Saline Infusion Sonogram #3

Yesterday I had my third and hopefully final saline infusion sonogram.  My husband wasn't able to make the appointment so my friend KK was willing and able to come along.  I even had here in the exam room.  She's been through some of the worst with being an infertile herself.

The results of the blood work and SIS are as follows:

• Uterus looks great, there was some fluid still in it but I was still bleeding and some was the saline too
• 5 cm cyst on the left ovary
• TSH 3.19, they want to see 2.5 or below so we will re-test in a week with more in-depth testing
• Prolactin 10.39, below 25 is good so I'm normal
• HgA1c was 4.9 that was also normal

Now I just need to start birth control at the beginning of my next cycle and hope the cyst resolves or explodes of which I've had happen quite a few times with my cysts.  My nurse at PNW wants another suppression scan done before I start the Lupron to make sure the cyst has resolved.  I want it done too as I know darn well hormones don't always work to shrink my cysts, case in point last year when I ended up having surgery to remove them and found the endometriosis.

Soon I'll be set to go on this DE IVF (donor egg invitro fertilization)cycle, or rather a FET (frozen embryo transfer).  Hopefully today billing will get back to me so I can pay for this cycle.  I left a message letting them know I wanted to pay for the cycle in full.

Wish me luck and keep me in your prayers.

In a bit of unrelated good news.  J, my husband, gets promoted today!  I'll be attending his very wet promotion ceremony that they'll be holding outside.  Hey it is Washington State, wet is normal here.

ENT Appointment and Symptom Update

I had my ENT appointment this morning.  It went well enough.  Thankfully the two cysts on my thyroid are now one and smaller now.  I'll do another follow up in two to three years.  Until then unless my Vestibular Meniere's Disease becomes more problematic I don't need to see the ENT.  Yay!  J came with me to my appointment today and took a few notes since with my memory of late I forget to even unbuckle my seat-belt before trying to exit the SUV.

The doctor did tell me that even though my thyroid labs were normal that I would have to get them checked often during pregnancy because hormones fluctuate.  I sometimes forget that thyroid is a hormone.  Duh!

Last night I had a few episodes of balance issues.  My face almost met several walls while trying to get up to go to the bathroom.  Thanks hormones for messing with not only my bladder but now my balance centers.

So my 5dp 3dt symptoms are as follows:

• Breasts are still tender
• Urination frequency has increased
• Weight loss has stopped
• Pelvic pain has lightened up.  Uterus from palpation feels firms from above.  Could just be all that extra blood in there right now.
• Tender (not real pain just odd like) Pelvic region when trying to bend over with belt pressed into it or when cabinets press into it when reaching.  You get the idea.
• Mood swings are well...there
• Fatigue continues
• Odd dreams or rather nightmares...thanks PTSD
• Forgetfulness

All of these symptoms can be attributed to either the Endometrin or my other medical issues.  I won't start my POAS until tomorrow.  I don't expect to see a second line tomorrow because I have only one embryo in there.  If I had two or more I might expect to see the second line that early but alas I have but one so no.

I do have 17 sticks so yes I could in theory use 3 a day until I do my beta on Monday.  Will I though?  I don't know.  We'll see just how paranoid I get in the next 24 hours.

Good luck to all those trying to get pregnant this cycle.  I hope all of us are lucky enough to get take home babies.

Life's Little Reminders

Yesterday I had a doctor appointment for a follow up for the sinus infection and to get a new referral for my ENT appointment.

Good news is that the sinus infection is gone.  Bad news is that the reason for the ENT appointment can still be felt with palpation of my throat.

I have to get another ultrasound, this time of my throat.  Its been two years since my last one of my throat.  We were hoping that the cyst on my thyroid had gone away instead last time, two years ago, there were now two.  I'm hoping that this time they are at least smaller.

I was reminded today of just how unimportant I am in the military food chain.  I went to make the appointment directly with ultrasound since they were so busy on the phone.  I get there the guy is holding a conversation with another employee while all of us wait on just one open window.  I get my number called and the man behind the counter gives me an attitude like, "what are you doing here?".  I ask to schedule an appointment and he tells me that they are only serving active duty for ultrasounds at the hospital and only those that live close by.  Smug now but not acting smug, I tell him, "I live right behind the hospital.".  I really do and sometimes I just walk to my appointments.  He said I'll get a letter in the mail in the next 7 to 10 days from a place off post to be seen.  WTF?  Seriously?  My ENT appointment is scheduled for the end of the month, not sure I can keep it due to the unknown factor of ER and ET.   But at this rate I'll see the doctor before I get the ultrasound done.

Five blood tests were run.  Since I needed to get my E2 level drawn for the suppression scan I had it done with the rest of the lab tests yesterday.  Just a few that were being done were the thyroid ones that most of us IFer know about like the T3/T4 TSH.  I had to have my potassium levels and a complete CBC done because I have hypokalemia (low blood potassium counts), and cardiac issues too.  Again my murmur was audible and I've been getting some chest pains when exercising and under stress.  I really don't want to go back on Metoprolol again, I'm already taking Labetalol.

Now about today's suppression scan and what the doctor saw and didn't see.

My E2 level was less than 20.  Dr. C was pleased as he wanted to see less than 50.

I have only 5 antral follies right now.  3 on the right and 2 on the left.  One 20 mm cyst that isn't producing estrogen and looks to be a endometrioma on the left.  Of course I'd grow one of those while on the birth control!  I hate endometriosis.

My lining is 4.2mm so I did have a period when I said I did to the REI nurse when I called her the other day and she said, "its not possible for you to get your period on the birth control, you must just be spotting."  Okay sure like I don't know my own body by now after having periods for 31 years!

I lost 7 pounds since my last appointment.  Yay!  Dr. C. is pleased with my count and thinks that with my low E2 numbers right now I might have more hidden antrals that are too small to be seen.  He had to do a lot of digging around and I was squeezing J's hand pretty hard from the pain.  I don't like the dildocam.  Because of the pain I was in Dr.C. stopping digging too far and apologized.  I always have pain from the transvaginal ultrasound.

I start my micro dosing of Lupron on Saturday.  Two injections a day until I start the stims.  Can't wait.

Here is hoping for a good number of 18 mm follicles come trigger day.  I need at least two, he'd prefer three to go ahead with the IVF.  I don't want this cycle cancelled.

Reading Up On The Reason Why

I've been doing a lot of reading up on the subjects of miscarriage, IVF, and pregnancy over the past few weeks.  I knew what could happen but now I want to find out why.

I need to know why if only to figure out a way to help prevent another miscarriage.  Maybe if we try again we can use a different protocol.  Changing out medicines might make the difference or perhaps a change in dosage amounts.

These were my facts:

1) I have a BMI of 32.  I need to lose more weight to sustain a healthy pregnancy.

2)  I have hypertension.  I need to find techniques within my means of lowering the blood pressure to help my medications work better.  My cardiologist doubled my hypertension medicine before the start of the injections.  I need to avoid stress.  Well perhaps I should just divorce and forget IVF right?  Nope not going to happen.  My spouse and I love one another too much to let this end our marriage.

3)  My age is 42.  Nothing I can do about that detail.

4) I have fibromyalgia.  I wonder if that is causing some of the issues with my fertility.

5)  I have two small cysts on my thyroid gland.  Though they aren't seeming to cause any major problems with my thyroid producing the hormone I do wonder if they still might of concern.

6)  I have endometriosis.  Again nothing I can personally do about that issue.  Losing weight and exercising isn't going to make it go away though it might make the endo pain a bit less.

7)  Not all my follicles were developing at the same rate.  I lost out on several good sized follicles by doing what the doctor said and waiting several days for the other ones to develop.  I went from four good ones to two and of the two one made it.  So maybe different strength drugs or different meds are needed. I always have plenty of follicles on clomid.

Now what I found out is this:  SHIT HAPPENS!  Yes, just that.  Sometimes even if thing are perfect, like my 8 celled embryo (JR) something can and will go wrong.  No matter how much I want to lay the blame on someone else it happened.  Sure the stress I was under probably didn't help the cause but what can I do about outside influences?

So I'm still reading and hoping to find a cause.  Something that will pinpoint the problem area with an "ah-ha" moment of clarity.  Something that can be fixed so it doesn't happen again.  If you've got a clue, I'm all ears.

No Appointments Available

After a sleepless night due to sinus pain and a jaw that is locking up I decided to call the Tricare Appointments Line.  I was hoping to get in today or at the latest by Friday.  Wishful thinking on my part.  Tricare informs me that the soonest they could get me in to see a provider would be the 30th of November.  Wow, really?  The clerk on the phone tells me that my other option would be the Emergency Department.  I'm a category 4 or 5 with this sinus infection and locking jaw, I have TMJ.

Okay so no appointment for me.  My husband was at PT this morning as most soldiers are at 0700hrs.  So I walked the one mile in the rain to the Emergency Department.  I left a note for my husband on the kitchen counter with the light on telling him where he could find me if need be and the reason why of course.  Yes, I did walk there and no I didn't take my cane with me.  The cane would have slowed me down.  Yes I got talked at for not using my cane when I got there.

At 0830hrs my husband shows up at the Emergency Department looking for me.  I was willing to walk home.  I know that he has a class today and I didn't want him to be late for it.  But he called his first line and told him the situation.  They guy was nice enough to let my husband be late to class today so that he could take me home.

Thankfully within ten minutes of my husband arriving I was discharged.  Off to the pharmacy.  Luck was on my side with the pharmacy this morning and I only waited ten minutes to get my medicines.  Levaquin, Isolep, Mucinex D, and Tylenol were prescribed but of course they don't dispense all that and I'm smart enough to keep the over-the-counter medicines on hand at home.  I don't like taking Levaquin as it messes up my stomach but I'm allergic to three types of antibiotics so I just deal with it.  The Isolep mouthwash is a new one on me.  It contains Diphenhydramine and Lidocane, they compound it themselves at the pharmacy.  Hopefully I'll be able to sleep tonight.  I was diagnosed with Acute Sinusitis.

My instructions for discharge were to secure an appointment in 2-3 days.  So when I got home I called the appointment line again.  Still no luck.  Seriously?  I mean I just got out of the ER!  One would think that would put me at a higher priority but no.

Tricare really needs to be revamped.  I'm not sure what benefits it does allow now since I'm being denied appointments and haven't seen my Primary Care Provider in a year.

Men and women sign on to the military knowing that if they have family members they will be covered by insurance through the military.  But what they aren't told is that the family members don't get the care that is necessary and often go without diagnostic tests because of budget cuts.  Tricare no longer allows yearly Pap exams ladies.  If you have had two negative Pap exams in a row you are now put on the every other year list for Pap exams, they did this to me just this year and there is cancer in my family.  Nor is the Pap exam done by the OB/GYN any longer, its now done by the PA or Nurse on duty, unless you are active duty then you get to see the OB/GYN.  This would not be tolerated in civilian medicine.  Too many budget cuts to our medical have caused the family members to go untreated.

A year ago they found just one cyst on my thyroid.  This year I now have two and they've decided I can go three to five years before I'll be seen for it again.  What is wrong with this picture.  My cyst multiplied.  I had an aunt have to have her thyroid removed.  Hello, family history.  I should be monitored once a year.

On my EFMP paperwork it states I should be seen by my Primary Care Provider once a month, not the PA or Nurse.  It also lists the specialists I'm supposed to see and how often.  Why is it so hard for me to get the proper care?

Why are there no appointments available for family members within a reasonable amount of time for urgent care?

I follow the rules and avoid the ER and according to their slide show I try to make an appointment with my Primary but to no avail.  Sheesh!