Well, I got an answer from the bloodwork I had done this week. Turns out my progesterone levels are dropping off prematurely each cycle, and it looks like that's why we're not getting pregnant!
Hooray! An answer!
And if that's really the problem, it's simple enough to fix with a progesterone pill. What a relief!
Now, I'm still down to only one tube, but perhaps this will mean that I'm back to a 50% chance of getting pregnant each month. =D
Showing posts with label fertility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fertility. Show all posts
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
I am officially an infertility patient...
I don't really know what to say about it, except that it's true. I've sort of known this day was coming since we've been trying to get pregnant for almost 2 years now, but I've been putting off the appointment making and whatnot. However, at my annual last month my Dr. sent my file over to the infertility treatment coordinator, and I've now had an appointment with her, so I guess it's official.
We're not really going to do much about it, but it has meant a couple extra Dr. appointments and some extra bloodwork. But I suppose I should start documenting some of the results so I can follow my own progress, too.
As a side note, Leif suggested the other day that I would be a good accountant. I thought he was mocking me since I stink at numbers, but he was actually complimenting me on my compulsive documentation of things. I guess I am a compulsive documenter, but I don't feel very organized when I do. Hence, I blog.
So... a month ago my Dr. called in some day 3 labs to be drawn, and decided to do a complete workup just to keep in my file. Here are the results (that I can find... I'll have to come back in and edit the information as I come across it or call back for the info from the Dr.) from that:
2/14/2009
Estradiol: 85 (for good fertility, they like to see this number under 50)
FSH: _____ (Good)
*TSH: 1.4 (Very Good)
2/17/2009
**Triglycerides: _____ (Good)
**LDH: _______ (Good)
**HDH: _______ (Good)
Because my Estradiol level was high in February, my Dr. wanted to repeat the day 3 labs and do an ultrasound to see what was going on. Basically, as far as I understand it, there are two reasons the estradiol could be high without the others being elevated.
1. Cyst - a cyst could elevate the estradiol level without really impacting my fertility. I guess cysts come and go, so having the tests redone could confirm a cyst the month before and none now.
2. Not enough follicles - I could be running out of eggs and follicles, though since I'm still in my 20's she was hoping this wasn't the case. There's not much you can do once you run out of eggs.
So... I went to the Dr. on March 13 to chat and have an ultrasound. What I learned from the ultrasound is that...
1. I don't currently have a cyst, which is good. That means a cyst wouldn't cause abnormal hormone fluctuations for the blood test.
2. I have plenty of follicles! I'm not running out of eggs, which is encouraging. The Dr. said she likes to see a total of 10 follicles between the two ovaries and I have at least 10 on each side, so I'm good. Whew!
The next day I went in to draw day 3 labs again and here are the results:
3/14/2009
Estradiol: 41 (should be under 50)
FSH: _______ (Good)
So... things are good in that department!
Another concern I have had, and this I cannot trace back to the tube removal as a result of the ectopic pregnancy, is that my luteal phase has been getting shorter. So, there is a chance that I have been getting pregnant those couple months that I actually ovulated on the correct side, but that my progesterone level wasn't high enough to support the pregnancy, so it never had a chance to implant and grow. My cycles used to be very consistently 34 days. Every time. With a 15 day luteal phase. The last few times I charted, though, my luteal phase was only 9-11 days. 10 is the bare minimum needed to support a pregnancy, so that is a concern. I haven't been charting for some time now, but based on when I had my day 3 labs drawn the last 2 months, my last cycle was only 28 days. That's short for me, so I'm guessing I had another short luteal phase.
So... right now I'm back to charting. That part is just for my own tracking (there's that documentation obsession again!) so I can keep tabs on what's going on. I'm also using OPK's at the Dr.'s request since that's what they use to track ovulation. I'm going to go in for more blood work at 5,7, and 9 days past my LH surge to track my progesterone levels and see if they are low or drop off at the end. That should tell me if that's what's causing the shortened luteal phase. So... charting, more bloodwork. That's pretty much it.
My Dr. recommended going on Clomid to stimulate ovulation, but I have had pretty nasty side effects (weight gain! and emotional psychosis!) on hormones, so I don't want to do that. Aside from the side effects, I'm not ready to try to force my body to do something it's not supposed to be doing on its own. And I'm pretty sure if God doesn't want us to have any more kids right now, going on Clomid isn't going to help. =D So... getting to the root of the problem and fixing what's wrong I'm okay with. Trying to force something I'm not.
I'm charting on fertility friend. And hopefully Ellie won't steal my thermometer this month so I can actually get an accurate record. And I'll be recording other random (not what goes on my chart, just Dr. appts and blood work results, etc.) here. It's body clutter, right? Or at least mental clutter that has to do with my body...
We're not really going to do much about it, but it has meant a couple extra Dr. appointments and some extra bloodwork. But I suppose I should start documenting some of the results so I can follow my own progress, too.
As a side note, Leif suggested the other day that I would be a good accountant. I thought he was mocking me since I stink at numbers, but he was actually complimenting me on my compulsive documentation of things. I guess I am a compulsive documenter, but I don't feel very organized when I do. Hence, I blog.
So... a month ago my Dr. called in some day 3 labs to be drawn, and decided to do a complete workup just to keep in my file. Here are the results (that I can find... I'll have to come back in and edit the information as I come across it or call back for the info from the Dr.) from that:
2/14/2009
Estradiol: 85 (for good fertility, they like to see this number under 50)
FSH: _____ (Good)
*TSH: 1.4 (Very Good)
2/17/2009
**Triglycerides: _____ (Good)
**LDH: _______ (Good)
**HDH: _______ (Good)
Because my Estradiol level was high in February, my Dr. wanted to repeat the day 3 labs and do an ultrasound to see what was going on. Basically, as far as I understand it, there are two reasons the estradiol could be high without the others being elevated.
1. Cyst - a cyst could elevate the estradiol level without really impacting my fertility. I guess cysts come and go, so having the tests redone could confirm a cyst the month before and none now.
2. Not enough follicles - I could be running out of eggs and follicles, though since I'm still in my 20's she was hoping this wasn't the case. There's not much you can do once you run out of eggs.
So... I went to the Dr. on March 13 to chat and have an ultrasound. What I learned from the ultrasound is that...
1. I don't currently have a cyst, which is good. That means a cyst wouldn't cause abnormal hormone fluctuations for the blood test.
2. I have plenty of follicles! I'm not running out of eggs, which is encouraging. The Dr. said she likes to see a total of 10 follicles between the two ovaries and I have at least 10 on each side, so I'm good. Whew!
The next day I went in to draw day 3 labs again and here are the results:
3/14/2009
Estradiol: 41 (should be under 50)
FSH: _______ (Good)
So... things are good in that department!
Another concern I have had, and this I cannot trace back to the tube removal as a result of the ectopic pregnancy, is that my luteal phase has been getting shorter. So, there is a chance that I have been getting pregnant those couple months that I actually ovulated on the correct side, but that my progesterone level wasn't high enough to support the pregnancy, so it never had a chance to implant and grow. My cycles used to be very consistently 34 days. Every time. With a 15 day luteal phase. The last few times I charted, though, my luteal phase was only 9-11 days. 10 is the bare minimum needed to support a pregnancy, so that is a concern. I haven't been charting for some time now, but based on when I had my day 3 labs drawn the last 2 months, my last cycle was only 28 days. That's short for me, so I'm guessing I had another short luteal phase.
So... right now I'm back to charting. That part is just for my own tracking (there's that documentation obsession again!) so I can keep tabs on what's going on. I'm also using OPK's at the Dr.'s request since that's what they use to track ovulation. I'm going to go in for more blood work at 5,7, and 9 days past my LH surge to track my progesterone levels and see if they are low or drop off at the end. That should tell me if that's what's causing the shortened luteal phase. So... charting, more bloodwork. That's pretty much it.
My Dr. recommended going on Clomid to stimulate ovulation, but I have had pretty nasty side effects (weight gain! and emotional psychosis!) on hormones, so I don't want to do that. Aside from the side effects, I'm not ready to try to force my body to do something it's not supposed to be doing on its own. And I'm pretty sure if God doesn't want us to have any more kids right now, going on Clomid isn't going to help. =D So... getting to the root of the problem and fixing what's wrong I'm okay with. Trying to force something I'm not.
I'm charting on fertility friend. And hopefully Ellie won't steal my thermometer this month so I can actually get an accurate record. And I'll be recording other random (not what goes on my chart, just Dr. appts and blood work results, etc.) here. It's body clutter, right? Or at least mental clutter that has to do with my body...
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