Diagnosed with PCOS and Trusting God with our pregnancy journey

Disclaimer: I am not a healthcare professional. Our pregnancy journey is unique to Stephen and I and medication that was prescribed was based on my doctor's recommendations. Please consult a physician if you have questions or concerns about your health.

PCOS - Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a hormonal condition that can cause difficulty in conceiving. There are a several indicators of PCOS, but in my case it is irregular menstrual cycles, which means I was not ovulating. When Stephen and I decided that we were ready to start trying for a baby in June/July 2022, I had been on birth control for the past five years or so. Mid-August rolled around and I noticed that I hadn't gotten my cycle yet and thought it was strange. I was able to quickly schedule an appointment with my OBGYN. While at my appointment they did several hormone tests, which were all normal with the exception of the anti-Mullerian hormone. My doctor expressed that it was concerning to have high levels of anti-Mullerian hormone because PCOS could be a possibility. My doctor prescribed a medication that I would take for ten days then on the eleventh day my cycle would start. Everything seemed to be normal. I downloaded a couple fertility apps to track everything, and bought ovulation and pregnancy tests. Amazon is your best bet for saving money and getting those tests in bulk. I probably took like five or six pregnancy tests in the month of September. My cycle was late, but I continued to get negative test after negative test.

Anyone who's gone through the process of trying to conceive knows that there can be a rollercoaster of emotions. Not to mention the medication that I was taking also affected my emotional state. I really thank God for blessing me with a husband who has the qualities that aren't my strengths. Stephen is very optimistic and positive in every situation. Not that I'm a negative person, but he really encourages me a lot when I tend to overthink something instead of trusting God with it completely. It's totally okay to feel disappointed or sad, but you can also be encouraged knowing that God's promises are still true.

September and half of October goes by and still no cycle, so back to the doctor's office we go. Prior to this appointment my doctor sent me a message on the patient portal explaining that there are options with ovulation medication. Stephen and I didn't even know that was something that was possible. Stephen and I discussed it before my appointment and decided that this would be the route we would take. We trust and believe that God can do things supernaturally and simultaneously we trust my doctor's recommended action plan. We believe both can be true. After this appointment the doctor prescribed a medication to encourage ovulation. Ten days of medication to start my cycle, then five days of medication to start ovulation, with follow up transvaginal ultrasound appointment on cycle day 12-14. My doctor gave me pretty specific instructions and tracking ovulation was one something that I needed to monitor from day 10 until my appointment day.

I took an ovulation test first thing in the mornings and in the early evenings, but continued to get low readings. Low LH (Luteinizing Hormone), probably one of the most disappointing test results to get.

I never expected that we would have difficulty getting pregnant, but I know that ultimately God has a plan. God, Your way is better! That is something that I have to continually preach to myself.

At my first transvaginal ultrasound appointment, the doctor confirmed that she was confident in diagnosing me with PCOS based on her examination and the ultrasound. Because the first round of ovulation medication was unsuccessful, my doctor's recommendation was to increase the milligram dosage, and take the same medication for my cycle. When choosing a physician, I believe who you choose is important. This was tough news to hear, but thankfully my doctor and the OBGYN staff were very encouraging and supportive. Their positivity made the news so much easier to process. So, I basically repeated the whole process again, and scheduled a follow-up ultrasound appointment.

With the increased dosage, I felt pretty nauseous, tired, and had loss of appetite for throughout the majority of that month. I thought the side-affects meant that something was working and that ovulation would be successful this go-around. I was anxious but feeling hopeful the morning of my appointment. At my second ultrasound, once again, the doctor did not find any dominant follicles, meaning that the medication was unsuccessful, and I was not ovulating. There was one final dosage increase that we could try, but in the meantime, our doctor said it would be best to reach out to a fertility clinic, and get on their waiting list.

The journey so far has been scary and I am nervous about going to a fertility clinic and starting that process. As believers we believe that ultimately God has the final say, and Stephen and I are trusting that we will conceive despite the doctor's report. I choose to believe what God's word says, and stand on that every single day. Stephen and I believe that God gives us desires for a certain reason. We are believing to be parents, and we don't believe that will not be in vain. I wanted to share our journey to hopefully encourage someone, because there aren't many positive articles on the internet about PCOS.

Stephen and I both wrote down our fears on slips of paper, and didn't share with each other what we wrote, went in our backyard, and burned the paper in our fire-pit. It was our way of expressing exactly what we felt (so we weren't holding it in), releasing it and giving it to God. Basically saying, "God, we trust you completely! No matter what the outcome may be."

I felt that it was even more important to keep God's Word and God's Promises in my heart constantly to combat my emotions, feelings, and circumstances. To do that, I created a YouTube and Spotify playlists entitled "pregnancy encouragement" that consists of scriptures, worship songs, and sermons that could speak to my soul whenever I was feeling discouraged. It also helped me to create a printout of scriptures and scripture confessions in Canva, so that I could quickly read something before starting my day. Some days are easier than others, but we are hopeful believing God for our miracle!

Here are just a few encouraging sermons, worship songs, and scriptures that I've saved:

Encouraging Scriptures:

-"Do not be discouraged...for the battle is not yours but the Lords" 2 Chronicles 20:15

-"Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

-"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 but he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:4-5

-"Yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God." Romans 4:20

Encouraging Book:

Supernatural Childbirth by: Jackie Mize on Amazon

Encouraging Sermons:

Heal My Anxious Mind: Peace of Mind By: Pastor Craig Groeschel, Life.Church

Winning the War in Your Mind By: Pastor Craig Groeschel, Life Church

Developing Trust By: Pastor Al Brice, Covenant Love Church

The Waiting Room Part 1 By: Opendoor Women's Podcast

Spiritual Health: Taking our Hurts Out on God By: Debra Fileta- Love + Relationships

Rejoice in Suffering By: A Cup Full of Hope Podcast

Encouraging Worship Songs:

The Story I'll Tell by: Maverick City Music

Surrounded by: Upper Room on YouTube

Make Room- Live by: Community Music

See a Victory by: Elevation Worship

Believe for It Live by: CeCe Winans

Prophesy Your Promise by: Bryan & Katie Torwalt

All Things are Working by: Fred Hammond

Scripture Confessions:

-Jesus is the author and finisher of my faith, so I look to Him in believing and acting on His Word! I know that my faith works because I believe God's Word is true.

-I do not doubt, but believe in my heart that I have what I speak by faith.

-I am not moved by what I see, feel or experience.

-I take every thought captive unto the obedience of Jesus Christ, casting down every imagination, and every high and loft thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

-I do not have a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.

-I trust in the Lord with all my heart, and I do not lean on my own understanding.

-I am strong in faith. I am fully assured that what He promised, he is able to perform.

I pray that my story encourages you. Please share with a friend who may have a similar story.

With Love,