Infertility, ovulation induction & pregnancy

ovulation induction pregnancy

Infertility & ovulation induction 

It feels exhausting to think of the journey I (and we) have gone through to get here. I can’t even begin to tell you how sad, devastated, depressed, angry and hopeless I’ve felt during the time we’ve been trying for a baby. How it felt when I found out at a gynecologist that I have multifollicular ovaries. How shocked I was when she put us in touch with the fertility clinic. Even though I guess I did I have a hunch. After all, we had already been trying for a while. I remember asking her: “Can’t I get pregnant naturally?”, and she answered, “It’s not impossible. But you probably do need some help”.

In that moment I felt like I lost something. I lost the joy of trying, the excitement, the happy chuckle of telling my friends we’re trying. From that point on forward it was just disappointment after disappointment, peeing on a stick to find out if I ovulated, for nothing, bad news month after month.

For a long time I felt like a prisoner in my own body, wrapped in a nightmarish limbo of hope, waiting, disappointment, jealousy, and hopelessness. It’s impossible to be a woman and not feel it – I literally had to live in my body and feel the symptoms of whatever time of the cycle I was living in. Overthinking all the little symptoms. Always waking up to a nightmare of either my periods starting or not starting. I’m not sure which times were worse – the cycles where my periods skipped 1 or 2 months or the ones where they turned out quickly almost on a regular rhythm.

**

The wait times for all the appointments at the clinic felt like years. Even though they were the best chance at getting pregnant I just felt like my hopes and dreams were slipping away from my fingers. Risto kept reminding me that we were actively doing things to make our wish come true. Why was I so bad at dealing with this?

Our first treatment was easy. Just eating a pill that would help me grow the egg and ovulate. However, it wasn’t easy. Coming home from the pharmacy and holding the pill with my name and the text “infertility” in it hit me deep in a place, I didn’t know I had. I felt broken and scared – like I was in for a long bumpy ride I wasn’t sure I was strong enough for. I feared for more difficulties and tougher treatments like IVF.

Maybe me becoming a mom just wasn’t in the cards for us? Sometimes I had to imagine a life without a child and make up good enough of a plan to be content with it. Only it seemed impossible. I tried to not think about it and just live my life, but everywhere I looked there were pregnant women or babies. Suddenly even the blogging community seemed to be full of surprise babies.

People around me were excited for me, which felt awful. Especially since I felt guilty of not having that excitement and hope. Instead I had hot flashes, I felt sick, my head hurt and mentally I was in a dump. All byproducts of the pill I was taking.

That week I suffered the worst anxiety in years, also a panic attack, and was literally just laying on our sofa hoping the days would quickly go by and I would be myself again.

Luckily it got better almost right after I stopped taking the pill. I started to feel like myself. A bit hopeful. In the first ultrasound nothing had happened in my ovaries. Another disappointment. But I still felt fine, mainly because I was relieved of being over the side effects of the pill.

A few days from that, in the next ultrasound I got good news. One egg had grown. My womb looked perfect (“couldn’t look better”, the doctor said). I got to see the egg. It was big, separated from the clump of little eggs next to it. I felt happy: there it was. A real possibility. I ovulated two days from that.

There was maybe a week of good time. A week where I didn’t have to think about anything. I didn’t have to do anything. We’ve already done our best, now it was just waiting. But I didn’t mind the wait. I felt relieved.

A negative pregnancy test

Then I started to get the all too familiar mild bleeding (a brownish thing, not blood, but close to it). We were in a hotel celebrating our 8th year anniversary. I cried a lot that weekend. But then the bleeding kind of stopped and my periods didn’t really start. I was confused. My mind wanted to get hopeful, but I didn’t want to disappoint myself again, and I felt like going crazy. I did a negative pregnancy test. Felt devastated again. Started to have super mild leakage again. I was constantly ready for my periods to start.

I had cramps and my boobs felt sore. I was just waiting for the periods. I told my friends I felt my body being broken. Like it was trying to get the periods going, but they didn’t come. They asked if I had done another test. Frustrated, I told them no, it was a clear negative before.

 

I was on a trip with my sisters in Hamina. Every now and then my stomach hurt and my boobs were crazy sore. I told them I had decided my periods must start the next day.

 

Another pregnancy test 2 weeks later

I was working on my computer and feeling the weird cramps in my stomach again. The ones, which I had been feeling for at least two weeks now. I thought my sisters must be fed up with my complaining and craziness, but I still had to vent somewhere. I told them I wished I was pregnant. I googled if I could do a test in the evening, but decided to do it in the morning anyway.

Risto wasn’t sure about the test, he didn’t want me to get disappointed again.

When I went to bed that night, I told myself I’m not pregnant and I believed it. I had to prep myself mentally for another disappointment, because I didn’t want to lose my sleep (like I did with the first test, just nightmares and anticipation the whole night).

In the morning I felt calm. I was going to do the test and not care about the negative result. “At least I can drink without worry in our midsummer cottage trip”, I said to Risto.

I peed in the cup and left it on the table for a bit, while brushing my teeth. I wasn’t eager to dip the test in it, but also didn’t dread it. It was just another test, whatever.

I was used to seeing the one line on the test: negative, not pregnant. So I was shocked, when another line appeared, quickly and clearly, on the test. I screamed out loud, a voice that Risto had not heard before: shock, but also wonder in my voice. I started to cry uncontrollably. Risto came in the bathroom and looked at the test: “Are you sure? Are two lines positive?” My hands were shaking when I tried to show him the instructions. We put another test in the cup and it was also positive, clear two lines. We were having a baby!

**

Week 6

Yesterday I found out I’m pregnant. It feels unreal to write that down, I think I still can’t believe it. Though I feel pregnant. My boobs are sore, there’s weird feelings in my stomach (like there’s butterflies in there!) and I have to pee constantly. I also get out of breath – something I noticed while running. Besides that, some foods smell super strong and make me sick. I don’t feel sick otherwise, just like I’m losing my appetite a bit. Can you be hungry and feel like you don’t have an appetite at the same time? I feel like that.

 

Also…

I haven’t been this happy in a long, long time.


I had to go to the first ultrasound alone, because of covid and the rules of the clinic. Nervous selfie in the elevator before my appointment.

Week 8 – first ultrasound

Every night I touch my belly and whisper to it: “hang in there, and I will hang in here”. Meaning, I will try not to fear for the worst, I will try not to stress. It must be our time now. Everything must be fine.

Yet obviously the first ultrasound was huge for me. Were you gonna be there? Was your little heart beating?

I didn’t look at the screen when the doctor did the ultrasound. I just waited for her words. And when I heard her say: “congratulations, you have a successful pregnancy” I started crying. I looked at the little bean in the screen and heard a strong heartbeat.

First trimester. Fatigue, nausea, headaches, just zero energy. This is how my summer looked in a nutshell.

Weeks 7-12

To be totally honest, these past weeks have been horrible. I couldn’t imagine such nausea 24/7. And wanting to throw up all the time. Or being so tired your sisters start to call you a ghost. Or losing 5 kilos, just because food suddenly has become the most disgusting thing ever.

I haven’t been able to work out in months. I’ve had maybe one day where I felt good enough for doing a little exercise. Other times my workouts have ended with tears and strong urge to throw up. This one time I cleaned our entire house only to end up puking afterwards, for the physical performance it took. Needless to say I’m not gonna run the half marathon in August.

Right now, at week 12, I feel like I’m over the very worst times. But I still have nausea and feel like throwing up every time my stomach is empty. The good moments where I feel tolerable have increased. And I’m getting closer to the end of first trimester, and our first official ultrasound, which makes me excited.

 

And even through the most horrible days, I’ve felt happy for the little miracle inside me. Just wanting everything to be okay for it. Ready to take the nausea. Ready for anything.

I know I have doubted myself during the years, more than I should have. But somehow, now I feel calm. I trust my ability at this and I can’t wait to be a mom. And my heart melts when I see how excited Risto is. I know he will be the best dad in the world for our baby.

pregnancy ovulation induction our journey

Weeks 13 -14

The first official ultrasound was unforgettable. Suddenly the little bean had transformed into a little baby. The baby moved around a lot and everything was okay. I cried my concealer off.

I looked at the screen and realized that the most important thing in the world was in my belly now. It’s hard to say which one of us was smiling more that day, Risto or me.

It’s still hard to believe I get to be the one with the baby bump now. That I get to experience this and share the news with you.

We’re expecting a baby in February and we are beyond happy.

 

Hormonal imbalance, hair loss and acne

I have to say, being so open about my acne journey and skin issues isn’t always fun. Treating acne is no fun. Trying several different treatments for it is definitely everything but fun – especially since nothing seems to work.

Still – since I know how common these things are – I want to share my experience, even though it means I have to say no to a zillion MLM-marketing companies (is there anything worse, than trying to take advantage from one’s desperation?) and listen to people telling me to drink water or try apple cider vinegar for my skin, basically.

What I have learned so far, is that you need a ton of patience for ANY acne treatments. And there are different types of acne out there. And what might work for me, doesn’t necessarily work for you. And also – acne sucks and it’s super hard to find good reliable information on it. So – how to treat hormonal acne?

hormonal acne

MY ACNE & TRYING DIFFERENT DIETS

Anyway – back to my skin, my acne, and my battle. Since I last wrote about the subject, I was pretty hopeful. I had understood by then, that my acne was and is strictly hormonal. I didn’t tell you at the time – but I was on a new treatment too. Now when it comes to diet changes, I tried to focus on foods, that would help to balance your hormones. But with just diet changes, I felt like I wasn’t going anywhere. And also… I’m just gonna say it: Eating super strictly, super super healthy, isn’t for me. I do – however – eat pretty healthy. I have been a vegetarian since I was nine years old. I eat lots of fruits, vegetables, fibres and I try to keep track of my protein intake as well. I haven’t talked about this much, but I have a history of eating disorders and having to stress about my diet and food constantly is not good for me mentally. For me? Eating pasta and chocolate every once in a while is healthier than not having them.

DIM – THE NATURAL WAY OF BALANCING YOUR HORMONES

The new treatment I was excited about was DIM. It’s short for diindolylmethane – it’s basically a food supplement, that works in your body in a way, that it balances the hormones. The substance is the same substance, that can be found in broccoli. Only you would have to eat a ridiculous amount of broccoli a day, if you wanted the same amount of dim from it. So DIM is the natural way of balancing your hormones. The internet is full of good experiences with the substance, especially with breakouts or acne, that is less severe. I am still to this day pretty convinced of this supplement, even though it didn’t work for me. I tried it for a month (I know, I could have tried it for a longer time, but I just basically couldn’t, as you may realize if you keep reading). DIM is something, I am keen to try again sometime and as I said, I think it’s a valuable option for someone, that has acne, but not as bad as mine.

MY HORMONES WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE

Even before the DIM-treatment and after that, I had pretty bad symptoms of hormonal imbalance. I’m just gonna call it that, ‘cause I don’t have any other diagnosis for my hormones and body not working properly. Basically my acne was worse than ever – super itchy and sore, bleeding and impossible to cope with. Besides that, I started to lose my hair. My hair was falling off everywhere – in the shower, after the shower, it was all over my clothes, my jacket, my bed. Naturally, I started to freak out a little. Besides the acne and my hair falling off, my menstrual cycle wasn’t regular and for quite a long time, I was a bit worried about it. So I called a doctor.

acne blog

POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME?

I was 99% sure, I would get a PCOS diagnosis. I knew a lot of people with that condition, and I had pretty similar symptoms. I was already devastated, because PCOS affects fertility as well. My doctor took all kinds of tests and they all came back normal. The one thing I didn’t get though, was the ultrasound to actually check if my ovaries were polycystic or totally fine. All I got was the recommendation to start birth control pills and maybe roaccuttan with that.

Well, since my ovaries hadn’t never been checked before and I wanted to know my situation, I booked another doctor appointment – one that I had to pay myself. And I was relieved to know, that I did not have PCOS – though the gynecologist wasn’t really as convincing, as I would have liked her to be. Still, she didn’t give me the diagnose, and I am happy and relieved that I am somewhat healthy and normal. She, too, recommended the birth control pills for me.

I AM ON THE PILL AGAIN

Now here’s the terrifying part – telling you all, that I am on the pill once again. I’m not even sure why it feels like such a big deal – maybe ‘cause I started this whole thing about being natural and not having to eat hormones. How I’ve felt so great without the hormones. But really – I didn’t have any side-effects from the pills. Moodswings? I’m prone to whatever feelings 365 days a year – and that is just my personality.

And after already eating them for over a month – I have good news. My hair stopped falling off almost immediately after I started to take them and my skin is already smoother, healthier and not sore.

I’ve started to think of birth control pills from a totally different perspective – maybe they are not a drug, but a medicine? Even though I didn’t have the condition I thought I had, clearly my body was not working properly and my hormones were a mess. Maybe the pills are just what my body needs. At the moment, at least. And if I had to eat them for the rest of my life or for many years? Well, after experiencing a severe, painful, bleeding acne (impossible to wear makeup even) and having my hair fall off – that seems like a small price to pay.

You don’t always have to fight everything off by yourself, with zero help. It’s also okay to take the help, eat that supplement or take that pill.

After all, I didn’t battle my depression naturally either – though that is definitely a more severe situation. Antidepressants were super important for my recovery.

The photos in this post are different to my usual acne post photos. These are from a photoshoot a while back. I am wearing a ton of makeup, but you can still see my acne through. These are unedited. It’s funny, but actually I don’t even have photos from my acne at it’s worst. But just imagine it being it a little worse, than in this post.

my acne journey

.. and some pictures of me smiling, just to remind you, that life is not that serious after all.

Photos: Susanna Pomèll / Healthyhair 


I’ve already learned by now, that there are a lot of people out there suffering from acne. How is your skin doing right now? Have you heard of dim, or tried it? And do any of you have the same experience with hormonal acne? Anyone else on the pill too?

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