9 weeks 1 day

April 1, 2016

Happy April Fools' Day! One year ago today (not funny) I had my meeting with my current RE for a consult and was told in no uncertain terms it was IMPOSSIBLE for me to get pregnant on my own. I left discouraged, but having left my name on their embryo donor list.

At the time we were still uncertain if that was the answer for us, and my husband was really struggling with the decision, but we knew it was something we were seriously considering and it couldn't hurt to put our names down. Fast forward one month when we made the final decision to actively pursue it and I let our coordinator know and she said she tentatively had embryos for us.

It's been a year of a lot of ups and downs, a lot of tears and laughter, but here we are. Pregnant! A few years ago I didn't even know embryo donation or adoption was a possibility. Thank God for miracles!

I'm getting excited. Next week we take our blood test to find out if we are having another boy or a little girl. Our son is still 100% wanting a girl, nothing to do with a boy. We shall see if he will be thrilled or we'll have several months of convincing him how cool a brother will be.

I'm exhausted. There's really no way around it. I feel sick most the day and am just dragging. I know that's common with first tri. I sometimes wonder if it's amplified from all the meds since I'm getting meds and I know the placenta is starting to produce on it's own as well. Is the doubling up making me feel more sick?

I'm still taking my estrogen three times a day and am taking 2 ml of progesterone in my shot every night, estrogen third nights. I know the doctor said he'd most likely start to wean me off after 8 weeks and we're here at 9. I was reading morning sickness is strongest weeks 8-10 and that certainly seems to be the case. We'll see if they start to lesson my drugs after my 10 week appointment. Until then, I'm kind of staggering through this. I know it gets better. I keep reminding myself with my son the first tri was brutal, but I loved the rest of pregnancy. I keep getting upset with myself and saying "You should be happy! You should be thrilled!" And I am!! But, oh man, I do have my moments of thinking, "I forgot how awful first tri was..."

I've an appointment next Weds with my OB, Friday with genetics to do my blood test and I've my NT scan scheduled for the 20th I believe. Crazy it's all coming up so quickly.

I haven't had any more issues with bleeding. I'm hoping my ultrasound next week reveals the SCH was reabsorbed. :)

God Bless!

Highs and Lows

March 10, 2016

Well, the last 36 hrs have been a roller coaster.

Everything stated out great yesterday. I went it for my third beta and my coordinator called with great news.

Estradiol 1560
Progesterone >60
HCG 14,497

Awesome numbers for being almost six weeks along. So, happy dance.

A few hrs later though, I started bleeding bright red...a lot. And, I freaked. I called the doctor who was closed and got their answering service. Because "blood" was mentioned they patched me through to the on call doctor who happened to be mine.

I think he was seriously debating driving in last night to meet me at the office. Instead, we decided feet up, lots of fluids and bedrest for the night. I'd come in first thing today.

I was suppose to host an event with my friend tomorrow so I text her explaining what was going on, and she of course didn't care about the event. She was so sweet. They are LDS and in their faith, her husband holds the rite of "priesthood" and she offered him to come say a prayer over me. I was so touched I accepted so he and another friend, also LDS, came and anointed me with oil and said a prayer.

They were very sweet to explain what they were doing and why. Growing up Catholic, I wasn't weirded out my anointing or prayers. My husband and myself found it very comforting. I'd actually picked up a book before they came and was reading over scriptures about comfort and God's promise regarding no one shall miscarry.

When they left, I felt peaceful. I knew everything would be ok. Worry kept creeping in, yes and totally woke me several times, but by this morning, the bright red flow was pink spotting. Greatly reassuring.

My friend offered to watch our son so my husband could come to my appointment with me. When we arrived they decided to run my blood work again to check all my levels and after a wait, we finally got to go in. Everyone was very reassuring that bleeding is pretty common after IVF procedures.

As soon as he inserted the wand, I could see the sac in my uterus and we saw the tiniest of tiny babies. And, wait for it, a flicker! None of us expected to see a heart beat. I am only 6 weeks today. But there it was. He enlarged it and it was the most beautiful site. He turned up the volume and tears just erupted. I'm sure he sees that all the time, but I didn't even care what he though. He shows us the yolk, the baby, the heart beat and explained the baby looked perfect.

he then showed me the dark line and explained that it was a rip between the placenta and the uterus. He said there was a minimal chance of miscarriage, but that these tend to resolve themselves with close monitoring and bedrest. He told me for the next week to stay on bedrest, avoid any lifting, or strenuous reaching or exercise and absolutely take it easy.

He told us to keep our Tuesday appointment and to rest until then. So, here I am feet up.

Since that was my fertility doctor, I emailed my OB as well. I wanted it on record the issues I was having and also to see if it required any closer monitoring there. In all honesty, if my OB can do the bulk of monitoring it'd be SO much cheaper since it's all covered. Today, just going in and having labs run with an u/s was $445. I'm soooooo glad I did though. Money well spent. Reassurance and his expertise worthy way more than gold!

We're not certain what we are going to do in regards to my husband working. He travels out of town and obviously if I'm restricted to bed, that won't work. He is staying in town through next week. After that, we have a few options if the bedrest continues. Put our son in full time daycare when he's traveling and try to arrange for someone to come in the evenings or just have my son and I camp out in the living room every night (since I can't use the stairs) or see if some family will come out. I spoke with my mom briefly and she's willing to come if need be.

For now, rejoicing in hearing that little bean's heart. Feeling so grateful and relieved. I know this little one will be just fine. I just need to rest and take care of myself and the baby.

God Bless!

Update: My clinic just called and my numbers are great.

Estradiol 1228
Progesterone 44.7
HCG 18.379 which is a 70 hr doubling. Way ahead of the projected 96 hr doubling at this point.

Spotting and Bleeding

Oct. 26, 2014

Well, the spotting has continued, and then today (sorry for TMI) when I used the restroom there was red blood. Not a ton, but it was there, and a bit heavier than what I'd been spotting since Thursday evening. So, good news, right?

I was looking at my chart, and when I'd thought I'd ovulated 12-14 days ago, I may actually have. If that is in fact the case, that means my LP has lengthened to 11-13 days, which would put me back to what it was pre-pregnancy. Even if I didn't ovulate, with my erratic temps, I really can't say yes for sure (I do think I did though) I'm glad to put this cycle behind me, and I've high hopes my body is getting into gear again.

Now, I ran upstairs and put in my Sckoon cup (the menstrual cup I ordered five months ago that I've never gotten to use) and was quite impressed I got it in first try. My confusion...when I took it out, granted only three or four hours later or so, there was only brown blood and only a teensy tiny bit.

So, I either had a puny endometrial lining, or my flow will increase tomorrow.

Either way, I refuse to be discouraged by any of it. Frankly, I'm not broken, and that is all the hope I need :)

I keep repeating my scripture. NONE SHALL BE BARREN!

Amen!

Back in the Saddle and Full Steam Ahead

April 23, 2014

Alright, I’ve a google addiction! I’ve come to terms with it.

Well, now that my period is over and my temps stayed low (yeah, yeah, and I did test to make sure it wasn’t implantation bleeding) I’ve resumed having a glass of red raspberry leaf tea and green tea everyday. My other supplements have stayed the same, but I’m upping my Ubiquinol dose. Most people recognize it as CoQ10, but it is the more easily absorbable source – up to 8 times. It costs more, but my body needs all the help it can get.

If you recall, I was taking 200 mg a day. The recommended CoQ10 dose is 600-800 for fertility. Ubiquinol, after much research, the dosage should be about half. It’s suggested 300-400 (at the minimum.) Because I get leery with supplements (I laugh as I type this because I feel like an addict right now as it is) I always start with low low doses of everything to gauge my body’s reaction. I upped my dose today to 300 mg (100 mg x 3 times a day.) CoQ10 and Ubiquinol are suppose to really help with egg health. Here is a quick overview of the benefits in regards to fertility.

http://ivf.successrates.org/coq10-may-help-turn-back-your-biological-clock/

The long and short of it are it helps the egg from when it’s recruited (as I mentioned in my last post about 5 months before ovulation) to when it’s released ensure that it matures properly. This is the time when a lot of chromosomal abnormalities occur.

I’m kicking myself that I didn’t start with the recommended dosage originally because I keep thinking “Ahhhhh my eggs are five months behind now” but the reality is, I’m sure the dose I was taking at least helped, and my main focus was regulating my hormones and overall health which in turn would assist my eggies to ripen correctly. Now that I feel like my body is starting to kick in to gear, I’ll focus more intently on assisting my egg health. I was before, but, well, you know what I mean.

I do want to talk to my TCM on Saturday at my appointment about possibly adding Royal Jelly back to the mix. I took it for a bit in the beginning, but then they suggested as my main issue was hormonal, that I stop taking anything that could affect my hormones. Royal Jelly doesn’t affect hormones, but it can assist in your body regulating it. They thought the two were too closely tied because of all the herbs they were giving me to essentially do the same. Royal Jelly is suppose to help with egg health, so perhaps I will inquire if we can add that and propolis back to the mix.

Maca, shatavari and vitex were the other supplements I originally was taking and discontinued. I think their herbs are doing the functions of those overall, but eventually I may also delve into the maca discussion with them again. These three are used more in Western fertility (well, India for shatavari and Peru for Maca, but they are being used more here now by fertility specialists) and many TCM’s, especially those originally from China, are not familiar with them.

My promise to myself when I discontinued my “additional” supplements of royal jelly, propolis, maca, shatavari (I actually discontinued this one before the others because of it’s estrogenic qualities) and vitex was that I would give my TCM three months to work their magic with herbs alone. That was on March 12, and my period started five weeks later, so I know I should step back and trust….but OH, SO HARD! I’ll see their feeling on the Royal Jelly and continue to just follow their protocol for the rest of the three months I’d promised myself and then reevaluate my progress.

Ah yes, and back to my original google diagnosis in the beginning of this blog. My LP (luteal phase – which should be an average of 12-14 days – it was 11-12 days pre baby) was either 24 days of 6 days. Both of these suggest a progesterone imbalance. It was so low either the 24 day one suggests it never got high enough to crash and bring on menstruation, or the 6 day one would suggest it never got high enough to sustain a proper length luteal phase. Both of which suggest my egg quality was poor, or “weak” ovulation. 

That just means my follicle was most likely not mature enough or my egg quality was poor that when the follicle ruptured, the corpus luteum wasn’t (what was left over of the follicle when the egg ruptured) wasn’t big, or strong enough to produce enough progesterone.

Hence, my thought I have poor egg health. Well, I guess my reading of <.03 AMH was the clue, but I am convinced and have faith that reading was based on my ‘current at that time’ egg health and follicle pool. A health body = healthy ovaries = healthy follicles = healthy eggs.

Thanks for following along as my mind works things out. Now, I will just “Let go and let God.” Because, honestly, that is all I can do. The Lord said “Be fruitful and multiply” so I need to trust that is his intention for us.

In the mean time, I’ll continue to be healthy and trudge on. Since I know I’m pre ovulation, I’ll try and do my castor oil pack or an Epsom salt bath tonight.  I’ll also begin the Femoral Massage, or press. Randine Lewis, in the Infertility Cure, spoke about it, but I was never quite certain if I’d ovulated, so I never tried it. NEVER do this if you think you might be pregnant, or as the article has in bold, have high blood pressure, heart disease, circulatory problems or a history of stroke. As with everything I’m doing and talk about, use your best judgement. If you are uncertain or uncomfortable with it, don’t do it. I’m even a bit apprehensive because of the “what if I did ovulate” aspect so I’m only doing it for a few days after menstruation ceases in case I ovulate early, and if I’ve any suspicion I’m nearing O, I’ll stop. I’m also only doing it once a day and not three times in a row, but one or two. As I’ve said before, I prefer to start any supplement, acupressure, massage, etc at the bare minimum. I can always add more…

Here is an article about it.

http://www.livewellnaturally.com.au/fertility-blog/2010/8/4/boost-your-fertility-naturally-with-femoral-massage.html

Randine Lewis also spoke about other pressure points and massages in her book that I will have to revisit. Every night, I’ve been using acupressure on the four, five now (one was not suppose to be used after ovulation, so I never used it before a few nights ago) that my TCM showed me. Randine, in her book lists several others. Now that I know where I am in my cycle, I will begin implementing those ones into my meditation and prayer time before bed.

God Bless!

****Update, I did the femoral massage and didn't dig it. It makes me too darn nervous. Once I'm in the swing of things with cycles I can easily monitor, I'll try it again. 

My Blog. My Safe Place.

April 19, 2014

Well, my flow has been rather light. Yesterday, was more like heavy spotting or super light flow and today was just a tad of spotting, and my temp went back up. I’ll test for the heck of it tomorrow, although even if I was preggers, it’d most likely be too early to register at 9 days post ovulation.

 I’m testing for nostalgia purposes really. It was two years ago exactly tomorrow that we announced we were expecting Reed. If I were to get a positive, it would just make it that more special. That, and it will be Easter Sunday. Jesus rose from the dead. My ovaries firing an egg seems rather insignificant in comparison.  

If negative, I’ll test later in the week, to be more cautious than anything. It’s most likely so low and so soon after ovulation because my hormones are wacky and trying to balance out, but there is just that inner voice telling me to test to be sure.

There is a small chance it could be implantation bleeding and if there is any chance there is a little bambino in there, I want to make sure to stop my supplements and herbs immediately. As my TCM assured me, it is safe, but I don’t like the thought of any unnecessary herb, supplement, medicine, alcohol, caffeine, whatever floating around in there longer than there needs to be once my little bean is leaching from my blood supply. 

The good thing is, until I got my first period and knew I was pre-ovulation, I’d already decided against the castor oil pack which is really the thing I was most concerned about. Once my cycles regulate, I’ll add that back in if I don’t get a positive first.

I shared in a Facebook mommy group, that has been immensely supportive of my health issues that my period came back and mommies came out of the woodwork with excitement and congratulations. One in particular encouraged me to share my journey and alternative heeling route. When I said I was a big fat chicken because not all online communities are as open minded and supportive (ironically, some of the most critical of alternative healing and the desire to beat POF are the POF support groups) she suggested I write my blog anonymous and turn off the comments if I was concerned about people getting nasty. Not a bad idea. I’m mulling over the anonymous or public…

I think I’ll keep the comments on. I want people to be free to ask questions and share their journey and experiences.  I’ll just delete the ones that get me riled up. My biggest obstacle in this whole journey was reducing stress and anxiety. I’m not going to let criticism put me back in a negative place. I’m at peace now.

I want my blog to be a safe place where people can think outside the box. If it’s not their cup of tea, I totally get it, and I really do support people using traditional means to treat their symptoms if that’s what they want to do. However, people need to understand, it treats their symptoms, and although it does lessen their risk of horrible future problems like osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, increased cancer risk, etc (which is FANTASTIC and thank God it is out there!!) but it does not treat the disease itself. What saddens me, is when people use traditional means and become miserable and depressed because that is all they think is out there. It makes me sad to see people settle for a life without children when that is all they’ve ever dreamed about because that is what their doctor said they’d have.

There should at least be an option to explore other means. I get it won’t work for everyone, but it will work for some. When I was diagnosed, I searched high and low for hope. If my blog can be home for one single person out there…it’s served its purpose.