Monday, November 6, 2017

Study Time

Before the twins and my IVF journey to get them, I did months of oral medications to try to induce ovulation. With a diagnosis of PCOS, that is my problem: I have eggs! I just can't get to them.

When my twin sister had success on clomid I thought for sure I'd follow in her path within a few short months. I suffered through the side effects, which I remember including hot flashes and some mood swings (including an embarrassing emotional outburst at work). At one point I suffered with almost continuous nausea and frequent vomiting which I attributed to the clomid so was switched to its sister, letrazole (turns out it was actually the metformin I was also taking that caused the nausea), and I think eventually ended up back on clomid.

Between these two medications, I was on the roller coaster ride of hormones for about 9 months (much longer than most people try) without ever a sign of ovulation. Never. Not once.

After my failed IVF attempt this spring I felt I just couldn't bring myself to do more IVF. When the office calls to give the bad news they also want to know the plan moving forward. I think the nurse was surprised by the finality of my answer. "I think I'm done."

I mentioned I would consider maybe trying on my own for awhile, maybe with clomid again if that made any sense at all. I assured her I did not have any unreasonable hopes that this would work, but it would be something I would possibly consider.

Shortly after, I received a call from the head of Reproductive Endocrinology. He kindly apologized for the sad news. He mentioned a study he was heading on the use of clomid and letrazole used together. Content with the idea that I was done and might as well get used to the idea, I agreed "all in the name of science." I figured who better could they learn from than me, one who continued to puzzle them with my lack of unexplained success.

Taking the medication was a little FLASH from the past, or should I say, HOT FLASH from the past. Phew. Luckily I was on a relaxing trip to Vail, CO while Abe was at a conference because I didn't sleep a wink before 5:00 am four out of the five nights we were there. I also about had an emotional breakdown, which I realize now, was probably related. HORMONES!

During a follow up ultrasound we discovered I had indeed ovulated, the first time ever documented. Surprise! However, when I took the pregnancy test at the end of the one-month study, it was negative.

As I said before, I didn't have high (or probably any real) hopes for the study. After all, the success rates at our hospital for two rounds of IVF is close to 80%. To offer more perspective, the odds of pregnancy the good ole' fashioned way is only about 25%, even if you are Fertile Myrtle and whatever you would call her virile partner. And as I mentioned before, I was an experienced clomid and letrazole user with zero history of response. You could say I am the anti-poster child for these medications.

But, I had a suspicion. And instead of writing off my normally absent/irregular cycle as just that, about 10 days later I woke Abe at 3 am with this:


I have no previous experience with this but I think that's a positive


It truly is another miracle. I'm not sure which is bigger, the twins or this new rainbow baby, but I guess miracles don't need to be ranked or quantified. The fact this time was physically easier (and cheaper) doesn't discount the miraculous nature for me.