Ovarian Drilling - Help needed !!

[Scarlett101]

Hello Girls,

I am Scarlett, I have been reading up a lot of useful info on this forum for past few months and have learnt a great deal from this site.

Basically I and my husband have been TTC for well over 3 years in total now. The story goes something like this; Initially after a year of TTC, we learnt DH had zero sperm count (as all my ultrasound scans, physical examinations and blood tests were normal) so he was referred to a Reproductive Endocrinologist. It took nearly 10 months to see the RE (as he was referred to 2 hospitals/consultants in error who did not specialize in male fertility matters and therefore refused to see him). He has been on various medications since seeing his RE and from the past eight months, his sperm count has returned to normal (20million/ml). We were both advised to try naturally for a few months by his consultant (RE) as my DH had normal sperm levels but still no luck.

Over the last year, I have had excessive facial and abdominal hair growth as well as pain during intercourse. After googling and finding this site, I realized there was something definitely wrong with me so decided to have blood works and scans. My recent Ultrasound scans and tests revealed that I did in fact have PCOS. I have been diagnosed with “Borderline” PCOS.

Now the thing is that I am 30 years old and dying to have a baby ASAP – I feel very deprived and have started to lose hope. I feel that my Gynae might prescribe some meds like Metformin, Clomid or hormones or inositol as she has kind of hinted that already during our last meeting. I badly want to have “Ovarian Drilling” done and not waste anymore time by taking meds for months and months.

What can I do to persuade her to sanction Ovarian Drilling for me straight away? I have an appointment to see her (Gynae) on Monday 1st August so any helpful advice before then would be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

[parry_clare]

I would love to hear other people's reply to this as I feel the same, I have been on metformin for ages now so would like to skip other medication and do the drilling too X

[Scarlett101]

looks like no help is available for me here !!!

[Snad]

Hi Scarlett,

I don't really know what to say to you but I can definitely understand your pain and worries. I am 30 as well and I have been ttc for a few months now...

I had my ovaries drilled in september but I had it done in France. I went to visit my parents there and ended in hospital with stabbing pain. I thought I had endometriosis, so did the gyne that decided that an emergency surgery would be the best solution.

I don't have endo but I had adhesion (bowel to ovary, uterus to bladder) and my ovaries were oversize and looked polycystic. He released the adhesions and drilled my ovaries to drain them.

I havent had any luck with baby number 1 so far and as I had ovarian drilling already, I need to wait and then try clomid as it looks like I am not ovulating every month...

Not sure it helped but I thought I will share my story

Good Luck and please keep in touch

[Scarlett101 in reply to Snad]

Hi Snad,

thank you for the kind words and sharing your story. It's always good to hear fellow cysters' experiences. May i ask how long has it been since you have been ttc? have you had your dh's semen analysis done to rule out that possibility?

I have just been seeing my gynae today and she has agreed that the Ovarian Drilling (and dye/substance test at the same time to check fallopian tubes) would be the best and fastest way to conceive due to my PCOS which is such a great news. I really cannot wait to have it done !!!

Not sure why you weren't prescribed clomed right after drilling as my Gynae has already told me that i would need to start taking clomed straight after Ovarian Drilling.

I am not sure about other forums (as i am only registered here) but this one seems a bit slow in getting responses to tell you the truth. I thought there were many women in same situation as me but may be i was wrong after all.

wishing you a BFP

[Snad]

Happy that my answer helped

I stopped my contraceptive pill in February.

I wasn't prescribe clomid after the drilling because I wasn't trying to conceive yet at that point. My gyne in France just thought it will be better to do it as he was doing the adhesions.

We have an appointment to have my boyfriend checked in October. And also I will by then have the result of the biopsy I had done 2 weeks ago. I had to have an hysteroscopy because during my last appointment the ultrasound showed 2 cystic areas in my uterus.

I expect I will be prescribe clomid then.

Where is your gyne? Mine is in Oxford.

[spoonierunning]

Hi all I took was metformin, it took me 8 years to fall pregnant naturally (I'm now 36, will be 37 when I have my baby eek). I know it doesn't work for everyone and some people need more help and sadly for some people it just isn't to be but would you consider giving the medication route a try first? I know it's hard and you don't want to wait but I think surgical procedures should be kept to a minimum, I know they are largely safe but they do all come with risks. But what ever you decide you need to be comfortable with your decision, good luck

[Hols969]

Have your tubes been checked yet, it isnt worth having clomid until your tubes have been checked, as there is normally a 9 month limit of taking clomid. I had my tubes checked along with ovarian drilling (which only lasts about 6 months), so I would suggest to your GP that you would like to check that your tubes are ok.

Sorry just read further down that you have been given the ok for OD - good luck.

[Scarlett101]

spoonierunning - Congratulation, it is never too late and you are still young !!

thank you for the advice and yes you are right that surgical procedures should be avoided where possible but I have made my mind up and very comfortable with my decision as i really don't want to wait any longer. I want to see if OD works out, if not, then after a year, i will have no choice but to try to go down the IVF route

Hols969 - the fallopian tubes will be checked at the same time as OD (the consultant said). also the surgeon will carry out hysteroscopy i was advised

Snad - wish you and your partner lost of luck for the journey towards conception. My gynae is actually based in London. if you don't mind me asking, how much do you pay for consultation in Oxford with your gynae?

I am just waiting for the date of my operation and will update you all as to how it went.

[Hols969 in reply to Scarlett101]

Good luck, hope you dont have to wait too long. When I had my laparoscopy they did about 11 different tests including OD and checking my tubes so get as much done as poss while they are their

[Scarlett101 in reply to Hols969]

Can you please tell me the 11 different tests you mentioned above?

My gynae told me that she would be carrying out Laparoscopy as well as Hysteroscopy. She will do the substance test for fallopian tubes, check my womb, check for endometriosis and carry out Ovarian drilling at the same time. What other tests should i ask her for ? Mine is scheduled for the end of the month as i am going privately so there is no waiting time.