Halfway Mark! 20 Weeks!!

I can't believe I have reached the halfway milestone! It blows my mind! I am still a nervous nelly about everything but as time goes on...I'm starting to relax a tad bit more. Especially now that I am feeling her move on an every day basis now. That is SO comforting to me. I haven't even had to use the doppler since that is enough for me to know she is still kicking in there (literally).

  I had my regular appt with my OBGYN the other day, and it went really well! They pass me around each visit to different doctors because they want me to be familiar with everyone. That way if I go into labor and one of them is on call, I have a familiar face to see. Well this time it was a male doctor - first male gyno I've ever seen. (I tend to stick with the ladies since, well, they can relate more and obviously less awkward). Anyway, he was super nice, professional and made me feel very comfortable. We listened to baby, and she sounded great. He had to chase her around my belly because she was bouncing all over! She's an active one, I tell ya! We are going to have our hands full!

 We discussed everything as far as medications, and I told him I have decided to stay on the prednisone. I'd rather have that extra something to fight inflammation than risk anything at this point. I have done as much research as I can about it, and since I am going to be on a very low dose - I shouldn't have any bad effects for myself or baby. I am not crazy about staying on it - but I feel more comfortable knowing I am doing everything I can to keep my inflammation issues at bay.

  Anyway, we have our "20" week scan (even though I will be almost 21 weeks then) on Tuesday the 21st. I am not thrilled with doing all of these ultrasounds because I hear it could be bad to constantly do ultrasounds. They link everything to Autism these days and this is one of them. So I'm not sure if I am a believer in that or not - but it does plant a seed in your head and make you paranoid. Anyway, we are going to make sure she's growing nicely and check her heart and whatnot. Hopefully all is ok in there! I feel her kick so much now that I definitely know she has grown! haha!

  Speaking of grown, here is a 20 week belly shot. Not much different from the last belly shot, but figured I would include the milestone pic anyway! ;)

I am in desperate need of some maternity clothes now since I am outgrowing all of my shirts and pants! It also better start warming up soon, since I am having trouble zipping up my winter coat now! haha! 

Anyway, other than the heartburn/indigestion and the insomnia at nights, I'm feeling pretty damn good! I have gained energy back and I am feeling slightly like my old self again! I will touch base again after Tuesdays appt! Fingers crossed all goes well! 

xo

Post op appt/Dr. Switch

Today I went to my post op appt. Everything went as I expected - no endometriosis to be found and everything looked great in there. So I can officially cross that off the list of things. So before I get started with the appt. I had quite an interesting week. I have been pounding the pavement to find a doctor to prescribe me Plaquenil. (hydroxychloroquine). ((the drug I have been wanting my specialist to prescribe to me)). I knew she wasn't going to - so I contacted my primary care doctor about it. He took a step further than my specialist would - and actually researched it for me, however, he felt he couldn't prescribe me something on the basis of what I wanted to use it for (infertility) since he knew nothing about it. Which is understandable and at least he was willing to look into it for me which I appreciated.

  So I contacted my fertility specialist again (shot in the dark) attempt and she yet again shot me down. She suggested I see a rheumatologist and that she cannot help me in getting it. Ok. FINE. So I made an appt with a rheumatologist for the 9th of August. NOW. Today I went to my post op and talked with my doctor there. He is very nice, and actually listens to me and my concerns. I told him about plaquenil and stated the reasons why I felt it would benefit me. And guess what. HE is going to prescribe it to me!!!!! On top of that - he wants to care for my issues and wants me to entrust him in my pregnancy journey. He is not an immunologist - and isn't too familiar with how it relates to pregnancy loss - HOWEVER - he isn't opposed to giving me the right medication he feels will help suppress my immune system during pregnancy. So on top of the plaquenil, I will be on a low dose steroid which my fertility dr wanted to put me on anyway. We will retest the TNF levels in a month and see where we are at.

  FINALLY I found a doctor who understands and is willing to help me!! And thinks outside the box!! I couldn't be more thrilled! So I get to start this medication tonight!!! I am not saying this is going to be my miracle drug - but it's definitely worth a shot!!! And for the steroid and plaquenil - it cost me a total of $14!!! Sure beats the $2500 per shot of IVIg if it works!! God I hope it works!! It's my last ditch effort to try and do this without breaking my bank account. Praying for miracles over here!

  Anyway, so that's the latest and greatest! I will keep you posted on how it's all going! But woooohoooooooooooooo for the Plaquenil! Finally!!!!

Follow up

I had a followup with my doctor today regarding the results. It seems my NKCells look decent - but TNFa is 41.5 (which I had it wrong by typing 45.7 in the last post). Regardless, still high. My AMH levels came back a little weird too. They came back at 10.45 which is really high for someone my age. The last time I got tested for AMH last year in Sept it was 3.71 which is normal...so I have no clue how or why it bounced to 10.45! But from what I read - it could be an indicator of PCOS. Which I haven't been diagnosed with ever and don't think I have. I have regular periods, and ovulate regularly. So it's a little weird to me. My doctor thought it was an excellent number - which made me scratch my head since I am 37 with an AMH that bounced to a number that perhaps an early teenager would have. I am sure my doctor is sick of my constantly questioning things - but I don't care. This is my body and if I want to know more - or have more questions...I'm going to ask. I am not shy and the way I see it - is she is working for me. I am paying for her services. So I don't care if I am a bug-a-boo when it comes to my health.

  Anyway, my doctor. That is another story. I like her, she is really nice...but sometimes I feel that she isn't that clued in. There is this drug that is commonly used in the UK that has proven to help bring down TNFa significantly. And I asked her about it at my appt today. She heard of it but never used it or prescribed it before. So when I got back to work - I saw that it is avail in the US and the price of it isn't that much. I wrote to her to see if it's something we could try and she shot it down. Stating that she was unfamiliar with it and doesn't want to prescribe something she is unfamiliar with. Ok, that's respectable. I get that. BUT. Here is my issue. If something is commonly used amongst reproductive immunologists around the globe and has proven to work - and it's available here. Wouldn't you, as a doctor, do some research on the drug. Find out more about it and perhaps see if it could be helpful to your practice? She just shot it down because she didn't know much about it. But this could be a cure for me! LEARN about it - and then if you feel it's too risky - deny it. But don't just shut it down and remain naive.

Ugh. It's really frustrating when I am doing basically homework to figure all of this out for myself, but I can only go so far with it because another person who could help - doesn't care to do any research to help. Sometimes I wish I could find a new Dr. but there are very few in the area - and I don't want to go down another long twisted road when I have already gone so far with this one.

Anyway, so I have to now go to a consultation tomorrow with a Dr. to discuss Endometriosis laproscopy. I am nervous for that. I don't feel comfortable with someone poking around in that area. But I guess it needs to be done so I will do what I have to do. So we will see how long it will take for me to even get an appt for the procedure. Shit, the consultation took 3 weeks to get! Very annoying.

So July clearly is a bust for trying again. Doubt August will be in the cards too if I don't get this surgery done right away. But I am glad that perhaps I am doing something to maybe nip this TNFa shit in the ass. Because if this can cure it - everything else should be quick to follow. But if it's not the issue...I am up a long hill battle. I will post more tomorrow when I wrap up with the Dr.

Stay tuned...