Baseline Appt Day

Today has been full of medical appointments and phone calls – and I have a feeling the rest of the week, and next week, will follow suit.  I have to say I will be glad when everything is done!  

Unfortunately my nurse, and the staff, is well aware of the incompetence that happens at the navel hospital, so they scheduled my appointments this time around a day earlier to give a little wiggle room for any ‘hicups’ that come our way.  Smart people!

As I posted a few days ago, I started meds – however it was a single medication, Lupron, which only suppresses my hormones.  In order for me to start my ‘stim’ meds, those are the medications that stimulate the ovaries to start producing follicles, I have to have a routine baseline U/S (ultrasound) and E2 (estrogen) blood draw.  My estrogen levels need to be under 10 and the u/s is to rule out any ovarian cysts.  As long as both those test are clear, then meds can be started up.  If for some reason an ovarian cyst shows up on the u/s, it is then further checked to see what kind, if it ends up being a functional cysts everything is put on hold. Ovarian cysts are nothing more than ovarian follicles that become enlarged and filled with fluid.  The problem with these is that they can cause major issues when undergoing COH since they can grow in response to the elevation of LH or FSH in blood causing cycles to be canceled.  And no one whats that phone call mid-cycle 1) because it would just suck having to be told you cant move forward when you're half way into it and 2) meds are super, duper expensive and thats just like flushing a few thousands down the toilette.

Both of these orders, the u/s and blood, are STAT orders, which means Dr. Sher is suppose to get the results within 1 day – however in the past it typically has taken 3+ days for the Navel Hospital to get them over, and the only reason it did not take longer that that, was because they either had me, or Jim, chewing them out on the other line.  Once I even had the head of Pt Relations get involved because I was getting the run around about results not yet being in, after 3 days of waiting on a STAT order.  She  ended walking down to the Radiology department personally to lit a fire under the staffs behind – low and behold the results were sitting in my file more than ready to be faxed.  Sadly this is typical of the Navel Hospital, if you don’t do their job for them it does not get done!!  So they scheduled me a few days earlier so that if the results don’t get over in time, the entire cycle doesn’t have to be put completely on hold.

This morning, at 8am, was my baseline U/S.  The appointment went extremely smooth and I was in and out of there within 15 mins, fastest baseline I have been to yet and I’ve done 17 of these.  I had one of the most competent people yet – she deserves an ICE comment!  She did find a fibroid, which made me super nervous because I have never had an issue before, but come to find out apparently Ive had it for awhile.  She looked back on my past u/s and saw the fibroid was recorded back in January, so its not new.  She said it is attached to the uterus, but growing out – not in – so I guess that is why I never knew about it, it really does not pose any issue.  She said it looks the same in size as it did in January, with no growth so I guess I have a little friend, might have to name my little fibroid!  Now just waiting for Dr. Sher to get the report and clear me.

 

After the U/S I ran over to the lab for my E2 draw, also a quick and easy in and out appointment.  Thankfully got a lab tech that had no issues sticking me because she hit oil on the first poke – yay, typically it takes a few pokes, my veins are a bit deceiving and people get to confidant too soon.   

Now hopefully tomorrow I will get a call from my nurse clearing me to start meds on Monday.