Ultrasound news...

Yesterday I had my ultrasound, which I was a little nervous for. Eli was able to come with me which helped a lot. He told me he couldn't come but then as I was getting ready to go he showed up at home ready to go to my appointment with me. He is such a great man! The ultrasound was at the HP St. Paul clinic on Wabasha. They did both an external and internal ultrasound. I didn't think I would find anything out until my doctor reviewed it, but there was a doctor who came in and read the ultrasound as the tech was doing it. He said my uterus looks great and there is nothing wrong with it, but my ovaries didn't look so good. He said they looked cystic and told me I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS.
PCOS comes from the appearance of the ovaries-large and studded with numerous cysts. It affects about one in ten women in the US and is the leading cause of infertility in women. The exact cause of the syndrome is unknown but the condition stems from a distribution in the monthly reproductive cycle. Symptoms can include, irregular or no menstruation, infertility, enlarged ovaries with many cysts, excess androgen (male hormones, thank god I don't have this symptom!), obesity, skin tags and diabetes. Out of those symptoms listed I have at least 4 almost 5 but I wouldn't call myself obese :). Women with PCOS are more likely to have high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, cardiovascular problems, liver disease, diabetes and sleep apnea.
I was devastated to hear this news. Its a relief to finally have an answer as to what has been going on, but I also didn't want something to be wrong. The doctor said this doesn't mean I can't get pregnant, it just means I will have a harder time. Interventions will be needed to trigger ovulation and then pregnancy. I have started my progesterone this month, but not my Clomid yet, so I will call Dr. Baram and ask him if he wants me to continue with this for the last month or now since we have an answer move to something else. Eli was a little saddened by the news as well. At first said he didn't want to go through any more invasive treatments, as he hates seeing me sad and wouldn't want me to get my hopes up to be disappointed if things didn't go right, but then agreed to do anything to have a baby. As I continue to take in the news and take for granted all of the other positive things in my life, I will continue to bring life and miracles into the world as a labor and delivery nurse and wait for god to give me a blessing and miracle of my own :).
~Kristen