Hello everyone! I am a new blogger to Pregosaur and I would like to introduce myself. My name is Jerseysaur and I am 23 weeks pregnant today.
Like so many other strong beautiful women out there, the road to get to this point was not easy. Before I get into the details let me set up the story for ya... My husband and I met in college in New York and have been together ever since. He proposed to me before my senior year of college as he had already graduated and I knew this was the person I wanted to spend my life with and start a family with someday. We married two years after that and closed on our first home three days before our wedding. The first year of marriage were trials and tribulations associated with picking out countertops and light fixtures. We renovated the whole house before we moved it, at this point babies were not on the forefront of our mind.
After our first anniversary when things started to settle we decided to stop birth control. EEK. For me it was quite emotional and such a change in thoughts, for so long it was "Please NO" and now it was "Pretty Please Yes".
We got pregnant three months after getting off our birth control. I remember thinking how easy it was and how beyond excited we were. We decided to wait to tell our families in person and were seeing them around the 8 week mark. The evening before we were to leave I started spotting and passing clots, at 3am I woke up with labor pains in my back. I passed our baby shortly after. It has been a year since that date. We never got to tell our family we were even pregnant.
Of course we were heartbroken, it made our marriage stronger and we pushed thru. We waited the few months the doctors told us to and tried again. Months of nothing. As the new year turned, my depression was rearing its ugly head and we decided to start testing. I had an HSG, everything looked good, they said I may have had a blockage but the procedure could have cleaned it out. The husband had his sperm checked and that was all normal. I started Clomid that month and it worked again. We were excited but hesitant. This pregnancy did not last long either. Again heartbroken, I screamed and cried. I saw a side of myself I never saw. I had hit rock bottom. I was angry, so very angry. The doctor told us we could try again if we were up to it the next month with no pills or we could wait.
Well as crazy as I was, there was NO waiting. My husband actually had to have surgery the week I was ovulating and I was so upset. We were forced to hold off but that didn't stop us, we had to have sex at least once. Shortly after we went on vacation to Washington DC with clomid in tow, only to have AF never show up. I took a cheap test down there and saw a faint line. Of course I did not believe it at all. Gave it a few days and took a digital test to see the word 'Yes'. I was in disbelief. For real?!?!
The first 12 weeks were Hell, I went to the doctor and had my blood tested. So far so good. I felt like I was in the twilight zone. How was this possible. At the first trimester screening we saw our baby moving and jumping around so quickly the pictures are all blurry. I cried so hard. This was actually it.
My world has flipped inside, outside and backwards in the last 365 days. I sometimes have the 'this is too good to be true' feeling and up until recently would check the TP for blood after going to the bathroom. Now that I can feel our baby girl move, its at a whole new level.
I thank you for reading my story and look forward to sharing the rest of this journey with all of you. ♥
Showing posts with label HCG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HCG. Show all posts
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Monday, June 21, 2010
A quick beta-HCG update and more...
I spoke to the clinic about my beta values recently. On June 2 I went there because AF was missing and my beta level was less than 1. On June 15, the day of my HPT BFP, my beta level was 1890. The doctors figured that I was about 4.5 weeks along at that point. So, I calculate I was around 17 or 18 DPO. Then two days later, my beta was up to 3380. If you look at the charts here, that seems to be pretty good. I know beta levels can be deceptive so I'm really waiting for my first ultrasound to see how things are progressing.
The clinic called me today and my first pregnancy ultrasound will be on July 5th. I'll be just past 7 weeks then. I am pretty nervous about it. Mr. Pharmasaur is coming with me, thank goodness! Last year, our first ultrasound was pretty devastating. It was the first clue that something was wrong with the pregnancy and that it would end in miscarriage.
This is a different pregnancy and we are hoping for a much different outcome this time.
I've been trying to keep calm and relaxed and not to over think what could be happening. I've been doing some guided meditations from a CD I have which I am enjoying. I am also journaling and I find this helpful too. I even got a new cell phone to help keep me busy!
image source
The clinic called me today and my first pregnancy ultrasound will be on July 5th. I'll be just past 7 weeks then. I am pretty nervous about it. Mr. Pharmasaur is coming with me, thank goodness! Last year, our first ultrasound was pretty devastating. It was the first clue that something was wrong with the pregnancy and that it would end in miscarriage.
This is a different pregnancy and we are hoping for a much different outcome this time.
I've been trying to keep calm and relaxed and not to over think what could be happening. I've been doing some guided meditations from a CD I have which I am enjoying. I am also journaling and I find this helpful too. I even got a new cell phone to help keep me busy!
image source
I am focusing on staying positive and practicing all the patience I can muster until our ultrasound appointment. Please send us lots of sticky vibes!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
My miscarriage
Two months ago today, I had a miscarriage. A "missed miscarriage" actually. Our baby stopped growing at five weeks and I miscarried at ten weeks. I never realized before how devastating this experience was to a woman, to her partner and to their relationship.
At our nine week ultrasound, Mr. Pharmasaur and I were looking forward to seeing our baby for the first time. Instead, I was alone in a small, cramped examining room with an ultrasound tech who wouldn't say anything. Just that she needed to schedule another ultrasound in two weeks. I told Mr. Pharmasaur on the way to the car what had happened. How could we possibly wait two weeks to find out?
We went back to the clinic and asked to see my family doctor. After a short wait, she told us that the ultrasound technician hadn't seen a heartbeat and it was just a waiting game now. She gave me a requisition for a HCG test which we got done right away. What a horrible weekend that was. The waiting was agonizing. Not knowing if I was carrying a live fetus or not was so heartbreaking and stressful. I think we started our grieving that weekend.
The next week of waiting was no easier for us. I saw my family doctor again, plus had a Midwifery information session and two appointments with the Ob-Gyn. I had two more HCG levels done. On the Wednesday, I knew that the levels were falling and that this pregnancy would not continue for much longer. At that point I was waiting to miscarry.
In the space of one week, I had a total of five ultrasounds. Three were abdominal and two were vaginal. I felt so violated and devastated.
The only place where I received some support was at the Midwifery Clinic. Even though it was the first time I had seen them, they gave me their on call numbers. They told me to call anytime if I had any questions or concerns. They encouraged me to call if I was miscarrying and needed to talk with someone.
I started to miscarry on the Thursday night and it was completed in the Ob-Gyn's office the next morning. Our baby was gone. I was in shock. I still remember driving to the Indigo bookstore afterward, looking for some information or comfort in books about miscarriage. I was numb with disbelief.
Mr. Pharmasaur and I handled the grief differently. He wanted to get busy and not think about it too much. I wanted to commemorate our baby's short life, grieve and cry. We did hold a memorial service, just the two of us, about a week after the miscarriage. I think Mr. Pharmasaur was reluctant to do this at first. I hope it helped with his healing process as I know it helped me with mine.
We were just on a European vacation for two weeks and I brought along some books to read. In one of the books, a character has an ultrasound and sees an image of her baby on the screen. This triggered tears and grief for me again. It also triggers anger - why did this happen to us? We thought we were so lucky to be able to conceive so quickly. Then it turned out we were not lucky at all.
Goodbye again, our sweet angel. You will not be forgotten.
At our nine week ultrasound, Mr. Pharmasaur and I were looking forward to seeing our baby for the first time. Instead, I was alone in a small, cramped examining room with an ultrasound tech who wouldn't say anything. Just that she needed to schedule another ultrasound in two weeks. I told Mr. Pharmasaur on the way to the car what had happened. How could we possibly wait two weeks to find out?
We went back to the clinic and asked to see my family doctor. After a short wait, she told us that the ultrasound technician hadn't seen a heartbeat and it was just a waiting game now. She gave me a requisition for a HCG test which we got done right away. What a horrible weekend that was. The waiting was agonizing. Not knowing if I was carrying a live fetus or not was so heartbreaking and stressful. I think we started our grieving that weekend.
The next week of waiting was no easier for us. I saw my family doctor again, plus had a Midwifery information session and two appointments with the Ob-Gyn. I had two more HCG levels done. On the Wednesday, I knew that the levels were falling and that this pregnancy would not continue for much longer. At that point I was waiting to miscarry.
In the space of one week, I had a total of five ultrasounds. Three were abdominal and two were vaginal. I felt so violated and devastated.
The only place where I received some support was at the Midwifery Clinic. Even though it was the first time I had seen them, they gave me their on call numbers. They told me to call anytime if I had any questions or concerns. They encouraged me to call if I was miscarrying and needed to talk with someone.
I started to miscarry on the Thursday night and it was completed in the Ob-Gyn's office the next morning. Our baby was gone. I was in shock. I still remember driving to the Indigo bookstore afterward, looking for some information or comfort in books about miscarriage. I was numb with disbelief.
Mr. Pharmasaur and I handled the grief differently. He wanted to get busy and not think about it too much. I wanted to commemorate our baby's short life, grieve and cry. We did hold a memorial service, just the two of us, about a week after the miscarriage. I think Mr. Pharmasaur was reluctant to do this at first. I hope it helped with his healing process as I know it helped me with mine.
We were just on a European vacation for two weeks and I brought along some books to read. In one of the books, a character has an ultrasound and sees an image of her baby on the screen. This triggered tears and grief for me again. It also triggers anger - why did this happen to us? We thought we were so lucky to be able to conceive so quickly. Then it turned out we were not lucky at all.
Goodbye again, our sweet angel. You will not be forgotten.
Monday, June 15, 2009
I can breathe a little easier now...
Finally, finally, finally! Today the doctor called with my HCG levels. The weight that has been pressing down on my chest since getting our BFP has been lifted a little bit now.
My levels jumped from 702 to 2223 in a 72 hour period. This is GOOD, very good. That means it's taking about 1.8 days for my levels to double, which is perfect.
I know it's not a guarantee that everything will be okay in the future. But at least it's a little bit of comfort today, to know that today everything is okay with our baby. That he or she is thriving, growing, and his or her heart has started beating this week, in almost-week-5.
And I needed this reassurance, as my nausea has dropped off significantly in the past few days. I'm still dead tired and my boobs still hurt, but the loss of nausea worries me because that's exactly what happened when I had my miscarriage in March.
So, I'm working on taking it day by day. By focusing on the positive. By loving our little baby every day, because I regret not focusing on loving our first baby enough when he or she was actually alive (if that makes, sense...??? It does to me).
And hopefully everything will be okay this time. Hopefully.
My levels jumped from 702 to 2223 in a 72 hour period. This is GOOD, very good. That means it's taking about 1.8 days for my levels to double, which is perfect.
I know it's not a guarantee that everything will be okay in the future. But at least it's a little bit of comfort today, to know that today everything is okay with our baby. That he or she is thriving, growing, and his or her heart has started beating this week, in almost-week-5.
And I needed this reassurance, as my nausea has dropped off significantly in the past few days. I'm still dead tired and my boobs still hurt, but the loss of nausea worries me because that's exactly what happened when I had my miscarriage in March.
So, I'm working on taking it day by day. By focusing on the positive. By loving our little baby every day, because I regret not focusing on loving our first baby enough when he or she was actually alive (if that makes, sense...??? It does to me).
And hopefully everything will be okay this time. Hopefully.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Quick update: 2nd Beta
They finally posted my results and it's 1448 at 16 DPO! (Up from 166 at 12 DPO). Whoa. I was hoping it was at least 650 so that was a shock! I know it doesn't mean that I'm out of the woods, yet. But at least I know my body is doing its job. And now I can breathe a sigh of relief for the moment. Now if only I could fast forward 9 days to my first u/s!
EDIT: After some Googling, I came across an Australian study that was published in Fertility and Sterility, a medical journal, in 2000. It concluded that a single serum hCG level 16 days after ovulation provides a useful predictor of pregnancy outcome. In the study, levels of >500 IU/L predict a >95% chance of ongoing pregnancy, which was defined as progression to >20 weeks' gestation. I know it's not definitive, but it made me feel better to know that my hCG is way up there and may mean that this pregnancy has a good chance of being successful. I'm taking what I can get to set my mind at ease.
EDIT: After some Googling, I came across an Australian study that was published in Fertility and Sterility, a medical journal, in 2000. It concluded that a single serum hCG level 16 days after ovulation provides a useful predictor of pregnancy outcome. In the study, levels of >500 IU/L predict a >95% chance of ongoing pregnancy, which was defined as progression to >20 weeks' gestation. I know it's not definitive, but it made me feel better to know that my hCG is way up there and may mean that this pregnancy has a good chance of being successful. I'm taking what I can get to set my mind at ease.
Doing it farm animal style!
I went to get my first HCG level drawn today.
Did you know I used to be a phlebotomist (aka "Vampire") in my last life? Yes, I did. I find that going to get my blood drawn is nerve wracking because I know exactly what they're doing wrong.
I usually don't tell the Vampire that I used to be a Vampire too, because then they get all flustered and end up making the entire procedure far more painful than it needs to be.
But today, for some reason, I decided to share this little tidbit of information with the poor dude collecting my blood. He asked me what I do now, so I told him I'm a lawyer. And then he told me that he's a med student. .......... And that he learned phlebotomy on farm animals while living up near Alaska.
Seriously? Farm animals. Really? That little statement did not inspire confidence in me at all. And I was right to be concerned. He was not very good.
But, after he was done collecting my blood, removing the tourniquet at the wrong time and jamming the cotton ball on my arm while the NEEDLE WAS STILL IN MY VEIN (owwie!), he looked up at me all earnest-like. He asked "Do I get a gold star?"
Because today I'm exactly 4 weeks and 0 days pregnant and I love my baby, I looked at him and said "You did okay, kid." Who am I to crush his dreams?
Now, let's just hope these levels bring nothing but good news! (And let's hope I don't get farm-animal-boy again on Friday's blood draw.)
Did you know I used to be a phlebotomist (aka "Vampire") in my last life? Yes, I did. I find that going to get my blood drawn is nerve wracking because I know exactly what they're doing wrong.
I usually don't tell the Vampire that I used to be a Vampire too, because then they get all flustered and end up making the entire procedure far more painful than it needs to be.
But today, for some reason, I decided to share this little tidbit of information with the poor dude collecting my blood. He asked me what I do now, so I told him I'm a lawyer. And then he told me that he's a med student. .......... And that he learned phlebotomy on farm animals while living up near Alaska.
Seriously? Farm animals. Really? That little statement did not inspire confidence in me at all. And I was right to be concerned. He was not very good.
But, after he was done collecting my blood, removing the tourniquet at the wrong time and jamming the cotton ball on my arm while the NEEDLE WAS STILL IN MY VEIN (owwie!), he looked up at me all earnest-like. He asked "Do I get a gold star?"
Because today I'm exactly 4 weeks and 0 days pregnant and I love my baby, I looked at him and said "You did okay, kid." Who am I to crush his dreams?
Now, let's just hope these levels bring nothing but good news! (And let's hope I don't get farm-animal-boy again on Friday's blood draw.)
My mind is still reeling...
I don't think I've really relaxed for a second since I got my BFP a week ago. Like Divasaur, I'm anxious about all the things that could go wrong and I just hope every day that my pregnancy continues. Every time I go to the bathroom, I check the toilet paper and pray that I don't see any spotting. (Thankfully, I haven't had any.) I think knowing too much and lurking on certain boards just makes me more paranoid because I see how many people have early losses. Ignorance really is bliss.
It doesn't help any that I still don't "feel" pregnant. Not that I want to feel nauseous, because I don't. But a little more breast tenderness would be welcome at this point! Just so that I know that my body is doing what it's supposed to. I think the only thing I've felt so far is intense hunger. Like every 2 hours. No cravings, and nothing in particular sounds very appetizing. I just physically feel hungry in a bad way.
I had my first appointment on Thursday, two days after my BFP, at 12 DPO. As I mentioned, I had gone to see my doctor the week prior (at 5 DPO) to discuss my long, irregular cycles. I PIAC and they did a pregnancy test in office at that appointment, which was negative. They also ordered bloodwork, which included a quantitative hCG. The results were <2. So when I was there a week later saying I was pregnant, the girl who checked my weight and blood pressure (I don't think she was a nurse) said that my results the week before were negative. She looked at me incredulously when I told her the date of my LMP and that I knew I ovulated late. She asked if I took a home pregnancy test. Duh. I told her I took 3 and they were all positive. She went to do my urine pregnancy test and didn't mention the results. She just sent us into a room to wait to see the nurse practitioner (NP). I told the NP that I knew when I ovulated so I knew how far along I was, approximately. But she said they only go by LMP for due date, which would put me four weeks further along than I am. So she ordered an ultrasound for dating. It's the best thing that has come out of having long, irregular cycles. I'm so excited to see our little one! Because I'm going out of town and didn't want to wait until after I get back to do it, it will be done at 5w5d. I know the heartbeat doesn't often show up until 6 weeks, but I'm hoping our little one will be a couple days ahead of schedule. I think I'll feel a lot more at ease once I see the heartbeat and know that there really is something growing inside me. My first beta came back at 166 at 12 DPO. From what I've seen online, that's pretty high. I didn't think I'd get another one, but yesterday I got a call from the doctor's office. They called to let me know that I had a UTI (like Divasaur, I was asymptomatic) and that they sent a prescription to my pharmacy. Honestly, I'm not convinced I really have one, as I've never had one before. And since the urine culture is just a clean catch and not sterile, there is a high chance of contamination. But whatever. It's just the nurse in me coming out. I'll take my antibiotics and be done with it. It can't hurt. I digress. They also told me they wanted me to do another hCG. Not sure why, because she said that all my labs were within normal limits. But, again, whatever. It might be better for me to see that my betas are doubling normally. It might put my mind at ease if they are. I hope! The problem is that they post my results online and since last night I've been checking every 15 minutes to see if they're there!
I swear, the days seem to be dragging for me, while I look at everyone else's pregnancies and time seems to be flying by. I'm guessing everyone probably feels that way? Just as TTC is a waiting game, the whole pregnancy is a waiting game! For now, I'm waiting for my second hCG. Then I'll be counting down for my first ultrasound. All this waiting is going to kill this impatient 'saur!
It doesn't help any that I still don't "feel" pregnant. Not that I want to feel nauseous, because I don't. But a little more breast tenderness would be welcome at this point! Just so that I know that my body is doing what it's supposed to. I think the only thing I've felt so far is intense hunger. Like every 2 hours. No cravings, and nothing in particular sounds very appetizing. I just physically feel hungry in a bad way.
I had my first appointment on Thursday, two days after my BFP, at 12 DPO. As I mentioned, I had gone to see my doctor the week prior (at 5 DPO) to discuss my long, irregular cycles. I PIAC and they did a pregnancy test in office at that appointment, which was negative. They also ordered bloodwork, which included a quantitative hCG. The results were <2. So when I was there a week later saying I was pregnant, the girl who checked my weight and blood pressure (I don't think she was a nurse) said that my results the week before were negative. She looked at me incredulously when I told her the date of my LMP and that I knew I ovulated late. She asked if I took a home pregnancy test. Duh. I told her I took 3 and they were all positive. She went to do my urine pregnancy test and didn't mention the results. She just sent us into a room to wait to see the nurse practitioner (NP). I told the NP that I knew when I ovulated so I knew how far along I was, approximately. But she said they only go by LMP for due date, which would put me four weeks further along than I am. So she ordered an ultrasound for dating. It's the best thing that has come out of having long, irregular cycles. I'm so excited to see our little one! Because I'm going out of town and didn't want to wait until after I get back to do it, it will be done at 5w5d. I know the heartbeat doesn't often show up until 6 weeks, but I'm hoping our little one will be a couple days ahead of schedule. I think I'll feel a lot more at ease once I see the heartbeat and know that there really is something growing inside me. My first beta came back at 166 at 12 DPO. From what I've seen online, that's pretty high. I didn't think I'd get another one, but yesterday I got a call from the doctor's office. They called to let me know that I had a UTI (like Divasaur, I was asymptomatic) and that they sent a prescription to my pharmacy. Honestly, I'm not convinced I really have one, as I've never had one before. And since the urine culture is just a clean catch and not sterile, there is a high chance of contamination. But whatever. It's just the nurse in me coming out. I'll take my antibiotics and be done with it. It can't hurt. I digress. They also told me they wanted me to do another hCG. Not sure why, because she said that all my labs were within normal limits. But, again, whatever. It might be better for me to see that my betas are doubling normally. It might put my mind at ease if they are. I hope! The problem is that they post my results online and since last night I've been checking every 15 minutes to see if they're there!
I swear, the days seem to be dragging for me, while I look at everyone else's pregnancies and time seems to be flying by. I'm guessing everyone probably feels that way? Just as TTC is a waiting game, the whole pregnancy is a waiting game! For now, I'm waiting for my second hCG. Then I'll be counting down for my first ultrasound. All this waiting is going to kill this impatient 'saur!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Free healthcare for all ... with a catch!
For the most part, I'm very very thankful that we have free healthcare here in Canada. But it's not without its limitations, which I've blogged about before.
Today I saw my doctor to find out where we go from here, after our BFP this past weekend.
For one, when I asked for HCG levels to make sure it's doubling appropriately every 72h, she looked at me like I had two heads. Apparently, this is not a normal request and she never orders HCG levels.
After some begging and foot-stamping, she decided I could have my HCG levels drawn, but I should be aware that the results may be "inconclusive or even stressful" for me.
Ummmmmmmmmmmm, okay? How was my miscarriage in March not stressful? Riiiight. I do realize that the doubling won't really tell me that this pregnancy will progress healthily, but I still need a little bit of assurance that things are okay right NOW.
And then, there's the little issue of the ultrasound. Because my cycles haven't been exactly clockwork in the past two months, I qualify for a dating ultrasound to find out exactly how far along I am. Good news! I can have my ultrasound in week 7 instead of waiting until week 9.
Well, that sounds great - what am I bitching about then? The issue is booking the ultrasound with the aforementioned special ultrasound clinics with bouncers named Bubba. The ABSOLUTE earliest they can "squeeze" me in for a dating ultrasound is 7:45 am on July 21, 2009. When I will be in week 10. Is that not INSANE!!?!?!??!??
I now have to phone every day and find out if there's a cancellation that will mean I can get in earlier. I am all too cognizant that any cancellation will likely be a result of some poor woman having her ultrasound cancelled due to miscarriage.
Oh, and I wasn't able to go to the lab today to get my HCG levels drawn either. Because there are no appointments available until tomorrow.
Le sigh.
Like I said, the free healthcare thang certainly has it perks. But considering how much us poor over-taxed Canadians pay in taxes and monthly healthcare premiums, I would think that the whole machine would be a little bit more well oiled.
Today I saw my doctor to find out where we go from here, after our BFP this past weekend.
For one, when I asked for HCG levels to make sure it's doubling appropriately every 72h, she looked at me like I had two heads. Apparently, this is not a normal request and she never orders HCG levels.
After some begging and foot-stamping, she decided I could have my HCG levels drawn, but I should be aware that the results may be "inconclusive or even stressful" for me.
Ummmmmmmmmmmm, okay? How was my miscarriage in March not stressful? Riiiight. I do realize that the doubling won't really tell me that this pregnancy will progress healthily, but I still need a little bit of assurance that things are okay right NOW.
And then, there's the little issue of the ultrasound. Because my cycles haven't been exactly clockwork in the past two months, I qualify for a dating ultrasound to find out exactly how far along I am. Good news! I can have my ultrasound in week 7 instead of waiting until week 9.
Well, that sounds great - what am I bitching about then? The issue is booking the ultrasound with the aforementioned special ultrasound clinics with bouncers named Bubba. The ABSOLUTE earliest they can "squeeze" me in for a dating ultrasound is 7:45 am on July 21, 2009. When I will be in week 10. Is that not INSANE!!?!?!??!??
I now have to phone every day and find out if there's a cancellation that will mean I can get in earlier. I am all too cognizant that any cancellation will likely be a result of some poor woman having her ultrasound cancelled due to miscarriage.
Oh, and I wasn't able to go to the lab today to get my HCG levels drawn either. Because there are no appointments available until tomorrow.
Le sigh.
Like I said, the free healthcare thang certainly has it perks. But considering how much us poor over-taxed Canadians pay in taxes and monthly healthcare premiums, I would think that the whole machine would be a little bit more well oiled.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Blondiesaur Babbling
I have so many things going through my mind I think it might be easiest just to do a bullet point blog entry rather than trying to pick just one of the random pregnancy related things going through my head:
- My 3rd and final beta came in at 2,655 @17DPO. Some people are trying to convince me those are twin numbers; I'm trying to ignore those suggestions.
- I've got a blotchy rash on the back of my right hand, could be something pregnancy related or just another in a long line of randomly unidentifiable allergies for me.
- My hair is greasy, ew. Normally I can wash my hair every other day, not so much now. Even when I loved grunge, I didn't love greasy hair, it's not a good look.
- My IBS has flared up and I've got a bloat induced muffin top which leads me to my last point.
- In the UK the Gap supposedly only carries maternity jeans up to a size US12. While these fit they are tight in my thighs. The woman tried to tell me I need a size UK18. I tried on a UK18 at a different chain store and they fell off. Thank you shop lady for giving me more qualms about my body I didn't need.
Monday is a holiday here and I don't have to work, so we've decided to take a mini-break to Loch Fyne, famous for oysters and mussels. Besides needing to make sure I have a swimsuit that fits (I have an obsession with swimming pools & my honeymoon bikinis wouldn't have fit before pregnancy anyway), I am very excited for an overnight away and some relaxing.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
M.I.A.
So, I admit I've been missing in action for the past few days, but things have gotten a little crazy for Blondiesaur & company. I've neglected you all, but here is a quick photographic recap of what's been going on:
(10 mlu test, 11DPO)
(1 10mlu, 1 25mlu, 12 DPO)
(1 25mlu, 1 Superdrug test 13DPO)
(Pregnancy Sac, 17DPO or 4w3d)
Yes, I know that looks like a donut, but hey it's my donut :) After POAS I went straight to the doctor to have bloodwork done. So far my betas (or HCG levels) have been 250 at 11DPO and 886 at 14DPO. Doctors look for your betas to double every 36-48 hours, so mine are looking good! I will get my third and final beta results back tomorrow.I have another scan booked in from a week from today and this is how they will measure that everything is growing as it should be. We are excited, but very cautious. Hopefully third time is the charm!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Show me the levels!
I visited my GP/OB (small town = many local GPs are also OBs) for the first time today since finding out I was pregnant. Before we start any other tests, she wanted to do a couple blood screens, just to confirm that things are progressing as they should be and that I’m about as far along as we think. If you don’t know much about beta HCG levels, here’s a quick rundown:
In a normal, non-pregnant woman, the hormone "human chorionic gonadotrophin" (aka HCG) is normally under 5 – once you get knocked up, it rises dramatically, doubling every couple of days until it peaks at 8-11 weeks; this is the same hormone used by pregnancy tests to determine whether you get a negative or a positive. Unusually high HCG levels could indicate a multiple pregnancy (often), a molar pregnancy (rarely), or just that you're further along than expected.
According to my Fertility Friend chart, today is day one of week six, or 26 days past ovulation/conception. So hopefully we'll see some numbers in the mid-thousands...or above 1,000 at least. As you can see, the actual numbers vary widely depending on the woman, and in and of themselves are not as important as the rate of increase - that steep rise is the important part, at least in the first weeks (it usually slows down after week 6).
I had one vial of blood drawn today, and my second will be the day after tomorrow. And even though I know this is an ordinary test and nothing to worry about, I’m worrying a little.
My hypereducated, Type-A personality (as my dear Divasaur calls it) means that I tend to be obsessive with new information. The second I embark on a new project, I research the hell out of it. Which is mostly good – it means I'm generally well informed and know what to expect. But the downside is that I know what to expect. Not only do I know about what a normal pregnancy entails, but I know everything that could go wrong.
I know exactly what low levels could represent, especially if they drop in the second testing; this far from my last period, it would almost certainly be bad news: an ectopic pregnancy or an early miscarriage. My last post was all about how much I love this baby already, and I can't imagine what it would feel like to lose it.
I know that everything is probably fine. I know that worrying won’t do any good – it won’t make my levels any higher or change a pregnancy that’s already doomed, and it won’t help a good pregnancy along either. That said, I don't think it's necessarily unusual that I'm worrying a bit - after all, I've never done this before, and I'm nervous. But you know what? Expressing all of this has helped, and I feel more confident now.
Bring on the levels!
In a normal, non-pregnant woman, the hormone "human chorionic gonadotrophin" (aka HCG) is normally under 5 – once you get knocked up, it rises dramatically, doubling every couple of days until it peaks at 8-11 weeks; this is the same hormone used by pregnancy tests to determine whether you get a negative or a positive. Unusually high HCG levels could indicate a multiple pregnancy (often), a molar pregnancy (rarely), or just that you're further along than expected.
According to my Fertility Friend chart, today is day one of week six, or 26 days past ovulation/conception. So hopefully we'll see some numbers in the mid-thousands...or above 1,000 at least. As you can see, the actual numbers vary widely depending on the woman, and in and of themselves are not as important as the rate of increase - that steep rise is the important part, at least in the first weeks (it usually slows down after week 6).
I had one vial of blood drawn today, and my second will be the day after tomorrow. And even though I know this is an ordinary test and nothing to worry about, I’m worrying a little.
My hypereducated, Type-A personality (as my dear Divasaur calls it) means that I tend to be obsessive with new information. The second I embark on a new project, I research the hell out of it. Which is mostly good – it means I'm generally well informed and know what to expect. But the downside is that I know what to expect. Not only do I know about what a normal pregnancy entails, but I know everything that could go wrong.I know exactly what low levels could represent, especially if they drop in the second testing; this far from my last period, it would almost certainly be bad news: an ectopic pregnancy or an early miscarriage. My last post was all about how much I love this baby already, and I can't imagine what it would feel like to lose it.
I know that everything is probably fine. I know that worrying won’t do any good – it won’t make my levels any higher or change a pregnancy that’s already doomed, and it won’t help a good pregnancy along either. That said, I don't think it's necessarily unusual that I'm worrying a bit - after all, I've never done this before, and I'm nervous. But you know what? Expressing all of this has helped, and I feel more confident now.
Bring on the levels!
