First RE Appt today...more waiting!

DSculley1824

Hi everyone! Hope all is well with you all. Thanks for keeping me sane through all of this and for the great support we all give each other. On that note, I had my first RE appointment today. I'm not sure what I was expecting but I feel "blah". Originally my OBGYN told me I had PCOS (I know...I shouldn't have trusted an OBGYN) but now the RE is saying I could possibly have PCOS or Anovluation as a diagnosis. He needs more testing to be sure. I was under the impression from my OBGYN (again ugh I know) that all of my testing was completed prior to the RE appt, but apparently not. Sooo the plan of action is as follows:

1. I'm on CD30. On CD40 I need to go get blood work and lots of it! (testosterone, DHEA-S, 17 OH Progesterone, Anti Mullerian Hormone, Fasting glucose, Insulin, Hemoglobin A1C1, 2 hour post parandial, and HCG quantitative).
2. Once I get the results if I still don't have AF then they will prescribe Provera.
3. As soon as I get AF I need to call my RE's office to schedule my saline infused sonogram (SIS).
4. Start BCP for a month while they finish testing (that is like a knife to the heart knowing I can't even try this coming month).
5. CD 7-11 go to RE's office to get SIS, review blood work, and have DH repeat SA

He stated that he believes we will have a good chance of becoming pregnant in the future with fertility medicine after testing and our month on BCP. He discussed Clomid and Letrozole. However, he stated that he prefers Letrozole.

I have a few questions for all of you. What is the difference between Clomid and Letrozole (which one do you prefer), what is this 2 hour post parandial blood work (does that mean get blood drawn then get it again 2 hours later), and what is the SIS like (I got a pamphlet on it...just wondering if it was easier than the HSG). Thank you all so much in advance. It's a lot to take in today. Hopefully within the next month or so I can actually start some sort of treatment!  

BandM14

Hey there!

I didn't have to have that blood work done, so I don't know anything about that, and I had the HSG and not the saline-sono. My RE said he doesn't really prescribe Clomid anymore, and just started me on Letrozole. I don't have anything to report yet in terms of how I like it (just took my first dose actually), but if you want to check out my thread from yesterday ("Letrozole ladies"), girls gave good information on how they reacted to Letrozole and a few mentioned differences from Clomid.

Sorry you have to be benched for this cycle, but I hope you get the answers you need. Good luck!

DSculley1824

Thanks @DarcyHermione‌ ... I have had the HSG done last month. Thank goodness that is done lol. Good to know about Letrozole.

@BandM14‌ awesome! I will for sure check out your discussion. Perfect timing! And thank you! I'm not looking forward to being benched at all.

RazzyRN

The saline sono looks at the shape of our uterus and if there are any fibroids or polyps.. It doesn't tell you if you have clear or blocked tubes tho. That is what a HSG would be for. I had both and the saline was better than the HSG in my opinion.

There is a link in my siggy that says femvue.. I had that done with my saline sono and they inject air into the uterus too and watch the bubbles go thru the tubes.. It's still just a study in my RE office and that's why I still got a HSG but they both showed clear tubes for me.
Hope that helps a little

dancerspose

I know, he waiting definitely sucks. I had both the sono and HSG and the sono was nothing after my HSG. They don't have to force fluid up as much or as much fluid so it's really not that bad. I'm not sure if you just used the more official name, but I also bad a 2 hour glucose tolerance test. Like @Hmgavin‌ I drank the sugary drink, but I had 4 draws over the course of two hours. 1 pre drink, 1 a half hour in, 1 an hour in, and a last one at 2 hours. It tests how your body processes the insulin. Good luck!

blsav23

I don't have too much to offer, in terms of the post parandial test.
I took femara (5mg) for two IUI rounds. I responded both times but only had one not-so-great follicle the second time. I switched to clomid (100mg) this round, had four follicles, & am currently in the TWW. I didn't really have any side effects with either but hear clomid can be brutal. I have also heard clomid produces more follicles but the quality isn't as good as Femara. Also, clomid does thin your uterine lining-I had to take 3 days of estrace prior to IUI to thicken it.
I'm not sure that this is super helpful but wanted to offer my insight & support

DSculley1824

Thanks @RazzyRN‌ ... I know I have a fibroid or two so I'm guessing that's why he wants to do the sono in addition to the HSG that I just had done.

@Hmgavin‌ 7-9 vials?! Oh my ... I may pass out! Yeah, the whole benched thing next month is a huge huge bummer to me.

@shafwilson‌ oh my gosh! I'm calling the lab tomorrow to find out exactly how they will do the glucose test. I will cry if I have to do 4 blood draws in a day. I'm getting better with my extreme fear from all of these tests, but good lord. Idk if I can handle 4!! My HSG was uncomfortable so fx the sono won't be bad like you said. Thanks!

@iPutKetchupOnKetchup‌ I think they want to wait to CD40 to see if I do O on my own. My BBT, CM, and OPK all indicated I may have the other day. But, the RE said if I do have PCOS then they may not be very reliable. Soooo instead of doing the progesterone draw today to find out they are just having me do all the testing then. He said he didn't have to be right on CD40 but around there bc he doesn't want me to go any longer without AF if I'm not pregnant. I just have off on CD40 so it works out for me lol.

@blsav23‌ thanks for the info! Keeping my fx for you in your TWW!

DSculley1824

Thanks @rainbowbridge14‌ ! That was helpful. Makes me realize my RE is just doing the best he can to get me the best picture of whatever diagnosis I get. Just so frustrating! I feel like I've been testing forever. And being bench for a month feels like a stomach punch.

lebradford

Waiting sucks, I'm sorry.

I had to take BCPs one month and I was so, so upset. However, I was surprised at how fast a "BCP cycle" of 28 days goes when you're used to being anovulatory and either not starting new cycles on your own or having really long cycles. Remember if you didn't take BCPs you still might not ovulate, but your last non-treatment cycle would likely be much, much longer. In a way, the BCPs are probably going to speed you up. In fact, at this point, I opt to be on them between medicated cycles so I can start my next cycle when I'm ready and not have to deal with Provera.

I hope the time flies by for you!

MyFirstRaspberry

Similar to  what @lebradford wrote, I looked at my few BCP cycles as a faster method to get past a benched cycle. A 28 a day BCP cycle is nothing when you have really long, irregular cycles. Also, BCP allows you to have any and all testing done during that month. If you were not on BCP, the doctors would not allow you to have a SIS or HSG unless it was the very short period of time between when AF ends and maybe CD12 - because you *might* O and could get KU. So BCP means you can have those types of tests done at any time because you won't become KU.

Clomid made my lining way too thin. My lining was much healthier with Fermara.

coaster102516

I usually post on the trying to get pregnant board because I haven’t been trying for over a year but I lurk over her too since my OBGYN also diagnosed me with PCOS. I am in the same boat as you, I am now going through similar testing with my RE because it may not be PCOS after all. Strange and frustrating!

Anyways, I guess I prefer leterozole because it gave me a mature follicle and did not thin my uterine lining like Clomid did. I liked Clomid for purely the fact that it gave me 3 follicles as opposed to 1 good one. I actually had side effects on leterozole but nothing on Clomid…I guess it just depends on the person.

 

Good luck! 

BunnyBerry

Glad you have a thorough RE!

Sorry you have to take BCPs for while...but the nice part is, it helps reduce the time between testing and your first treatment cycle!

DSculley1824

@lebradford‌ and @MyFirstRaspberry‌ thanks a lot! Your post actually made me feel a lot better. Makes sense!

Thanks @BlueFairy5‌ !! Good luck on your cycle. So many tests and appts is right!

Yesssss @laurensc927‌ I'm so happy I don't have to go back to the hospital for the SIS like I had to do for the HSG. Sorry to hear that your experience wasn't pleasant with the catheter. Thankfully, once they figured it out it was easier for you.

@CaitOst21‌ ugh...it's so obnoxious! It would be so much easier if they could snap their fingers and know the dx w/o all of the appts and tests. Unfortunately, it can't be that easy.

Thanks @BunnyBerry‌ ! I guess I just need to be grateful my RE is doing everything he can to help me.