Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Next Steps

Well, I have been taking HPTs and they have all been negative.  Today is day CD33 and I have started spotting and having cramps.  This morning's HPT was one of those Cle.ar Blu.e Ea.sy digital ones.  Instead of just having the one little pink line like on the other brands, I get a blaring "not pregnant".  I didn't really think that was very nice to see first thing in the morning.  Ah well.  I really didn't know what the chances were of us getting pregnant the first cycle after our  miscarriage, but I was hopeful. I know that God will give us children when it is the perfect timing in His plan. 

I got the results back from all the blood work done at my last appointment on Monday.  My thyroid antibodies were higher than they'd like (but they are always crazy since I have Hashimoto's) so my RE doubled my Levothyroxine.  My TSH was 4.3, which is on the higher side of normal according to some and way above normal according to the "new scale" some use.  My RE said I was normal.  Either way I am not worked up because guess how they would fix that - Levothyroxine.  My AMH was 1.6.  I need to look and see what it was the last time I had it taken about a year and a half ago.  I think it was about the same.  According to Dr. Google, that's normal.  Everything else was normal and I didn't ask the particulars.  The only other things they tested were the STDs they have to test annually while you are in treatment and Prolactin.

I just ordered Circle + Bloom.  I will start listening to it tomorrow, because it's too late today.  I am looking forward to seeing what this is all about.  I will also call my RE's IUI nurse when I get the visit from AF  in full force and we'll kick off my medicated IUI cycle.

Well, that's about all that's going on as far as IF.  I need to do a general life update, but I am too tired.  It's bedtime.  Hope you all have a good remainder of your week!

Monday, August 22, 2011

I Can't Believe It's Already ICLW Again!

I got to work today and realized it was ICLW and I didn't even realize it yesterday!  Ah!  I did read some blogs and comment yesterday, but not with as much purpose as I usually do (if that makes any sense). 

Well, I am in my 2WW right now on our first cycle after the miscarriage.  If this isn't our month, we'll try a couple of IUIs.  I've eaten pineapple the last couple of days because I've heard it's good for implantation.  I've also been taking baby aspirin to keep blood flow going down there.  I also felt like I might be slightly constipated (I know, TMI, sorry) so I have been taking Colace and Peri-Colace.  My chiropractor gave me some enzymes that should have helped with that.  I think it did at first, but hasn't been working as well as I'd like. 

I am going out of town to Dallas, TX for continuing education starting on Wednesday afternoon.  I haven't really been dwelling on it too much, but I am definitely going to start testing pretty early.  I got a positive OPK on day 19.  My cervix felt high, soft, open, and had EWCM on day 20.  My cycles are usually about 32 days.  So, I think I'll start testing on day 28 so that I can get to the RE ASAP if I get a positive to check on all my levels.

Does anyone else have any 2WW foods or activities they usually follow?

Saturday, August 6, 2011

How Things Went with the Doctor

Yesterday's consultation with the RE went well.  He was very nice and started out by stating that usually a couple that has a miscarriage ends up pregnant again within six months with a baby that they take home.  Wow! 

I asked about the Fertil.Aid stuff I keep reading about and he said that he hadn't heard anything either way about it (he had heard of it though).  He felt that as long as I am taking a prenatal with enough folic acid, I am fine.  He asked what I was taking and how much (I am taking prenatals he prescribed, but I didn't let it bother me).  When I told him it's $120 for 90 days of the NeevoDHA that I am taking, he said that was outrageous and gave me stacks of samples and a "prescription" for some OTC prenatals that he says he likes.  The prescription is so that I can claim it on my FSA (flexible spending account).

I asked if our chance of having a miscarriage was increased now and he said no, not unless we have 3 did they consider us at risk to have more.  He said in that case if we decided to go the IVF route, then he would suggest the genetic testing, which has improved from PGD to another form where they actually biopsy day 5 blastocysts and can test about 8 cells as opposed to 1, which could always be the 1 bad cell in an embryo and then you've ruled out a perfectly good embryo.

I asked if he would recommend the Circle + Bloom.  He said that he didn't have any statistics but he was very interested in that and had heard of people loving it.  He seemed kind of glad that I was considering it.  He said that basically if it makes me feel better about what I am doing and more relaxed then it probably will help me.  He asked about acupuncture and when I told him how stressful making all those out-of-the-way trips to the acupuncturist were for me, he nodded and was fine with that.  I told him about my chiropractor and he said that while he had no proof that chiropractic helps, if it makes me feel like I am doing something and I feel better, than yes, I should keep it up.  He also said that if we needed a "prescription" for Circle + Bloom in order to claim it on FSA, he would be more than happy to write one.  It made me happy that he wasn't all anti doing more work just because the IRS is stupid.

I asked about testing and he wanted to re-do the STD panel since it had been almost a year, do TSH and thyroid antibody test, and test my prolactin.  So, we went ahead and had all that blood drawn yesterday.  I got stuck twice and almost passed out.  So embarrassing.

I asked what we should do if we got pregnant again on our own.  He raised his eyebrows and said, "Good question."  He said that he didn't think rushing to get progesterone was the answer.  He said that he really didn't think that helped in situations like mine.  If the HCG was low, progesterone would be headed down too.  Also, progesterone levels can change based on what you've eaten, whether you've been sitting, standing, or lying down, etc...  So, he said to call him as soon as we got a positive and come in for testing and monitoring and we'd go from there.  He said to also take some baby aspirin to increase blood flow to the uterus.  I think maybe I'll just get back on baby aspirin anyway.  I don't think it'll hurt, do you?

Then, we got to the subject that we had saved for last:  should we do IVF again now?  He said that if we really wanted to, he wouldn't stop us.  But, since we had gotten pregnant on our own, maybe an IUI with injectables would be the way to go.  But, he said he'd suggest no more than 2 rounds and then back to IVF if we aren't pregnant.  So, we are going to at least wait out the rest of this cycle and see what happens.  Then, give his nurse a call.

My husband and I went to lunch after the consultation and talked about how we felt about how it went.  We both felt good about seeing Dr. P and about the plan we had in place now.  We were relieved he wasn't all, "You have to go ahead and use your second round of IVF now or you'll lose it."

If we aren't pregnant after this cycle, I am going to give his nurse a call and order Circle + Bloom for IUI or IVF cycles.  I really want to be relaxed through all of this.  I am excited.  I am ready to get pregnant.

On a side note, I am trying really hard to pray and ask for God to give us a child in his time.  I want for our actions to glorify Him so I am asking for His leading.  My two best friends, who are sisters (14 months apart in age) are both pregnant, about 3 weeks apart.  One is pregnant with her second and the other is pregnant with her first following two miscarriages that they suffered two months in a row.  I am happy for them.  I am praying for them.  I want so badly to be pregnant with them because I think it would be so much fun.  But, I think I'll love being pregnant no matter when God decides it will happen for us.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Lots Going On

So, I finally got a visit from AF on Saturday.  It was a pretty usual AF for me.  I had spotting on Friday and cramping on Thursday and Friday.  Then, I bled a ton Saturday and Sunday and had spotting Monday and Tuesday and have had nothing ever since.  I was kind of hoping that AF would stick around for longer.  Doesn't that mean that I am not really getting a good lining?

Anyway, tomorrow is our appointment with our RE.  I am kind of nervous b/c I have no idea what he'll say or what we'll say.  I have a few questions written down, but I don't know what to ask.  I'm going to ask about testing like the glucose test, my thyroid, doing a day 3 and a day 21 panel since it's been so long, maybe testing DHEAS.  I am going to ask him if anyone really gets any benefit from using that Fertil.aid stuff I read about on a lot of infertility websites. I am going to ask about the miscarriage and what my chances are of having another one.  I am also going to ask what to do this month to catch a natural pregnancy early (okay, I admit that's a long shot, but JIC).  When should I start testing?  Should I go ahead right away and use some of the progesterone I already have, just call them, or what?  I am going to ask him how many of his patients have used the Circle + Bloom meditations.  I am really thinking about getting that if we do IVF again.

I am excited and nervous.  It has been a stressful couple of weeks at work.  I've been getting to work at 7 or 7:30 and not leaving until 7,8,8:30, then it takes me an hour to get home and we still have to cook and eat and do our Bible study stuff.  I am pooped.  Thankfully, our 10-Q is files along with all the other special filings we had to do for the acquisition we are doing.  Another company wants to buy up all our stock and take us over now.  Lovely.  It's going to be an interesting rest of the year for us.  I refuse to get stressed.  I keep telling myself that.

Anway, what else should I ask the RE?  Any ideas?