Symptoms after HSG

[Maredy]

Hello,

My husband and I have been trying to conceive for about 4 years. I am 25 years old and early this year, I was diagnosed with PCOS. I was performed a hysterosalpingogram on the 2nd week of June and I've been taking Metform for almost 3 weeks. I have noticed that I've been discharging a clear/white sticky and elatically looking mucus, slight increase in the release of gas, frequent clear urination, and pelvic pain on my lower left and sometimes right side. I already saw my GYN and she told me that this could be a sign of ovulation. My GYN has withdrawn blood from me to check my Estrogen level and I'm hoping that this means that I'll be able to determine when I'm ovulating. I have always had a hard time determining when I'm ovulating due to changes in my menstraul cycles. For example, I had my period this month on June 3rd but last month I got my period on May 8th. I'm not sure if any of this is normal and I have never really mastered how to predict my most fertile days. I've even considered having IVF but I really want to conceive the most natural way possible.  Any professional advice provided to me is appreciated. Thank you in advance.

:-/

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
The symptoms you are having are very likely due to the Metformin.  The clear mucousy discharge is a good sign ( as your ob/gyn said) it likely does mean that you are ovulating!
The way to count is the following:
Day one of your menstrual period is day one of your cycle.  Cycle days 11-16 are your most fertile days.  Intercourse every day/every other day is optimal during this time.  These are also the days you are going to want to use your ovulation predictors. In a 28 day cycle, the ovulation predictor will turn positive on about day 12, and ovulation occurs on day 14. ( the predictors detect the LH surge which happens about 24-48 hours before ovulation).
I personally think sometimes people get too focused on the ovulation predictors, and forget to  listen to Mother Nature.  She has been helping humans conceive for thousands of years!  So remember to do "what comes naturally" if you are feeling "frisky" at any time in your cycle!
If you want a more in depth explanation of the timing of hormones, etc see my blog article on the menstrual cycle on this site!
Good luck!
Dr B

[AnnieBrooke]

My suggestion, and sorry it is not professional, is that you should read up on the basal temperature method of watching for ovulation (easy to find if you google it) and record three or four cycles until you get a clear picture of when you might be ovulating.  Then buy an ovulation test kit at the drugstore and use it around that time.  I suggest doing the temping first because it is easy and cheap, and those kits only cover a few days out of the cycle and are not so cheap, so you want to know in general when to use it.  This is the least invasive and least expensive thing to try first.

[Maredy]

Hello,

I know I said "Professional" advice...but I forgot to mention that any advice is welcomed...Thank you very much for it. It was indeed helpful. Although, I'll admit that I'm not really good at reading my body basal temperature...I've heard about the ovulating kits and I'm really intrigued and interested in knowing whether or not these will help. The problem with me has always stemmed from my inability to determine when I'm ovulating... :-(

The discharge I recently saw was a sign that I had not seen since I got my period for the first time....and now, that I've begun to see it...I'm hoping that it will become a tool that will help me finally conceive....

[Maredy]

Hello Dr. Brown,

Thank you very much for the information and advice given. I'm hoping that I can become an expert in knowing when I'm ovulating...and when it is that mother nature is telling me that it's time to do my homework....Hopefully, sooner than later, I'll be able to share with everyone the good news.