Saturday, March 13, 2010

Let's Get the Formalities Over With, Shall We?

The Demographics
  • Me: 33 years old
  • DH: 39 years old
  • Trying actively since: 2/2008
    (Though I gave up the Pill way back in 1/2005 and started charting. I look at my "trying to avoid" charts of those days with great derision.)
  • Married since: 8/2002
    (Laying ground here for the inevitable "What took you so long?" post.)
The Diagnosis

Can "kind-of explained infertility" be a diagnosis?

There are no showstoppers here - DH's sperm count is pretty good, my tubes are intact and clear, I ovulate regularly on my own with a "beautiful" (according to my acupuncturist) biphasic pattern, and there is no evidence of PCOS or endometriosis. But there are a couple of less-than-normal, not-so-textbook things going on:
  • My cycles are long. I ovulate around CD21 - CD25.
  • My cycles are inconsistent and get even longer with stress. When I first started charting, I ovulated like a clock around CD19 - CD20; once we really started trying and I began obsessing over my cycle, my O date developed a tardiness problem.
  • I could have a thin uterine lining, as my menstrual periods have always been pretty light. The only real evidence I have of this is an ultrasound from this cycle on CD15 with a mature follicle and a 6.5mm lining, but I'm on Clomid, which my RE thinks is the cause.
  • I have a tipped uterus. Apparently it's obvious because every gynecologist/OB/RE/MD I've visited sees the need to mention this - along with the fact that it shouldn't affect my fertility. I really wonder, though...
  • DH has "less than normal" morphology - around 15%, which sounded horrible until I learned that normal morphology is around 30%. Which still sounds horrible, because it means he has half the normal morphology. But my RE isn't sweating over this and doesn't think we should either. 
My RE thinks I have ovulation dysfunction, and all this will be easily solved with a couple rounds of Clomid.

My acupuncturist thinks I have unexplained infertility and wonders why my RE isn't more concerned about DH's morphology.

So that's why I've arrived at: "kind-of explained infertility."

The Current Regimen
  • Acupuncture - I've been doing it off and on with a licensed acupuncturist in my neighborhood for years for seasonal allergies. Then last November, I started going regularly to a TCM clinic that specializes in fertility. They've managed to completely eliminate my allergies but have been unable to budge my O date.
  • Clomid - After giving acupuncture a few cycles, I started Clomid last month. I'm relieved to say that none of the things that I was worried about (crazy mood swings, hot flashes, hyperstimulation of my ovaries) occurred. Of course, now I'm scared that this means that the Clomid is not working.
  • Vitamins - Prenatals for me and something called "Fertility Blend for Him" for DH. You know, because of the morphology thing. 
Why I'm Broadcasting this Information to the Internets

Because the pain of holding it all in has started hurting me so much more than the pain of letting it all out. I spend so much time being stoic, being clinical, being detached. I look so good on the outside. People (those who know, that is) tell me that I'm taking this in stride with such a healthy outlook.

Well, I'm not. Someone should give me an Academy Award for fooling all of you, because I am coming apart at the seams. Or a baby. Yeah, a baby would be so much better.

1 comment:

  1. Pleased to 'meet' you and consider your definition add (although I've tweaked the definition a bit). Thanks for thinking of one.

    ReplyDelete