Infertility Update: Our Next Steps

Hi guys! I wanted to share an update with you about our infertility efforts. It’s been a while since I’ve posted much of anything related to our infertility walk. I’ve been posting some of the more fun life outside of the struggle stuff as well as hitting our 10 year infertility anniversary, depression and drawing closer to God in the process, etc. But, as far as our efforts for pregnancy achievement, I haven’t said much.

November was a hard month. It was all so distracting that I found I just didn’t feel the motivation to follow my fertility protocols. Taking my temperature every morning, gulping down all those pills, recording every detail of my personal, bodily happenings, and timing everything just so was going to be too much for me that month.

In a nut shell, I just didn’t have the mental capacity to think about it 24/7 as is required. There were much bigger issues to deal with. So, I decided to take November off to focus on everything else that was happening around me. This ended up being a really good decision.

One of the issues I was working through was loneliness. I go through this every now and again. The deeper emotions of infertility are seasonal and they always rear their ugly head when you least expect it. Just when you’re feeling strong, BOOM! here comes doubt and fear to rain on your parade. The loneliness I was working through was in regard to friendships. I was really feeling alone in my social circle. During this season, I really needed to be around childless women who were still working their way through infertility.

In hopes of doing this, I attended a local infertility support group. It was good to be in the company of women who were actively going through what I am. Aside from getting to vent a little, my big take away was encouragement towards the next steps in our journey. These women had truly done it all pertaining to the medical aspects of infertility and stated that there was more work for me to do.

Two things were strongly suggested. First, that I get a second opinion from an RE (Reproductive Endocrinologist… which basically means Fertility Specialist). And second, that I ask the RE about genetic testing. These experienced Infertile Myrtles gave me a couple of doctors to check out.

The RE they highly recommended I had actually tried to book a year ago but his earliest appt was a whopping two months out! What?!?!

So, fast forwarding through the discussion with hubby and the phone calls I made, our appointment with the RE is on Wednesday, December 16th! Yes! We got in within two weeks time! Woohoo!

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16TH is our RE appt day!

The purpose of this appt will be to get a second opinion. He will hear where we are and what we’ve already done and make suggestions from there. As always, I will share what his take on our journey is. More tests? IUI? IVF?

We shall see! I’m so ready to be a mom and meet my little Cody Baylor or Allison Elizabeth… or both! Twins? 😉 Ahem, dear hubby don’t get scared by those last words… ;o*

2 responses

Crystal

January 19, 2016

I’m glad you have a support group now. I was working full time and thankfully my co workers and boss were very supportive of all my appointments. I had been seeing Doctor Gianfortoni for several years. Surgery for endometriosis. Clomid for PCOS. Had fallopian tubes scraped out while being awake and no medicines. On medicine (breast cancer drug trail for fertility use) I shouldn’t have been on and doc knew day 3 to tell me to stop (after getting my labs) but did not. That didn’t end well and I decided to not go back. The doctor was not listening to me and contridicting himself. Even my husband said that is totally different than what he said last time. Finally family and friends got me to see Dr Tidey for a 2nd opinion. At that time I hadn’t had a period for 40 + days. Met with him in the office and went over the plan. Had a script for pregestorone to start cycle but I didn’t have to fill it. I started my cycle like magic after being in his office. Clomid and several US, HCG shot and IUI (2weeks from first visit) and I was pregnant. Dr Tidey listened to me when I told him in the past that all the LSH test were POS on day 1 of cycle so I couldn’t go by that to determine of far along my eggs were SO he brought me in a few days early to check my eggs. Dr G would always check and say will it looks like you have already ovulated but we will do IUI anyways and hope we catch the eggs. A waste of money. I was so glad to recently hear he was retiring. Anyways MY POINT is my 2nd opinion and I was officially pregnant the first time. Now me believing I was pregnant was a different story. I woke up every morning of the pregnancy in denial but eventually my belly grew and my daughter came. Dr Tidey also helped me get pregnant a second time at which time I tested premenopausal after he had performed a 2nd endometriosis surgery. He told me I wanted a 2nd we needed to start now and higher doses of meds. Clomid and FSH shots with HCG trigger and IUI. Took a year of cycles but we got a son. Both pregnancies, I talked to GOD before the IUI and told him enough was enough, I couldn’t go through anymore drugs, it was now or never and it was up to him. I wish you SO much luck. Yes, you are right it is hard on our men but my husband always said how nice the staff was at the andrology center. HOPE you do not mind me contacting you. Just wanted to give you support. It is definitely a hard road to walk. Maybe take your new bag with you for your IUI with a comfortable bath robe and slippers and maybe a quilt to cover you so you can relax and it feel less medical. Those rooms can be cold and Dr Tidey had me wait on table for 15 mins or so after IUI. Not sure why I never thought of that. Thinking of you Jil.

Reply
1. Jil Davis
  
  January 26, 2016
  
  Crystal – wow, you’ve been through the ringer! I have never been one to go to the doctors so the thought of second opinions never crossed my mind. For me it was always “just go to the doctor”. I’ve never had to view doctor visits as part of a journey. But man am I SO glad that the girls at the support group led me that way. I just felt so much more at peace about all of it. And that this second doctor wanted to keep things simple at first really solidified if for us. We are simple people and like simple things. So it was a match made in heaven… literally. Haha God knows what He’s doing and uses all of this for GOOD! Thank you so much for the well wishes. We SO hope this is what does it for us. It has been so awesome to have the support of everyone including strangers! Again, God works everything for good. I wouldn’t have discovered the TTC Community had I not become so bold with my testimony & journey. So glad your arms are full now and have a testimony to share! Share it girl!
  
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