My PCOS story - Holli R.

Holli R.
Day 2 Challenge- My PCOS story

I was 8 years old and came home from school one day and told my mom that I was bleeding from “down there.” My dad freaked! My mom went and bought me some pads. From then on I would always tell me mom when I needed to go to the store for “that”, as I described it. My periods have always been abnormal. They were either really heavy or really light. At the young age of 15 I was raped and ended up pregnant. I did have an abortion. Before anyone asks, yes it is hard to live with at times but it was not my decision. My parents are the ones that said it was in my best interest. I went to an Ob/Gyn. It was then I was diagnosed with PCOS. My doctor told me that I would never have kids and gave me Metformin. I was taking it for a few weeks when I noticed I was really nauseated from it. I called my doctor to tell him and he said to stop taking it, so I did. I was really uncomfortable with him the whole time I was a patient in that office. In 2008, I married the best man in the world. As a result of getting married I ended up changing insurance companies which means a change in doctors. My current Ob/Gyn is amazing. She didn’t act like she was the best of the best. She talked to me through my first PAP with her. She also explained to me in English, not doctor talk that my struggle with weight was due to the PCOS as well as the abnormal periods. From then on we made plans and I made notes. I explained to her that we really want to have a baby. I also let her know about the other problems that I have been going through with my periods. She knew that having a baby was very important to my husband and me. For two and a half years I would have periods that would last two days to six months. I was then prescribed Megace to stop the bleeding for the next month. She then gave me a prescription for Provera to induce a period and Clomid to stimulate ovulation. I was also to get at home ovulation tests, so I did. I did 3 rounds of this at different times throughout the year. Then, I started to get these painful contractions in my lower pelvic area but I continued like always. So after several rounds of no ovulation, even with the medication my doctor decided to go one step further. In early December, I was in so much pain from the contractions that I just couldn’t take it anymore. My doctor recommended we check for Endometriosis. She also did a PAP and saw that my uterine lining was too thick. With all that said it was time to move on to step two. Step two took me to the hospital for surgery. At the ripe young age of 23 I went in for my very first surgery ever; Laparoscopic surgery for the Endometriosis and a D & C for the thick lining this past January. From January to the beginning of August I was fine…no pain! September comes around and the contractions return. I go back for yet another PAP and that shows “normal.” My doctor tells me she has done all she can do and refers me to a Reproductive Endocrinologist. Now we move onto step three. Since I don’t trust my body to just anyone I do a little research on this doctor. I found out that this doctor, female, specializes in PCOS. On my first visit to her, my doctor, my husband and I made plans and asked questions. She said that the contractions were due to the lining building up over time because I wasn’t having regular periods. She first suggested that I go back on birth control and we do an intravaginal ultrasound and a biopsy on my endometrium. I started the birth control last month. I am getting ready to start my second pack. Today, 11 Oct 2011, I went back to see my doctor. The ultrasound showed that the lining was “normal.” She also looked at my ovaries; she was unable to see the right ovary. She did state that my left ovary looked good and did not look polycystic. The biopsy on the other hand was the most painful thing I have gone through thus far in my life. I have to wait 7-10 days for the results of the biopsy. I will inform every one of the results when I get them. If anyone wants to talk or have questions about any of the above please feel free to contact me. I will be glad to share with you how I worked through the guilt of the abortion several years after it happened.