Unexplained Infertility

When we last left off, I was regaling you with so many words about not much. It was a lot of pee talk. And my decision to have a baby. And not being able to and getting referred to a fertility clinic.Sometimes I seriously wonder how it is possible for the human race to keep procreating. The odds are so low. Even on your most fertile day, in the healthiest person with the best eggs and sperm, your chance is less than 50%. And you’re literally only fertile like 3 days, max. So the odds are really not in your favor. And yet? People keep having babies! Science, man.

Anyway, back to me. With no baby (yet). I was referred to a reproductive endocrinologist, which is a fertility doctor. Because the endocrine system has to do with reproduction. Hormones? Or something? I don’t know, it’s just my fertility doctor.

The first appointment was a lot. There was a lot of paperwork and a lot of questions. My doctor is a little rough around the edges. She’s very no nonsense. Which is good. Like she’s not going to sugarcoat things. Which is great. I’m at a clinic that is for infertile women, I don’t expect it to be all sunshine and rainbows. But she never outright said it wasn’t going to happen for me.

Things moved really quickly at that first appointment, which I was super thankful for. It all ended up being timed really well, for which day I was in on my cycle, so she could actually do an ultrasound that same day and get a look see at the inner workings of my uterus.

The ultrasound showed my follicle count (not a lot, because I’m old) and then she decided to do a saline ultrasound as well to gauge if my tubes were clear. Maybe my tubes were blocked this whole time and that’s why I wasn’t getting pregnant! Not something to really wish for, but also would be nice to have an official diagnosis.

The number one thing no one tells you about any of these tests? You will have a lot of liquid shot up your vagina and into your uterus. Mark that down as words I didn’t think I would ever say. Or something I would ever experience.

So the saline ultrasound revealed a possible polyp/fibroid, but super tiny and nothing she thought would be stopping me from getting pregnant. She also could only get through one tube to see that it was open. The other one didn’t want to cooperate, so it was off for another test!

This test is called an HSG. They shoot MORE liquid up your whoo hah, this time a dye, and then they X-Ray you to see what’s going on. This one showed both tubes were open.

I also got to see my uterus and tubes on an X-Ray screen which was kind of cool. My uterus was so small! For the amount of pain that thing causes me each month, I figured my uterus was the size of my whole lower abdomen.

Most of these test are pretty painless. There is discomfort, but it’s basically like some period cramps. It’s not an ideal way to spend my time, but it wasn’t that bad and I got through it. But in these Facebook groups I’m in, some of these women talk about being doubled over in pain from these tests. And part of me is like “you lucky bitch! I wish I didn’t get awful cramps and had no idea what they feel like!” And then part of me was like “ooooh, honey, you’re in for a shock when you get pregnant and have contractions, if these tiny discomforts had you doubled over.”

After those test, the next step was Day 3 blood work. Which is on Day 3 of your cycle, since that’s when it’s best to test all sorts of hormone levels. I had that done and then made a follow-up appointment with the doctor to go over the results.

Fast forward to my next appointment with my doctor, all the labs have come back, and basically I’ve been diagnosed with unexplained infertility and diminished ovarian reserve. Not really diminished, per se, but more “in line with a 40-something woman”. TL;DR I have old eggs.

Her course of action, because my insurance covers nothing related to fertility, was to do two medicated IUI cycles and see what happens. If neither of those worked, it would be time to look into IVF. 

But I had to wait to start the first IUI because my blood work revealed I had no immunity to measles. Even though I had been vaccinated as a kid AND had a booster before college. But apparently I’m a speshul snowflake that falls in the like three percent of people who boosters don’t last forever for.

So I had to get a booster and wait a full four weeks before anything could be done. Which when someone tells you that you have old eggs, did not help. I wanted to get started ASAP! But measles is no joke and there’s a reason why they make you wait.

Get your kids vaccinated. #iamtheherd #psa

Next time on IVF Totally Got This: IUIs! Basically trying to get pregnant the turkey baster way! And speaking of turkeys, have a Happy Thanksgiving friends!