And I DO mean random…
When BeBop arrived home the other night, I had a question for him. Was it, "what took you so long, sailor?" complete with bedroom eyes and a come-hither stare? Uhhhh, no.
(We’re trying to get pregnant for God’s sake. It’s less ‘bedroom eyes’ and more ‘I’m wearing my sleep mask so please tell me when it’s over’ and less ‘come-hither stare’ and more ‘squinty-eyed glare’ or ‘frantic eye-rolling like annoyed teenage girl.’)
But back to my story. Was my question something along the lines of, "Coffee, tea or ME?" and a clingy outfit comprised of saran wrap and a super chic belt? No.
(Please see above re: trying to get pregnant. If I take off my sweat socks he’s lucky.)
Here is what I asked him: "Why does the dog’s ass smell like your face?" And his response was a completely logical, "because after his bath I put some of my cologne on his butt." Okay then.
***
I got an e-mail from BeBop today at work with the message: "DUDE, check it." And the link to this little trinket . Seriously, people, what the fuck? Some wives get flowers, or perhaps even a diamond tennis bracelet. Or a frickin’ gift certificate for a decaf vanilla latte at Starbuck’s, for crissakes. But THIS?!? Oy.
***
I finally had my consult this afternoon with Dr. Fertility Specialist. (And NO, at the moment I can’t come up with a better name.) And guess what? He wants me to try Metformin for a few months before we even embark on the IVF path. Can you fricking believe that?!? He actually, hold on I’m laughing so hard I can barely type here, he actually thinks I might be able to get pregnant ON MY OWN. Well, with BeBop’s participation of course.
I know! Stop laughing.
While that might be good news to some, for me it’s another way of saying, bring on the Death March of Forced Sex. I am just now recovering from last month’s debacle.
Seriously folks, I am staring down the cold metal barrel of turning 39 in December. Should I start the Met and just push the envelope, scheduling IVF for sometime that month (the soonest we could do it, given all the blood work this Dr. orders at the beginning of a cycle) or wait a few months and see what the meds do?
As terrified as I am of going through IVF, I have sort of wrapped my head around it the last few weeks and now I’m somewhat anxious to get the show on the road.
The waiting, people — the waiting is going to kill me.
So once again I turn to the beautiful and all-knowing people of the internet. Should I give the Metformin a couple/few months to work? If so, what are the side effects I might start looking forward to? (And I know one of you wise women out there just asked this question, feel free to comment with a "I just asked this dumbass!" and direct me to your blog.)
Should I combine the Met with an IUI or two, just to increase our odds?
Or should I take the Met AND move forward with IVF?
I know, I know! So many fricking questions. I’m nothing if not annoying and demanding.
Can’t help you with the Metformin questions–but damn, you are a freaking riot. The cologne on the dog on the man’s face–just laughed out loud here at work. Oy.
I think Ms. C at http://itcouldtakethreemonths.blogspot.com/
just started the Metformin – check her blog for info on side effects.
I guess the cologne answer is better than the opposite – your husband’s face smelling like your dog’s ass…
Haha butt-face!!!
As for the Met, I’ve been on it for 6 days now and had very little in the way of side effects. I’ve even upped my dose to 2 per day, then in a few days I’ll go up to 3 per day. I do have an iron-gullet, but I’m completely underwhelmed by it. After all the horror stories I’d heard I was expecting to be a complete mess, but so far so good…
What would I do? Like you, I feel like I have to be doing something proactive. I’d probably combine the Met and IUI (injectibles?) at least, and if you don’t have any luck after 3 or so cycles move on right along to ivf. That’s just me though.. 😉
I laughed so hard at the dog’s ass part that I spit candy corn all over my computer. Watson, you crack me up!
I can’t help you with the Met since I have never taken it.
I think if your bloodwork shows elevated FSH or anything to indicate that time is running out, I think I would go straight to IVF. If not, then maybe do an IUI or 2 to see.
Oh, BeBop. Priceless!
Can’t help with the debate. I’ve never been on Met, and don’t even really know what it’s for. How useless am I?
I think I made some comment on Ms. C’s blog about the Metformin…..but do you think I could even remember what the heck it was!?!?!? Ummmmmmm………..no.
I was going to ask you though, (because clearly, my memory function has abandoned me today), why exactly does Dr. FS want you to take Metformin? Do you have PCOS? (Sorry, I can’t recall what your “diagnoses” is, if any!)
Hhahahahaha re: the dog butt cologne situation! And yeah, I *guess* it is logical explanation…..but WHAT possessed him to even think of putting his cologne on the dog’s butt to begin with???
Just wondering! 😉
I’m useless. I’m still reeling from the “come hither” stares!! ha-ha!! nothin’ I hate more than the forced sex march. ah shit, and I used to be great at sex, looked forward to it, fantasized about it, anticipated and planned it. now . . . well, now . . . ugh. . . . I can’t be bothered!
So, I know nothin’ about Metformin. Give it a shot, try a 2 cycles — then go straight to IVF. That’s my vote, honey.
🙂
I wouldn’t waste any time on IUIs, that’s for sure. I think it should be a criminal offence for doctors to suggest them to any woman over 38.
I dunno on metformin. If you’re not ovulating, then it might be worth giving it a try. If you do usually ovulate, I’m not sure it’s going to make the difference. But I don’t have PCOS so don’t quote me. I do recognise the issue of being 39 however, and certainly wouldn’t encourage you to wait much longer than the new year to move onto IVF. Let’s hope you don’t have to and I get to hate you forever.
Your husband seems a lot of fun. On the subject of Met, I have been on it since Nov 2005 when I was first diagnosed with PCOS. Although, I didn’t ovulate on Met alone, my RE told me to stay on it during our Clomid/IUI stage and now though our IVF cycle. He says that you could continue taking it for up to 3 months even after you get pregnant; apparently it decreases your chances of miscarrying. On the subject of side effects, I don’t have any now, but I used to feel pretty bloated in the beginning. Most of the doctors start with a smaller dose and then get you up gradually. Good luck.
Hmm. I don’t know that I would waste time messing around with Forced Death March if I were you. I was on met for 9 months and I don’t think it did a damn thing for my ovulation (my non-Clomid/Femara/Follistim cycles were still a million years long), but my RE kept me on it because it supposedly can improve egg quality (and embryo quality in IVF) as well as reduce miscarriage rates. (He had me stop when we saw a heartbeat, but many women continue through the 1st trimester or even longer.)
If you’re not ready to plunge into IVF, maybe do one or two medicated IUIs with met…just to see?
As for side effects, at each stage of bumping up the dose (usually you start at 1 pill a day and gradually work up to 3 or 4) I had major nausea and diarrhea, but it only lasted a day or two. I know some women can’t tolerate it at all–hence the nightmare stories. soulcysters.net has a couple of threads devoted to easing met side effects.
I have been on Metformin for a year and a half, ovulate just fine on my own however I am a Type 1 diabetic and I have miscarried several times. I have found no side effects on my side other than a few stomach issues but nothing big really. Metformin has several uses for PCOS, insulin resistance and miscarriage.
We just did our first cycle with IUI and got a positive beta but it is early and I am in my late twenties.
Several docs have told me it takes a little over three months for the metformin to even begin to be effective. Something to thing about when considering the IVF.
oh I don’t know about the MET, but as someone who is looking at 37 in a few months, I would say it’s worth a shot before trying IVf..but hey what the hel* do I know?
you always make me giggle!!! My DH actually asked me about that watch (he found it on the internet) he also wanted to get me Ovulex and my mom offered to buy us the CBEFM for our anniversary. Hey what can I say, everyone is generous!!! Ha
good luck with the decision, I will be waiting to hear.
(Oh and our dog loves my body lotion, so every morning I put some on his head while I lather up. He goes and sees my DH and the all I hear is “why does our dog smell like a girl? “)
Kir — I am laughing out loud at your comment, “…our dog loves my body lotion, so every morning I put some on his head while I lather up.”
Sorry, that is just too damned funny! I am cracking up visualizing someone slathering their dog’s head with lotion! 😀 LOL
But, it sort of reminds me of my own puppy — I love Vanilla-anything practically (I know, what a shock), but our puppy Scarlett loves it too! When I put the vanilla lotion on, she literally tries to lick it off my arms! She’s a funny pup! 😉
Flmgodog — don’t know if you will see this or not, but in your comment you mentioned that “Metformin has several uses for PCOS, insulin resistance and miscarriage.”
How does one get tested for insulin resistance? Is it glucose testing? Also, is Metformin prescribed for anyone who does NOT have PCOS??
If anyone else knows, please feel free to jump in. Thanks! 🙂
Damn, I wish you hadn’t linked to the ovwatch site. Now I want one. Must protect wallet from my obsession with getting a handle on my cycles!
I know nothing about Met, but it can’t be encouraging at this point to be told that you have to endure more forced sex!
i agree with meri-ann. met with iui. i hope the side effects aren’t too much.
and a side effect of iui is no forced-sex!
You crack me up! I am on Met. Looks like you got some good advice. The one reason I would stick with Met is that it does decrease your chance of a miscarriage.
I apologize for coming so late to the party, but between the move and having to throw fits to get our ISP provider to actually show up and reconnect us to the online world, I’m way behind…
At any rate, about the Met…First off, I’d ask your RE for Glucophage XR, or whatever the timed-release version of it is. (I can never remember if it’s XR, ER, etc.) It’s the brand name version of met, and I’ve heard other women say it causes less side effects. If you can’t get the brand name, at least have him make the script for the timed-release version of met.
A couple other tips to reduce the side effects: start slowly (one pill in the morning for the first week, one in the morning and one in the evening for the second week, etc.) and work your way up to the full dose. My MIL was prescribed met after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and her doctor didn’t explain this to her. She started out at her full dose and became so sick she had to stop taking it.
Also, take it about half an hour after you eat rather than on an empty stomach.
The first time I took it, I had a lot of nausea when I got up to my full dose (2000 mg), but that was before I knew to take it half an hour after eating. My RE told me to stop taking it because it didn’t seem to be helping (my ob/gyn was the original prescriber). But the only time I ovulated was when I was on it, so I eventually restarted it. That time around, I didn’t have any bad side effects and felt great. I’ve been off and on it a few times, and each time is a little different in terms of side effects, but none of them have been awful. And I’ve lost weight on it – hurray!
In terms of whether to try the met and IUIs or the natural approach for a while, I would think that would depend in part on your FSH level. If I were you and my FSH was something like 5, I might give it a try for a couple of months. But if I was closer to 10, I would still take the met but would go straight to IVF. Insulin regulates blood sugar levels, but it also plays a role in ovarian function. (It’s been a while since I’ve read up on this, so I forget exactly what that role is.) At any rate, that’s why it can improve egg/embryo quality, so I would consider taking it even if you decide to go straight into IVF. Since we’re in cycle mode, I take it (even during the downtimes), and I’ll probably continue taking it all the way through to delivery (assuming there is a BFP somewhere in our future).
I hope that helps. Sorry to be so long-winded.