Struggling with infertility.
February 6, 2010 3:28 AM Subscribe
Birth Control for Infertility? Huh?
I went to the doctor last month to talk to the doctor about infertility, my boyfriend and I have been TTC for the past 3 years. It's been absolutely excruciating for me, so heart wrenching. The doctor put me on birth control (the pills), which I've never heard of before for infertility. She told me to take it for 3 months and then discontinue use and see if we have any success. Has anyone else tried this before, or know anyone that has? I'm pretty sure the point of her putting me on birth control was to get me ovulating but I haven't had any problem with that, my period was a little abnormal but I still had my period monthly. Also if ovulation was an issue there are specific medications meant to help women start ovulating, right? She also did blood work to check hormone levels and for PCOS but I've been checked many times and do not have any problems. The doctor was mostly concerned because I've had some problems with a few strands of course facial hair and get a couple hairs on my breast also the infertility issue. It wouldn't exactly hurt to check again but it seems more so that it's just a routine thing. I almost feel as if they doctors are not exactly addressing the infertility issue. I go to a clinic at the university as well so I see a different doctor almost every time I go which makes it that much more difficult. Anyone have any luck with this method or know of anything else they could possibly suggest mentioning to the doctor about trying or not trying?
I went to the doctor last month to talk to the doctor about infertility, my boyfriend and I have been TTC for the past 3 years. It's been absolutely excruciating for me, so heart wrenching. The doctor put me on birth control (the pills), which I've never heard of before for infertility. She told me to take it for 3 months and then discontinue use and see if we have any success. Has anyone else tried this before, or know anyone that has? I'm pretty sure the point of her putting me on birth control was to get me ovulating but I haven't had any problem with that, my period was a little abnormal but I still had my period monthly. Also if ovulation was an issue there are specific medications meant to help women start ovulating, right? She also did blood work to check hormone levels and for PCOS but I've been checked many times and do not have any problems. The doctor was mostly concerned because I've had some problems with a few strands of course facial hair and get a couple hairs on my breast also the infertility issue. It wouldn't exactly hurt to check again but it seems more so that it's just a routine thing. I almost feel as if they doctors are not exactly addressing the infertility issue. I go to a clinic at the university as well so I see a different doctor almost every time I go which makes it that much more difficult. Anyone have any luck with this method or know of anything else they could possibly suggest mentioning to the doctor about trying or not trying?
Also, as an isolated anecdote, I was on birth control pills for years and then went off of them for religious reasons. I'd always had long, irregular, anovulatory cycles but as soon as I went off birth control my cycles were dead-on regular and within three months I was pregnant (by surprise!). So I guess they do regulate your cycles and hormones to some extent!
posted by christinetheslp at 4:29 AM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by christinetheslp at 4:29 AM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks, I believe that's what the doctor is hoping to do. It just seemed a little strange to me, because I've never before heard of doctors starting someone on birth control for infertility issues.
posted by LaurieC at 4:34 AM on February 6, 2010
posted by LaurieC at 4:34 AM on February 6, 2010
Menstruating does not mean you are ovulating. Unless you do blood tests or ovulation tests, you can't know definitly if you're ovulating or not.(Although the changing cervical mucous can also indicate ovulation)
I did 7 rounds of ivf to get my perfect girls... and have to say.... was put on the pill several times in those years. But three years is too long to let this go.
Your partner should have his sperm tested and you should be referred to a fertility doctor. If you are over 35 the barometer for fertility issues is 6 months of not getting pregnant.
If you are under 35, then 1 year is considered reasonable.
Don't fart around, ask for a referral immediately. And if your testosterone or androgen are a problem, a blood test should sort that out.
Start tracking your cycles religously. And see a specialist. Best of luck.
posted by taff at 5:17 AM on February 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
I did 7 rounds of ivf to get my perfect girls... and have to say.... was put on the pill several times in those years. But three years is too long to let this go.
Your partner should have his sperm tested and you should be referred to a fertility doctor. If you are over 35 the barometer for fertility issues is 6 months of not getting pregnant.
If you are under 35, then 1 year is considered reasonable.
Don't fart around, ask for a referral immediately. And if your testosterone or androgen are a problem, a blood test should sort that out.
Start tracking your cycles religously. And see a specialist. Best of luck.
posted by taff at 5:17 AM on February 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
What kind of birth control pills? This is sort of important.
Yes, there are medications to encourage ovulation, but, like all medications, they have risks. The most notable risks for a drug like clomid (the most common drug used for this purpose) are multiple births and hyperovulation syndrome. Not necessarily something that you want to mess with if you don't have to.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 6:01 AM on February 6, 2010
Yes, there are medications to encourage ovulation, but, like all medications, they have risks. The most notable risks for a drug like clomid (the most common drug used for this purpose) are multiple births and hyperovulation syndrome. Not necessarily something that you want to mess with if you don't have to.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 6:01 AM on February 6, 2010
What kind of doctor is this? Go to a reproductive endocrinologist, who will do a pelvic ultrasound and a test to make sure your fallopian tubes aren't blocked and another test whose purpose I can't recall, plus blood tests. It doesn't sound like this doctor is running enough diagnostics on you.
posted by amro at 6:42 AM on February 6, 2010
posted by amro at 6:42 AM on February 6, 2010
Oh geez, I just noticed that you're going to a university clinic. Does that mean your insurance won't cover e reproductive endocrinologist and the tests I mentioned?
posted by amro at 6:43 AM on February 6, 2010
posted by amro at 6:43 AM on February 6, 2010
I have PCOS and I'm currently on BCP to keep myself from ovulating (I'm not trying to get pregnant though). The reason why is because in PCOS, my ovaries were making eggs but they weren't being released from my ovaries. Instead, they sat there and became cysts. If you have enough cysts, they start throwing off enough testosterone to screw up your cycle and prevent further ovulation, periods, and cause hair growth on the face and breasts. BCP will obviously stop the ovulation, but will also sometimes shrink the cysts and straighten your hormones back out. So, your BCP could be an attempt to "reset' your hormone cycle, so to speak. (I'm obviously not a doctor here).
However, I have two friends who are in various stages of infertility treatment. One has PCOS with all of the classic symptoms, one had enough cysts to be diagnosed with PCOS but doesn't have the classic outward symptoms at all (I was surprised at her diagnosis). In any case, you need a full workup by a fertility specialist. I'd see about finding a reproductive endocrinologist who deals with infertility so you can get everything checked in one shot. My first PCOS doctor was one of those and he was quite thorough. The bonus about going to a reproductive endocrinologist is that they can diagnose you and treat the PCOS, which is covered by insurance. Plain old "infertility treatments" may not be (my first PCOS doctor taught me this). So...definitely search for a reproductive endocrinologist, and when you talk to him/her, talk about the possibility of PCOS and wanting to treat that so you can eventually have children. That way, they will hopefully chart it under PCOS so your insurance will cover.
Oh, and yes...there are meds to make you ovulate (Clomid being one), but if your ovaries are throwing off too much testosterone because of cysts the Clomid can't overcome that. And, the Clomid just helps you ovulate...there are other hormones that happen at certain times to support a pregnancy and PCOS (if that is your diagnosis) throws them ALL off. One of the friends above tried Clomid, but she's got to straighten out everything else first before she can actually sustain a pregnancy.
posted by MultiFaceted at 8:03 AM on February 6, 2010
However, I have two friends who are in various stages of infertility treatment. One has PCOS with all of the classic symptoms, one had enough cysts to be diagnosed with PCOS but doesn't have the classic outward symptoms at all (I was surprised at her diagnosis). In any case, you need a full workup by a fertility specialist. I'd see about finding a reproductive endocrinologist who deals with infertility so you can get everything checked in one shot. My first PCOS doctor was one of those and he was quite thorough. The bonus about going to a reproductive endocrinologist is that they can diagnose you and treat the PCOS, which is covered by insurance. Plain old "infertility treatments" may not be (my first PCOS doctor taught me this). So...definitely search for a reproductive endocrinologist, and when you talk to him/her, talk about the possibility of PCOS and wanting to treat that so you can eventually have children. That way, they will hopefully chart it under PCOS so your insurance will cover.
Oh, and yes...there are meds to make you ovulate (Clomid being one), but if your ovaries are throwing off too much testosterone because of cysts the Clomid can't overcome that. And, the Clomid just helps you ovulate...there are other hormones that happen at certain times to support a pregnancy and PCOS (if that is your diagnosis) throws them ALL off. One of the friends above tried Clomid, but she's got to straighten out everything else first before she can actually sustain a pregnancy.
posted by MultiFaceted at 8:03 AM on February 6, 2010
Actually, fertility treatments were one of the original aims of the creation of the birth-control pill. The idea was (and I guess still is) that you take them for a bit to temporarily stop ovulation, and that your body will come back with force when you go off of them.
In 1952, Rock induced a three-month anovulatory "pseudo-pregnancy" state in eighty of his infertility patients with continuous gradually increasing oral doses of estrogen (diethylstilbestrol 5–30 mg/day) and progesterone (50–300 mg/day) and within the following four months an encouraging 15% became pregnant.[15][16][24]
posted by you're a kitty! at 11:22 AM on February 6, 2010
In 1952, Rock induced a three-month anovulatory "pseudo-pregnancy" state in eighty of his infertility patients with continuous gradually increasing oral doses of estrogen (diethylstilbestrol 5–30 mg/day) and progesterone (50–300 mg/day) and within the following four months an encouraging 15% became pregnant.[15][16][24]
posted by you're a kitty! at 11:22 AM on February 6, 2010
I came here to say just what amro did. You should have a test to check your tubes if you haven't already in addition to the pill. Three years is quite a bit of time. An RE could possibly set you up with the help you need. I hope you're able to find one. I had a health center/clinic at my university so I'm not sure the kind of care you're getting there. Mine was very small and couldn't handle the big stuff like this or even questions of this kind so I'm assuming that your's is at least adequate in getting you better help.
posted by grablife365 at 7:05 PM on February 6, 2010
posted by grablife365 at 7:05 PM on February 6, 2010
I just want to chime in to recommend the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility. It is amazingly informative, and explains so much about your reproductive system. It will help you to know what is going on, and maybe give you more suggestions about what to talk about with your doctor.
posted by apricot at 8:18 AM on February 7, 2010
posted by apricot at 8:18 AM on February 7, 2010
Response by poster: I currently do not have insurance. I go to a local university hospital where they offer discounted medical services, mostly medical students in their rotations that I'm seeing. I do have a ultrasound scheduled soon to check for PCOS, so I'm hoping and praying that might tell me something. I also plan on asking at my next appointment if it is possible I can have an HSG done, it's a procedure where they place the dye through your reproductive organs and do an xray to check for blockage in the fallopian tubes. I'm so frustrated with going to the doctor anymore with the unexplained infertility and not getting answers. It's at the point it's very discouraging and a feeling of hopelessness have embedded in my heart. But we'll see what will happen in the coming months. Thanks for the answers.
posted by LaurieC at 5:59 PM on February 7, 2010
posted by LaurieC at 5:59 PM on February 7, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by christinetheslp at 4:25 AM on February 6, 2010