Testing

This post is in response to Megan’s comments and her post below mostly (thanks for both Megan!). Hopefully it will answer the questions and help some of you. Side note: Anonymous, if you're reading this, thank you for the comment and if you'd be willing to email me, I have questions about adopting through foster care, my email address is at the bottom of this post, thanks!

I started off at an ob/gyn and was diagnosed with PCOS. I had sporadic periods throughout my life. Usually it would be two, three or four months between them. My doctor put me on metformin (a drug to regulate my insulin) and on clomid (a drug to make me ovulate). The clomid worked, I got pregnant but lost the baby at around eight weeks.

Almost a year went by before I was emotionally and physically ready to try again. I went back on clomid and ovulated a few times but didn’t get pregnant. I joined some online infertility groups and my husband and I went to see a Reproductive Endocrinologist*. She confirmed my diagnosis of PCOS, put me on metformin (and actually told me why I was taking it), and started testing. I had blood tests to check my hormones. I had ultrasounds to check my ovaries, they found a cyst, it was small and she said that’s pretty normal but she kept an eye on it. I had an HSG, basically what they do is push dye into your uterus and fallopian tubes and take x-rays to make sure they’re open and that they look normal. This is an uncomfortable procedure, make sure to take pain medication BEFORE going in for the procedure and schedule it for a time where you can go home and rest afterward. If possible, have someone else drive. Don’t forget, we’re not the only ones that are/should be tested. In our case, I thought it would be silly for my husband to be tested because I obviously had a problem. Our ob/gyn had tested him and while his results weren’t perfect, they weren’t horrible. And remember, we had gotten pregnant before. Well, the RE wanted to test him anyway so he had a semen analysis done.

Our RE called us to come in for the results of all our tests. We were excited, we were expecting to maybe have to take Clomid again and then it would happen just like last time, except minus the miscarriage. We were all smiles walking into the RE’s office that day and ready to hear the results of the tests. The RE confirmed what we already knew about me, my body didn’t like to ovulate, AT ALL. We also found out that none of my husband’s sperm could penetrate an egg. They were missing that key component, but were fine otherwise. She then presented us with our one option, IVF with ICSI. ICSI is where they would take my egg and insert a sperm and place the embryo inside of me. This was our only option…oh, and I almost forgot, the cost is $17,000 and our insurance wasn’t going to cover any of it. Needless to say, the smiles got wiped right off our faces.

Through fasting and prayer we’ve actually decided to head down the adoption route, but I’ll save that for a later post. I want to say thanks to all who have posted and written comments on this blog, you’re an amazing group of women! I’m so glad I stumbled on Megan’s blog and then onto this blog, I know God led me here!

*Regarding the Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE), if you haven’t gone to see one yet and you’re serious about figuring out what’s wrong and/or wondering what all your options are for getting pregnant, go see an RE. My husband and I had the same tests performed by my ob/gyn and the RE, and the RE’s results are much more direct. The ob/gyn told us my husband’s sperm weren’t that great. It took going to the RE to find out why. I’m off my soap box now…if anyone has any questions feel free to email me at lymeach at gmail dot com

Medical Side of it All...

I am interested in what kinds of infertility (etc) tests any of you have done, and if they've received any diagnosis or answers from them? A few procedures I'm especially interested in is a HSG (dye test) and a hysteroscopy.

I have read a lot of stuff about these specific things, but I just rather hear about people's first hand experiences, people that I know. What other tests do they do or procedures do they perform related to infertility (not able to become pregnant, or to carry a fetus full term). Thanks for your input and sharing!

Also, I'd like to say... I just moved out of Wymount!! It really is bitter-sweet, I will miss my ward, and my neighbors, and other perks of living so close with the ward. However, I don't think I'll miss the constant baby announcements or pregnancy announcements, etc. I feel so refreshed. We moved to Orem - in the basement of a house. Three single mid-30 girls live upstairs. None of them dating anyone seriously. I got to know two of them pretty well today... and I finally began to appreciate my mom's constant reminder "at least you're married!". I am grateful that I am married, and to a mighty fine man if I do say so myself! :) Love you all!!

This is me

I got married when I was 19. My husband, Nate, and I entered a ward of mostly young married couples. I went to Relief Society and there were about 10 new sisters (including myself) so we all stood to introduce ourselves. This is how the 9 sisters introduced themselves, “Hi, my name is so and so and my husband is starting medical school.” Then they would sit down. I remember it was almost my turn and I kept thinking, “Am I supposed to introduce myself or my husband?” Finally it was my turn and I said, “Hi my name is Alysha and my husband works for Kohls.” What I wanted to say is more along the lines of, “Hi, my name is Alysha. I just got married to my best friend, I’m a nanny and I’m going to school to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. I like photography and baking and I sing really loud and dance whenever I hear music.” Recently I’ve been saying things that are true but not saying what I want to say. I realized this blog is one of the places I can say what I want to say so…here it goes!

My name is Alysha, I’ve been married for four years to an amazing man. We got pregnant about two years ago with medical help. We went in to hear the heartbeat and were told there wasn’t one. I was given medicine to bring on a miscarriage and we lost our child at about eight weeks. I can’t even begin to describe my feelings. I think I had so many emotions at once that it was hard to figure out what each emotion actually was. I wasn’t just sad, I was confused and lonely, angry and jealous. My arms were empty and my heart was breaking.

Remember how I said I was married to an amazing man? Well, I wasn’t lying. Nate helped me through every aspect of the miscarriage. There was of course the physical pain and healing but there is so much more. There’s an emotional and spiritual healing that needs to happen. And it’s happening, it’s still happening two years later. I still have questions but I’m finally letting peace wash over me. I think Heavenly Father has tried for awhile to comfort me, but I thought that if I forgot my pain I was forgetting my child. I know now that isn’t true. The Lord has a plan for me and Nate. We’ve grown closer together and closer to the Lord through this and I know He hears and answers our prayers. I’m looking forward to what he has in store for us…