My PCOS Story

In honour of PCOS Awareness Month, I wanted to share my personal experience with PCOS. It's a long story – so get comfy!

When I was a teenager, I often had light periods with A LOT of pain. I had an ultrasound that showed some cysts – but nothing to worry about. My doctor mentioned PCOS, but she wasn't worried as I had none of the other symptoms and wasn't planning a family any time soon.

Shortly thereafter I went on the pill, and remained on it until I met my husband. I went off it, in hopes of starting a family, and was immediately graced with very intermittent and sometimes non-existent periods, horrible bleeding and bad cramps. Going from my prior light periods, I was quite surprised at this sudden change. My doctor at the time wasn't concerned, and told me to wait it out. So I did. I waited it out for almost a year. In that time, I gained almost 70 pounds. It was confusing and horrible and I felt like garbage most of the time. The more weight I gained, the worse I felt. It was just a bad year.

I got a new doctor who immediately was concerned by my sudden weight gain and the fact that in a year I had only two periods – both lasting for 3+ months. He did an ultrasound and found a 2 cm cyst on my right ovary and immediately referred me to the top PCOS specialist in my city. In my first appt with her – we'll call her Specialist #1 – she took one look at me, told me I definitely had PCOS, prescribed me Pro.vera for the first 10 days of the month and sent me home – telling me to come back when I get pregnant. Well, as soon as I started the Pro.vera I started to feel poorly. I was bloated, sore, achy, just over all unwell. I called her to ask if these symptoms were normal, and was told she wasn't available. The nurse that had been assigned to my case told me she didn't have experience with Prove.ra and couldn't tell me if the side effects were normal. I asked for an appt, and they told me Specialist #1 was having a “personal issue” and they wouldn't be able to book me an appt. They would have her call me as soon as she could. I waited, and waited, and continued to call and get the same answers. The meds weren't even working – I still hadn't had a period. Weeks went by and I gave up. I called my family doctor and booked an appt with him. He told me to stop taking the progesterone immediately and booked me for an ultrasound. I didn't make it to the ultrasound – within two days I was in emergency surgery having my right ovary, fallopian tube and the cyst - that had grown to 15cms in size and contorted – removed. The surgeon who had performed the surgery was shocked and surprised that no concern had been given to my cyst prior to being put on medication, and offered to take me on as a patient. She became Specialist #2. While I was recovering from my surgery, the office for Specialist #1 called to book me an appt with a different Dr there as apparently Specialist #1 was taking some time off. This was almost TWO MONTHS after I started trying to get an appt because I was feeling unwell. I hung up on them. Maybe it was my hormones adjusting after the surgery, or maybe it was just my anger at their negligence...but I was angry and devastated and all kinds of emotions. At my follow-up appointment for the surgery Specialist #2 went over her findings. She had found a ton of scar tissue from a previous surgery, so she removed that and hoped that would help. She also saw that both ovaries were polycystic, my remaining ovary more so than the one they removed. Given that, and my chance of a recurring cyst, she put me on birth control to prevent the cyst from growing and told me my best option would be IVF – and that if I wanted kids I needed to do this sooner rather than later. She referred me to the fertility program in our area. At the fertility program, I met Specialist #3. I was anxious and excited and nervous to be there, and I was hoping to have a pleasant, kind experience. Boy was I wrong. Specialist #3 was...well, interesting to say the least. She started the conversation with saying “Wow, you're certainly young. I'm curious why you think you need to be here, when you have so many more years to conceive on your own.” That was a bad start. I felt like I was wasting her time and like I didn't deserve to be there because I was 25 and not 35. She reviewed my file and said I had “decades” to get pregnant, so I had plenty of time. Since I had so much time, she wanted me to work on losing the extra weight I have so I'm at my prime for pregnancy, getting my PCOS under control, regulating my cycles and trying naturally for another 3 years before returning to the program. Her parting words to me were “come back to me when you're a skinny minnie”. I was devastated. Just devastated. I mean, I knew I was overweight – and I also knew it was better for everyone if I was thinner. I didn’t expect to go in there and get pregnant today. But it was my doctor who sent me there...not some whim of my own. I was told to go, and go now (hence the referral). And, I had seen women in that waiting room heavier than I was. She had also told me during the appointment that if I was older, she'd treat me anyway but because I'm so young I have the time to do what they can't. It was just a bad appointment all around, and I left feeling very confused and unsure.

I was scheduled for a follow-up with Specialist #2 so I just waited for that appointment and figured we'd discuss the fertility program's response at that appointment – but when I arrived, I was informed by the receptionist that Specialist #2 had gone into early labour and had her baby over the weekend, and so I'd be seeing her replacement...Specialist #4. At this point, I was ready to throw in the towel. No one seemed to be on the same page, no one seemed to even stick around, and I still had never been tested for anything – no blood work, nothing! I was extremely frustrated with the medical system and feeling very much let down...and I was still very unsure of my diagnosis, what it meant, and what exactly had happened so far.

Thankfully, Specialist #4 turned out to be a breath of fresh air. He was a fresh-out-of-school young, handsome male doctor and when he walked in the room, my first thought was are you kidding me? I get some KID taking care of me? A man – who can't possibly understand?? However, he turned out to be one of the best doctors I've ever had. He asked me a couple questions and I suddenly burst into tears. I told him about the fertility program and her cold response, and the previous doctors, and how I still didn't even really know what PCOS was or what it meant for me, and I just sobbed and sobbed. He just sat there, looking surprised but handing me kleenex and actually listening to everything I said. When I stopped crying I sat there mopping my face up, feeling like an idiot and trying to plan my escape from the office when he finally spoke. He said that he wanted to start from the beginning, and he spent over an hour just explaining everything to me. My diagnosis, what it meant, what had happened with my cyst, how progesterone isn't a good idea when you have a cyst, how he didn't agree with the fertility program, and – possibly the most important thing – was that he told me he could treat me with medication. I hadn't known that going into this...I thought I had to see the fertility program for Clo.mid or Met.formin or any other treatment. He was thorough and honest, and he told me that I wasn't obese and he didn't see an issue with me being pregnant at my size. I was healthy otherwise and he was willing to try Clomid. But first, he wanted tests done – TESTS! I was so happy to finally hear those words! He ran all kinds of blood tests and ultrasounds and checked everything out...and for the most part, I checked out. I didn't have any blood markers of PCOS but since the surgeon reported polycystic ovaries, I did still have PCOS. So, we began Clo.mid. During that time I lost 54 pounds, and was very excited for Clo.mid. I only did a couple cycles, which did not work, before we make the tough decision to relocate closer to my family. So we ended our journey there, and took a break so we could move, find new doctors and decide what our next steps will be. In the meantime, we're focusing on being healthy and enjoying life...something we haven't had much of for the last couple years.

Although I sometimes wish I didn't have PCOS, I have learned so much from this experience. We're still waiting for our BFP, but I've made some amazing friends and some truly incredible women on this journey and for that, I wouldn't change it!

** If I could offer advice to anyone currently dealing with PCOS – it's do your research and don't settle for one person's opinion! Ask the right questions, make sure you know what's happening and that you're confident in their decision, and find a doctor who works with you.

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About PCOS

We've been posting about PCOS in support of PCOS Awareness Month and I wanted to share with you an article written by an MD.  The article does a good job of describing our hormones and what they do when we ovulate versus when we don't ovulate.  And you should know by now that one of the primary characteristics of PCOS is anovulation.  The doctor who wrote this article believes that PCOS is actually caused by toxic chemicals in our environment as well as lifestyle (stress, lack of exercise, dietary habits).  The number one contributor to symptoms, however, is our diet.

Take a look at the article and let us know how you feel, what you learned, and if you have questions about it.

Here's the link to the article:

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About PCOS

IComLeavWe

Hello to everyone visiting from ICLW!!  Welcome to Ask An Infertile! This is a blog I started about a month ago intended to be a place of knowledge and fellowship for everyone who has suffered from infertility or pregnancy loss and those trying to conceive.

So who am I? I'm Melissa. This blog is new but I've been a member of the blogger community since 2007 at my personal blog A Place Where I Can Be Me.  It started out as just a place to write about random things, my marriage, and later my first son.  Eventually, it became a place to write about my struggle to conceive my second child.  I wound up being diagnosed with unexplained secondary infertility.  I went through testing and treatment and a devastating early miscarriage in 2011 before I finally conceived my second son. Over the course of my struggle, I became very connected to the online community formed by woman who struggle with infertility and have experienced pregnancy loss.  Once my own journey was resolved, I still felt a desire to stay connected to the community, to find a way to help others.  My introduction post on this blog goes into more detail, but that's basically why I decided to start this blog.

When I came up with the idea for the blog, I knew I didn't want to do it alone.  My own struggle is only one limited point of view in terms of infertility.  I have read and researched quite a bit, but that can't compare to the stories so many others could contribute. So I went over my extensive blogroll and sent out feelers to some of my favorite blogs dealing with infertility and pregnancy loss.  I was lucky enough to get a great response and now Ask An Infertile is now 7 contributors strong!  We're just starting out, but we all have high hopes for this blog.  I know that together we have a lot of knowledge and some great stories to share that can really be related to.

But we need readers!  One of the big things I want for this blog is for it to become a blog FOR the community.  We want to write about what our readers want to read about!  We want to be driven by our followers.  IComLeavWe seemed a great place to start building a following! 

So I'm really glad you're here!  Please take a minute to poke around our humble little blog and if you have any questions, suggestions, or if you'd like to be involved, leave a comment, use the comment form or send us an email at askaninfertile at yahoo dot com.

Thanks for reading!!

PCOS Awareness Month

Hi All!

In case you didn't know, September is PCOS awareness month! Please pop on over to http://www.pcosfoundation.org to learn more about PCOS or, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

There are many different types of infertility – but PCOS is among the top causes. It's not only relatively common but it also has many faces. The disease, it's symptoms and the prognosis all vary per individual woman.

Some women achieve success with ovulation inducing medications like Clomid or Metformin – while some have to use IVF, and others never achieve pregnancy at all. This makes it challenging to treat because there is no scenario or case study to follow. We're all so different, and our experiences with PCOS are all so different, that it's difficult to come up with a single prognosis.

The other thing about PCOS is that it is not just an infertility disease. It's lifelong. PCOS lasts long after you're no longer trying to have children, and some women experience it well into menopause. It's a condition that can affect your health for the rest of your life if not treated and maintained properly. That's, perhaps, the cruelty of it for women who never succeeded in having children – the constant reminder of their infertility until their childbearing years are well over.

Sometimes it can be really difficult to get a diagnosis – because there's no typical PCOS situation and each doctor seems to have their own idea of what makes a PCOS diagnosis. Some doctors believe insulin resistency is a requirement of PCOS, while others say it's only a disease of the overweight. However, I can assure you that neither of those have to be present for you to have PCOS. Due to this inconsistency in knowledge, it can be difficult to get diagnosed and a get on an effective treatment plan. My advice to you is that if you suspect you have it, but your doctor disagrees - get a second (or third) opinion. Look online for a PCOS specialist in your area and make an appointment. PCOS creates different fertility obstacles and being treated properly, for the right condition, could be the jump start your body needs.

A PCOS diagnosis does not mean the end of your journey, but it certainly changes it. Many women go on and have healthy, normal pregnancies – but for some, the journey to the pregnancy is a little rockier. Other women chose different paths – whether it be adoption, surrogacy, or living child free. The importance of understanding, and spreading awareness, about PCOS is so that more women can ask their doctors the right questions, and ensure they get the best possible care during their fertility journey.

 ** I am not a professional, nor do I have an professional experience with PCOS. My experience is purely personal, and based on research. Please visit the above link for more information, or speak to your doctor. 

Tips and tricks

Anyone who has tried to get pregnant for awhile without success ends up picking up a few tips and strategies to increase their chances.  There are a lot of techniques and products that you can try.  I thought I'd put together a list of some of these things

OPKS
AKA Ovulation predictor kits. We've discussed these a little bit in other posts, but they are an at home test that detects the surge of LH in the body. LH or luteinizing hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and during a woman's cycle will rise sharply (called a surge) and cause the woman to ovulate.  OPKs detect this surge in the hormone, allowing the woman to better pinpoint ovulation and time intercourse.  These tests are available at just about any retailer for a variety of prices and are also available online in strip form for a lower price.  It is recommended that you take these tests twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon (it is usually not recommended to use first morning urine, as it could yield a false positive result).  Most tests (though not all) require the test line to be AS DARK OR DARKER than the control line.  Be sure to read the directions carefully.  Or buy those nice (expensive) smiley face digital OPKs to take out the guess work.  A positive OPK indicates the the ovary will release and egg in the next 24-48 hours, so get your sexy on!

BBT
Otherwise known as basal body temperature.  This is another method of predicting ovulation.  The surge of LH in the body also causes a slight rise in body temperature.  All that's required for this method is a good thermometer, although I do recommend buying one made for BBT.  Every morning, take your temperature the moment you wake up.  It is very important that you do this around the same time every morning and before you do anything else.  It doesn't take much to skew the results.  Temperature can be taking orally or vaginally.  Record the temperature in a notebook, or better yet, use a great website (or mobile app) like Fertility Friend, which will not only keep track, but also help you interpret the results and pinpoint suspected ovulation.

Websites/Apps
Since I mentioned Fertility Friend, I thought I'd also list a few other sites and apps that I found helpful.  Fertility Friend is great for tracking BBT, but you can also track symptoms, upload HPT pictures, and they even offer a class on charting!  I also loved Countdown To Pregnancy.  The site is full of information on early signs and symptoms of pregnancy, information on pregnancy tests, and also offers a charting tool.  I also use an app called Pink Pad Pro.  I started using it when I first started tracking my cycles.  It's a quick and easy way for me to keep track of my period and any symptoms of pregnancy.  All of these come in handy at keeping me grounded if I'm having "symptoms", because I can remind myself I've felt this before!

Lubricant
Okay, we're going to talk about lube.  I always say there is no such thing as TMI with TTC.  Did you know that many lubricants can actually be harmful to sperm?  I'm not saying they are a form of birth control, but if you're TTC you definitely want every swimmer possible to have it's chance!  I'll admit, I hemmed and hawed over this one for a long time, but eventually I tried out a fertility friendly lubricant called Pre-Seed.  Fertility treatments like Clomid and Femara can actually reduce a woman's natural cervical mucus and I found that they really made me dry.  This product took care of that, and I must say my husband approved!  It's available online and at most drugstores and costs around $20 for about 9 applications.  We conceived the first month of using this product after 17 previous unsuccessful cycles.  I can't swear that Pre-Seed had anything to do with it, but I still recommend giving it a try!

Put your feet up
Yep, we mean it.  After sex, prop your booty up on a pillow and your legs on the wall or headboard.  Gravity baby, gotta work against her. Try to stay horizontal for at least 10 minutes or try the next product.

Softcups
I have never tried this item, but I've heard good things about Softcups.  They are used for menstruation, but basically it's a flexible little cup you insert up by your cervix that will keep the swimmers up that way for longer, especially if you're up and moving.  (Please note, this is NOT the use for which these were created)

There are tons of tips and tricks out there!  Fertility monitors, teas, supplements, cut out caffeine, hubby wears boxers, the list goes on and on!  If there are others you'd like us to discuss here, let us know!

Please note that I have not been compensated in anyway by the sites and products mentioned in this post.  These are simply things that I have used and would recommend.  This post reflects my opinions only.

When everyone is getting their BFP but you...

We've all been there. The morning you get your XXXth BFN (insert number here) and you log onto social media for a bit of cheering up...and all you seem to find is everyone else's BFP or pregnancy announcements or parenting woes.

It's tough. It's heart breaking, and sometimes it doesn't feel like you'll get through it. But you will, I promise.

So here are some helpful tips that, although they won't take away the ache, they might help get you through those dark moments:

#1 – Grieve. Take a moment to let it all out. You have every right to feel sad and lost and confused. Don't ignore your emotions - acknowledge and appreciate them. You're having them for a good reason. Let it out.

#2 – Avoid the situation. I know, you can't avoid life...but if you KNOW someone is going to announce something, or blab endlessly about their pregnancy/children and it's hard for you to be around them – then try to limit your contact. Good friends will understand, just let them know it's hard for you and you need a bit of space. If you're dreading a baby shower and you don't think you can keep it together - come up with a thoughtful way to not go. Say you're not feeling well (you probably aren't anyway), and don't go. Putting ourselves through these situations when all it does is hurt us is not necessary.

#3 – Do something. If you feel particularly sad or overwhelmed or emotional and you just can't get out of the funk – keep busy. Find something to do, and do it. The busier your hands are, and the less you will dwell on it.

#4 – Don't compare - remember that every situation is different. Sometimes when we see someone who doesn't have as good a job as we do, or as nice a house, or doesn't seem to have as good a relationship as we do – we can be overcome with jealousy and anger that they get to have children and we struggle. No amount of wondering and stressing and crying will change the situation, so it's really important to try and remember that we don't know everything about their situation. Just because they seem to be in a worse place than us doesn't mean they are and doesn't mean that they don't deserve children. Their situation is completely unique to them, as ours is to us. Comparing other women to yourself is comparing apples to oranges, it will never be fair because they're just too different.

#5 – Build support. I know this is hard sometimes, but that’s why this blog is here. Support is critical – in both good and bad times. Especially when the support is from people who have gone through something similar to you. Having someone to talk to when you're overwhelmed or stressed is so important. You need to know you're not alone.

#6 – Be kind to yourself. Don't say anything to yourself that you wouldn't say to a three year old. Treat yourself kindly. This is a tough thing to go through. You deserve a bit of slack. Jealousy, anger, frustration, sadness, fear – these are all normal emotions that we've all experienced on our TTC journey. It's tough enough on it's own, don't make it worse by being unkind to yourself as well. Love yourself and be kind, because you've been through enough.

Overall, just be conscious and caring about what you're feeling. It is tough to go through infertility...especially when social media and the press seem to put such a spotlight on procreating. So be kind to yourself and give yourself time, and a little extra love. You deserve it.

Quote: Unknown. Photo: Rachel at A Little Bit More

Welcome new contributor, Kelly!

I hope you're enjoying all the intro posts from our new contributors!  I'm happy to welcome Kelly, another amazing bloggy friend of mine who's agreed to join us!  Look for her intro post soon.  In the meantime, if you stumbled by, let us know what you'd like to read about here! 

Hakuna Matata

First of all, thank you, Melissa for allowing me to contribute to this project.  My hope is that we reach many people and create an avenue for anyone with an interest in infertility to ask questions and seek answers.  If you are following, please help get the word out about the blog and share the link.

Sometimes you never know what your true passions are until you are forced into the culture of whatever it is you now find yourself passionate about.  I've been vocal about my feelings towards infertility and our story for a while now.  (Our meaning me and my hot, handsome, best friend of a husband of two years).  I find that so many more people care about us than I really knew of previously.  I mean, I knew we had friends and family that "care", but now I know who really cares.  I tell them, don't tiptoe around things that may be hard for us to hear, like someone else getting pregnant. I say, if you are confused about what to say to me, don't ask everyone else what you should say, ask me what would be helpful.  Now that we've been at this for some time, I have a lot of people thinking of us and asking how we are and what's going on.  Where am I at in a cycle? When have I peed on a stick? How long before old aunt flow arrives?  I realize not everybody is that comfortable talking about these personal things.  However, I'll tell you exactly why I am.  Because in December, after a year and a half of ttc (I have pcos), when we got our very first and only bfp and our very first miscarriage, I realized we were never alone.  At my godson's christening, when we didn't know still if our bfp would stick, I cried.  I held that sweet baby boy, my cousins on either side of me holding my hands, I cried, and then I smiled.  And at Christmas, when we showed up in our pajamas and just sobbed and sobbed, twenty plus arms of love were embracing us.  And we actually managed to enjoy Christmas.

It's been two years of ttc, including a total of 7 rounds of Clomid and two rounds of Femara.  I'm also on Metformin 1500mg.  We are about to start our last month of trying by way of old fashioned intercourse before we add IUI to our list of things tried.  It's about to get much more complicated, inconvenient, and costly.  When we get that next bfp, people will know right away.  We won't wait to tell because people are what got us through the last two years.

Passion.  There's that word again.  I know a lot about infertility. I'm also passionate about mental health.  I'm halfway to being licensed to practice therapy.   I read a lot, I ask a lot of questions, I learn as much as my brain can absorb.  I don't know everything, but I know a great deal.  And I'm passionate about paying it forward.  Blogging is a form of self preservation for me.  And Ask An Infertile is hopefully going to serve the same purpose for others.

Here's my blog:  www.auntmimi2010.blogspot.com
And my Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/HakunaMatataSurvivingInfertility

A backstory on Amy!

Hello and Welcome to Ask an Infertile!

I was thrilled when Melissa, my dear awesome friend, announced that she was starting this blog. I was even more thrilled when she said she was looking for contributers! My struggle with infertility was actually not with conceiving but with carrying babies past the first trimester( and even then...but that will be discussed further down!)...so here it is, a long biography on me and my struggle to actually have in my arms my two fantastic children. Please note though that I am a Canadian( our health systems are not the same) and that I speak French( our language is not the sa...wait, that is just an evidence. What I meant with that was that probably some sentences might be weirdly constructed or words might be mispelled. I do my very best and do have an education! I swear!!)

I am 26 years old. I was pregnant six times and have two living children. six pregnancies in six years of being frisky between the sheets. I am a mean machine...or not. I got pregnant for the first time I was 18 years old. Young, immature...definitely not ready for motherhood. I decided to terminate that pregnancy after a lot of fighting with my boyfriend at the time, who was not ready either. I was 12 and a half weeks along.

I got on birth control pills for a little while,then we decided we actually wanted to try for a baby. Neither of us had grieved the loss of our child correctly and we naively thought that a new pregnancy would put a balm on our wound. I got pregnant again a year and a half after the loss. I was then 19.  Oh joy, I thought as I saw the second line appear on that stick. I was pregnant again! Then I started panicking. I was starting a new job two days later! I went on working and kept my pregnancy a secret, wanting to at least finish training before announcing I would leave to birth a child. Two weeks into the six weeks training, I started spotting. Bright, red and horrifying blood. The spotting only intensified, followed by cramps. That night, at home, I passed a cloth that was tissue. I was about 7 or 8 weeks along. My first miscarriage. I was...devastated. I had killed my first baby, now the universe and karma were taking my second child!

It took me a while before getting pregnant again. We were not trying, not preventing. And then BAM, in June 2009 there it was: a bright, beautiful and dark positive on a first response. I cried, then laughed. I was pregnant for a third time! I couldn't help but be scared out of my mind for this baby to stick...and he did! In february 2010 I gave birth to my son, my perfect little boy. Finally I had a baby, the baby I had been wanting for close to three years. I was ecstatic, in love...and had mad baby fever. seven months after his birth, I was back in the TTC game, determined to have an other baby soon so my son would have a sibling close to his age. HA...right.

You see...TTCing is a bitch. Because you want it badly...and nothing. Month after month after month you are disapointed. Month after month you grieve that pregnancy that never happenned. Month after month...it hurts. And boy it was long before I finally did conceive. My big boy was almost two. It was in September 2011 that I got a positive again...and after four days I started bleeding.Chemical pregnancy.I was having a rough time in my relationship at that point. My son's father and I decided at that point to stop trying to conceive and work on our relationship.I was checking my cervix to identify the days I was fertile in the month and was able to pin point my ovulation fairly easily and identify the days I was fertile. Worked great to avoid a pregnancy...for a few months. I am allergic to latex( yay...) and one of my fertile days...well we had le sex. I warned my then boyfriend that I was fertile. He did not care. and two weeks later( december first 2011)...tada! I was pregnant for the fifth time!...and ten days later, I became a single mother.

Let's just say that 2012 started sourly for me. 25 and moving back in with my parents with my near 2 years old son and with an other one on the way. I debated a long time with myself, unsure if I should interrupt the pregnancy or keep my baby. I also started a relationship with my now husband, who was a dear friend of mine waiting patiently.( Patient, patient man!) I finally decided I was keeping the baby and confronted my ex about it because he didn't wanted me to go trough with the pregnancy. We went together to my first prenatal appointment. We couldn't hear a heartbeat so I was sent for an ultrasound. I was 11 weeks along.

On the ultrasound, we saw a perfectly fine and alive baby wiggling around in my stomach. I joked that it was a girl because it was dancing and prancing around. I was pregnant, my baby was alive and healthy, I was in a new relationship with the perfect man for me...my life was starting to take a turn for the better.

Or so I thought.

three weeks later, at exactly 14 weeks 1 day I woke up with insane pressure. I thought I needed to pee so started to walk towards the bathroom. I did not reach it. I got soaked on the doorstep. Thinking I peed myself, I cleaned up real quick and went back to bed. An hour later, I woke up again with regular contractions. It wasn't pee...it was my water that had broken. I will spare you the details of what happenned next, for your sake and mine. To this day, this loss still hurts. It was a little boy. I named him Augustin.

After losing my son, I went on a rollercoaster of emotions, really. At my check up, the high risk doctor thought my uterus looked funny and sent a request for a MRI. I went trough an emergency D&C because I had some leftover placenta that was undetected at the follow up that got majorly infected. And I waited...and waited...and waited for the call abck for the MRI. I finally got the test in June. In July, I got my results. Everything was normal! OH JOY!...still my loss was unexplained. The doctor prescribed me progesterone pills that needed to be taken as soon as I would get a positive, to help with my placenta in case that was where the problem was. In spetember, I finally got an other positive and started the intra vaginal pills. Now a year later, I am sitting here with a gorgeous and fussy little girl on my lap. My journey trough baby making is over. My husband and I decided that we were done after having our little ray of sunshine, my rainbow baby.

So...that was/is my story with TTC and losses. It is a bit confused and clearly amateur haha...I am just a  beginner when it comes to this blogging thing...;)

Hi Everyone!

Hi There,

I'm Rachel, and author of A Little Bit More. I'm 26 years old, and my husband is 27 and we've been married two wonderful years. We've been TTC for 3 years, since I was 23. You'd think, with age on our side, having children would be easy! Not so much.

I was officially diagnosed with PCOS in January of 2011 but it was suspected for quite some time before that. In our time TTC we've have many assisted cycles as well as many, many natural. Our assisted cycles were interrupted due to a ruptured cyst that resulted in the loss of my right ovary and fallopian tube...leaving me "one-legged" so to speak. We've tried everything from diet control, weight loss, exercise, to supplements and prayer. Our prognosis isn't very good, and we're at the crossroads of deciding where to go from here.

I'm looking forward to working with the wonderful ladies on this blog, and helping answer/educate as best as we can. I know, firsthand, how difficult it is to have questions that you need answered...and hopefully, working together, we can help someone struggling.

Welcome New Contributor Rachel!

A big welcome to Rachel, from A Little Bit More!  Look for her introduction post soon!  I am ecstatic that so many amazing woman want to be apart of this!! 

Welcome new contributor Mandy!

We're still growing!!  I'd like to welcome Mandy to our blog!  Look for her first post soon!  If you haven't already, check out Teresa's first post!  Amy's should be up soon as well.  I'm so excited to have such amazing ladies writing here!  I think that combined we have a huge amount of information and experience to share.  Let's get started Ladies!!

Greetings!

Hello, readers! I am Teresa, "author" at Where The *bleep* is Our Stork?; you will also see me posting around the blog-o-shpere as "Impatiently Waiting".  Recently, I even started a Facebook support group catered toward couples with primary infertility called "The Missing Stork". I was so excited to get an email from Melissa asking if I would be willing to be a part of this project; there was no doubt I was going to help out! I am really happy to be a new contributor here.

Allow me to give you a brief summary of my story: I am 31 and my DH is 38. We have been TTC for almost 4 years now. I was diagnosed with PCOS in February of 2011. We tried multiple cycles of Clomid and Femara as well as 2 HMG cycles with IUI's and many, many, many natural cycles. To date, we have yet to see a BFP. Not. One. Our next option, and last attempt, is IVF. We are not sure when we will cross that bridge but, we know it's in the distance. (you can read more about our "whole story" at the blog linked above!)

I hope that I am able to help others by sharing my experience, the things I've learned along the way and by offering my support.

Thank you, Melissa, for allowing me to be apart of this wonderful blog and welcome all readers to this new community! I hope that you make yourselves comfortable and please, stay a while!

Hugs,
Teresa