This is the post I’ve been both excited and terrified to write, and it will probably be a long one. I don’t know how much you know about infertility. I’ll try to explain things the best I can, but if you have a questions – ask it!
There are millions of women in the U.S. that struggle with infertility, and each one of us goes through something different. This is my story. I’ll try not be vulgar, but I will not beat around the bush. We are talking about making babies here, which means that you’re going to hear read words about anatomy and sex. Yes, it’s personal. And yes, some of it is gross. But I think it’s important, and don’t feel the need to leave out details that might make people uncomfortable. I’ve had to stop being uncomfortable. It’s come to the point where I can no longer count on my hands the number of doctors, nurses, etc that have seen/felt/poked/prodded me. If you add it all up, I’ve spent days in stirrups in front of these people. But I’m not going into detail about stirrup time, at least not today. Today, I’m going to try to explain the road so far, a basic outline of where we’re at and where we’ve been. Here it goes.
We’ve now been trying for over two years (27 months to be exact) to get pregnant with absolutely no success. It didn’t begin with a life changing conversation on being ready to have kids, it just happened. We had talked about wanting a bunch of kids, and randomly decided to go for it. After a year of no birth control, a ton of sex, and not a single positive pregnancy test we decided it was time for some testing. The one year mark is where the term infertility kicks in, unless you’re over 35, and then it’s 6 months. At that point I had already been charting my temperatures and using ovulation prediction kits to see if and when I was ovulating, and to make sure we were having sex at the right time of the month. All signs indicated I was ovulating, and our timing was impeccable. Testing started with my OB, and all of my tests looked good except one – my Progesterone was a little low. My levels showed that I was definitely ovulating, but may not be high enough to sustain a pregnancy. The sperm analysis came back as above average, my crazy OB decided to use the term “Super Sperm”, and I still haven’t heard the end of it. We assumed that Progesterone was the issue, and I decided to try Progesterone supplements for 3 months before moving onto a specialist in infertility.
Turns out, Progesterone alone didn’t work, and we moved onto a fertility clinic. Our new doctor confirmed that all tests looked good, and decided that I should start Clomid (Clomiphene), a drug that helps with ovulation. Essentially, they were trying to create more, bigger, better eggs. We spent three months with that doctor/clinic, and then life happened, and we were moving to Montana with two weeks notice.
So, I found a new doctor in Montana. After another unsuccessful attempt with Clomid and Progesterone, our new doctor decided it was time to move onto IUI (intrauterine insemination). For the IUI, I stayed on the same medications, but instead of having sex when I was ovulating, we showed up at the doctors office with a sperm sample. The sperm sample was “washed”, basically meaning they remove all the extra gunk and add some very swimmer friendly liquid. I’ll give you three guesses as to where they put the washed sample. That’s right, directly into my uterus through a cervical catheter (which is about a pleasant as it sounds).
We did IUIs three months in a row, with absolutely no success. Each time the doctors/nurses said that everything was perfect: timing, follicles, sperm, my uterine lining, etc. I guess perfect doesn’t always cut it. I found out IUI number three failed about a week before I was scheduled to go home to Seattle for Christmas. My trip home was one of the many reasons we decided to take a break for a month. Other reasons including my strong desire to drink copious amounts of caffeine and alcohol (which I had been avoiding almost completely for the last year), and to get some mental and physical relief. There will be plenty about all of emotions and the terrible side effects of the medications later. One month off turned into two, I just wasn’t ready to through myself back into the turmoil.
I guess I’ve decided I’m as ready as I’ll ever be to get started again, tomorrow I go in to get checked and get a new prescription for Clomid that I’ll start when I get my period next week.
That pretty much covers the basics, and maybe a little extra, in the medical journey so far and where we’re at in the treatment process. I have plenty more to say about specifics in the process, the emotional hell, and the next possible steps in treatment; but, I think I’ll save that for another day.