I'm sorry I haven't blogged in a few weeks. Apparently unemployment has a way of greatly reducing my motivation and productivity. It has been nice to take a little break this past week and a half though. My stress level has decreased, which I'm happy about. No more going to a job I hate and getting stressed out! I’m still looking for another job though. Not much out there, unfortunately.
I had an appointment with my doctor this past Monday to talk about my mid-cycle bleeding. I had it again this cycle on CD11-12, after having it around CD14-15 the last two cycles. She wasn't worried about my spotting before AF. She said that it happens to a lot of women and that as we age our cycles change so that could be what is happening for me. I still feel like it is connected to the mid-cycle spotting since it all started at the same time, but oh well. She is concerned about the mid-cycle spotting/bleeding though. She believes it is hormonal since it seems to be happening around the same time every month. I was so worried it was cancer or an infection, but she said those things cause very irregular bleeding, nothing in a pattern, so that was a relief!
She asked other questions- if I had pain when the bleeding happens, pain during intercourse, abnormal hair growth, etc. I told her that I do have some cramping when I bleed, much like when I ovulate, no to the others, but that I had been breaking out pretty bad for the past few months, even on my chest which rarely happens. I've always had 30+ day cycles and sometimes have very longs cycles, like last month's 42 day cycle. She thinks I may have PCOS. She wants to do an ultrasound to confirm but we are holding off on that until I get a job since our deductible reset and we can't afford it. She said since I already have several signs of it she would go ahead and prescribe Metformin. Even if I don't have PCOS, it will still help regulate my cycle and she said it's also given to women to help them get pregnant. She also told me to get on baby aspirin. She looked in the chart and remembered that my peri's opinion was to not take it until fetal heart tones are established in my next pregnancy, but every doctor has different views on the subject. At their practice they suggest women with only one clotting disorder to take it, and I have two!
This new potential diagnosis worries me. PCOS has caused lots of infertility issues with women, which is possibly the reason I'm not pregnant after trying for 6 cycles/7 months this time around. I haven't done much research yet but, based on my Google findings, women with PCOS have a higher miscarriage rate- conflicting reports give between 45% to as high as 64%. This is terrifying considering the increased miscarriage rates for those with MTHFR and FVL. I'm starting to feel like my pregnancies were doomed from the start. Maybe this is an additional reason why I lost my babies. If I do have it then I'm happy I'm getting treatment now before getting pregnant and having to endure another loss. Lucky for me, Metformin not only helps women to conceive by regulating their cycles and ovulation, but when taken during pregnancy also greatly reduces the miscarriage rates to the national average (down to 12% in one study). This corresponds with what my doctor said about keeping some women on it during pregnancy and information I've received from fellow online BLM's that stayed on it/will stay on it into their second trimesters.
I'm really hoping this new medication and reduced stress helps me get pregnant. The idea of moving into my 8th month and 7th cycle of TTC is really depressing. I hope that I don't get AF next Friday and instead get my BFP. I'm not too hopeful with my wonky cycles and the fact that my temps this month aren't following a normal pattern, though they are not as all over the place as last month, but it could happen! Keep your fingers crossed for me!
