Metformin Was A Bust... So Now I'm On Birth Control....?!?!?

Please if anyone else can chime in this would be great, as my opinion is that this RE is totally wrong.

I have PCOS and its on both ovaries and its pretty bad. I do not ovulate at all on my own, and when I found out that I had PCOS on August 20th, 2007, we had been TTC for 6 months (March 2007), already. I was on birth control before that for gosh years and years. When I got off at the very begining of March or Late Feb., my first cycle wasnt really messed up maybe a few days off, but as each month would roll on my cycles got longer and longer, and were anywhere from CD45-CD60. When I went in for my annual pap smear on August 20th, thats when I told them that we had been TTC for 6 months, and said I know that with healthy couples it can take up to a year, and im totally fine with that, but I couldnt understand why my cycles were anywhere from CD45-CD60. When I called to make the appointment I was like CD50 or something, and they couldnt get me in for a month, so when I finally came in, I did have a period and was on like CD20 something. So anyways they did my pap, everything was normal, checked ovaries and he said hmm...I want to send you to ultrasound really quick because I think I might feel a cyst (I know that he must have felt a TON of cysts but didnt want to say that to me), went to ultrasound, and thats when they revealed PCOS, and pretty bad.

First thing they said was lets see if your period comes in the next few weeks, and keep taking your OPKs and doing your BBTs (I had been doing these for months and never got a shift in my BBT nor positive OPK). So come CD45 I called and they prescribed me Prometrium and then started me on Clomid CD5-9 once AF came. I did 5 rounds, ovulated all but 1, Round 3, and did Rounds 1-3 @ 50mgs, and Rounds 4-5 @ 100mgs. Im currently 33weeks 3days pregnant from round 5.

I cant understand why her doctor is saying birth control is the only answer. She is 5 foot 5 and 125, and she is not insulin resistant. It seems like a similar situation to mine and Clomid worked GREAT for me, it got me ovulating and pregnant. Same with Liane, and so many others who have PCOS and arent insulin resistant and arent over weight.

I dont get it. I just want to help her, and really want to know what everyone else thinks!

Thanks so much ladies!

*BUMP*

Anyone have any thoughts?

Hi Jolene and Smackies, i totally agree with jolene what i cant understand is why some doctors dont explain why they are doing certain things, its like they want to get rid of you for a couple of months or something that how it seems to me. I have PCOS and i think i have it pretty bad too, while am not over weight or anything but i do have other symptoms like hair under my chin etc, i get hungry pretty quickly among others, i also had very irregular periods.

my doctor gave me Dian35 BCP to take for a couple of years it was fine for me to take it because at that time i was not trying to get pregnant when i decided its time for a baby, he said i should stop taking them, after a few test my period was still a bit irregular so he gave me PROVERA to make them regular, now there is no way he can tell me to go back on birth control for six month for cyst the fact of the matter is the cyst are not curable but treatable they will always be there and given the fact jolene regarding her weight and insulin resistant i doubt BCP for SIX whole months is the answer. unless we are missing something here.

All the best smackies and i think you can research and try other Dr.

I agree with ya, and yeah she is of perfect weight, and she is not insulin resistant I dont understand why they are doing this. It makes NO SENSE at all!

I did prometrium, same as Provera, to start off the Clomid, since my period never came, and had to also take it when I didnt ovulate on Round 3 of Clomid and had to get bumped to 100mgs for Round 4. I also had to take prometrium until I was 12weeks pregnant to make sure this little man stuck and that worked.

I really think this RE is just putting her on the back burner, and I think its SOOO WRONG! My doctor is an OBGYN and they specialize in infertility, so I never saw an RE, but he was anxious to get my pregnant and soo willing to help, the whole practice has been great, and I think maybe if she does just a little bit of phone calls and tells the office the situation they will help her. Thats all I did, when I went to get my PAP with my doctor it was the first time I had EVER seen this practice, and it was highly recommended and im lucky to have gotten in, but with my situation they took me in with open arms :)

Smackies I know we can find somewhere like that for you!

Hello Again Girls!

Here is a copy of an email I just sent to a fertility clinic I found online about 2hrs from my house. I don't know if I will get anywhere with it but it is worth a shot!

To Whom This May Concern,



My husband and I have been trying to conceive for about 1 year. We live in *****, ****** approximately 30 minutes north of ******.

I have been to an OBGYN at the ****** hospital for several appointments and was told after having blood work done I have a hormonal imbalance in 2005.

After not receiving the help I was needing in this regard I approached my family doctor for a referal to another clinic.

I was then referred to a hospital infertility clinic with my husband.



We met with an RE at that time who told me that I have PCOS after reviewing the results from a recent ultrasound. My husband had a sperm analysis done and all is clear in that respect.

The RE prescribed Metformin but after only 1 week I am not able to take it because I am having crippling stomach pains. I tried to see if I could use an ovulation inducing medication such

as clomid but the RE said it would be a waste of my time and money and now I am suppose to take birth control for six months then have a follow up ultrasound.



The idea of birth control for six months seems frusterating to me after trying so hard to achieve a pregnancy. I feel like we are moving backwards in our journey!

I am not overweight! I am 26 years old my husband is 28 years old. I am 5foot 5inches and weigh 125lbs.



If you have any advise that you can offer I would appreciate it. I feel like with today's medical system nobody is going to listen until someone puts up a fight!



Sincerely,

Heather

Sorry I blocked out my town because I am parinoid of internet hackers...he..he..

Hey Smackies, Im no Dr, but heres my opinion..what cysts do you have? If they are just Antral follicles that ur Dr mentions as cysts, then I would definately say get a new Dr. BCP is not going to help ur PCOS. (I have to admit it helped me, but I was a lil overweight and I took it for 3 months.)

If they are some other type of cysts, I dont think u can start n any fertility pills until they are gone.

Insulin resistance is not associated all the time with overweight, women with PCOS are given PCOS because PCOS is thought to be because of excess insulin floating around.

I would get more information from ur Dr about these cysts and if they are just Antral follicles which is always found in abundance in PCOS patients, get a new Dr!

Theres also another med u can take instead of Metformin, but has the same benefits. Its there burried in one of the posts, post a question for the Dr and see if he can tell you the name of the med.

GOod luck to u

Smackies, I totally agree with Jolene and Caren, I really dont see a reason that why would your RE prescribe you BCPs when you are TTC. Although BCPs are given for those who have PCOS, but only when they are not trying to get pregnant. BCPs are totally ruled out when you TTCing.

I also have PCOS and am on Metformin and will be starting with Clomid and Metformin combination next month.

I really think you should talk to some other RE and take a second opinion or do your own research and talk to your RE abt it.

smacksies, and jolene... I completely agree with you jolene. I too have pcos, and very bad. I have had to have my left ovary removed because of the rare cyst I had on it, I get countless ones on my right side, and don't ovulate on my own at all either. I hadn't had a period on my own for over 6 months and part of that time I was on birth control to "regulate" my cycles. YES... my ob/gyn did put me on birth control to try about a year ago, and on and off again, until January this year, then he started talking about surgery again, and all my paps kept coming back abnormal and he was doing colpos, and then did 1 LEEP in July, he put me on metformin in August, put me on provera to start my af in september, then started my first round of clomid days 3-7.

I have all the pcos symptoms, weight gain, hair loss, more than hair growth, insulin resistant, tons of cysts, u name it, I have probably experienced it.

Like Jolene, I go to a ob/gyn who specializes in infertility to I haven't had to go to a re either... My dr. didn't jump off with clomid, but was quick to add it to the metformin for me. I do think you should seek a second opinion smacksies, as it seems like they are just putting you off, and letting it go. are there other re's in your area?

GOODLUCK hun!!!

I know they used to use avandia, and it didn't have as many stomach side effects as metformin, I took it before, and it never bothered me. HOWEVER, I know new research has been done the past couple of years that show bad things that have happened with Avandia, but ask the dr. on here, they can tell you for sure :)

HopeN I don't know what type of cysts they are.

I feel so stupid for not asking enough questions when I go to the Dr.

My ultrasound said ovaries are visualized and are mildly prominent with peripherally located follicles. No abnormal adnexal masses are evident and no free fluid identified!

I hope I can get a reply back from the infertility clinic I emailed. If I do I will post their reply ok?!? Thanks again everyone!

Goodluck sweetie and I think you are taking a step in the right direction!

Heather:

Please have your physician fax a referral and we will schedule an appt for you to come in and address your concerns with the clinic doctor. Please note at this time we will be closed for the last two weeks in December and you may not get an appt until January 2009.

Maureen

This is the email I got back from the fertility clinic 2hrs from my house. The 1st RE I saw wants to see me on March 5th to do an ultrasound. I just contacted my family doctor and he won't refer me because they said the RE I went and saw is the best in our area...grr...so frusterating!

I would email them back and say what do you think they could do for me, would they want to take the same approach, do you think the approach the RE im seeing is good?

I would call around to other places, there has to be a few more, and you dont have to be referred by your family doctor for most cases, atleast I didnt have to.

Do you live in Canada?

I live in Ontario Canada...I have to have a referal for a specialist appointment.

My husband says just do what the RE says and take birth control. Why is it that some guys just don't totally understand what we need to do sometimes?!?!

Smacksies...i really don't know the true answer, but i have pcos, take metformin, and just saw the RE for the first time this morning. Cysts have to be gone BEFORE you start any ov inducing medicine...unfortunately. If metformin doesn't work for you, then maybe bc is the answer?? Besides that you can make sure you are on a low GI/carb diet and working out about 60 minutes, 4-5x's a week (this lowers insulin, reduces cysts, etc.). Sorry i don't have a better answer for you, but maybe call other clinics and see when their first appts would be??

Thanks babyque... I am going to talk to my husband tonight and see what he thinks I should do.

Smacksie, nope im in the US, but Liane is in Canada, and she also has PCOS and they started her on Clomid right away too. I hate that you are going through this sweetie!

Babyque, my doctor never said anything about making sure the cysts were totally gone before starting meds, as I started Clomid after I found out. Well did Prometrium to induce that cycle since I was on CD45 and no sign of ovulation (was doing OPKs and BBTs), and then they started me on Clomid once AF came. I was never monitored, especially since I was ovulating off the Clomid.