Our Pregnancy Trials

As many of you know that Nathan and I have been trying to start a family for quite a long time, 3 years and 5 months to be exact! I have tried to be positive about the whole thing, but at times it is very difficult. Especially when everyone around is getting the one things you want.

Which brings me to the reason I have decided to put this all on paper or I guess on this blog. I was watching KSL News at 10 last night, and saw a piece about a couple going through a similar situation, they are currently at 19 months trying to conceive. They are working with the same Feritilty Specialist that we are currently working with, Reproductive Care Center, in Sandy. They also have a blog and her thought process is the same as mine, if I can help someone else with what I have dealt with, then this process and trial has been worth it.

Nathan and I decided to start trying for a family the winter of 2007 at which time we had been married for about a year and a half. I had a feeling that I would have trouble getting pregnant so we decided that I would get off the pill in October of 2007. Since my family has so many birthdays in May our hope was to avoid a May birthday if at all possible. In the first year off the pill, I had many people telling me different ways to know if you are ovulating, as well as the ovulating predictor tests. We did it all. After about one year I went to my doctor here in Kemmerer. At that point, we decided to start me on Clomid, a cheap fertility drug. I did January and February 2009 at 50mg of Clomid and March and April 2009 at 100mg. Clomid is a pill that you take for 5 days usually on days 3-8 or 5-10, depending on your doctor and body. I went back to the doctor at the end of April, he decided to send me to a Baby Doctor in Jackson, one that they work with regularly. Nathan and I knew that this was going to be the time that this was going to start getting expensive. But we moved forward. In June, the doctors wanted me to get my tubes checked, which means they inject a dye, this dye moves up through your uterus and into your ovaries. This test came back negative for blockage. So far all is well with me. At this point we have never done anything to check Nathan. Dr. George, the doctor from Jackson, wanted a Sperm Analysis. We ended to Rock Springs to get this done since Rock Springs is closer then Jackson. This test also came good.

So this begins our trips to Jackson. Jackson is three hours away for us. But we decided it would be worth it if it worked. Dr. George decided to up my dosage of Clomid to 150mg. (this is the highest dosage they have women take), the only side affects I experienced was hot flashes and seriously moody! He also wanted to try a procedure that they called IUI, interuteran insemination. Which is a procedure that is all about timing. I would take the Clomid on days 3-8, then about a week later I would start the ovulation predictor tests. Once I got a positive ovulation test, I would call Jackson and they would set an appointment for the next day. Nathan and I would drive over, Nathan would have to go in to give a sample specimen. That specimen would be washed and energized. The washing would get the dead out and would help speed up the slower moving. That would be completed about 90 minutes before my appointment. We would then take the specimen to my appointment and they would implant the specimen right into my uterus. Then the old wives tale of let gravity take its course would come into effect. They would tip me so that my head was down and I would have to hang out for about 20 minutes. The first time we did this, I will never forget. We didn't know what to expect so Nathan was reading a magazine (in the room with me). The doctor comes in and we start. She tells me that I will feel pressure, within seconds I felt pressure. Still okay!!! Then a little cramping. Still Okay!!! Finally she says that I will feel a TUGGING!!! Not Okay!!! I felt as if she was tugging out all my reproductive organs out through a tiny hole. I just about crawled off the table. I think I pulled a muscle from tensing up to much. Can began to cry. Meanwhile, Nathan still reading his magazine....lol After the doctor left he came to me to make sure I was okay. Obviously this procedure didn't work. But after the first time, I asked Nathan to hold my hand because they pain was horrible. He has been very supportive and amazing through this whole thing. We did that procedure 3 times. On the fourth and fifth time we added to injection shots. One that would really pump up my ovaries, really making them produce folicals. Then I we would go to Jackson for an ultrasound. Making sure the ovaries were producing. Then that night I would take the second shot and then would trigger my body to ovuale within 36 hours. We would then go back to Jackson for the IUI, we did this twice. The second time being October 2009. The second one we did, I was really starting to brake down. We headed over to Jackson for a weekend appointment. Which the weekend appointment made this a little difficult. The seman washing went really well, but then our problems started. Once the specimen has been taken you have approxmately 45 minutes to get it injected into the uterus. We walked to the doctors to find the power out, the door locked, and no doctor in sight. I called the hospital, she was in the building but happened to be in the emergency room. I called her 3 times only to get her answering maching. We waited for 90 minutes. Once she arrived she said that she had been delivering a 14 year olds baby. I just about lost it on her. I can't even put into words how upset we were. The doctor called the lab, where the specimen was taken, and she said that we were still okay. Yeah Right!!! I finally broke!! Not only did we just waste about $500, but now she is really going hurt me with this dumb procedure. Remember is the power is out. So she has to have Nathan hold her iPhone with a flashlight so she can what she is doing. And can't check the speciman again to make sure that we were still good. She did have the good nature to not charge for the procedure (my portion only).

After that didn't work, I told Nathan I couldn't do it anymore. The drugs were killing me. I was having a really hard time with the Clomid and hotflashes. Plus after the last time going to Jackson I had lost all confidence in them. I would never recommend going there for infertility issues. We decided to give ourselves a break from the whole thing for a few months. Once we were ready we could try the Reproductive Care Center in Sandy at the recommendation of a family member.

We took approximately 4 months, in February 2010, I was late starting, so as every month you are late your hopes get up just to be crushed. After that disappointment I decided I was ready again. I spoke with Nathan and he was ready too.

We first spoke with Dr. Blauer, in March 2010. The consult we had was both a relief and a disappointment. I was relieved to be in good hands, that we knew had success and that would tell us ALL the information. We had to send our records from Jackson over ahead so Dr. Blauer could see what we had done to decide our fate. The first thing he told us was that he was concerned with the specimen results from Jackson. Indicating that they were low quality. THIS WAS THE FIRST WE HEARD OF THIS!!! We were both instantly upset. Not only did Jackson waste about $3000 of our money, but now we find out that they had been lying to us as well.

With this information they wanted to do a Kruger test on Nathan, and if that came back good, then they thought a Low-Stim IVF would work for us. Two days later Nathan went back for the Kruger. When the results came bad, we were so excited. The results were great!!! Finally some good news... Our next move would be a Low-Stim IVF. Which costs about $6000, by the time you pay for Medication and the cycle. We were able to get the funds lined up for a June cycle. With an IVF cycle, they put you on the Birth Control pill for a couple weeks then start you on the drugs. But in order to make the Cycle you have to start by a certain date. I was 2 1/2 weeks late to start my period and missed the deadline by 3 days. So not only can't we do the cycle, but I had thought that I was pregnant. So we planned for the August cycle. Making sure that I made the deadline I started the pills as soon as I could.

They give you a calendar to work off of, While taking the birth control you also take a fertility drug called Femara. After the last birth control pill you go in for a Suppression check. This is to check the lining of your uterus. Then you start the injections to really start working your ovaries, one thing they really want to make sure of is you don't over extend your ovaries. So they have to be really careful.

The suppression check went very well... Good News!! Then I went to see how my ovaries were producing getting ready to take the eggs from me and the specimen from Nathan. This is where it starting falling apart. The wanted me to have 7 or 8 follicals at 18mm or greater. I had one at 11mm and the rest were smaller. So they decided to have me to a few more injections and then try and see if the follicals grow, but chances are they won't get much larger. If they don't they wanted to do another IUI.

Well, it tured out that we ended up doing the IUI. As we went into the room with the nurse. I asked her to please not hurt me while doing this procedure. I was freaking out. I think I had an anxiety attack. She looked at me like I was crazy, she asked me, "Does this hurt you." I told her yes. She then told me that it shouldn't hurt, it should be no more uncomfortable then a Pap. Really!!! As she did the procedure everything went as planned, except it was not painful. Apparently Jackson has screwed me again, they were using a device, that takes out IUDs, which according to the nurse at RCC, was not necessary for them to use. So thank you to the jerks in Jackson for now wasting my money and hurting for no reason.

This brings us to today, after the unsuccessful IUI in August. We have had to wait to get our funds back in order. We have had a few set backs, but we are now ready to move forward. We have decided to do a Conventional IVF cycle, which differs from a Low-Stim in that there is more Medication and more monitoring, but essentially the same idea. We will hopefully we doing this in May. I look forward to working with Dr. Blauer and his team again. We have a consultation tomorrow.

We are ready for our turn to be parents. I have a wonderful support system. I don't tell you all of this to gain your pity or sympathy. I feel the same way the couple on KSL news last night. If my trials can help someone else. I would be happy to explain everything.

There may be some that view me as a dramatic baby, looking for sympathy. to you, I just hope that you or someone you love never have to deal with the pain that couples who would love to start a family deal with everyday.

I have to say though, that my husband has been amazing through this whole this. I would never be able to handle this without him. I am so blessed to have him in my life.