I decided to post the very long story of our TTC journey. Everything started with uterine problems that have caused me great trouble and delay. When I was 34ish, I could tell that some things started to change in the operation of my monthly cycle. It is one of the main reasons that I really took stock of my life and realized how much I wanted a family with my SigOther. I had no idea it would take us so long just to get to this stage.
Please forgive/enjoy my shorthand style of storytelling below, but I thought it was going to be a quickie sidebar entry. One of the other blogs I read had an awesome history listed as a side link, so I started to make one too...but I realized it got so long that I changed it to a regular post. I may add an abbreviated version as a sidebar later.
It's funny...looking back and reading it seems like so much. The truth is while you are experiencing it, these all just seemed like little setbacks and issues. Is that why I still to choose to be an Optimist? I am healthy and happy. My DH is the best person in my life and now we are really going to embark on the serious journey. I'm excited.
June 2005: Stop using BCP's tell SigOther (SO), “Me want baybee, nom nom nom.” SO = “lemme thinkaboutit.” He is in charge of BC during this time.
Apr 2006: Go to RE, get full workup. SO = minor male factors, Me = small 2cm intra-mural uterine fibroid found. RE suspects the fibroid may be acting like an IUD, but isn’t 100% sure, could be a combination because of MF. RE recommends major abdominal surgery to remove fibroid/preserve fertility. This procedure requires a 2-month recovery period where I would not be able to work. Other less invasive procedures available, but not recommended when trying to preserve fertility. Yikes.
Apr 2006-May 2007: Invasive procedure + Work issues = Let’s try TTC on our own. Result: no dice. Fibroid is now getting huge and causing health issues including pain and anemia.
June 2007: Return to RE. Us: “OK, we’re really for the major surgery.” RE: “Good news. I recommend a local doc who does a great job with a less invasive, laparoscopic approach.” Us: “W00t!”
7/7/7: SigOther proposes: “Will you marry me? Let’s have a family.” Me = “Yay!”
July 2007: Request appointment with surgeon/OB.
Sept. 2007: Best Friend/SigOther of 10 years now = DH. Happy happy, joy joy.
Sept. 2007-Oct 2007: Appointments with surgeon/OB. Exams, tests, ultrasound, etc. OB’s response “Wow! That’s a huge fibroid! It’s the size of a small orange.” Went from 2cm to 11cm diameter in less than 2 years. Surgeon recommends hysteroscopic myomectomy with 1-2 week recovery. This takes the least invasive (vag) route and he thinks he can get the whole thing. I agree to try this with the understanding that it may not get the whole thing. Surgery scheduled in Nov. Yay!
Nov. 2007: Surgery postponed ‘til 12/26. Merry freaking Xmas. Grrrrrrr.
Dec. 26, 2007: Surgery goes fine. Recovery excellent. Now we wait to see if they got the whole fibroid tumor all out. Come back in 6 weeks for checkup/ultrasound.
Feb. 2008: 5 weeks later…OUCH! Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain. Emergency room visit, etc. Ultrasound shows more than half of fibroid still remains and pain is due to its dying/degenerating. I guess it was buried in the muscle pretty deep.
March 2008: Laparoscopic myomectomy. Tiny little incisions, less invasive. Surgeon is a pro, he gets the whole thing out and triple sutures my poor uterus (which had grown to the size of a normal 3 month pregnancy).
April 2008: Checkup indicates all is fine, fibroid gone. Surgeon recommends that we wait TTC for 4 months.
August 2008-Nov. 2008: TTC on our own = no dice. BFN all around. Did all of the charting, POAS ov tests, etc. Timing seems right, but now we think that the MF may be enough of an issue that we no longer wait.
Nov. 2008: Back to RE. Try IUI no meds = BFN
Dec. 2008: 50mg clomid + IUI = BFN, DH samples have low count. CCT is cancelled due to snowstorm. Oh, and as an added bonus, I turned 40. Grrrrrrr.
Jan. 2009: Clomid poorly affects uterine lining, making it too thin. IUI cancelled, we try on our own, BFN.
Feb. 2009: Colomid exceptionally bad for uterine lining, developed ovarian cysts. Lining is really thin. We’re off that drug for good. Egg quality test for me = good.
March 2009: Wait for cysts to go away before we start IVF. HSG and SHG tests reveal some adhesions and polyps. RE recommends D&C to remove these before the IVF as this may interfere with implantation.
April 2009: D&C goes great. Polyps removed. It’s just like prepping the soil in springtime for planting.
May 2009: Recovered from the D&C, everything is working well. Started my IVF cycle #1 using an Antagonist Protocol (Gonal-F and Cetrotide). Stimmed very well for 7 days lots of follicles and good E2 levels, but then antagonist didn’t work. LH surged so HCG trigger was administered. Despite all setbacks, retrieved 10 eggs, 6 mature and all 6 fertilized using ICSI (Yay!).
June 2009: Transferred 4 8-cell Day 3 embryos. Low positive shown but didn’t last (chemical pregnancy). Doctor suggested in follow up meeting that antagonist didn’t prevent LH surge for me, but otherwise many things went well. Suggested cycle off and then try again with a different protocol.
July 2009: Micro-dose Lupron Flare protocol recommended by RE. Blood work and baseline ultrasound look good. Start IVF #2. It’s on like Donkey Kong.
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