I searched the web to find a good tracking software so I could keep track of ovulation and my period. I didn't search for that long when I came across LifeCycle Soft and I downloaded it, I only used it for a couple of months before they came out with a new software called TCOYF on Ovusoft that you had to pay for cause the other one was out of date or something like that. I started taking my temperature every morning at the same time to predict ovulation and that was only for a few months cause it was getting more and more stressful each month when AF would show up. I quit doing that and a few months later Unipath did a study with the Clear Plan Fertility Monitor and I joined it. There were 2 groups, one that used basic charting for 3 months and the other group got the CPFM. I of course was in the basic charting group and after the 3 months of it I got a free CPFM. I used it from then on to track ovulation, it didn't work cause I never got pregnant during the time of using it. I'm not saying I don't recommend it, its just that it didn't work for me and you'll soon find out later.

Well after 1 year of charting and trying our hearts out we decided it was time to seek medical help. I went to one Dr who told me I was suffering from Infertility without doing any testing whatsoever and that I needed to do IUI, ICSI, IVF or even ADOPTION! I was so shocked that this lady had judged everything by what I had told and not doing any type of blood test or any sort on me. I told her adoption was the last thing we wanted to do and she then proceeded to tell me that she was adopted and her sister which is not her biological sister would kick my ass if I said that to her. DO WHAT! I walked out of that building crying my eyes out! I don't know how anyone could say such crap to someone suffering from not being able to get pregnant whether it be IF or something else. Note, all of this happened on HALLOWEEN, October 31st, 2002! That's a big shocker to me!

After a long break I went to another Dr on February 2th, 2003 and she was more than willing to work with us and on our first visit she gave us a note to get a SA done to see if anything was wrong with Jason because I had one child already and he didn't have any living. We never went through with any of it because of financial reasons so we kept trying naturally. We kept trying until I was beginning to think maybe I had PCOS or something else and was getting very scared. On our 2 year mark of trying I started searching again on the net trying to find an RE close by that would take my insurance. I was basically looking for prices and came across a website with a RE just 45 minutes away from where I live. I called them the next day and scheduled an appointment with them and they sent all the paperwork to fill out for the first visit. This RE even supported FAM and charting!

I went in for my first RE visit with Dr. William H. Cooper IV, MD, F.A.C.O.G. on June 9th, 2003 and found out I had PCOS. It was such a shock to me since I always Ovulated and had my period. My symptoms are ovarian cysts (string of pearl), hirsutism (excess facial & body hair), obesity, seborrhea, skin tags, acanthosis nigricans (brown skin patches, under my arm pits beside my breast), excess "male" hormones, infertility, insulin resistance. After the confirmation of PCOS the RE an I went to his office to talk about treatments and he gave me three options 1)Infertility Drugs, 2)BCP for a month to regulate my hormones & 3)A male hormone drug. While he was going over the different options with me the nurses were getting the Semen Analysis order ready for Jason to see if there were possible problems with him. The visit didn't last as long as I thought it would but we walked out of his office with smiling faces because he treated us so well. He told us after we had the Semen Analysis he would start ordering tests to me done on me to see if there was any other problems besides PCOS. They went ahead and scheduled me for a HSG (hysterosalpingogram) for June 16th, 2003 and my tubes were both open and he said I had a perfect uterus.

On June 20th 2003 Jason went in for his Semen Analysis which showed Super Sperm! Here are his results:

Appearance - Opalescent/Viscous
Count - 48 Mil/mm3
Volume - 6.0 mL
Motility (Movement) -1HR - 80%
Morphology (Size, Shape, Appearance) - 95% Mature/Normal
Semen other Cel - Few WBC

On July 14th, 2003 I had to go in for a Postcoital Test (PCT) to see if the sperm was getting into my cervix and it only showed 2 sperm inside my cervix which is not good at all. It also showed that my cervical mucus is not hostile toward Jason's sperm. Then on July 29th, 2003 I had to go in for some Fertility Blood work. My basic blood work was normal but my Fasting Insulin levels were 25.7 which is high. I was prescribed Glucophage 500 to help control the high insulin levels. I started out taking 1 tablet twice daily for a week, then 1� twice daily for a week and finally I was taking 2 pills twice daily. I have been on it since August 6th, 2003 and it seems to be controlling some of my problems from the PCOS. I went back for another Postcoital Test (PCT) and again it was only about 2+ sperm in my cervix so we talked to the RE about IUI.

On September 6th, 2003 we went in for our first natural IUI. Everything was timed perfectly but unfortunately it didn't work. We were scheduled for another one on October 5th, 2003 but I canceled it because of how stressful the first one was and I just couldn't take it at that time. We finally decided it was time for a rest one cycle and then trying naturally again until maybe the beginning of 2004 so I started taking BCP again November 18th, 2003 for one cycle and then we're going to try a fresh cycle in December if that doesn't work we're to start some major infertility treatments.

We will fulfill our dreams one day in the near future!

If you've read this far and you have PCOS please take the time to Sign the PCOS Quilt!

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