T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
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1069.2 | Woman | MACNAS::BHARMON | Life is short, enjoy it | Mon Apr 02 1990 13:22 | 4 |
| Re .1, I am a woman.
Bernie
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1069.3 | HANG IN THERE! | PARVAX::BENNETT | Butterfly | Mon Apr 02 1990 13:51 | 38 |
| Bernie,
I have been through the some of the Fertility tests and after trying
for 2 years, I now have a beautiful 5 month old baby girl.
The first test that your doctor will do is to have your husband tested
for low sperm count (there is only one test for a man so they like to
single him out first). After that the doctor will have you take your
tempature every month to see if you are ovulating (another way to see
if you are ovulating is to buy the ovulation kits that they sell
in the pharmacies). After they determine whether you are ovulating
he will schedule a Hysterolpinogram (spelling?). This test is when
they inject your tubes with a clear dye to see if they are clear. He
may take some additional blood tests.
The above tests are what they did with me and they determined that I
was not ovulating and that with a little help of Fertility Pills I
would ovulate. I did not conceive until 6 months of being on the
pills.
If you are ovulating I know that he will do a test in his office.
After you and your husband have had relations he will take a culture
sometimes the woman will kill the man's sperm. If this is the case
I believe that there is a medication that will help.
Please don't get discouraged, it is amazing what modern technology
can do these days.
If you need to talk, or need some encouragement you can send me mail
or call me. PARVAX::BENNETT DTN 335-6822
Good luck,
Bethany
The above is only what I experienced.
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1069.4 | pointers | LEZAH::BOBBITT | the phoenix-flowering dark rose | Mon Apr 02 1990 14:39 | 10 |
| There are discussions of infertility and the related tests at:
womannotes-V1
253 - infertility
Medical
314 - infertility
-Jody
|
1069.5 | Where is Medical Conf. | ERLANG::MAHONEY | | Mon Apr 02 1990 14:47 | 1 |
| What node is the Medical Conference on?
|
1069.6 | hydra::medical | WMOIS::B_REINKE | if you are a dreamer, come in.. | Mon Apr 02 1990 14:51 | 5 |
| it is at hydra::medical
press the 7 on your key pad to add this conference to your note book.
Bonnie
|
1069.7 | probably more than you wanted to know | AKOV12::GIUNTA | | Mon Apr 02 1990 15:32 | 49 |
| Just to add a bit to .3, there are a few more tests that can be done.
The doctor will have you and your husband have intercourse at home, and
then go in for a post-coital check-up which is just an internal exam
where they check to see if your mucus has changed to the right
consistency to give the sperm a friendly environment, and to see if the
sperm are living. It is possible that there is not enough mucus, or
that the mucus quality is poor, or that the mucus remains hostile to
the sperm, or that your body creates antibodies (your body thinks sperm
is an infection and kills it -- I'm an expert on this one). Some of
this is fixable by medication, but there is no current
fix/cure/whatever for sperm antibodies, and it requires assisted
reproductive techniques such as GIFT and IVF to conceive. By the way,
I found post coitals to be the most frustrating test since it has to be
done on the day of ovulation, and if you don't ovulate regularly like
me, then you can do this one for months before they get the right day.
I had it done 12 times in 8 months since, if it is too early, it can be
repeated in a single cylce.
Also, they will check your uterine lining by doing an endometrial
biopsy. This one can be painful or just uncomfortable. I've had it
both ways. They scrape your uterine lining to see if it is developing
lush enough to support a pregnancy, or if you have a luteal phase
defect which can be either a short or extra-long cycle. I have a short
cycle luteal phase defect, and can give you more details on that, too,
if you want. They can help this by giving you fertility drugs
(typically, Clomid).
There are some more advanced tests and procedures. How much
information do you want right now? I've got a ton of stuff since we've
been going through this for so long, and they seem to find a problem
with every test (we're up to 5 things, and they're all mine), which
means that you may want to continue testing even if they find something
right away if you still aren't conceiving.
When they are at the end of the testing, and before you do anything
like Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), GIFT, or IVF, the doctor will
perform a laparoscopy which is day surgery (there's a note in V1, I
think, on this procedure). This is to see if you have any
endometriosis or other internal problems that can be corrected and
might be causing problems.
If you want more information on this, please feel free to send me mail
at AKOV12::GIUNTA (that will be changing in about 2 weeks when I
transfer, but ELF will get updated), or call me. I don't mind talking
about it, and I do have lots of info to share.
Best of luck. It can be a long process, so be patient.
Cathy
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1069.8 | more cross-refs | MOIRA::FAIMAN | light upon the figured leaf | Mon Apr 02 1990 16:00 | 10 |
| also, in HELPME::PARENTING:
310 SONATA::STEWART 20-JAN-1988 33 INFERTILITY FRUSTRATIONS
1245 WMOIS::D_ALEXANDER 23-MAY-1989 86 INFERTILITY ANYONE???
1319 USWAV1::DOLIMPIO 14-JUN-1989 2 secondary infertility
1330 TCC::HEFFEL 20-JUN-1989 2 Caffeine and Fertility
1340 DELNI::MICOZZI 23-JUN-1989 3 Infertility Counseling in N
H
1703 TUNER::CLEMENT 20-NOV-1989 3 HCG SHOTS AND SECONDARY INF
ERTILITY
|
1069.9 | Thanks | MACNAS::BHARMON | Life is short, enjoy it | Tue Apr 03 1990 13:28 | 21 |
| Thanks for all the information, you have all helped me alot.
Re:.3 and .7, I tried to send you on a mail message, but it was
sent back to me with a failed to deliver message attached.
If you would like to contact me, my mail address is:
MACNAS::BHARMON @ GAO
Failing that, my home address is:
Bernie Harmon,
112, Lurgan Park,
Galway,
Ireland.
I would be very greatful for more information from you both.
Bernie
|
1069.10 | more questions? | AKOV12::GIUNTA | | Tue Apr 03 1990 14:31 | 8 |
| I don't know why the mail wasn't delivered, though misspelling my name
is a popular reason (those vowels seem to confuse everyone).
What other questions do you have? I'll answer here, if you don't mind.
I'm sure other people will have some input, and some people who may be
dealing with infertility might find it helpful.
Cathy
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1069.11 | me too ... | JUPITR::LUSKEY | | Tue Apr 03 1990 15:15 | 30 |
| I am going thru the same thing at this moment. I am almost 30 and
have been married for 5 years.
I know I ovulate. My periods are 27 days which include mood changes
and breast tenderness, mucus discharges, etc ...
My husband and I had a post-coital test on day 14 and it was fine.
I had two lab tests done for Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma. The ureaplasma
result was positive and both of us will be taking tetracycline for 10
days (yuk!). Ureaplasma is "believed" to "perhaps" be a cause on
infertility.
Since my husbands sperm count was good, the OBGYN suggested that we
start intercourse on the 10th thru the 20th day after the 1st day of
menstruation, either every day or every other day.
I also bought a book by the name of "How to Get Pregnant" by Dr Silber
and found it to be very good. I recommend it highly.
Even though I know I ovulate, I bought a Basal thermometer to start
documentation of my periods - it can't hurt, right?
My personal feeling is to do all you can before starting any intrusive
testing such as laparoscopy, etc ...
Good luck and keep us informed if you come across any new things.
Deb
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1069.12 | Just starting | MACNAS::BHARMON | Life is short, enjoy it | Wed Apr 04 1990 12:15 | 19 |
| I bought a thermometer a couple of months ago. I find my temperature
rises one degree for a few days, then drops again. I take my
temperature first thing in the morning. Is this a sign that I
ovulate?. I get small cramps in my stomach between seven to four
days before my period begins. I also get mood changes.
My periods are fairly mixed up, I differ between three weeks
to three and a half weeks to four weeks.
I am only starting the testing proceedure. My first appointment
is on April 19th. It is with a gynecologist who specializes in
infertility. I will let you all know how I get on.
Re: .11, I will hopefully get the book at the weekend, if it is
available in Ireland.
Bernie
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1069.13 | BBT info | AKOV12::GIUNTA | | Wed Apr 04 1990 12:30 | 32 |
| BBT (Basal Body Temperature) measures the slight changes in body
temperature caused by changes in hormones and ovulation. On the day
before or day that your period starts, your temperature will drop
sharply. It will stay around that level until you are ready to
ovulate at which point the temperature will dip, then either rise over
several days, or rise all in one day. This sharp rise in temperature
indicates that ovulation is occuring, and your body stops producing
estrogen and starts to produce progesterone. If you temperature
remains elevated through when your next period is due, it can indicate
pregnancy.
Now that's how it is supposed to work, but everyone's cycles are
different. I did find that after a while, I could predict when I would
ovulate, and when my period would start. Also, now I notice the cramps
that I get mid-month which are also a sign of ovulation when I had
never paid any attention to them before. Once you start charting, you
will find that you kind of get in tune with your body, and you notice
the changes.
Also, my doctor recommended that we have intercourse every other day
from day 9 through day 15 which, in my case, normally included the day
that I ovulated. They don't really know exactly when ovulation occurs,
and they don't really know when fertilization takes place, so the idea
is to try to catch it in time. The reason for intercourse every other
day is to allow enough sperm to be generated to hopefully result in a
pregnancy.
Also, you are supposed to mark the days that you have intercourse on
the chart so that you can tell if you are timing it right. I just used
to circle the spot where I marked the temperature.
Cathy
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1069.14 | | CLUSTA::KELTZ | You can't push a rope | Wed Apr 04 1990 13:47 | 14 |
| My understanding of the BBT graph is that your temperature needs to
remain elevated for at least 7-10 days following ovulation to be
considered a "good sign". If it drops back down faster than that
it MAY indicate a problem that will prevent a fertilized egg from
implanting properly in the uterine lining. There are several possible
reasons for this, which I can't remember offhand, but I think most
of them can be treated successfully.
Also, are you using a thermometer that measures temperature in tenths
of degrees? A thermometer that only measures whole degrees will not
be sensitive enough to detect the changes in your cycle.
Good luck!
Beth
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1069.15 | Basal Thermometer | JUPITR::LUSKEY | | Wed Apr 04 1990 16:13 | 10 |
|
re:.14 - yes, definetely use a thermometer with .10 degree units.
I just went to the pharmacy and asked the pharmacist for a Basal
thermometer. He got it behind the counter for me - so ask for it!
I'll start recording it tomorrow and I can't wait to learn more about
my body!
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1069.16 | Thermometer | MACNAS::BHARMON | Life is short, enjoy it | Thu Apr 05 1990 10:56 | 6 |
| Yes my thermometer also measures .10 degree units. It is a digital
thermometer. The alarm rings when your temperature is taken.
It also gives your previous temperature reading.
Bernie
|
1069.17 | Keep in mind | ODIXIE::WITMAN | Mickey Mouse FOREVER | Tue Apr 17 1990 08:56 | 7 |
| We were married 8+ years, approaching 30 years of age yet no children.
We had *all* the test done and *all* indicated that there was nothing
wrong. We gave up testing and *trying*. A year latter our son was born
then a year latter my daughter. They're now 16 & 14 respectively. We
never gave up *HOPE*.
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1069.18 | Appointment | MACNAS::BHARMON | Life is short, enjoy it | Fri Apr 20 1990 08:54 | 19 |
| I went for my first appointment yesterday evening. He did no tests,
but wrote down all my husband's and my medical history, plus the
medical history of our families. He asked me when I had my last
period. I told him, it started last Thursday and finished on Sunday.
From that information he has set up a appointment for me to have
the Post-coital test done on Monday week, the 30th. He said Eamon
and I are to have intercourse three hours before I go for this test.
From this test, he will be able to see if Eamon's sperm is ok, plus
check me out. My next test will be the Endometrial-Biopsy. I
am to ring him when I get my next period and he will set up a
appointment. He told us not to have intercourse after this period
until the appointment, because if by chance I did become pregnant,
this test would abort the pregnancy. I will be asleep for this
test. He said after these tests he will be able to tell us more.
Bernie
|
1069.19 | get your husband checked, too | AITG::GIUNTA | | Fri Apr 20 1990 09:13 | 19 |
| You might want to ask your doctor to check your husband's sperm
quantity and quality while you're doing these other tests. I find it
peculiar that he's testing you to find out about your husband. The PK
(Post Coital) will tell him more about the quality of your mucus, and
if your husband's sperm can live in that environment. But it won't
tell you about his sperm quality. For instance, if you have a low
number of sperm during the PK, it could be that it's not the right time
of the month so there is a hostile environment, you don't have good
quality mucus, you don't have good quantity of mucus, you create sperm
anti-bodies and kill them off, or your husband doesn't have a high
enough sperm quality/quantity to start with or just in the environment
that you create, etc. Most doctors over here do what you're scheduled
for, but they also do the semen analysis, especially since that's about
the only test that they do on the man. You want to make sure that your
doctor hasn't discounted a problem with your husband before he even
checks.
Best of luck,
Cathy
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