Scrambled eggs?

If you don't want to read the details of my doctor's appointment, just skip this post altogether. :)

Finally! I've been putting it off for entirely too long, because I was afraid of what I'd find out. I LOVE this doctor. I didn't know if I would, but she was open and honest with me. AND her office is very homey and there are even pictures on the ceiling, so you have something to look at while you're getting examined. That was great! I mean, if you're going to have someone rooting around in your body, you might as well have something to look at while you're laying there so uncomfortable.

As far as keeping my Crazies under control, Dr. E doesn't see a need for medication, yet. I was probably snapped out of my revolving-door cycle of misery with help from my sister, as well as my own new found dedication to my mental health. I will be happy. I will not let my infertility control my life. That's where I've been for the past several years...and even though it's not easy to keep my emotions in check all the time, it is worth it.

My exam was unremarkable. There was no pain. That was a surprise to me, considering my experiences with the last two doctors. It's not that those doctors were doing something wrong, it was just I was going because I was having issues, and I was already in pain. But this time, even during the parts that should have been very uncomfortable, it wasn't. That ruled out some of the diagnoses that have been rolling around in my head. (Endometriosis, PCOS)

From my laundry list of things that I told Dr. E, she says that it sounds like I'm not ovulating. Apparently, you can still have a period every month without actually ovulating. Mine have been very weird over the last few months (really, really short times in between them). I'm getting blood work done on the 21st day of my cycle (in just a couple of days) and she's testing for three different things (and, coincidentally, they are all kind of intermingled with each other.....)

1. 1: My progesterone levels. Low progesterone levels are one of the leading causes of infertility. "Progesterone plays a crucial role in female pregnancy by providing an adequate environment for a successful pregnancy. It helps in reproduction by stimulating certain changes in the uterus with optimum increase in body temperature. It supports a healthy pregnancy by promoting the tissue development and blood supply in the layer where the embryo is attached. Thus, it encourages the survival of the fertilized egg through a healthy implantation process. Progesterone strengthens and maintains the endometrium, which firmly holds the embryo throughout the pregnancy. It also prevents premature shedding of the endometrium i.e. menstruation. "
2. My T4 levels. i.e. Hypothyroidism. "Hypothyroidism is a medical condition that results when the body makes insufficient amounts of the thyroid hormone. Because mild hypothyroidism does not always cause obvious symptoms, the disorder may remain undiagnosed for many years. In some women, low levels of thyroid hormones interfere with ovulation, which can significantly reduce the likelihood of becoming pregnant."
3. My Prolactin levels. "Prolactin doesn't just cause your body to increase milk production - it also affects your ovulation and menstrual cycles. This is why it is nearly impossible to become pregnant when you are breastfeeding. (In fact, prolactin is 90% effective against pregnancy in the first months after birth).
   Prolactin inhibits two hormones necessary to your ovulation: follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). Both of these hormones are responsible for helping your eggs to develop and mature in the ovaries, so that they can be released during ovulation. When you have excess prolactin in your bloodstream, ovulation is not triggered, and you will be unable to become pregnant. Prolactin may also affect your menstrual cycle and the regularity of your periods."

Casey says "See? You're not broken. You're just temporarily out of service.

For the first time in almost 4 years, I feel a little bit of hope. I've got a follow-up appointment in a month. If all of the test results come back normal, than there are other things that I can do. There are ways to help my situation. I don't have to sit back and drown my sorrows in my own misery. I can conquer this.

"The road that is built in hope is more pleasant to the traveler than the road built in despair, even though they both lead to the same destination." - Marion Zimmer Bradley