Posted by Ellen Bender on March 08, 19100 at 23:05:17:
In Reply to: Family MD information posted by Cyndi on March 08, 19100 at 16:04:32:
There are no reproductive endocrinologists near you? In terms of fertility drug options for women with PCOS, clomid is usually the first line of defense/offense. But there is a certain percentage of women with PCOS who are clomid resistant. There are recent studies in which women with PCOS who were previously thought to be clomid resistant have ovulated on a combination of clomid and metformin, one of the insulin sensitizing agents referred to in the LHJ article. In one study 89% of these women ovulated so you may want to discuss that option with your doctor. Metformin has not been FDA approved for PCOS but many doctors are prescribing it and aside from gastrointestinal discomfort, there do not appear to be the serious side effects that are connected to Rezulin (another insulin sensitizing agent). The other fact to be aware of is that weight loss alone can cause you to ovulate. In one study, a weight loss of 5-10% was sufficient to cause previously anovulatory women with PCOS to ovulate. The other medication options -- injectible gonadotropins -- are not options for your family MD. These are very powerful drugs and they need to be taken under the close supervision of a reputable reproductive endocrinologist who is familiar with these medications and, in particular, with the low dose protocols for women with PCOS. 39 is an age where I would be very aggressive if I wanted to have a child (in fact, I am 39 and would like to have a 2nd child -- it took 5 1/2 years to get pregnant with our first) so I know where you are coming from. Please join us for our online PCOS chat on March 21st at 8 pm with Dr. Richard Grazi, a reproductive endocrinologist here in NYC. Ellen