Fertility & Ovulation

Hello. I had the same issue and it was discovered that I had PCOS. It is not impossible to get pregnant with PCOS, but you generally don't ovulate or don't ovulate with a strong egg. I was put on Clomid and Metformin and within a few months I was pregnant. We now have two wonderful children. Best of luck.

After going through infertility & miscarriages & low progesterone, I found so many answers at a clinic in White Bear Lake: AALFA Family Practice. They not only test progesterone & other hormones affecting fertility but supplement with natural progesterone to get your levels up where they need to be and for as long as need be (the other OB clinics I went to automatically stop at 12 weeks & don't even check levels after that). If need be, they also supplement with natural hCG which also bring up your progesterone levels. It's only family practice, but I cannot tell you how many friends & women I know have been helped there with fertility issues. The physicians & PA there have gone through some extra training for fertility & hormonal stuff (sorry, I don't know the specifics). I know also of some pending miscarriages that were stopped b/f it was too late through their careful hormone monitoring & supplementing. Bottom line: I would never go anywhere else when it comes to conceiving & pregnancy! I was supplemented through my first 2 trimesters with my first pregnancy, a little less during my second only b/c my levels were high enough.
I'd be happy to discuss the different Dr.s there or anything else if you'd like more info.
Best of luck!

Hi L.

Are you sure you don't have PCOS? One of the symptoms is that your horomone levels are off. I have it, and it makes you not ovulate for many reasons.

I'd check into it. Best of luck!

I am pretty sure that the answer that Kate gave you is called the "Creighton Fertility Model" It is highly successful. It was put together by Dr. Hilgers out of the Pope Paul VI institute in Nebraska. He developed the natural progesterone treatment. There are several clinics in the Metro area that follow this treatment. You can go to the websites to learn more. www.popepaulvi.com/ and also www.naprotechnology.com for the more technical side. Women have raved about the results and if your progesterone is so low I would think that a natural progesterone supplement would be the best next to another fertility medication.

Good Luck!
E.

Hey, L.-
The procedure referred to by someone earlier to check blockage in the tubes is called a Hysterosalpingograms. I also had one, but everything turned out fine. I'm not sure about progesterone levels to get pregnant, but I know to carry an embryo once you've conceived, they like levels to be around 15. When I was tested, mine were 5-8. As a result, they gave me a shot of progesterone when I ovulated, then again on days 4 and 9 (I think- it's been awhile) to keep my levels up to make sure I didn't miscarry. Then, when I found out I was pregnant they kept me on progesterone through the first 10 weeks until the placenta took over feeding the baby. The second time around, I still did it at ovulation and through the first two weeks, but by then my body kicked in and the numbers were through the roof (also due to twins) but didn't have to stay on progesterone the first 10 weeks as they were high enough on their own.

Not sure if the other drug you're referring to is Femara? That's what I was on instead of clomid. (Femara was developed for breast cancer patients, but found to have the same effects as clomid for releasing additional eggs, but with fewer side effects).

We now have a boy who will be 3 in Oct. and twins (boy/girl) who will be turning one the end of July. Good luck to you!

L. -
Not really sure if this pertains to you, but my husband and I tried to conceive for 15 months with no luck. I was charting my temps, got my hormone levels checked (and yes they were out of whack), but before my doctor prescribed anything he wanted to check to make sure there was no blockage in my tubes. It was a simple procedure where they just injected a dye into my tubes and looked at it via ultrasound (sorry don't remember the technical name of procedure). But turns out one of my tubes was blocked and the dye from the procedure was enough to un-block it. Next month, bingo...pregnant w/ baby #1. Then when we tried for baby #2...only took one month. Just a thought...if your doc hasn't checked that, might be worth a shot. Best of luck!!!!

I had low progesterone too, and was lucky to have conceived my first (and only). Once I did, my ob/gyn prescribed progesterone suppositories to help avoid miscarriage. Why doesn't your doctor not try this? You can also find progesterone creams, sold in health food stores (I now use Emerita), that correct hormonal imbalances with wild yam extract (and thus not a synthetic version of progesterone, which often has many side effects). I use my cream for pms symptoms (which is relieves beautifully!) and a friend is using it for perimenopausal issues. I'd recommend trying something like that before clomid (which my doctor wanted to put me on if the progesterone suppositories didn't work to help me conceive--luckily, got pregnant first.

With your progesterone that low I'd ask what the medicine is they are wanting you to take and research it and again ask people who have taken it about it in paticular. There are lots of things they give women with low progerstorone to get them pregnant and keep them pregnant. One of the scarier things about having progesterone problems is it can lead to miscarriages so most women stay on a supplement while pregnant through at least the 1st trimester to help prevent this.

I've had infertility issues the whole of my life and have tried so hard to get pregnant. I have two children and am currently 16 weeks pregnant with my third. I had progesterone issues that were discovered with my first and they feared I would miscarry so they gave me progestrone supplements through the first trimester and I have a healthy 6.5 year old boy now. Since then it's always been normal and I now have other issues. Nothing I haven't overcome but with lots of miscarriages unfortunately.

I belong to a great group on baby center called "trying to conceive after a miscarriage" those ladies are a wealth of information you wouldn't believe. Even if you haven't had a misscarriage you should join. They have all done so many things to overcome fertility and there are lots of women in your boat on there that could offer you assistance! They have taken every fertility med and done every procedure you can imagine. I've learned so much since being on there since my last miscarriage that I can rattle things off that no one should know but a doctor! LOL!

Best of luck to you.

I don't know much about progesterone. I've heard differing things about supplements being needed. I just wanted to share with you know that I wasn't ovulating regular and it turned out to be my TSH (thyroid). My TSH level was in the normal range, around 3.5 - but my body didn't like it. My endrocrinologist has to keep my TSH under 2, which is recommended for people trying to get pregnant and during pregnancy anyway. Since then, I've had regular periods and I get pregnant really easy - almost too easy :). Just a thought. Good luck.