I usually don't feel ovulation pains but boy have I this month! Yesterday it all started. I felt cramping similar to AF, full feeling in my belly. Then last night it was sharp pinching pains on my right side. Then this morning my belly felt really full and there was sharper more consentrated pains on both of my sides. I'm pretty positive that today was the actual day of O because the pain has mostly subsided tonight, but occassionally I feel a slight pinch on the right side. So, well see when I temp in the morning!!! Fingers crossed!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
O is approaching!
CD 15 today and I think O will happen today or possibly tomorrow. I'm feeling the ovaries swelling. My temp took a big dip this morning which is a sure sign for me, so it should happen anytime! I am hoping that the enzymes and treatments have done something but I am trying not to get my hope us to much. I don't want to be let down. I know that it could take time...but the chance makes me happy!
Going to get in one last castor oil and massage in tonight before O happens. Still taking the Serra and drinking the tea. For the first time, I am looking forward to the 2WW!
Going to get in one last castor oil and massage in tonight before O happens. Still taking the Serra and drinking the tea. For the first time, I am looking forward to the 2WW!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
My Pity Party
I'm just having one of those nights. I want a baby so badly! I fight it most days. I try to forget that my heart is breaking but then its like my cup fills up and spills over. I just feel like it is never going to happen! I've tried to find something to do tonight that would get my mind off of it but nothing is working. I'm going to lay down and read, in hopes that I will tire and fall asleep. But then again...I can't sleep because I am entering my fertile window and I need to be doing some dancing! Ahh...I just want my baby already! I hate feeling like a greedy, ungreatful person because I'm not...but this just sucks!
Okay, nice to get it out! Sometimes I need this and noone understands!!!
Okay, nice to get it out! Sometimes I need this and noone understands!!!
My Journey from Chapel Hill to Today....One Year Later
I'm part of a Tubal Reversal support group of ladies that I just love to death! There have been so many new ladies that have joined lately that are in that planning phase of their journey. It has caused me to do a lot of thinking about my experiences with my own surgery. So, since I've just made it to one year (January 12, 2011) I thought I would share my surgery story...before I lose those memories.
I've mentioned before that we started this journey by doing IVF. We went a long time after the failed cycle with out even speaking about having a baby. It was to hard on both of us to even talk about it. So about 14 months later (December 2010 right after Thanksgiving), I asked my husband if he still thought about having a baby and his response was, "All the time." After talking about it a bit, we decided to start looking into the reversal.
We decided on Dr Gary Berger from Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They requested my TL op report and confirmed that my TL was with clamps on the tubes, no cutting at all. We set the appointment at the end of December 2010 and were having surgery on the 12th of January!!!!
We left for Seattle for our over night flight and got into Charlotte NC the next morning. Once we landed we were told that our plane was the last plane that was allowed to land in Charlotte and no others were taking off because of a major winter storm. We were not going to be making our connecting flight to Raleigh. We were stuck!! My stress level went thru the roof! I called the doctor but noone was in yet, as it was still so early in the morning. I remember sitting on the floor in the airport (the floors were heated too) searching online for rental cars so that we could make it to Chapel Hill on time. We couldn't find a rental car at all from the airport and were just about to try renting this limo service to take us to Chapel Hill. There were a couple others that were heading that way and we had talked about renting it together. But we ended up finding one off site and took a cab to get it with one of the guys that was going to Raleigh too. The roads were terrible and covered with ice. It took us about 4 hours to make the just under 3 hour drive.
The one thing that was so great about the situation is that the doctors office kept in contact with me and told me that they would wait around until we got there...so not to rush. We shared the car with some total stranger that was also heading to Chapel Hill and by the time we had gotten there, the office was closed but all the staff had been waiting for us! We had pre-op testing, went over paperwork and talked with Dr Berger. Instantly I felt a great connection to him. He had a very caring demeanor about him...kinda like a father. He was great! And surgery was secheduled for the following morning. I was the second of the day!
Upon leaving the office, we asked the gal at the desk where to find a store where we could buy some clothes and toiletries...because all of ours were still snowed in at the airport in Charlotte! They directed us and we were off to get things that we needed.
That night I could hardly sleep! I was so excited! When we got to the surgery center in the morning, the ladies there were just great. My husband and I sat in the waiting room until we were called back for prep. I recall being in the bathroom to change and having to write "YES" with a marker on my belly to confirm that I wanted this surgery. We then went into this other room to start the IV. Next we sat in another waiting area. On the wall in this room, there is a huge map with tons of little pins in it. Thousands of little pins. Each one represents a patient and where they came from for surgery. I place my Wenatchee, WA pin on the map! There was another woman from my area which is just amazing because I live in a very small town in WA...a 10 hour plane ride and 3 hours driving time just to get to North Carolina! There was someone else just as crazy as me to fly this long distance for this amazing doctor!
Doctor Berger came to get me for surgery. We walked down the hall before I kissed my husband goodbye and then headed into the surgery room. One of the nurses then led me into the surgery room and I lay on the table. I dont remember a lot from being in the room, but I do recall a nurse telling me that she had her surgery with Dr Berger and then pointing at her belly. She was expecting! I can do this!!!
Next thing I know I am in the recovery room and my husband is with me. We get moved into a day room and Dr Berger comes in to talk to us. Surgery went great! The clamps had fallen off of both of my tubes and were free floating in my belly. Dr B removed them and was able to reconnect the tubes. I ended up with 7.5 cm on both sides!!! This is remarkable!!!! I am given pain meds and shortly there after we got to the hotel (which was fantastic by the way!).
I slept most of the afternoon, then got up...passed the gas I was required to before eating...and then had some soup. I took another pain pill, but since I was feeling pretty good, I chose to only take a half dose. BIG MISTAKE!!!! I woke in such pain! It was intense! I tried taking additional pains but I couldn't get them to kick in. I was crying and shaking from the intense pain. The shaking caused me to start bleeding from my incision. The pain just wouldn't go away. At about 9pm after my husband couldn't watch me in pain any longer, he called Dr Berger who came right over to my room. He checked the incision, which was okay, changed the dressing and then he ran to the office to get a pain med for me. He came back and gave me a shot in the butt. I was hurting so much that I didn't even feel the shot go in! It took over quickly and I was able to relax.
Dr Berger wanted to see me again the next day after the nurses visit and before I went home. At the office he checked my incision and gave me a patch that went on the back of my ear. It was to control nausea since I was flying. Then...we were off to the airport.
The flight from Raleigh to Denver wasn't bad, I slept most of the way,....but I wish I had scheduled a wheelchair to take me from one gate to the next. I slept most of the flight from Denver to Seattle. I remember waking up asking my husband if my eye was popping out! Sounds funny, but the pain behnd my eye was so terrible. We figured out that the pain was from the patch for the nausea. That patch came off really fast after that!
Got to Seattle and drove the 3 hours home. It was great being home. I tried sleeping in my bed, but it was so hard to move. I ended up sleeping in my husband's recliner in the living room for the next couple weeks.
The pain from the surgery site was pretty intense, and I ended up running a fever about a week after surgery. Went to the doctor, but it wasn't an infection...it was from the pain. I have a very low tollerance to pain and I remember asking myself what the hell I did to myself! I couldn't imagine having a c-section! But the one thing that got me thru the pain was thinking about holding my baby! I just knew I would get pregnant quickly.
After charting for a few months I realized I wasn't ovulating. Did Clomid for 6 cycles and no baby. Tried an hsg, and we had difficulty getting the cath in so that was cancelled. I had laparoscopic surgery in Sept which showed perfect anatomy at the reconnect site but the tubes were totally blocked with scar tissue and the left tube was twisted. And that leads us to today...doing every natural treatment that I can find to try to unblock them.
I can't give up hope. I keep reminding myself that during my recovery time, I had to focus on the baby that I will one day hold in my arms. I am again having to remind myself of that baby. It gets harder as the days go by but I am determined not to give up hope! I will be pregnant again!!!
So...there's my story!
I've mentioned before that we started this journey by doing IVF. We went a long time after the failed cycle with out even speaking about having a baby. It was to hard on both of us to even talk about it. So about 14 months later (December 2010 right after Thanksgiving), I asked my husband if he still thought about having a baby and his response was, "All the time." After talking about it a bit, we decided to start looking into the reversal.
We decided on Dr Gary Berger from Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They requested my TL op report and confirmed that my TL was with clamps on the tubes, no cutting at all. We set the appointment at the end of December 2010 and were having surgery on the 12th of January!!!!
We left for Seattle for our over night flight and got into Charlotte NC the next morning. Once we landed we were told that our plane was the last plane that was allowed to land in Charlotte and no others were taking off because of a major winter storm. We were not going to be making our connecting flight to Raleigh. We were stuck!! My stress level went thru the roof! I called the doctor but noone was in yet, as it was still so early in the morning. I remember sitting on the floor in the airport (the floors were heated too) searching online for rental cars so that we could make it to Chapel Hill on time. We couldn't find a rental car at all from the airport and were just about to try renting this limo service to take us to Chapel Hill. There were a couple others that were heading that way and we had talked about renting it together. But we ended up finding one off site and took a cab to get it with one of the guys that was going to Raleigh too. The roads were terrible and covered with ice. It took us about 4 hours to make the just under 3 hour drive.
The one thing that was so great about the situation is that the doctors office kept in contact with me and told me that they would wait around until we got there...so not to rush. We shared the car with some total stranger that was also heading to Chapel Hill and by the time we had gotten there, the office was closed but all the staff had been waiting for us! We had pre-op testing, went over paperwork and talked with Dr Berger. Instantly I felt a great connection to him. He had a very caring demeanor about him...kinda like a father. He was great! And surgery was secheduled for the following morning. I was the second of the day!
Upon leaving the office, we asked the gal at the desk where to find a store where we could buy some clothes and toiletries...because all of ours were still snowed in at the airport in Charlotte! They directed us and we were off to get things that we needed.
That night I could hardly sleep! I was so excited! When we got to the surgery center in the morning, the ladies there were just great. My husband and I sat in the waiting room until we were called back for prep. I recall being in the bathroom to change and having to write "YES" with a marker on my belly to confirm that I wanted this surgery. We then went into this other room to start the IV. Next we sat in another waiting area. On the wall in this room, there is a huge map with tons of little pins in it. Thousands of little pins. Each one represents a patient and where they came from for surgery. I place my Wenatchee, WA pin on the map! There was another woman from my area which is just amazing because I live in a very small town in WA...a 10 hour plane ride and 3 hours driving time just to get to North Carolina! There was someone else just as crazy as me to fly this long distance for this amazing doctor!
Doctor Berger came to get me for surgery. We walked down the hall before I kissed my husband goodbye and then headed into the surgery room. One of the nurses then led me into the surgery room and I lay on the table. I dont remember a lot from being in the room, but I do recall a nurse telling me that she had her surgery with Dr Berger and then pointing at her belly. She was expecting! I can do this!!!
Next thing I know I am in the recovery room and my husband is with me. We get moved into a day room and Dr Berger comes in to talk to us. Surgery went great! The clamps had fallen off of both of my tubes and were free floating in my belly. Dr B removed them and was able to reconnect the tubes. I ended up with 7.5 cm on both sides!!! This is remarkable!!!! I am given pain meds and shortly there after we got to the hotel (which was fantastic by the way!).
I slept most of the afternoon, then got up...passed the gas I was required to before eating...and then had some soup. I took another pain pill, but since I was feeling pretty good, I chose to only take a half dose. BIG MISTAKE!!!! I woke in such pain! It was intense! I tried taking additional pains but I couldn't get them to kick in. I was crying and shaking from the intense pain. The shaking caused me to start bleeding from my incision. The pain just wouldn't go away. At about 9pm after my husband couldn't watch me in pain any longer, he called Dr Berger who came right over to my room. He checked the incision, which was okay, changed the dressing and then he ran to the office to get a pain med for me. He came back and gave me a shot in the butt. I was hurting so much that I didn't even feel the shot go in! It took over quickly and I was able to relax.
Dr Berger wanted to see me again the next day after the nurses visit and before I went home. At the office he checked my incision and gave me a patch that went on the back of my ear. It was to control nausea since I was flying. Then...we were off to the airport.
The flight from Raleigh to Denver wasn't bad, I slept most of the way,....but I wish I had scheduled a wheelchair to take me from one gate to the next. I slept most of the flight from Denver to Seattle. I remember waking up asking my husband if my eye was popping out! Sounds funny, but the pain behnd my eye was so terrible. We figured out that the pain was from the patch for the nausea. That patch came off really fast after that!
Got to Seattle and drove the 3 hours home. It was great being home. I tried sleeping in my bed, but it was so hard to move. I ended up sleeping in my husband's recliner in the living room for the next couple weeks.
The pain from the surgery site was pretty intense, and I ended up running a fever about a week after surgery. Went to the doctor, but it wasn't an infection...it was from the pain. I have a very low tollerance to pain and I remember asking myself what the hell I did to myself! I couldn't imagine having a c-section! But the one thing that got me thru the pain was thinking about holding my baby! I just knew I would get pregnant quickly.
After charting for a few months I realized I wasn't ovulating. Did Clomid for 6 cycles and no baby. Tried an hsg, and we had difficulty getting the cath in so that was cancelled. I had laparoscopic surgery in Sept which showed perfect anatomy at the reconnect site but the tubes were totally blocked with scar tissue and the left tube was twisted. And that leads us to today...doing every natural treatment that I can find to try to unblock them.
I can't give up hope. I keep reminding myself that during my recovery time, I had to focus on the baby that I will one day hold in my arms. I am again having to remind myself of that baby. It gets harder as the days go by but I am determined not to give up hope! I will be pregnant again!!!
So...there's my story!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Ready, Set....GO!
Here I am, CD 5 of month 13 of TTC. Its been a nice break these last few months only focusing on what I can do to make myself better and not stressing about peeing on tests and obsessing with timing! I have continued temping just to track my cycle and of course, like normal, still I do not O without help. I record my morning temp in my phone and then, after a week or so, I go back in to FF and record the info. That in itsself has helped me relax a lot since I used to pull up my chart and stare at it 10x a day! No OPKs, no freaking out about anything. Oh, and no more BCP. I decided that since there is still a chance of ovulating with bcp but then not implanting, I wasn't going to risk it. Plus with all the Serra that I have been taking, I'm hoping that there is some openings in there! I'm ready to jump back in and pray that it happens!
Been back in the swing of yoga. My DH has been going with me too. Kinda fun. He's talking about starting up Zumba too...lol. That should be fun! Should be going tonight, IF we can peel the kids away from sledding! Tonight I plan on doing a castor oil pack and massage too since AF should be just about done by now. And the last two days I have had a big cup of Rec Clover tea (fresh from the flowers that I picked this summer).
So...as of today...we're off! Planning on making this month fun. Checking to see if I O on my own and if not then asking Doc if he'll give me Clomid again. This should be fun since I will have to convince him of it since to him my tubes are still blocked and because I don't plan on telling my husband. I'm going to fight back my emotions and moodiness and see if I can get thru another couple cycles with it. However, I'm totally prepared to stop it if I can't contain myself. I don't want to go thru that crazy emotional roller coaster again but I need to O if we're making a baby!
Been back in the swing of yoga. My DH has been going with me too. Kinda fun. He's talking about starting up Zumba too...lol. That should be fun! Should be going tonight, IF we can peel the kids away from sledding! Tonight I plan on doing a castor oil pack and massage too since AF should be just about done by now. And the last two days I have had a big cup of Rec Clover tea (fresh from the flowers that I picked this summer).
So...as of today...we're off! Planning on making this month fun. Checking to see if I O on my own and if not then asking Doc if he'll give me Clomid again. This should be fun since I will have to convince him of it since to him my tubes are still blocked and because I don't plan on telling my husband. I'm going to fight back my emotions and moodiness and see if I can get thru another couple cycles with it. However, I'm totally prepared to stop it if I can't contain myself. I don't want to go thru that crazy emotional roller coaster again but I need to O if we're making a baby!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Spotting?!?!
Today was my 6th day of taking the Serrapeptase. I love it! I can't get over the fact that my sinus issues are gone! I haven't had a single problem with allergies and my nose being conjested since day two of taking them! Love it! Love it! Did I say that I love it?!?!?!
I have continued with the castor oil packs, every other day and a massage following each pack. I have also noticed that my temps are staying about the same range, even though I had thought I ovulated. I learned today that the birth control pills keep me from ovulating. Nice to know. I am going to do a little research and decide in the next couple days if I want to continue another month of it. I dont want taking them to mess with me ovulating if all this hard work is paying off and unblocking my tubes!
One additional thing that I have noticed today is that I am spotting a bit. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the Serra is doing something in there because I am not having midcycle spotting and I am not having AF yet. I wonder if it is bleeding from the tissues coming apart from the scar tissue. We'll just have to wait and see!!!
I have continued with the castor oil packs, every other day and a massage following each pack. I have also noticed that my temps are staying about the same range, even though I had thought I ovulated. I learned today that the birth control pills keep me from ovulating. Nice to know. I am going to do a little research and decide in the next couple days if I want to continue another month of it. I dont want taking them to mess with me ovulating if all this hard work is paying off and unblocking my tubes!
One additional thing that I have noticed today is that I am spotting a bit. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the Serra is doing something in there because I am not having midcycle spotting and I am not having AF yet. I wonder if it is bleeding from the tissues coming apart from the scar tissue. We'll just have to wait and see!!!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Wishful thinking....Maybe, Maybe Not
I know this is crazy since I have only taken 4 of the Serrapeptase capsules, but I think I have noticed my first benefit!
I generally take Singular for my allergies every night. The last month I haven't because I am switching to the mail pharmacy so I can get 3 months at a time for one co-pay....saving money, ya know. Well, when I don't take it, I wake up so congested. I have really bad sinus headaches and usually fighting congestion and mucus all day long.
This morning when I woke up, I instantly noticed that I can breathe and there is no congestion at all! The only thing that could possibly be the cause is this enzyme. We'll see what happens tomorrow!!!
As for where I am with treatments....last night I did an hour long Castor Oil pack and a massage. I've been drinking the teas every day and of course, all my vitamins and birth control pills. And now, on to day three of my miracle enzyme!!!! :)
I generally take Singular for my allergies every night. The last month I haven't because I am switching to the mail pharmacy so I can get 3 months at a time for one co-pay....saving money, ya know. Well, when I don't take it, I wake up so congested. I have really bad sinus headaches and usually fighting congestion and mucus all day long.
This morning when I woke up, I instantly noticed that I can breathe and there is no congestion at all! The only thing that could possibly be the cause is this enzyme. We'll see what happens tomorrow!!!
As for where I am with treatments....last night I did an hour long Castor Oil pack and a massage. I've been drinking the teas every day and of course, all my vitamins and birth control pills. And now, on to day three of my miracle enzyme!!!! :)
Saturday, January 7, 2012
The Miracle Enzyme
Serrapeptase. That is the name of the miracle enzyme. A couple months back my friend told me that she was taking this because the one tube she has was blocked. Her chances of conceiving without IVF were 0%. I started researching it back then, but to me, it just seemed to good to be true. However, three months after starting this enzyme, my friend is expecting her miracle baby!!! So, the afternoon I found out about her pregnancy, I ordered some!!! No time to waste!
Serrapeptase is a proteolytic enzyme (breaks down proteins) isolated from a bacteria called Serratia E15 which is found in the intestines of silk worm. In the silkworm, this enzyme helps them to dissolve the cocoon...which is hard as a rock! It has been used for more than three decades throughout Europe and Asia for a variety of treatments and has very minimal side effects. The only side effects that I have found noted were that it can be a blood thinner so those with clotting disorders should not take it, and in a very small handful of people, it has caused a skin rash. It is said to dissolve away non-living tissues in the body, thus clearing away scar tissue, blockages, inflammation, sinus and breathing issues...and many more.
The serrapeptase needs to be taken on an empty stomach to be the most efficient. The capsules have an enteric coating, which is a special coating that only allows it to dissolve in the small intestine where the acid level is lower than the high levels in the stomach. By absorbing in the small intestine, the enzyme goes into the blood stream and is able to travel thruout the body searching for the non-living tissues. And then...off to work!
Dosing for the enzyme is not specific but really should be with an empty belly! My friend took 2 capsules, twice daily on an empty stomach and didn't eat at least an hour afterwards. Her daily dose was 40,000 IU. The capsules that I have purchased are "super powered" at 80,000IU each! The pill bottle says to take 1-3 capsules up to 3 times a day. To me that sounds a little like over kill so I plan to take one capsule twice daily. I have taken one so far and will be taking another one here shortly before I head to bed.
I am excited to see what comes of taking these! I am still taking the BCP for the rest of this month and I will probably take them next month also to regulate my cycle a little better. I am also drinking the red clover tea, doing the Castor Oil packs and the abdominal massages. Plan is to get the doc to give me Clomid for another couple months....should I not O the month after stopping the BCP. We'll see since that is still at least a month and a half away.
Can't wait to see how I start feeling after a couple weeks of taking this miracle enzyme. I am so excited to share!!!
Serrapeptase is a proteolytic enzyme (breaks down proteins) isolated from a bacteria called Serratia E15 which is found in the intestines of silk worm. In the silkworm, this enzyme helps them to dissolve the cocoon...which is hard as a rock! It has been used for more than three decades throughout Europe and Asia for a variety of treatments and has very minimal side effects. The only side effects that I have found noted were that it can be a blood thinner so those with clotting disorders should not take it, and in a very small handful of people, it has caused a skin rash. It is said to dissolve away non-living tissues in the body, thus clearing away scar tissue, blockages, inflammation, sinus and breathing issues...and many more.
The serrapeptase needs to be taken on an empty stomach to be the most efficient. The capsules have an enteric coating, which is a special coating that only allows it to dissolve in the small intestine where the acid level is lower than the high levels in the stomach. By absorbing in the small intestine, the enzyme goes into the blood stream and is able to travel thruout the body searching for the non-living tissues. And then...off to work!
Dosing for the enzyme is not specific but really should be with an empty belly! My friend took 2 capsules, twice daily on an empty stomach and didn't eat at least an hour afterwards. Her daily dose was 40,000 IU. The capsules that I have purchased are "super powered" at 80,000IU each! The pill bottle says to take 1-3 capsules up to 3 times a day. To me that sounds a little like over kill so I plan to take one capsule twice daily. I have taken one so far and will be taking another one here shortly before I head to bed.
I am excited to see what comes of taking these! I am still taking the BCP for the rest of this month and I will probably take them next month also to regulate my cycle a little better. I am also drinking the red clover tea, doing the Castor Oil packs and the abdominal massages. Plan is to get the doc to give me Clomid for another couple months....should I not O the month after stopping the BCP. We'll see since that is still at least a month and a half away.
Can't wait to see how I start feeling after a couple weeks of taking this miracle enzyme. I am so excited to share!!!
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