progesterone cream

I picked up some progesterone cream at the health store yesterday. I've done some reading about the benefits of natural progesterone, and I thought I would give it a try. This is how it works: As soon as you ovulate, your body starts producing progesterone. This hormone helps to build up the lining of the uterus to make it ideal for implantation. Sometimes women don't have enough progesterone, or too much estrogen and it makes implantation nealry impossible. With taking supplements or using creams, it just helps to supplement your natural progesterone and ensure the lining of the uterus is good for implantation. So after driving all over creation to find some, I found some, bought it and applied. It says to apply it to areas where the circulation is good, like the wrists, neck, throat, inner thighs, feet, etc... or in places where the skin is thin. It absorbs into the subcutaneous layer (how's that for big words?? I learned it in Anat & phys, and now can use it in a sentance! cool huh?) which is basically the fat underneath your skin, and then feeds into the bloodstream, spreading it through your body.

I haven't noticed any affects or changes, but this has only been day 2 of using it, I imagine it will take a little longer if I do experience anything. But, it's not only supposed to help my uterine lining, but it should help balance excessive estrogen and help my cycles regulate, and be less painful, and lessen the affects of PMS (husbands are happy dancing everywhere for that one!) The cream I chose is 22mg of progesterone per dose, which is 1/2tsp. Not too much.

And for those who say, is that safe?? Yes it's safe. It is a natural hormone your body produces. It's generally safe to take while pregnant (though you should consult your doctor) your body in it's 3rd trimester actually produces over 400mg of progesterone a day, so 22mg isn't really a whole lot. While it's not a replacement, it's a supplement.

If you do take it to become pregnant, and you do. DO NOT STOP TAKING IT as it could induce a miscarriage, the sudden drop in progesterone levels (the sudden drop causes your period to start every month.) They advise you continue use until 12 weeks, then slowly taper off the cream. But it is safe to take all pregnacy. Good stuff to know huh?

Anyways, that's whats happening in the TTC world. I ovulated several days earlier than usual the past 2 months. Weird. But we'll see how it goes. I am already 6 DPO! Its going by fast!

For more info on using progesterone cream, just search google about it, there's tons out there!

HSG Test & Results

So, this morning bright and early I checked into the hospital for my HSG test. We went to the radiology wing and gave all our info. We only waited like 5 minutes, and the nurse (her name was Breezy by the way, and she was really cool) escorted me back to the xray room. She gave me a hospital gown and a robe to wear (the robe was a nice addition, I'm gonna ask for one when I'm in L&D) because I was completely covered up for a change! So, they had me lay on the x-ray table and they took an initial x-ray to see what shape my uterus was. After they did that, they scooted me all the way to the edge of the table and began the procedure.

First used the speculum to open the pathway the catheter would go through (just like a pap smear) then he swabbed my cervix with what looked like iodine to cleanse the area, then he filled a syringe with this yellowish-goo and then attached the syringe to a 12" metal looking tube and inserted it into my cervix. Now when I researched the procedure, everything I read said they used a balloon to hold the cervix open, but this thing had two little spikes that poke into the cervix to hold it open. As soon as he put it in it hurt. Immediately the cramping started, and then as soon as he injected the dye (the yellowish-goo) I was INTENSE pain!! My hubby held my hand and I'm sure his fingers hurt by the end of it. I tried so hard to breath through the pain, but it was very hard to do. I equate it with being in labor. It only took 5 minutes tops, but it felt like much longer.

So, the dye went in and they photgraphed it as they went. As soon as the procedure was done, he quickly removed the catheter and I was done. He let me sit up and pulled the monitor around so I could see the results. As soon as I sat up I felt like I was going to throw up, don't know if it was the pain, the laying down, or the cramping, but it was not a great feeling.

Anyways, on to the results. First thing he told me was that there was scar tissue on my cervix. He says it's probably from my son's birth, or from my D&C 8 months ago. He doesn't think that has anything to do with my reproductive health, it was just something he noticed. Another thing he said was I had a "severely tilted uterus" which means it tilts back more that it should, but again, it can make it a little bit tougher to conceive, it's not an issue, and there's really nothing they can do for it. Other than that, there are no fibroids or polyps in my uterus, my tubes are open and very clear, no scar tissue other than on the cervix (that means my D&C was done right!) so everything looked as it should! It's good to know that nothing is wrong in there. Below is an example of what I saw, This is NOT my scan, but one I found on google, that had the same results as me.

I cramped really badly for about an hour or two after the procedure and have a little bleeding, but it should be done by the end of today. The doc said he was concerned about my cervix if I keep bleeding, since those two spikes might have torn it, and therefore I would need stitches. I hope not!

But anywho...now I'm just waiting to do my retests for my blood work. Then it's on the the next phase. My doctor even suggested clomid already, but I don't know if we're ready for that yet. I'm more worried about finding out how to STAY pregnant.

The Main Reason

Sometimes when I think about having another baby I get very overwhelmed. I have a two year old and he has more energy bottled up inside him than a roman candle. He refuses to potty train even though he knows what he is supposed to do, he wakes me up at the crack of dawn every morning, and he talks every minute of the day he is awake. He exhausts me. How on earth would I be able to manage 2 of him? When I was pregnant last summer with pregnancy #4, I had these thoughts a lot. I hate to admit that I was a little less thrilled about the fact I was pregnant - Even though we had been trying actively for months. Once the reality hit me that I was actually going to have another baby I got very stressed out. Since that loss, I have realized more than ever that I would love another child. And the main reason I am excited for that, is my son.

As tiring and exhausting as he is, he is the light of my world. Nothing in this world makes me happier than being his Mommy. I love that it is my name he calls out when he has a bad dream, or when he has a boo boo. I love that he comes up to me randomly and kisses my arm or cheek. I love watching him grow and learn. I never would have guessed the joy I would feel when someone said their first sentance ("What do you want?" in this case :)). The fact that I taught him his colors, and that he can pick out certain letters off of the signs in front of stores, the fact that he can tell me what animals say... it is amazing to see that I played a roll in that. I am so proud of all the things he is learning to do every day. I think he is so cute sometimes I just want to squeeze the heck out of him. He gets so much attention everywhere we go because of his massive eyelashes and big brown eyes. I just love nothing more than being his mother.

The reason I am trying to have baby number 2, may be selfish, but I want to feel that feeling x2. I want to be a Mom to another baby. I want Cohen to know the joy there is in having brothers and sisters. There is a hole in our family that needs to be filled, and that hole is very prominent in my eyes and is almost shouting at me to fill it. I cannot wait for this dream to become a reality. I deserve this. Cohen deserves this. Our family deserves this. Am I wrong for thinking we deserve something? At the risk of striking a nerve with someone, we have gone about having our family the right way. We dated, got married, then had a baby. We've gotten our insurance straight, made sure we are financially able to care for a baby, and made all those necessary preparations before trying for #2. We've gone about this all the right way, so why hasn't it happened for us? That is why I think we deserve this. And I know it's all up to God and his will, and truly I understand it and trust it will happen in his time, but the natural woman in me can't help but feel that way. Anyways, thanks for listening to another vent. Chao!

Answers.

So I went and saw my new OBGYN today. I'd heard great things about him, and that he also has a special interest in fertility. I've wanted to see him for a while, but we just got insurance that he accepts, so I made an appointment as soon as I could! Today was my appointment and I went over my medical history with him, and we lingered on the topic of pregnancy and my 4 miscarriages and he was very surprised that I still had not had any tests done to see what is going on. I told him that my doctor basically would tell me to try to get pregnant and then they would see how my body handled it and he was not thrilled about that.

So he explained to me that new findings show that a 20% of repeat miscarriages are caused by clotting disorders like thrombophilia. Basically a clot forms in the placenta and eventually destroys the pregnancy. He said that since I had a 2nd trimester miscarriage it made it even more likely that this could be a problem for me. So they drew 8 vials of blood today and sent them off to the lab to be tested. If it does happen that I do have a blood clotting disorder, when I do get pregnant I get to take 2 shots a day of a medicine called heparin throughout the entire pregnancy and through postpartum recovery. Not looking forward to that, but if it gets me a baby I'm all for it. And this made me wonder, since I had my son and the only "complication" was mild preeclampsia onset at the end of my pregnancy, why wasn't this possible disorder a problem? He told me that it can not only be genetic, but acquired at later points in life, so I could have acquired it after my son was born, but that gives no explanation to my 2 miscarriages before him. Anyways, we'll know in about 3-5 days the results.

He also told me if I am not pregnant now, than once I start my cycle again to call and schedule an HSG test (Hysterosalpingogram) which is where they inject dye into my uterus and it flows up the fallopian tubes and then they take an x-ray of it. They look for misshapen uterus, blocked tubes, or anything in the uterus like a fibroid, polyp, or scarring that prevents the embryo from properly implanting. He said sometimes the dye that is injected can clear out any blockages in the tubes, remove scar tissue, and basically aid in the process of getting pregnant. I heard it is a little painful and uncomfortable, but the results are usually pretty good- conception wise.

If all those come back normal we'll do a semen analysis, and then he suggests genetic testing to make sure neither of us have any genetic defects that are causing repeat miscarraiges.

Well, HOPEFULLY I am pregnant now, and these things will not be necessary. Well, except for the blood clotting thing, because if they came back positive I'd get on those shots right away.

I am very relieved, even excited at the chance to get some answers. Who knows, they all might come back normal and there's nothing wrong with me, but atleast this will remove any doubt! I am due to test a week from tomorrow and I am going to try with all my might to resist the urge to pee on a stick until then. We shall see! Wish me luck folks!