Very new at this....TTC and possible fertility issues

[MrsWarby]

Hello,

I am 27, married and my husband and I are actively TTC for our first child. However, there are many roadblocks and concerns I have. This may be long but please read?

I got my first period at age 11. When I was around that age, I also had an ultrasound for checkup on my ovaries and they saw a cyst. Fast forward to about age 21 or so--I gained a lot of weight in college and also went through a rough relationship for about a year. During that year--roughly from 09 to '11 I had no period. Call me irresponsible but I was too scared to go to the OBGYN so I didn't. Around late 2011 my period came back and has been relatively a 37 day cycle.

I have never had a pregnancy scare, even before I got married I usually had unprotected sex-never got pregnant. My husband and I have only been trying off/on about 4 months. No pregnancy. I am currently self employed and on Medicaid (soon getting off due to my employment) but I'm concerned I have fertility issues such as PCOS and if I do I worry I may have furthered the problem by not seeing a gyno in 09.

I'm also concerned as we do not have enough money for fertility treatment if I do indeed have issues. My husband has 1 other child from a previous relationship so I don't think he's a problem. Does anyone know of options for me? I don't even think Medicaid will cover a gynocologist appointment for a checkup. I'm just stressed.

Currently, I am on day 25 of my 37 day cycle--ovulation day is today, we had sex today and yesterday and both times I waited 20 minutes to use the restroom afterwards.

I'm looking into seeing a gyno for a checkup next week but like I said I'm unsure of who to go to. When I get off Medicaid next month I will be getting my own insurance plan but I'm concerned I won't even be able to afford treatment then either. Any help is appreciated...thanks!

 

[Mummy1506]

Your cycles sound similar to mine, I do suffer pcos HOWEVER don't assume that will mean fertility problems straight off I have 2 healthy children & one miscarriage all conceived fairly easily. Are you tracking your ovulation opks, bbt, cm/cp etc? If you're ovulating on your own then hopefully is just down to timing issues. No advice on the insurance etc as I'm from the uk. Good luck

 

[MrsWarby]

Not tracking ovulation or BBT as can't afford the kits at the moment, only using my period tracker to keep an eye on my cycle/green week...going to buy kits soon though!

 

[dinky]

Mrswarby, just read through your thread and wanted to let you know that you can buy opks and bbt thermometers very cheap on ebay, that's where I got mine from and I highly recommend using both of these. I have pcos and I have 2 healthy children and one pregnancy that didn't make it. The first child I conceived on clomid but the other 2 were natural. I sometimes have anovulatory cycles so without temping I wouldn't know where I was. Wish you luck in ttc hope it doesn't take long

 

[MrsWarby]

Thank you dinky!! I'm going to order a 50 pack of ovulation tests and get a new thermometer (my one from the cheap store broke) so glad to hear pregnancy is still very possible with PCOS.

Currently on day 26 of my cycle and 2DPO. Its strange though, may be just my imagination, but i've been having some strange symptoms for a little over a week now. Cramps everyday off/on, peeing a lot, etc which all could be early symptoms of my period but my period isn't due for another 12 days. I almost always only get cramps on the day of my period and it lasts one-two days. One other thing, is that I normally can barely notice my areolas and for the past couple days they have seemed larger and darker/more obvious.

Today my lower back hurts and I have my cramps, but no period. I'm just telling myself it's my imagination until I can test on the 26th though lol

 

[MindUtopia]

Tracking your BBT is super inexpensive and easy. I think the thermometer cost about 4 bucks. You need a special BBT one which goes to 2 decimal places. Tracking CM is free. The fertility tracking software is free. OPKs do cost money, but I've never used one and I don't think they're necessary. If you aren't actually tracking your cycles using CM and BBT, you really have no idea when you ovulate, so it's very likely at least lately you've been trying at the wrong time of the month (unless you have sex every day or every other day anyway). You don't necessarily ovulate in the middle of your cycle, though that's what the period tracker app will tell you. As for getting a check up, yes, you can definitely get a gyn appt on Medicaid. You'll have to find someone who is accepting Medicaid patients as not all do, but if you're getting new insurance anyway, I'd just call around and find a place that accepts both Medicaid and your new insurance so you don't have to change. Ask your girl friends for recommendations or look on Yelp for reviews. Or just pick whatever is closest to your house. You're right they probably won't cover infertility care on Medicaid, but any general gynacological care will be covered, including assessing for and treating PCOS if the doctor suspects you have it.