Okay, so this is another one of those times that I wish I had kept better documentation. We took a break from fertility meds. I remember talking to my OB about putting me on BC right after we stopped the treatments. He asked me if I thought I could handle not being on BC and "trying on our own for a while." Of course I said YES! I remember being so excited that he thought it might happen.....we might get pregnant on our own.
Well, I remember it wasn't long and I started having crazy periods again. First they were 40, then 50, then 60 days apart. (Talk about getting your hopes up that you are pregnant!) Then they started their every 14 days again. So, I made an appointment to see him again. He put me back on BC. He tried Lybrel which is one of the BC's that you don't have a period on. Well, we quickly found out that my body does NOT like those. I remember spotting for a whole month. Ugh.
So, he decided that I should stay on the BC and stop taking it for 5 days every time I spotted for more than one day in a row. I don't remember why he didn't want to just change my BC, but there was a good reason. It actually worked much better and I started feeling great after a few months! My OB was wonderful! I'm still so sad he moved!
The notes from our HRE (horrid re) state that I called on 3-4-08 to make an appointment to consult with our HRE to discuss starting treatments again.
Our appointment with HRE was on 4-7-08. He decided to DC my BC, try letrozole2.5 mg x 5 days, and do a mid cycle scan. This is the first time we discussed IUI. It also says we discussed gonadotropins (injections) verses ovarian drilling, but I don't remember that at all. I was probably very over whelmed, or we never actually discussed it. I don't know.
I remember having to sign a consent to take letrozole because it was not an FDA approved fertility medicine. I remember that it was a cancer medicine. Anyway, it was kind of a last resort. It is what they try on women that clomid and femara don't work on.
I called on 4-25-08 to tell them I had started my cycle and the meds. I scheduled my day 13 ultrasound for 5-7-08.
5-7-08--left ovary 24.6, 13.9. right ovary 20.5. Endo thickness-7.71. (basically perfect.) We decided against IUI, mainly because of the extra cost and my husband has no issues with his sperm. The doctor couldn't tell me that it would make that much of a difference.
5-7-08--Had Ovidrel injection at 8 pm to try to get my ovary to release the egg. My OB's wife/my boss gave me the injection. I was still too scared to give myself a shot!
5-9-08--had to call to find out if I was supposed to take progesterone this cycle. By the way, I was supposed to already be taking it and no one told me. ugh. (I remember the break down that came with this.)
5-19-08--I started. After an almost perfect cycle.
5-22-08--had day 3 ultrasound to see if I was cleared for next treatment. In the notes, it states that my right ovary is in the normal position, and my left ovary is behind my uterus. It is always like that. It pretty much makes vaginal ultrasounds a little (okay a lot) uncomfortable. It also makes me wonder if that is part of what is wrong. A very tilted uterus and a left ovary behind my uterus. Nothing is where it is supposed to be. That can't be helpful in the whole pregnancy process. And, just a side note: I have had to help more than one person do a vaginal ultrasound on me find my ovary. I know pretty much exactly where the wand should be to be able to see my left ovary. Sounds crazy, but it is more comfortable than letting them look around. Uncomfortable.
5-22-08--I had no large cysts!! YAY! I got to move right on to the next cycle. Same protocol as last time, but we decided that if the HRE decided that the results from the meds were as good as the last time we would do IUI.
5-29-08--Ultrasound says 11.9, 10.1, and 18.9 on left. 11.1 and 10.5 on right. I remember being very disappointed. I had lab drawn. I keep forgetting to mention that, but every time I stepped into the HRE's office I had lab drawn. Just a part of it. Dr. B decided to do a follow up ultrasound in 2 days to see if the follicles had progressed. He also explained IUI.
6-2-08--left ovary 10.1, 16, 12.9. right ovary 13. Endo thickness 7.66. ugh.
6-2-08--got lab results. Was told to start OPK (ovulation predictor kit) as if I had a surge I was to call. We decided to go ahead with IUI this cycle.
Apparently I had no surge with my ovulation predictor kits. We talked about it and decided not to do IUI this cycle because we wanted to save it for when we had better results.
6-19-08--I started. Again.
6-23-08--came in for day 3 ultrasound. Small cysts on both ovaries, but decided to go ahead with treatment. Decided to change protocol. Femara 2.5 days 5-9. Bravelle injections 75 units days 10-12. Ultrasound day 13. Decide when to do IUI on day 13.
I remember how scary doing those injections was for me. I decided I couldn't ask my boss to give me injections everyday for 3 days so I was going to be a big girl and do it myself! ha. So I did. I gave myself shots in my stomach. It really was so easy and not bad at all!
7-1-08--left ovary 12.1, 10.3. right ovary 17.5. endo thickness 8.33. HRE decided 1 more day of bravelle injections then lab to determine when to do ovidrel and IUI.
I remember getting the phone call to give myself the ovidrel immediately and I was ready for IUI the next day! so EXCITING! I had to call my husband and ask him to bring my ovidrel to work. I remember sitting in my bosses office to give myself that shot. I shared an office with another girl, and she had a parent in our office! ha.
7-2-08 was my first IUI. I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember that we waited FOREVER after my husband gave his sample. I was afraid something was wrong. There I was sitting in an exam room undressed from the waist down for over an hour! Ugh! This place had no regard for their patience's comfort. I remember the IUI being pretty uncomplicated once it finally happened. I remember laying on that hard table with my feet up in the air for 10 minutes afterwards.
It really wasn't painful at all right afterwards. We came home and packed the camper to go to the lake. We left a few hours later. After we got there I was in so much pain!! When I do ovulate it is pretty painful. I was hoping that was why I was hurting.
7-14-08--had negative pregnancy test. ugh.
7-24-08--started my period. We decided to take a break from treatments.
The IUI was the last time that I walked into that office. Fertility treatments are a very emotional process. I believe that everyone working in a RE office should be respectful and realize what all of the couples coming in there are there for. I believe that they should have sympathy. I believe that fertility treatments are very touchy and costly and everyone should remember that. I believe that when going through something so tough I should not be just a number. I believe that before the doctor walks in the room that he should read my chart and at least know my name and what treatment protocol we have decided on. I believe that I should be informed of what I should do next and what meds to take and that I shouldn't have to call multiple times and ask multiple questions before I get answers. I believe I should never hear you should have already been taking that when no one told me.
The above is what prompted us to not go back to this RE and find a new one. We took a very long break from treatments due to trying to save money, finding a new RE, and trying to get an appointment with our new RE.
I have also decided to let it go. I have held onto my deep dislike for my HRE for too long. Yes, I do still believe that if they had taken more time to talk to me, get to know me and my medical problems, and really tried to help me I would not be in the place I am now. But I also know that I was clueless and uneducated on infertility and that was my fault. I am to blame, also. I also know that this was a very good learning experience for me. I learned that you do have to do your own research and take responsibility for your own illness. You cannot whole heartedly trust that a doctor is doing what is in your best interest. At least this experience did not have to do with a life/death situation. It could have been worse. And I learned one of the hardest life lessons I have learned to date.
And I'm going to let it go.
Of course I ended up back on BC because I started having my period every 14 days again. This is when I was told to always either be on BC or fertility treatments because not doing one or the other could cause uterine disease which could lead to cancer.
May not sound like a big deal, but it was huge to me. That statement totally took away the possibility of me getting pregnant "on my own." That was when I started to realize that I may never get pregnant. This was one of the hardest parts of our journey and when I think I was feeling down the most.
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