The HSG was normal. No blocked tubes and my uterus looked good. Of course, I won't see the official report until I work on Friday, but my doctor said everything looked good. It was not as painful as I remembered. I am having some cramping this afternoon, but nothing unbearable. I had an SHG (sonohysterogram) three days after my HSG last time, and I think that was the painful test. I don't have to do that one this time, so this should be it.
My test was scheduled for 10 AM, and I arrived at 9 AM for a lab. The lab was done by about 20 after, then I sat in an imaging waiting room. They called me back by about 9:50 AM, and I got changed. The tech told me then that my doctor was in surgery and we would have to wait (not a surprise for those of you who know my doctor - I won't name him here). I always have to wait for him, even for an office visit. Kind of frustrating! My test was performed at 10:45 AM and we were leaving by 11 AM. A long time to wait for such an uneventful test.
They let Ben watch the procedure from the control room and he could see the pictures on the screen in real time - he liked that. Oh, and for those who know the stories, my doctor still didn't seem to know me from all his other patients. So much fun!
Now I wait again. I will call my RE's office as soon as I get my period (or on CD 28 - Feb 17th - if I don't get it by then) to start my first stimulation cycle. I am very excited to get things going.
Hadley is sick - AGAIN. A cold or something...today is her third day with a fever. Poor girl. I probably won't take her to the doctor. I'm guessing there's nothing they can do for her anyway since it's most likely viral. Whatever it is, I think I am getting it - my throat hurts today and I am a little congested. I cannot wait for cold and flu season to be over!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Official Plans
Well, two dates have been set so far. My HSG is scheduled for Jan 30th at SCH w/my Ob/Gyn. That is my regular day to work, but I was able to switch that day with someone for Feb 1st. I was hoping they could get me in on my day off, but it was either the 30th or wait until next cycle. That made it an easy decision.
I called my RE's office to see how to set up my cycle next month. I figured that just because I got it this time doesn't mean I will have another period on my own in exactly a month. I've never done that in the past. I've always been prescribed birth control pills or provera during previous down cycles.
The nurse said they would give me until Feb 17th (28 days) to get my period on my own. If nothing happens by then, they will check my progesterone level to see if I ovulated (and do a pregnancy test just in case). If it looks like I ovulated they would wait for me to get my period on my own, and if not, they would give me 7 days of provera to induce a cycle. I would like for it to be more predictable, but at least I have a concrete date on which to focus.
I called my RE's office to see how to set up my cycle next month. I figured that just because I got it this time doesn't mean I will have another period on my own in exactly a month. I've never done that in the past. I've always been prescribed birth control pills or provera during previous down cycles.
The nurse said they would give me until Feb 17th (28 days) to get my period on my own. If nothing happens by then, they will check my progesterone level to see if I ovulated (and do a pregnancy test just in case). If it looks like I ovulated they would wait for me to get my period on my own, and if not, they would give me 7 days of provera to induce a cycle. I would like for it to be more predictable, but at least I have a concrete date on which to focus.
Monday, January 21, 2008
It ACTUALLY Happened!
Can you believe I actually got my period on my own today?! That hasn't happened since 1998. I NEVER thought it would happen that way. I was just saying how hard it is to predict any part of this process - this is a perfect example!
I am cycling a full 18 days earlier than if I had waited the entire 8 weeks and then induced it. It isn't often in the journey of infertility that something goes easier than you expect. It's almost always the opposite. I am excited to know that no matter where this process takes me, I am one step closer to becoming a mother for the second time! Who would expect a woman who desperately wants to get pregnant to thoroughly enjoy getting her period!! That's part of what makes this journey so unique to those who experience it.
I called to schedule my HSG today and I'm still waiting for them to call me back. The nurse said they usually do the test somewhere around CD7 to CD12 (cycle day 7 to cycle day 12) and today is CD1. I am not really looking forward to the test (it really hurt last time) but I want to get the ball rolling.
I hope you are beginning to see how intense this part of my life is, because I'm sure it's hard to comprehend for those of you who have never been there. Thank you for trying to understand. Also, to those of you who have been there too and are here to support me - thanks - you are priceless!
I am cycling a full 18 days earlier than if I had waited the entire 8 weeks and then induced it. It isn't often in the journey of infertility that something goes easier than you expect. It's almost always the opposite. I am excited to know that no matter where this process takes me, I am one step closer to becoming a mother for the second time! Who would expect a woman who desperately wants to get pregnant to thoroughly enjoy getting her period!! That's part of what makes this journey so unique to those who experience it.
I called to schedule my HSG today and I'm still waiting for them to call me back. The nurse said they usually do the test somewhere around CD7 to CD12 (cycle day 7 to cycle day 12) and today is CD1. I am not really looking forward to the test (it really hurt last time) but I want to get the ball rolling.
I hope you are beginning to see how intense this part of my life is, because I'm sure it's hard to comprehend for those of you who have never been there. Thank you for trying to understand. Also, to those of you who have been there too and are here to support me - thanks - you are priceless!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Our Overall Plan
A friend of mine pointed out to me this week that I haven't explained our treatment plan in this blog. Duh! So here goes...
Sunday will be 7 weeks since I stopped nursing. My doctor gave me 8 weeks on Metformin to get my period on my own. If I don't, he will give me a hormone to induce it (just a pill - Provera). As soon as I get my period, I will call the doctor's office to schedule my HSG (hysterosalpingogram). They do that in the early part of my cycle - they put a catheter through my cervix and inject me with dye so they can take x-rays of my uterus and fallopian tubes. They will be looking for any fibroids or other uterine abnormalities as well as blockages in my tubes. The test is mostly a precaution since I had one done in 2005 and it was normal. Sometimes after a C-section scar tissue can form, so they have to check me out before we begin treatments.
During that month, I will probably be on birth control to regulate my hormones and ensure a period. (I always think that part sounds crazy for someone with infertility!) At the end of that month of pills, I should get my period again. I will call the doctor again and on day 3 of my cycle they will do a lab and an ultrasound to check my hormones and ovaries. If everything looks good, we will proceed with Follistim (an FSH - follicle stimulating hormone) that I inject daily under the skin in my belly. It really doesn't hurt much at all. From there, my doctor will do a lab and an ultrasound every couple of days to check my progress.
If all goes well, I will be able to inject HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) to make me ovulate (around day 14, although last time it was day 21). That one HURT last time (in the muscle in my butt/hip). We will do an IUI (intrauterine insemination) at the clinic 12 - 36 hours after the HCG injection (last time we did two days in a row). For this, we go to the clinic in Minneapolis. Ben gives his "sample" to the lab, they clean out the junky ones (I'm sure there are hardly any!) and insert the rest directly into my uterus via a catheter (gives them a head start). Hopefully all this will end in a pregnancy for us (if not, I get my period and we start over with a new month).
To get to the important information: If it all goes the way I think it will (which it never has in the past, by the way) I could be pregnant by the end of March.
Because there are so many variables in all this, it is hard to predict anything. It all depends on how my body reacts to the medications and whether I can make a viable egg. People with PCOS tend to make crappy eggs because they have so many immature follicles waiting all the time. In other words, the eggs are rotten by the time they mature and ovulate. It truly was a miracle that with Hadley I made one dominant follicle that ovulated a good egg. Not only that, but I got pregnant. I know many people that have not been so lucky. Many of my friends have done IUIs with several dominant follicles (meaning 2-3 or more eggs produced) that did not result in pregnancy.
I try not to think too much about all those failed attempts I've seen others go through. It's enough to drive a person crazy. All that money and time and drugs and appointments and stress for no result. So I focus on Hadley and our one successful try. If it happened once, there's no reason to believe it won't happen again. Keep your thoughts and prayers with us.
Sunday will be 7 weeks since I stopped nursing. My doctor gave me 8 weeks on Metformin to get my period on my own. If I don't, he will give me a hormone to induce it (just a pill - Provera). As soon as I get my period, I will call the doctor's office to schedule my HSG (hysterosalpingogram). They do that in the early part of my cycle - they put a catheter through my cervix and inject me with dye so they can take x-rays of my uterus and fallopian tubes. They will be looking for any fibroids or other uterine abnormalities as well as blockages in my tubes. The test is mostly a precaution since I had one done in 2005 and it was normal. Sometimes after a C-section scar tissue can form, so they have to check me out before we begin treatments.
During that month, I will probably be on birth control to regulate my hormones and ensure a period. (I always think that part sounds crazy for someone with infertility!) At the end of that month of pills, I should get my period again. I will call the doctor again and on day 3 of my cycle they will do a lab and an ultrasound to check my hormones and ovaries. If everything looks good, we will proceed with Follistim (an FSH - follicle stimulating hormone) that I inject daily under the skin in my belly. It really doesn't hurt much at all. From there, my doctor will do a lab and an ultrasound every couple of days to check my progress.
If all goes well, I will be able to inject HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) to make me ovulate (around day 14, although last time it was day 21). That one HURT last time (in the muscle in my butt/hip). We will do an IUI (intrauterine insemination) at the clinic 12 - 36 hours after the HCG injection (last time we did two days in a row). For this, we go to the clinic in Minneapolis. Ben gives his "sample" to the lab, they clean out the junky ones (I'm sure there are hardly any!) and insert the rest directly into my uterus via a catheter (gives them a head start). Hopefully all this will end in a pregnancy for us (if not, I get my period and we start over with a new month).
To get to the important information: If it all goes the way I think it will (which it never has in the past, by the way) I could be pregnant by the end of March.
Because there are so many variables in all this, it is hard to predict anything. It all depends on how my body reacts to the medications and whether I can make a viable egg. People with PCOS tend to make crappy eggs because they have so many immature follicles waiting all the time. In other words, the eggs are rotten by the time they mature and ovulate. It truly was a miracle that with Hadley I made one dominant follicle that ovulated a good egg. Not only that, but I got pregnant. I know many people that have not been so lucky. Many of my friends have done IUIs with several dominant follicles (meaning 2-3 or more eggs produced) that did not result in pregnancy.
I try not to think too much about all those failed attempts I've seen others go through. It's enough to drive a person crazy. All that money and time and drugs and appointments and stress for no result. So I focus on Hadley and our one successful try. If it happened once, there's no reason to believe it won't happen again. Keep your thoughts and prayers with us.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Aaaaaand She's Off!!
Hadley took her first steps last night before bed. She was standing holding on to the chair and I put my arms out to her and told her "walk to mommy." She took two steps toward me and then fell forward into my arms. This happened several times because I couldn't help but ask her to try again. It was too darn cute to only see once! Ben and I were both there (he was sitting in the chair) which we were happy about. It's something no parent should have to miss. Priceless!
No news on the fertility front. Just waiting and waiting and waiting...less than two weeks to go!
No news on the fertility front. Just waiting and waiting and waiting...less than two weeks to go!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Insurance Navigation
Well, there have been no new developments with me physically. Still no cycle. Monday will be six weeks of waiting, then only two more to go. At least it is going fast! I am grateful for that.
Today I contacted the nurses at the clinic in town where I do my monitoring (also my Ob/Gyn's office). Due to my new insurance as of Jan 1st, I now need a referral to ensure the highest possible coverage of my treatments. My RE (reproductive endocrinologist) in Mpls is not in the network (in fact NO RE is!).
It's fortunate that I understand my insurance policy enough to take care of all this in advance. I'm sure there must be people out there who don't understand their insurance policies or who are going through infertility for the first time, and I feel for them. Infertility is stressful enough without the headache of managing unexpected insurance problems and exorbitant medical expenses.
Hadley is still battling her ear infections. I took her back to the doctor last Friday because after finishing her antibiotics Monday she still seemed in pain. Sure enough, the doctor said they were still there and the drugs had not worked. She has been on a stronger one for a week and I am not sure that they are gone. It is hard to be sure because she is cutting molars as well. If she doesn't better by Monday, I might call again. I would feel better having someone tell me it is only teeth. Poor girl...she crawls along with her head tilted to the side (ear to shoulder). So cute, but sad because she's hurting.
Here are some new pics - she got into the toilet paper!
Her face is so hard to resist...It's pretty obvious why we want another one!
Today I contacted the nurses at the clinic in town where I do my monitoring (also my Ob/Gyn's office). Due to my new insurance as of Jan 1st, I now need a referral to ensure the highest possible coverage of my treatments. My RE (reproductive endocrinologist) in Mpls is not in the network (in fact NO RE is!).
It's fortunate that I understand my insurance policy enough to take care of all this in advance. I'm sure there must be people out there who don't understand their insurance policies or who are going through infertility for the first time, and I feel for them. Infertility is stressful enough without the headache of managing unexpected insurance problems and exorbitant medical expenses.
Hadley is still battling her ear infections. I took her back to the doctor last Friday because after finishing her antibiotics Monday she still seemed in pain. Sure enough, the doctor said they were still there and the drugs had not worked. She has been on a stronger one for a week and I am not sure that they are gone. It is hard to be sure because she is cutting molars as well. If she doesn't better by Monday, I might call again. I would feel better having someone tell me it is only teeth. Poor girl...she crawls along with her head tilted to the side (ear to shoulder). So cute, but sad because she's hurting.
Here are some new pics - she got into the toilet paper!
Her face is so hard to resist...It's pretty obvious why we want another one!
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