CD1

Today is CD1. 26 day cycle, better than the 23/24 day cycles I used to have due to early ovulation. However I started spotting on CD21 which makes my LP only 6 days and that has me worried and depressed. The spotting went away after a day and came back as brown stuff a few days later. I also have had cramps since CD21 off and on which is really annoying.

I finished the cycle long hormonal test but my appointment with Dr. S is not until Nov. I am so curious to see the post peak hormonal profile.

I am talking the T.3 only, haven't seen any major changes yet, it is only been a week since I started.

I have also been thinking about quitting my job but first I want to see if the T.3 and supplements have any effect on my health. My job is not that stressful but recently I haven't been enjoying the negative environment that I am used to when the end of year comes. Once I see what Dr. S has for me treatment wise I am going to think this through and may take 6 month off. It will hurt financially but it may just be what I need.

Thyroid Ultrasound Result

Even though I did the Thyroid Ultrasound weeks ago we were not able to review it with Dr. C during my last visit. The radiology place faxed it to the wrong place. So I had to call them twice to get it faxed to the right office. So incompetent I tell you. I was told that if Dr. C sees anything abnormal they will call me back and if all is fine not to expect a call. Any how of course I get a call. Apparently I have two cysts on my thyroid. One fluid filled and the other complex. So the receptionist is reading the note the Dr. wrote and the last sentence is "don't worry, just follow up with another ultrasound in two months". I hate the fact that some Dr's don't call their patient directly, what if I have more questions.

Why does my body love cysts. It is apparently that I have a big cyst on my right ovary, don't need an ultrasound to tell me that. It hurts when I walk :(. Now this thyroid cyst is puzzling but I have been told not to worry so I won't. I won't even consult Dr. G.oogle on this, I am going to let it go.

But the question is could my a.xiety issues be related to this? May be I should consult Dr. G.oogle :)

Progress-far from it

So I have been taking the prescribed meds for three days and I am not doing good. I feel like it lifted the fogginess but my mood is not good. I am very anxious in the morning and feel like I am going crazy literally. I have anxiety issues to start with but the last few days have been worse. The severity of anxious feeling also depends on what day of cycle but post ovulation I should be doing OK but I am not. The Cy.mb.alta is suppose to help with anxiety and also pain but I don't know weather it is the T.3 or the cy.mba.lta that is exaggerating my symptoms. It may be that my body just needs to get used to the meds. I have also been good taking the supplements except the iron which I take ever other day since it makes me feel nasty.

What is going in my head right now is weather I should drop everything, all meds except the T.3 and stay home and try to recovery. But staying home is out of the question for me, I wouldn't know what to do with myself all day. My job is not that stressful. I have been at the same job for a long time. Part of the reason I never changed jobs is due to my health issue. I am always saying that I need to figure out what is going on with my health before I move to the next challenging job. But the time never comes, it is one thing after another.

Sorry to rant and for my sour mood. I just can't burden my DH with all this on a constant bases so I need to let it out some where. At least the weather is wonderful out here and I took a walk this afternoon.

Lab Results

I went to see Dr. C today. Three weeks ago I have done lab work for thyroid, Adrenal and other stuff. Here are the result; surprizingly most things are within the normal range. Below are the numbers for the ones that are not within the normal range or on the low side.

Tests came Low for the following
Ferritin: 9 ng/mL (normal range >50 ng/mL)
Vitamin B-12: 261 pg/mL (normal range 211-946) the Dr. says >900 pg/mL is the aim)
Vitamin D 25 Hydroxy: 10.5 ng/mL (normal 70-90 ng/mL)
Selenium: 157 ug/L (normal range 100-340)
Folic Acid: 12.3 ng/mL (mormal >20 ng/mL)
Free T3: 2.5 pg/mL (normal range 3.2-4.4pg/mL)

The following were all within the normal range
Aldosterone
Blood counts with platelets and complete differential
DHEA-S
Free T4
Reverse T3
TSH
Lipid Panel
Magnesium level RBC
Pregnenolone
Sedimentation Rate, non-automated
Serum Iron
Thyroglobulin Antibody
TPO Microsomal Antibody
Total Cortisol AM
Zinc

I have been miserable for the last couple of days with migraine headaches and the usual and haven't been able to go to work. When I got to the Dr. office I could barely keep my eyes open. Any how my Adrenal Cortisol and DHEA levels are within the normal range which surprised me since I measured slightly low a year ago.
So she put me on slow release T3 and Iron, B12 (sublingual), Vitamin D-3, Selenium and B-complex supplements. In addition she prescribed C.y.mbalta for anxiety and also pain. Apparently this drug is also used for pain which I didn't know. I am a little apprehensive about this but I have no choice so I will take it and see how it goes. She also put me on prometrium. Since I am doing the cycle long test with Dr. S I will hold off on taking the progesterone until the next cycle. Just like Dr. S suggested she also said to hold of on TTC for a few month until I feel better.

I am on CD14 and seem like I ovulated today. I have pain all around my back and around ovaries. There is a possiblity that I have cysts. I guess will find out when I see Dr. S in November.

Random Stuff

I have my appointment with Dr. C on Friday and I can't wait. As bad as it sounds I have been praying for some of the result to be abnormal. Something has to get fixed.

My friend at work told me she is pregnant. I am a little envious but so excited for her. I am doing better with this kind of news. I can't get upset over other peoples happy announcements. My time will come some day.

I am doing the cycle long hormonal blood work. The lab is a 5-10 min drive from my job so not too bad. The other day I asked them to take blood from my right arm, usually I give my left, the next day I have this big purple bruise. I guess for now the left arm will have to do. I have about 6 days of testing and I should be done so not to bad.

I told Dr. S that my other Dr. ordered the Saliva Adrenal testing and if he can use the result instead of doing another one from his office. He said he will have to see the result first before deciding.

On the issue of our infertility DH seem to have no interest to dwell or discuss it much. He is fully on board with the Na.pro approach but is not obsessively thinking about it. He is more about seeing me healthy and the TTC is secondary. I hate the fact that I am the one who always bring up the subject for discussion on plans etc. I think since I have been blogging and reading blogs I have decreased my constantly bringing up our situation. Blogging definitely does give me some outlet. He also doesn't think we should be avoiding TTC while we wait to correct my hormonal issues. I think deep down he thinks it won't happen so why put the effort of avoiding sex :).

I am a little depressed about summer ending. I have winter with passion. I love Xmas holidays but I hate the locomotion that goes on in malls.

Hopefully this year will end with some happy moments. Its been one sad heart breaking year for me, with death in the family, constant pain and multiple other health issues. Hoping that the last three month of 2010 will treat me kindly.

Supplements

I am a big buyer of supplements but never take them or take them for a day or two only and stop. I have probiotics sitting in my fridge($45 a bottle) for over a year along with other vitamins etc. I don't know what I am thinking when I buy it but I get carried away. I hate taking any supplements. The prenatal vitamins I was taking left me with a horrible stomach pain no matter when I took it so I rarely take it these days. A couple of weeks ago after reading "Ad.renal F.atigue..." book suggested by Sew I went on another round of supplement shopping. I bought the following

Na.tural Calm Magnesium
Vitamin C
Zinc
Vitamin D3
Vitamin B6
Omega-3

The only thing I have taken is the Magnesium for a couple of times. The others are sitting looking at me. My stomach can't handle pills well. Over the weekend I may have eaten something funny because my GI issues are flaring up. I think I need to heal before challenging my already weak stomach with multiple supplements. I am tempted to take the probiotic but scared of what it would do to my stomach. I hate plain yogurt and since getting off sugar I can only take a few spoon of sweetened Yogurt. It is just way too sweet for me. I need to suck it up and starting eating plain yogurt or take probiotics. I know a lot of IF blogger take a lot of supplements. Please any one reading let me know if there is a secrete to taking suppliments? Any thing you do to minimize the stomach aches?

On other news I had my first blood drawn for the cycle long hormonal test. I went to Qu.est Diag.nostic close to my work and I wasn't impressed. They are so unprofessional and slow. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they don't mess up my orders.
RG

Cycle Update

Today is CD26 and I have had cramps for four days now. I started spotting today which makes my luteal phase only 11 days so not much improvement in that department. However this looks like it is going to be a 28 day cycle which makes me happy, I hate those short cycles. The constant cramping have been driving me crazy all week and I am taking Ty.lenol which doesn't really help fully. Aspirin irritates my stomach so I am trying not to take it.

Work has been crazy this week with back to back meetings all day long for three days. There is nothing frustrating than sitting among men while you are having raging PMS and cramps. I felt like kicking each one of them because they will never experience what I am going through. On one of our all day meetings lunch was provided and of course I had to take my own lunch knowing that everything will have gluten. There was also a desert tray which was brought to the meeting room after lunch that was staring at me the whole afternoon. I resisted the tray but gave in and got a bar of chocolate from a vending machine.

I have been feeling a little sorry for myself these couple of days. A friend of my husband who got married around the same time as us already has two kids. Relatives and friends are announcing pregnancies left and right. Oh such as life, the struggle goes on. Nothing on TTC front for us since we are on a break until I get some help for my thyroid/adrenal hormone issues.

Happy Three Day Weekend.

RG