He handled the production of his "sample" for the semen analysis with grace and good humor and we headed on out so he could drop me at home and get down to the office. I hadn't asked when we could expect results of either test so I tried to put it all out of my mind while I researched regular OB/GYNs and primary care doctors. CCRM has asked me to get those annual exams up to date.
After hours of research and appointment making (and, ahem, a brief nap on the couch. oh, also laundry and dishes! see, I'm productive!) I got a call from our CCRM nurse, Elizabeth. My progesterone levels were already back and they looked "fantastic." I was strangely perplexed by the enthusiasm as she continued to explain that at my point in the cycle, 6 days past ovulation (dpo), they like to see above a 10 ng/mL and I came in at 26.7 ng/mL. You see, I was already thinking about how that could be bad news... had already anticipated poor results so that I'd have something to work with, something to correct... That number must be too high and there will be something I need to take in order to balance it out.
As I continued to probe more about what the levels mean, she more or less said that, no guarantees of course, but, I should take a preg test next week just in case. Progesterone is a hormone that will go higher and higher to sustain a pregnancy. It seems that a week after ovulation it should be slightly elevated and then taper off as the corpus luteum dies and stops producing the hormone. If there is a pregnancy, the corpus luteum continues to produce progesterone until the placenta is prepared to take over. Naturally, I went on a googling spree and found a lot of anecdotal evidence that puts most non-pregnant progesterone levels in the teens and a lot of non-pregnant women struggling with infertility somewhere between 6-9 ng/mL. But the bottom line of all of the googling is that every woman is so incredibly different that one hormone test compared to the test results of any other woman is rather meaningless. And taking it a step further, any one number in isolation should be considered simply "out of context" and not very helpful itself. Meaning, my result of 26.7 ng/mL is only relevant when compared to my own progesterone readings on 6 dpo at other months.
It is still completely plausible that they managed to take blood today at my peak of progesterone (and that my levels are just a touch higher than average for whatever reason). But there is also a small possibility that my body is trying to keep a little burrowing bunch of cells alive and well.
As I continued to probe more about what the levels mean, she more or less said that, no guarantees of course, but, I should take a preg test next week just in case. Progesterone is a hormone that will go higher and higher to sustain a pregnancy. It seems that a week after ovulation it should be slightly elevated and then taper off as the corpus luteum dies and stops producing the hormone. If there is a pregnancy, the corpus luteum continues to produce progesterone until the placenta is prepared to take over. Naturally, I went on a googling spree and found a lot of anecdotal evidence that puts most non-pregnant progesterone levels in the teens and a lot of non-pregnant women struggling with infertility somewhere between 6-9 ng/mL. But the bottom line of all of the googling is that every woman is so incredibly different that one hormone test compared to the test results of any other woman is rather meaningless. And taking it a step further, any one number in isolation should be considered simply "out of context" and not very helpful itself. Meaning, my result of 26.7 ng/mL is only relevant when compared to my own progesterone readings on 6 dpo at other months.
It is still completely plausible that they managed to take blood today at my peak of progesterone (and that my levels are just a touch higher than average for whatever reason). But there is also a small possibility that my body is trying to keep a little burrowing bunch of cells alive and well.
I'm trying so very hard to not get my hopes up. It is just so unlikely for this to be IT after all these perfectly timed but failed attempts. And regardless I'm already imagining it. Every twinge in my lower abdomen I think might be the magic happening. And I quickly try to dismiss it, reminding myself there have been a lot of months that I felt those little twinges and cramps with nothing to show.
So my strategy right now is to periodically remind myself that even yesterday I was completely on board with the process taking a few more months. I need to just let it be, let nature (or Dr. M!) take her course... And in the meantime I'll continue to be extra careful with my eating and consider this extra motivation to keep super healthy for future cycles.
No comments:
Post a Comment