Where the *bleep* is our stork?

Friday, November 21, 2014

Lab Work

For the past couple months I have been experiencing this sharp pain on my left ovary; similar to ovulation pain, but much more intense and consistent. My last cycle was 97 days long, and I started feeling the pain before our trip to Montana. It is a sharp, stabbing, twisting sensation and it often is noticeable in the sitting or bending forward position.

The pains started before Montana but I didn't pay too much attention to them (other than when I was experiencing them)- I was more concerned with my absent period and it's timing; I feared it would appear as we were camping, in a tent, in bear territory! Once we got home, and my period came, I figured the pains were related to my "ovulation", however, the pains continued through my period and have continued, even, on cycle day 53.

Last week, I decided it was time to take a look inside and see what was causing this pain; I feared it could have been a big cyst or a growth. I had labs done and a pelvic ultrasound and the tech actually found a freakin' 17mm follicle on my left ovary, unfortunately, it was CD 47! Today I got my labs back and this is what they read: (keep in mind: this is not a monitored cycle- this was only a draw to see WTF my body is doing....)

FSH: 3.6
LH: 11.1
TSH: 1.14
Prolactin: 13.66
T4, Free: 1.19
Insulin: 7.5

Radiology Report:
Last menstrual cycle: 9/30/14
Uterus: 8.2 x 3.6 x 4.3cm
Endometrium: 6.6mm
Right Ovary: 37 x 27 x 27mm (multiple follicles)
Left Ovary: 49 x 25 x 35mm (Follicles up to 17mm)

I was told that everything on the ultrasound looked fine; the follicle could be an ovulation cyst and that may be what is causing the pain, or maybe a follicle (probably not a good one) and my labs resemble a PCOS patient. I was told I could do two things: go on the pill to regulate my cycles or try Clomid or Femara again to help both regulate my my cycle and promote ovulation.

After talking to Mike, we aren't prepared to do either, we want a better option. There is no way we want to completely prohibit our chance to conceive by, no matter how unlikely it may be, taking the pill and I don't think Femara will increase our option this cycle if it didn't the 7 cycles before it.

Am I being ridiculous and jaded by thinking that?

Anyway.... what do you make of my labs, my ultrasound and my pain? Keep in mind, we were NOT trying this month and we sure didn't time anything to match up with that 17mm follicle.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Montana On My Mind

Never in my life have I seen such amazing scenery. We went to Glacier National Park Montana, back in September and I have not been able to stop thinking about it. Even though we had a less than ideal trip, the beauty I was able to witness makes up for all the less than beautiful moments we experienced.

We started our trip late Friday evening by making the 10 hour drive to Missoula, where we stopped for fuel, food and last minute camping items; then we made the 3 hour trek into Glacier. When we arrived in Glacier we had beautiful weather the first two days on the west side of the park, but once we moved to the east side the weather changed; one day we had beautiful 70* weather and the next we had snow and 23* temperatures! Even though we were not truly prepared for the weather conditions we made the best of each day with long hikes; we hiked 30 miles in 3 days!

Here are a few of my favorite photos of the trip, but trust me.... the pictures don't do the place justice.