Friday, March 29, 2013

Renewed Hope

Hi Everyone! Long time, no posts....
I have a list of things I've been meaning to post about but just never seem to be able to find the time to sit down and write it all out. I have some books I need to tell you about and a new smoothie that I want to share. OH and I have a photo from my last acupuncture session which is pretty interesting. I guess you'll have to wait to find out more about that because this post is about something pretty important - HOPE!

I wrote earlier about how I went to a new doctor. What a great experience that was. If you're frustrated with your situation right now, I highly suggest seeing someone new. It really is refreshing and if you choose well, it can really show you what you've been missing. The new doctor suggested that we make an appointment w/ the fertility specialists that they work with. So yesterday morning, my husband and I made the 20 minute drive to go see them. This lady was absolutely WONDERFUL. She listened.... she explained.... she listened some more.... and we developed a game plan that I feel so great about.

Step 1: My next cycle I am going to take clomid. We'll have intercourse like normal and see if anything happens.

Step 2: Cycle #2 we might try clomid again. I am not sure I want to go much past cycle #2 w/ the clomid + regular intercourse because they say you shouldn't be on clomid for more than 6 cycles.

Step 3: Take a month off (no clomid... but continue to still "try" the old fashioned way). During this month, we will also have the HSG (dye test to look for blockages) done. I love this because even tho we will be taking the month off so-to-speak, we are still doing something to help.

Step 4: IF still not pregnant yet and IF the HSG shows everything is normal, I will go back on clomid + we'll do an IUI (artificial insemination). This way the sperm will be right where they need to be w/o having to do a whole lot of work.

Step 5: Another IUI?

Step 6: Another?

Step 7: unknown.... but I better have a freakin' baby by then!

I can't tell you how much better I feel just having some kind of plan for our future. I've had so many people tell me "just go on clomid, it worked for us". But because I'm ovulating like a normal person, my doctors would never agree to put me on this drug w/o doing further testing first. I'm so thankful that these doctors understand that my husband and aren't that well off & can't spend a bazillion dollars on this stuff (and want to avoid that if at all possible). The fertility specialist still needs to call my doctor and make sure she thinks this "game plan" of ours is the right course for us to be taking. AND they still need to get the test results from my previous doctor (since they still hadn't gotten these). Maybe that will tell them something that the other doctor didn't see.

OH - and I also had my AMH tested. This is a blood test where they can then tell what your ovarian reserve is.... aka, how many eggs you have left. THAT should be interesting to find out, but I'll have to wait 2 weeks for that news.

No matter how you look at it tho, the next few months are going to be pretty interesting. I am really looking forward to having more answers and to trying new things with this new found hope and zest for life I feel.

Friday, March 15, 2013

A Case of the What Ifs

Well, my appointment with the new doctor, Dr. Schmidt, was last night.

Let's start with the positives:
  • Great hospital: large and very busy compared to the last hospital I went to. I even got lost looking for the office & ran into a very nice Indian surgeon who graciously walked me to the elevators I needed to take. Unfortunately, I don't think he knew what I meant when I said I was looking for Womens Health because I ended up in the ICU area. Yikes.
  • Great waiting room: large, spacious, updated. They had a large saltwater tank as you walk in and as soon as I saw it, I knew it was meant to be. The front desk was nice and large and open.
  • Wonderful staff: friendly & laid back.
  • Lovely nurse: young & so so nice.
  • Great doctor: listened to me, asked me questions, did a much more thorough breast exam than my past doctor. Also allowed me to get dress after the exam and she came back in so we could have a real conversation. She is really great.
Now onto the findings, which I wouldn't quite say are categorized as negative, but more that they weren't what I wanted to hear. Unfortunately, Dr. Schmidt didn't have access to my previous health records so she was unable to see what tests we had already had done & what those results were. So we went over all of the things we've done & she suggested that I still have one more test. I forget the name, something long, but I think it is just a blood draw that tells you what your ovarian reserve is (how many eggs) and what the quality of those eggs is. I'll make an appointment for that sometime in my next cycle since I think it is supposed to happen on a certain day.

After this, assuming my eggs are fine, she wants to do an HSG. This is the same thing my previous doctor wanted to do and I was hoping not to have to. Looks like I'm all out of look and I'm okay with that. I'm ready to take this test on (mostly because of my amazing parents and their gracious offer to pay for it). IF the HSG shows no blockages, I will be put on clomid and she will pair that with insemination. IF the HSG shows a blockage, IVF will be the only resolve.

Hearing her say those 3 letters... ugh.... I sat there playing with my hands, picking at my fingers, to try to distract myself from crying. How could my life be coming to this? That's what I immediately felt. Her telling me that made me feel like that's exactly what would happen .... like that was out only option. Then I realized, hey, it could still happen naturally! Although, she did say that 80% of couples will get pregnant within 12 months & if you haven't yet and keep trying, your chances decrease with every month that passes. UGH.... talk about depressing. She wasn't trying to be rude or mean or insensitive by saying that. She was just informing me -- which she did a lot of in this visit and it was much appreciated. My previous doctor would just be like "okay, we'll do HSG next, here's the info, this is what it is, so call and schedule that". Done and done. This one maps everything out and tells you what each thing might mean for us. I love that.

So - I didn't get a miracle drug to take.... looks like we'll really have to work at this. But I'm ready. :-)

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Funny Subject Lines

I had to laugh when I came back from lunch and saw an email w/ the subject line "Ovulation!". What if a coworker had seen this? Or better yet, my boss! It's funny the stuff you just get comfortable talking about and sort of immune to after a while.



In case you hadn't guessed it yet, I am ovulating LOL. Time to go see the acupuncturist tonight (hence the email).

One more appointment to go!