About two weeks ago, Mr. PB received some bad news. He had been laid off once again. This economy has hit him hard since he is a warehouse/manufacturing worker. These seem to be the first jobs cut. When we found this out, we were a few days into my cycle and a few days away from our first RE appointment. As I mentioned in my last post, we decided to keep our consultation to begin the process of getting answers, but we, more specifically I, decided that we need to put our TTC on hold. I just couldn't try to expand our family with only one income.
I went to my HSG on Monday. It was definitely an interesting experience. The doctor pegged me as a teacher right away and began talking about my curriculum and books as he was beginning the procedure. Definitely a little awkward. The HSG looked good. I was all clear. He did notice a slight abnormality in my uterian shape, so I will have to have an ultrasound to make sure that there isn't a fibroid or anything pushing it in.
On the heels of that good news, we found out Mr. PB got a job. It is about 40 minutes from our house and a decent pay. Just in time for O! TTC looked like it was on again this month. However that fact that he had to be in by 7 AM threw a wrench into this plan and his scheduled S/A. I ended up calling the lab and begging for him to be moved to the end of this week. While they were able to fit him in on Thursday, it wasn't the best timing. We had been avoiding, so he hadn't released in about 6 days at the time of the S/A. However when we made the appointment on Tuesday afternoon, there was really no way around it. We were able to BD that evening as well and catch my O, but I am not sure how effective it was with his S/A earlier in the day.
I still have to schedule day 3 bloodwork and an ultrasound before hearing our results on November 29th. I am not sure I can wait that long. I think I will be harassing our RE's office to try to get the results earlier. Hopefully the next few months are a little less crazy.
Showing posts with label HSG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HSG. Show all posts
November 6, 2010
October 28, 2010
Finally on the road to answers
Mr. PB and I had our infertility consultation today. We only met with a nurse practitioner, so she wasn't able to answer tons of our questions, but we did start on the road to diagnosis. After drawing out most of my blood, they set up an appointment for an HSG. Luckily for me, I normally O late (which the NP did say concerns her a little) and I can have it done on Monday. That will be a great day. Teach, go have dye and what-not shoved up my who-ha, then return for lunch duty and more teaching. Awesome!
DH also scheduled his SA. Well actually I scheduled it for him. Either way, his S/A is Monday 11/8. He is very nervous. You would think he would be nervous about the fact that his sperm may not actually swim, but nope, he is worried about have to get a "sample" by 8 AM! I told him we need to start practicing every morning to get him ready. :)
I am currently waiting to O, but we have decided to not really try this month. I am still going to temp, but we will not (try not to) BD on command. We will see how this goes.
DH also scheduled his SA. Well actually I scheduled it for him. Either way, his S/A is Monday 11/8. He is very nervous. You would think he would be nervous about the fact that his sperm may not actually swim, but nope, he is worried about have to get a "sample" by 8 AM! I told him we need to start practicing every morning to get him ready. :)
I am currently waiting to O, but we have decided to not really try this month. I am still going to temp, but we will not (try not to) BD on command. We will see how this goes.
September 12, 2010
Week One Down!
I have had a very busy week, and I really did not get to go into much detail with how everything panned out from my HSG. I have now spoken to my doctor a bit more in depth about things, and can see a clearer picture now. The HSG hurt so bad that my mind was still pretty hazy directly after, and it really did bother me that I was their for the HSG...when all I really wanted was to be there because I was PREGNANT. I can't remember if I told you that they gave me a pregnancy test before my HSG. This just about shattered my heart. I know it is probably routine to do this because they want to ensure you are not pregnant for risk to the baby if you underwent the procedure pregnant. But, jeez, it was really hard having them do that because I wanted so badly to be pregnant. It was only a pee test, but still. The little voice in my head kept saying, "BE PREGNANT!!!! Be pregnant! Maybe this whole PERIOD thing you are on is just a fluke!!!!" But lo and behold...it was negative.
I have completed my Clomid. My doctor prescribed this to me for days 5-9 of my cycle. He said that although my tube was clear, and that it appears I do ovulate each month, he wanted to ensure O happened and did not want to waste this cycle. From days 10-13 I am on Estrace 3 times a day. Then from days 16-30, I am on a vaginal insertion of Prochieve, which is a Progesterone cream injected into the vagina that helps thicken the lining of your uterus and helps to 1. achieve pregnancy, and 2. sustain it if conception does indeed occur. Now, this med was 300$, which I chose not to pay. Not because we couldn't afford it, but that this money really needs to be saved in case we face other obstacles in our TTC journey. So, my doc gave me samples for the 14 days I need it, which are a 4% level rather than an 8%. So, I will gamble with it this cycle and if no luck I will discuss with Mr. JB about buying the regular prescribed amount out of pocket.
The Clomid was not too bad, but it did cause me to feel as if I was experiencing hot flashes at certain points of the day, but did not necessarily bother me just at night. It also did make me kind of moody, and gave me some sharp abdominal pains a few times a day. Oh, and wonderful gas. Yes, lots of gas LOL. But, other than that it was ok. I think I am coming down with a cold, so I cannot necessarily tell how the Estrace is affecting me; but I can say that as I sit here and type this I am feeling a bit warm and hotflashy. :-)
Mr. JB also had his SA. Lucky for him, he did not have to sit in a cold room and watch 80's porn. He got to take the sample jar home, provide his sample and bring it back. Thank goodness I was at work. It would have just been weird, lol. But, he did have a very funny encounter upon returning the little brown bag with his specimen in it...
I had left the jar and the brown paper bag on the counter for him, as I had picked the jar up at my HSG appointment. There was also a label for him to affix to the jar with his name, etc on it. I had left a piece of paper nearby that I had filled out with some necessary info the doctor needed on it, and left it next to the paper bag. So, before I leave for work, Mr. JB asks me, "Should I masturbate more than once so that they have a bigger amount to look at?" Me, "um, no honey...they need to see what your ACTUAL specimen contains and its motility when you ejaculate, so doing it multiple times would not give us an accurate answer." Mr. JB, "Ok, ok."
So, we had already discussed the issue of amount, etc. I know he wants to feel adequate, so I knew where he was coming from as soon as he asked it...but, still. It gets funnier though...
He does what he needs to do and heads to the lab to turn in the specimen. He hands the lady the paper bag awkwardly, and waits. She looks in the bag, looks at Mr. JB and says, "Is this it???" Mr. JB about DIES, and thinks oh GOD! I DON'T Produce ANYTHING!!!!!!! He is sooo mortified now, and stutters, "Uh, ya." She says, "Oh, ok well there is supposed to be a piece of paper in here." He remembers then that he had stuck the piece of paper in his pocket. He hands it to her and sighs a huge sigh of relief. The poor women was probably thinking he was crazy. HAHAHAHA!
Anyhow, now to wait for the results and pray. Mr. JB really feels the issue lies with him. I of course, think it is me. So, then I bring my best friend up to date on everything, as she lives 1500 miles away from us. She mentions to me that maybe the issue IS with Mr. JB because of Chemotherapy and Radiation he had to undergo for a lengthy period of time as a child due to tumors in his leg that kept growing back. I had NEVER, EVER thought that may be the cause of our issue, but the more said talked about it, the more sense it made. Now, I am REALLY nervous to find out the results.
Waiting Stinks. But, here I sit and pray.
June Bud
I have completed my Clomid. My doctor prescribed this to me for days 5-9 of my cycle. He said that although my tube was clear, and that it appears I do ovulate each month, he wanted to ensure O happened and did not want to waste this cycle. From days 10-13 I am on Estrace 3 times a day. Then from days 16-30, I am on a vaginal insertion of Prochieve, which is a Progesterone cream injected into the vagina that helps thicken the lining of your uterus and helps to 1. achieve pregnancy, and 2. sustain it if conception does indeed occur. Now, this med was 300$, which I chose not to pay. Not because we couldn't afford it, but that this money really needs to be saved in case we face other obstacles in our TTC journey. So, my doc gave me samples for the 14 days I need it, which are a 4% level rather than an 8%. So, I will gamble with it this cycle and if no luck I will discuss with Mr. JB about buying the regular prescribed amount out of pocket.
The Clomid was not too bad, but it did cause me to feel as if I was experiencing hot flashes at certain points of the day, but did not necessarily bother me just at night. It also did make me kind of moody, and gave me some sharp abdominal pains a few times a day. Oh, and wonderful gas. Yes, lots of gas LOL. But, other than that it was ok. I think I am coming down with a cold, so I cannot necessarily tell how the Estrace is affecting me; but I can say that as I sit here and type this I am feeling a bit warm and hotflashy. :-)
Mr. JB also had his SA. Lucky for him, he did not have to sit in a cold room and watch 80's porn. He got to take the sample jar home, provide his sample and bring it back. Thank goodness I was at work. It would have just been weird, lol. But, he did have a very funny encounter upon returning the little brown bag with his specimen in it...
I had left the jar and the brown paper bag on the counter for him, as I had picked the jar up at my HSG appointment. There was also a label for him to affix to the jar with his name, etc on it. I had left a piece of paper nearby that I had filled out with some necessary info the doctor needed on it, and left it next to the paper bag. So, before I leave for work, Mr. JB asks me, "Should I masturbate more than once so that they have a bigger amount to look at?" Me, "um, no honey...they need to see what your ACTUAL specimen contains and its motility when you ejaculate, so doing it multiple times would not give us an accurate answer." Mr. JB, "Ok, ok."
So, we had already discussed the issue of amount, etc. I know he wants to feel adequate, so I knew where he was coming from as soon as he asked it...but, still. It gets funnier though...
He does what he needs to do and heads to the lab to turn in the specimen. He hands the lady the paper bag awkwardly, and waits. She looks in the bag, looks at Mr. JB and says, "Is this it???" Mr. JB about DIES, and thinks oh GOD! I DON'T Produce ANYTHING!!!!!!! He is sooo mortified now, and stutters, "Uh, ya." She says, "Oh, ok well there is supposed to be a piece of paper in here." He remembers then that he had stuck the piece of paper in his pocket. He hands it to her and sighs a huge sigh of relief. The poor women was probably thinking he was crazy. HAHAHAHA!
Anyhow, now to wait for the results and pray. Mr. JB really feels the issue lies with him. I of course, think it is me. So, then I bring my best friend up to date on everything, as she lives 1500 miles away from us. She mentions to me that maybe the issue IS with Mr. JB because of Chemotherapy and Radiation he had to undergo for a lengthy period of time as a child due to tumors in his leg that kept growing back. I had NEVER, EVER thought that may be the cause of our issue, but the more said talked about it, the more sense it made. Now, I am REALLY nervous to find out the results.
Waiting Stinks. But, here I sit and pray.
June Bud
September 8, 2010
Holy HSG!
I had my HSG Ultrasound yesterday. WOW. I knew it would probably hurt a bit, but it REALLY did. It was like my Uterus was going to explode. Well, not really, but you know what I mean. The cramping was unbearable, but I made it through. The doc said I have at least one good tube, they could not see the other one on the ultrasound, but he suspects it is good as well. He did prescribe me Clomid, and Mr. JB has Semen Analysis tomorrow.
The sad part was that I was SO depressed at the OB's office. They had me take a pregnancy test to rule out that I was pregnant before they did the U/S. Well, I knew I was not pregnant, because they perform the HSG while you are on AF, but of course I had that glimmer of hope. I kept thinking how badly I wanted to BE THERE to confirm I was pregnant and start that wonderful journey. Then when they did the actual U/S I kept thinking that SOMEDAY I would be there for an U/S to see my baby. Sigh...OH, and every time a cute little pregnant lady came in for an appointment, I teared up.
Moving on...
Can anyone explain to me what Clomid might do to my temps? I got a big temp spike this morn after taking it last night. I went up from 96.80 to 97.33. Just wondering if it makes it go up a bit. Anyways...the road goes on...
The sad part was that I was SO depressed at the OB's office. They had me take a pregnancy test to rule out that I was pregnant before they did the U/S. Well, I knew I was not pregnant, because they perform the HSG while you are on AF, but of course I had that glimmer of hope. I kept thinking how badly I wanted to BE THERE to confirm I was pregnant and start that wonderful journey. Then when they did the actual U/S I kept thinking that SOMEDAY I would be there for an U/S to see my baby. Sigh...OH, and every time a cute little pregnant lady came in for an appointment, I teared up.
Moving on...
Can anyone explain to me what Clomid might do to my temps? I got a big temp spike this morn after taking it last night. I went up from 96.80 to 97.33. Just wondering if it makes it go up a bit. Anyways...the road goes on...
September 5, 2010
Second Opinion
I had my first appointment with my new RE on Thursday. I think it would the understatement of the year to say that I felt overwhelmed. I spoke with both a younger doctor and the doctor I made the appointment with. They were very thorough and explained things to be very well. However, I still feel uncomfortable.
In all honesty, I don't think my apprehension has anything to do with doctors anymore - I think I'm just sick of dealing with this and sick of how it is consuming me. Oh, and I'm also sick of being a human pincushion. I believe I have been poked and prodded more this year than the Pillsbury Dough Boy himself.
However, unlike Poppin' Fresh, I don't enjoy it as much (and I don't giggle when it happens , its more along the lines of "I can't look at the blood you are about to draw because I will cover the walls of this place with vomit and then pass out.").
So without further adieu, here are the tests that will be run on Mr. SB and I - in list form because even though I'm not a Type A, I feel as though lists give me a handle on the chaos that is my infertility.
1. Seman Anaylsis
I questioned this one because hey, I'm able to get knocked up so why do we need this? They explained that sometimes an abnormal sperm will fertilize the egg and because of the abnormality, it will result in a miscarriage. They will take Mr. SB's sperm and do what they call a swim up (I laughed out loud at the name of this...Hi, I'm apparently 13). If some are abnormal, they will take the normal ones and do an IUI with me.
2. Glucose Intolerance Test
Because of my PCOS, they want to test my insulin levels beyond a simple blood test. Apparently my blood tests were on the higher side of normal (ummm did I mention that no one told me this?!), so they want to take it a step further. I'm excited because I get to drink that big sugar drink (I'm a sugar fanatic. Fun Dip is my BFF).
3. A round of antibiotics after my period
In case there in an infection, this will clear it up. Therefore, eliminating this possibility.
4. Estradiol, FSH and a Transvaginal Ultrasound on day 3 of my cycle.
Shockingly enough (please note sarcasm), my old OB did not test me for these on the correct day of my cycle, so they will need to be done again.
5. HSG
This was questioned as well because again, I'm able to get pregnant. The doctor told me that maybe only one tube would be open. I'm still wondering if I want to do this or not.
So this is where we go from here. During the appointment, it crossed my mind that hey, maybe this guy is preying on my infertility. So because I am never the one to sit out the sidelines (or shut my mouth), I called him out. Probably not the best thing to do since this will be the guy that will be poking me with needles, but I've never been the quiet, shrinking violet and I wasn't going to start now.
And what he said made sense. He said that I came to him to get answers, and he wants to test me for everything he thinks could possibly give me those answers. I accept this explanation.
So, if all comes back well, we start back on Clomid with Progesterone supplements and baby aspirin. This also satisfies me, as I have been pushing for the progesterone supplements with my old RE after M/C #3. Further down the line, if things still aren't working out, they will do IVF with hand-selecting the embryos.
I'm happy to have another plan of action, but still in the back of my mind I'm wondering if I am being taken advantage of. I'm opening the floor to your opinions. Let me know if you think this guy is being thorough, or just trying to get more money from my insurance company.
In all honesty, I don't think my apprehension has anything to do with doctors anymore - I think I'm just sick of dealing with this and sick of how it is consuming me. Oh, and I'm also sick of being a human pincushion. I believe I have been poked and prodded more this year than the Pillsbury Dough Boy himself.
However, unlike Poppin' Fresh, I don't enjoy it as much (and I don't giggle when it happens , its more along the lines of "I can't look at the blood you are about to draw because I will cover the walls of this place with vomit and then pass out.").
So without further adieu, here are the tests that will be run on Mr. SB and I - in list form because even though I'm not a Type A, I feel as though lists give me a handle on the chaos that is my infertility.
1. Seman Anaylsis
I questioned this one because hey, I'm able to get knocked up so why do we need this? They explained that sometimes an abnormal sperm will fertilize the egg and because of the abnormality, it will result in a miscarriage. They will take Mr. SB's sperm and do what they call a swim up (I laughed out loud at the name of this...Hi, I'm apparently 13). If some are abnormal, they will take the normal ones and do an IUI with me.
2. Glucose Intolerance Test
Because of my PCOS, they want to test my insulin levels beyond a simple blood test. Apparently my blood tests were on the higher side of normal (ummm did I mention that no one told me this?!), so they want to take it a step further. I'm excited because I get to drink that big sugar drink (I'm a sugar fanatic. Fun Dip is my BFF).
3. A round of antibiotics after my period
In case there in an infection, this will clear it up. Therefore, eliminating this possibility.
4. Estradiol, FSH and a Transvaginal Ultrasound on day 3 of my cycle.
Shockingly enough (please note sarcasm), my old OB did not test me for these on the correct day of my cycle, so they will need to be done again.
5. HSG
This was questioned as well because again, I'm able to get pregnant. The doctor told me that maybe only one tube would be open. I'm still wondering if I want to do this or not.
So this is where we go from here. During the appointment, it crossed my mind that hey, maybe this guy is preying on my infertility. So because I am never the one to sit out the sidelines (or shut my mouth), I called him out. Probably not the best thing to do since this will be the guy that will be poking me with needles, but I've never been the quiet, shrinking violet and I wasn't going to start now.
And what he said made sense. He said that I came to him to get answers, and he wants to test me for everything he thinks could possibly give me those answers. I accept this explanation.
So, if all comes back well, we start back on Clomid with Progesterone supplements and baby aspirin. This also satisfies me, as I have been pushing for the progesterone supplements with my old RE after M/C #3. Further down the line, if things still aren't working out, they will do IVF with hand-selecting the embryos.
I'm happy to have another plan of action, but still in the back of my mind I'm wondering if I am being taken advantage of. I'm opening the floor to your opinions. Let me know if you think this guy is being thorough, or just trying to get more money from my insurance company.
April 5, 2010
HSG
I had my HSG done today. My gyn referred me to a RE, which is where I had the procedure done.
They had me go in and lay on a table underneath an xray machine. First, she put in the speculum and cleaned off my cervix. This part was only mildly uncomfortable- maybe a little worse than a pap. Next they inserted the catheter. This part was painful, but bearable. The worst came when she inserted the balloon with the dye. The balloon stretches your uterus and causes very painful cramps. The dye seemed to increase the cramping. The nurse put pressure on my abdomen and that helped a tiny bit.
The whole procedure took 5-10 minutes. While it was extremely painful, it was bearable and quick, so not all that bad. They gave me a pad to wear until the dye all comes out and an Rx for an antibiotic.
The great news is the results were all clear. The doctor said my uterus and tubes were "beautiful" and she said Clomid should be a good course of treatment for us.
Next up- S/A.
April 2, 2010
Quick Update
AF showed up. I'm not sure that I even O'd at all last cycle, but time to move on.
HSG is scheduled for Monday. I'm somewhat nervous about the pain aspect but hopefully it will be quick and I can get it over with.
S/A is on hold right now due to a personal issue Mr. Sassy Bud is having but we'll get it done soon enough.
I'll update after the procedure with the good, bad & ugly of the HSG.
March 27, 2010
STILL no O
CD33 and I still haven't ovulated.
I guess this puts me back in the long-cycle club. I have been teased by a few small temp rises, only to be let down the next morning when it drops again. This is really hindering my progress with my TTC plan, since I have to wait until CD1 to schedule my HSG. As I mentioned in my previous entry, Mr. Sassy Bud is also waiting to do his S/A until then. I like to call this TTC limbo.
Yep that's me. Somewhere between TTC heaven and hell.
I sit and hope for a BFP to end this craziness but I also am trying to be realistic to avoid the roller-coaster of emotions when AF comes. And she does. Every month.
Non-TTC life is good. Once this school term and tax season are over, I'm going to visit my sister and nieces and nephew in Texas. We are also celebrating our anniversary and Mr. Sassy Bud's birthday by taking a trip to Atlantic City and New York City. I have never been to either place so I am very excited to be able to go. I am also going to visit one of my "nestie besties" while I am there, so that is something great to look forward to.
Until then, I wait, and wait, and wait.
March 16, 2010
A non-update
CD22 and no O yet.
I took some Motrin about a week ago. I had a migrane and I was far from home and desperate during my moot court competition. It looks like that may have delayed O for me this cycle.
I cannot call to schedule my HSG until CD1, so I am in TTC limbo at the moment. We are waiting to schedule Mr. Sassy Bud's S/A until CD1 also. On the off chance I were to get PG this cycle, I don't want to waste $150 on an uneccessary test.
Last night Mr. Sassy Bud and I watched this movie:
If you haven't seen it, I would definitely recommend watching it. While the views were slanted (as most documetaries are), it still gave us a lot to think about as far as what we want to happen at the birth of our (imaginary) child.
Hopefully my next update will be a 2ww!
March 8, 2010
Progress
I went to my gynecologist appointment last week. I was a little early for my annual but the doctor was still able to sit down with me and discuss our next steps.
I was very happy with her response. Her recommendations were exactly what I was looking for. She wrote me referrals to get an HSG, and for Mr. Sassy Bud to get a S/A. I'm not looking to be medicated at this point, so I am glad that she didn't want to go that route. I think that it is more important to make sure everything is working properly before moving on to any other steps. I have to call on CD1 to schedule my HSG, and Mr. Sassy Bud will schedule his testing then also.
In non-TTC news, I participated in a Moot Court competition this past weekend. My partner and I made it to one of the final rounds out of all 4 campuses. Our only loss was to the team that is going to the finals. It was a very exciting weekend, and it definitely kept my mind off of all things TTC.
I should be O-ing in the next few days, so I can begin my 2ww (or for me, 9-day wait) obsessing!
I was very happy with her response. Her recommendations were exactly what I was looking for. She wrote me referrals to get an HSG, and for Mr. Sassy Bud to get a S/A. I'm not looking to be medicated at this point, so I am glad that she didn't want to go that route. I think that it is more important to make sure everything is working properly before moving on to any other steps. I have to call on CD1 to schedule my HSG, and Mr. Sassy Bud will schedule his testing then also.
In non-TTC news, I participated in a Moot Court competition this past weekend. My partner and I made it to one of the final rounds out of all 4 campuses. Our only loss was to the team that is going to the finals. It was a very exciting weekend, and it definitely kept my mind off of all things TTC.
I should be O-ing in the next few days, so I can begin my 2ww (or for me, 9-day wait) obsessing!
December 24, 2009
HSG.. Check!
Let me start off by saying I was scared to death this was going to hurt!! I have had my hemorrhoids removed and whoever has been through that knows that anesthesia needle is nothing to play with and I kept thinking it was going to be the same pain. A lot of the girls on a local board told me their experience and it kind of relived me.
Everything went super smooth and it did not hurt one bit, except a little cramping once the dye started to fill up my cervix. The doctor was AMAZING as he told me everything he was doing step by step and what he thought as each section filled up with dye. There were two tv panels on the side that I was able to see my cervix and ovaries fill up with the dye.
I do think that it helped that I took 800mg of Motrin (ibuprofen) 2 hours before and continued to take them for 2 days.
They gave me a picture to bring home to show Mr. Bud and he was so amazed.
Next step is progesterone blood work on Monday and my LAST test on Thursday. Keep you updated!!
Have a Merry Christmas!!
December 14, 2009
Blood Work and U/S... Check!
AF showed up right on schedule, Wednesday 28 days after the m/c started. So I called to start scheduling my appointments.
Here is a recap of our plan found in this Post:
Friday I had my first appointment which was my 2-3 days after AF showed to have my Pelvic u/s. The tech told me everything looked great, and had blood drawn.
Saturday Morning Mr. Bud and I went to have our blood work drawn for all types of genetic, chromosomes and other testings. I had to fast since 12 midnight and was kind of nervous on how much blood they were going to take out. Everywhere I read its says up to 30 vials of blood... Holy cr@p!!!
Here is a pic of all the stickers for each Vial...
a total of 17 (the Internet is a scary place).
The phlebotomist made a comment that made me wonder is this what is causing my m/c's. She first asked me if I am trying or am planning on getting pregnant, then I told her that we are starting to test because of multiple losses. After I was done she told me that my blood is very thin/watery, and hopefully I should have some answers. What does that mean?!?!? She really did not want to get into detail but that made my head spin... Off to the wonderful world of Google.
My Next step is once AF finishes schedule the HSG, most likely sometime next week.
Here is a recap of our plan found in this Post:
- I need to fast and then draw blood for RPL (Recurrent Pregnancy Loss...)
- Mr. Bud Draws blood (genetic testing)
- Wait for AF ( I have never been so anxious for her little butt to show up)
- Day 2-3 after AF - Hormone u/s (Pelvic u/s)
- After AF & Before Ovulation - HSG (X-Ray to evaluate the Uterine cavity, cervical canal, and tubal patency).
- Ovulation - use OPK and once + call doctors to schedule:
- Progesterone blood Test (To determine P4 blood level after ovulation) 7-10 days after + opk
- Endometrial Biopsy (A small piece of the tissue lining of the uterus is removed for evaluation) 11-13 days after +opk
Friday I had my first appointment which was my 2-3 days after AF showed to have my Pelvic u/s. The tech told me everything looked great, and had blood drawn.
Saturday Morning Mr. Bud and I went to have our blood work drawn for all types of genetic, chromosomes and other testings. I had to fast since 12 midnight and was kind of nervous on how much blood they were going to take out. Everywhere I read its says up to 30 vials of blood... Holy cr@p!!!
Here is a pic of all the stickers for each Vial...
a total of 17 (the Internet is a scary place).
The phlebotomist made a comment that made me wonder is this what is causing my m/c's. She first asked me if I am trying or am planning on getting pregnant, then I told her that we are starting to test because of multiple losses. After I was done she told me that my blood is very thin/watery, and hopefully I should have some answers. What does that mean?!?!? She really did not want to get into detail but that made my head spin... Off to the wonderful world of Google.
My Next step is once AF finishes schedule the HSG, most likely sometime next week.
November 23, 2009
A Plan in a bag
Is what I told the nurse when I walked out of my appointment this morning with my welcome kit and all my information after meeting with the RE.
The apt went great, the doctor is extremely knowledgeable, understanding and explained anything and everything and assured me that even after having multiple m/c 's we can have a healthy full term pregnancy.
The doctor did my exam and noticed that I was still spotting so she wanted to run my beta levels again to make sure that they were at 0 before any other blood work.
After leaving the appointment for the first time after this m/c I started to see things different and am anxious to start testing. At first I was kind of scared and just wanted to stop trying, but that is not going to solve whatever problem we might have. I hope we have some answers and are able to start trying in the New year.
So Here is our plan... Hopefully I can keep track
The apt went great, the doctor is extremely knowledgeable, understanding and explained anything and everything and assured me that even after having multiple m/c 's we can have a healthy full term pregnancy.
The doctor did my exam and noticed that I was still spotting so she wanted to run my beta levels again to make sure that they were at 0 before any other blood work.
After leaving the appointment for the first time after this m/c I started to see things different and am anxious to start testing. At first I was kind of scared and just wanted to stop trying, but that is not going to solve whatever problem we might have. I hope we have some answers and are able to start trying in the New year.
So Here is our plan... Hopefully I can keep track
- I need to fast and then draw blood for RPL (Recurrent Pregnancy Loss... I have heard that they take around 32 vials of blood.. Holy Moly!!)
- Mr. Bud Draws blood (genetic testing)
- Wait for AF ( I have never been so anxious for her little butt to show up)
- Day 2-3 after AF - Hormone u/s (Pelvic u/s)
- After AF & Before Ovulation - HSG (X-Ray to evaluate the Uterine cavity, cervical canal, and tubal patency).
- Ovulation - use OPK and once + call doctors to schedule:
- Progesterone blood Test (To determine P4 blood level after ovulation) 7-10 days after + opk
- Endometrial Biopsy (A small piece of the tissue lining of the uterus is removed for evaluation) 11-13 days after +opk
November 19, 2009
And now we wait...
Yesterday was a big day - I had my HSG & Mr. Worry Bud dropped off his "sample" for the SA. Those were the final two big tests that we have to go thru. We need some additional routine b/w done as well & will probably get that done tomorrow on our day off. I will be sooo happy when we get thru with all this testing & *hopefully* find that there is nothing wrong with either of us! As I have mentioned before, we will go in for the followup consultation with the RE on December 18th & we will discuss next steps with him. Although, I think we are pretty firm in our decision to continue to try on our own for a few months if the test results raise no concerns. Especially if this cycle's LP is as long or longer than last cycle's.
Results:
My HSG was relatively uneventful. I took 4 ibuprofen about an hour beforehand & then drove in for the test. The HSG itself was very quick - took less than 5 minutes total! I had slight cramping while the dye was going thru my uterus & tubes, but it was fine once it stopped. I also had slight discharge of the dye for a few hours after the procedure, so I just wore a panty liner the rest of the day yesterday & it was all good. This morning, I am having slight cramping, but nothing unbearable. The Dr. said that I got the "fastest HSG of the day" award because the dye went straight thru my tubes quickly & he also said everything looked "textbook normal" - my uterus was the normal triangular shape & my tube were nice & straight & clear.
Photo Credit
Results:
My HSG was relatively uneventful. I took 4 ibuprofen about an hour beforehand & then drove in for the test. The HSG itself was very quick - took less than 5 minutes total! I had slight cramping while the dye was going thru my uterus & tubes, but it was fine once it stopped. I also had slight discharge of the dye for a few hours after the procedure, so I just wore a panty liner the rest of the day yesterday & it was all good. This morning, I am having slight cramping, but nothing unbearable. The Dr. said that I got the "fastest HSG of the day" award because the dye went straight thru my tubes quickly & he also said everything looked "textbook normal" - my uterus was the normal triangular shape & my tube were nice & straight & clear.
Photo CreditIt was huge sigh of relief for us that basically everything looks fine as far as my testing goes!! Mr. WB's SA results will take 3-5 business days, so I will be anxiously awaiting those. But, I bet everything will be just fine & we really didn't have anything to worry about at all (which is what he said all along)! I really think I talked about it a bit in a previous post, but I feel like the fact that my LP lengthened was a sign from God to just continue trying on our own & we will get PG eventually (hopefully sooner rather than later), so I am pretty comfortable with waiting on his timing at this point if all of our test results come back normal.
In the mean time, I am just getting ready for Thanksgiving (Mr. WB's family is coming up from about 4 hours away & we are hosting our first married Thanksgiving at our home), and also focusing on finishing up our Master Bath renovation project - which has been quite the challenge! Hopefully I will O in the near future here & we can start trying for our Christmas baby! Thanks for all the kind words & well wishes - they keep my spirits up!
In the mean time, I am just getting ready for Thanksgiving (Mr. WB's family is coming up from about 4 hours away & we are hosting our first married Thanksgiving at our home), and also focusing on finishing up our Master Bath renovation project - which has been quite the challenge! Hopefully I will O in the near future here & we can start trying for our Christmas baby! Thanks for all the kind words & well wishes - they keep my spirits up!
November 12, 2009
Do you want the good news or bad news first?
No preference? Okay, I'll go with the bad news first:
I'm on to cycle #6 - cramps, bleeding & all of AF's other ::insert sarcasm here:: wonderful side effects are in full effect. I can honestly say that I NEVER thought it would take this long to get pregnant. I thought maybe 4-5 months at the most...I was truly naive. And due to my STUPID LP, this whole process has been prolonged. Now I know those of you reading this, who have been trying for way longer than we have, are thinking that I need to calm down - just take look at my charts...my LP (esp. for cycles 2-4) is bad - I mean really horrible. I mean maybe I do need to calm down, but I am a worry wart - hence my name. :o) But seriously, everyone has a different TTC journey, for some it is a long, difficult one...for others, it's fairly simple - and IMO I am out of the simple category, but not quite in the difficult category, so I am not completely sure where I fit in.
My temps also plummeted this morning. And with that, I am on to cycle #6. Hopefully THIS will be our cycle?! The 9 day LP this past cycle has me really excited that maybe my body really will fix itself & that I don't need medical intervention just yet. You see, I, Worry Bud, am a firm believer that God sends us signs all the time. I have been praying for his guidance in our choice to pursue fertility treatment at this point & I feel like maybe my 9 day LP (up from 3!!!) is a sign that I need to take a step back, maybe see how the next couple of months go & then pursue other treatment avenues with my RE. I mean from 3 to 9 days is a huge difference & I truly believe it happened by God's grace.
So now for the good news - which I already mentioned: 9 day LP. Woot! That is such a miracle to me that I can't even be THAT upset about not getting pg this cycle. I mean, don't get me wrong, I really wish that I did get a BFP, but I didn't & I think that means I just need to go thru the fertility testing & find out the results. As I mentioned above, although I do believe my lengthened LP is a sign from God, I also think that I NEED to have this testing done for my peace of mind.
Mr. WB & I have had a long discussion about this and we have decided that we will go through with all the testing, which includes:
If the testing reveals that there is a problem with either of us, then we will talk it out with our RE & see what he suggests to move forward. Like I told Mr. WB - I'd rather go thru all the testing now & find out nothing is wrong, than not go thru it later & find out something was wrong all along. Of course, I am hoping in the mean time to get pg on our own, but we shall see how everything goes. If it was simply my LP preventing us from getting pg before & it's lengthening on it's own, then perhaps we can get pg on our own too?!?! So many important decisions...I can only hope we are making the best one for us & our future children.
I'm on to cycle #6 - cramps, bleeding & all of AF's other ::insert sarcasm here:: wonderful side effects are in full effect. I can honestly say that I NEVER thought it would take this long to get pregnant. I thought maybe 4-5 months at the most...I was truly naive. And due to my STUPID LP, this whole process has been prolonged. Now I know those of you reading this, who have been trying for way longer than we have, are thinking that I need to calm down - just take look at my charts...my LP (esp. for cycles 2-4) is bad - I mean really horrible. I mean maybe I do need to calm down, but I am a worry wart - hence my name. :o) But seriously, everyone has a different TTC journey, for some it is a long, difficult one...for others, it's fairly simple - and IMO I am out of the simple category, but not quite in the difficult category, so I am not completely sure where I fit in.
My temps also plummeted this morning. And with that, I am on to cycle #6. Hopefully THIS will be our cycle?! The 9 day LP this past cycle has me really excited that maybe my body really will fix itself & that I don't need medical intervention just yet. You see, I, Worry Bud, am a firm believer that God sends us signs all the time. I have been praying for his guidance in our choice to pursue fertility treatment at this point & I feel like maybe my 9 day LP (up from 3!!!) is a sign that I need to take a step back, maybe see how the next couple of months go & then pursue other treatment avenues with my RE. I mean from 3 to 9 days is a huge difference & I truly believe it happened by God's grace.
So now for the good news - which I already mentioned: 9 day LP. Woot! That is such a miracle to me that I can't even be THAT upset about not getting pg this cycle. I mean, don't get me wrong, I really wish that I did get a BFP, but I didn't & I think that means I just need to go thru the fertility testing & find out the results. As I mentioned above, although I do believe my lengthened LP is a sign from God, I also think that I NEED to have this testing done for my peace of mind.
Mr. WB & I have had a long discussion about this and we have decided that we will go through with all the testing, which includes:
- Routine STD testing for both of us
- CD 2-4 testing of hormone leveles (Estrogen, FSH, LH, etc.) plus a vaginal u/s to check out my uterine lining & ovaries
- An HSG between CDs 5-10
- An SA for DH
If the testing reveals that there is a problem with either of us, then we will talk it out with our RE & see what he suggests to move forward. Like I told Mr. WB - I'd rather go thru all the testing now & find out nothing is wrong, than not go thru it later & find out something was wrong all along. Of course, I am hoping in the mean time to get pg on our own, but we shall see how everything goes. If it was simply my LP preventing us from getting pg before & it's lengthening on it's own, then perhaps we can get pg on our own too?!?! So many important decisions...I can only hope we are making the best one for us & our future children.
October 17, 2009
A new bud...
Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.
::stands up on podium::
Hi, my name is Mrs. Love Bud and I struggle with Infertility.
Mr. Love Bud and I have been together for almost 6 years. About a year in to our relationship we decided to forgo using any kind of contraceptive. Brave, huh?! While we weren’t TTC at the time we obviously weren’t really TTA either. My potentially getting pregnant was kind of an unspoken thing and if it had happened we would have been okay with it.
Fast forward to about a month after we got married(12/07)…..
Introducing, TOTAL MELT DOWN on my part.
It seemed like the whole 3 years prior, my never getting pregnant all started to make sense and it wasn’t good. I just KNEW deep down that there was something wrong. Mr. Love Bud and I had a very intense conversation that day. We agreed to wait 6 months before “actively” trying.
Fast forward again to May 2008, we started to BD like crazy around about the time of the month I thought I was O’ing. I made an appointment with an OB and I visited her in June 2008. After visiting with my OB in June (pre-pregnancy consult) who told me to try for about 6 months if not come back for further testing etc, in July I had a CP. After that, I started having lots of problems cycles lasting 1-2 months, pains in my ovaries and lots of other uncomfortable things. At my June appt. my doctor had brought up PCOS as a possibility but decided to go the natural route for at least 6 months before running any tests. In December 2008 my insurance was changed at work and I could no longer see my OB. So I searched for a new doctor and had to wait 2 months for an appointment on February 27, 2009. In visiting the new doctor she ran all kinds of uncomfortable tests after I explained everything that had been going on. A month later I went back in for the results and on March 27, 2009 I was formally diagnosed with PCOS. Thankfully, I had no other issues. PCOS can cause diabetes and I was extremely nervous about that. My doctor's remedy....lose weight (50lbs to be exact) and come back in 6 months. Deep down, at that moment, I wanted to cry. I walked out of the doctor's office with my game face on and a sense of determination but the reality was that I was even more discouraged than I was before I went in. About a week later it really started to sink in how "not okay" I was with all of this. I couldn't help but think to myself "big girls have babies all the time". The reality is that other than being over-weight there is nothing else wrong with me. I didn't mind watching what I ate so no further problems arose and attempting to lose a few pounds but, I did not want it to be a pre-requisite for having a baby. The reality is, even if I lost the weight before hand she could not guarantee me that it would help. So after going back and forth, crying lots and lots of tears and having my heart literally hurt 24 hours a day over the fact this is so difficult, when for others it's SO easy, I decided to go see another doctor. I also found lots of encouragement from girls on message boards in similar situations and this site which basically stated if a doctor tells you to lose weight and come back....get a second opinion.
So that’s what I did. I made an appointment with the only RE covered under my insurance. This, of course, is over an hour from my house. Awesome.
My new doctor is amazing. She said that although doctor's will always say losing weight helps that is not an issue and we need to move past that to find a solution :) I was very happy to hear that. After the initial consult I went through a long list of testing that they do with all their new TTC patients. The testing entailed giving about 30 vials of blood….and NO I’m not exaggerating. Even the nurse couldn’t believe it. Mr. Love Bud had an SA done. The result came back good :) He was above average in all areas except morphology but since his #’s were so high in other areas she said it balanced out and there was no need for concern.
I also had an HSG done to rule out any other issues. Normally this test is done after failed cycles but my RE wanted to do it from the get go.
Here is some information on the HSG since a lot of people do not know what it is:
A hysterosalpingogram (HSG) is an X-ray test that looks at the inside of the uterus and fallopian tubes and the area around them. It often is done for women who are having a hard time becoming pregnant (infertile). During a hysterosalpingogram, a dye (contrast material) is put through a thin tube that is put through the vagina and into the uterus. Because the uterus and the fallopian tubes are hooked together, the dye will flow into the fallopian tubes. Pictures are taken using a steady beam of X-ray (fluoroscopy) as the dye passes through the uterus and fallopian tubes. The pictures can show problems such as an injury or abnormal structure of the uterus or fallopian tubes, or a blockage that would prevent an egg moving through a fallopian tube to the uterus. A blockage also could prevent sperm from moving into a fallopian tube and joining (fertilizing) an egg. A hysterosalpingogram also may find problems on the inside of the uterus that prevent a fertilized egg from attaching (implanting) to the uterine wall. Source
The HSG sucked. If you’ve never had one, be thankful.
In the end all the test came back great. I was very relieved since I was sick to my stomach with worry the whole 2 weeks before the follow-up appt. The RE met with us and we decided on a plan. We were going straight to IUI and we were going to do it with a “mini stim” combination of oral and injectable meds.
We were pumped!
Apparently, my ovaries…..not so much.
My IUI cycle was cancelled not once but twice due to this monster cyst on my right ovary. So August and September were a bust. To top it off, I had to take BCP again for the first time in almost 5 years. I mean really, how much more counter productive can you get?!
This has gotten really long and high 5 to you for making it this far if you have! I promise, I’m almost done!
This past Tuesday, CD 3, I went back in for another u/s and I was sure they were going to tell me the cyst was still there. Well….I was wrong J I guess third time is a charm because all was well with the ovaries and they sent me home with meds, Rx’s and a schedule for this month. It’s a pretty incredible feeling to know that it may FINALLY be a possibility.
So that’s how we got to today. There will be more information on our schedule in a new post. I hope you will continue to follow our journey to getting our own Little Love Bud.
October 10, 2009
My HSG and advice
I had my HSG (Hysterosalpingogram) yesterday! All went well - really well, in fact.
All I know at this point, is that my tubes are clear. Once again, great news. I will get full results in a few days. The tech that performed the HSG is not comfortable giving her opinion or thoughts. Therefore my RE will call with the full results after the radiology tech gives his/her findings.
I was disappointed; during the procedure I was unable to watch it happen in real time. Oh well!
For me, the HSG was really a breeze. I usually have very little cramping when AF shows up, so I was hopefully that I wouldn't have any cramping and I didn't. I know I am very fortunate to NOT experience any cramping or discomfort.
It started with a plastic speculum being used and then a balloon was inserted and expanded (I never felt it). Then a wash of the cervix was done 3 times (they do this to greatly reduce the possibility of infection). I felt nothing other than cold and wet.
There were times that I could feel the dye being inserted but that was it. I did have to move/roll onto my right side and then left side so the dye could flow in the appropriate tube. The most discomfort that I felt was during the removal of the balloon, which is used to hold the cervix open and then to block the dye from leaking during the xray's. The balloon was a little stuck and had to be coaxed out.
A few things you might want to know - the dye is clear and super sticky. Oh and don't expect your body to look exactly like the textbooks because my uterus is very tilted or should I say, offset to the left. If I only had a picture. I was shocked, to be honest!
Also, bring your own pads (no tampons) as you will have leakage. Also, it was suggested that I take 800 mg of ibuprofen an hour before the procedure, to reduce cramping. I did and I was fine.
Keep in mind that for 24 hours after the procedure you can't use a tampon, a hot tub or take a bath. A shower is perfectly fine but you just can't sit in water. Also, expect a little cramping and minor bleeding or discharge. That is all normal and to be expected. Anything more than that, you need to call your doctor about.
That's it! Easy for me but not for all! Good luck to those the need an HSG, be calm and just try to enjoy the process and how your body works. It IS fascinating.
Until next time!
Sunshine Bud
All I know at this point, is that my tubes are clear. Once again, great news. I will get full results in a few days. The tech that performed the HSG is not comfortable giving her opinion or thoughts. Therefore my RE will call with the full results after the radiology tech gives his/her findings.
I was disappointed; during the procedure I was unable to watch it happen in real time. Oh well!
For me, the HSG was really a breeze. I usually have very little cramping when AF shows up, so I was hopefully that I wouldn't have any cramping and I didn't. I know I am very fortunate to NOT experience any cramping or discomfort.
It started with a plastic speculum being used and then a balloon was inserted and expanded (I never felt it). Then a wash of the cervix was done 3 times (they do this to greatly reduce the possibility of infection). I felt nothing other than cold and wet.
There were times that I could feel the dye being inserted but that was it. I did have to move/roll onto my right side and then left side so the dye could flow in the appropriate tube. The most discomfort that I felt was during the removal of the balloon, which is used to hold the cervix open and then to block the dye from leaking during the xray's. The balloon was a little stuck and had to be coaxed out.
A few things you might want to know - the dye is clear and super sticky. Oh and don't expect your body to look exactly like the textbooks because my uterus is very tilted or should I say, offset to the left. If I only had a picture. I was shocked, to be honest!
Also, bring your own pads (no tampons) as you will have leakage. Also, it was suggested that I take 800 mg of ibuprofen an hour before the procedure, to reduce cramping. I did and I was fine.
Keep in mind that for 24 hours after the procedure you can't use a tampon, a hot tub or take a bath. A shower is perfectly fine but you just can't sit in water. Also, expect a little cramping and minor bleeding or discharge. That is all normal and to be expected. Anything more than that, you need to call your doctor about.
That's it! Easy for me but not for all! Good luck to those the need an HSG, be calm and just try to enjoy the process and how your body works. It IS fascinating.
Until next time!
Sunshine Bud
October 6, 2009
I'm not going to lie...
that hurt. So I had an HSG on Friday. I'm a baby. I'm a wimp. I get panic attacks. I obsess. I always think I am dying. Geez, I'm going to have problems when I DO get pregnant. Eek.
A couple of my friends had an HSG done and they said, "Don't worry. It doesn't hurt that bad. Its just very uncomfortable." I thought no big deal. I can handle this. I handled cryotherapy I can handle this. Umm No.
It hurt. Yes it hurt for maybe 1 minute. HAHAHA. Just 1 minute. I'm such a baby.
Mr. OB went with me to my HSG. Its the least he could do. I went with him to an angiogram and a million and 1 CT scans. He went to the back and I changed and the nurse said, "Hold her hand. She is going to need it. Mrs. OB did you take any advil or motrin?" Umm NO! I totally forgot to. Crap. Oh well. It won't be that bad. I made some comment about how bad its going to hurt and the nurse said, "Mr. OB be sure to hold tight she might squeeze. You have no idea what us women go through." I looked at Mr. OB and said, "Man he can't complain though. He knows what pain is. He had a crantonamy ."
Mr. OB - 1
Mrs. OB - 0
I definitely wasn't going to get any sympathy out of Mr. OB. He had this done. Granted he was on morphine. I was on nothing. I should have drank before hand. That would have calmed me down. I kid, I kid.
Funny part of my story. I get super nervous and I asked this, "Can you die from this?" The doctor, nurse, and Mr. OB crack up laughing. I was serious. Can you?
Answer. No.
Mr. Ob, Doctor, Nurse - 2
Mrs. Ob - 0
So the doctor puts in the speculum, I scream. I don't know why. It felt just like an annual pap smear. Like I said, I'm a baby. He inserts the catheter and the balloon of dye and I proclaim to the world my thoughts.
Mrs. OB : Oh My. TAKE IT OUT. TAKE IT OUT NOW. I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE. SERIOUSLY. TAKE IT OUT! UGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!"
Dr. : Look, Look, Look. Look at the screen. Look the dye, it is already flowing out of your left tube. There it goes out of your right tube. You are good. Normal
Mrs. OB: Oh man this is so awesome. That's me?!? (I'm totally oblivious to the fact that I was just screaming murder.) So cool.
Dr.: I'm taking it out now. You might have some more cramping. Okay its out.
Mrs. OB: Is it okay if I run a 5K tomorrow? I'm not in any pain anymore. Its all gone. That was a rough painful minute but man all the pain is gone. No cramping.
Yes everyone, I asked if I could run a 5K the next morning. I was fine. The test really wasn't THAT bad. Yes it hurt but it literally hurt for only a minute, if that. It was really neat that I could see my body in action and I would do it again.
Moral of the story take advil or motrin before.
The nurse said if I had my uterus wouldn't have cramped so bad. I don't want to scare anyone away from this procedure. It was awesome. It was neat and totally worth it. But I'm not going to lie. It hurt for one minute. (I'm also seeing egg white cervical mucus I have never seen before. Not just a little but like LOADS of it.) This test was definitely worth it.
A couple of my friends had an HSG done and they said, "Don't worry. It doesn't hurt that bad. Its just very uncomfortable." I thought no big deal. I can handle this. I handled cryotherapy I can handle this. Umm No.
It hurt. Yes it hurt for maybe 1 minute. HAHAHA. Just 1 minute. I'm such a baby.
Mr. OB went with me to my HSG. Its the least he could do. I went with him to an angiogram and a million and 1 CT scans. He went to the back and I changed and the nurse said, "Hold her hand. She is going to need it. Mrs. OB did you take any advil or motrin?" Umm NO! I totally forgot to. Crap. Oh well. It won't be that bad. I made some comment about how bad its going to hurt and the nurse said, "Mr. OB be sure to hold tight she might squeeze. You have no idea what us women go through." I looked at Mr. OB and said, "Man he can't complain though. He knows what pain is. He had a crantonamy ."
Mr. OB - 1
Mrs. OB - 0
I definitely wasn't going to get any sympathy out of Mr. OB. He had this done. Granted he was on morphine. I was on nothing. I should have drank before hand. That would have calmed me down. I kid, I kid.
Funny part of my story. I get super nervous and I asked this, "Can you die from this?" The doctor, nurse, and Mr. OB crack up laughing. I was serious. Can you?
Answer. No.
Mr. Ob, Doctor, Nurse - 2
Mrs. Ob - 0
So the doctor puts in the speculum, I scream. I don't know why. It felt just like an annual pap smear. Like I said, I'm a baby. He inserts the catheter and the balloon of dye and I proclaim to the world my thoughts.
Mrs. OB : Oh My. TAKE IT OUT. TAKE IT OUT NOW. I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE. SERIOUSLY. TAKE IT OUT! UGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!"
Dr. : Look, Look, Look. Look at the screen. Look the dye, it is already flowing out of your left tube. There it goes out of your right tube. You are good. Normal
Mrs. OB: Oh man this is so awesome. That's me?!? (I'm totally oblivious to the fact that I was just screaming murder.) So cool.
Dr.: I'm taking it out now. You might have some more cramping. Okay its out.
Mrs. OB: Is it okay if I run a 5K tomorrow? I'm not in any pain anymore. Its all gone. That was a rough painful minute but man all the pain is gone. No cramping.
Yes everyone, I asked if I could run a 5K the next morning. I was fine. The test really wasn't THAT bad. Yes it hurt but it literally hurt for only a minute, if that. It was really neat that I could see my body in action and I would do it again.
Moral of the story take advil or motrin before.
The nurse said if I had my uterus wouldn't have cramped so bad. I don't want to scare anyone away from this procedure. It was awesome. It was neat and totally worth it. But I'm not going to lie. It hurt for one minute. (I'm also seeing egg white cervical mucus I have never seen before. Not just a little but like LOADS of it.) This test was definitely worth it.
October 2, 2009
Taking the Emotional Leap
Mr. Sunshine Bud and I have put all we have, and then some, into making a baby. I've devoted months to charting, we've spent plenty of time BDing and we've experienced the emotionally draining ups (time to test again) and downs (it's negative, once again!). We have done absolutely everything we physically can, to conceive on our own. Emotionally, I was and yet, I wasn't, ready to get help. I have had to overcome this emotional hurdle, so we can begin seeking the help we now need. I had to realize, the sooner I begin seeking answers and possible treatment, the sooner we'd have the baby of our dreams.
Wednesday (9/30) was the day that I've known would come. We met with the RE to figure out what the issue may be and to take the next steps in the journey to conceive. I wanted to cry but NOW I'm fine. We have the beginning of a plan as I've outlined below.
The plan for me is: I will have blood work taken on day 3, which will test for FSH, Estradoil, AMH & LH. Then between days 1-5, I will have an ultrasound for the Basal Antral Follicle count. Finally, on day 6-12, I will have an HSG performed.
The plan for Mr. Sunshine is far easier. He will have his SA completed on Oct. 7th.
Since AF started late last night, I will call and set up my blood for CD3 today. This test will determine my ovarian reserve. This is done by measuring my "day 3 FSH". FSH or Follicle Stimulating Hormone is the all-important hormone that signals the ovary to release an egg. The fewer good eggs (and good follicles) left, the more FSH is released.
By measuring a baseline FSH on day 3, my doctor can get an indication of how close I might be to having fewer and less viable eggs. And THAT is just scary, but I'm over it.
The AMH or AntiMullerian Hormone is also used to determine ovarian reserve in older women (isn't that nice - they just called me old!). AMH levels reflect the number of follicles present in the ovaries and can estimate how close a woman is to menopause!!!
Well, that's all for this post. My next post will detail the ultrasound and HSG.
Until next time,
Sunshine Bud
Wednesday (9/30) was the day that I've known would come. We met with the RE to figure out what the issue may be and to take the next steps in the journey to conceive. I wanted to cry but NOW I'm fine. We have the beginning of a plan as I've outlined below.
The plan for me is: I will have blood work taken on day 3, which will test for FSH, Estradoil, AMH & LH. Then between days 1-5, I will have an ultrasound for the Basal Antral Follicle count. Finally, on day 6-12, I will have an HSG performed.
The plan for Mr. Sunshine is far easier. He will have his SA completed on Oct. 7th.
Since AF started late last night, I will call and set up my blood for CD3 today. This test will determine my ovarian reserve. This is done by measuring my "day 3 FSH". FSH or Follicle Stimulating Hormone is the all-important hormone that signals the ovary to release an egg. The fewer good eggs (and good follicles) left, the more FSH is released.
By measuring a baseline FSH on day 3, my doctor can get an indication of how close I might be to having fewer and less viable eggs. And THAT is just scary, but I'm over it.
The AMH or AntiMullerian Hormone is also used to determine ovarian reserve in older women (isn't that nice - they just called me old!). AMH levels reflect the number of follicles present in the ovaries and can estimate how close a woman is to menopause!!!
Well, that's all for this post. My next post will detail the ultrasound and HSG.
Until next time,
Sunshine Bud
September 16, 2009
The pieces are falling into place...
I just got back from my HSG (a hysterosalpingogram) test. I was really, really nervous about the procedure because I read such wildly different accounts about the pain associated with the test. I am a huge WIMP and I always seem to get myself worked up about things like this, but I was proud of how calm I was last night and this morning. Once I got in the room I was a little freaked out, but the nurses and doctor were great and talked me through everything. I took a lot of deep breaths and I'm happy to report that it didn't hurt at all! Some very mild discomfort but that's it. The best news is that my tubes were all clear. This is what it looked like on the monitor when they put the dye in:
Photo Credit Now I will meet with my doctor to go over everything and decide what the next move will be. From our last visit, I think she will switch me to femara (letrozole) and add in progesterone. I think I'm going to try to wait through next week before I make my appointment since I should ovulate this weekend, and if I make it to next weekend without any spotting there may be some hope for this cycle. I read that there is increased fertility after having an HSG, so that is exciting!
I did call the office manager this morning about the insurance stuff. She was very nice and basically said that what I came in to the office to discuss was infertility and that coding it another way would essentially be fraud. She said my insurance company could request my records and would see my charts and labs and know that I was in for infertility issues. I could push the issue, or find a new doctor, but I am ok with it. I decided yesterday that I needed to get a new attitude about TTC...I need to be less stressed, more go with the flow and trusting that there is a plan for us. Yes, it's a lot of money ($681 in the past three days!) but if this leads to a baby it will all be worth it.
This cartoon cracks me up because when Mr. CB and I were meeting with Dr. M she made a comment about fertility medicine being like voodoo...you just try different things until you find something that works.
Photo Credit
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