Stuck

I think that's the best way to describe how I've been feeling lately.

I think in my last TTC update (which was posted forever ago), I was dealing with a canceled cycle.  And that canceled cycle lasted 65 days.  This time around, I took 150mg of Clomid, which helped me grow 2 nice looking follicles.  On CD12, they were 15.9mm and 15.3mm.  But then my estradiol results came in super low.  I went back on CD16 in the hopes that my estradiol had increased, but of course, that wasn't the case.  Another canceled cycle to add to the list.  So now I'm in a different kind of 2 week wait - the one were I sit around waiting until I can call and ask for my Provera prescription (because it's very unlikely that AF is going to show up naturally), and then we can move onto the next cycle.  I'm looking forward to the next cycle - the plan is to try Femara this time, and I'm really hoping that it works out better than the Clomid.

I've been really stuck at work too (which is a topic that I try to avoid bringing up around here).  I've barely been tolerating my job for a while, but I've finally come to accept that this job is never going to be satisfying to me, I'm never going to advance, and I'm done trying to fight to make this job something it's not.  I'm starting to feel like my brain is mush-ifying.  A while back, I was seriously looking into going back to school for my Master's degree, but then decided to put it off.  It's expensive, we have a bunch of student loans that need to be paid off, it's time consuming, and we were just starting to try to get pregnant, so the timing wasn't right.  And now, with the fertility treatments, it's even less of an option - the timing isn't right again, so of course this is the time that I'd start thinking about going back to school again.  I'm hoping that I'll be able to find some kind of alternative to appeal to my academic side that's a bit less expensive, that way I can exercise my brain without breaking the bank.  We'll see what happens.

So yeah, that's what's been going on lately.  Fun times :)

27

Yesterday was my 27th birthday, and even though I’m not a fan of getting older, it was one of my favorite birthdays (number one is my 25th - it wasn’t really even because we did anything special, but we were in Atlanta on our delayed honeymoon, and it was just really nice to be on vacation with my hubster on my birthday).

B really spoiled me in the gift department this year. He bought us tickets to see Wicked, The Sims 3: University Life expansion pack, and - the ice cream on the cake - an iPad mini and a keyboard case. Seriously - so spoiled. Coming up with gift ideas for his birthday this June is going to be exponentially more difficult (which sucks, because buying B gifts is super difficult in the first place). Even though I am a grown-ass woman, I was also spoiled by my mommy. I sent her links to iPad cases as a joke, and she ended up buying me my favorite one. I’m seriously so lucky to have such an amazing family.

B and I were able to go out to lunch together yesterday - he took a midday break to take me to the clinic for a blood draw (blood pregnancy test before being prescribed Provera - negative, obviously). I love spending time with him, so it was really special to spend a little extra time with him.

After I got home from the clinic, the internet gave me a birthday gift too. The 98th episode of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries was posted on YouTube, and *spoiler alert* Lizzie and Darcy kissed. Ahhhh! It was great. I loved reading Pride and Prejudice in high school (I’ve read it probably 3 or 4 times by now, not including reading the trade of the Marvel comic adaptation), so I became very fond of the web series after only a couple of episodes. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is such an awesome web series - the adaptation of the classic story into a modern, web based story is done so well … I highly recommend it. (Thanks to Felicia Day for featuring LBD on The Flog and turning me into an obsessed fangirl.)

One of the final highlights of my birthday was something that was kind of dumb, but it’s the little things that make me happy. I was bumped up to level 27 on The Simpsons: Tapped Out on my 27th birthday (justju21 if you want to add another neighbor-eeno). Pretty cool. :)

So yeah, that’s what’s been happening around here lately (along with a whole lotta nothing). I’ve had the urge to write lately, but I haven’t had anything to say. Hopefully something exciting comes up soon so I can get back to regular updates.

Blood Work 2.0

I got the call from my NP’s office this morning - my estradiol level was pretty low (103 - it needed to be closer to 300).  Womp womp.

Another e2 test was ordered for today.  This time I was able to have it done at my local clinic, so B didn’t have to take more time off to take me to yet another appointment.  I’m so glad it worked out that way - I feel really bad when he misses work for me.

Anyway, the nurse at the clinic had to take the blood from the same side as it was taken on Saturday (lefty) because the vein on my right side wasn’t cooperating.  I already had a lovely looking bruise in the crease of my elbow - it’s going to be even more glorious later tonight.

I’m not feeling as optimistic about this cycle as I was on Saturday.  I have a feeling that the results of this blood test will come back lower than it was before.  Maybe the next cycle will be more successful - it has to be, right?!  (I know the answer is no, it doesn’t have to be … but I’m trying not to think negative thoughts)  This process is really taking a toll on me lately - I need it to be over soon, but I’m not willing to give up.

Follow Up

Today I had my CD15 follow up appointment, and I think the information I got today sounds pretty promising.

I have one good-sized follie on the right side, measuring about 15.4mm.  I had blood drawn to test my Estradiol level.  If the E2 comes back in the 300 range, I’ll most likely be having another ultrasound on Monday, along with getting the hCG trigger shot.  I’m expecting the results to show up in my online chart some time tomorrow, but I’ll get the official word from the NP’s office Monday morning around 8 AM.

I’m optimistic, but trying to stay connected to reality - this cycle might be successful, but it might not.  Those daydreams are pretty nice though.

As much as I don’t want to start a new work week, I can’t wait for Monday.

Appointment Update

Last Wednesday, I finally had my appointment with the Nurse Practitioner my doctor referred me to.

I was nervous all morning leading up to the appointment, but thankfully, the appointment itself wasn’t awful at all - I really liked the NP, and I got some very good information.  The ultrasound was quick and painless.  My ute looked good, however … I finally got the diagnosis that I’ve been worried about since we started TTC - it turns out I have PCOS.  I’ve had a suspicion all along, despite being told that my blood work came back in normal ranges, so I wasn’t completely shocked by the diagnosis, but it still sucks.  At least now I know for sure, and we can attempt to treat the problem.

After the ultrasound, I sat down with my NP (after getting dressed again, obviously) and she laid out the plan for the rest of this cycle. She renewed my prescription for Clomid, but decreased it to 50mg instead of 100mg to hopefully avoid more cramping.  I have a follow up ultrasound scheduled for CD15 (the Saturday after Thanksgiving), and if I have a good looking follicle, I have the option of getting an hCG trigger shot so that I’ll ovulate, and then … we “get busy” and wait.  A week later, I’ll have to go back to get my progesterone levels tested again, and that finishes out this cycle.

There is a lot to be excited about for this cycle.  I’ll have a chance to see what is actually going on inside my ovaries on Saturday.  We’ll find out if the Clomid is working the way it’s supposed to or not.  We’ll have a plan in place for the next cycle if this one isn’t successful.  We will be one step closer to having our family.  All of these things are great for keeping me positive about this process.  And if it doesn’t work out this time, I’m hoping the plan will make the disappointment sting a little less.

I have until Saturday afternoon to keep my hopes reasonably high, and I’m going to keep sending egg grow-y vibes to my ovaries so that we have something to work with on Saturday.  Wish me luck :)

Progress

It’s hard to believe, but we’re actually making some progress.  Not immediate progress, but progress nonetheless.

I called the doctor’s office a couple of weeks ago with my monthly cycle check in with disappointing results to report - despite the increased dosage of Clomid, I didn’t have any positive OPK’s this cycle.  My doctor was concerned about the intense cramping that I experienced, so I have officially been referred to a different practitioner who has a more hand on approach to treatment (she prefers to monitor patients who are on medication instead of having the patient self-monitor and report back, like I’ve been doing).  Because I hadn’t gotten AF on my own and I was approaching CD40, the new Nurse Practitioner I’ll be seeing prescribed Provera (again) to help things along.  On CD1, I have to call the doctor’s office so I can schedule an appointment and be seen by CD5.  The purpose of the appointment is to get a baseline ultrasound and to check for possible cysts that could have been caused by the Clomid, and to have a general consult with the new practitioner.

I spent almost half an hour on the phone with the insurance company before calling the doctor’s office and agreeing to move forward with this new plan.  I wanted to make sure everything would be covered, especially after the fiasco that was B’s appointment with the specialist that ended up being completely unnecessary and landed us a $400 out of pocket hospital bill for what should have been an office visit.  A bill like that is not an option for us right now.  I had looked over our policy book, and according to the book, everything up to and including IVF is covered, but there’s a $15,000 limit on fertility treatments (so far, I’ve used about $140 of that) - I figured it was probably safe to move forward, but insurance companies can be tricky, so I decided to be safe and call.  After listening to the customer service representative talk in circles for a while and explaining and re-explaining the situation, I finally got an answer - as long as the appointment is billed as an office visit (and it will be, according to the nurse I talked to), we will only be responsible for our co-pay.  Thank goodness.  Now I just have to wait for my next cycle to start so we can get this process moving.

This journey is nothing like I had expected when we first started “trying” a year ago.  It’s more disappointing and frustrating and exhausting than I could have ever imagined  … but I’m not letting that stop me, because I know that the end result is going to be so worth it.

Oct-over It

Near the end of September, something came over me.  I was getting really excited about October.  I had a good feeling about this month and I was getting “signs” that got my hopes up - my fortune cookies told me a pleasant surprise was coming my way soon, and now is a good time to try something new, I had started a higher dose of Clomid.  Things had to work, and my luck had to be changing …

And now, my optimism for October is going down the drain quickly, and we’re barely into the month.

Today is CD22.  To this point, I’ve had negative OPK’s and my chart looks awful.  I wish I still had some optimism left, but I just don’t.  The only thing that seemed somewhat promising was the awful sharp cramps I would randomly feel.  I thought they had to be a sign that my ovaries were trying to function properly.  Because I still haven’t gotten my positive OPK, I’m beginning to think those pains are actually a sign that something is going wrong.

I am well aware that it’s possible to ovulate late in your cycle - even after CD22.  I really really wish that this might be the case for me, but truthfully, the odds are against me.  It is completely my fault.  I haven’t been doing the things I should have been doing - eating right, continuing my yoga, getting real exercise … I’ve been lazy and unmotivated.  I’m just too exhausted to do the things that I know I should be doing.  It’s awful.  I’m definitely stuck in a rut right now, and I need to dig my way out of it ASAP.

I haven’t completely decided yet, but I’m leaning toward an unmedicated cycle next time around.  And I’m pretty sure I’m not going to chart my BBT.  I will definitely still use my Cleadblue Easy Fertility Monitor though - I have to have some idea about whatrs going on at least.  “They” always say that once you take a break from following procedure, things just fall into place.  I’m skeptical of this - my body doesn’t typically function the way it’s supposed to, so odds are if I go unmedicated, I probably won’t ovulate at all, but you never know, right? I’m hoping that taking a break in November will lead to a turkey in my oven … maybe if I get back on track and fake some optimism, good things will happen … until they do happen, I think I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

One Step Forward ...

And 1,000 steps back.  Yeah, I’m exaggerating a little - it’s not that bad, but setbacks while TTC SUCK.

Yesterday was CD40.  Not even remotely close to the longest I’ve gone between cycles (154 days), but I didn’t want to sit around waiting for something to happen.  Thankfully the nurses in my doctor’s office are very helpful and prompt, and my doctor is super proactive with my treatment.  I got a phone call maybe a half hour after sending an email to the doctor’s office from a very nice nurse asking for more details, and then she called back after about 15 minutes with a plan of action from the doctor.

I started taking Provera again tonight to hopefully induce another cycle, and I have 100mg of Clomid to take on CD5-9.  I was really hoping that I wouldn’t have to start the Provera again, and I was especially hopeful after having AF show up on her own - early - in July.  Unfortunately, that just wasn’t the case - stupid body.

Along with the medications, I’d like to get more into the yoga I kind of started practicing.  Once in a while I’ll spend a half hour or so on it, but I need to start a regular routine.  It might not make a huge difference, but it can’t hurt.  Maybe combining all of these factors will get us a BFP in September … my fingers (and toes) are crossed.

Trying Something New

Now that I’m on CD5 (damn you, AF!), I figured I would share the TTC changes I’m making this cycle.

One new thing that I’m very excited to try this cycle is the Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor.  I stalked eBay, put in several bids (and lost several auctions), and ended up buying a gently used monitor at the super discounted price of $64.98 (originally $69.98, but there was an issue with the shipping - I was charged $2 to pick it up from the post office because there was postage due on it.  I contacted the seller, and they were amazing enough to refund $5 for the hassle).  Not a bad deal at all, considering they retail for $130-150.  The one downside to the CBEFM is that the test sticks usually sell for about $40 for 30 sticks.  Quite an increase when compared to my previous $14 for 40 Wondfo ovulation sticks and 10 pregnancy tests from Amazon.  With any luck, it will help us right away and I won’t need it for more than a couple of cycles (which should only use one box of 30 sticks).  Once we no longer need it, I’ll either stash it away in storage or resell it to another TTC-er and make back the money I spent on it.  I think it was a pretty good investment.

Another new thing that I’m pretty excited about is my “exercise regimen.”  I say that in quotes because I don’t really like to exercise (not a good thing), and I don’t do this regularly, but … I have started to kind of get into yoga for fertility.  This consists of different yoga poses that help the flow of energy and blood to the reproductive areas.  I don’t know that I really believe in all of that (well, I get the blood circulation, but energy?  Meh) but I figured it can’t really hurt.  At the very least, it helps me relax and that’s a very major benefit to me.  Currently, I’m trying some stuff I found on YouTube because I didn’t want to have to pay for it if it turned out it wasn’t for me.  If I start getting more into it and notice a lot of benefits and changes, then maybe I’ll purchase a DVD.  Actually, I’d really like to go to a class, but living in a small town means yoga classes aren’t readily available.  Maybe some day …

I also made a few minor changes to my diet.  I’m attempting to eat more leafy greens (I say attempting because - lets be real - eating spinach salads for a week straight got old fast.  Taking a break for a couple weeks, then trying again with a much smaller supply of spinach), I’m trying to eat more protein (yum!  eggs!), and I’m going crazy over fresh fruit.  I’m still working on portion sizes and well-rounded meals, and I just can’t seem to kick my chocolate cravings - there’s definitely room for improvement.

I’m pretty proud of myself for attempting to make some changes and trying new things, and I’m always looking for more suggestions, if any TTC-ers want to share.

Just don’t say acupuncture.  I won’t do that.  :)

Progesterone Level Results

When the results showed up on my online chart Monday morning, the first thing I did was a search on Doctor Google - you can’t give me information and not expect me to investigate on my own.  Doctor Google gave me some interesting information (that I took with a grain of salt), but most of what I read online was kind of confirmed by the amazingly sweet OB/GYN nurse I talked to this afternoon.

My level was an 8.22, which is kind of on the low end for ovulation according to the nurse.  I should have asked if what I learned from Doctor Google was true (most things I saw on Doctor Google said that above a 5 means you ovulated, 10 is preferred).  I’m sure there are other questions I should have asked also.  I guess I can just write them down and ask them the next time around (because odds are, there probably will be a “next time”). 

The doctor looked over my results and thought it looked promising enough I guess, because the nurse said the notations stated if I started a new cycle, then we would go with the 50mg of Clomid again, as well as the monitoring and reporting that I did this time around.  Before I hung up, the nurse said “I hope you’re pregnant!  Have a great day!” - I really appreciated that :).  So I guess I’m going to go along with my original plan of waiting for AF next week and testing if she doesn’t show up.  Fun times :). 

6DPO?

Or maybe 5?  Or maybe not at all?

Fertility Friend says I might have ovulated between CD19 and CD22, but I haven’t gotten crosshairs and ovulation hasn’t been detected.  According to MyFertilityCharts.com, I definitely ovulated on CD20 or CD21 (it originally was 21, then I entered my CM data for a few days that I had forgotten to enter, and it switched to 20).  I also got 2 positive OPK’s, on days 19 and 20.  All of that information made for one confused lady.

On Thursday, I called my doctor’s office on (as I was instructed at my original appointment) to let them know that I think I had an ovulation event, and they put an order in for me to have my progesterone levels checked today (Sunday).  (Side Note:  According to the nurse I talked to, the OPK data is considered more reliable than BBT data - I thought that was kind of interesting.  I don’t know if I agree/believe that necessarily, but it’s good to know.) 

I’m very anxious for my results! If I am 5-6DPO, then I guess I’d POAS after July 24th.  As exciting as it is, I’m not really expecting anything this cycle.  I’m really trying to stay positive, but I have to stop getting my hopes up.  Besides, I just don’t have that kind of luck.  Who knows, maybe the universe will prove me wrong.  Just in case I’m not wrong, I have a trick up my sleeve for the next cycle … but I’ll get to that at another time ;).

Chicagoland, Minor Home Redecorating, and Birthday Cake

That’s what our weekend consisted of … and it was so freaking busy!

B and I spent pretty much all day Saturday in Chicago and the surrounding ‘burbs, which was really fun. We started the day at IKEA - I love that store. I did some window shopping, and I think I might throw together a post of my wishlist later … we’ll see how motivated I am. We ended up spending a little less than $90 there, and it was a good haul! We bought a new coffee table and a new curtain (and rod and brackets) for our dining room. I am super pleased with our purchases - the coffee table is HUGE and it was only $40, and the new curtains are awesome. Our dining room is definitely one of the ugliest rooms in our house, but now I kind of like it.

After IKEA, we went to Exchequer Pub and shared a heavenly deep dish pizza. Seriously - so freaking good! I could eat it every day (and then I would die after like a week because there’s just so. much. cheese. Yum!).  The original after dinner plan was to do some shopping/walking in Downtown Chicago, but I decided against going to my favorite Old Navy store because I’m trying to spend less money.  Instead, we went driving around the ‘burbs of Chicago. 

We browsed at a couple of shops in Ravenswood/Lincoln Square - Orange Beautiful, Amy’s Candy Bar, and Hoard Antiques. We drove by a couple of Chicago’s famous landmarks - Wrigley Field and The Weiner’s Circle, and I did some window shopping/drooling at Paper Source (aka heaven). 

After wasting a bit of time, we finally drove over to Aragon Ballroom for the Tenacious D concert (the reason why we spent the day in Chicago).  It was super hot in the ballroom, and we didn’t last long on the floor with the huge crowd.  After scouting the place, we settled in a less populated area on the side of the stage - we had a decent view, and it worked well (until I started getting sick from the heat and ended up leaning against a wall the whole night).  I didn’t care for the opening band, but I enjoyed listening to Tenacious D (for the most part - there was like 5 minutes of Jack Black just being weird … I wasn’t really into that).  I realized that I’m too old for concerts that don’t have seats - I’m getting lazy in my old age :).

Sunday was not a day of rest for us at all.  B woke up early to do his side job and record his podcast, and I woke up and put together our new coffee table.  I wanted to put the new curtains up also, but removing the old ones was a bit more difficult than I had anticipated.  I attempted to remove the old curtain rod myself, but failed.  B also tried, but that thing was not budging.  We ended up having B’s parents come over to help us (after we went to their house to fix their internet connection).  Stupidly, I only grabbed 2 brackets at IKEA for hanging the curtain rod, so we had to get creative with supplies from ACE Hardware.  B’s dad made some adjustments to a plant hanger, and it all worked out in the end. 

The highlight of my weekend occurred Sunday afternoon after the curtains were installed - I got my first positive OPK!  I had given up on this cycle and then - BAM - it appears as though I may have ovulated (or will ovulate soon?).  I don’t know for sure - my chart doesn’t look that great - I had another positive OPK on Monday, along with slight temp rise, and then today, my temp was back to where it was before with a negative OPK.  I guess my plan now is to wait a few days (FF says I could ovulate up until Wednesday) and then call my OB/GYN office and see if they want me to come in to have my Progesterone levels tested or whatever. 

We ended the weekend by celebrating the first birthday of a very sweet little girl. It was nice to spend the afternoon with our friends, and the birthday girl looked extra adorable with frosting all over her face. It was a very busy and entertaining weekend … I think I need another weekend just to recover.

Medicated

Now that I’ve finished taking the Provera and Clomid, I thought I’d take some time to post about my experiences with these particular medications.

As far as side effects go, I feel like I only experienced very mild ones with the Provera.  It pretty much just felt like regular PMS symptoms - moody/emotional, bloated, low energy … but nothing too drastic, which was a relief.  I had read online that AF typically shows up 5-10 days after the last dose of Provera, and I was right on schedule at 6 days.  I reacted really strongly to the medication - probably a good thing considering it had been so long in between cycles.  It made for a very uncomfortable week though :(. 

On CD5, I started taking the Clomid.  I was really nervous about it because I have a co-worker who had awful reactions to the medication, and I had read a lot of the stories that pop up online while searching for information about Clomid.  Because of some of the side effects (blurred vision, hot flashes, etc), I decided the best time for me to take the meds was before bed, and that worked out really well for me.  If I did experience any side effects, I didn’t notice them.

The instructions that I was given when my OB/GYN gave me the Clomid prescription stated that ovulation should occur between CD14 and CD19 (5-10 days after completing the Clomid).  Today I am on CD13 and my ovulation sticks have been negative (I started on CD10 just to get in the habit - I’m using the lovely cheapies from Amazon, so it doesn’t really matter if I go through a few extra).  I’m hopeful that some time this week, an eggie will decide it’s ready for take off.  I’ve penciled in some BD time for the next week to hopefully catch the hypothetical egg.  And after that … we wait.

If I do ovulate, I have to call the doctor’s office to inform them and then I’ll have to set up an appointment to check my progesterone levels.  I’m hoping that I won’t need to go through another round of medications (and that this is our cycle … that would be awesome) - even though I didn’t have terrible experiences, I also don’t like being on medication so … I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Hooray!!

The Provera did what it was meant to do.  I’ve never been so excited for AF in my life!

Post-Appointment Update

Overall, I think the appointment went really well.  I liked the doctor I saw, it was pretty quick, and I did not have to have an exam because I just had one in February (woohoo!!).

My actual talk with the doctor was pretty short.  She told me that there were 3 routes to take - an indirect, wait and see approach using Provera and Clomid (and seeing her), a more hands on approach using ultrasounds, medications, etc to check in on the production of follicles through a Nurse Practitioner at a different clinic, or going full tilt and seeing an RE.  I opted for choice number one.  I was also given a sample cup for B to do a semen analysis (he’s not happy with me), and we agreed that I should try to lose some weight.  Before leaving, they asked me to have a pregnancy test done just to make sure - results were negative.

On the way home, we stopped to pick up my prescriptions, and I’ll start taking the Provera tonight.  I need to order some ovulation predictor sticks too.  I started charting again at the beginning of the month, so I’ll keep that up as well and hopefully all of these elements combined will result in a baby - I’m thinking positive thoughts :).

Lack of TTC Posts Lately

I’ve been doing a crappy job in general lately with posting somewhat regularly on here, but I have been super avoiding TTC/baby-related posts. The reason for this is two-fold. First of all - there isn’t much to report. We’re still trying, and we’re still not having any success because nothing is going on (by that I mean I am on cycle day 128 … not good - and yes, I’ve tested, like 3 times. All negative, so …) and the second reason is that thinking and writing about TTC and babies and whatever just makes me bummed out because it isn’t happening for us the way I had hoped it would.

To help remedy the situation (and hopefully bring some baby dust our way), I have made an appointment with an OB/GYN - she even specializes in infertility (although we don’t really know if that’s necessary yet). If I have any luck at all, she will be very proactive about things - I would love it if she would prescribe something to help speed the process up. I’m very hopeful that this doctor will be able to give me some answers (and good news) so that I can stop worrying that something is terribly wrong and it’s never going to happen for us … ugh, it kills me.

And as if all of that nothing going on isn’t enough to drive me insane, I just found out that my cousin who has a 6 month old baby is pregnant again (isn’t she just a fertile Myrtle), a girl I used to work with (who got married 2 weeks before us) is pregnant, we went to my BFF’s baby shower last weekend, and we saw “What to Expect.” Oh, and I see my pregnant boss every single day. It fucking sucks. As excited as I am for all of these people (and as much as I enjoyed “What to Expect” - according to B, I am totally, 100% going to be like Elizabeth Banks’ character), I just can’t help but wonder when it’s going to be my turn. And as I wait for my appointment on June 5th, I’m trying to stay positive … but it doesn’t make talking or blogging about these things any easier. I hope that changes soon.

May Day

Today marks the beginning of the month of May.  Where did the last four months go??

It also marks the month that I am hoping to get more assistance in our baby makin’ endeavors.  When I had an appointment with my NP in February, I was told that if my cycles didn’t start regulating themselves (I guess the prenatal vitamins she put me on were supposed to help with that?), we would talk again in May about perhaps starting to use prescription medications (at the time, Metformin was mentioned) to help speed the process along.  Now that it’s May, I’m getting a little antsy.

I’m planning on waiting a couple of weeks before I contact my NP (I’ll actually probably call on the 13th - that was the date of my appointment in February) to see what she thinks now.  Since my last appointment, absolutely nothing has happened (aside from the fun stuff ;D) - super disappointing, and I really don’t think it can be healthy either.    Hopefully she will stick to what she said before, and we’ll be able to get things going again.  My fingers are crossed, and any positive vibes would be appreciated.

Charting Revisited

It’s been a while since I’ve talked about my experience charting my BBT on Fertility Friend. That’s because there isn’t much to tell. I quit doing it.

I had done a pretty good job of taking my temperature first thing in the morning (at approximately the same time every day) for almost 2 months. In that 2 months, I found out that my temperature doesn’t really follow normal patterns. Aside from the time I spiked a fever (I got the flu the Thursday before Christmas), my temperature ranged from 97.3 to 97.8 - never more, never less. After seeing that every morning for a month and a half, I decided I would stop charting until after visiting my doctor. While at that appointment, she asked if I had been charting and what I had seen, and she came to the conclusion that I had expected - my cycles during that time were anovulatory. Bummer. She briefly brought up using medication to help regulate things after a few months (if things don’t sort themselves out), but I wasn’t really given any more instruction.

Now that I’ve started taking the prenatal vitamins that I was prescribed, I am thinking about starting to chart again (after I replace the battery in my thermometer - I can’t believe it died already!). Maybe things will change (my NP said the vitamins might help somewhat in making things more normal). And if there is no change, then I’ll at least have my chart as proof that nothing is happening the next time I make an appointment, and at that point, we can further discuss the idea of using pharmaceutical help.

Results Are In!

I got the call yesterday letting me know that the lab results from my appointment on Monday were available.  But of course I didn’t get the message until after the lab had closed - I have the worst timing ever.  So I had to wait until this morning to call back and find out …

Everything is normal.

On the one hand, I’m relieved that there’s nothing wrong with my reproductive system.  On the other, this means that there is no medical explanation for why things are irregular and annoying.  Ugh.

According to the nurse I spoke with, we’re supposed to just keep going at it (haha, I’m so classy) for another few months to see if we can get pregnant on our own, and if we aren’t successful after a year of trying (September/October) then I’ll need to see an OB/GYN for further analysis.

A little bit of good news with a side of frustration … not quite what I was hoping for from this appointment, but … I guess I’ll take it.

Waiting

I hate waiting. It’s been especially torturous this week as I’ve been waiting on my lab results from my appointment on Monday. My NP ordered various tests to see if there is a cause for my long cycles, and I was under the impression that I would be getting the results at some time on Tuesday. That has not been the case (obviously). Even if I’ll be getting bad news (and I’m almost certain I will be), I want to know sooner rather than later - the more time we have to remedy the situation the better. Hopefully I get the call tomorrow letting me know what’s going on - I’d like to get the baby making show on the road!