We finally heard back on the results of our repeat DNA test. It has been great working with this doctor as he took so much time with us even on the phone. In his opinion he feels that we have moved into the normal range. Normal for people who do not need IUI’s or take up to a year to get pregnant are <20%. Since we now sit at below 30% we’re in the +1 year TTC, IUI and possibly IVF range so this is an improvement. He gave us some tips for TTC naturally but did recommend that we should still look for assistance only because it’s been such a long time. After some discussion between Hammer and I, we decided that we would at least get the second opinion. Dr. R gave us some suggestions for the RE’s in his area which he works with often and they were the same names that were recommended to us by others. So today I put in a call for an appointment with one of them. We’ll have to see when we can coordinate a trip to the clinic (~2 hours away) with our crazy schedules so I’ll post more when I know. Thank goodness I have family down there which would make any treatment we might do so much easier and a bit more affordable.
As far as naturally trying, Hammer and I have been doing the ‘Hopeful Protocol,’ as I like to call it, along with our TTC modifications for Hammer. I got this from the Happy Hopeful’s who are to welcome their first baby after TTC for several years and ended up getting prego this way. It involves taking the supplements evening primrose and flax seed oil during a cycle. It also has you take high amounts of soy isoflavones on the same days when you would have taken clomid which supposedly help make a healthier egg so it’s almost like poor man’s clomid. I can tell you that I definitely ovulate very ‘strong’ when I take this. This past month my temps started to go triphasic and I was late which I never have been before on the last three months taking these supplements (or ever for that matter). I even went out and bought some HPTs because I was two days late. I got a box of FRER and an EPT. The EPT was the only one where both Hammer and I swore there was a very, very faint start of a ‘+’ but that was all we got. So we think we might have had a ‘blip’ but there is no real way to confirm it. I am concerned that maybe the soy is messing up my lining similar to clomid so I’m taking a month or two off to see if it helps at all and made an appointment with my regular Gyn to see if she has any thoughts as well. We’ll still be doing the ‘prepping’ before TTC with some modifications as suggested by Dr. R on our phone conference. I now feel that I have the hang of the Ovacue and I love that it confirms ovulation (I got the extra attachment) which makes me feel more confident in our TTC efforts BUT we still have to use OPK’s to help us with timing things. So it’s not the money saver I was hoping for but when your DH has to do his thing for practically 2 weeks straight it is nice to tell him with confidence that he can take some time off. I’m actually feeling bad for him. I know it’s not like taking shots but seriously, if you were told you had to have a “big O” every day for two weeks imagine the pressure that would put on you. It’s not like with woman where getting prego doesn't depends on us having an “O” or not but it does require our DH’s to do so. And while it’s fun, I would l think 2 weeks straight of fun would really start to get old. He’s been a real trooper and I have to give him some credit. Thanks honey :)
Showing posts with label andrologist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label andrologist. Show all posts
Monday, May 2, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Coming up for air
I’m sorry to have disappeared for such a long time but I’ve been around and trying to keep up with you all by reading your blogs although I’ve not been commenting. Before I update you all I’d like to congratulate those of you who have had surprise miracle pregnancies as they give me much hope and I really need that right about now.
I’ve realized that part of my issues is that my mind has had to have time to decompress and comprehend everything that happened. With our tragedy occurring around the winter holiday times and being so sudden it was like my mind had blockaded off my emotions and prevented me from dealing with what all had occurred. But then we had a life event that really brought it to the forefront.
The weekend before we realized we were pregnant, Hammer and I had attended my cousin’s wedding. It was a ‘shot-gun’ wedding as she was already 4 ½ months pregnant. So when March rolled around we received an invitation for her couples baby shower. Hammer and I have been very supportive of the whole situation (it’s so much more involved that I can get into here) so we knew we were going. But when the weekend of the shower arrived it brought with it all the emotions that had been locked away.
The best way I can describe it is this: Imagine if you were standing in front of a dam that was bursting at the seams. You knew that it was going to break but there was nowhere to run and no telling when it would happen. And then something triggered those walls to finally give way and the water poured forth consuming everything in its wake.
I was sitting at the shower realizing that as the eldest granddaughter I would not be the one to have the first great grandchild. And every woman at the shower was pregnant or had an infant with them (except for my aunt and grandmother of course). And then it hit me. If we had not lost our baby I would be pregnant right now. That was the trigger and I was completely consumed with all the emotions that had been bursting to come forward for months. Thank God Hammer had come with me to the shower so that he could get me out of there and fast. It was more than I could handle but it needed to happen and I’ve finally had to come to terms with my emotions. That’s why I’ve been quiet for some time because I didn’t even know to write about what was going on because it was all so much to take in.
During these past few weeks we also had our repeat DNA test. The results were better but not stellar. Hammer definitely has that rare issue where his pre-sperm are fine (before they grow their tail) but during the maturation process as they make their way to the tes.tes to await eja.culati.on they get bombarded by free radicals and it destroys the DNA. We went from 48% to 27%, so we almost cut it in half and it is good that it’s under 30%. But it still leaves us in the borderline abnormal range. We are waiting to hear back from our urologist with his recommendations and because of the Easter holiday and Hammer's travel, it’s been difficult to set up a phone conference.
I’ve also been setting things up to get my prerequisites done so that I can start my program next summer. Fertility or home study have been on the back burner until we knew the results of the repeat DNA but things may start moving one way or another in the next few months as well.
We’re also finally figuring things out with this Ovacue machine a bit better to help make it work to our advantage with Hammer’s issue. It was actually helpful to have the DNA test this cycle because it helped us figure out the best way for us to TTC naturally and at one point we swore that it might have worked but now we’re pretty sure AF is on the way. Maybe next month, right?
I’ve realized that part of my issues is that my mind has had to have time to decompress and comprehend everything that happened. With our tragedy occurring around the winter holiday times and being so sudden it was like my mind had blockaded off my emotions and prevented me from dealing with what all had occurred. But then we had a life event that really brought it to the forefront.
The weekend before we realized we were pregnant, Hammer and I had attended my cousin’s wedding. It was a ‘shot-gun’ wedding as she was already 4 ½ months pregnant. So when March rolled around we received an invitation for her couples baby shower. Hammer and I have been very supportive of the whole situation (it’s so much more involved that I can get into here) so we knew we were going. But when the weekend of the shower arrived it brought with it all the emotions that had been locked away.
The best way I can describe it is this: Imagine if you were standing in front of a dam that was bursting at the seams. You knew that it was going to break but there was nowhere to run and no telling when it would happen. And then something triggered those walls to finally give way and the water poured forth consuming everything in its wake.
I was sitting at the shower realizing that as the eldest granddaughter I would not be the one to have the first great grandchild. And every woman at the shower was pregnant or had an infant with them (except for my aunt and grandmother of course). And then it hit me. If we had not lost our baby I would be pregnant right now. That was the trigger and I was completely consumed with all the emotions that had been bursting to come forward for months. Thank God Hammer had come with me to the shower so that he could get me out of there and fast. It was more than I could handle but it needed to happen and I’ve finally had to come to terms with my emotions. That’s why I’ve been quiet for some time because I didn’t even know to write about what was going on because it was all so much to take in.
During these past few weeks we also had our repeat DNA test. The results were better but not stellar. Hammer definitely has that rare issue where his pre-sperm are fine (before they grow their tail) but during the maturation process as they make their way to the tes.tes to await eja.culati.on they get bombarded by free radicals and it destroys the DNA. We went from 48% to 27%, so we almost cut it in half and it is good that it’s under 30%. But it still leaves us in the borderline abnormal range. We are waiting to hear back from our urologist with his recommendations and because of the Easter holiday and Hammer's travel, it’s been difficult to set up a phone conference.
I’ve also been setting things up to get my prerequisites done so that I can start my program next summer. Fertility or home study have been on the back burner until we knew the results of the repeat DNA but things may start moving one way or another in the next few months as well.
We’re also finally figuring things out with this Ovacue machine a bit better to help make it work to our advantage with Hammer’s issue. It was actually helpful to have the DNA test this cycle because it helped us figure out the best way for us to TTC naturally and at one point we swore that it might have worked but now we’re pretty sure AF is on the way. Maybe next month, right?
Monday, February 7, 2011
A little piece of good news
We got Hammer's blood work back and it was normal for testosterone and estrodiol. So we are on track for a repeat DNA fragmentation test in March. Until then we'll be popping supplements, drinking more smoothies and giving another natural cycle the old college try :)
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Back from the Andrologist
The long awaited, long overdue andrology appointment for Mr. Hammer was yesterday. We were actually concerned it wouldn't happen because a snow storm came through the day before. Since we were going to a satellite clinic where both us and the Dr would have to travel we had reason to be concerned. But the storm was not as bad as predicted and the snow quickly melted in the midday sun. We did make sure to leave earlier than planned and had no problem getting there.
We had been asked to complete a very extensive health history for Hammer which included the history of infertility on his father's side. And I also brought copies of every SA Hammer had ever had done by our RE plus the DNA fragmentation results and the list of supplements he is taking. I have to admit that I was nervous the Dr would look at how Hammer's SAs had improved, dismiss the DNA test and laugh us out of the clinic. When we arrived at the clinic we did not have to wait at all and Hammer was immediately weighed and we were taken into an exam room. Once in there we did wait nearly a half hour before the Dr came in. Hammer began to get increasingly more nervous but he never complained considering everything I had already been through, this was very minor. Once the Dr came in he apologized and explained that there was a lot of information to review and that Hammer was in a small but 'elite' group of men vying for the most SAs ever performed. Lucky us.
I'll just say it now, this appointment was everything that we prayed it would be. For the first time in a long time somebody took us seriously. He even created an excel sheet timeline (A man after my own type-A heart!) of each SA and had us fill in when the various supplements were added. He said that from where we were at right now based upon the most recent two SAs everything was finally looking normal and he felt we were on the right track. He reviewed the supplements and was very pleased with every thing Hammer was taking and said it was exactly what he would have prescribed (yea!) He did not think anything else was necessary which I was glad to hear.
Then came the part Hammer was dreading; the physical exam. But the results were good as well. There is a small spot on the left side that he'd like to get an ultrasound of but said it very well could be a benign cyst. He prefers to be thorough and still would like to get it looked at just in case especially with our long history of infertility. So we'll be getting that scheduled in the next few weeks. Hammer will also get his testosterone and estrodiol levels tested and if they are off he will be medicaid as appropriate.
Finally he discussed our DNA results which he agreed was a major problem. What vindication we felt after having our current RE tell us he "didn't believe in it." He confirmed that at our level it would not only prevent creation of a healthy embryo but would lead to early miscarriage. The fact that we had a healthy fetus this last time was a good sign that we are figuring things out. Of course if my body was involved in the loss of our last pregnancy then it does give us hope to know that we really might be getting closer. He is also going to have us do a repeat DNA test in March after we've done a few lifestyle changes i.e. get that darn laptop off you lap like I've been telling you for the past 3 1/2 years *sigh* And also because I discovered that while we were in Marco Island, FL Hammer sat in the hot tub so the Dr wants to make sure that we've had 3 months of supplements post 3 months from the hot tube incident of 2010. He also confirmed that 'cleaning the pipes out' before the test would be helpful except instead of seven days he wants ten days, abstain one day and then provide the test sample. When we told him we did about 6 days prior to our most recent IVF he was very encouraging about the benefits of that technique for our success.
We left there so encouraged and hopeful. I wish I would have demanded a referral the minute we got the first DNA test results. But in reality we would have likely ended up going to the super old local guy and not this one. I'm so glad we chose this Dr. and both Hammer and I agree it was not only a great decision but we would refer anyone we knew to him in a heartbeat. He took so much time with us, listened to us, made us feel so comfortable, was so professional and knowledgeable and we haven't had that sort of treatment in a long time.
So the plan:
If our results come back close to or in the normal range then he would have us do the 10-day technique for our next fertility treatment. Of course Hammer and I need to talk about that part. Ever since Hammer found out that our baby was healthy he's pulled back from adoption. It was totally unexpected so honestly I'm not sure what this means quite yet but we're just taking this one step at a time. This coming Tuesday we'll learn about the results of my labs.
We had been asked to complete a very extensive health history for Hammer which included the history of infertility on his father's side. And I also brought copies of every SA Hammer had ever had done by our RE plus the DNA fragmentation results and the list of supplements he is taking. I have to admit that I was nervous the Dr would look at how Hammer's SAs had improved, dismiss the DNA test and laugh us out of the clinic. When we arrived at the clinic we did not have to wait at all and Hammer was immediately weighed and we were taken into an exam room. Once in there we did wait nearly a half hour before the Dr came in. Hammer began to get increasingly more nervous but he never complained considering everything I had already been through, this was very minor. Once the Dr came in he apologized and explained that there was a lot of information to review and that Hammer was in a small but 'elite' group of men vying for the most SAs ever performed. Lucky us.
I'll just say it now, this appointment was everything that we prayed it would be. For the first time in a long time somebody took us seriously. He even created an excel sheet timeline (A man after my own type-A heart!) of each SA and had us fill in when the various supplements were added. He said that from where we were at right now based upon the most recent two SAs everything was finally looking normal and he felt we were on the right track. He reviewed the supplements and was very pleased with every thing Hammer was taking and said it was exactly what he would have prescribed (yea!) He did not think anything else was necessary which I was glad to hear.
Then came the part Hammer was dreading; the physical exam. But the results were good as well. There is a small spot on the left side that he'd like to get an ultrasound of but said it very well could be a benign cyst. He prefers to be thorough and still would like to get it looked at just in case especially with our long history of infertility. So we'll be getting that scheduled in the next few weeks. Hammer will also get his testosterone and estrodiol levels tested and if they are off he will be medicaid as appropriate.
Finally he discussed our DNA results which he agreed was a major problem. What vindication we felt after having our current RE tell us he "didn't believe in it." He confirmed that at our level it would not only prevent creation of a healthy embryo but would lead to early miscarriage. The fact that we had a healthy fetus this last time was a good sign that we are figuring things out. Of course if my body was involved in the loss of our last pregnancy then it does give us hope to know that we really might be getting closer. He is also going to have us do a repeat DNA test in March after we've done a few lifestyle changes i.e. get that darn laptop off you lap like I've been telling you for the past 3 1/2 years *sigh* And also because I discovered that while we were in Marco Island, FL Hammer sat in the hot tub so the Dr wants to make sure that we've had 3 months of supplements post 3 months from the hot tube incident of 2010. He also confirmed that 'cleaning the pipes out' before the test would be helpful except instead of seven days he wants ten days, abstain one day and then provide the test sample. When we told him we did about 6 days prior to our most recent IVF he was very encouraging about the benefits of that technique for our success.
We left there so encouraged and hopeful. I wish I would have demanded a referral the minute we got the first DNA test results. But in reality we would have likely ended up going to the super old local guy and not this one. I'm so glad we chose this Dr. and both Hammer and I agree it was not only a great decision but we would refer anyone we knew to him in a heartbeat. He took so much time with us, listened to us, made us feel so comfortable, was so professional and knowledgeable and we haven't had that sort of treatment in a long time.
So the plan:
- Ultrasound of the left side 'spot'
- Blood work for testosterone and estrodiol
- Continue vitamins and lifestyle changes i.e. laptop
- Based upon the results of the blood test we'll do a repeat DNA test in March or early April with the 10 day; abstain 1 day; test sample 'technique'
If our results come back close to or in the normal range then he would have us do the 10-day technique for our next fertility treatment. Of course Hammer and I need to talk about that part. Ever since Hammer found out that our baby was healthy he's pulled back from adoption. It was totally unexpected so honestly I'm not sure what this means quite yet but we're just taking this one step at a time. This coming Tuesday we'll learn about the results of my labs.
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