Infertility and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

When I was twenty two years old, I found out that I was pregnant. I was so amazed, since I always felt that I would not be able to get pregnant but could never explain why I felt that way. At twenty three years old, I had my first child, Alexa Janae. When Alexa was two years old, my periods decided to become irregular. At the time, I worked as a medical assistant in an ob/gyn office so I decided to be checked out. The midwife that I saw ordered an ultrasound. The sonogram tech, on her own, diagnosed me with PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome. I did not believe this diagnosis because they did not do any blood tests at the time. I read up on it a bit and came to the conclusion that the technician must be crazy. I did not have any of the symptoms that a typical PCOS patient would have with the exception of small cysts on my ovaries and irregular periods. I dismissed it and went back on birth control pills.

I met my husband when my daughter was three years old. Within a year of dating, we moved in together and were planning our wedding. At the same time as planning the wedding, we were planning on a baby. I wanted nothing more than to conceive our baby. I went off of the birth control pills that I had been on for about a year and a half to two years. Then things went a little out of control with my health.

I found out after doing some random blood tests that I was indeed pregnant, without even trying. I had only been off the pill a little over a month so I was shocked. The HCG level was low so they retested me the next day and I found out then that I was no longer pregnant. I had something called a chemical pregnancy. The egg and sperm unite but the uterine lining is unfavorable so the fertilized egg cannot implant into it thus making a baby impossible. I was devastated. My husband, not understanding how I felt said that we would just keep trying. That little voice in my head came back then. It kept telling me that I do have PCOS and stop ignoring it. Well..at that time, I still did not quite listen.

I let the doctors that I worked for put me on Clomid to try to produce more eggs because on ultrasound exams, there weren't many eggs seen. A few months of that and still not getting my periods, it was time to really get serious. I decided that my best bet was to go to an outside sonogram facility to get a fresh perspective on the whole situation. That was the best decision I had made thus far.

The ultrasound that I went to was a short one. The technician said that she is not allowed to diagnose me or even tell me results but since I had worked in my doctors office, she would fill me in on her findings. She showed me the screen and I immediately said to her that I know what the problem is. We both said it at the same time, polycystic ovarian syndrome. After I had discontinued the birth control pills, I started to gain some weight. I had always been a very thin person so adding about fifteen pounds in a little over a month was a red flag for me. Then some other symptoms started showing up as well. That all together sealed the deal on my diagnosis.

I went back to my doctor the next day and asked her what we would do about this to get me healthy and pregnant. She put me on Glucophage which is a drug used for diabetes. About ninety to ninety nine percent of women with PCOS have something called insulin resistance. Not everyone will have active symptoms of insulin resistance but eventually they will and could possibly develop diabetes as well. I went on the Glucophage and had another ultrasound done two weeks later. That ultrasound proved to be the best to date. I had a huge follicle ready to erupt. The first one I had in a very long time.

Two weeks after the ultrasound, I got my first period on my own in years. I cried. No one understood why I was crying. Ten percent of it was due to the fact that I was not pregnant yet, but the other ninety percent was because getting my cycle on my own meant that I was on my way to health again. I also lost all fifteen pounds in about four weeks too so I was happy. We just had to keep trying.

Finally, after six months of no pregnancy but I was clearly ovulating, it was time to see a reproductive endocrinologist. He ran the usual tests, HSG, post coital and some blood work. He says that my body is killing off my husbands sperm. This has nothing to do with the diagnosis of PCOS. Just so happens that I am one of the lucky ones that has more than one issue at a time. So the only solution at this point is an intrauterine insemination.

So we did just that, an IUI, later that week. The doctor suggested that we do it that Friday and again on Saturday to ensure that the egg gets fertilized. He told me that I may feel the sperm bouncing off the sides of my uterus and boy did I. I thought he was crazy when he said that but a few hours later, I kept on feeling that strange feeling. There must have been millions in there!! Well there was one lucky one that got to the egg and made my precious baby boy, JD.

Two weeks later, I found out I was pregnant. It was a rough pregnancy. I had walking pneumonia, a few urinary tract infections, gestational diabetes, placenta previa, preterm labor and finally failure to progress during labor. When I was being induced, it took a lot longer than expected. Finally, after two days in the labor and delivery room, JD was born at 7 lbs 10 oz on February 13, 2003. A healthy baby boy, finally!!

I was then told that due to my PCOS and the fact that my post coital test came back that my husband's sperm were being killed by my cervical mucous, if I desired another baby, I should just jump to an IUI and not wait too long. We had planned on having one more baby so at the end of 2003, I had scheduled to have another IUI. My husband decided after thinking about it for a while that we should wait another year. Upset as I was, I agreed. I wanted to be inseminated in December so I could have a September baby but we were going to wait.

In the beginning of February of 2004, my period didn't come as expected. I immediately started thinking that my PCOS symptoms were returning. I decided to get a pregnancy test though before calling the doctor because I knew that they would ask me if I took one. I took the test and walked out of the room to do something. I went back into the bathroom about ten minutes later and to my surprise, there were two lines. I was pregnant!! Ryder was born on September 26,2004. Another healthy baby boy!! Now I had one girl and two boys. Who could ask for more??

When Ryder was about six months old, no period again. Could it be? I was told that I would have trouble getting pregnant after JD and I got Ryder so can I really be pregnant again without assistance?? The answer was yes, yes, yes!!! My fourth baby was due in December of 2005. Jesse was born a few weeks early on December 21, 2005. We opted to get my tubes tied after Jesse since a fifth wasn't really something I thought I could handle. At the time Jesse was born, JD was only two, almost three years old and Ryder was only fourteen months old.

PCOS can tear your world apart but it doesn't have to. I overcame all the PCOS symptoms and the infertility and today, I am still free from the symptoms and the problems. I take extra care of my health and see my endocrinologist twice a year. I check my blood sugar a few times a week to make sure that things are still good. I eat a healthy, low glycemic diet and exercise daily, besides chasing after my four active children. I am so grateful that everything turned out so good and that I am blessed with four beautiful, smart children.

If you suspect you have PCOS, the best thing to do is a little research. If you still suspect it, talk to an ob/gyn or an endocrinologist. They can ensure that you get the help you need to take back your health and not have to go too far into the dark side of symptoms. I encourage everyone to be proactive in your health. You have to care and become educated so that you can overcome any obstacle.