Well, as you can guess, John is two and we don’t have anymore kiddos yet or even on the way. My midwife put me back on glucophage like I was on when I got pregnant with John. We’re trying to create the same set-up as before so that maybe God will grace us with more children. So we’d love any prayers anyone would offer up for us. Thank you!
Trying to Conceive
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Headache
Friday, October 31st, 2008I have a self-induced headache caused by self-induced high blood pressure right at this moment. I’m mad/upset, whatever the term might be, with my chosen infertility doctor right now. I wish to goodness sake that I could actually meet a doctor that listened to me. I mean actually heard what I said and if they couldn’t remember maybe they’d at least make notes regarding what I said for review prior to future conversations.
During the HSG test I had a few weeks ago, the radiologist saw a polyp in/on my uterus. The polyp is 1 centimeter. That’s about this big: ____. This morning the doctor calls to tell me he has to remove the polyp or I won’t be able to get pregnant, but we’ll have a follow-up conversation about this. Okay I can discuss this. Next thing I know I’m getting a call from some guy at the office scheduling SURGERY. Oh, and the guy says they need to schedule it out far enough so that I can “be on the contraceptives long enough before hand.” WHAT?????
Hmmm, let’s count the number of things wrong with the paragraph above………
I’ll not go into a diatribe about our very personal decision to follow with strict adherence the reproductive teachings of the Catholic Church. But we did discuss that, obviously without success, with the doctor during our first appointment. I’m still stuck on figuring out the part where there was a discussion about this polyp, it’s location, it’s make-up and whether or not it HAS to come out or if it is a personal desire of el doctor’s to take it out to finish paying off a new Porsche!!
I’m slightly heart broken. This infertility stuff is serious, it’s involved and it effects a person’s deepest emotions. And I’m talking to some guy that isn’t respectful of our expressed faith-based desires and apparently thinks he can just schedule surgeries without convincing me of the absolute necessity. Come on, the guy hasn’t figured out why I’m not ovulating yet. I could give a flying fig about a centimeter sized polyp considering I’m not even ovulating. What good is having a pristine uterus if ya can’t release an egg to hatch there???
National Infertility Awareness Week
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008I didn’t know there was such a thing until I read about it on a blog I like, Tammy’s Times. Unfortunately, Tammy, before she got pregnant, had experienced more of the questions than I have had to deal with from folks. So thank you to my friends & family who are so supportive of us.
The organization that looks to have started National Infertility Awareness Week , is called RESOLVE. I just read a statistic on their site that made me happy. It said that 2/3 of couples that pursue assistance with infertility are able to give birth!!
Reproductive Stuff
Tuesday, October 21st, 2008Well, I just finished a rather yucky week of testing. I was beginning to feel like a pin cushion. Both of us had some basic blood work done, then on day 3 of my cycle I had some hormone blood work done. And then a couple of days later I had a 2-hour glucose test and in the afternoon the hysterosalpingogram (HSG) done. The worst part of that day was the 2-hour glucose test. Just knowing I had to be poked with dreaded needles caused me some consternation. The HSG was pretty uncomfortable, but wasn’t horrid. Turns out I have perfect fallopian tubes!
So we’ve completed some basic testing to see if we can learn what might be causing our infertility. The doctor said I have hypothyroidism so he increased the synthroid I’m on.
Between the two health professionals I’ve seen regarding my problem ovulating, they’ve come up with pre-diabetes, hypthryoidism and PCOS. Of all the symptoms of all these potential problems, I don’t have a majority of symptoms for any one of them. Being a non-medical person, I’m guessing here, but I think maybe the problem is that I’m on the verge of all three. No one of these problems is the real problem yet, but maybe I’m getting toward the borderline of any/all of the three becoming a real problem. And the combination of these three things becoming a problem is causing the lack of ovulation.
The issue here is weight. I don’t know how hypothyroidism is caused, but I know weight loss would fix the pre-diabetes and the PCOS (probably). I actually gained 9 pounds while taking glucophage (for pre-diabetes), but since reducing the glucophage and starting the synthroid I’ve lost 15 pounds. The doctor said if I’ve got PCOS, weight loss is really, really hard. But I’ve lost that 15 pounds in 2 months without trying. (Now, let’s just hope the rest comes off as easily…don’t think so, but I’m hoping.)
Ya know, if you think about it really, medical science isn’t (even in this day and age) a very perfect science. It still is so very reliant on opinion. And if a particular doctor’s mind is already slanted in one particular direction for diagnoses it seems pretty hard for him/her to change that prosceptive.
Shedding Pounds
Sunday, September 28th, 2008Dave & I have been legitimately trying to shred some pounds lately. He is down 5 and I’m down 11 so far. I’m bragging temporarily on my reduction, because you know how men are with weight loss. He’ll be passing me by all too soon. What is with a man’s metabolism…it is so unfair.
Our weight plan it utterly easy, because neither of us would stick to anything complicated. We are reducing quantities consumed, increasing veggie consumption and going for 1 mile+ walks as many days a week as we can fit into our schedules. Pretty easy and no brainer stuff.
Who knows, maybe this will help with getting pregnant too!!
Been Gone From Blogging World
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008I’ve been a bit busy with Farmer’s Markets, helping Dave make syrup sales and fertility stuff. While speaking to one of my sister-in-laws recently she said (because she’s also dealing with infertility) that it is okay for fertility to become an encompassing mission/passion for a time. We’ve got this short window in time to have children so use it wisely. So I’m letting myself think about it often and not getting to wrapped up in much else.
This cycle I started a low dose of clomid and a low dose of synthroid and reduced the glucophage. I am praying like anything that ye olde ovaries decide to start popping out viable eggs soon!
I’m just going to stomp my online feet for a moment… this infertility business just isn’t fair. It really, really stinks. And I hate it. I hate even having to be in a position where I have to contemplate the possibility of not having children. I’m thankful for the fact that there is hope, but I’m sad/mad about that too because it is kind of makes me feel pathetic.
Oh well, I guess everyone’s lives have hurdles and everyone’s hurdles are different. Too bad there isn’t a “life’s hurdles” market, but I guess all the easy to jump ones would sell first since no one ever wants the ones that are hard to jump.
Kind of a Busy Day Today
Thursday, July 31st, 2008My usual agenda isn’t too jam packed, but today I’ve got rather a lot to do. I’ve got about 75 freshly packed maple syrup containers to label and tag. The farmer’s market is from 11-2 and it is supposed to rain pretty much that whole time…yuck. I am also going to be making my first batch of homemade laundry soap. Then I’ve got tons of green beans from our garden to blanch and freeze for use this coming fall/winter.
If I like the recipe I’ve chosen for my first batch of laundry soap, I’ll post it later. I’ve chosen a powdered version instead of some of the gel/liquid recipes out there. We have an HE front load washer so finding a recipe for a no suds detergent was a little more tricky.
The rain should be ended by 2PM so maybe if the soap making project gets finished early a load of experimental laundry can be hung out to dry!! Dave is always game for me trying these homemade and/or natural options.
Speaking of being game for trying natural options, my CNM (certified nurse midwife) I had an appointment with yesterday said she does NOT advocate natural/herbal options. I was bummed. I wanted to get her opinion of this herbal/vitamin I’ve been recommended called Fertilaid. She said if I want to try it go ahead, but she doesn’t believe in that stuff…just modern medicine. And she acknowledged that being a CNM that was a strange opinion. I really like this gal’s bedside manner, thus far and I’m hopeful that once I do get pregnant I can use her for the delivery. But I really would like to try more natural options. In my opinion, sometimes the things modern medicine does while “intervening” in the birth process is way overboard and harmful. I don’t think this gal goes to some of those extremes though. Her c-section rate is far lower than her MD ob/gyn counterparts at the hospital where she aids in deliveries. And I could still use her, but maybe find a good doula. We’ll see. Gotta get pregnant first (actually I need to ovulate first!!).
Yesterday’s Appointment
Thursday, July 31st, 2008Well, clomid it is. We start taking it next cycle. And I am so praying this is the extra little push we needed to get pregnant. I’m potentially dealing with PCOS…maybe. If two rounds of clomid do not work, then we’ll be sent to a fertility specialist who can further diagnose why I’m not ovulating. So we’re saying lots of prayers.
My Day
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008Well, this morning I’ve got an appointment with the CNM (certified nurse midwife) I see for all things reproductively related. We’re going to have the clomid talk since the glucophage I’ve been taking (which makes me sick as anything) for ovulation regulation has not worked one bit. I’ve also had recommended to me NaPro Technology and Fertilaid recently. Because of my age and the fact that we are talking about time clipping by, I’m going to ask to do a round or two of clomid first. I’d love to go a more natural route, but time is an issue in my case.
After that appointment, I need to come home and pack more maple syrup for the Farmer’s Markets. We’ve been selling syrup pretty well the last few weeks and the last 10 gallons we packed is almost gone. So Dave brought in another 10 gallons last evening for me to process (heat and package in smaller containers). We’ve been getting more sales on the realmaplesyrup.com website as well. So things are good in the syrup world.
If I have time later I might find a few recipes that use maple syrup for things other than pancakes/waffles. Dave and I talked about having a handout available at our table with recipes for people. We’re also talking about adding a pancake mix from a New England based company to augment out sales. And I’m also going to put together a couple of gift baskets full of maple and maple related products.
My nephew, JB, has been helping me with the Farmer’s Market on Mondays. It is nice to have the company and he’s turning into a good little salesman!
My sister-in-law back in IL e-mailed me new pictures of my gorgeous little nieces! I’ll have to get Dave to put them on here for me since I don’t know how to do that.