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1063644 tn?1278643267

Trying to have a baby

Since 10 years old, I've had an eating disorder and haven't had a period for 20 years.  I'm now 46 and trying to get pregnant.  I'm taking "through the mail" fertility drugs because I can't afford to go to a reproductive specialist.  I still ovulate which is a good thing, I guess.  Does anyone have any comments or suggestions for me regarding this situation?
10 Responses
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809236 tn?1280606158
I take my hat off to you for being so patient and polite to someone so outwardly rude to you after your kind response :)
Helpful - 0
1330108 tn?1333677304
I would get a positive on the OPK but never did actually ovulate. I tried several OB/gyno before finding one that would actually get to the root of the problem. If your oN isn't willing to help and try fertility meds or if you are not happy with your treatment I would suggest finding a new one. I tried 5 OB's, high risk OBs, RE before finally one was willing to put in the time and effort. I also suffered from anorexia when I was younger that was 10yrs ago. I am very diligent to eat right now and take my prenatal vitamins. I would also suggest trying Pre-Seed. They have fertility vitamins and even sperm friendly personal lubercants. Some lubes like KY can slow down sperm or even kill sperm so it's important that you use one that is sperm friendly if you do indeed use lube. I know how frustrating this whole process can be. After 34mths of ttc I thought I was going to lose my mind. Though currently I am finally pregnant. Only 4wks4days so it's still early on but it's finally proof we can GET pregnant :D we have had 1 m/c 2.5yrs ago and no luck since.

Hang in there and best of luck!
Helpful - 0
1063644 tn?1278643267
Let me apologize for being so sarcastic and rotten with my response.  That was very wrong of me and I'm so sorry!!

Your most recent email has been very helpful and full of information!  Thank you so much, and please keep posting to me when you think of anything that you may want to share with me!  I can use all the help and suggestions I can get!

:)
Helpful - 0
134578 tn?1693250592
As seattleview says, ovulation tests measure whether you are having a LH surge, the hormone surge that causes ovulation.  But there is not a hundred percent guarantee that a person ovulates after having the surge.  I have been looking online to see if there is more information on this and am not finding much.  The reason I asked if you knew you were ovulating is that in the material on periods on this site written by a doctor, she says that although we don't know for sure when we'll ovulate, after we ovulate we get a period 14 days later.  So the absence of periods made me wonder if you were somehow having a LH surge but not in fact ovulating.

When I suggested you see an RE, I wasn't suggesting you spend twenty thousand dollars on IVF.  I was thinking of you and your partner having tests, him for his sperm viability and you to be sure of ovulation and to learn whether something like Clomid would help.  Has your ob-gyn been no help at all?  People sometimes have sex too often when ttc, or too late in relation to the LH surge; has anyone given you advice about things like this?  If you have had an eating disorder that is keeping your body fat low, that will interfere with your reproductive cycle; possibly a doctor could advise about that?  None of these things are highly expensive.  A good ob-gyn can cover a lot of them if you don't want to got to an RE.

When my husband and I decided to go for it because ttc on our own was no working, we borrowed money because the timeline was against us.  I figured I could always work and pay off a loan over time, but I had no more time to get pregnant.  

Sorry you took my comment so angrily.  

Helpful - 0
1328636 tn?1389367392
A positive OPK does not in and of itself mean that you ovulate.  It is a good indicator, but you need to have much more testing done to know for sure that you do indeed ovulate.
Helpful - 0
1063644 tn?1278643267
Your post has given me so much hope!!!  We don't have the money for a reproductive specialist so we'll keep trying like you were.  Maybe I'll spit out a randon egg and it'll get fertilized like yours!!  I wish you a ton of luck with your one shot deal with your ivf route!  I know how expensive it is!  I hope it works for you.  I take ovulation testsand my husband and I take full advantage of the times I am ovulating.  Figure we might strike it rich someday!!  Please keep me posted on your ivf!  You can email me privately at ***@**** if you want.  I'll be praying for you!!
Helpful - 0
1063644 tn?1278643267
How do I know I ovulate?  I take ovulation tests.  If you like, YOU can pony up the money for me to go to an RE 'cause I sure can't pony it up!!!!  They're WAY out of touch for me so my only resort is over the counter stuff or fertility drugs from my OB who won't give them to me.  Let me know when you have the money for me to go to an RE and I'll send you my address!!
Helpful - 0
1287560 tn?1272216521
hello and firstly I have to say-don't give up. I too have been plagued by eating disorders(anorexia and bulimia) for most of my teen/adult life, I am now 41. Like yourself I havn't menstruated for years due to low body weight mainly, anyway when I was 38 I became pregnant, totally in shock as I didnt have periods! but you CAN still ovulate and I am living proof. My doctor here in England said I just through out a random egg and it was fertilized, my husband and I were over the moon as before this news we were going to try clomid to stimmulate my ovaries. We have now been trying natuarly again with no success so In July are going down the ivf route, is very expensive but we have enough savings for one shot.Have been on clomid this time but isnt working, had day 21 progesterone test and was low so probably still not ovulating.Did you have a test to see if you were ovulating? best wishes with trying to conceive, there is hope out there, it can happen, keep me postedxxx melissa
  
Helpful - 0
1328636 tn?1389367392
I agree with Annie. Plus, most insurance will at least cover the RE office visits and diagnostic testing the same way they cover "regular" doctor visits and testing. So for me, I just pay my $20 office visit co-pay when I go to see my RE and am billed whatever the insurance doesn't cover for the testing.  For example, an SIS that would normally cost $740 only cost me $254.
Helpful - 0
134578 tn?1693250592
How do you know you ovulate, if you haven't had a period?  I think at 46, you really need to pony up the bucks to go to an RE, or you may as well not even buy 'through the mail' fertility drugs.  Without periods to prove that your reproductive organs are working properly, taking anything like that (especially without a proper diagnosis) is just throwing your money away.
Helpful - 0
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