 years and I still have had no solid proof (fertility test stick or ultrasound) that I have ever ovulated. I have been taking Metformin (500 mg 3x / day) for about 5 weeks. So far I have had no period. Before the Met my dr. had me take 3 months of BC because he said some studies showed the Met worked better if you took a few months of BC. Anyway, I guess the questions that I have are do I have to have a period to ovulate or do I have to ovulate to have a period, or can they be separate from one another? I mean, if I start my period does that mean I ovulated? Second, I’ve been thinking about getting the clear plan easy fertility monitor, but I’m concerned that it won’t be much help to me if I don’t have a period. I just thought before I spend that much money maybe someone else who has used one and maybe has had similar symptoms would be able to give me some advice. I think that I’m really beginning to get discouraged with all of this. I know I need to give the Met time to work, but is it too soon for me to actually think I might ovulate?

I’m sorry this is so jumbled. It’s hard to tell my story without getting jumbled. By the way, I read some other people’s threads about how sick they were with Met. After 5 weeks I still feel nauseated a lot, especially in the evenings. I haven’t actually thrown up, but I sure have felt like it a few times. I have had diareah a lot too. And it hits me suddenly. One minute I’m fine, the next minute I’m running for the bathroom trying to decide if I need to sit on the toilet or the floor. The symptoms have gotten lighter, but they are still there. I assume it’s going to hang around.

Leigh Ann

christyz · 06-03-2003, 02:28 PM

Quote:

do I have to have a period to ovulate or do I have to ovulate to have a period, or can they be separate from one another? I mean, if I start my period does that mean I ovulated? Second, I’ve been thinking about getting the clear plan easy fertility monitor, but I’m concerned that it won’t be much help to me if I don’t have a period. I just thought before I spend that much money maybe someone else who has used one and maybe has had similar symptoms would be able to give me some advice. I think that I’m really beginning to get discouraged with all of this. I know I need to give the Met time to work, but is it too soon for me to actually think I might ovulate?

You're right: Periods and ovulations aren't neccessarily hand in hand....one occurring doesn't guarantee the other.

About fertility montitors...i have never used one, so I know there are lots of other ladies that can give you some info.

It took about 12 weeks before I had my first period on met, so it is not too late for met to work. I know waiting to concieve is *so* hard, but often it takes several months to see if the drug is really going to start lowering those hormone levels.

All the best!

stormspirit · 06-07-2003, 11:55 AM

Thank you so much for your reply. I have learned so much on this site. I woke up this morning and and to my surprise my period had started. It's d/ 39 so it's a little late, but it's here and that's a miracle to me. I have gone ahead and ordered a fertility monitor from ebay and it should be here one day this week. I am so excited. This really makes all of the s/e from Met worth every minute.

christyz · 06-09-2003, 09:30 PM

Sorry i didn't get to your message sooner...my e-mail notification is on the fritz.

And you're right...the hope and help Met gives to some of us is enough to make all the side effects worth it.

in my case, that's saying a lot!