On to round 2!

It's Friiiidaaaaay!

....and we are back in the TTC game. Negative-o on the preggo. On Wednesday, I also had an hcg panel and the result was .1 and progesterone had dropped to 10.5 . I started the tiniest bit of spotting Wednesday night so I have been expecting the call that it had dropped.

My doctor told me to go ahead and get the Clomid refilled for this cycle. She also offered to refer us to an RE(reproductive endocrinologist) if we wanted so that we could stay encouraged to keep pressing on. How sweet is that!? I quickly told her nurse that I was VERY encouraged by my progesterone levels being so very high and we would keep taking Clomid for now. I don't want to open myself up to even more doctor appointments than I already have. It takes a toll when you work full time and then have to take time off to see your doctor as frequently as we have been going over the past year and a half. And besides, one month of infertility meds is nothing! I still only had a small chance this cycle so I want to stay on this path that seems to be going well and keep trying. I will start my next round of Clomid in about a week. Please help me pray that my body will not be affected the same way it was last cycle by this medicine. It is very hard to function with so many side effects. Every one of them will be worth it, but in the meantime I still need to function ;)  We have a fun date planned tonight and I'm in a grand mood, thank the Lord!

Hot flash city- here we come....again!!

Waiting...

Well, that's what I've been doing the past few weeks. Waiting. 

We've been busy getting DH registered for college this fall and doing 5ks(ha! Ok, just one) and the usual church things that keep us busy. 

My doctor ordered an extensive round of bloodwork three weeks ago for things such as antibodies and protein levels. When the nurse came around the corner with enough vials that she needed both hands, I knew I was gonna need a room! I feel God placed this sweet lady in my path for encouragement. She was so understanding and shared with me her own long struggle with infertility. We have a little "bond" now :)

I have yet to hear back with the results. I also had my cd 21 progesterone check last Wednesday and also have yet to hear back about it.

*insert quick rant*

 I get that I'm not their only patient, but I have called several times. The first time, the nurse called me back to tell me the dr would call me last weekend with the results since she was working the weekend shift. I have yet to hear anything. I'm sort of frustrated. Because of my lack of news I haven't posted anything here. 

In other news I tested yesterday at cd 11 and got a negative. ( I didn't say it was good news! Lol) Hoping that it was a bit too early. Ok- honest time! I totally used an opk this afternoon because I read somewhere that you can use them in a pinch if you don't have an HPT, something about them reading the same hormones and lots of women had tested positive with opk's at the same time they tested positive with a HPT. I used my digital Clear Blue Advanced opk's and got a big fat empty circle :/ Hoping it just didn't read right or something. It was such a bad choice, y'all! Don't do it! Made me feel really bummed for a bit. I'm over it though and just trying to mentally prepare for my next round of Clomid and hot flashes! Yippeeee! If hot flashes and headaches make babies(ok, maybe we will include hubby) then bring it!!!

I test again on Thursday or Friday and already have fun plans for Friday night to celebrate! Why? Because I still have to live and I still have to love and I still need to enjoy this life WHILE I'M WAITING!

http://youtu.be/i6X71sXagUY

Great song with a message that applies to so many situations we go through. While TTC I find myself always waiting. Waiting to plan something until after I know whether we are pregnant this month- waiting after a negative test until cd1- waiting til AF is gone- waiting to ovulate- waiting to test. It's a viscous cycle. While I joke about all this on a day to day basis to help me handle it all, it really can steal the joy of life if I get too wrapped up in the "waiting". So while I'm waiting, I vow to honor Jesus, love my husband, spend time with my family, reach out to others and serve in whatever  way I can. I challenge you to take a look at how TTC/any other challenge affects you. Does it throw you into a world to yourself and make you only focus on yourself? Do you use your experience with pain, grief, or "waiting" to try to be more understanding of others? Just some thoughts to leave you with until I have some news....

July Update

I am behind on posting so I have a lot to catch you all up on.

Last post I was only a few days shy of testing and about to have my progesterone levels checked. My results on cd 23 were .3 and at cd 30 were 3. I was devastated! I also learned that even though a opk can give you a positive, it may only mean there was a surge in LH not promising ovulation has actually occurred. (Someone should really share this information!! Maybe they did and I forgot?!)  

As a result, my doctor asked us to really consider Clomid. Medicine had been mentioned before but since we had gotten pregnant on our own previously, I never gave fertility drugs another thought. I always thought fertility drugs were for "other people". With "other" situations. 

Since we have not yet had a successful pregnancy and the doctor asked us specifically to consider it, we did. I spent many hours researching Clomid and reading success rates and reasons for treatment. I talked to friends who had taken this drug- so far with great results. I questioned alongside Nathan, if this was a way to get ahead of God's ultimate plan and "cheat" our way to being pregnant. (Conclusion: if we aren't meant to have a baby- we won't get pregnant. Plain and simple. God is bigger than this medicine.)

After praying and thinking and a long consultation with the doctor, we decided to give it a chance. If you are not familiar with this drug here are a few facts: 

**Skip these if you just don't care :P

•The goal of treatment is to normalize or induce ovulation by taking a 50mg dose of Clomid on day 3-7 of the menstrual cycle. Interestingly, 80% of women taking Clomid will successfully ovulate but fewer than 50% of patients will conceive. 

•Clomid is a low-level fertility drug. The chances of a multiple birth (twins) increases 40 times while taking Clomid.

•The most common side effects are hot flashes due to the body's hormone levels and a mild headache. The headache usually disappears once the last pill is taken, and the hot flashes once ovulation has occurred. Visual symptoms such as spots, flashes or blurry vision are less common and indicate that treatment should stop.

I started my first pill on Monday June 30th. I took it at night hoping to sleep off side effects. Day one I felt terrible. Had a horrible headache and neck ache and was so exhausted with nausea and dizziness. My stomach bothered me all day. Day two....still had a terrible headache, nausea, dizziness and very tired. Day three...milder headache but a bit more energy. Day 4...light headache. Day 5... No side effects. Thank Jesus!!! 

I'm now at cd 11 and had a slight LH surge today so ovulation should happen in the next few days. I am hopeful yet not getting my hopes too high about this cycle. I know that God will work out His perfect will, with or without the help of this medication. I'll do my best to update again once I've had my progesterone checked next week.