I had my cycle review yesterday. I was kind of emotional about it because I ended up confessing that I went to a thyroid specialist and quit taking the T3. Lets just say that didn't go over well. (I felt like I betrayed Dr. H.ilgers) The nurse said it was fine that I did that but if I am ever concerned about my levels to have Dr. H.ilgers test them because he actually tests the reverse T3 levels. I told her that the specialist said my T3 was to high so she put me on Synthroid. The nurse clarified that unless the specialist tested my reverse T3 levels then they are going to seem to high. But the reason I was on T3 was because my inactive T3 levels were not in the right range. Anyways, to sum this up I should of stayed on the slow release T3 and not have switched things around without talking to Dr. H.ilgers. BIG OOPS! So now I am slowly going back on T3 and cancelling my next appointment with the thyroid specialist. This might sound kind of flaky but Dr. H.ilgers got me pregnant once so I figure I should just listen to him about this.
I told the nurse that I am DESPERATE to get pregnant and I want Dr. H.ilgers to give me a more aggressive treatment like a trigger shot or something. So after talking about everything this cycle this is what Dr. H.ilgers concluded. No trigger shots for me, continue all medications, have my cortisol levels re-tested, order an ultra sound series (I mentioned to them that I haven't had this done yet) and continue with Clomid for a few more months unless I would like to try the cortisol treatment. I guess you can't do both clomid and cortisol at the same time. Also, I asked the nurse about Dh's previous SA done in March of 2008. Come to find out she said the test is inaccurate because there was a total of 1 1/2 hours between collection and testing. WTF! All year I have been stressing about the results of that test only to just now have them tell me it was an invalid test and to have it redone this time testing it 30 min.s after collection. O.k. this will probably make a big difference!!! What about all the money spent on PROXEED?
Supposedly they only use trigger shots for women who have a lutelizing (sp?) follicle hormone defect (something like that) I asked the nurse how do you know if you have this? She said normally women with PCOS do. So I said how do you know if you have that? And she said from the ultra sound series. Well, this is why I am having the ultra sound series done now. I might try switching to the cortisol treatment next cycle.
Right now I am on CD 5. I forgot that two days of spotting counts for this cycle so now I am two days late taking Clomid. It probably doesn't make that big of a difference, right?
So the nurse just suggested doing the cortisol treatment if I wanted something more aggressive. She said that 6 women have already gotten pregnant taking this and not everyone who is taking it is trying to get pregnant. My question 6 women out of how many infertile women? Hum.
Oh yeah, another thing about my cycle review. I asked if the exercising I was doing was o.k. (just to play it safe and be upfront). Come to find out that Dr. H.ilgers told me to take it easier and basically be more balanced. That some women's bodies might not ovulate if they exercise a lot. That's all I needed to hear...not ovulate, WHAT? I am not taking all these drugs for nothing. I am definitely going to cut back a bit now. I seem to be an all or nothing person though. Either extreme about something or to laid back. Guess I should work on being more balanced ;)
Sounds like a lot of good stuff came out of your review. And congrats on the job! How exciting.
ReplyDeleteMy nutritionist has told me not to do any formal exercise at all, she said it can over work the adrenal gland (where I have problems). I say that is one good thing about my IF - no exercise.
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ReplyDeleteWith LUFs (luteinized unruptured follicles) you would normally see a longer-than-normal post-Peak phase, too. It's just one clue outside of the u/s. I don't think this is your problem, but you could have it on "some" cycles and not others.
ReplyDeleteI was also told that several women had already gotten pg with the cortisol treatment... it made me really hopeful at the time, but now, months later, the # is only up to 6?? Hmmm...
I like how you asked them straight out for a more aggressive treatment. Good for you!! I know how hard that is to do. I will probably tell them the same thing at my cycle review. (I'll have mine in less than 2 wks.)
Oh, and for the difference between a CD 3 start and a CD 5 start with Clomid, I have read that a CD 3 start yields MORE follicles, whereas a CD 5 start yields a more MATURE follicle. That could be wrong, but I read it on a few different sites.
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ReplyDeleteOur first SA wasn't analyzed until about 90 minutes after collection (they forgot about us in the waiting room when we tried to deliver it). The 2nd SA was analyzed within 30 - 45 minutes. Honestly, DH's number all improved (except for the problem number with forward progression), but I put it down to the Proxeed. Even if the extended time did impact the analysis, I think the Proxeed can only have improved things.
ReplyDeleteglad to hear you got things cleared up with your doctor and hopefully you will get pg soon! What days of your cycle are you taking Clomid? I know I took it days 5-9 and days 3-7.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the exercising Ive never been told this before so thanks for the info!