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Hi all! Not sure where to begin here, as I haven't even really looked around much at the forum, but I'm excited to join a forum where women are going through the same things as me. DH and I have been TTC for about a year and a half now, though as he works away for half the year, I guess it only counts as 9 months of REALLY tryinglol I began using OPKs about a year ago, charting on Fertility Friend in May, following a fertility foods diet in July and finally became pregnant for the first time in August, but unfortunately miscarried at 6 1/2 weeks.
I've suspected PCOS for a while, especially as I remember a time about ten years ago that I went 6 months without a period and when my doctor did blood tests she said I had too much testosterone in my system. Didn't think much of it at the time, as I wasn't even dating anyone, but she put me on birth control to regulate my periods.
That was when I lived in the US, now I'm in Canada. I finally went to my doctor after a year of TTC and recieved a referral to a fertility specialist. Unfortunately around here the waiting list is incredibly long and this doctor doesn't have a cancelation list. I've heard she's the best around, though, so I guess I don't mind waiting. My appointment is on December 15th and I'm crossing my fingers that she'll be really proactive and I'll get some answers quickly. In the meantime I just ordered a Cue II fertility monitor with the vaginal sensor, and I'm hoping that will give me an even better idea of when my fertile window is, since my cycles are pretty irregular.
Anyway, I guess that's a pretty good idea of everything I've been through and tried. I'm looking forward to chatting with some of you who have experienced similar things, and getting some good advice. Cheers!
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* Katie *
Hi and welcome!
, it's really helpful to the doctor for you to be well-prepared.
It sounds like you're "doing everything right." And by that I mean that you are taking steps to learn as much as you can about your cycles and fertility on your own before going to see your doctor. I've found that the more information about your specific situation that you come armed with, the better the doctor is able to help you (I've never seen a fertility specialist, but that's very true of other specialists). And since the TTC journey is one that requires a LOT of participation from you
Best wishes for baby blessings!
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-Jennifer (aka 100percent)
Thanks Jennifer! That's what I'm hoping, that if I come armed with charts and all kinds of data on past cycles we'll be able to figure things out more quickly. I had to laugh when I took my charts to my family doctor in June and he looked at me in amazement and said, "You can really do that? You can tell when you're ovulating by your temperatures?". Oy. lol After reading the book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility I'm amazed at how little we were taught about our cycles in biology and at how little most doctors really know. When I became pregnant and miscarried everyone insisted on dating it by my last period and completely ignored me when I told them that I had ovulated late. Oh well. I'm sure a specialist will be more helpful.
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* Katie *
WOW! As I was reading your message, I just kept thinking, "Me, too! Me, too!" I never read the book you mentioned, although they sell it on this website and a lot of the other gals have read it and absolutely love it. In my short tenure on the TTC boards, I learned SO much, and, like you, I cannot believe they don't teach this stuff to women SOMEWHERE! I mean, good grief, they have classes at the hospital to help you quit smoking, they have AA and NA, they have Weight Watchers, they have support groups for every kind of problem you can think of....why not a support group/class for couples who are TTC?!?!? (So I guess we owe Elizabeth and her "people" a big THANK YOU!
) And you're doctor's response to your charts...."Oy!" is right!! I think I'd be looking for a new doc! LOL!
I go for my first OB appointment next Friday (the 13th...ha, ha, good thing I'm not superstitious), and although my due date by my LMP is the 4th of July (one of my fav holidays), I think she might change it to July 11th because I (also like you) Ov'd late - by a whole week. So I guess we'll see. In a way, I hope she won't change it, 'cuz I really like being able to say that my baby is due on the 4th of July, and really it's just an educated guess anyway, right?
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-Jennifer (aka 100percent)
Actually, the family doctor I had up and quit on me just a month or two after referring me to a fertility specialist without even telling me! So I have to get a new doctor anyway. I went to someone new when I was dealing with my pregnancy and miscarriage, but I don't know if she'll keep me once they finally find someone to replace my original doctor. I guess we'll see.
And you're right.....they really SHOULD offer TTC classes somewhere. I never even thought of it, but just in my little group of local friends there are four of us TTC and all having trouble. Of course, one has discovered she has some genetic mutation and one has only been trying 3 months, but there are certainly enough of us to form a class. Maybe I should suggest that on a local hospital website or to my fertility doctor or something. I bet they'd get a lot of takers.
As for your due date.....personally I'd stick with July 4th. lol Just like you say, it's more fun to be able to tell people that, and it's probably more accurate than what your doctor will tell you anyway. But yeah........it's all a guessing game. Congratulations! And good luck with your appointment.
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* Katie *
