The beginning of...

infertility when it truly matters.

As I have mentioned I have gotten my IUD out. Not that we are actively trying...we should wait a few months for that but we are no longer preventing. And I have always known I was infertile but it is only starting to be an issue/question now. But I should really start this at the beginning...

I have never been regular and that time has ALWAYS been painful....if it ever happened. We at first thought it was just growing pains....my body would figure it out and it would get better. But it never did. My mom has gotten several calls from me crying begging for a hysterectomy because at that moment I was in so much pain that a hysterectomy would be worth it even if I couldn't have kids of my own.

At about 15/16 we realized things were not getting any better and if we all wanted to live in the same house without killing each other we should get this checked out. I was immediately put on birth control.

First the Pill. Who doesn't first get on the Pill? It worked okay when I remembered to take it. I have never had a routine schedule so I would forget to take it. Thankfully I wasnt using it for birth control.

Then the Patch. That worked much better, I remembered to switch those out but I have very sensitive skin and I would get horrible rashes. I would have to switch sides so the other side would heal for the next round. SO that didnt work for me.

At about that time it was found out that my family has Factor V (five) Leiden. Here is a link from the Mayo Clinic that explains what that is: Factor V Leiden

Basically it is an inherited blood clotting disorder. The women (the men can have it too but it doesn't nearly affect them as much) are much more susceptible to having blood clots which can be fatal. Women with Factor V Leiden have very limited choices with prescription birth control because higher levels of estrogen react badly with Factor V Leiden. From what I have found they can do the Copper IUD and depending on their Factor V Leiden they can do the Mirena. Relating to pregnancy Factor V can lead to more miscarriages, pre-eclampsia, slow fetal growth and the placenta separating from the uterine wall early.

I needed hormones to make that "time of the month" when it decided to show up bareable...I remember being concerned that my doctor wouldnt let me get the Mirena because of Factor V. It was at this time that I was seeing an OB/GYN that specialized in Endocrinology...aka infertility specialist making peoples dreams come true. There are, like in most genetic disorders, variations of Factor V Leiden. It can affect 1 or 2 chromosomes. The people that have 2 chromosomes that are affected have it really badly and the people with the 1 chromosome don't have it nearly as bad. My family has 1 chromosome so my doctor felt comfortable giving me the Mirena.

It was also during this time that we found out through hormone testing (trying to find out why my time was only happening twice a year) that I was infertile. I was still 16 so we didnt go into too much detail as A) I wasnt nearly ready to begin trying...I was 16 and B) I am sure the doctor and my mom didnt want to give a 16 year old full pass to go too far with a boy. I know it wasn't Endometriosis or Poly Cystic Ovaries and it is very common infertility. I remember my doctor not being concerned stating if I dont grow out of it (my body never grows out of what it is supposed to so I am not holding my breath) I may only need a jump start.

The IUD worked great for me. The pain was greatly reduced, I didnt have to remember to do anything.

That pretty much gets you caught up. I have asked previous doctors about me being infertile and they didnt believe me and couldn't due the testing due to the IUD but nothing much has been found out on the infertility side.

SO the IUD got taken out on April 26, 2012 and I am currently getting through the withdrawal. I don't have it nearly as bad as some girls it is just weird for me as I had no CLUE there was a withdrawal period. While the Mirena does have hormones it is progesterone at SUCH a small amount (one of the main reasons why my doctor was okay with me having it) that no one expects there to be a withdrawal period. I have been exhausted some days going to bed at 7:30pm and getting mad at my alarm going off to being starving. Mom found that eating foods with B6 raises your natural progesterone and is used along with medical methods with infertile moms so I am taking B6 vitamins daily. I just started today so we shall see.

At my new doctor's office visit (love them by the way) I found out that Factor V Leiden was going to have a bigger role then I originally thought. I did not realize I only had 1 chromosome in the office so that might change things but I will fill you in on where we stand. I have to be on Prenatal vitamins apparently they lesson the risk of miscarriage among other things. Those made my mom sick and as I get older, while I may not look like my mom, everything my mom needs to do health wise I am needing to do. So hopefully I dont have a bad reaction to the Prenatal vitamins but I wont be surprised if I do. I have to go to a huge hospital 2 hours away for a meeting with a genetic counselor (read: high risk infertility specialist) regarding the Factor V Leiden. I also have been informed that once pregnant (naturally or with medical help, either way) I will have to give myself a shot of a blood thinner to lower the risks of complication with the Factor V Leiden every day. At this point I will need to mention to doctors (and I will bring this up at the genetic counselors) that the prenatal vitamins have a warning on them about taking these vitamins while on blood thinning medications. I dont know if it is ALL prenatal vitamins or just this brand. I am fine with them until I start on medication. Who knows what the doctor will say. I also am expecting to still be infertile so I am going to be asking the genetic counselor how infertility drugs and Factor V will work.

Where do we stand now?

I am waiting for the huge hospital to call me to make an appointment. I am also to come back to the office in a few months if my time doesn't return (don't expect it to, no signs so far as it will) so we can do hormone testing or to come back once pregnant so we can start the shots. I am going to have to make sure I stock up on pregnancy tests, I have to be sure I am skipping my period because my body is infertile rather then because I am pregnant. Once I am pregnant I have to start the blood thinning medication so I cant just wait and see, I have to know.

Where do we go from here?

I will of course meet with the huge hospital but I am wanting to push the appointment into July so my mom and Caroline can join me. My mom having background in Factor V and Caroline knows about infertility methods plus the added support because I have no clue with that meeting will bring. I will not go back to the doctor for a few months for hormone testing. Under the current benefit I am under it would be cheaper to wait to January to do the more heavy duty infertility stuff when I switch benefits (I will technically change in October but it wont come into affect until January 1). It will take a few months to see what my body does but I also don't want to spend more then I have to but I also want a baby. So I am probably going to take that visit month by month and see where I am. Of course, if I get pregnant naturally it will be straight to the doctor!

So now you are all caught up. I will hopefully not have to do such a long drawn out post in the future as this was a lot to read but I was not sure how to really break this up. Will of course keep you posted on how all this is working.