Okay Thanks Bracken

Okay my husband said I need to say something positive on my blog. Thanks Bracken! So something positive relating to pregnancy.....
1# - My body can get pregnant!!! I have gotten pregnant twice and the second time the baby was healthy and strong, just in the wrong place.
2# - My yard looks flippin amazing because of my hard work today
3# - I got a tan from the hot sun!!!
4# - I made vegetable yummy soup
5# - I have two more weeks til I see my husband!!!

See Bracken I have positive things going on today! But good night!!!

The Waiting...

You know that waiting period we all hate so much that just drags and drags and drags. If it's either waiting to know if your pregnant, or waiting for DAY 14 or whatever day that is, or the waiting period for our bodies to heal, or just plain waiting, I hate it! I guess I am one of those girls who likes to know things now! And well, this whole pregnancy thing is definitely not that way. I think someone knew how for us women to develop the quality of patience. So last night was a true test for me in the waiting period. Over six weeks ago I had my fallopian tube removed, yeah not really that much fun. It kinda cut down the chances of getting pregnant again. Ha, what's new!!! So my fertility specialist, Dr. Harry Hatasaka, has been monitoring my HCG level, you know the pregnancy hormone, well for some silly reason my is deciding to go down rather slowly.  So it began at....55,100 -
1 week after 24,473
2- 9,085
3- 2,000 
4- 700 
5 -51
6-27
7 - 11
8-10
So can anyone guess why I had a break down. Week 7 and 8 not much progress! I know before we ever get pregnant my levels have to go back to 0!!!!!! My body still thinks it's pregnant, so therefor if I was ever going to ovulate, which  I won't without medication, but it can't!!! HCG usually takes 4-6 weeks to leave the blood stream, but it also depends how far along someone was.  My levels were pretty high they think because of the baby in the fallopian tube, and possibly the the sac in the uterus. They had never seen an eptopic  pregnancy that such high levels and not bursting on it's own, so they figure the sac in the uterus caused the levels to rise as well.

So anyways, yes last night I had a breakdown at Darcee's place. She just hugged me and made me feel so much. I seriously love her more than anything. When  I left she texted me some scriptures to read, Moroni 7, D&C 109:76, a conference talk called Hope, and anther called The Atonement. I think I cried for at least an hour reading them. Ha! I am so pathetic! My puppies just sat there and looked at me! It was rather sad. I read my blessing and it answered a question I had been praying about a looooooooot lately. Hopefully I'll be able to share with you soon! So anyways enough with that. I think I'll post later tonight, but it's time to go finish weed wacking the lawn. Ha! I actually love doing it!

Adorable - Our Nephew

This is my nephew, Makoy Higham on the swings for the first time. I honestly think he i the cutest baby ever. Kelsey and Nick, I love you guys so much! Thanks for being the best supporter to Bracken and I in everything that we do.

Lying Awake - Clomid vs Femera

              So since Bracken is gone for the summer to sale in Knoxville, I go to bed rather early. Is 9 too early? Ha! My husband definitely says it is, but hey I have nothing better to do. I get so bored sometime I take my dogs Lilly and Vegas for a car ride. They love it!

              So last night I laid awake thinking about some ideas for this blog. I have already had so many wonderful comments on facebook that it continues to give me strength! But I thought this morning I would share what Bracken and I have tried with infertility methods and some of the different side effects I experienced. Please please please share some of the side effects you may have experienced as well. I think I'll  create a tab for each procedure or method we have tried and other have as well. Don't get me wrong we have not done it all, but I have researched many different ideas! I think this would be a great place we each can share.
             So after about six months of trying we figured something was wrong. Doctor Barb Nielson, a Obgyn from Idaho Falls prescribed me one of the most common fertility drugs prescribed for treating female infertility called femera. However, the medication is also used to treat breast cancer in women.My mom and I were taking it at the same time!   Femara side effects are something that should be considered by each of you before deciding whether or not to take the drug.
All medications have the chance of producing side effects, but for couples trying to conceive a baby these things are all worth it if success is achieved.  The most commonly experienced side effects of include the following:

• HOT FLASHES
• PROFUSE SWEATING
• Back pain
• Breast pain or tenderness
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Flushing
• Indigestion
• Night sweats
• Vomiting
• NAUSEA
• Edema (swelling)
• Weight gain or loss
• SLEEPINESS

               The number one symptom I experienced was exhaustion. I was just so tired all day long. I just felt weak and nauseated. 
               The reason doctors prescribe femera for women who do not ovulate on their own. When taking Femara for infertility, it is used to suppress estrogen levels, which in turn stimulates the brain to produce more follicle stimulating hormone.  In women with PCOS or another type of ovulatory problem, the increase in FSH levels can result in maturation of ovarian follicle and lead to ovulation.  In women that are able to ovulate, the drug can help the ovaries produce multiple follicles and multiple egg release, which can increase the chances of pregnancy when trying to conceive a baby. Well to find out, my eggs not only don't ovulate but need medication to grow as well.
              Alright lets talk about clomid vs femera!!!

Femara studies also indicated that Femara could be an advantage to those women previously taking Clomid, but had not ovulated.  Some women considered to be Clomid-resistant can benefit from trying a regimen of Femara in order to induce the body to ovulate.

Because there has been so many studies on clomid doctors and fertility specialists feel more self-assured and confident in prescribing it to women.  Though Clomid has been used for so many years,  many fertility specialists are now being more open to the idea of prescribing Femara.  A big advantage of Clomid is that the drug is available in a generic form and can be cheaper in comparison to using Femara for infertility treatment.

Some women will have success with Clomid, while for others another type of medication may be needed. Femara appears to be a very promising medication for those that may have tried Clomid and not been able to conceive.
        
SO THE STUDIES NOW INDICATE.... CLOMID VS FEMERA = SAME POSITIVE RESULTS
With the right conditions, a woman has a 15% chance of becoming pregnant each month while using Femara for infertility.  Other factors which can increase the odds include if the woman is under 35 years old, has no other fertility problems and ovulation can be stimulated using the drug.

Bracken and I were using femera for 4 months, nothing!!! Bracken and I were using clomid for 4 moths, nothing!

Our Journey Begun

Bracken and I were married on May 3, 2008! Wow I can't believe it has been more than three years ago. We started dating my sophmore year and his junior year. Bracken moved to my High School in 2001 and from then on we dated off and on. I always knew I loved him more than anything in the world, but knew we were so young. He was more like my best friend. He had been there for me in the toughest times in my life. And you know, he still is to this day. I was on birth control for one month and it was a nightmare. I have tried a few different birth control pills and nuva ring was the last option for me. Throughout high school I have always had a irregular menstrual cycle, but since college and my days of limited eating and extensive exercise I lost my period for a few years. I can remember the first day I started. I was in Sacramento California, alone in an apartment, and started bleeding for the first time in three years. I bleed for one day after I took out the nuva ring. I was relieved! Bracken and I decided that it might be difficult to have a kid, so we started trying right away. Yes it has been three years now, and sometimes I do feel like I am the only person in the world that deals with this struggle, but I know I'm not. For the longest time I have had this nagging feeling to start this fertility blog. Yes for my own benefit, but the benefit of you too! I would love to continue to share Bracken and I's struggle with our journey of infertility, but I would also love to hear all of your moments of joy and happiness. Life is definitely full of struggles but I've come to realize I receive the strength from so many around me. My family is such a great support, and I have some of the best friends anyone could ask for. My greatest support is my Savior. I know he knows the desires of my heart, but there are things I need to learn before. I know someday I will be a great mother, from all the lessons I have learned along the way. Thank you to those of you who have been a support to me and truly love me for who I am. This blog is for you and I who want to share our stories, share words of encouragement, give positive uplifting advice, and to those who just want to make a comment. I hope this can help us!