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Post by rainyday on Jul 16, 2008 22:56:59 GMT -5
Hi all, I am new to this board (but not new to Endo or PCOS and infertility). I have lurked on these boards for a couple of days and read a lot. I must say that there is lot of information and lot of knowledge here. A little background. I was diagnosed with Endo about 2 1/2 - 3 years ago when we failed to have a baby. After deciding to have a baby, we tried for a few months, but when we failed to conceive, my OB did a HSG. Everything looked normal in the HSG and she told us to continue trying. I did get pregnant but miscarried in the 8th week. We kept on trying after that for a while without success. I then changed my OB as we moved and the new OB asked me a lot of questions. He did few tests on me that came back normal, so in the end he suggested laproscopy as a final diagnostic test. They found that I had stage IV endo and the OB told us that our only chance of conceiving was through IVF. Fast forward to today and after 3 failed IVFs (two fresh and 1 FET) and two more miscarriages, we are left hanging. I plan on doing one more IVF and want to be in the best possible condition to produce good eggs. I do produce a lot of eggs (PCOS) and they appear to be excellent quality, and fertilize well too. Last time, my RE retrieved 20 eggs, 14 fertilized AND transferred two. But we were left with only one egg to freeze. SO I am thinking maybe egg quality is an issue? My RE does not think so and has decided that she will do a uterine biopsy to see if my uterus is inflammed. (anybody know anything about this?) But for my part, I am trying to take herbs, supplements and multivitamins to improve the egg quality. Right now I am taking VITEX, regular multivitamin, fish oil or flax seed oil and a lot of folic acid. I have also added Saw Palmetto to this regimen as I am loosing a LOT of hair. Unfortunately, my two cycles after the last fresh IVF have gone wacky. I did get pregnant with that IVF, but had really low beta and we knew that I would miscarry. After I bled on stopping progesterone, I had a reaaaly long gap...about two months and had to take provera to bring AF on. This next cycle seems to be a long one too, 40 days so far and counting. SO my question is, is the combo of herbs and vitamins that I am taking responsible for delayed AF? Any experience or input will be appreciated.
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Post by rainyday on Jul 16, 2008 23:06:24 GMT -5
Oh, I also wanted to add that I take metformin regularly and have had three sessions of acupuncture so far.
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Post by ouchy on Jul 17, 2008 0:12:54 GMT -5
Hi and welcome. I take issue with the OB who told you that your only option to get pregnant is through IVF--you proved on your own that this is not true by the sheer fact that you DID conceive on your own and carried to 8 weeks. Early miscarriages are common with PCOS. And, it looks like, you'll be adding to our rapidly growing list of members with both endo AND pcos! I'm one, too. Nice to meet ya! Long spans between periods are common w/ PCOS. I'm assuming that you know how to chart your cycles since you've gone through fertility treatments that usually make sure you've been charting and timing intercourse and whatnot for at least a year. The question as to where AF is lies in when you ovulated (or even if you ovulated) and where you are in your cycle. Many women w/ PCOS do typically have longer cycles than most due to LH/FSH ratio being messed up. I'm obviously not an RE, and I also have no clue what your BBT chart looks like, but if I have a guess, based on the info you've given and that you also have PCOS, so it fits in part of the puzzle, you likely have progesterone dropping too soon and not allowing the embryo to fully implant. This leads to decreasing betas (hCG numbers) and early miscarriage. VERY common in PCOS, and it's happened to me and also a couple others on the forum. Something called "luteal phase defect." GOOD news is that if that is what it is, it is easily fixed most of the time with progesterone supplements until you're out of the first trimester! Another note is that metformin can leach B vitamins and other vitamins and minerals that your body needs. I've also read something about it can lead to learning disabilities in the child if you take it while you're pregnant, though it does decrease the miscarriage rate. I was on Metformin to induce ovulation w/ PCOS. However, after seeing it work the first couple months I was on it, I realized that I coudl do the same thing just by eating healthier and lowering my blood sugar through diet, since that is all it's doing anyway by being a diabetic drug. Also, by eating an insulin resistance diet, I regulated my hormones and ovulated on my own for the first time ever. Also had a very healthy pregnancy and now a very healthy (and too rambunctious!) baby! Don't know what more to write. If you do have BBT charts you'd like me to have a look at, feel free to PM them to me. ALso, if you haven't read it, I highllllllllllllly recommed reading "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler. Several on here have gotten pregnant after reading it w/in just a couple months. Good luck and welcome. Post part of this in the "Introduce Yourselves" forum, if you don't mind, too. Thanks!
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Post by rainyday on Jul 17, 2008 0:40:04 GMT -5
thanks Ouchy! I know that I can concieve without IVF and am secretly hoping that we will get pregnant. I have not been charting at all since we started doing IVF. I did ovulate around day 18-19 and had cycles from 30 days to 34 days. Over the last 4-5 years I have put on a lot of weight and my cycles have been getting longer and longer about 39-40 days. A lot of t he weight gain is due to lack of exercise and eating junk food. I went from being very careful about what I eat to becoming garbage receptacle almost . I am glad that dietary changes worked for you. I hate metformin and it does a number on me. It also does not seem to be doing anything for me. But I plan on taking it as it improves egg quality. I will most probably take it till I get pregnant and through first trimester....do not want anything to affect it KWIM? I also did not know that metformin leaches vitamins from your body. Thanks for the info. I am sure that I ovulated on day 19 ( ewcm and contractions in left ovary), but I have not been temping. Did you go on a strict low carb regime? I have browsed part of that book, but maybe I will go and buy it.
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Post by ouchy on Jul 17, 2008 9:43:23 GMT -5
Nope. I did the insulin resistance diet. (Complex carbs balanced w/ protein) We have a thread on it somewhere. Anyway, your egg quality should be great by eating healthily. The earlier you ovulate, the better the quality, and with the diet, I had my first on-time ovulation on myown...EVER! I'm sure you'll get healthier eggs by following an insulin resistance diet than by taking a medicine that does the same thing only has downsides! It's always healthier to do it naturally! If you're *sure* you o'd on cd 19, go get a test! If it is negative, chalk it up to PCOS and your body *trying* to ovulate and aaaaaaaaaaalmost ovulating but not happening. That's another thing w/ PCOS. You can allllllllllllmost ovulate, have EWCM, pain, and then not. But I say test! BC I'm a pee-on-a-stick-aholic! And we need more babies around here so we can prove that you CAN get preg. w/ endo AND other worse fertility factors!
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Post by puddleduck on Jul 18, 2008 13:00:55 GMT -5
Hi there, You sound as though you're doing everything you can to help yourself. I just wanted to add that I've taken Vitex myself and didn't realise until I began consulting a nutritional therapist earlier this year, that you shouldn't take it for longer than 6 months. I was on it for two to three years a while back and it did regulate cycles, but I eventually began to have very heavy bleeding with it. Your body has been through an awful lot in the past few years, so it's maybe needing a rest from the onslaught of hormones: synthetic and natural. If I were you, I'd be inclined to consult a qualified nutritional therapist with an interest and expertise in endometriosis and subfertility (someone like Dian Mills) to help formulate a plan to suit you and monitor things. Vitex must never be taken at the same time as any other hormonal treatments, such as Provera, norethisterone, any Pill (combined or progestin) or progesterone cream. Take it easy. All the best.
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Post by rainyday on Jul 31, 2008 23:24:21 GMT -5
Thanks. I too think that my body just needs rest from all that has been going on with it. This last cycle turned out to be 50 days. Better than the one before that (right after the IVF chemical) that lasted more than 60 days and had to take meds for AF to visit.
I had no idea that you are not supposed to take vitex for more than 6 months! Anyway, I take the lowest dose and have not done it for more than two months. Last time I took vitex, my AF pain was much less. But, at the same time, I do not want to mess up with my hormones. I go to this acupuncturist who also specializes in TCM. I will ask him for meds advice too.
I really should do the insulin resistance diet. I need more will power and resolve to do that. Right now I have none. But I will start slow.
Ouchy, are you still following that diet?
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Post by ouchy on Aug 1, 2008 0:04:43 GMT -5
^I'm about 90% back on it as of the last week. LOL! I'm getting back in to it, too. I think I'll be full-swing by next week! The diet is super easy once you get the hang of it. After all, it's not a diet at all--it's just eating healthily!
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