Thank you!!!!

What an amazing out pour of support I have received in just a few days of starting this blog. I am so grateful and appreciative of every one's support. I have had e-mails, comments on my personal blog and this blog, and phone calls from everyone who would love to contribute or show their support. I am so excited to get going on this and would LOVE everyone and any one's in-put on what to post about. Below are just a few tips that I received from women who have shared their stories. Thanks again and keep the comments coming they are really helpful.


Thanks to a new comment lead and to a dear friend of mine this information was given. For anyone who has taken Clomid this is a great supplement.
The product is called FertilAid and the website link is -
early-pregnancy-tests.com
Below is the info...

FertilAid is the nutritional supplement designed to enhance reproductive wellness, support fertility, and optimize your odds of conceiving - in women's and men's formulas. FertilAid for Women integrates chasteberry and a spectrum of vitamins to promote hormonal balance and regular ovulation. FertilAid for Men has been clinically-proven to support male fertility, sperm count & motility. Safe, scientifically-validated, doctor approved!

Enhance fertility and optimize your chances of conceiving with FertilAid or Fertility Blend - formulated on the basis of established scientific literature to help optimize fertility safely. Ob/Gyn & Doctor Approved, our fertility blend supplements are designed to promote fertility and support reproductive wellness - naturally! See our newest additions, FertiliTea fertility tea and FertileCM!

Because infertility issues are likely to touch both men and women equally, Dr. Grunebaum's FertilAid supplements and Fertility Blend are available in special His and Hers Value Packs.

The website also has a link to buy high sensitivity, early detection pregnancy tests. The tests can detect when you are pregnant sooner. I am definetly ordering these. I have the bad habit of taking a test when I'm one day late and then taking another two days later. Needless to say I have wasted a lot of money.

Discover when you are pregnant sooner! Our pregnancy tests are sensitive to 20mIU for early, accurate results.
Early Pregnancy Tests offers two varieties of reliable, early-detection pregnancy tests: the pregnancy test strip (the same style of test used in clinics) and the midstream test (the same style sold in drugstores). All pregnancy tests are over 99% accurate.

Both tests are capable of detecting human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG (a hormone present in women's urine during pregnancy) at levels of just 20 mIU/ml/hCG. That means you can begin testing accurately as early as six to eight days after conception - well before your first missed period!

If you are fertility charting, and you know your ovulation date, you may begin testing as early as 7-10 DPO (days past ovulation) when the hCG level in urine will, on average, reach 20 mIU/ml. We recommend using a first-morning urine sample as this will contain the highest concentration of hCG.





PCOS
This is something I had never heard of and was so interested to read about the details. Thanks to a comment for this lead.

What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
Polycystic (pah-lee-SIS-tik) ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a health problem that can affect a woman's menstrual cycle, ability to have children, hormones, heart, blood vessels, and appearance. With PCOS, women typically have:

high levels of androgens (AN-druh-junz). These are sometimes called male hormones, although females also make them.
missed or irregular periods
many small cysts (sists) in their ovaries. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs.
How many women have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
About one in ten women of childbearing age has PCOS. It can occur in girls as young as 11 years old. PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility (not being able to get pregnant).

What causes polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
The cause of PCOS is unknown. Most researchers think that more than one factor could play a role in developing PCOS. Genes are thought to be one factor. Women with PCOS tend to have a mother or sister with PCOS. Researchers also think insulin could be linked to PCOS. Insulin is a hormone that controls the change of sugar, starches, and other food into energy for the body to use or store. For many women with PCOS, their bodies have problems using insulin so that too much insulin is in the body. Excess insulin appears to increase production of androgen. This hormone is made in fat cells, the ovaries, and the adrenal gland. Levels of androgen that are higher than normal can lead to acne, excessive hair growth, weight gain, and problems with ovulation.

Does polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) run in families?
Most researchers think that PCOS runs in families. Women with PCOS tend to have a mother or sister with PCOS. Still, there is no proof that PCOS is inherited.

What are the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
Not all women with PCOS share the same symptoms. These are some of the symptoms of PCOS:

infrequent menstrual periods, no menstrual periods, and/or irregular bleeding
infertility (not able to get pregnant) because of not ovulating
increased hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes—a condition called hirsutism (HER-suh-tiz-um)
ovarian cysts
acne, oily skin, or dandruff
weight gain or obesity, usually carrying extra weight around the waist
insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes
high cholesterol
high blood pressure
male-pattern baldness or thinning hair
patches of thickened and dark brown or black skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs
skin tags, or tiny excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area
pelvic pain
anxiety or depression due to appearance and/or infertility
sleep apnea—excessive snoring and times when breathing stops while asleep
Why do women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have trouble with their menstrual cycle?


The ovaries are two small organs, one on each side of a woman's uterus. A woman's ovaries have follicles, which are tiny sacs filled with liquid that hold the eggs. These sacs also are called cysts. Each month about 20 eggs start to mature, but usually only one matures fully. As this one egg grows, the follicle accumulates fluid in it. When that egg matures, the follicle breaks open to release it. The egg then travels through the fallopian tube for fertilization. When the single egg leaves the follicle, ovulation takes place.

In women with PCOS, the ovary doesn't make all of the hormones it needs for any of the eggs to fully mature. Follicles may start to grow and build up fluid. But no one follicle becomes large enough. Instead, some follicles may remain as cysts. Since no follicle becomes large enough and no egg matures or is released, ovulation does not occur and the hormone progesterone is not made. Without progesterone, a woman's menstrual cycle is irregular or absent. Plus, the cysts make male hormones, which also prevent ovulation.

Does polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) change at menopause?
Yes and no. Because PCOS affects many systems in the body, many symptoms persist even though ovarian function and hormone levels change as a woman nears menopause. For instance, excessive hair growth continues, and male pattern baldness or thinning hair gets worse after menopause. Also, the risks of complications from PCOS, such as heart attack, stroke and diabetes, increase as a woman gets older.

What tests are used to diagnose polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
There is no single test to diagnose PCOS. Your doctor will take a medical history, perform a physical exam, and possibly take some tests to rule out other causes of your symptoms. During the physical exam the doctor will want to measure your blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and waist size. He or she also will check out the areas of increased hair growth, so try to allow the natural hair growth for a few days before the visit. Your doctor might want to do a pelvic exam to see if your ovaries are enlarged or swollen by the increased number of small cysts. A vaginal ultrasound also might be used to examine the ovaries for cysts and check out the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. The uterine lining may become thicker if your periods are not regular. You also might have blood taken to check your hormone levels and to measure glucose (sugar) levels.

How is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) treated?
Because there is no cure for PCOS, it needs to be managed to prevent problems. Treatment goals are based on your symptoms, whether or not you want to become pregnant, and lowering your chances of getting heart disease and diabetes. Many women will need a combination of treatments to meet these goals. Some treatments for PCOS include:


Birth control pills. For women who don't want to become pregnant, birth control pills can control menstrual cycles, reduce male hormone levels, and help to clear acne. However, the menstrual cycle will become abnormal again if the pill is stopped. Women may also think about taking a pill that only has progesterone, like Provera®, to control the menstrual cycle and reduce the risk of endometrial cancer. (See Does polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) put women at risk for other health problems?) But progesterone alone does not help reduce acne and hair growth.

Diabetes medications. The medicine metformin (Glucophage®) is used to treat type 2 diabetes. It also has been found to help with PCOS symptoms, although it is not FDA-approved for this use. Metformin affects the way insulin controls blood glucose (sugar) and lowers testosterone production. Abnormal hair growth will slow down, and ovulation may return after a few months of use. Recent research has shown metformin to have other positive effects, such as decreased body mass and improved cholesterol levels. Metformin will not cause a person to become diabetic.

Fertility medications. Lack of ovulation is usually the reason for fertility problems in women with PCOS. Several medications that stimulate ovulation can help women with PCOS become pregnant. Even so, other reasons for infertility in both the woman and man should be ruled out before fertility medications are used. Also, there is an increased risk for multiple births (twins, triplets) with fertility medications. For most patients, clomiphene citrate (Clomid®, Serophene®) is the first choice therapy to stimulate ovulation. If this fails, metformin taken with clomiphene is usually tried. When metformin is taken along with fertility medications, it may help women with PCOS ovulate on lower doses of medication. Gonadotropins (goe-NAD-oh-troe-pins) also can be used to stimulate ovulation. These are given as shots. But gonadotropins are more expensive and there are greater chances of multiple births compared to clomiphene. Another option is in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF offers the best chance of becoming pregnant in any one cycle and gives doctors better control over the chance of multiple births. But, IVF is very costly.

How can I cope with the emotional affects of PCOS?
Having PCOS can be difficult. Many women are embarrassed by their appearance. Others may worry about being able to get pregnant. Some women with PCOS might get depressed. Getting treatment for PCOS can help with these concerns and help boost a woman's self-esteem. Support groups located across the United States and on-line also can help women with PCOS deal with the emotional affects.

For More Information...
You can find out more about PCOS by contacting the National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC) at 1-800-994-9662 or the following organizations:

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH, HHS
Phone: (800) 370-2943
Internet Address: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/womenshealth


American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)
Phone: (904) 353-7878
Internet Address: http://www.aace.com

American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)
Phone: (205) 978-5000
Internet Address: http://www.asrm.org

Center for Applied Reproductive Science (CARS)
Phone: (423) 461-8880
Internet Address: http://www.ivf-et.com

InterNational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination, Inc. (INCIID)
Phone: (703) 379-9178
Internet Address: http://www.inciid.org

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association, Inc. (PCOSA)
Internet Address: http://www.pcosupport.org

The Hormone Foundation
Phone: (800) 467-6663
Internet Address: http://www.hormone.org

This FAQ was reviewed by:

Louis V. DePaolo, Ph.D.
Chief, Reproductive Sciences Branch
Center for Population Research
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development