Ready for Hormone Replacement Therapy

Appointment is scheduled for Monday *finally*. It's been a very long month feeling like shit and waiting for this appointment.

Doctor already said if my results showed POF she's recommending HRT's (hormone replacement therapy) and after reading other's stories and benefits, I agree with my doctor.

I don't usually do well with hormone based medications (birth control) but I am willing and hopeful that we will find something or somethings for me to take to finally start feeling more myself again.

Yesterday I requested my lab results so I could review them and do a bit of research before my appointment. When they hit my email this morning to say I was shocked at the results is an understatement. My levels are so high they are literally off the charts.

Again, did I mention I've been feeling like shit?

FSH is 160.6 and LH is 104.4

Those numbers are WAY above even the range of post menopausal women.

So here's to a great appt on Monday after an amazingly relaxing spa day with my bestie.

Also, I don't mind answering questions about whats going on with me as I am quite transparent about everything but there are days I just don't want to talk about it. If I want to talk about it I will def bring it up but some days I just feel like this is consuming so much of myself because of how shitty I feel and I'd rather talk about any and everything else.

Thanks for understanding and I'll be back on Monday with, hopefully, an update.

Premature Ovarian Failure

::blows dust off this old blog::

So it's been a few years since I've written. Jackson is now 4.5 and Nate turns 9 in a couple weeks. I have a very successful business and life has been going very well.

I've decided to begin writing about some new issues that have come up. Some of you have followed along on this blog during my infertility journey and pregnancy of Jackson. I was diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve back in 2013 and immediately began a cycle of IVF so that we could possibly get pregnant with any remaining 'good' eggs I had left. We did and it worked and we have been a very happy family of 4 since then.

So where does that leave me in 2019....6 years after this journey began.

I guess I'll start by going back to March of this year.

In March I began having some night sweats, brain fog and some irritability. I chalked it up to my birth control (funny, right? infertile ole me on birth control.... I just wanted to control my periods) since it's happened before and I've had to switch birth control types.

I talked with Mike and we decided we would stop the birth control after that month and talk to the doc about a new type at my appt in June.

So, in April I stopped my birth control and started a very light cycle. 28 days later I awaited aunt flo but she never came. In a panic I had Mike get me a pregnancy test. I mean, it's not totally uncommon for infertile people to become pregnant. The test was negative. Day 29...30...31...came and went.

During these times my night sweats have gotten increasingly worse. They've turned into hot flashes that happen all day all night. Along with some other unfortunate things, I took to trusty google to tell me what my problem was. I went on to Google search "34 year old menopause" and came up with pages of reasons why someone who is only 34 years old would not be going through menopause. It has to be something else according to the google.

Problem is I knew that my symptoms were the beginning of menopause (peri) I just couldn't find any other resources out there that I could read a similar situation. So I guess thats why I am doing that today. If someone stumbles onto my site (and I see that is still happening when looking at my analytics) I want someone who had diminished ovarian reserve and symptoms of early menopause to know that there is another situation just like yours.

I digress....

I went into my OBGYN appt on Tuesday (cycle day 56) ready for my doctor to tell me there was no way I was going through menopause. I mean, I LOVE my doc. She is literally the kindest most understanding doctor I've had and yet my brain automatically went to the fact that she wouldn't beleive me because the internet said it wasn't likely.

She came into the room asking about my boys, sat down in her seat and asked me how I was doing.
And. I. Just. Word. Vomited.
I told her about the night sweats, hot flashes, brain fog and other unmentionable symptoms. I told her about the familial history of early menopause on my mom's side of the family. I told her about the diminished ovarian reserve and how I thought that could be a link to what was going on.

And she sat and listened and took notes. When I was done she looked up and said 'we need to do some blood work I believe you have premature ovarian failure'.

Premature ovarian failure is menopause before 40 and it happens to about 1% of the female population.
Premature Ovarian Failure

Today the blood word came back and the office called me. The nurse on the other line sounded hesitant as she said 'the doctor would like for you to schedule an appt to talk to her. your blood work came in and you have premature ovarian failure'.

And so here we are. 34 years old and going through menopause.

Next month I will meet with the doctor to discuss treatment options. I'm sure you've all heard of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) which she is suggesting. She said because of my young age I am at high risk for osteoporosis, among other things, if left 'untreated'.
ACOG info on HRTs

So I guess I will continue to blog as this stage of my life unfolds. And maybe someone who has a similar situation in the future will get something out of it...a bit of knowledge or understanding.