Our Journey...well up until now...Part 2

So December 2008 was my first encounter with Clomid.  Clomid is a fertility drug used to stimulate ovulation (since Dr. Swanson had discovered that I was not ovulating on my own). I had to take the Provera to induce my period again and once I started my period I began taking the Clomid (50mg) on the third day of my period (and continued for 5 consecutive days).

I had read all these scary stories about side effects of Clomid, but I felt fine.  I didn't seem to have any of the effects and truthfully if I did...I didn't care.  I was getting axious and was hoping the first round of medication would work. 

On the 12th day of my cycle I went into Dr. Swanson's office for an ultrasound.  We saw one follicle (egg) and I was so excited.  I started ovulation testing that day and waited for my positive surge.  My positive surge didn't seem like a definite positive and now in retrospect I am not sure if that actually was the surge.  Two weeks later...My pregnancy test was negative and I had started my period.

Hey...at least my period came on it's own this time.  No Provera...Right?

Anyway, Dr. S. decided that he would leave me at 50mg of Clomid and we would repeat the cycle.  Suprisingly I didn't mind...I felt more at ease going into the 2nd round since now I had been through an entire cycle and knew what to expect.

Same thing...day three through seven I took the Clomid...No side effects...Day 12 I went for an ultrasound.  This time....NOTHING.  No eggs at all.  I scheduled a second ultrasound a few days later.  Still...NOTHING.  One more ultrasound a few days later....NOTHING.  This cycle didn't work. 

Dr. Swanson decided to bump up the Clomid dose.  So I went from 50mg to 100mg.  Because I didn't ovulate in my second cycle, I didn't start my period on my own...So guess what?...Provera.  I took Provera to induce my period and started my 3rd round of Clomid on the third day of my cycle.  Around day 12 I went for my ultrasound and this time it worked...I had a follicle!  Ovulation testing...waiting for the positive surge.

By this time either the nurse or Dr. Swanson had mentioned Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. 

• What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
  Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a health problem that can affect a woman's menstrual cycle, ability to have children, hormones, heart, blood vessels, and appearance. With PCOS, women typically have:
  •high levels of androgens. These are sometimes called male hormones, although females also make them.
  •missed or irregular periods
  •many small cysts (sists) in their ovaries. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs.
  

I haven't been formally diagnosed, but I have some symtoms.  Unfortunately, one of them is my hormone levels are flip flopped...My LH is always a little higher than it should be and my FSH is much lower than normal.  Well, ovulation tests measure your LH hormone and you have a positive reading when your LH level spikes indicating that ovulation is about to occure.  Since my LH level is always elevated I usually have a hard time reading the test and figuring out when the surge truly took place.

I can't exactly remember what happened during the 3rd round of Clomid...all I know is that we didn't end up pregnant.  Fourth round came...Dr. S. decidied to keep me at 100mg since we had a good follicle the prior month.  On cyle day 12 I went in for my ultrasound and this time...NOTHING.  I was in tears.  I couldn't believe that it hadn't worked this time.  Dr. Swanson suggested we do another ultrasound in a few days just to be sure that this time it didn't work.  About three days later I went for a second ultrasound and this time we found a follicle.  It wasn't big enough yet so I was scheduled for a third ultrasound and during that visit the follicle looked great. 

To make sure I did in fact ovulate, Dr. Swanson gave me a shot of Ovidrel.  I took the shot home and told Lou he would have to help me give myself a shot.  The shot would release the egg in 24-36 hours.  The next morning I woke up early and Lou gave me a shot in the stomach.  It wasn't painful at all.  It was probably harder for him than it was for me.  He was so nervous that he would hurt me, but it really didn't feel like anything. 

Two weeks later...My period came.  I'm sure I cried.  I was getting tired of all of this and was just wanting things to work.  I started my 5th round of Clomid right around the last day of April 2009.  On day 12-14 of my cycle I went for my ultrasound.  This month was different.  I started my period at the end of April and sometime around the 7-8th of May I started spotting.  Not badly, but it had concerned me.  When I went for my ultrasound I told the doctor about the spotting and he didn't seem too concerned about it.  We did not see any follicles in my ultrasound and so I scheduled a second scan.  Still nothing. 

We figured that this cycle had not worked and scheduled me for a "Talk" appointment with Dr. Swanson to see what the next step would be. 

I tried to put everything out of my mind for now and just focus on other things...Work, my health, home...We had just moved.  On May 28th I had an appointment to see my primary doctor about some minor health issues.  In the back of my head I thought..."I better take a pregnancy test just so that I can be sure I am not pregnant...in case he asks."

I took a test...a free test that I had received in the mail, and when it turned POSITIVE right away I showed it to Lou and didn't beleive it.  I thought I was reading it wrong and I threw it away.  We went about our day as usual. 

A few hours later I called my friend, Luna, and told her about the test.  She was sure it was positive and told me to call my doctor right away.  I didn't.  I went to work. 

At lunchtime I went to Long's Drug Store and picked up a digital pregnancy test.  I took it in the bathroom at work and remember tears streaming down my cheeks when it read "PREGNANT."

The only thing that worried me...I was still spotting.

To Be Continued....