In August of 2009, two years into our marriage, a year after living in our new house, we figured that the next logical step to our lives together was to start a family. So August 15, 2009 I got off the pill. We were ecstatic. I wanted to yell from a roof top that we were starting our family, but instead I settled on telling all of our friends and family. Looking back I don't know if that was my best decision or not. Whenever someone asks how it's going I poor my heart out and tell he/she probably more than he/she really cares to know. But at the same time, I hate failure and people seeing me struggle, so would I have told all of the people that I told if I knew that I know now...I don't know.
When I got off the pill we thought that everything was going to work out perfectly. The baby would have been born at the perfect time of year, and everything in our lives would be just right. In September when I started my period I didn't really care. Although, I would rather it not be there and be pregnant instead, I looked at it as a good thing and figured that at least I am adjusting to getting off the pill smoothly. Needless to say, that did not continue... October rolled around and no period. November, December, and January: nothing. I knew from all of the research that I have done that when you're under thirty-five you should wait a year before seeking medical help, but when I went four months with no period, I figured that there must be something wrong. I made an appointment to establish an OB and figure everything out and in February is when my whole entire world was turned upside-down.
After being poked, proded, examed, and questionned, we found out that I do not ovulate on my own. Even though in February of 2010 I started a period (quite the accomplishment....), I still was not ovulating. So my doctor wanted to start me on Provera (induces period) and 50mg of Clomid (induces ovulation), but first she wanted to make sure we were not dealing with two issues, so she referred AJ to a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) aka Fertility Specialist to do a sperm analysis. His results came back fairly low (20 million and anything below 20 million is considered low), so we were then referred to a urologist. He had another date with a cup and the same results same back. A slightly low sperm count, but the quality was perfect, so the urologist said that he does not see any problems with his ability to get me pregnant and he gave us the go ahead to use Clomid. I was excited to have a little jump start and to start my medication. I did more research online (I'm very guilty of that...) and even found out that a friend of mine had to use Clomid to get pregnant and she now has unbelievably cute 3 year old twins from her first round of Clomid.
While I was waiting to start my 50mg of Clomid we went to the beach and I made my way to the Coach Factory Store and found a unisex Coach diaper bag. I figured that I would buy it since it was such a good deal and I was going to get pregnant that month-- of course, I would. I am on Clomid, what else would happen? On the 11th day of my cycle I went in for an ultrasound and I had three big folliciles so the OB tech told me that I should ovulate soon. Then on the 21st day of my cycle I went in for my very first progesterone check to see if I ovulated. I went in confident and felt that I definitely ovulated. A couple of days later my doctor calls me to tell me that my ultrasound looked great, and I have no known medical conditions, but I did not ovulate. So she increased my dosage to 100mg and wrote my another prescription for Provera.
This time on the 100mg of Clomid I decided that I would take a ovulate test every morning and track my basal body temperature to help track my ovulation. I think it was cycle day 11 or 12 when I took my morning ovulation test and I had two blue lines! I ovulated!! Then the next morning I took it again (just our of curiosity) and two blue lines again! And again the next morning when I took my temperature my temp increased which is what is supposed to happen 24-48 hours after ovulation. Well again on the 21st day of my cycle I went in for my progesterone check and my progesterone levels were at 1.6 (they need to be above ten for proof of ovulation), so she gave us the option of going to 150mg of Clomid or referring us back to the RE. At that point I was mad at Clomid and didn't want to take it ever again, so I decided to make an appointment to see the RE. Well when we couldn't get in for over a month and when I told told that it would cost $300 just to walk in the door and talk with the doctor and any additional test/exam would be seperate (insurance doesn't cover infertility unless it is caused by a medical condition), I decided to give Clomid one more try since it cost $20 and insurance covers all of the follow up needed with it, so I called my doctor back and asked her to write me another prescription for Provera and the 150mg of Clomid.
When I started the 150mg of Clomid I decided that I was not going to take the ovulation tests or track my temperature since they both lie. I figured that we would just do what we are supposed to do, when we are supposed to do it, and then on cycle day 21, I would go in for my usual progesterone levels. Well to my surprise and with the help of 150mg of Clomid, I ovulated!!!! My progesterone levels were 11.6. When I found out two weeks later that I was not pregnant I was okay with that because at least I ovulated and could take the 150mg of Clomid again.
When I took the next cycle of Clomid (after my period started on it's own! No more Provera for me!) and went in for my progesterone check my levels were 23.32! I couldn't believe it! The nurse told me that if I needed the next month's cycle of Clomid to let her know, but she didn't think that I would need it with those progesterone levels. I called AJ and my mom and told them the good news. Well two weeks later my world came to a screeching halt when again, I was not pregnant.
So that brings us to where we are now. I took the 150mg of Clomid...again...and I ovulated...again...with progesterone levels of 35.03. I was cramping for a little over a week and just knew that I was pregnant, well nice and early, my monthly "gift" presented herself. I will start the next 150mg cycle of Clomid next week, but who knows how long my doctor will allow me to stay on it.
No comments:
Post a Comment