An update

Sorry that I've been incognito. I didn't have comment notification turned on and didn't even realize that anyone had been visiting. I might've been more diligent if I'd know otherwise. :)

I did three cycles on the pill, and my cycle finally normalized. We're supposed to try to get pregnant these next to months, but I'm so apprehensive. I feel like I have my hands full with Seth, so how can I possibly be a good mommy to two kids?

I'm supposed to be taking metformin, but I just haven't gotten around to starting it. It makes me wonder if I'm trying to sabotage our chances. I know that I'll eventually want another baby, but the truth is, I'd prefer to wait a little while longer -- but I'm worried that if I wait too long, then Seth will be an only child. My infertility fears are what's driving me to try now instead of later. I wonder if that's a bad thing.

Cycle all screwed up

I'm on the pill, which is supposed to regulate my cycle, no? This current period is now on its thirtieth day. 3-0.

And I've been wondering for weeks now if I really do have PCOS. The tests said no, but the doc didn't administer the tests on the proper day in my cycle. She said, "Normally we'd have to put you on the pill to regulate your cycle on then do the blood tests on a specific day, but I'm so sure you have PCOS that I don't think we have to bother with that." Except that the resulting tests didn't show PCOS. So now I'm still wondering.

I tried to call and ask, but this particular doctor, though seemingly wonderful, has a nurse who is very difficult to get past.

Not PCOS

Well, the blood tests revealed that I don't have PCOS. For several years now I was pretty sure I had PCOS, and the doc seemed pretty sure as I had so many symptoms, but it turns out that most of my hormones are pretty close the normal. The only one that is out of whack is testosterone.

So I have high testosterone levels. The normal range for a woman is 25-75. (Please don't ask me what the units are because I simply don't know.) Doc said she almost never sees higher than 50. I'm at 100. This is not disastrously high. If it were 200, she's send me for a CAT scan to see if a tumor was causing overproduction. So hey, that's good news -- no CAT scan.

So what to do? She recommends a high-protein diet. I guess protein binds with testosterone, which makes it less effective. She prescribed metformin to regulate my blood sugar and help me lose weight. And she prescribed the pill -- as in The Pill, birth control.

What? Birth control when I'm trying to get pregnant? Yup. If I want to get pregnant ASAP, she recommends two months on the pill to "reset" my cycle followed by Clomid to trigger ovulation. This is my best shot to conceive quickly.

I can also try two months on the pill followed by no Clomid to see if that works. This appeals to me as Clomid has a 1% chance of twins. Not interested in twins, thank you.

And finally, another option is to try the pill for two months and then continue for even longer if I'd like to try to lose more weight before getting pregnant. I did have some problems related to my weight during the last pregnancy, and because I'm only 33, Doc feels I still have some time before conceiving could become truly elusive.

Not sure what we're going to do.

OB/GYN visit

I visited my OB/GYN on Friday. Based on my history and symptoms, she thinks I have PCOS and has ordered blood tests to rule out other conditions. I went in to have blood drawn today. I'll find out the results on 2/15.

She sent me to a great site by Northwestern University, which is a leading research institution studying PCOS.

Doc also told me to look into The PCOS Diet Book. I guess the diet hasn't actually been proven, but she says it can't hurt. Sigh. I hate diets.