B/W results (lots of numbers) Updated

I got my b/w result today. According to Dr. Hilgers, the only concern is thyroid function due to the low ratio of T3/RT3. I'm supposed to be receiving information for the temps and pulse study in the mail soon. I know a few other people have done this so I'd appreciate any feedback.

Day 5 FSH= 7.3 mIU/ml (normal is 8.1+/-2.1 so it's normal)
Day 8 Estradiol= 4.1 ng/dL (the unit commonly seen is pg/ml so you multiply by 10, which would be 41 pg/ml)
Day 10 Estradiol= 9.6 ng/dL (or 96 pg/ml)
Day 12 Estradiol= 8.6 ng/dL (or 86 pg/ml)
Day 14 Estradiol= 13.6 ng/dL (or 136 pg/ml)
Day 16 Estradiol= 30.7 ng/dL (or 307 pg/ml)
Day 18 Estradiol (O-1 or Peak E2 according to graph)= 62.4 ng/dL (or 624 pg/ml)
Day 20 Estradiol (O+1)= 10.3 ng/dL (or 103 pg/ml)
P+3 Estradiol= 13.6 ng/dL (or 136 pg/ml) & Progesterone= 14.0 ng/mL (normal is 9.4+/-4.1)
Just as a note spotting started in between these two blood draws
P+5 Estradiol= 20.3 ng/dL (or 203 pg/ml) & Progesterone= 26.6 ng/mL (normal is 14.4+/-4.7)
P+7 Estradiol= 34.1 ng/dL (or 341 pg/ml) & Progesterone= 36.3 ng/mL (normal is 15.7+/-5.7)
P+9 Estradiol= 35.0 ng/dL (or 350 pg/ml) & Progesterone= 33.8 ng/mL (normal is 13.6+/-5.3)
P+11 Estradiol= 40.6 ng/dL (or 406 pg/ml) & Progesterone= 23.6 ng/mL (normal is 8.1+/-5.0)

Other P+7 results
Androstenedione= 2.0 ng/mL (normal range is 1.1-2.1)
DHEA-SO4= 118 mcg/dL (normal range is 92.8-219)
FSH= 3.7 mIU/ml (normal range is 1.9-5.9)
LH= 5.7 mIU/ml (normal range is 0.0-9.0)
Prolactin= 15.7 ng/mL (normal range is 3.0-20.0)
Total T4= 11.5 mcg/dL (normal range is 4.5-12.5)
T3 Uptake= 26.8% (normal range is 24.0-35.0
FTI= 3.1 (normal range is 1.1-4.4)
FT4= 1.4 ng/dL (normal range is 0.8-1.9)
TSH= 1.98 mcIU/mL (normal range is 0.4-4.0)
Total T3= 129 ng/DL (normal range is 70.0-170.0)
Reverse T3= 386 pg/mL (normal range is 90.0-350.0) so I'm just above normal
T3/RT3 Ratio= 3.3 (should be greater than 10)
Testosterone= 34.2 (normal range is 17.5-43.51)
Free Testosterone= 0.6 (normal range is 0.6-1.8)

I'm not clear on if the thyriod issue is hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. I think it's hypothyroidism, but I'm waiting to get my paperwork in the mail.

As you can see, my progesterone levels don't seem to be the cause of the spotting since they are actually pretty high. My progesterone levels, pre-peak estradiol levels, and post-peak estradiol levels are all above the high line on the graphs of normal values on the bottom of the results pages.

Note/Update: I don't know if the FSH:LH ratio of 1.0 is applicable for the luteal phase since these number are Peak+7 instead of the CD3 which is when the test is usually done looking for PCOS. PCOS has never been brought up as a likely cause of my infertility/ovulation issues.

Spotting

One step forward (earlier o), two steps back (spotting just after o).

3 DPO

Just a quick update. It looks like I oed on CD 16 (compared to the CD21 I had been having). The last three cycles have been CD 15, CD 19, and CD 16. Our timing was decent. I'm hoping that my b/w result will be back before the start of the next cycle.

D and I are going to Las Vegas for his birthday, and we leave on Wednesday so I won't be posting or reading then. We'll be back Sunday evening. I've been really bad about commenting, and I'll try to get better when I get back.

Frustrations over timing

I'm worried that our timing is going to be as good as I'd like.  D is always tired and not in the mood on workdays.  Hopefully, o day won't be until the weekend and we'll have a chance.  However, D is probably working all weekend again (he worked Saturday and Sunday last week too).  It's very frustrating to get turned down all the time, but I'm trying to surrender it.   I'm trying to be confident that God will bring us together at the right time, but it's really hard since using a day is the one aspect of TTC that I have any control over.  I hate feeling like I'm doing all the work and like I'm forcing D.  It's CD 16 and I'm on day 5 of good 10C/K.  My best guess that o will be between Saturday (CD 18) and Tuesday (CD 21).  The good news is that I've been feeling better for the past couple days.

Still sick

I went to my GP dr on Wednesday, and I have a sinus infection and a possible double ear infection. I've been on antibiotics (and a bunch of other stuff) since then and I'm finally starting to feel a bit better.

I'm on CD 12 and since I've been taking the antibiotics and Mucinex-D, I've have weird CM. *TMI ahead* I've had 6K/8K and globby brown tinted 8C. Hopefully it will normalize soon.

I still really need to sit down and write a long post. However, now I must eat.

A Pain in the Face

I have a really nasty sinus infection right now.  I've felt bad for over a week now, and it doesn't seem to be getting better.  My cheeks are very sore and my nose is gross.  I've been doing sinus rinse a couple times a day, and I've been taking meds.  If I don't see some improvement by tomorrow, I think I'm going to need to go to the dr. 

It's CD 7 and I'm down to spotting.

CD 1...Cycle 18 (quick update)

I had just been spotting/very light bleeding until today, so I either had a longer or shorter LP than normal (13 days or 9 days as opposed to the 12 days it had been for the past few months).  So I'm counting today as CD 1. I'm getting cramps too, but they're not too bad yet.  Last chance for 2009 baby.

Blood draws are done!!!

My arms are very happy. I'll be sending the blood off tomorrow, and then I have to wait a while for the results.

The spotting returned yesterday at 10 DPO/Peak+8, but it's relatively light especially compared to what I've had previously. I've been feeling a bit sick, my sinuses and throat hurt and I just feel a bit lethagic. I pretty much have just sat around for the past two days, and I slept most of yesterday. I had some stuff I wanted to do around the house and in the yard, but I just haven't felt up to it. I'm hoping that I'll feel better tomorrow, it will be a long day otherwise.

Tuesday will most likely be CD 1, and our final chance for 2009. However, I don't expect anything to happen until I'm undergoing some sort of treatment. I'm supposed to call in July to get my surgery hopefully scheduled in December. I think there's a good chance that we won't really have a shot until next year; we'll be lucky to have a baby by the end of 2010.

8DPO

I did my Peak+7 yesterday.  I went with my gut and I think that it'll be a more accurate representation of my cycle.  I've only got two more blood draws, and my arms are really glad.  I'll be sending the blood to PPVI on Monday.  

There is some decent news cyclewise, the bleeding was really only on Sunday and was almost gone as of Monday and hasn't come back yet.

I need to do a longer post soon.

Updates and a dilemma

I'm sorry I haven't posted lately. I'm still having computer issues. I'm still working on my Honest Scrap, and I'll try to get that posted in the next couple days.

I'm pretty sure that I oed (based on temps and fluid quality and quantity) on Wednesday, which was CD 19. We did use Wednesday, but we didn't use any other days that would have a chance of being fertile. However, I had small amounts of 10KLx1 on Thursday and Friday, so my peak wouldn't be until Friday. However, since I'm doing my hormone series b/w right now, I need opinions on how to label it. Do I base everything off Peak on Wednesday or Friday? I also started bleeding this morning (at O+3, Peak+1), so I'll like to have the progesterone information from yesterday. If I count Friday as peak I won't have progesterone info since it would only be Peak+1. I need opinions by Wednesday, since that's when I might need to do my big Peak+7.

I really hope that the bloodwork finds something, so that we might have a chance before December/January (which is when I'm planning to do the lap, SHSG, u/s series). However if I have tube blockage or LUFS (incomplete ovulation), then there's not a chance before then anyways.

I still need to do a bigger post, but I'll have to get to it later.

I had my third blood draw today. I'm on CD 10, and I just stopped bleeding/spotting (as of now) earlier today. I guess it's good that if I'm not always going to o on CD 15, that I have what is a more common cycle for me when I have my bloodwork. It'll probably (hopefully) be a normal CD 21 o. It would really suck to go past CD 30 without oing, that would be a lot of blood draws (I'll already have 14 if I o on CD 21).

We didn't really do much for Valentine's Day. D was help a friend most of the day and then we got tickets to go to Vegas for D's birthday with the friends. Their anniversary is the same weekend as D's birthday in early April. I've never been to Vegas, but everyone else has.

I've felt a bit off emotional for the past week or so. I'm not sure why, but I'm getting extra frustrated with D and he's getting annoyed with me.

Quick update

I'm still having computer issues, so just a quick update.

There was some drama, but I was able to get my b/w started yesterday. I go again tomorrow (and Saturday I believe). Today is CD 6 and I'm down to just light/brown, which means there's a possibility that this cycle will be an early ovulation (for me, normal for most people) like last cycle.

I'll try to actually do a longer post this weekend. I also haven't been able to read blogs as often as usual so I'll be comment even less than usual until the computer situation is resolved.

Saturday was CD 1

We were out of town this weekend and my computer is on the fritz (I'm using D's computer while he's at basketball).

I'm now on CD 3 of cycle #17. I should be starting my b/w for the hormone series on Wednesday. No real news otherwise.

Plans

The tentative plan is that I'm going to try to schedule my surgery in December of this year.  That gives us time to save a bit, but still get it on this year's deductible.  I'm planning to do the hormone series this coming cycle (assumed CD1 on Saturday), and the dr that I nanny for is going to help me make sure that I can get the bloodwork drawn and sent off to PPVI.  Supposedly the hormone series will be completely covered, but we'll have to see when the bill comes.  Either way, the hormone series is a really important step in figuring out the problem.

I watched the EWTN Abudant Life episode on "Barren and Blessed" and it reminded me that D processes this stuff differently than I do.  He can't respond to things immediately, especially when money is involved.  I need to tell him information and let him process for a few days, instead of freaking out when he doesn't respond right away.

I'm 10DPO today.  I've had light spotting for the past two days, but today it's become more of a light bleed.  

Good news and bad news

I talked to the billing lady at PPVI and got the cost for the various procedures.  Dr. Hilgers and the hospital are in network, so we only have 20% to pay.  I don't know the hospital cost, but I'm guessing a minimum total cost with all procedures/labs it will be at least $17,000.  That means we have at least $4,000 to pay out of pocket.   However, I'm not sure if we are going to be able to ever afford to actually do anything, since we aren't going to go into debt again to do it.  D has basketball tonight, and of course he wouldn't give me a time frame other than 10 years (which I think is a joke...maybe).  If he wasn't joking, then we are totally screwed.  I'm actually thinking that it's going to be around fall 2011 (around my 31st birthday) based on looking at our finances.  That means that I can't replace my computer which is continuously saying that the hard drive is full is, runs pretty slowly, and the case is physically broken.  I don't know if we are ever going to be able to afford adoption either if we can't have biological children.

I am 8 DPO/Peak+7 and I've had some spotting/bleeding so there's a 99% chance that I'm already out for this cycle.  I might be able to do the hormone series, which is supposedly covered under my insurance at 100%, the next cycle or the one after but I'll believe it when I see it.  There's a good chance that I have almost 3 more years of this crap to deal with.  I think I need to get a weekend job.  The problem is finding one where I could work 8 hours on Saturday and Sunday, plus be able to go to church.  I'm really in a freak out mode right now.  I need to pray about this when I do my evening prayer tonight.

D is talking to me again since Sunday.

D isn't talking to me

It's not as bad as it sounds, but it is a bit funny.  At some point on Tuesday, D said that he wasn't going to talk to me so he won't get in trouble (not completely sure what had caused this).  On Wednesday, he didn't talk to me at all and I thought that he was mad at me.  He finally wrote out that he wasn't going to talk so he won't get in trouble.  He will write and use gestures or sign language but he has not actually talked to me since Tuesday.  I'm trying to think postively about it, even though I'm not quite sure what to think.  I'm also curious to see what he does when we are around other people over the weekend.

Waiting

O on CD 15 seems to be confirmed, so I'm 3 DPO (Peak+2).  Of course that means my period is due on Feb. 7, when we are going to Dallas overnight.  

I talked to the nurse at PPVI, but I really need to talk to the billing lady, who is of course out.  I also have to wait to get my New Patient Intake form before they can do any scheduling.  Hopefully I'll be able to get my blood draws done next cycle.

I need to do a bigger post soon, but right now I've got some things to do.

O on CD 15?!!

It's possible that I o'd on CD 15.  I haven't oed that early since I started charting.  Even my triggered cycle was CD 17.

With regard to the letter from Dr. Hilgers, plus a cycle update

A couple of people have commented on my last post about the letter from Dr. Hilgers, so I thought I would make a post response instead of replying to each.

• I live in NW Louisiana for those who didn't know.  I am not aware of a Napro doctor close by.
  
• When the nurse calls on Tuesday, I'm going to find out about my options for treatment and prices (and how to find out about insurance coverage).  
• I'm going to see if the bloodwork can be done locally so I could get it done relatively soon.  I would also try to see about getting the u/s series done locally if possible.
• Since our parents are from Houston, if there is a doctor in Houston since that would be easier than going to Omaha.  
• I haven't talked to D yet about everything since we went out with a friend of ours last night and he's working today.
• I have to see if my employers (I'm a nanny) have any upcoming vacations since that would make it easier for me to go either to Houston or to Omaha.
  
• I can't really make any decisions until I've talked to the nurse on Tuesday and have more information.  I'm going to try not to worry about it too much until then.
• I'm very much looking forward to moving forward in getting my body healthy and normalized.

Cycle update:

I'm on CD 14, and I've had 10C/KL (very fertile EWCM for non-Creighton charters) since CD 10.   We took advantage of Wednesday as a day of fertility, and I'm hoping to use today too.  If I o at my normal time, I've still got a week to go (aaahhh).  

I got a St. Anne medal and a Miraculous Medal on Thursday when I went to the local Catholic bookstore, and I started a Novena yesterday to St. Anne.  Gram (D's grandma) enrolled us in The Central Association of the Miraculous Medal for our anniversary.

Response from Dr Hilgers!

I got my response yesterday from Dr. Hilgers via email.  I got it about 2pm, but my cell phone was broken.  I went to go get a new phone after I got off work.  I wasn't able to call until about 4:45 so the one of the nurse will call me back on Tuesday.  I'll let everyone know what I find out Tuesday.

So here the response from Dr. Hilgers (with my name replace with Mrs. Blondie): 

Dear Mrs. (Blondie):

 

Thank you very much for your letter received on December 1, 2008 with regard to your case. I have had the opportunity to review your letter along with the enclosed Creighton Model fertility charts and the medical records that you have submitted. (Mrs. Blondie), you are experiencing functionally abnormal cycles, unusual bleeding, premenstrual symptoms, and moderate menstrual cramps. Let me give you the following comments.

 

In reviewing the Creighton Model chart, the following observations are made. It reveals regular mucus cycles, premenstrual spotting, tail-end brown bleeding, intermenstrual bleeding, and continuous mucus discharge. These findings are often associated with hormonal dysfunction, ovulation defects, endometriosis, endometrial polyps, chronic inflammation of the cervix, and/or chronic low-grade endometrial infection.

 

I would like to make the following recommendations. (Mrs. Blondie), you should have a thorough hormone evaluation of your menstrual cycle (without medications); a thyroid system dysfunction panel; an ultrasound series to determine whether there is an ovulation-related defect; and a diagnostic laparoscopy, hysteroscopy and selective hysterosalpingogram, dilation and curettage (D&C), and endometrial cultures. These tests will determine if there is underlying hormonal dysfunction, an ovulation-related abnormality, endometriosis or pelvic adhesions, obstruction within the fallopian tubes, low-grade endometrial infection and/or a thyroid condition not diagnosed with standard tests. Your husband should also have a seminal fluid analysis if he has not had one within the past year. We can be of assistance with this if you call. We utilize a home collection device that is used during intercourse and is not contraceptive. Once we have this information, we can put together a reasonable plan of treatment.

 

If this is something you would like to pursue, please contact my nurses directly at 402-390-9175 and they can begin to make those arrangements. It will require 7 to 10 days at the Pope Paul VI Institute to complete the tests.

 

The Pope Paul VI Institute is the home of FertilityCare^TM and NaProTECHNOLOGY. We specialize in the interpretation of the Creighton Model FertilityCare^TM charts and in finding the underlying causes to a variety of illnesses of the menstrual and fertility cycle. In addition, we offer a set of innovative approaches to treatment, the success of which generally exceeds that of those treatments currently being used for these conditions.

 

Thank you for sending your case to me. I do think that we can be of some assistance to you.

 

Sincerely yours,

 Thomas W. Hilgers, MD

Senior Medical Consultant

Obstetrics, Gynecology, Reproductive Medicine and Surgery

Director

Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction

 

P.S.   Currently, my schedule is such that it will be about three to four months before I can do your laparoscopy. However, the Pope Paul VI Institute has added a new physician who has been trained by me to provide the same medical services. Her name is Catherine E. Keefe, MD. If you would like to schedule your laparoscopy earlier than three to four months from now and have Dr. Keefe provide your care, please inform the nurses when you call and that can be arranged.