Praying For Hope: And to think, all I needed was an ultrasound

Monday, February 22, 2010

And to think, all I needed was an ultrasound

I've been wanting to comment on this, but I kept forgetting. Does anyone watch New Adventures of Old Christine with Julia Louis-Dreyfus? The other week, she decided she wanted to have a baby, so she asked the doctor if it were still possible. The doctor, using nothing but a transabdominal ultrasound, told her her tubes were open, her mucus looked good, her ovaries were in great condition, and her uterine lining was good . . . sure, Christine, you'll have no problem having a baby.

Wow, I never knew that. You can get all the info from an ultrasound? Amazing. To think, all those blood tests I took, checking mucus every, single time I went to the bathroom, the HSG and laparoscopy . . . all I had to do was to ask the doctor for an ultrasound. I'll have to tell him next time I see him all the amazing things an ultrasound can do. To be fair, he knew about using the ultrasound to check uterine lining, but he obviously had no idea about everything else.

Now really, how can you check mucus with an ultrasound? Honestly.

********************

Gaah! Dr. Stegman's office called me on Friday and asked me to call them back. I didn't get a chance until this morning. He had a chance to review my u/s and wants to schedule another in ten days or so. Of course, my first panicked thought was: why? Why does he want to schedule another after seeing the last one. Did he see something to concern him? Was the heart rate too low? It was on the low side of normal, yes (this is why I shouldn't do any more research), but was it too low for his liking? The on-call doctor said everything looked fine. Why? Why, why, why, why?

I'm talking myself back down now - partially succeeding. He didn't call personally, so it can't have been too dire, right? He's been known to call patients personally after hours. He didn't ask for it to be scheduled this week, so it's probably not an immediate concern. They didn't call me back or call home when I didn't return the original call, so it may not be panic-worthy. It could be routine. Right? Right?

Ten days!? I'm making this one in the morning if I can, so I don't need to sit here in suspense at work all day. I'm trying to think positive. Put on my happy face. It's all good. Positive.

Why can't I stop worrying?

10 comments:

Second Chances said...: You gotta love the lies on tv! Hilarious. If only it were that simple...; February 22, 2010 at 8:30 AM
... said...: I never watch the show, but have come to learn that no one in TV is ever truly IF. Usually some random hook-up with some random guy is enough to do the trick :)

Of course, tv land is also were a guy is arrested on Monday and has a jury verdict by Friday. So realistic!; February 22, 2010 at 10:51 AM
... said...: Huh? I wonder why, too. However, you are probably right to think that if there was anything dire he would want one right away. Maybe this is rountine for him. Good, positive thoughts.; February 22, 2010 at 12:16 PM
Praying for Hope said...: Common sense tells me it's probably routine, but after all this time, I still can't quite get it through my head we're going to have a baby. I know I'm pregnant, but I don't feel it. I'm being ridiculous reading between the lines when there's nothing between the lines to read. Can't help it.; February 22, 2010 at 12:22 PM
Amy @ This Cross I Embrace said...: Hilarious... esp about the tubes being opened. Why anyone would subject themselves to an HSG if a painless u/s could see that is beyond me!

But to be fair, we do look for cm on u/s, but it's only visible transvaginally. It is a normal part of the NaPro u/s series, to document the presence or absence or cm, and whether or not the cervix is open or closed (open with fluid present, closed without).; February 22, 2010 at 12:57 PM
Praying for Hope said...: Now that I didn't know. I didn't realize you could check for CM using a trasvaginal u/s.; February 22, 2010 at 1:15 PM
... said...: I completely understand. For doctors (even the great ones) these things are routine and they probably just don't think how someone who has suffered with IF is going to pick apart every thing they say and worry constantly. Take heart and keep calm.; February 22, 2010 at 1:58 PM
Second Chances said...: No worries. They probably just want to continue to monitor you. Maybe you're classified as "high risk"? I noticed that on my blood work request today and I thought, "really? I'm high risk? Didn't realize that". I think it just means extra precautions. Remember, God's baby...He will totally take care of you and baby. Sending prayers.; February 22, 2010 at 6:27 PM
Joy Complete said...: I wouldn't worry about it. In my experience, Dr. Stegman monitors early pregnancy much more closely than other doctors. If it was something serious, he would order an ultrasound much sooner.; February 22, 2010 at 10:40 PM
Praying for Hope said...: That's good to know. Thanks, all, for the encouragement.; February 23, 2010 at 8:52 AM

TTC History

9/1/2007 - Married to a perfect man.

10/28/2007 - Started the never ending road of TTC at the tender age of 37. How many other people do you know who can name the exact date they started trying for a baby?

3/12/2007 - Decided my husband and I weren't getting anywhere on our own in TTC and and that it was time to look for someone who could help.

4/10/2008 - Attended our first CreightonModel Fertility Care class and started tracking my cycle.

4/25/2008 - Had our first one-on-one session with our FertilityCare practitioner. We learned a lot. She suggested an appointment with one of the practice doctors, Dr. Mark Stegman, a skilled Napro doctor and surgeon, we took her up on the offer. We might be able to get an appointment some time in August.

4/28/2008 - Got a call from a receptionist from Dr. Stegman's office. Could I come in next week? Yes!

5/5/2008 - My first appointment with Dr. Stegman. He was very thorough in discussing our options and a potential plan of action for us. We'll begin with blood work to establish a hormone profile series in my next cycle.

5/2008 - Blood work every other day for two weeks. The nurse at the front desk knew me by sight by the time we were done. I nearly passed out at the payment desk on the day they took 10 vials of blood. That was pleasant. Did I mention that I hate needles?

5/27/2008 - Our first seminal analysis (SA). We're not keen on the special condom meant for the job.

6/30/2008 - Our follow up appointment with Dr. Stegman to learn about the results of our tests and where we go from there. My blood work looks good. My husband's SA looks good, too, except for forward progression. We scored a 1+. I believe 2+ is the preferred score. Dr. S recommends Proxeed. He also tells us he wants to schedule a selective hysterosalpingogram, a hysteroscopy, and a laproscopy some time late summer or early fall.

7/30/2008 - Being too cheap to shell out over $600 for a 6-month supply of Proxeed, my husband and I opt for the generic equivalent. It's a lot of vitamins, but it's much kinder to our wallet.

9/8/2008 - I have the preliminary exam, blood work, and tests prior to my surgery. I'm so nervous, I'm about ready to run screaming out the door, down the steps, across the parking lot, and straight home so I can hide under the bed with the dog. It's a miracle that I don't.

9/9/2008 - I have the SHSG, hysteroscopy, and laparoscopy and, much to my surprise, I survive. My tubes are good (woo hoo!), and I have no adhesions. Dr. S removes three polyps and "quite a bit" of endometriosis. It doesn't look that bad in the pictures of the surgery. It's fascinating to see what I look like from the inside out.

9/10/2008 - 9/12/2008 - I look like Shamu.

10/30/2008 - We're told that everything from the surgery looks good. The scars will fade over the coming months. We're to try to make a baby on our own for the next 6 months. Dr. S calls this "the fun part."

1/30/2009 - We have another appointment with our FertilityCare practioner (we've had quite a few before this, but I haven't mentioned them). She thinks Dr. Stegman might try me on Clomid as a next step. I hope it's Femara. It's not nearly as drying.

2/3/2009 - We have our second SA. We're still not keen on the condom.

3/4/2009 - This is fun?

3/27/2009 - The scars from the laparoscopy are nearly gone. Oh, and I'm 39.

4/9/2009 - Another appointment with Dr. Stegman. We learned the results of the SA. The numbers are no worse than the first - in fact some are much improved - but forward progression is no better. Our plan of action: optimize mucus by taking Mucinex twice a day from CD8 - P+1 plus 500 mg of extended release B6 daily for 2 months followed by 100 mg daily. DH is to make an appointment with a local urologist while Dr. S contacts a urologist in Philly with an interest in male infertility to learn if there is any more we could be doing. Next follow up: August.

4/29/2009 - We - or more like DH - had our urologist appointment. Official dianosis: nothing. No varicoceles, no prostate problems. Prescription: continue doing what we're doing. For this we needed a urologist?

5/29/2009 - Dr. S is booked for the month of August! They said they'd call when August opened up for appointments. I didn't hear the phone ring. September opens up next week. An additional month of nothing. I'm 39 - Methuselah in TTC years. How many months do I have left?

7/16/2009 - Ho hum.

7/24/2009 - Another FerterlityCare appointment. Our FertilityCare practitioner, Kim Lane, suggested that Dr. S may be taking his cue from me as to how aggressively we want to pursue treatment. I need to come up with a few new cues so we can get off the wait-and-see treadmill.

9/17/2009 - Another follow-up with Dr. Stegman. Our plan starting with the next cycle: 1) Limited hormonal profile, 2) An ultrasound series to monitor follicle development, 3) Ovulation stimulation (type and amount to be determined by the u/s series), 4) Food intolerance testing (is it ALCAT?), 5) Five cycles of Amoxicillin from CD8 - CD12 to improve CM.

9/28/2009 - The beginning of another hormone profile and, a new one for me, a follicular ultrasound study. This should be interesting provided I can keep track of all the appointments.

10/4/2009 - 5th ultrasound and three follicles! Can you imagine? So what does that make FSH?

11/11/2009 - Progesterone and Thyroid support! We had another appointment with Dr. S to discuss the test results and come up with another plan of action. FSH and LH were only 5.7 and 5.1 respectively - good levels, good ratio - but TSH and Reverse T3 were slightly high and progesterone plummeted afer P+5. Ovulation looks great, so no ovulation stimulation . . . yet. Ah, well.

12/8/2009 - I am a fertility magnet. Anyone in my vicinity will, given the opportunity, become pregnant within a year, TTC or not. Whether it be a 20 year old woman or an 80 year old man, it doesn't matter. All those around me, as long as they're not actually me, will have a child. I am blessed with an awesome power. . . . How do I reverse the polarity?

1/27/2010 - BFP. Stunned.

1/28/2010 - I called Dr. S's office the moment they opened. We have blood work this afternoon, 200mg of Progesterone, and a prenatal appointment. Prenatal. With a midwife. I'm really pregnant. Me.

1/29/2010 - P+17 numbers are hCG, 472, and Progesterone, 10.2. PIO twice a week, Mondays and Thursdays. I can’t sit down, but I’m too restless to care. The HPT was right.

2/1/2010 - You do not make a desperate, hormonal woman wait for P+21 hCG results! By the way, they're 1670. I'm limp with relief.

2/11/2010 - There’s a baby in there! Our first ultrasound. Junior is measuring 6 weeks, 1 day with a heart rate of 96 bpm.

2/16/2010 - Progesterone results from the last blood draw haven’t budged, so we’re adding daily progesterone suppositories to the twice a week injections. I’ll do whatever it takes.

3/2/2010 - Progesterone has risen to 27.4, zone 3! No PIO for now, just suppositories until the next blood draw in two weeks. If it still looks good (fingers crossed), we may be able to stop the suppositories. Knock on wood, knock on wood, knock on wood . . . .

3/27/2010 - New decade: I'm 40!

4/5/2010 - No more progesterone. The level at the last blood draw is 30 which I don't think sounds particularly high. If the experts are happy, I'm happy. And the results from the Down Syndrome screening came back: we're at no greater risk for Downs than anyone else. We're breathing again, until the next milestone at least.

5/18/2010 - It’s a mobile, little girl! Keep growing, kiddo.

10/11/2010 - Welcome Kathleen Elizabeth.