Shannan, what a tough ride yours has been, my heart goes out to you.
As stillhoping said... maybe look at chinese medicine, I saw an Acupuncturist on Monday who said they have specific herb combinations they can use to increase the sticking factor along with other things. Maybe this could help... And the AP would also be good for the stress which is such a strong companion along this journey.
I have seen numerous doctors, 2 PCOS specialists, a so called genius chinese medicine man and a naturpoath who used to have a 100% success rate until she met me. Every single one of them told me to lose weight and come back later. Normal doctors will only recommend me to specialists who wont help until I lose weight. I have dealt with Dr McKenna at Murdoch, Dr Hart at FSWA, A chinese medicine man in Northbridge, A naturopath in Rockingham, a dietician who was no help what so ever, plus the many "general doctors" along the way. Both PCOS specialist put me on Metformin which actually makes me gain weight. The most recent doctor told me to go running to lose weight, I have size 20 E breasts and I'm sorry, but I just can't run with them. So she told me to get a breast reduction. If I have a breast reduction I cannot breast feed later (if I ever carry to full term) because I will lose most of my milk ducts. Can anybody recommend a practise or specialist in Perth that will run tests without telling me to go lose weight first?
Oh Shannan, I am so sorry for all your losses and that you've had such a hard journey so far. I don't have PCOS but one of my best friends has, and she has piled on stacks of weight when she was finally diagnosed a few years ago ( she is only 29 ). She went to a very well known IVF specialist ( she's got to do IVF as she has only one ovary and it's blocked so she's not ovulating on her own ), and he told her flat out, lose the weight or you'll never get pregnant. She was furious. She used to bleed 3 out of every 4 weeks of the month, very heavy.
She did a program at the Royal Women's Hospital here in Melbourne last year, and took meds to get her glucose levels under control. They are now good, but then becuase her lining has always been on the thick side, she's had an implant put in her uterus, and now the lining is a normal thickness and the implant is coming out. She's hoping to do an IVF cycle mid month. I don't know if I helped you at all, but I wish you much success in achieving your dream soon.
Good luck hun.
shannon,
my sister has had 10 m/c- she had testing and i think it was a autoimmune prob (body attacking the baby) she got treatment (not sure what-il ask her)
she then got pregnant again with twins - miscarried one but went on to have a healthy little boy who is now 15 months. she was on complete bedrest all through but she now has a beautiful son.
you need to get testing huni to find out why it is happening - pcos is not a reason on its own and weight isnt either.
my thoughts are with you huni.
if you want to ask anything else just ask.
love rach xxx
Shannon - have you had your progesterone tested throughout your cycle?
Low progesterone was the cause of my M/C's and i had to go on pessaries during my cycle than progesterone injections for 6mths of my pregnany with regular blood tests!
Just another suggestion as its something that is not usually tested for!
Hi Shannan,
I dont know any specialists in Perth but I was thinking about you last night. A friend of mine has PCOS and was told she had to loss the weight before she would have a successful pregnency. She recently started cohens to tackle the weight. She was told cohens is meant to be very successful for people with PCOS for fast effective weight loss.
I am not sure how long she has been on it but she has already lost 20kg.
Hope this helps. I know my friend was ready to give up until she heard about cohens and decided to give it one more go after 6 months on cohens.
If this isn't the kind of info you are after then just ignore it, just thought it might give some hope from adifferent angle.
Good luck
Sjl
Last edited by Astrolady; January 16th, 2009 at 08:28 AM.
Sorry I can't recommend any one in Perth because I am not from WA. I found that drs weren't much help and what helped me most was finding out about things for myself.
I lost 28kgs before DS#1 was conceived. It is possible to lose weight with PCOS. I know there has been quiet a bit of advice here already but there are some diet specific books about PCOS - I'll post details here only if you want me too.
Another cause of weight problems and recurrent miscarriage can be an intolerance to gluten - not something commonly tested for but it was something I found out about after my misc and it also causes me to put on a lot of weight.
There are other things too - have you have your thyroid tested too?
Really insensitive of that dr to suggest running. There is no way I could run for exercise. I started with walking - just building up slowly but for me diet is most important in keeping the weight under control - not too many carbs!
I can't believe 'lose weight' is the only advice they have for you.
After seven losses one would think that there's more to the story. I know a great OB/GYN I can recommend over here in NSW, but no one over in Perth. I have a blood disorder which prevents my babies from implanting properly and the placenta from developing properly. I have a 5-10% chance of carrying to term, but after seeing my doctor and being treated with aspirin, clexane and progesterone (my progesterone dropped a lot too) I carried my son to term - and over by more than two weeks! Surely there's something they can do for you too!
My doctor was with Sydney IVF, though we didn't need IVF thank God. They have some doctors over in Perth according to their website, I just googled 'Sydney IVF Perth'. The doctors listed are mostly in the Hollywood Fertility Centre. Here is a link.
I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your little ones. Here's hoping that this year is your year!
I had had a couple of mc and a baby born with significant heart defects (now running through the house at 4 years old). I got tested and so did DH and lo and behold I have a folate reductase disorder which means that I dont convert folate properly and so does my DH. My GP and OB both suggested DH and I go on 5mg of folate (from the Chemist only about $5 for a months supply) which is 10x the normal dose. We are pregnant again and hoping this works out well.
Thank you all for your kinds words and suggestions etc
I have definately had my thyroid tested, not sure about the progesterone...
I am looking into Cohens and am waiting on a call back from them as I did look at joining Sureslim a few months back but I read A LOT of bad reviews about those guys. When we were looking at IVF last year we researched all the main Fertility specialists in Perth and didn't get too many positive rsponses for Hollywood. Most women were fairly happy with Fertilty Specialists WA which is where I ended up going in the end. Now my is a very calm, reasonable person, but even he walked out of there extremely annoyed and frustrated that we had just paid a lot of money for the same response again. Go away, lose weight and come back. My plan for tomorrow is find a new doctor willing to do tests. Unfortunately our local OB/GYN does not have a very good reputation. Leaves instruments inside people etc I think the plan for now will be meet with Cohens and find a new doc to start with and go from there.
I forget to mention, my current daily pill diet consists of:
1 x Elevit
1-4 x Metformin (gotta build back up to 4 a day)
3 x Super Omega 3:6:9
3 x Vitex
Shannon I cannot even begin to imagine what you have been through the last nine years. Sending you heaps and heaps of and praying that this is your year.
I took it too as it was prescribed by a naturopath. It totally stuffed me up! I know some naturopaths say it is an adaptogen and will work with your body to regulate your hormones but it totally did not work for me. I later read that in women with PCOS it should be used with caution.
If you would like me to refer you to the source and the reasons - just let me know.
im not a doctor ( a nurse ) BUT i think i have some info that might shine some light! i was sitting in the docs office yesterday reading a mag and saw a poor woman who had had 18 miscarriages never making it past 7 weeks turns out she had NO folic acid in her body, her body somehow couldnt produce it and at 7 weeks the babys spine is forming and needs this to make the skeleton. They gave her an injection at about 5 weeks or folic acid and walla she had a bub, maybe u should look this up also there is an injection, its very new that u can get for women with recurrent miscarriage that can increase the chances of carrying to term. It stops too much oxygenated blood cells getting into the uterus which is linked to the breakdown of the placenta and spontaneous miscarriage, this is only new to the medical world and still on trial , has been proven to work though i would ask about it, not sure whats its called though maybe google it, im sorry i cannot be of more help havent finished medschool yet!!! i will be devoting my life to women like us who just get shoved in the corner. I wish u all the luck in the world! also maybe u need progesterone supplements once u have concieved, you need to shop around for a new FS!!!
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I have a blood disorder which prevents my babies from implanting properly and the placenta from developing properly. I have a 5-10% chance of carrying to term, but after seeing my doctor and being treated with aspirin, clexane and progesterone (my progesterone dropped a lot too) I carried my son to term - and over by more than two weeks!
Surely there's something they can do for you too!
is a very calm, reasonable person, but even he walked out of there extremely annoyed and frustrated that we had just paid a lot of money for the same response again. Go away, lose weight and come back.
My plan for tomorrow is find a new doctor willing to do tests. Unfortunately our local OB/GYN does not have a very good reputation. Leaves instruments inside people etc
I think the plan for now will be meet with Cohens and find a new doc to start with and go from there.
and praying that this is your year.
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