We Have Answers...

I had my first appointment with the RE yesterday afternoon. I am now officially an infertility patient with severe endometriosis. Dr. London said that my non-functioning, crazy looking tube was a sure sign of it. So why is this a problem? How does this cause infertility? Well, there are a number of reasons. The first reason is that it causes me to only have one good ovary and fallopian tube which is located on my left side. While many people think that is no big deal because there are two, they are wrong. In actuality, endometriosis also causes a number of other problems. First, it makes the environment hostile for sperm to survive. Second, it causes poor egg quality. If the egg and sperm manage to overcome all of that, the fertilized egg has an even harder time implanting because endo causes harsh uterine lining. So basically, this is a big deal. Based on statistics, we have less than a 14% chance of conceiving on our own. Way less, but I'll get to that in a minute!

The positive part of all of this is that with time it can be treated (not cured, but controlled). Another good thing is that we actually know what is causing our infertility. Many couples do not which makes it very difficult to treat. While we need a little time to let all of this sink in, and have not yet decided when to begin, our course of treatment is as follows.

During the first month of treatment, I will have to go in on cycle day 3 to get blood work to check my hormone levels and an ultrasound to check my follicles. (A follicle is the sac that the egg grows in until it is mature). If all looks good, I will take Clomid for five days to stimulate my ovaries. Clomid will only cause one follicle to mature so the risk of multiples really is no more than with the average person. After that, I will go in on CD 10 or 11 and have an ultrasound to determine the maturity of my follicle. If all looks well, I will be sent home with a trigger shot (HCG) to give myself once my follicle reaches 18mm. This trigger shot will cause me to ovulate within the next 36-48 hours. We go in for a IUI the day after the trigger. An IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) is when they take the sperm sample, and inject it directly into my uterus. This helps many more sperm get into the fallopian tube since they don't have so far to travel, especially in the hostile environment that my body creates. With this fertility treatment, we have a 14% chance of conceiving. That's right... 14%! The average couple has a 25% chance each month, so even with this we're still not up there with most people. We will try this two times. If it doesn't work, we'll move on to adding injectables after the Clomid to create more follicles for two months. If that doesn't work, we'll skip the Clomid all together and go straight to injectables. We would only try that once. During this five month treatment period, altogether we will have a 60-70% chance of conceiving. If none of these work, it's time for IVF. I'll explain all of that later. For now, I just have to hold faith that it will, and take it one step at a time. I still believe in miracles.

What you can do... First, pray for us! After all, God is the only one who can create life. Pray that we will have some insurance coverage for this. We are not 100% sure but have good reason to believe that we might have some. With no coverage, each cycle will cost $800-1200. With insurance, it would be around $250. Second, appreciate your children. Nothing hurts an infertility patient more than seeing someone take their children for granted. Most of you have been nothing short of wonderful and supportive and I can't express our appreciation enough. Really, just having someone who will lend an ear is the best thing. You are absolutely entitled to your opinion, simply keep it your own. If we ask for your advice, then feel free to state your opinions, but do so in a kind and considerate manner. Ultimately, this is something that Jason and I are facing so at this point, we have to do what is best for us.

A very informative and somewhat humorous link:

Just copy and paste.

http://www.tryingtoconceive.com/annoy.htm