The beginning...

New cycle began yesterday. I had another 16-day luteal phase with the help of hcg, which is great, whole cycle was 39 days long. We have decided to do a 3-month "break" during which I will use progesterone cream on days 7-26 of 3 cycles. It will help dissolve any cysts, reduce estrogen dominance and just give my body a break. This amount of progesterone will suppress ovulation (thus the break from ttc), when I stop the progesterone on cd26 it will induce a "period" (actually withdrawal bleed) and create a better pattern of shorter cycles. We will begin ttc again in December. I will also be working on exercising more and returning to better eating habits during this time. I hope to lose about 20# before December. This will also give us a financial break from the meds and appts. We may try to do a couple more diagnostic tests toward the end of the break to make sure things are clear and a "go" for December. Hopefully all will line up that month and we can have a fall 2012 baby!

Radiology report

NaPro Dr kindly forwarded me the radiology report so I could read for myself all the details (fitting, since they ARE my ovaries - why we don't get them automatically is beyond my understanding!).

Here we go - FINDINGS:
"Examination shows endometrium to be normal for age with the uterus measuring 8.5 x 3.1 x 4.9 cm. Calcification is suggested adjacent to the cervix which could be seen secondary to prior inflmmation or delivery. The right ovary measures to 3.7 and the left to 3.4 cm in size. Multiple cysts are seen bilaterally within the ovaries with the largest on the right measuring 2.3 cm and the largest on the left measuring 1.9 cm. No free fluid is identified. Small nabothian cyst is noted which may reflect earlier inflammatory or post surgical change."

My NaPro doc said that the larger cysts are consistent with physiologic follicles (follicles preparing to release an egg). He also said that he can't tell from this report whether my ovaries are consistent with PCOS or not. The cyst and calcification on my cervix was not mentioned to me by either doctor, but is a bit alarming to me.

So... now what? I don't know. My NaPro Dr. has moved to MO and requested that I find local care. :-( The family doc here offered me a referral to the ob/gyn in their practice and I may take them up on that for further testing and treatment. Planning to sit down with my hubby tonight for some R&R and discussion.

ANNOUNCING!

My new book is ready! It can be purchased through lulu.com and I think you will be very pleased with it. Here's why:
1) Great size, 6x9 that can be slipped into a purse
2) Sturdy glossy covers and spiral binding
3) 2-page spread for each day; 100 days worth of pages
4) Spaces to record weight, bbt, opk, foods, supplements, medications, appointments, etc...
5) In the front, there are 4 bbt charts to fill in if desired and be able to show your doctor
6) A sample page in the front to help clarify what the different fields are for
7) A blank page for each day to record extra symptoms and journal your feelings
8) Pre-filled common fertility supplements and medications make it easy to check off
9) Extra spaces to customize your own supplements
10) This journal can be used by those struggling with infertility, and those who are trying to avoid naturally through fertility awareness.

All of these things have been an immense help to me on my fertility journey and I hope it will be to you also! I am so excited to offer this journal to you. Click on the links here, or in the sidebar to purchase. :-)

Ultrasound

Went in for the ultrasound of my ovaries today. All I know is that she took about 50 pictures, made quite a few measurements and I am pretty sure that I saw dark areas that indicate cysts (monitor was turned away from me though)... Tom was able to see the screen more clearly and I have showed him pics online of various types of cysts and he doesn't seem to think he saw anything other than normal follicular cysts. We'll see though! I should get results in the next couple days and then we will see what the docs have to say.

Appt yesterday and another Monday

My NaPro doctor moved from NC to MO and he has been helping me via e-mailed charts and prescriptions, etc... This last cycle just was not looking as good BBT wise as the previous one and I was asking him what else we could do. We discussed upping my meds dose and he recommended getting an ultrasound of my ovaries prior to that so that we could make sure there were no large cysts or a lot of unruptured large follicles. I found a family doctor locally who would see self-pay patients (harder than I imagined)! I met with him yesterday. We talked for a while about my history, current treatment, what I needed and he palpated my belly and pretty quickly found my right ovary seemed enlarged and likely cystic. I guess with PCOS, that isn't a big surprise, but I was still disappointed. We have the ultrasound scheduled for Monday afternoon to get a good look and see what is going on there, how many cysts, how large, what kind and how the follicles are looking. It's a relief to finally be getting a "look-see" but intimidating nonetheless. I am also considering and discussing with both doctors trying to get an hsg done to check on blockages and see what my tubes and uterus are looking like... costly, but seems worth it? We are also going to check into getting a semen analysis done, it hasn't been pushed by doctors since Tom is "proven" :-) but a lot can change in 10 years and he is around a lot of chemicals and nasties in his work, so probably worth another check. We figure that throwing over $200 at meds a month, we should be good and certain nothing else is blocking the way. So, that's the update here. It's funny, now that the Dr. pressed on my ovary and I felt what it felt like (tender), I can find it now and feel the cysts. Eeek! I am nervous about the news of what all we find in there.

I've been feeling a little more "off" for the last 2 1/2 weeks. Ever since 10dpo last cycle, not sleeping real well, night sweats, temps erratic. Grrrr.....

Fertility Journal rewrites

Got some great feedback from my fertility journal "testers" and am beginning final edits tomorrow and hope to have them done by the end of the week. I hope to have them available for sale before too long!

May & June cycles

We gave in and have tried some new meds the last 2 cycles. I have taken Femara (letrazole) days 3-7 and hcg injections days 3,5,7 and 9 dpo. These are to stimulate a stronger ovulation and to jump start the corpus luteum into producing progesterone. The cycles have definitely improved, but I am not yet pregnant. They have both been 35 days long and ovulation occurred around day 20 which makes my lp go from 12 days to 15 days - very nice! I am encouraged by these things and thankful that my follicular (estrogen dominant) phase and luteal (progesterone dominant) phase are waaaay more balanced - this is so much healthier for me over all. My bbt chart the 1st cycle on the meds was beautiful and I was very hopeful. The 2nd cycle (ended yesterday) was not as good, temps went up a bit, went up some more but then by 10dpo they were dropping and stayed just barely above coverline the rest of my lp. I also had a tiny bit of spotting on 10dpo and a headache the day before menses (with migraine "aura" the night before the headache), all of this indicates low progesterone to me. So... keeping on keeping on. Sent an e-mail to my Dr and FP tonight to see what's next and if any changes are in store for the next cycle.