Beertje
09-05-2007, 09:16 PM
Well girls, I seem to be learning new things about fertility all the time. I went to an RE for the first time to discuss injectables. She sat with me for a VERY long time and walked me through everything. She was so helpful and put me at ease.
But what I learned is that there's another test out there, called 17-OHP, for those that have been previously diagnosed with PCOS. This tests to see if you have NCAH (Nonclassical Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia.) The symptoms are exactly the same as PCOS only most ob/gyn's don't test for it. If it comes out positive, it can be treated through medication called glucocorticoids. This also may reduce the need for any other fertility drug.
Anyway, I also asked about continuing with clomid along with injectables vs going with just injectables. She didn't feel very comfortable with the clomid, but said that she was willing to do Letrozole (Femara) as it has reduced length of time in one's body (20 days vs months for clomid), creates no cysts, nor does it harm the lining. It's typically used for breast cancer, but acts the same way as clomid, with a 8-10% risk of multiples.
I learned that with injectables, we as a couple have to take a class for almost 4 hours. Um, how long does it take to teach someone how to jab themselves or their partner with an injection pen? Anyway, when that is done, they'll submit requests into the insurance company which I guess can take up to a month. But if they approve sooner (hopefully mine will because I didn't see anywhere in my insurance documents that requires preauthorization for meds), then we may have a chance to get that started this round. I'm electing to take both femara and injectables because my patience with my body has worn thin.
She did caution that there's a 40% chance of twins, 4% chance of triplets and 1% of higher multiples. Works for me, I'm willing to take that chance. After all, the dr that delivered my youngest said I had the perfect birthing hips and I was built to have 10 kids. Course I could've slapped him at the time as he said that immediately after I delivered. Not what I wanted to hear at the time!
Since my RE is an hour away, she's also agreed to work with my ob/gyn for any lab tests or u/s, thank God! But I do need to go there for the 17-OHP test as well as the HSG test which I apparently had something similar to that done in January only they used a scanner instead of xray machine. Huh. So I get to go through those joys again. Looks like I'm in for a busy month as soon as af appears, hopefully not until 9/11. :/
But what I learned is that there's another test out there, called 17-OHP, for those that have been previously diagnosed with PCOS. This tests to see if you have NCAH (Nonclassical Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia.) The symptoms are exactly the same as PCOS only most ob/gyn's don't test for it. If it comes out positive, it can be treated through medication called glucocorticoids. This also may reduce the need for any other fertility drug.
Anyway, I also asked about continuing with clomid along with injectables vs going with just injectables. She didn't feel very comfortable with the clomid, but said that she was willing to do Letrozole (Femara) as it has reduced length of time in one's body (20 days vs months for clomid), creates no cysts, nor does it harm the lining. It's typically used for breast cancer, but acts the same way as clomid, with a 8-10% risk of multiples.
I learned that with injectables, we as a couple have to take a class for almost 4 hours. Um, how long does it take to teach someone how to jab themselves or their partner with an injection pen? Anyway, when that is done, they'll submit requests into the insurance company which I guess can take up to a month. But if they approve sooner (hopefully mine will because I didn't see anywhere in my insurance documents that requires preauthorization for meds), then we may have a chance to get that started this round. I'm electing to take both femara and injectables because my patience with my body has worn thin.
She did caution that there's a 40% chance of twins, 4% chance of triplets and 1% of higher multiples. Works for me, I'm willing to take that chance. After all, the dr that delivered my youngest said I had the perfect birthing hips and I was built to have 10 kids. Course I could've slapped him at the time as he said that immediately after I delivered. Not what I wanted to hear at the time!
Since my RE is an hour away, she's also agreed to work with my ob/gyn for any lab tests or u/s, thank God! But I do need to go there for the 17-OHP test as well as the HSG test which I apparently had something similar to that done in January only they used a scanner instead of xray machine. Huh. So I get to go through those joys again. Looks like I'm in for a busy month as soon as af appears, hopefully not until 9/11. :/