As someone who struggled for 6 years to get pregnant, here is my story. Beware, this is a very long post.
The year Mark and I got married (2017), I stopped birth control. I really wasn’t on it long but I wanted to be sure that we wouldn’t get pregnant before we got married.
We tried for a year and then went to the doctor for help. My OBGYN took labs. She ordered an ultrasound and diagnosed me with infertility. It was a traumatic day for me because she was about 8 or 9 months pregnant when she diagnosed me.
About a month or so later, we had a follow up appointment and she told me my DHEA lab was slightly elevated and I had “a few” cysts on my ovaries. She said that wasn’t abnormal to have a “few”. She then diagnosed me with PCOS.
She educated me on ways to help us get pregnant. I checked for ovulations and followed her other advice. We took more labs.
I was told my insulin levels were normal and to keep up with the advice my doctor had given me. Later, I went back because I was having pelvic pain and some new symptoms. My doctor told me that she didn’t know why I was having those symptoms.
She stated that she could put me on Metformin to hopefully help with all of my symptoms. I told her I would like to hold off on taking Metformin because i also had an issue with hypoglycemia. She also told me I could start some fertility drugs. She said that these things weren’t needed but they might help. I declined at the time, wanting to try things more naturally given most of my labs/test were normal.
We took another ultrasound (which was normal) and she ordered the HSG test.
This test, I put off for a couple of years because I was scared. I looked it up and it was described as a painful procedure that they didn’t give anything for.
I continued with diet, exercise, and the advice I was given.
Then nursing school happened and everything kind of got pushed off. I didn’t diet or exercise during this time. I did begin to get new symptoms that included painful and irregular cycles.
After school, we started things up again. Mark had labs to do and I had the HSG test. A friend of mine suggested going to see a functional medicine physician. Dr. Georgia Nab at Your
Welness Connection, for those of you wondering.
I went in and told Dr. Nab everything I had been through. I brought all my labs and tests. Told her everything I was told and told her all of my symptoms.
She told me every symptom I had was related to PCOS. I cried and told her I thought I was going crazy. She told me I wasn’t crazy and we would try some things first. We didn’t draw labs like she usually does on the first visit. She educated me, advised taking certain supplements, and also advised a paleo diet. What she did next shocked me. She asked how I was feeling after all of the information she had given me.
I had told her I was very overwhelmed.
She gave me her email to ask questions if needed.
I followed everything to a T for about 3 or 4 months. After that, I did start cheating on my diet a little. I do not recommend this! Stay on your diet! I lost a little over 30 pounds. All of my symptoms either improved or were gone completely.
I did go ahead with the HSG test (which was awful). My fallopian tubes were open, so that meant another negative test.
Mark went in for his labs. He almost died, he says. 🤣. A week later, we found out we were pregnant. Today, 4/22/24, is my due date.
Do I distrust the doctors?
To a point, yes, but I also believe in medicine. If I didn’t, then why am I a nurse. I believe that people should know the line between utilizing a functional medicine doctor and modern medicine doctor. During the time I was working with Dr. Nab, I was still seeing my OBGYN.
When I began telling people about my journey, I found more and more people struggling with infertility.
Now, I educate people. I tell my story over and over again. I have referred so many people to Your Welness Connection and not just for infertility either. I’m so grateful to be able to say that Dr. Nab changed my future and I will keep referring people.