We met with Dr. Nash last Tuesday and got news we definitely were not expecting… First, me. I am both Vitamin D deficient (“because you’re a white girl from Ohio”) and insulin resistant. This is a side effect of the PCOS. Among the other symptoms like insane periods and unwanted body hair, I also get that joy. The doctor started me on 1000mg of Metformin ER (500, twice a day) in order to help my body breakdown sugar. I think. Anyway, the insulin resistance is the part of PCOS that makes it harder to lose weight and Metformin can help with that (according to Dr. Pinterest). So far it makes me nauseous but I guess that’s an expected side effect. So there’s that.

Next…Shane. Some of his sperm are shaped wonky…to be honest I’m not sure of the technical term…something about morphology maybe. Anyway, regardless, the combination of his sperm plus my lack of ovulation gives us a whopping 5% chance of conceiving on our own.

Five percent. As in, probably not.  (more…)

Shane had his semen analysis yesterday at Reproductive Gynecology Laboratories so now we’re done with testing and are truly, truly waiting.

When we meet with Dr. Nash on Tuesday, we will find out the results of that test and my glucose/insulin tests and his plan for us if, again, God forbid, we don’t get pregnant this cycle. (For what it’s worth, I’m so bloated this month. I’m assuming it’s because of all of the hormones that were pumped into me…between the Letrozole and trigger shot, and of course what each did to my body that it doesn’t do naturally, it’s to be expected that my body would react in some kind of way!

Still waiting. Still trying to be patient. Still trying to breathe…

We are coming up on the one year mark of when we asked for help. I saw my gynecologist in August, had an abnormal pap test, and had to go through the process of getting that straightened around. I’m currently waiting on my period to begin so that I can call my fertility doctor to begin treatment and testing.

We went to Reproductive Gynecology, a fertility clinic in Akron, right after school was out in June. Two things slowed us down, despite the urgency with which Dr. Nash approached our case: my extremely long cycles and our upcoming beach vacation. Before the slow down, I was so impressed with Dr. Nash. My complaint with my gynecologist was the speed and urgency with which she approached my case. Very, very slow treatment, and even slower testing. When Shane and I arrived at the clinic for our first appointment at the beginning of June, we were immediately whisked back into the offices before I’d even finished registering at the window. The physician who did our intake paperwork was thorough and incredibly compassionate. Not to the point of being mushy, but he certainly conveyed his concern for us and our history. He finished with us after a few minutes and let us know that Dr. Nash would see us soon. Not five minutes later, we were ushered into Dr. Nash’s office and he bustled in, ready to take action. He immediately diagnosed me with PCOS, despite my objections (my gynecologist has looked for that diagnosis in the past, but didn’t see any cysts on my ovaries so therefore, it was ruled out. Dr. Nash asked me a series of questions and then confirmed that, yep, I had it! Done, as he said!) and then set forth with a plan for our treatment. He assured us that he is aggressive with his treatment and testing – in fact, he does both at once. He ran through the treatment process, spun our heads around, and then whisked us into the next room for an ultrasound. The test was clear so we were ushered down the hall for blood work and then back to an exam room to meet with a nurse. At that point, we figured out the issue with the timing of the vacation so were essentially just told to “call on Day 1!” It was the farewell we were offered by nearly everyone in the office as we left, from the phlebotomist, to the nurses, to Dr. Nash, to the receptionist…and by the way, we left after about an hour and a half in the office. We had hardly any waiting at all during every step of the way, complete attention, and intense compassion from every member of the staff.

We knew that we had to delay our treatment/testing until we returned from the Outer Banks, and here we are! We are so pleased to have chosen this clinic, even though all we’ve done is meet with them!

In the grand tradition of travels with The Brennens, thus begins another set of blogs!

We set off at midnight today for Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The drive has largely uneventful, except for the driver behind us being rear ended as we detoured across Virginia. The tail gating is real, people. 

The vacation is exciting but the best part is that we are headed this way for MY SISTER’S WEDDING!!!!!! So exciting! (I think she would tell you that the most exciting part is that the planning is done!) 

I haven’t been to the OBX since before they called it that and I’m so excited to go back. I’m even more excited to share my childhood vacation spot with my hubby. 

By the way, our packing for this trip is ridiculous. We pride ourselves on taking tiny suitcases/backpacks for two weeks in Europe but have packed the Subaru to the gills and conned Emily and my dad to haul some of it bigger things for us. Go figure. 

Sadly, our two week wait ended up fruitless. We prayed, waited, prayed, waited, and found that we are NOT pregnant after our “first try.” Devastated doesn’t begin to describe how we felt.

But, we press on.

I called the doctor when I got my period to tell her and ask for another prescription for Clomid and she reminded me of the process…three tries on Clomid, then we try other routes…but we are all hoping that this month is it. Hopefully all I need is a kick in the ovaries from the Big C and we’ll be good to go!

Today starts another fertile window – another flashy face on the ovulation stick! – which will lead into another two week wait. I’m praying that this is it! And that if it’s not, we can hang in without losing hope.

Today is the miracle day. Or the first of many, I hope!

Today we got the Solid Smiley.

The solid smiley face on a Clearblue Digital fertility test indicates peak fertility – or an LH hormone surge in your body. The egg has been released.

For someone who probably has either never or not recently ovulated, this is huge news.

We walked around the auto show yesterday and I whispered to Shane that I had symptoms to share – sore boobs and pain in my lower abdomen – specifically on the left side. I was excited to test again  when we got home but saw the same result we’ve had for days – the flashing smiley.

This morning, one of my many fertility apps told me that, based on my data, I probably missed my window. My most fertile day was Friday and now we are decreasing in fertility until next month. Big Frowny Face. I diligently took the ovulation test then took a bath. For a while.

When I got out of the tub, I got the surprise of the day – the Solid Smiley.

I, needless to say, screamed excitedly for Shane (who, poor guy, was asleep and thought he was in trouble for sleeping too long!) to come and see the miracle stick! We of course cried tears of joy. Who knew this was possible for me? For us?

And now the wait begins…