Finally Some Answers!

Sorry I haven't updated in so long, I have been so busy with work that I haven't had time for much else.

I want to forewarn you that this is a blog to help others with infertility, so if you don't want to read about womanly issues, you may want to stop here. I don't mean to be rude, but I do want to be real with people also. Being open and honest is the best way to help others.

So Bobby and I took a break from trying for quite awhile, I mean really, we were frustrated. After several years of no baby and no reason why it gets frustrating. I had always been so regular and honestly had never had the thought that I might have issues getting pregnant. After taking a break for quite awhile my friend Amber, who also struggled with infertility, told me about something called Mercier Therapy. She said there was a lady in Rogers, AR named Karen who did it and that it had a really high success rate of helping people with pcos, endometriosis, scar tissue, and a ton of others issues. I have always had horrible cramps for as long as I can remember, I wondered if it was endometriosis, but it can only be diagnosed with surgery. I really didnt want to have surgery, so i was hoping this could help. I called Karen and she told me she did free consultations, so I set up an appointment with her.

Bobby and I went to the consultation and both loved her. It was such a relaxing environment and she was very sweet. I set up my appointments with her over the next 6 weeks. After each appointment with Karen, I felt so much better. I used to have horrible period cramps, taking 4 ibuprofen every 4 hours and still being in pain for the first two days of my period. I dreaded if I started at work because I was miserable. After going to Karen, and the numerous months following Mercier Therapy, my cramps are pretty much nonexistent, no I'm not pregnant yet, but I also have others issues going on we just found out about a few months ago. Honestly though, to have relief from that pain was so worth it, I would cramp midcycle, several days before my period, and then really bad during my period. Now most of the time, I don't even notice I'm on my period! My friend Amber, had tried for several years to get pregnant (she has pcos) and was pregnant after just a few months of seeing Karen. It's been such a blessing to me to meet Karen. She has an amazing heart and truly wants to help others.

So...after seeing Karen she said everyone she had treated for infertilty had conceived within 6 months. When my friend Amber got pregnant after a few months of seeing her, I was thrilled for her, and myself..I was thinking anytime now it's gonna happen. Well, as you obviously know, it didn't happen in those 6 months. I remember talking to Karen when my cycle was all crazy and she asked me, are you sure you're ovulating? Several more months went by with some crazy cycles, and I remembered it was time for me to get a pap since I was long overdue for one. After going to fertility doctors so often I had gotten a little tired of it...so I kept putting off going for my pap. God has a perfect time for everything, and He has shown me answers when He is ready, not when I'm ready. This was another one of those times that God just worked out perfectly. Karen had told me she was concerned there may be some other issues we were missing, but we didn't know what. I was starting to feel hopeless again..ugh! So I booked my appointment with Stephanie Mallett in Harrison  with no intention of getting tests or answers, I was thinking maybe I just wasn't meant to have kids. God had others plans. Honestly I kinda felt like giving up. I have always wanted to be a mom, for as long as I can remember, and I know my husband would be the best dad ever, but it just wasn't working out..maybe I just needed to accept it. I've had those moments more than one time in the past four years, and God has always given me a reason to hope again. This time was no different.

I went for my appointment with Stephanie, and she already knew Bobby and I had issues with getting pregnant, she asked me if she could run some tests on me and I said sure. I honestly didn't think anything would come back abnormal, so I didn't think much more about it. Several days later I got a call from the nurse saying my thyroid labs had come back abnormal and I could come in that day to meet with Stephanie and she would talk to me about it.

Bobby and I went to see Stephanie that day and she told me I had an autoimmune thyroid disease called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. What? Haha, I had never even heard of it, much less knew what it was, or how it could affect my fertility. Stephanie did an amazing job of explaining it to me, pretty much my body makes antibodies that attack my own thyroid, killing it off over time. I have struggled with cold hands and feet, low energy, heart palpitation, gaining weight easily, and several other issues for many years, but never knew what it was. Stephanie told me it was all related to my Hashimoto's. She also said it could cause hormonal problems, lack of ovulation, and a few others things that could definitely cause fertility issues and that this very well could be my issue. Finally after 4 years someone was giving me an answer to what could be the problem! She put me on Armour thyroid and said we would have to do monthly labs and adjust my dose to get it to the right amount...the Armour is suppose to help lower thyroid antibodies once you're on the right dose, and that's what our goal is. We want to lower my antibodies so my thyroid isn't being attacked, if it can function properly then I can conceive.

I've been on my medicine for several months and so far my antibodies have been going up, not down. So each month we increase my dose until we get to the right amount that lowers my antibodies and helps my symptoms. I actually will go tomorrow for more labs so would appreciate prayers that this month my levels will have dropped.

This morning at church our pastor read a verse and it really encouraged me..

Hebrews 5:8 "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered"

God has a plan for our suffering, He has a plan for my years of not having kids, to learn to obey Him, and to love Him. To have compassion on others, to have a tender heart, and to help my husband and I to grow closer. So I am thankful for the trial. I'm also thankful when I'm tempted to give up hope, God always sends me some encouragement