Trouble TTC

Newbie + excited to get involved!

Cally14Cally14 member
edited September 2015 in Trouble TTC
Hi All!

After having lurked for quite some time, I saw it time to introduce myself :) I celebrated my 28th birthday last week and DH is 31. We've been married for 3 years and 8 months and have been TTC since last year June (2014) - roughly 1 year and 3 months. We've got two adorably mischievous fur babies, Theo and Luna who we love to bits! I've been diagnosed with PCOS 2 months back after my first visit to my RE. Other blood tests were taken and it appears that I'm having issues with insulin levels due to PCOS and she started me on Metformin, initially 500mg a day but now doubled to 1000mg. I've always had irregular periods but since starting the Met, I haven't had a period since early July and am now on CD75 with no signs of AF or PG. When taking a OPK, it showed that I had O'd on about CD60. Is this possible? I have already taken 8 HPT (ClearBlu) but nothing. I don't know if it's possible to be pregnant but get negative results with HPT. RE suggests I start Provera (10 day cycle). Would it be logical of me to want to take a blood test for PG to make 100% certain before starting it? Am I being overly optimistic?

I have searched the site for similar situations but really feel it would be so helpful and much appreciated to hear from you guys who might have had the same or similar experiences. It's really disheartening and I don't speak about this to anyone IRL as I feel it is a very private thing and I also don't want a pity party every time I spend time with family and friends who all have kids; and although DH is very supportive, he doesn't REALLY understand all of this.

Thank you so much for taking the time out to read my long post! Can't wait to hear from you and start to participate :)

Re: Newbie + excited to get involved!

  • Positive OPKs aren't a guarantee you ovulated, especially for ladies with PCOS. Charting your BBT is the only way to know when and if you ovulated. Going forward, hopefully your doctor will monitor you appropriately and charting wouldn't really be needed.

    I would probably just tell your doctor your concerns and see if he thinks a beta is needed. I think it's pretty rare for it not to show up on HPT. This month, though, we saw it happen with 2 girls. I can't remember if both participate in this board or if one only uses the infertility board. Anyway, one ended up being a chemical pregnancy and the other was told it was a chemical, but levels went up slowly. She is waiting now to see if it is ectopic or a normal pregnancy. A few months ago, another girl got a positive beta and it did not show up on HPT for a few days afterwards. I haven't seen anything else from her so I'm not sure if everything progressed well. So, I think it's pretty rare but not impossible. Also, it may not always be the best sign.
    Married to DH 10/6/12
    TTC since 5/14
    Unexplained with (controlled) hypothyroidism and suspected ovulatory dysfunction (but, I do ovulate on my own)
    Clomid 50 mg 3/15 (unmonitored) - BFN
    Clomid 50 mg + metformin 4/15 (unmonitored) - BFN 
    First RE appt. 5/15; Natural cycle 5/15 monitored with 2 mature follicles and Pregnyl Trigger (full dose) + prometrium - BFN
    6/15 HSG - clear tubes & normal uterus; great PCT test results
    TI - 100 mg Clomid + prometrium (AM & PM) + vaginal estrace (AM & PM) 6-7/15 (monitored) --> no additional response and thinned lining - BFN
    TI - Injectables (follistim + Gonal-F, Ganirelix, & 1/2 dose Pregnyl) + prometrium (AM & PM) 9/15 --> 3-7 mature follicles (3 definites and 4+ that could have matured due to trigger) @ O -->BFN + 5 large cysts
    BC for 2 weeks due to cysts
    TI - Injectables (Gonal-F, Ganirelix & full dose Pregnyl) + prometrium (AM & PM) 10/15 --> 1 mature follicle --> BFN 
    TI - Last attempt at injectables (Gonal-F, Ganirelix & 1/2 dose Pregnyl) + crinone (AM only) + vaginal estrace (AM & PM) 11/15 --> 3-4 mature follicles --> BFP!! 11/27/15 @ 13dpo (shockingly, actually waited until then to test)

    Beta #1 @ 16dpo (11/30/15) = 1,075
    Beta #2 @ 19dpo (12/3/15) = 3,150
    One baby: Saw heartbeat @ 5w5d (114 bpm; baby measuring 2.3mm)

    "Great Things are Happening"
  • GoldenKeysGoldenKeys admin
    edited September 2015
    Welcome to the board!   I'm glad that you found us.

    I'm going to be really honest with you for your own good.  Yes, you are being overly optimistic to the point of just not facing reality. You are not pregnant and 8 pregnancy tests have told you so.  I am not trying to hurt your feelings but it's important not to feed false hope. Take the provera and give yourself a real chance at getting pregnant.

    It's important to note that OPK's do not tell you that you ovulated, ever.    OPK's  only signal an LH surge - which is merely an attempt to ovulate in the next few days.  Because you have PCOS, your body probably surges a lot - but then fails to ovulate, which is why you have long cycles.  (A great idea for you would be to read the book "Taking Charge of your Fertility" which will help you understand what is happening hormonally in much better detail).  

    Because many of us are closely monitored with bloodwork, some of us get beta positives a day before an HPT positive -  and these are only in cases when we are NOT using an 'early detection' HPT, which would definitely have shown a very faint, but definitely positiive result if taken at the same time as the beta.     There is no such thing as phantom pregnancies that never show up on HPTs even after repeated testing.

     If you don't feel ready to take the provera, and feel in your gut that something else might be going on, then you might try waiting a few days and taking another HPT (early response kind) before starting the provera.  GL and I really do hope that you get your BFP very soon!


    Married for 7 years, TTC for 4 years
    dx:  Diminished Ovarian Reserve
    2 Clomid IUI's + 4 injectable IUI's= 5 BFNs and 1 mc




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  • @riveridgional Thank you so much for the warm welcome! I have also heard/read of very rare cases but I'm feeling doubtful that mine is such a case. I just didn't want to do anything hasty without hearing from those who might know more and thank you for that :)
  • @GoldenKeys Thank you for the welcome and even more so for the dose of reality! It's actually so refreshing to get an opinion from someone other that the RE or my DH. In fear of sounding too loopy, the sum of the 8 pregnancy tests were taken over the duration of this entire long cycle, quite sporadically. RE is quite accessible via email so I always check up whether it is a good idea as it came on her advise. Trying to stay in touch with reality through it all although not always easy :)

    I really value your response and the book referral, will look into it for sure! Think I'll start that Provera and hopefully get a fresh start. Excited to be here! :)
  • Cally14 said:
    @GoldenKeys Thank you for the welcome and even more so for the dose of reality! It's actually so refreshing to get an opinion from someone other that the RE or my DH. In fear of sounding too loopy, the sum of the 8 pregnancy tests were taken over the duration of this entire long cycle, quite sporadically. RE is quite accessible via email so I always check up whether it is a good idea as it came on her advise. Trying to stay in touch with reality through it all although not always easy :)

    I really value your response and the book referral, will look into it for sure! Think I'll start that Provera and hopefully get a fresh start. Excited to be here! :)
    I'm glad that you're here too!   The book (TCOYF for short)  has absolutely changed my life and helped me to fully understand what my RE was doing.   I just know that it will do the same for you.    Fingers crossed for a successful treatment plan!


    Married for 7 years, TTC for 4 years
    dx:  Diminished Ovarian Reserve
    2 Clomid IUI's + 4 injectable IUI's= 5 BFNs and 1 mc




  • Welcome @Cally14 :)  this is a great group of support women who will understand what you're going through, so we're glad to have you!  
  • @GoldenKeys I've just read up on the book and reviews and cannot wait to get my hands on a copy! I always have a list of questions for my RE when I pay her visit and she's always very helpful but I feel that this book will help me tremendously and answer all those questions I need answers to. Thank you for sharing! 
  • Thank you so much @Aera11! Happy to be here and to finally be able to communicate with those in the same boat as me, really refreshing :)
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