Internetz, could someone please tell me how in holy hell I can be sick AGAIN?! Ridiculous I tells ya! I'd like to chalk it up to some messed up reaction to the tetanus booster I got at the beginning of the week, but that's a debate for another day.
While I bide my time awaiting the New Year and my (hopefully) slightly smaller body there's not much going on in my fertility world.
BUT, I finally had my big appointment with the big deal PCOS specialist at one of the big hospitals in the big city. While this doctor doesn't deal specifically with fertility issues, she does deal with PCOS management and certainly considers the fertility aspect of it as well. Let me take you back to earlier this week...
It was a cold and rainy day when Irish Boy and I headed down to the city for this appointment. Due to construction and a ridiculously small parking lot for a giant hospital, I had minor meltdowns as we attempted to find parking, find food, and find where the hell we were supposed to be.
The fact that I shoved a doughnut and a gingerbread hot chocolate (oh you read me right, think liquid cookie) down my pie hole before seeing a doctor dealing with DIABETES, PCOS, and INSULIN RESISTANCE (Irony!) was wrong yes, but likely kept me (and my blood sugar) sane for the rest of the afternoon.
When we got to the waiting room which had the heat cranked up past the hell marker, I filled out the obligatory paperwork and was pleasantly surprised to hear my name called within five minutes of handing it in. I first saw a nurse who checked my height, weight (that deserves a
sad trombone that I dedicate to
Jennifer ), and blood pressure. I was then led into another room to wait for the doctor.
This is where it gets interesting. I was told that prior to seeing THE doctor, I would be seen by two interns since this is a teaching hospital. Fair enough.
So I waited. And I waited a bit more. Then the interns walked in.
Two guys. Young guys. Not overly hot guys but guys nonetheless.
So for the next half hour I had discuss all the pleasantries of PCOS with two young guys. Yes they're 'almost doctors' but for the love of all things holy, I'm talking periods and lack thereof, ovulation and lack thereof, hair, weight, more periods, fertility, oh and did I mention periods with TWO GUYS! Good bloody (pardon the pun) times!
After I scarred them for life, I saw Dr. PCOS. We went over the periods, the ovulation, the hair, the weight, and all the rest again. She was actually very cool. My biggest concern was the dosage of Metformin that I've been on for the past year. You see, the Fertility Clinic essentially slaps every PCOS girl on the same dosage and I've questioned for months whether I should be on more.
The answer? Possibly. But first she asked me if I'd ever been tested for Diabetes? Ummm, beyond the fasting blood work (which indicated insulin resistance), no. Seeing the family history that I had she declared that for the next month, I'm to be off the Met. so that in early January I can do the diabetes test, herein known as THE TEST.
Wait, what? Go off Met. For a month? Over the holidays? BRING ON THE BOOZE!
For THE TEST, basically I have to fast for 8 - 14 hours, go into the lab first thing for blood work then drink some sugary drink, wait 2 hours then have more blood work. For any of my IF girls who have graduated to the land of pregnancy this is likely similar to the gestational diabetes test you may have to do. From there Dr. PCOS will see if I need to be on Metformin and if so, how much I should be taking. I'm hoping that if I can keep up my exercise and weight loss, I will not get a Type II Diabetes wake up call in the New Year.
Note to self: lay off the gingerbread hot chocolate and lattes STAT.
Dr. PCOS is nothing if not thorough. I will then see her a few weeks later to discuss my test results and go from there.
In the meantime, she's fine with me doing a fertility treatment sometime in January if I wish so this won't push things back even further.
I was glad I got in to see her. She is definitely well known in the PCOS world in these parts and for lack of a better phrase, she knows her shit. I also wanted to see an Endocrinologist who would look at my case beyond just fertility because as important as the fertility aspect is to me right now, PCOS is for life and yours truly wants to manage it.
It's been a bit strange these past few days not taking my Metformin - in a way it's become a bit like a security blanket! But knowing that THE TEST looms before me in a matter of six weeks, I'm determined even more to keep my ass exercising and eating right.
Now if only I can get rid of this plague (okay, cold), to the gym I will return!
Damn you delicious pumpkin muffins!
