4.10.2012

It's as if I don't even need to chart anymore...

...to detect ovulation anyway, that is.  Each month like clockwork, it starts with a twinge.  I wake up and don't move.  It's there.  I know I will see fertile CM that day and I always do.  And the discomfort builds.  It usually last three days total, mostly in the morning.  By the third day its all day long and hurts the most.  Then either that day or the day that follows is my last day of fertileCM.  Its been pretty consistent through three cycles.  I've heard of ovulation pain before.  I used to think I could feel my toenails grow, but I never noticed anything with ovulation in the past.  This is new.  In the back of my head I had one good thought-I am actually ovulating?  But then just as quick came another-the ovary is adhered to something!   I am curious, ladies, do you notice ovulation pain?  Is it barely noticable or does it hurt/feel crampy?  Those of you with endo or other related issues, is that the source of the feeling? Or can one feel true healthy ovulation?

I did my cycle review on CD 10 or so.  Phone tag.  So I am starting hcg alone this cycle, and clomid next.  I have my hcg for the next two months already (and they agreed I could go back to half dose due to my reaction-its nice to have Dr. Hilgers back to stray from protocol as needed) and my clomid in hand as well.  Dr. Hilgers recommended we update our SF analysis.  I wasn't expecting this. We only did one back in NY in 2008 with no issues (not at all the Catholic way either-we were bunking on the friend of  friend's fouton in the middle of their living room-can you imagine?!  Um, good morning!).  This time we will do it the right way though.  I am sure it will be an...adventure.  I didn't even call Dr. Hilgers office back to get the instructions.  I assumed, and this is very unlike me, that doing it is the same everywhere and I can just send him a copy of the local results.  I will contact the office if the local RE my ob/gyn sent me too doesn't have the proper "contraption."  Sounds romantic, eh?  I know many of you have experienced this.  It will be a first for me, so random advice welcome.

Guess what else Dr. Hilgers said?  I asked about the ovulation pain and the also mentioned period cramps have returned.  I told him we may be switching insurances and so, if he thought it needed surgery, I wanted to address it asap.  Even though I asked the question, I was surprised at the answer. "Yes. Lap. Definitely.  It's been awhile."  Yes.  It has been awhile.  I have had only one lap with Dr. Hilgers in April 2006 (and one in 2003 by a non napro doc).  But I have also been pregnant four times, two of which were full term, and and did not cycle for 13 months each after delivering, totally 44 months of no cycles, not counting the miscarriages.  Anyway, I am on the list for a call for surgery to be scheduled, but already considered "in line."  (How different from the first time around, waiting for the call just to schedule it and driving poor Linda crazy with my calls.  They sent the Women Healed book and I devoured it!)  I expect an August appointment.  I have questions (like, do we avoid until surgery or do we ttc and if we get pregnant, just cancel?), and concerns (are we jumping the gun on this?), excitement (will he see that my infection is gone?) and am already planning (it will be fun to go to the zoo with the boys the day or so prior to my surgery and take the boys in to the office to meet the nurses and Dr. H-I so wanted to go to the celebration they had!).  If we end up changing insurances before this, then we will have to decide how important it is to see Dr. Hilgers.  He will be out of network, maybe not even covered at all.  My local ob/gyn is Napro trained (but not surgically yet, will confirm) and known to be very good, but it would be nice to go beyond lasering endo and repeat the hsg and biopsies, etc.  And if anything else comes up, you don't get any better than Dr. H.  I can't assume we know what we're dealing with just because we've been down this road before.

So that is where we stand.  I have one question left directly for Dr. H and that is, can I go back on 10 days of antibiotics when we are actively ttc.  The answer with the fellows/other docs is no, because I have no TEBB.  But Dr. H let me with AJ just in case.  Now, if I do have the biopsies first and they show nothing...then maybe I might think about going antibiotic free, but I would have to be pretty convinced since, in my point of view, the antibiotic benefit far outweights the risks.

So that's where we are.  I had two miscarriages doing the exact same thing, two healthy pregnancies doing a new protocol that worked beautifully, and now...who knows where the path ahead leads.  I am still at peace, knowing we are doing all we can and that God has a beautiful plan for us (not to be mistaken for a pain free plan, that would just be foolish!).  I hope you all had a blessed Easter Sunday! 



7 comments:

Kaitlin @ More Like Mary said...

yes-I have the pain too. ALWAYS know when I'm ovulating and don't need the charts.

Our SA was so akward. Keep it warm under the arm and get it to the lab asap :)

Leila@LittleCatholicBubble said...

Yes, I have always had ovulation pain, so it's been clear to me. However, lately, as I've aged, it's not every month. Methinks it's because I don't ovulate every month anymore, perhaps?

More Than Anything said...

Yes, I have ovulation pain. It lasts for about a day and feels crampy, but I only get it on the left side. Weird! I haven't had a lap yet, so I don't know if it's endo related or if I'm just lucky.

We are schedule for a semen analysis tomorrow...i'm dreading it! We have a collection condom, etc., so hopefully it won't be too bad. I have to come home in the middle of work to do the deed and go back. Good times...not!

Karey said...

My ovulation pain is EXACTLY as you described. It has made me wonder lately if something is going on with me too, but I do think it's normal. And it helps a lot to hear others (without a history of endo) say they experience the same thing. I know my pelvis was completely free and clear of endo 16 months ago when I had a c-section, so I hope that's still the case.

All in His Perfect Timing said...

I have never felt ovulation pain. I think most of the time I ovulate. :-)
PPVI will send you a SA kit in the mail for $20 ... It has the right kind of condom. We can go to the local hospital and they will now do the count, which is nice. Last time, we had to drive 1.5 hr south, book a hotel room, etc to do the test. Expensive!
Good to hear you are in line for a lap! I hope everything inside will then out a-ok!

January said...

I had never had ovulation pain (and I was ovulating) until the last three months that I've been on Tamoxifen. On the lowest dose, it lasted for days - a bloated, crampy feeling. On a higher dose this last month, I had the same feeling, but it was only for about a day or so.

Angela said...

I have ovulation pain sometimes. But one month it was sooooo bad, it actually felt like bloated crampiness, like I was going to explode out of my one ovary. I don't know how else to explain it. But it's not every month, although I ovulate (according to temps) whether or not I have the pain. Oh and your boys look precious in their Easter outfits!