Of trying to conceive! I know I know, most people don't even begin the battle of infertility until now. In some ways my husband and I are extremely lucky! But, this past year we have been through so much (which I will get to). Many ups and downs, hopeful and the shot down.
It was the last week of July, 2008. We had almost been married for one year. We were camping down in San Onfre, CA for the weekend. I was just being silly and told him that my BC were just about finished and maybe we shouldn't get another pack. He agreed!! WHAT!?! I got giddy. That was the last week I took my BC.
August came we celebrated our first anniversary in Hawaii. It was very romantic, just like we had planned. August past and no period. I thought, "Could I be pregnant?" After very pregnant like symptoms (which I learned from Google), pelvic pain, sore breasts, fatigue, etc, no period (!), I took a pregnancy test (or 3) and got my first BFN! I was confused. I know my body I know when I am feeling something... different. FINALLY, September 19 I got my period 54 day cycle! My first red flag!
Although, I have always had irregular periods I thought maybe it would be different now that I'm an adult, a grown woman. I remember a doctor telling me once that it would be difficult for me to get pregnant b/c my cycles were so irregular. At the time I didn't think much of it. I had been on and off b/c since I was 19. It was the only thing that helped my acne which I have always struggled with.
Anyway, I continued to have occasional pelvic pain. I knew something was not right. I made an appointment with my obgyn, she sent me in to have an ultrasound done. When my results came in I could not believe my results. I was diagnosed with a bicornuate uterus (2 uteri). My dr. actually took out a piece of paper and drew what my uterus looked like in comparison to a "normal" uterus. I am abnormal. She said I am unique.
October, I was sent in to have an HSG test. This is where they put a dye in a cathetor and put it through your cervix shoot it into your uterus to make sure there are no blockages in the fallopian tubes and that my uteri are both functioning.
After getting over the shock and coming to the realization that I would most likely end up on bedrest and have to have a c-section, if I got pregnant, I realized God made me this way, for whatever reason, and it was time to rely on Him for support.
My obgyn told me that we can try on our own for a while and if we were not pregnant by March to come back and we can try clomid. The next five months we figured that if we got pregnant it was meat to be since I was so irregular and I had two uteri. Well, nothing happened.
I went back to my obhyn in March. At this time she decided to give me a referral to an infertility specialist, Dr. Dourran (I'll call him Dr. D), who had coincidently helped her concieve through IUI. She said she didn't want to waste time with it and "get me pregnant."
Thank goodness I was sent to him because He brought new things to light. Dr. D ended up doing an ultrasound and thought that I may have a septated uterus. He said 9/10 times thats what it is. He didn't know for sure, however. I had to have surgery I was praying that it was septated, because that would mean it would be fixable and I would be able to potentially have a normal pregancy and delivery. Also, during the ultrasound the doctor said I had 30-50 follicals on each ovary and that I have PCOS, which is why I don't have my period very often :(
I had the hysteroscopy/laproscopy on Thursday, April 23. It was an almost 2 hour surgery! He went in through my belly button and through a Tiny incision (about the width of my pinky nail) below my bikini line. He had to take a camera and see if the top of my uterus was flat or if it was the shape of a V. That was the only way to tell if it was septated. If it was septated (meaning there was tissue coming down the middle of my uterus creating two wombs) he was going to remove it. Dr. D did!! It was septated. That was the first thing I asked when I woke up. I was shocked.
Recovery was not too bad. The first two days I was on strict bed rest and was in a lot of pain (Thank goodness for vicodin!). My mom came over and took care of me the second day since my husband had to go back to work. Monday I was back at work, but taking it very easy. I'm a high school teacher so I had my students helping me a lot.
I had to be on estrogen patches for three weeks following surgery. I guess it helped with healing. Once I stopped the patches I had a HORRIBLE period. I woke up soaked in blood and I had a tampon in. I was scared. I didn't realize how bad it was going to be, Dr. D never told me. At my one month follow up, he asked me how my period was and I found out that was normal. My uterus was cleaning itself out from the surgery. Dr. D did a follow up hysteroscopy to make sure there wasn't any scar tissue. There wasn't!
My DH and I wanted to try on our own one last timebecause we were going to Italy in July for our two year anniversary. I decided that I was going to take it very serious and start temping. I wasn't even sure I could ovulate on my own. I did end up ovulating on CD39, one week before we left for Italy and then started my period while we were there, very disappointing. But I still believe everything happens for a reason.
We got home from Italy on July24. I called Dr. D on Monday to tell him what has happened with my, cycle ovulation, etc. I now have an appointment on Wednesday, August 5, which will be CD21, to come in for a progesterone shot to start my period. Once my period starts I will start fertillity treatments which will TBA...
So that is my year summed up into one blog entry. I have been through a lot some good, some bad, and some ugly. But I now know that my DH and I are now emotionally and financially ready to become loving parents. I believe things happen for a reason and I am thankful I have not become pregant yet. Why? Because Dr. D said after my surgery that I would have had miscarraige after miscarraige because of my septated uterus. Everything happens for a reason.
