My IF Rap Sheet
We started ”trying” (read having unprotected sex with the naive notion that it would take maybe three or four tries before peeing on a stick revealed two lines) in May 2005, adding charting in June 2005 which didn’t matter a lick because it turned out that both of my fallopian tubes were blocked, clogged, stopped up as in nothing was getting through.
We got that little problem taken care of in October 2006, but were advised to try something a little more invasive than just doing the deed because Mr. X’s count was a little low. We are now in 2009, and still no baby. The good news: I can get pregnant and have done so twice. The bad news: I miscarried both times. We have slogged our way through the infertility treatment buffet (6 IUIs, 2 IVFs and 1 FET) and I am beginning to be perversely proud of how I have managed to avoid having a child despite the Herculean efforts we have made to produce an honest to God live infant. I suspect that pulling a rabbit out of a hat would be easier (and certainly less painful).
Of course, we haven’t been on this journey alone. Up until recently, we had help in the form of Dr. Uterus, a reproductive endocronologist who specializes in infertility. There was also Nurse to a T, his right-hand lady and Dr. Freak Out, the embryologist who I didn’t particularly like because, despite having no degree in genetics or medicine, she believed that there is something fundamentally wrong with our genetic bits that would explain our losses. Dr. Uterus’s official explanation for our losses was Bad Luck, which was thoroughly unsatisfying. Dr. Uterus also shared office space with a high risk OB, which got worse and worse as the months, and miscarriages added up. Paying for infertility treatment just to share a waiting room with hugely pregnant women who most likely got that way without the assistance of at least two other people in the room was making me very, very cranky. And I’m not pleasant to be around when I’m cranky. Mr. X will confirm this.
Because of this glaring problem, and a few other incidents, we decided to find a new doctor. In October 2008, we joined the clinic of Dr. Salsa and have been very happy with him, particularly since he doesn’t share office space with a high risk OB. Before jumping into the treatment pool, we did some additional testing (Clomid challenged, repeat loss testing) with Dr. Salsa which yielded no surprises and then did our second IVF (although first with him). It was just about spectacular in every way, except that it didn’t work.
We had our third IVF in May/June 2009 with four embryos transferred. And, it worked. Expecting Little Bugger March 2010.
image: AlmostJaded
Here’s an abbreviated timeline for those of you with ADD:
* June – July 2009: IVF #3 four blasts transferred, which appears to have worked. BFP, 11dp5dt beta = 158, 13dp5dt beta = 400, 15dp5dt beta = 846.
* May 2009: birth control pills for IVF #3.
* March – April 2009: cycling through usual and customary feelings of failure, especially after mandatory IVF-failure Post Mortem. Margarita, anyone?
* February – March 2009 – IVF # 2. Two embyros transferred, BFN. 1 frozen. Much head-scratching ensues.
* October 2008 - January 2009 - on break to gird loins for coming trials and tribulations and because I was just not ready to jump in the pool again. Contemplated Did accupuncture, indulged in general navel gazing and tried to find something other than infertility about which to obsess.
* October 2008 – met with new (3rd) RE who advises Clomid challenge and blood tests for the usual and customary clotting disorders. No surprises.
* September 2008 – BFB – Big Fat Break. Oh, and visit with rheumatologist who starts visit with “your immune system creates anti-bodies” lesson like I’m a moron or something. I watch Mystery Diagnosis, buddy. Good news: he doesn’t think I have an autoimmune disorder. Give copious amounts of blood to confirm. Follow up in November shows no lupus!
* August 2008 – FET with totscicles from IVF #1. All 6 thawed, only 2 make it. 2 transferred, Beta = 3. BFN.
* July 2008 – broke middle toe on left foot by tripping over tennis shoe in living room. Seriously.
* June – July 2008 – mock cycle for FET in August. 4mg of Estrace and more butt shots!
* June 2008 – get thyroid tested because, um, hair falling out. Good news, perfect thyroid. Bad news, tested positive for anti-nuclear antibody. The word ‘lupus’ is mentioned. Get thee to a rheumatologist!
* March 2008 – June 2008 – break
* March 2008 – fetus found, measuring small, lived for 2 weeks and then miscarried at 8w6d (monosomy #2). D&C #2
* February 2008 – no fetal pole found, miscarriage predicted
* January – February 2008 – 1st IVF cycle, BFP (with 6 totscicles leftover)
* August – December 2007 – 4th, 5th and 6th IUI w/ injectibles, BFN
* April – August 2007 – break
* April 2007 – miscarriage at 9w2d (monosomy #1), D&C #1
* February 2007 – 3rd IUI with injectible, BFP
* November 2006 – December 2006 – 1st and 2nd IUIs with injectibles, BFN
* October 2006 – laparoscopic surgery, tubes cleared, no endo found
* August 2006 – saw 2nd RE, HSG found blocked tubes
* July 2006 – referred to 1st RE (who I did not like)
* January 2006 – first of six Clomid cycles, nada
* May 2005 – stopped BCPs, started TTC
* April 2003 – married
