Thursday, February 10, 2011

Mr. Big Shot

If Uterine updates are Too Much Information for you, than please disregard the rest of this post.

I have been accused of being pregnant. No. I wish. And believe, if I had such a miracle occur, I would be Praising God from the highest rooftops, and you all would KNOW. I think I waited all of two days after a positive pregnancy test with Sam before I announced it on the internet to all the world (or at least to the 5 of you that read). I can't keep a secret like that.

Back at the beginning of December, I popped over to my OBs office, because I was starting to have symptoms of Endometriosis returning, specifically I was bleeding every two weeks, and my cycles were getting Quite painful, like I want to just go to bed and wake up in a week. Well, the boys aren't going to let me do that, as you can imagine. Now for those that don't know, it took us 4 years of trial and error to figure out my problem with getting pregnant for us to Have Christopher. When we decided we were ready for another, we knew what worked, so we did the same treatment for Endometriosis, and combined with a lot of waiting, we had Sam about 16 months after treatment started. So, Sam was a downright Bargain having to only wait a year and 1700$. Really, I'm so blessed that we Know what my fertility problem is, and that we have a sort of fix.
In this rounds case, we hadn't really worked out for sure if we were going to Go For another baby or not. However, the endometriosis symptoms are just inconvenient. And really, it buys me a fairly cyclically peaceful year to just go forward with the lupron treatment.
Oh, what is Lupron? Well, it's a fabulously annoying drug that effectively puts my body into menopause. See Endometriosis is when you have uterine tissue (that bleeds monthly) outside of the uterus. How it gets there they don't really know. But when I had my laparoscopic surgery (exploratory) in November 2003, they found this 'stuff' almost like a mold growing on the outside of my uterus, ovaries, abdominal wall, and even on my colon. It's like a mold that thrives on estrogen. It wasn't the Worst case, but it's still not very good. So while my doctor was in there, he took a laser and zapped off what he could. Unfortunately, it's Very Bad to laser zap a colon, so he couldn't touch that. The other treatment is Lupron. And it puts your body into menopause and thereby starves it of estrogen. With no estrogen, the endo mold stuff just kind of dies off, and then your body can go back to normal. In my case the off cycle bleeding and terrible cramping disappeared, and my body started a 30 day cycle, for a few months, which had never happened in my life. And Poof, I got pregnant with Chris. We tried the same thing, and Poof, Sam! So, I guess we're going to go again. We may not go Poof again in a year, but at least I won't be bleeding for a week every two weeks, which is Uncool.


Have I mentioned I HATE insurance companies, and prescription companies for that matter? No? We'll Here's Why (for this month anyway)...

Back in December my OB ordered Lupron, last time, November of 2007, I did a three month $1700 shot (1 shot lasting 3 mos) course of treatment. Well, this time my new (well I've only had her for the last 3 years) wants to do a 6 month course of treatment. Ugh. That's a bummer, I thought, I'll be hot flashing into summer. Ugh.
But then she tosses out that she wants to put me on progesterone at the same time, that keeps the hot flashes to a minimum. Hot Dog! Hot flashes were really my only nasty symptom. No periods and no hot flashes for the bargain price 1700$, Sign me up!
Unfortunately, insurance and prescription companies are Dumb. Let's sum up: I called them three timess in December, first they wanted insurance info...for my payment, which would have been in full, if they'd gotten their shit together and sent it to me in December, because we had met our deductible. Fast forward to January, still have no drugs, still having painful periods. And I call to complain and demand my drugs be backdated because I shouldn't have to pay because they are dumb. No, "That's Insurance Fraud, we can't do that." GRRRR...

Don't use Carascripts.

So instead I have to pay $750 a month for the next 6 months for these drugs. Fine. We'll probably be hitting our deductible with Chris before this is all said and done, but still, that's A lot of Money. A Lot. Makes me mad. But then again, can you set a price limit on pain, or on even the possibility of another child? No. So I cave. And they send the drugs.
Well, two weeks ago, I get a call from FedEx asking for Dr. H, um, that's my old ob's name, but she doesn't live here. They say, they are trying to deliver the drugs to my current obs office, to the name of my old ob. Really? Good thing I live close, I just had them drive it to my house. But there was much flipping out, from me, from FedEx.
And Oh, did I call and complain. That's Twice, they've Messed up big.

So now, I have drugs, what the heck am I supposed to do with a syringe whose needle is as long as my pinky finger. I'm sure as heck not putting into my own back side...and neither is Eric.

AND by this time I'm waiting for another cycle to come about, because you know I wouldn't want to start the Treatment, on the off chance I might just be Miraculously Pregnant. Wouldn't you know, this was the first month in ages that a. I didn't bleed every two weeks, and b. I was slightly overdue. So just when I start entertaining the notion of being pregnant and not having to use this:



I started Monday. :(

I called yesterday (Wednesdays are my OBs day to be in Bburg) and they squeezed me in so the nurse could shoot me up. I guess it's a good thing, good that the next few months are going to be pain and hot flash free. But I still feel crappy. So please don't accuse me of being pregnant and not telling, I'm so far from pregnant it's not even funny. I'm in a bad mood, Stressed out and Sad.

On the up side, Chris was very proud of me, that I did not Cry. I didn't even feel it. There's a perk for a big bottom, can't even feel the giant needle go in, just a little burn. Chris told me I did a "good job" and that I should have a lollipop. Just so happened they had some, so we all left the doctor's office happily slurping away on lollipops. It must have been a while, because I didn't realize how scrumptious dum-dums can really be, particularly the Savannah Blueberry!

5 comments:

SuperSillyAunt said...

I'd say you deserve a lollipop! I sure hope you get some relief and don't have nasty side effects this time.

Jill said...

You do have more blog-stalkers out there than you think... This is Jill, Ben's sister. I do read regularly, and love when Bryn, Shay and Liam slip into pictures! I hope everything works out well for you, and if I was in the Indy area, I'd gladly be your nurse friend that shot the needle into your butt for you :)

Cathy said...

Thanks guys. And Jill, keep your eyes peeled, your kiddos have been highlighting the Valentine reel this week.

Seestor said...

God love Chris for knowing JUST the right things to say when you need to hear it - intuitive little bugger, ain't he? :) Hang in there, fingers crossed, and all that rot. Love you.

Rachel said...

So... hang in there, my friend. It always works out in the end.

Don't you hate when people say that kind of stuff? :)

Love ya!

And I offered to shoot you in the butt...