The Lucky Ones

So the main reason that I picked my blog back up was due to something very personal that we have been struggling with. We both knew that we wanted to have children. That was never a question for us. I have loved babies and kids since I was little and couldn't wait to be a mommy one day. In August 2013, we started officially trying. And by trying I mean, I stopped taking my birth control and we were just going to see what happened. I had always had a feeling in the back of my head that I would have trouble conceiving. I am not sure why I had the feeling, but I just did. When it came time to start though, I thought maybe we would be one of the lucky ones that it just happens to right away. 

Unfortunately, we were not one of the lucky ones. I hadn't had a normal cycle in many months. I had no idea if I was even ovulating. I contacted my gyno and she assured me it was just my body adjusting to being off of birth control. After I didn't get a cycle for a couple months, I finally made an appointment to go in and discuss things with my gyno. She ran a series of bloodwork. When the results came back, she informed me that I had Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

For those of you that do not know what PCOS is, here is a brief description from  PCOS Foundation. org (http://www.pcosfoundation.org/index.php):

PCOS is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, also known as Stein-Leventhal Syndrome, and is one of the most common hormonal endocrine disorders in women. PCOS has been recognized and diagnosed for seventy-five years. There are many signs and symptoms that a woman may experience. Since PCOS cannot be diagnosed with one test alone and symptoms vary from woman to woman, PCOS has been known as the “Silent Killer”. Early diagnosis of PCOS is important as it has been linked to an increased risk for developing several medical risks including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Many women may experience weight gain or obesity, yet there are others who may be very lean. Multiple cysts on ovaries in a "string of pearls” pattern is also an indicator for PCOS. In addition, this hormonal imbalance can cause Insulin Resistance, which is also a prime indicator that you may have PCOS. Women suffering from PCOS may experience high testosterone levels, which cause other signs and symptoms such as Hirsutism (excessive hair growth), male pattern baldness and acne. This high level of testosterone can also prevent the ovaries from releasing an egg each month.

5-10% of women of childbearing age are affected by PCOS, with less than 50% of women diagnosed. This leaves millions of women undiagnosed. PCOS is responsible for 70% of infertility issues in women who have difficulty ovulating. Post menopausal women can also suffer from PCOS.

Studies have shown that approximately 40% of patients with diabetes and/or glucose intolerance between the ages of 20-50 have PCOS.

In addition, some studies have found that if a mother has PCOS, there is a 50% chance that her daughter will have PCOS.

The good news is that early diagnosis and proper education can help women lower all these risk factors and live a happy, healthier life.

So of course when I was told of my diagnosis, I was devastated. The internet is not a kind place when you are trying to conceive (TTC). There are millions of women struggling and millions of stories out there. Some are good, and some are not so good. It is so difficult to read heartbreaking stories from women that just want to be a mom. It seems like such a simple thing right? They teach us in high school that it only takes one time and BAM your life can change forever. But as I have learned and as many other couples out there know, it can take many many more times then once. It can take years. 

So this brings me to my post today. I wanted to start this not only for myself, to keep a little journal of my journey, but for anyone else out there who is going through this process. We have been trying for over a year now. We are not pregnant yet. It is something that I think about every single day of my life. I know one day it will happen for us, but until then, the battle both inside my mind and outside will continue to wear on us. I will share more about what happened after my diagnosis and different things that we tried to help our chances soon.