When Life Gives You Lemons

Trying to make the most out of infertility, and life in general. This is my journey to conceive, after a miscarriage and D&C that left me with Asherman's Syndrome.

Friday, October 20, 2006

Stay with me

That's my message to the little embie growing inside me. I got my blood tests back yesterday from my RE's office, and my HCG doubled to a very respectable 631 at 16dpo. However, my progesterone dropped pretty drastically to 15 (from 24.2 on Tuesday). Please please tell me it's not all over. I'm panicking. My RE's office has been really frustrating. They called me yesterday to report that my bloods came back fine, with the exception of low progesterone and they want me to be supplemented. That's all the said. Is this an appropriate message to leave for a woman who had a miscarriage, came within degrees of losing her fertility for good from a screwed up D&C and is scared shitless to find herself pregnant again?!?! I am scarred from my last miscarriage expereince (bad pun intended). How about a little reassurance. How about a call form my actual RE congratulating me and telling me he's on the case. Where's the love I ask.

So I called them back and it took 2 rounds of phone tag to get my actual numbers. They gave me the actual #s without any context of what they mean. Thankfully I have terrific friends and bloggers out there who have taught me so much about what my levels should be and what to look out for. I know a progesterone level of 15 isn't so horrible, but I'm freaking out that it dropped so quickly in such a short period of time. I'm now on Promethium insertions twice a day with the hopes of maintaining my progesterone levels. Vaginal insertions - fun fun. I asked the nurse how immediately should I start taking the Prometrium, and she gave me a wishy washy answer. She said take them whenever you feel like it, and that the morning would be fine. That wasn’t good enough for me so I rushed to the pharmacy after work so that I could pick up the prescription and start taking the meds right away. I get to the pharmacy only to find out they don’t have a Prometrium prescription for me. So of course more panic sets in, the tears come pouring out and I'm a mess. The pharmacist however was amazing. She called my RE's office, but since it was after 6 PM she got their answering service. She told me she couldn't fill my prescription without a script so we both freaked out together. The answering service at my RE's office told her that a doctor couldn't be reached until the morning because technically this wasn’t an emergency. Thankfully this pharmacist was awesome. Perhaps she was moved by my tears and the pathetic look of fear on my face. She started calling their other locations in the city to see if any of their sister pharmacies had my script. Sure enough, one did. So crisis was averted and I got my pills and all is well I hope. But isn't it so irresponsible of my RE's office to call a prescription in for me to the wrong pharmacy. Sometimes I really wonder that they have my best interests at stake. I'm simply a statistic for them. So why should they care if I get my progesterone, if I stay pregnant, if I ever have a baby?

Today I went online and read that once pregnancy levels have been detected, progesterone supplements won't do anything to raise the levels. You need to start taking them before a positive hpt. Please tell me this isn't true and it's not all over for me. I'm hanging on to hope by a very thin thread. Sometimes the internet is my best friend and worst enemy and it's hard to refrain from overacting about every little thing I read.

I'm scheduled to go back to the RE next Friday for a follow up. I will be 5w3d then. However, I'm told that if I'm really concerned, I could go in for another blood test on Monday, although it won't show much. Whatever will be will be I guess.

12 Comments:

  • At 12:44 PM, Blogger Lollipop Goldstein said…

    This is based on what I understand--the hCG is more important in the sense that it tells you how the embryo is doing. The progesterone is obviously important, but it can be artificially increased by taking progesterone. I've also known many people (including my sister) who took it a few weeks into their pregnancy (I think my sister started between weeks 6--8) and carried to term. Progesterone suppositories aren't going to raise your blood progesterone levels, but all the progesterone is going to the uterus. Does that make sense? Because you don't ingest it, it's not going to be metabolized and sent through your blood stream. But it IS going to go to the place on importance, namely keeping the baby well. So they're right that it won't raise progesterone "levels" per se. But it will do its job.

    Stay in there, embryo.

    And I agree, your RE needs to step up and be more sensitive. You have the right to some additional reassurance right now.

     
  • At 1:20 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Yikes, sounds scary and I wish I knew about the progesterone supplements the timing, but I'm no help!

    It definitely sounds like your dr.'s office could have been attentive.

    Just wanted to send you good thoughts and let you know I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.

    Keep us posted, okay? And take care!

     
  • At 1:41 PM, Blogger Nica said…

    I can't imagine that progesterone suppositories have no impact. Can't. Nuh-uh.

    For my IVF, it was the hcg levels they were concerned with. (Mine were not good).

    take the suppositories, and know our love and prayers are with you...

    Nica

     
  • At 1:46 PM, Blogger BigP's Heather said…

    I came in here to say that I heard the inserts taken after a pos preg test have worked...

    You should totally listen to the Town Crier though. She knows her shit.

    Don't let Dr. Google get you upset. You numbers sound good so keep up with those inserts.

    Don't let the heifers at the doc's office get to you - you pay a lot of money to get treated properly. The least they could do is call in a script to the right pharmacy! sheesh.

    I'm so happy for you!

     
  • At 1:49 PM, Blogger Nica said…

    Oh. And take the extra blood test. If you find yourself really freaking out, get the blood text done early. Go to the emergency room if you need to.

    Stay in there...

     
  • At 7:20 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I too freaked out after finding out that my progesterone level dropped more than ten points in a four day period but I have been told that your levels can fluctuate and that as long as you are above the lowest end you are still ok. I'm wishing you the best! By the way, I am forty weeks pregnant today. Hang in there sister.

     
  • At 10:29 AM, Blogger Thalia said…

    I have to say that the evidence on progesterone is very mixed, although I've never heard that bit about when you start taking it. What the evidence does seem to say is that progesterone supplementation in the end doesn't make a difference, either the pregnancy is going to survive or it isn't. The hcg gives you a much better picture of that. The progesterone you are taking can't do any harm, and as mel said, is going straight to the right place.

    I'm glad you're now doing something which is helping you to feel more in control, try to hang in there.

     
  • At 7:24 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I don't know for sure about the supplements or the timing, but I do know that if it can't do any harm and it might help, you should go for it. Especially, as Thalia said above, since it's something to give you a feeling of control during this out-of-control process. Sending good thoughts to you!

     
  • At 7:25 PM, Blogger soralis said…

    I am so sorry about all the stress. Wishing you all the best.

    Take care

     
  • At 8:51 AM, Blogger Ms. Perky said…

    I'm sorry about the stress. The Town Criers are correct; prometrium supplementation isn't systemic; it will go straight to your uterus as it dissolves near your cervix. It will not, however, raise your blood progesterone levels. The good news about that is that there are fewer side effects from taking it as a suppository than if you were taking progesterone in oil shots, which ARE systemic.

    re this thought: Sometimes I really wonder that they have my best interests at stake. I'm simply a statistic for them. So why should they care if I get my progesterone, if I stay pregnant, if I ever have a baby?

    I agree that your RE needs to step it up and make it known that you matter. However, I will say that the fact that you affect the clinic's statistics is exactly why they care if you get pregnant and stay pregnant and have a baby. Hopefully it is merely their "customer service" interface that is failing, not their medical care and decision-making. (not that it would make anyone feel better if that's the case)

     
  • At 5:42 AM, Blogger Nica said…

    Wanted to let you know that you have been in my family's thoughts and prayers. Sending much positivity to you...

     
  • At 8:08 PM, Blogger Lollipop Goldstein said…

    Is everything okay, Ella? Did you have another blood test? Just wanted to make sure everything was okay because it's been a bit since you last posted.

     

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