Dostinex and getting pregnant

[san fran shan]

Just wanted to update in case anyone is reading. I am not pregnant this cycle. I spotted for 3 days, then my period started yesterday. It is heavier than previous cycles with one very large clot...it kind of freaked me out. But a 26 day cycle is good I suppose. Today I took my 4th dose of cabergoline. Here goes another cycle. The discharge has not disappeared yet.

 

[ashknowsbest]

Sorry you had a weird period this month!!! But 26 days that's good!! My prolactin is at 1.6 and I think I may be pregnant this time around. FX'd!

 

[RainAngel]

Ooh, gonna stalk this thread! My doc thinks i have high prolactin levels. Eek!!

 

[ashknowsbest]

Stalk away the good news is my doctor told me if you're going to have a fertility problem prolactin is one of the easiest to fix !!!

 

[RainAngel]

the doc has me on metformin for PCOS (but the script says PCO!), and she said they need to check my prolactin levels. im so hoping its an easy fix! this is year *SEVEN*!!

 

[ashknowsbest]

Well good luck and welcome to the thread.

 

[RainAngel]

thanks!

just curious, but do you know what "good numbers" are for prolactin levels?

 

[ashknowsbest]

Between 2-25

 

[RainAngel]

ok, thanks! all this has me kinda freaked out, and I have no idea what's good, what's bad and what's fixable.

 

[ashknowsbest]

Well even if your levels are in the 100's it's fixable with a tiny pill called dostinex. Another name for it is cabergoline. There's another medication for it called bromo something but I'm on dostinex. If your levels are hight they might want to do an MRI of your brain to see if you have an adenoma on your pituitary gland causing the high prolactin. They're always benign and no cause for concern really since they're treated with meds and are pretty common. I believe I read on a medical site that 1 out of 1000 people have them.

You shouldn't worry too much although I know it's hard!!!

 

[ashknowsbest]

Oh and sometimes there isn't an adenoma present you just have high prolactin for some reason they're not sure of and the meds will fix it.

 

[RainAngel]

yeah, its really hard not to worry. i have an ultrasound on the 23rd, and with the results of my last one, its scary. my doctor said they need to check my thyroid and my prolactin levels. All greek to me, and all kinda terrifying! i havent seen many women on here with prolactin problems (but i just gave in and moved to LTTTC not long ago.)

 

[san fran shan]

Ash - that is great news about your new test result!! What was your level before starting meds? I know its in your journal, but easier to just ask again. Are you taking your meds once or twice a week? And so exciting this might be your month! When will you test? What are your symptoms? I am thinking happy thoughts for you!!

Hi RainAngel, welcome to the discussion! Good luck with your tests. Keep us posted.

So, my prolactin levels were tested back in March 2011. My level was 10 and Kaiser (my medical provider) says normal is 3-30. I have not been re-tested since I started meds. I tried bromocriptine 1st and I found the side effects unbearable. Cabergoline is much more tolerable....for me at least!

I was thinking about wanting to do IUI this month, but my RE said the cabergoline takes about 3 months to work. So it might be pointless to do IUI before it has had time to kick in.

 

[ashknowsbest]

san fran shan - My level before starting the meds was 50 not fasting and 35 fasting ... so it was a good amount over the normal range! I have only been on it for 8 weeks and it's already down to 1.6, so cabergoline definitely works and I totally agree that it's tolerable. I took it once without eating and I got a headache and just felt really foggy the next day because I always take it at night but if I eat with it and take it at night I never get side effects! I take .25mg once a week, on Friday nights! It's such a small dose because my adenoma is only 2mm! I hope this is my month too and I'll be testing on Friday. The only symptoms I'm having are sore boobs and nipples, very emotional and I had cramping all day yesterday and a little bit on and off today but I get those symptoms when AF is coming too! The only thing that's really different this month is my chart!

If your prolactin levels were 10 why are you on the meds? That's a great number! And yeah your RE is right, you should be on it for at least 6 weeks to see any great results. That's why my RE started me on dostinex and told me to come back in 6-8 weeks to get retested!

 

[ashknowsbest]

Rainangel - I've been in LTTC since I hit the year mark .... It's normal. It really shouldn't take a year to conceive ... especially since (I don't know your situation) but other than my prolactin I'm a normal 23 year old with no health problems! But we're happy to have you in here, I started this thread mainly because I also couldn't find anyone else with this problem ... so I figured if I start this and people type prolactin in the search bar that they would be able to find us and we could start a group just for us girls with prolactin issues! it's nice to have other people who are suffering through the same stuff!

 

[san fran shan]

Ash - that sounds very promising!! Fingers crossed for you! Is Friday the earliest you can test? When is your period due?

I wondered the same thing about why I was put on meds if my level is normal. I can't remember if I was fasting for that blood test or not. So maybe my level fluctuates???? Anyways, I have nipple discharge (clear, milky). Not a lot. Only if stimulated. Kaiser has a feature where you can email your doc with questions. I emailed and asked why I should be on cabergoline if my levels are in the acceptable range. Here is is response:

"I can't think of anything else that would cause breast discharge and irregular cycles other than your body responding to high levels of prolactin. What is happening in the case where your prolactin level on blood testing is "normal", reflects that prolactin made by your body comes in many different forms, only some of which are detected on our test. Still, the cabergoline will decrease the amount of prolactin being produced and help with conception and normalizing your cycle."

Since he is the expert, I will follow doc's orders.

 

[ashknowsbest]

It does sounds promising but I've been let down by good looking symptoms before! Uhm, my period is due Friday and I don't want to test until I miss my period because I would hate to get a BFN ...

Oh and about your doctor, that does make sense! I've heard that sometimes people will have okay prolactin but have the leaky discharge and not ovulate .... so it's a good thing you're on the meds and hopefully they can get everything under control! Also, prolactin does fluctuate a lot!

 

[RainAngel]

Ash - that is great news about your new test result!! What was your level before starting meds? I know its in your journal, but easier to just ask again. Are you taking your meds once or twice a week? And so exciting this might be your month! When will you test? What are your symptoms? I am thinking happy thoughts for you!!

Hi RainAngel, welcome to the discussion! Good luck with your tests. Keep us posted.

So, my prolactin levels were tested back in March 2011. My level was 10 and Kaiser (my medical provider) says normal is 3-30. I have not been re-tested since I started meds. I tried bromocriptine 1st and I found the side effects unbearable. Cabergoline is much more tolerable....for me at least!

I was thinking about wanting to do IUI this month, but my RE said the cabergoline takes about 3 months to work. So it might be pointless to do IUI before it has had time to kick in.

i will as i find out stuff. 13 days to u/s!

 

[RainAngel]

Rainangel - I've been in LTTC since I hit the year mark .... It's normal. It really shouldn't take a year to conceive ... especially since (I don't know your situation) but other than my prolactin I'm a normal 23 year old with no health problems! But we're happy to have you in here, I started this thread mainly because I also couldn't find anyone else with this problem ... so I figured if I start this and people type prolactin in the search bar that they would be able to find us and we could start a group just for us girls with prolactin issues! it's nice to have other people who are suffering through the same stuff!

it took me 5 years to get my BFP. i lost it not too long after it. i didnt think much about health problems, etc.

yeah, its nice to find others who have problems with this stuff like others. i wont say like me, since i dunno if i have it yet or not.

 

[san fran shan]

Update: I am charting my temp this month for the 1st time ever. I also bought preseed and I am using an OPK. I started the OPK on cycle day 9. Today is cycle day 10. I really hate how scientific this is becoming!! So not how I pictured it. Oh well.