Thursday, April 09, 2009

Back To Our Normally Scheduled Program Of Fertility Issues

I was on my way to the gym this morning (mission: make my kids' boundless energy/inability to play nicely together someone else's problem!) when my phone rang. It was my ob's office, which of course made my heart skip a beat as I wasn't EXPECTING a call from them. It was about some blood work the doctor had asked me to have done when I was there two weeks ago. You remember, when I was having my giant cyst discovered! She had been scanning through my file and made a little tsk-tsk noise, then handed me some papers to take to the pathology lab. No big deal, she said, just a screening they generally do after subsequent miscarriages to make sure there isn't some blood disorder which causes blood clots in the placenta and could be an explanation for repeated miscarriages. She said I should have had it done months ago but it must have slipped through the cracks. She also said she really doubted that was my problem, though, given all my other hormonal issues, but thought I should go ahead and have it done to "dot our i's and cross our t's."

I got it done last week (seven vials of blood!) and then forgot about it, as they told me it took several weeks to get the results, generally. But they called today and said, surprise! You actually have TWO clotting factor disorders. One makes you more prone to getting blood clots yourself, and the other is the one that makes you high risk for miscarrying. But that was really all the nurse on the phone could tell me. She set up an appointment for me to talk to my doctor first thing Monday morning, and that was it.

I don't even know what to think. I mean, I carried half of my pregnancies to term, so obviously this clotting thing isn't inevitably fatal. Nor have I ever had a blood clot myself, despite having been on bedrest twice, which supposedly puts you at risk for clots even if you don't have a problem with them ordinarily. And... And I thought it was a HORMONAL problem that caused my miscarriages. I mean, hasn't that pretty much been determined? So what does this mean- I now have two problems stacking the odds against a successful pregnancy?

I don't even know what to think. I guess I shouldn't think much of anything until I talk to the doctor on Monday. But feelings are another story, and I'm feeling pretty discouraged.

19 comments:

Jess said...

Oh MAN. If it were me I would totally pretend the whole thing hadn't happened, at least until talking to the doctor. I mean, obviously you are CAPABLE of having healthy babies. Just because you know something now that you didn't know before doesn't mean that anything has actually CHANGED. You know? You WILL have another healthy baby. Hopefully soon!

Nowheymama said...

Why oh why do nurses always call with this information before the weekend--a long weekend no less?

Shannon said...

Ughhhhh...I know of lots of people with clotting disorders and there are LOTS of things that can be done to help prevent them from happening and for you to go on with a successful pregnancy. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!!

The Gori Wife said...

Hey - ANYthing that helps figure out what's going on is GOOD NEWS! They have things to help with blood disorders, plenty of women take blood thinners and other stuff like that to help them have healthier pregnancies. Maybe this discovery will make your journey to the next baby that much quicker!

Hillary said...

Oh dear. That's just rotten of the nurse to dump a load of vague information on you. Positive thoughts. As you said, you've carried half your pregnancies to term. You'll carry another one.

Anonymous said...

GAH! It should be ILLEGAL to give someone that kind of information on a Thursday or Friday when they KNOW you're going to have to wait at least the weekend before you can get any solid feedback from the doctor.

I'm going to take the positive approach here (because it's easy to do it for you and turn around and wallow in self-pity for myself!) and say that if they found a possible cause for your fertility issues than that must mean they'll be able to better treat you and therefore, MORE BABIES!

See how I'm all optimistic and stuff? Can you come over to my blog and hork up rainbows in my comments for me? kthanx.

Swistle said...

Okay, totally wrong of her to call you with that teaser when you can't see the doctor until Monday. WRONG.

Mary O said...

Ugh. I hope you get a better idea of what's going on after Monday. No fair to have to worry all weekend, though. I'm sure you will get right past all of this and on to a healthy baby soon!

d e v a n said...

Man. I wish she hadn't called you till Monday. Hopefully, they have a magic little pill that will correct any clotting issues?
((hug))

Jessica said...

I guess you will need to eat many chocolate bunnies and marshmallow peeps this weekend to distract yourself.

Sorry about the news :(

Chelle said...

I'm with everyone who thinks that this news could have waited for Monday-Mondays suck as a general rule, anyway.

Hang in there :)

Shelly said...

Wow, how considerate of them to call on Thursday and get you all worried and then set up your appointment for Monday! Have a nice weekend!

Seriously, that is tough. I hope that your appointment on Monday is INFORMATIVE and that you get a clearer picture of what is going on and causing your miscarriages.

Jill said...

A friend of mine has the same problem, and it sucks that you found another risk factor BUT I guess it's good that they found one more way to help you get pregnant and stay that way? Hopefully? But yes, couldn't this have waited until someone with actual information could talk to you? Sheesh.

RachelAnn said...

I'm sorry hun....that sucks. I'll be praying that it's not as serious as she made it sound. Love you sis.

Joanna said...

I also have a friend with a clotting problem that caused a miscarriage (her first pregnancy). She has now had three healthy babies and no miscarriages since; they do give her blood thinners until she starts seeing signs of labor or (twice) they induce to be safe.

Katy said...

I know you can have a perfectly fine pregnancy with a clotting issue, but I think they need you to take blood thinners.

BUT!!!

Please, please, please find out if you should still be taking those birth control pills b/c I don't think people with clotting disorders are supposed to!

Mommy Daisy said...

Wow, like you need one more thing to worry about. I'm sure it will all work out though!

artemisia said...

I am so sorry. What news! I do hope your appointment with your doctor helps with some questions, if not your feelings, too.

Astarte said...

Oh, NO. STINK.

I think only doctors should call with this kind of news. Getting a half story sucks, and they KNOW it. I mean, now you have even more questions than you did before, and you're twice as nervous! ARGH!