Crossing the two-fifth mark

In the pursuit of becoming parents, we suffered plenty of heartaches, body aches and of course aches of knowing that we’ve exhausted our Medisave (thank god for that but no thanks that public hospitals are really rather incompetent and unable to tailor their treatment for special conditions) as well as possibly running into cash flow problems because of the huge amount of ka-ching we’re pumping into the bills we incur. 

Now that I’m finally pregnant, I constantly worry if my baby will be just fine and healthy. There are many possibilities that could happen and I can only constantly pray that all these will not happen to any children that are being conceived, especially mine.  

If you have read my past posts, you would have known that I’ve conceived via IVF, after many failed cycles of IUI, FET and fresh IVF cycles. The protocol I was given was different, and things were not any simpler with my existing hyperthyroid condition. 

The good thing is that my hyperthyroid has stabilised and now that I’ve crossed my 4th month, I’ve gone off all medications except health supplements. 

When I first conceived, I was still on the following medication:

Western Medicine:
(i) Fraxiparine x 1 daily, injection via tummy
(ii) Baby aspirin x 1 daily, oral
(iii) Progynova x 3 daily, oral
(iv) Utrogestan x 3 daily, oral
(v) Dhasalone x 1 daily, oral
(vi) Endometrin x 3 daily, vaginal insert
(vii) Proluton x 1 every alternate day, injection via bum

Chinese Medicine:
(i) AM – Ginseng powder with special formula to encourage healthy blood circulation and baby’s growth
(ii) PM – Physician’s prescribed pre-packaged medicine

Sounds like a lot of pills for some but this extensive support ensured my body was very well-supported to support the pregnancy and I’m very grateful to have Angela and Racheal (Angela’s nurse) looking after me. 

Besides the medication, I also had blood tests every 3 days to ensure that the hormonal levels – E2, Progesterone as well as beta-HCG were within the healthy range as a low level of progesterone may well suggest deficiency in the level of support and that a miscarriage could occur. 

This went on till 10 weeks where we had a scare. Though at this point in time, it’s not deterministic, we have made a decision not to pursue. We’ll keep our precious little one. I’ll talk more about this in another post. That’s a story on its own. 

Now I’m in my 16 weeks, going onto 17. I am due in another 3 weeks for the anomaly scan at 20th week. Please pray for me and my baby that we’ll be fine and healthy. God bless us. 

Finally!

I’m so pleased to share this news with you…

I’M PREGNANT!!!

I’m currently in my second trimester, feeling so blessed and grateful.

It has been a tough journey and the road ahead will be tougher but we (P, me and mini P) will pull through.

I’ll share more in greater details in another post. Till then! 😀

It’s not viable.

Today, I was due for another blood test.

If the reading doubles, there’s still hope.

If it doesn’t, the pregnancy fails.

 

I felt the prick but the pain did not bother me. I just want to know the results.

 

After the blood test, we went for lunch. I then went home and fell asleep.

 

I was jolted awake by a phonecall. Mr. P was anxious about the results too and had called.

I checked my mobile and noticed 2 missed call from the clinic.

I hastily called back. Dr Foong was with another patient and would call me back once he’s done.

I waited with abated breath.

The phone rang.

“Hi Huiling. The reading is not so good. It has dropped to 595…”

I can’t remember the rest of what he said. My heart sank and tears poured.

It’s yet another failed attempt.

 

A twist in the plot.

Just when I thought that the bleeding has sort of ceased and that I’m ready to go back to work, I experienced really bad cramps to the point that it hurts when I cough or laugh. Recalling what Dr Sadhana said about experiencing bad cramps would be part and parcel of the uterus expanding, I dismissed the ache, even though I spotted some pink blood stains on my underwear.

I went ahead to work and was relieved that the bleeding stoppd. The ache, however, lasted till lunch. It did subside a little after I ate but to my horror, there was again another patch of fresh bright pink blood.

I panicked.

I wiped the area with a toilet paper and there were more. Worst, when I started peeing, I saw the blood stained the urine orange.

I freaked out and called the clinic. Thankfully, they had a slot and I made arrangement to be there at that time.

Dr Foong greeted me in his usual style and decided that we should do an ultrasound as well as blood test to see how things are going.

Bad news 1:

The ultrasound showed no gestational sac which was supposed to develop between 3 – 5 weeks.

Bad news 2:

Took the blood tests which results were out this morning:

hCG: 1215miu/ml
Progesterone level: 88.5

Apparently my progesterone level’s quite consistent but the hCG is on the low side. From his analysis, based on the dates that I’ve provided him, my reading should be somewhere between 2000 to 3000 now.

He told me over the phone to be prepared for the worst.

I could no longer hold back my tears.

 

What could have caused the bleeding/spotting?

I was really perplexed about the bleeding/spotting I experienced after I got to know I was pregnant.

From our visits to clinics, I concluded these three possibilities.

1. Sensitised Ovaries
2. Intercourse
3. Implantation
4. An unstable pregnancy due to existing health conditions

1. Sensitised Ovaries
   The cycle of injections I went through made my ovaries grew bigger than their usual size. Moreover, when I underwent an operation to have my eggs picked from the follicles, there are open wounds hence the blood could have came from them. Subsequently, as the ovaries are still recovering, movement to the pelvis could also cause the wounds to open or bleed again.
2. Intercourse
   Accordingly to Dr L C Foong, this is a no-no. Contact with the cervix may caused it to bleed, especially at this point in time when the body is confused as to whether it’s supposed to be having its menses or if it’s pregnant. After all, the symptoms are similar.
3. Implantation
   The egg basically burrows into the uterine lining and as that takes place, bleeding may occur.
4. Unstable pregnancy
   Unlike most ladies who might conceived naturally, I had mine through AI. There are many risks, including the body not being receptive of the pregnancy and ectopic pregnancy. To make things more complicated, I have hyperthyroidism and was diagnosed with endometriosis and PCOS. All this makes it harder for the egg, if it is fertilised to implant successfully in the womb.

I can only hope for the best now.

 

A different kind of two-week wait.

We met with Dr Sadhana yesterday. She is my chosen gynae in KKH.

We had previously chosen the private route to avoid the long waiting time. We also wanted to be able to return to the same doctor every time we visit, something a patient was not entitled to if we had chosen to go the public route.

I remembered the nurse giving me an order for a blood test before my scheduled appointment. However, when I reached the clinic, there appeared to be some unprecedented confusion. There was no apparent order from the doctor for a blood test to be done and the nurse could not proceed.

I had initially made the trip to the hospital earlier to have my blood test done as it would take an hour or two before the results are out. Mr. P was also going to join me later since he had intended to see Dr Sadhana with me.

I ended up meeting with Dr Sadhana first. I immediately requested for a blood test to check the hCG levels and perhaps check on the progesterone levels.

She smiled, seeming to know what I was after and reassured me that my readings from the first two blood tests falls within the healthy range. She also explained that she do not carry out blood tests to check progesterone’s level in the blood because while it may be high in the blood, it does not necessary indicate that the uterus would also have the same level of progesterone.

After much insisting, she ordered a blood test for hCG levels testing for me and told me I could see her again later with Mr. P when my blood test results are out.

I took the blood test and waited for Mr. P to join me.

Thankfully, when Mr. P arrived, the blood test was also ready. We went into Dr Sadhana’s room again.

I was elated when she broke the news of my hCG reading to me. 695 miu/ml! It has more than doubled – it should if it’s a healthy pregnancy.

Once again, she reassured me that I was fine.

At this stage, it was too early to tell anything about the pregnancy. A scan was scheduled for me in two weeks’time. She would be able to then determine if the foetus is in the correct position etc. She also cautioned me not to panic if I don’t see a heartbeat during the scan as because it might be too early to detect one. Based on the calendar, I’m just started on my week 5. Ultrasound would only be able to pick one up around 6 – 7 weeks.

Despite all the advice she gave, she relented and prescribed me a dosage of Crinone per day after I persisted in my request. She reminded us to watch out for any severe pain and bleeding. If there is any heavy bleeding, I could always return to the O&G for a progesterone jab. However, there is no guarantee that it would stop the bleeding.

She also told us to avoid travelling if possible and get travel insurance if we really need to. When asked about what the risks of travelling during the first trimester are, Dr Sadhana said there isn’t any really but since I’m bleeding, she would advised against it. It could also get traumatic if I were to start bleeding, I may not know what to do in a foreign environment and the costs could be exorbitant.

The news was really a wet blanket. We had planned a getaway countdown trip to Taiwan.

We would go ahead with the tip and I am certain Mr. P would, as much as I would, take care of the zygote that’s growing within me. 🙂

Till the scan in two weeks’ time.

An eventful (but blessed) birthday.

So… I have not updated for a while but I was not idle.

On 12 November, I had 2 oocytes picked from the follicles.

On 14 November, I had the fertilised eggs placed in my uterus.

Then I began the infamous and tormentous two-week wait…Only to discover blood stain on my pantyliner – which was a heartbreaking downer.

Just when I felt all hope was lost, a pregnancy urine test shows a strong negative line with a faint positive line. I hastily dismissed it as a false pregnancy and went ahead to KKH for a blood test to confirm the failure. It was 29 November. My scheduled blood test was not until the 1st December which coincidentally was also my birthday.

The nurses called me back the next day to tell me that the lab detected some traces of hCG (Human chorionic gonadotropin) and I would need to return on the 1st December for a repeat. The reading was 109 miu/ml. My heart skipped a beat. Is it even possible that I could be pregnant? It’s a wish I had so hoped for but wouldn’t even dare dream of.

I had asked the nurses the day before what the results of my pregnancy urine test meant, especially amidst the bleeding/spotting stain (I can’t tell the difference. -_-|||) I experienced. They shrugged it off and were nonchalant about it. Maybe they have seen too much of anxious ladies or it is just another day of work for most of them. They told me that it could mean that there is a possibility of pregnancy although it would be highly unlikely since I was experiencing spotting/bleeding. Honestly, I was not hopeful either. The staining did looked like the onset of menses and I wouldn’t be surprised it the onset was delayed due to the progesterone I was taking. Afterall, the staining was also what greeted me after each failed IUI cycle.

I asked for an appointment with my chosen gynae because I wanted an opinion from a doctor. Unfortunately, she would only be back on the 1st December and her schedule is full. Moreover, the nurse advised that it would be best to go for a 2nd blood test, then meet with the doctor so that she would be able to advise me better. Uncertain about what to expect, I could only oblige.

When I returned on the 1st December for the repeat blood test, the results were positive again! This time, the hCG readings doubled! 263 miu/ml!

I was excited but at the same time, worried sick. I was still experiencing bleeding/spotting and even though my doctor had returned from overseas, she was not in the clinic. The nurses could not help either except to alert my appointed doctor, set up an appointment for me 2 days later and handed me a prescription for progesterone to stabilise the pregnancy.

Frustrated by the lukewarm support and unable to receive immediate care that we would like to have, especially in view of the persistent bleeding/spotting, we made an appointment to see another doctor – Dr L C Foong at Gleneagles Hospital. I had visited him once and he is definitely one proactive doctor that does his best in the patient’s interest. It’s not that we did not want to visit him on first instance. It was just that his charges is on the high end – he admits it unabashedly too.

Despite having a full schedule, he slotted us in just after lunch. After hearing us out, he was dismayed that the medical staff at KKH did not attend to us more fervently than they should, especially since I was already experiencing persistent bleeding.

To him, any bleeding is a cause for worry. We also knew about how excessive bleeding in the early stages could mean an ectopic pregnancy or even possibility of a miscarriage in later stages. He immediately ordered a blood test to check the level of progesterone my body was producing. If it’s above 50, it’s good. If it’s above 100, it’s great. He also prescribed more Crinone for me, ordered a progesterone injection for me and told me to increase my intake of Duphaston to 3 times daily. I was given medical leave the next day to rest too.

The blood test he ordered, by now, is a run-of-the-mill affair. It’s not my first, though it would be my 4th in less than 2 weeks and 2nd in a day. And if that was not bad enough, the nurse chose the same vein but took blood from a different hole. It caused my cubital fossa to bruise big time.

To make things worst, the injection caused ache and soreness to my right butt cheek and I ended up walking with a limp after it was administered. The pain only subsided on the 2nd day and even so, I could still feel a pinch when I sit leaning towards the right side.

Nonetheless, he provided us with the peace of mind we sought. I was also thankful that the blood test I took revealed a healthy level of progesterone (93) my body was producing. Determined to make sure I’m well taken care of, we headed for the TCM we’ve been visiting since I was trying to conceive.

For whoever that’s interested, here’s her details: Tan Lee Kee Ying Chuan Chinese Medical Hall Address: Blk 202 Jurong East Street 21 #01-117. Tel: 6897 5655

Her details can be found in many forums where ladies who wish to conceive gather. I was recommended to her by my cousin who conceived successfully just by taking supplements prescribed by her. I didn’t have her luck.

After taking my pulse, she assured me that all would be fine. I had a strong pulse and that indicates that my body is healthy enough to take on a pregnancy. It also indicates that the pregnancy would thrive. I hope for the best.

Our day finally ended at around 4-ish. Although we spent my entire birthday going around the island (KKH in Bugis, Gleneagles in Orchard and TCM in Jurong) seeking medical treatment and opinions, it was worth it.

At least now,  I know I’m pregnant. 🙂