2010 Recap and Goals for 2011

 

2010

Other stuff (Not as much as TTC. It seems that my life is consumed by it. Hopefully I will remember some more stuff to add here. I started out with two items and then decided I had to add more.)

• Traveled down to see the national Shrine of St. Gerard. (hmm never posted about that either)
  

                                                


My furbaby Thor, went to heaven. We had him for about 8 years. He was great.He loved to come out of his cage and run around. He loved carrots.

• Went kayaking on  a river for the first time. We did a four hour long trip. It was awesome and so peaceful. Just the two of us going down this long river in the middle of trees. A welcome break from all the insanity.(hmm I never posted about that one. Maybe I should)

Had a great harvest from my garden.Raspberries, Tomatoes, and green beans.

•  Donated my hair to Pantene beautiful lengths and got a really nice letter back from them.
• Made almost $500 dollars on Teachers Pay Teachers. It is really an honor to have other teachers pay to download the materials I made.  I keep my prices down as low as I can but still make a profit . I spend a lot of time making the items that I post and it does take time to post them.
• I hand made a blanket for my napro Dr who had his 4th child. I love to crochet blankets. I learned from my mother. I should make a post about them and include the photos. I am working on new one right now.
• Decided to get off of dairy. I was mostly successful. I only broke down and had some on a few occasions. 

TTC

• Started Napro This was wonderful because a few months earlier I was told by the RE that nothing else could be done except IVF and I had unexplained infertility.
• Had surgery number 4: Laproscopic  and found out that my Endo came back and was worse than it was a year ago when the RE lasered it out.
• Had surgery number 5 which was Laparotomy #2 to remove all endo. This one was a piece of cake compared to the first one. What a difference the dr makes. 

• Discovered that I have LUFS. Spent the rest of the year trying to find treatment but nothing worked. Then at the end I found a research study from Japan that looked promising. My Dr was very uneasy about trying something experimental. So I spent a lot of time looking for a Dr who would try.
• Just when everything looked like I was at the end of my journey, I discovered a new forum about reproductive immunology and saw the name of a Dr who works with G-CSF. I sent him a letter a few days ago and will hopefully start treatment with him soon.
• Joined the yahoo catholic infertility forum. Thank you to all the wonderful ladies on there who have shown me great support and are always there to answer questions. There are so many wonderful women on there, I cannot keep track.
• I met some great women on the Fertility Ties forum last year. There are seven of us in the group.Two of the women had babies this year, one is pregnant now, and two of them are in the process of adoption.
• I started this blog last spring. At first I started out with a desire to just list information about napro and try to help others in my situation. After months of disappointment, I started to come out of my shell and talk about some of my personal feelings. I still hold most of them back, but this has been a great way to get my feelings out.
• I have met many great women becuase I have signed up to follow their blogs. It has been a privilege  to follow their stories of infertility, pregnancy, or daily life. Some of them now have babies and I look forward to reading about them and seeing pictures.

 Goals for 2011

• work with the reproductive immunology Dr in cooperation with my Napro Dr and finally get the correct treatment.
• know the right path to take whether it be to continue with treatments, file for adoption, or both.
• focus on being healthy with exercise and diet.
• spend more quality time with my DH and enjoy our lives.

What a rollercoaster ride!

Oh man where to start? My life is one huge roller coaster. Yesterday I went in for my P+7 bw. I did not take any triggers this month, so I know that it would not be ideal. WHen I got the results my heart sank. I usally have progesterone around 15. This time is was 3.5 OUCH REALLY? The only other time it near that level was August when I also did not take the trigger. So maybe the triggers actually did  something? but then I never got pregnant so they did not do enough. My estrogen was also really low 25!!! SO I got really depressed and did the two things I do when I get bad news. I eat junk and then I spend all day doing Internet research. Yesterday I found nothing and gave up. Today I sat here for about 3 hours straight-no lie and finally found something good! Oh man so now my pulse is racing and I am up again.....I am used to being up and down so I try to enjoy the up before I crash again.

I found a yahoo forum based on reproductive immunology. There were many posts about using G-csf! This is the drug from that study in Japan that said it can cure LUFS, the one my Dr is too chicken to try. So I started to read all the posts. Most of the interest was using the drug to prevent implantaion failure, but there was a huge interest. At first everyone lamented over the fact that no dr would use this drug.  Then there was a woman who found a dr, used the treatment, and got pregenat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy Cow. This Dr is in NYC. I checked out his webpage. The only downside is that he does do IVF, but I won't do that with him. I just want his to give me the drug that might cure me..........
So now I am trying to calm down and not be too impulsive. My current Dr who I love and have been with this whole year has been dragging his heels. Do I contact this new Dr first or wait to see what my  current dr says? Oh man. I cannot wait....
I am so excited!!!!!!!!!!!

New Articles Written About Napro Technology

I just found some new articles written about Napro Technology.

12/26/10 Families Gather to Celebrate Life PPVI Institute     Catholic Voice Online
   9/3/10 Bishops Urged to Support NaProTechnology         Zenit
    9/3/10 Paul VI Institute Founder Asks, Why Me?            Zenit 

    9/9/10 Conference: In Vitro Isn't the Only Option            Zenit

  9/23/10 Technology and Truth                                         Catholic New York

Gianna Healthcare Center for Women at Saint Peter’s University Hospital:

The Gianna Healthcare Center for Women at Saint Peter’s University Hospital (New Jersey) is now open.
http://www.saintpetershcs.com/GiannaCenter/
New Hope for infertility Flyer
Brochure

Gianna – The Catholic Healthcare Center for Women
254 Easton Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732-565-5490
Fax: 732-792-3038
www.saintpetershcs.com/giannacenter

Hair Donation

Last month I donated 9 inches of my hair. It took me a year and a half to grow it long it enough. Since all the disappointment and sadness of not being able to have a baby, I set out a while back with this goal in mind. I wanted to be able to have some control over my body and be able to help others in need. It was easy at first, but then towards the end, I had to struggle with not cutting it. It was too long to manage and I really felt the sacrifice I was making for another person.
Today I received a letter from Pantene, where I sent my hair. It was so nice to know that they got it and that they were able to use it. Here is a copy of the letter.
************************************************************************************
On behalf of Pantene Beautiful Lengths, with heartfelt appreciation, we thank you for giving so selflessly of yourself to women who are faced with hair loss from cancer treatment.
Your healthy ponytail will help give self confidence back to a special woman who is battling cancer so that she can fight the disease with a little more dignity. Your generosity is touching and we hope it will inspire many others to make the kindest cut of all.
As you may already know, it takes roughly six ponytails to make one Pantene Beautiful Lengths wig. Your donation will be joined with five others and transformed into a high-qua1lty,Real-hair wig"by HairUWear®, our campaign partner and the leading global producer of real-hair wigs and extensions.
We are also honored to work closely with the American Cancer Society®. The American Cancer Society distributes Pantene Beautiful Lengths wigs, at no cost, to female cancer patients, through its extensive network of nationwide wig banks. If you are interested in finding out more about this program and the incredible difference that it is making, please visit www.beautifullengths.com.
Together, we can help bring some joy into the lives of women living with cancer.
Kind Regards,
Pantene Beautiful Lengths

My Birthday and other stuff

My 34th birthday was on Friday. I was dreading it for a while. When you are struggling with IF, every birthday means that your eggs are one year older too. So when the day finally came, it turned out that I actually enjoyed it. My students found out and were all excited that it was my birthday. They made me little signs and cards. They are so filled with joy for birthdays, how could I be sad? My dh gave me some nice presents and we went out to eat. It was nice to spend time together and just relax. I had a temporary break from the madness that I am drowning in.
No new news on the TTC front:
I decided to not go in for any more US this month. I am not taking the triggers bc they do not work. This is the first month in a long time that I am not doing OPK. I am still doing my charts. So I am slowing down, but I cannot just give up yet.
I am starting to get the feeling that the RE blew me off. It has been about 3 weeks since I wrote him. I am giving him a month and then I am going to make an apt to see him. I also have to see if my napro Dr is going to officially turn me down for that new treatment or not. He told me to talk to him after Christmas. So more waiting. This has been the longest month ever.

UGHH

It has been two weeks since I wrote my RE about that Treatment. It seems like so much longer. I have not heard back. MY DH says no news is good news. I have no idea if this DR is even in the office and has seen my letter or not. So uggggghhh on that. I decided to give it a month and then request a phone consultation after the new year to discuss this.
There has also been some drama with my ovary. I went to the clinic for a CD4 scan. She said the mass on my ovary was bigger. It looked bigger to me, but it is hard to eyeball size. So I spoke to my napro Dr. I am still getting it remeasured next month at a real US place to see if it grew. It not then yeah it is most likely a hemorrhagic cyst. If it got bigger then it might be a tumor. He said that infertile women can just get tumors and it does not mean cancer. The problem is if it keeps growing then I will have to have another surgery to take it out.....I have had 5 so far. I do not want anymore. He is also having me take a blood test for ovarian cancer antibodies just to see. He said that having endo could make the number higher than zero so this test may not tell us anything.
So here I am waiting like always. Waiting to hear back from the RE, waiting to see what is going on with my ovary.
I am not taking any triggers this month. We have come to the sad conclusion that they do not work. So unless I am able to try that other med from Japan my journey is over.

Waiting to find a Dr to take a chance on me.

I have gotten used to waiting. Waiting over 3 years to have a baby. Waiting every month in the 2ww.
Now I am in limbo and I am having a very hard time waiting because I do not know how long I have to wait to find out one way or the other. I contacted my RE by letter last week. I asked him to treat me with the medicine I found in that study from Japan. He has not gotten back to me yet. My current Napro Dr. told me to talk to him about it in January, but he is still undecided.
So here I am waiting to see if there is a Dr willing to take a chance to try this medicine. A medicine that may not even solve my problem. I can't believe that I have to put so much effort into getting someone to take a chance on me. If these two say no, then I have to keep looking for someone else. This will be the last thing I could try before giving up and accepting defeat.

Food Court Flash Mob Singing Hallelujah

Pro-Life Events scheduled for November & December 2010 in the Capital District

 WORLD PRAYER VIGIL FOR PRE-BORN HUMAN LIFE

In an unprecedented request, Pope Benedict XVI has asked the faithful throughout the world to pray during the Season of Advent for our preborn brothers and sisters who are in danger of abortion. In keeping with the Holy Father’s request  to pray for a renewed commitment and witness to the Gospel of Life there will be a SPECIAL EUCHARISTIC PRAYER SERVICE FOR PRE-BORN HUMAN LIFE on

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27^TH

1.     St. Madeleine Sophie Church, 3500 Carman Road, Guilderland, from 1 PM to 2 PM

(Call St. Madeleine Sophie Respect Life coordinator at 518-355-5919 for details.)

2.     Our Lady Queen of Peace Church (formerly Our Lady of the Assumption),

210 Princetown Road, Rotterdam, from 7 PM to 8 PM. (Call 518-346-4926 for details.)

3.     St. Joseph Church, Main St., Broadalbin, from 1PM to 3PM.

4.     St. Mary Church, 31 Elm St., Cooperstown, from 11 AM. to 12:00 Noon.

5.     St. Anthony Church, Nott & Seward, Schenectady, 5:00PM, following the vigil mass

NATIONAL ALL NIGHT PRAYER VIGIL FOR LIFE

The National Night of Prayer for Life bridges the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe to honor the Blessed Mother and to pray through her intercession for a return to the Culture of Life.  Area parishes participating are:

1.     St. Madeleine Sophie Church, 3500 Carman Road, Guilderland, from 10:00PM on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8th to 1:00AM on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9th. Prayer Service includes Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. (Call St. Madeleine Sophie Respect Life coordinator at 518-355-5919 for details.)

2.     St. Pius X Church, 23 Crumitie Road, Loudonville, from 8:00PM on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8^th TO 12:15AM on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9^th. (Call Mary Dooley at 518-463-7575 for details.)

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

CANDLE LIGHT PRAYER VIGIL AND CHRISTMAS CAROL SING

Sunday, December 12^th from 4:00PM  to 5:00PM on the public sidewalk in front of the Planned Parenthood, 1040 State Street, Schenectady.  Please bring candles or a flashlight.  Sponsored by the Ave Maria Network. 

EUCHARISTIC HOLY HOUR FOR LIFE

St. Gabriel Church, 3040 Hamburg Street, Rotterdam, Tuesday, December 21st from 7:00PM to 8:00PM.  Please come pray with us for a return to the Culture of Life.  Prayer Service includes Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.   This Holy Hour for Life is held every month on the THIRD TUESDAY of the month.

PUBLIC PRAYER VIGIL FOR LIFE

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 26^th (Black Friday), 11:00AM to 12:00 NOON, on the public sidewalk in front of Colonie Center Shopping Mall, Central Avenue (Route 5) in Albany.  Your prayerful witness is a message of love and hope to the community that all human life is sacred. All are welcome. Signs will be provided by Citizens Concerned for Human Life. Please contact 518-355-2959 if you need more information.

Please feel free to post and share.

November 2010

The treatment plan this month:

Biaxin for CD 1-10 for both of us. Mucinex starting CD11. Get US scans to track follicle development and then take trigger shot at maturity. The trigger is actually 3 shots. One 10,000 units of HCG and Two amps of menopur.Post peak PIO shots again. They really seem to be working in making the unruptured cysts go down. (This is a big step forward) I am also getting that mass on my ovary checked out and DH is getting two  tests done.
Start of the cycle: 
 Everything going fine. CD 4 US showed no residual cysts. I got that mass checked out. It appears to be a hemorrhagic cyst. From what I have read, these things are persistent and can take months to go away. I will get it rescanned it a few months to recheck its size. DH got his tests done without any drama. We did a regular count and then the DNA fragmentation test. Still waiting for results.
Mid Cycle:
US showed two follicles maturing. This is interesting because I have not taken any stims. I guess this goes with my wacky ovaries, LUFS, and cysts. At CD 14 they were 15 and 16. So I had to go back after a few days to check on them. On CD17 they were 17 and 19. So I took the triggers the next day. This is the first month that I took HCG as a trigger. In the past I took ovidrel. I will go back in a few days to see if it worked.

End of cycle: 

Went back for the US P+4. The follies were still there, but much larger. UGHHHHHH The Dr. called me today and we spoke in length about the frustration of nothing working. He told me to take the next month off from meds and call him after Christmas. I asked him again about trying that med from the research study in Japan. He did not call the Dr yet. I took this as a bad sign. He said that he needs to talk to other drs to make sure that he will not get in trouble.ughhhhhhhhh So after I hung up, I cried because now I am at the end of the road. There are no other options left for me. He said maybe after Christmas, but I am starting to doubt it. After I hit rock bottom, I decided that I am not ready to quit. I am still a patient at my RE even though my NAPRO dr has been calling the orders for the past year. I decided to write him a letter and give him a copy of the research and see what he says. After that I might write Dr. Hiilgers, and after that I thought about writing the Dr in Japan to see if he can write the script of knows any us DR that would........ I AM STILL FIGHTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BW came back. I had to do p+10 becuase of the holiday. P15.6 and E 52. Took a test on P+14 and it was negative.

Congratulations to Archbishop Dolan

Archbishop Dolan is a supporter of the Gianna Center in NYC. He was just elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Tuesday in Baltimore.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/17/us/17bishops.html
Here is an excerpt from the article.
"In a surprise move, the bishops that lead the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, elected Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York to be their president on Tuesday, rejecting the conference’s more liberal vice president. It was the first time in history that the bishops had not voted to elevate the vice president to the president’s post, affirming a conservative turn among the bishops."

Pope Benedict Calls for Worldwide Prayer Against Abortion November 27.

Read the full article here http://www.lifenews.com/2010/11/11/int-1681/

Pope Benedict XVI has issued what Catholic pro-life advocates are calling an unprecedented request for prayers worldwide from all pro-life people against abortion.

The head of the Catholic Church will begin Advent by celebrating a solemn “Vigil for all nascent human life” at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, November 27.
The call is not limited to Catholics as the Pope is asking that “all Diocesan Bishops (and their equivalent) of every particular church preside in analogous celebrations involving the faithful in their respective parishes, religious communities, associations and movements.”

Mary McClusky, the Special Projects Coordinator at the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, says the call is especially important at a time when attacks on the dignity and worth of human life seem to be at an all-time high.

“At this moment in history, when societies are now endorsing the killing of humans as a perceived solution to social, economic, and environmental problems, the Holy Father is reminding us of the necessity and power of prayer to protect human life,” she said. “Despite the challenge of these events being held on Thanksgiving weekend in the United States, Catholics should not miss this opportunity to pray for unborn life.”

She said the Pope’s call “may help increase awareness among family and friends about abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and other threats to children in their earliest days and weeks of life” while women who have had abortions “may be inspired to learn more, or to begin a much-needed conversation about healing from a past abortion.”

Yes, Catholics can get a sperm test done that complies with church policy

You can get a sperm test done without going against the church. You can use a perforated, non spermicide, non lubed condom. I got mine from my doctor, but you can also order them online. This month were are getting two tests done. We just did the first one, which is the basic everyday lab test. This one measures sperm count, mobility, and shape.
Next we are getting a DNA fragmentation test done. This is a special test that you have to order from South Dakota. It came in a plain discrete box. You get a canister shipped to you that will freeze the sample for shipment.  Then you collect the sample at home and  put it into some vials with a pipette. Lower it into the tank and ship it back. So far I have been very satisfied. It came on time today just like it said it would. The box was plain. This was important becuase I had to get it sent to my job due to a signature requirement. Inside the box, were great instructions. They even included the zip ties, return label, and packing tape needed to send back the tank. In a week we will get the results.
****Test results came back. 5% fragmentation which is great. They said that less than 15% was excellent.****

http://www.scsadiagnostics.com/

IVF opened 'wrong door' to treating infertility, says Vatican official

You can read the full article here http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1004064.htm
By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- While honoring one of the inventors of in vitro fertilization with the Nobel Prize for Medicine recognizes his contribution to human reproduction, it ignores the ethical consequences of his opening "the wrong door" in the fight against infertility, said the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

British scientist Robert Edwards, a retired professor at the University of Cambridge, England, was named the Nobel winner Oct. 4 for the development of in vitro fertilization.

His work led to the birth in 1978 of Louise Brown, the world's first "test-tube baby."

In a press release, the award committee said: "Approximately 4 million individuals have so far been born following IVF. Many of them are now adult and some have already become parents. A new field of medicine has emerged, with Robert Edwards leading the process all the way from the fundamental discoveries to the current, successful IVF therapy. His contributions represent a milestone in the development of modern medicine."

Msgr. Ignacio Carrasco de Paula, head of the Pontifical Academy for Life, said he recognized that Edwards "ushered in a new and important chapter in the field of human reproduction in which the best results are visible to everyone, beginning with Louise Brown."

However, "without Edwards there wouldn't be a market for oocytes (immature egg cells), without Edwards there wouldn't be freezers full of embryos waiting to be transferred in utero or, more likely, to be used for research or to die abandoned and forgotten by everyone," the monsignor said in a written statement released by the Vatican press office Oct. 4.

The written statement came after Msgr. Carrasco spoke with the Italian news agency, ANSA, and said the Nobel committee's selection of Edwards was "completely out of place."

The extraction and trade of human eggs and the number of frozen embryos that end up being abandoned or left to die all represent "a problem for which the newly awarded Nobel winner is responsible," the monsignor told ANSA.

A few hours after the ANSA interview appeared, the Vatican issued a statement saying his comments, which were made in response to journalists' questions, represented Msgr. Carrasco's personal opinion and did not represent the pontifical academy.

In the statement released later by the Vatican, Msgr. Carrasco said while Edwards presented a whole new approach to the problem of infertility, "he opened the wrong door from the moment in which he focused everything on in vitro fertilization," which also meant he implicitly permitted people to turn to donations and a buyers-and-sellers market "that involves human beings."

By focusing so much research and action on the in vitro method, Edwards did not confront the pathological causes or epidemiological aspects of infertility, he said.

A more ethical and effective solution to the "serious problem" of infertility is waiting in the wings with methods that are also less expensive, he said.

The Vatican-based International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations also expressed its dismay about the Nobel committee's announcement.

"Although IVF has brought happiness to the many couples who have conceived through this process, it has done so at an enormous cost. That cost is the undermining of the dignity of the human person," said the federation's president, Jose Simon Castellvi.

The IVF process has created and discarded millions of embryos that have been treated and used "as experimental animals destined for destruction," he said in a written declaration Oct. 5.

"This use has led to a culture where (embryos) are regarded as commodities, rather than the precious human individuals which they are," he wrote.

"As Catholic doctors we recognize the pain that infertility brings to a couple, but equally we believe that the research and treatment methods needed to solve the problems of infertility have to be conducted within an ethical framework which respects the special dignity of the human embryo, which is no different from that of a mature adult with a brilliant mind," he wrote.

Meanwhile, Lucio Romano, president of the Italian association Science and Life, told Vatican Radio Oct. 4 that Edwards did make a huge mark on modern science because he took techniques used for breeding livestock and applied them to human beings.

But "this absolutely does not represent progress for the human person," said Romano, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Frederick II University in Naples, Italy.

Awarding the Nobel to Edwards, he said, ignores all the ethical problems connected with IVF, in which human eggs are removed from a woman and fertilized in a laboratory. The fertilized eggs are implanted in a woman's uterus with the hope the pregnancy will progress normally from that point. Usually, multiple eggs are fertilized at once with only a select few being implanted.

A 2008 document on bioethics issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith repeated earlier Vatican condemnations of in vitro fertilization because it separates procreation from the conjugal act in marriage, and because in practice unused embryos are often discarded, thus violating the principle that "the human being is to be respected and treated as a person from the moment of conception."

- - -

Contributing to this story was Cindy Wooden at the Vatican.

Possible Treatment for LUFS

I have LUFS, which is Luteinized Unruptured Follicle Syndrome. With this condition, I have normal 28 cycles. I have normal BBT rises. I get a positive OPK. I even get a progesterone level over 15, at 7DPO. It all makes it look like I am normal. BUT I do not actually ovulate. My follicle does not pop.This is why the RE told me there was nothing wrong with me and IVF was the only way to go.
I came across this LUFS treatment Article on the internet. It was written two years ago by a DR.  in Japan. Here is my summary on it becuase the article is very complicated to read. Right before ovulation there is an increase in some type of white blood cells. This  reacts with  the follicle wall. It makes it thinner, so that when you get the LH surge it will pop open. This makes complete sense for me. I can grow a normal follicle on my own, but they never pop. THis medicine is supposed to increase your white blood cells to provide the missing reaction.
 I was very excited to have an option to pursue becuase it seems that everything else has failed. I emailed the Dr in Japan and he emailed me back the next day. He is still doing the research and now has a 90% success rate. I asked my Dr about it. He said that he never heard of it before. He is going to call the Dr in Japan and ask him about the research and then he will consider treating me with it....... I am so excited that I may finally have a real treatment after 3.5 years of infertility........
I am pasting the response from the Dr in Japan below...
__________________________________________________________________________________
     Thank you very much for your interest in my research!

     If your LUFS is not caused by severe adhesion of around ovaries due to endometriosis, pelvic surgeries, etc, the treatment using G-CSF is effective at the rate of more than 90 %.  The number of our clinical trial reached to 70 cycles and the effective rate is more than 90%.
We will publish the new paper in English regarding our clinical trial, when the numbers of the cycle reach to 100 cycles.

     G-CSF is widely used in the field of cancer treatment to increase the number of Granulocytes.  In the USA, it is marketed by Amgen with the brand name Neupogen (filgrastim), although we are using another type of G-CSF, lenograstim.  There are no differences between them.

     In our country, we can use any drug for any purpose, if patient gives her doctor an informed consent.
I don't know the situation in the USA.  If the situation is the same, you can receive G-CSF treatment by your doctor.
Until today, we have no side effects of G-CSF in our clinical trial.
If your doctor has more questions, I am willing to answer his questions.

     Thank you again for your interest!

     with best regards,

     Yours sincerely,



********************************************
Satoru Makinoda, M.D.
Professor and Chairman
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Kanazawa Medical University
Uchinada
920-0293 Japan
E-mail:mak@kanazawa-med.ac.jp
Tel.:+81-76-218-8142
Fax.:+81-76-286-2629
********************************************

Sperm DNA Fragmentation Screening

Here is some information about sperm DNA fragmentation screening
from http://www.scsadiagnostics.com/

For trying-to-conceive (TTC) couples and their doctors, the SCSA test is the original and Gold Standard for sperm DNA fragmentation screening that delivers a highly accurate measure of male reproductive health. Because the SCSA analysis was pioneered, patented and tested for over 25 years by the founder and president of SCSA Diagnostics of Brookings, South Dakota, only SCSA Diagnostics can be trusted to provide accurate and time tested results. International medical literature states that SCSA is the ONLY sperm DNA fragmentation test that has an established clinically significant threshold to helping you determine sperm DNA health.

October 2010: The first month with no cysts!!!!!!!

 I discovered that the B6 the Dr put me on made my condition worse. B6 made me grow more follies and made them large and stick around. I started to get a traffic jam in there and the cysts were staying from one cycle to the next. I went off the B6 and things returned to normal. Well normal for me.

Oct 2010: No TEBB thanks to Biaxin Yeah CD3 NO CYSTS  for the first time. YEAH Thanks to the PIO shot. So I guess the agonizing pain was worth it. The weird thing on my right ovary is still there.......CD13, follie on the left is getting close to 20mm. Took the ovidrel and menopur triggers on CD15. CD18 us showed the follie was still there and it was 23mm. My Peak+7 BW was great P20 and E193
I took the PIO shots on P+3, 5, 7,9 without any problems. I found a great cartoon butt to show my husband where to inject. He did great and I had no pain.

A New Article About the Gianna Center from Faith and Family

Here is a new article about the Gianna Center
Faith and Family Article About the Gianna Center

September 2010

Sept 2010: No TEBB. thanks to Biaxin Yeah! CD 3, some big cysts were still there. =( CD 15, us showed a nice follie in the middle of the cysts. The Dr told me to trigger. I was surprised. I added menopur to the ovidrel in the hopes that the extra LH in the menopur would help. CD18, us showed follicle collapsing, but unsure of what that means. He had me take a PIO shot the night before, so maybe that affected things.  Blood work was P: 31.9 and E 521  The nurse saw something solid on my right ovary and did not know what it was. UGH.....

PIO shots

In September, my dr ordered an Intramuscular PIO shot for the first time. My husband gave it to me and injected me in the wrong spot. He got too close to my sciatic nerve. I had severe leg pain and I could barely walk. It was a deep muscle/ligament pain that stopped my leg from functioning. It was not just a sore muscle ache.  I was limping for two weeks. I could not cross my legs, I could not get into the car without crying, it hurt so bad to swing my leg over. I want to warn you, if you are going to take these shots, to make sure that you get the right spot.So here is a great picture of a cartoon butt, that shows the correct spots. This is for medical/educational purposes.

Gianna Center Special, 2 WEEKS ONLY:

2 WEEKS ONLY:  September 7-17 The Gianna Catholic Healthcare Center for Women is offering free initial infertility and recurrent miscarriage consultations.
For more information or to schedule your appointment, visit www.giannahealth.org or call 212-481-1219.

• Review your  medical history
• Learn about the NaProTECHNOLOGY(TM) approach to treating infertility & recurrent pregnancy loss
• Develop your treatment plan based on your charts.
• Discuss anticipated out-of-pocket costs

Book your appointment online now at: http://gianna-medicine.genbook.com
*Date of the appointment must fall between 9/7 and 9/17 to qualify for the special promotion.

August: The cycle that was really off

August:At the start of my cycle I had only 1 day of  TEBB thanks to the Biaxin. No ovulation meds again.
I went in CD 14 to check follie growth. Big surprise. I had two large cysts  and one 14mm. on my right. My peak day was delayed until day 21. (The past 4 cycles have been Peak day on day 15.) Then I spoke to the Dr and he said not to do any triggers this month. So now I have to wait another month before trying Menopur. He had me go back for P+3 us anyway. When I went back which was 10 days since my previous us I was surprised again. Now I had a new cyst on the left. One of the cysts on the right was starting to break down, and there was one just sitting there.
My BW was off too. The last 4 cycles have been very consistant. P around 13 and E around 300. Well this time it was P 4.6 and E 33............UGHHHHHHHH It feels like my body is way off. I am feeling like I am going backwards. For the past 4 months since my surgery I have been extremely consistant with my peak day and my BW levels. This cycle was way off.
I have a theory. I am wondering if it is the B6. I have been taking 500mg for the past 3 months. My condiiton has gotten progressively worse in regards to the cysts in the past 3 months. In fact in May when I did not take the B6 I did not have any cysts at all. I am going to speak to the Dr soon and ask him about this. Maybe I am just extra senstive to it. I am very sensitive to fertility meds.

October 16th: Feast of St. Gerard

http://www.saintlucy.net/feast.html
NATIONAL SHRINE OF ST. GERARD 118 7th Avenue, Newark  NJ  07104In 1899 a small group from Caposele, Italy introduced to the United States, in the City of Newark, the Feast devoted to St. Gerard Maiella.  Because of their initiative and zeal the Feast has drawn many devotees to our Church which has been declared the National Shrine of St. Gerard. We must also recognize those countless numbers of known, living and deceased, who have fostered and developed the affection for 100 years.  God alone knows the good they have accomplished.
     Only those who have participated in a Feast of St. Gerard celebrated at our National Shrine can really appreciate the unique character of this truly remarkable devotion.  People from near and far, old and young, those in sickness or in health, make any sacrifice, overcome any obstacle to be present on October 16th to demonstrate their faith, confidence and love for this miraculous Patron of ours.  One gets the impression that St. Gerard sets the tone of his Feast each year by gently inspiring his followers to honor him each in his or her own way.

10 Reasons to Choose NaProTechnology Over InVitro Fertilization

I just read a great article titled: 
10 Reasons to Choose NaProTechnology Over InVitro Fertilization   Here is the link.  
1. NaProTechnology Focuses on Disease If a couple cannot get pregnant, it makes sense that the first thing the doctor must do is to find out why. This is THE goal of the complete NPT program. With IVF, the cause of infertility is not important and in the underlying problem it is completely ignored.
2. Success Rates are Better with NaProTechnologyRecent data from the Pope Paul VI Institute in Omaha, NE, show that NaProTechnology success rates are 1.
5 to 3 times better than IVF (23.5% versus 38.4%-81.8%). In a 4 year study of 95 NPT couples who had been trying to conceive for an average of 6.1 years and had 176 failed attempts at an Artificial Reproductive Technique (ART) Boyle[1] reported that there were 123 conceptions. Life table analysis demonstrated increasing success the longer that couples remained in the NPT program with 26.2% pregnant at 12 to 17 months rising to 32.6% at 18-25 months.
3. Destruction of EmbryosAn analysis of ART data[2] from 1983 to 1986 demonstrated that the transfer of 1,372 embryos (3.2 per woman) resulted in 81 live births. From this data, it is necessary to create 16.9 living embryos to produce one live birth. The higher reported rates of success for IVF procedures usually means more embryos are being transferred which increases the risk of multiple births.
4. Infanticide: "Selective Reduction"One of the most objectionable things about IVF is that it can result in a situation where a woman is forced to deal with a dangerously high multiple pregnancy rate. Pregnancy risk increases dramatically with the number of babies in the womb. Frequently, women are compelled to selectively "reduce" (i.e., kill) additional babies in the womb due to unacceptably high pregnancy risk.
5. Natural Sex versus a Laboratory ProcedureIn IVF, the sperm and eggs (gametes) are collected through masturbation (male) and harvesting (female) where they meet in a laboratory to form embryos which are then reintroduced into the woman's body. NPT, on the other hand, relies on a natural act of intercourse to achieve pregnancy.
6. NaProTechnology is more cost effectiveAccording to Collins[3], the median cost of one cycle of IVF in the United States in 2001 is $9,226. $20-30,000 expenses are not unheard of, however, because IVF clinics prefer to sell discount packages (multiple cycles) in order to increase success rates and allow for "shared" risk. In comparison, at one medical center in Duarte, CA (Santa Teresita), NPT has been cited as costing approximately $9,290 which includes a physician evaluation, hormone and ultrasound evaluation, and outpatient surgical treatment of infertility.
7. Pregnancy OutcomesThere is growing concern that IVF may have significant adverse effects on the children conceived with this procedure. In a study of birth defects after ICSI and IVF procedures, Hansen et al.
[4] reported that ICSI and IVF babies were more than twice as likely to have been diagnosed with a major birth defect by the end of one year of life (8.6% and 9.0%) as compared to naturally conceived babies (4.2%).
8. You could get pregnant again!Because natural fertility is restored with NPT, these couples are often able to get pregnant again. In the Boyle study[1] of 89 births in women who had failed ART, there were 14 women with 2 live births, and 1 woman with 3 live births. Since IVF does nothing to correct the cause of infertility, there is no benefit toward subsequent pregnancies.
9. What will you have to show for it?Ironically, in some cases IVF procedures cause additional harm to the female reproductive system in the course of treatment. For example, some IVF clinics will perform surgical removal of a blocked and swollen fallopian tube in order to increase success rates[5]. In these cases, when IVF fails, fallopian tube repair is no longer an option. This approach is contrary to the natural and restorative orientation of the NPT physician and surgeon[6]. NPT is designed to restore (not destroy) reproductive function. If nothing else, NPT couples have had the underlying cause of the problem addressed which often results in better overall health.
10. What happens after you get pregnant?This is perhaps the most important question. Frequently, couples who pursue IVF have not thought about what happens next. Success equals pregnancy. Unfortunately, ignoring the underlying problem that leads to infertility in the first place can adversely affect the pregnancy and even lead to miscarriage. With NPT, restoring health and fertility begins before conception and continues throughout the pregnancy with the aim of preventing miscarriage and promoting the optimum health of the newborn baby and mother.
References1. Boyle, P., NaProTechnology (NPT) � After previously unsuccessful Artificial Reproductive Technology (ART). 2004. 2. Cvetkovich, L.L., The reproductive technologies: A scientific overview, in The gift of life: The proceedings of a national conference on the Vatican instruction on reproductive ethics and technology, M. Wallace and T. Hilgers, Editors. 1990, Pope Paul VI Institute Press: Omaha, NE. 3. Collins, J., Cost-effectiveness of In Vitro Fertilization. Seminars in Reproductive Medicine, 2001. 19: p. 279-289. 4. Hansen, M., et al., The risk of major birth defects after Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection and In Vitro Fertilization. New England Journal of Medicine, 2002. 346: p. 725-730. 5. Nackley, A.C. and S.J. Muasher, The significance of hydrosalpinx in in vitro fertilization. Fertility and Sterility, 1998. 69: p. 373-384. 6. Hilgers, T.W., The Medical and Surgical Practice of NaProTechnology. 2004, Omaha, NE: Pope Paul VI Institute Press.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Copyright 2006 Majella.us

David Picella helps couples who are trying to conceive naturally without the use of expensive artificial reproductive techniques. You can read more articles published by him and by other experts in this area at:

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Picella

July

At the start of my cycle the TEBB returned ugh...So I did not have high hopes for this cycle. No ovulation meds again. I went in for my us on CD 15 and the follicle was already 18mm. So I took the 2 ovidrel triggers the next day. I went back in P+3 and it was still there, but now it was 32mm. This is the same thing that happened last month. It still amazes me that two shots of ovidrel did not work. I remember when I was back with the RE and every month I had cysts and I asked him about taking more than one ovidrel. He told me that if I took the shot then I must be releasing. He would not use the US to check..........ugh to think of all the time and money I wasted with the RE when I had LUFS all along.......
I had my cycle review. P+7 bloodwork was P:15 and E:385. So again, my hormones are working fine, but the physical part is still off. Took prometrium P+3 to P+12. Next month we are going back on the antibiotics and will use Menopur as a trigger with the ovidrel and hope that it helps to release the follicle. Menopur has LH in it. I remember that the Dr told me that LUFS was hard to treat so I am trying to remain optomistic. It is hard because this is the last piece of the puzzle. The dr said if we can get this part to work then I should be able to get pregnant.......I am excited about next month because I have never taken menopur, so something new means new hope.

June 2010

So far everything seems to be going normal. At the start of my cycle I had no TEBB. This is great! I didn't have it for the first time ever, last month and that was due to taking antibiotics. So I was glad to see that it did not return without them. Again, I am not taking any ovulation drugs this month. I went in for follie check on CD9. The follie was looking great. I went back on CD12 and it was gone...The Dr called me and explained that it might have been too early and that it was not really the dominant one. I went back on CD15 and a new one was already mature so I took the ovidrel. I started taking the prometrium P+3. I went in for the us, and the follie was still there but she said it was hemorrhagic which means it was in the process of ovulation. (I did not take the prometrium the night before my blood test.) My p+7 blood work came back P:13 and E:333.
Well it was a BFN. =(  
On the bright side I made it to P+14 which is great since I used to have short post peak phases. My peak day is now CD 16. It used to be around cd 22 and now it seems to be regulating. So I am hoping that these are good signs that the surgery worked and my ovaries are starting to work properly.  It is hard to remain hopeful and patient after 3 years. I have been doing Napro for 8 months.Even though I am crushed, I try to remind myself that this was only the second attempt after surgery.

Let's Raise Awareness for NFP Awareness Week

NFP awareness week is coming. July 25-31. I wanted to spread the word so you will have time to check out this link and be ready.
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/nfp/nfpweek/index.shtml

NaProTechnology Radio Show

Interested in finding out more about Natural Procreation (NaPro) Technology? Are you curious about the Creighton Method of natural family planning?

On Thursday, June 24th, Dr. Jason Mattingly, a NaPro physician, and Sylvia Corson, a Creighton Method instructor/nurse, will appear on the Mike Allen Show from 5:00-6:00pm EST. They will discuss the many aspects of NaPro Technology and the Creighton Method. You can listen live by following this link (click on the "Listen Live" box on the right side of the page). The show has a 1-800 call in number if a listener would like to ask the guests a question.
Thank you to http://www.theapostolateofhannahstears.blogspot.com/ for sharing this information.

Special Event for Couples with Infertility & NaProTECHNOLOGY Talk by Dr. Mielnik

Mass and Support Group for Catholics with Infertility

Dates: 3rd Thursday of the month
Location: St. Catherine of Sienna Parish,

411 East 68th Street, New York, NY

6:00 pm Adoration and Confession
6:30 pm Mass, offered for those struggling with infertility &
recurrent miscarriage
7:15 pm Support Group

NaProTECHNOLOGY: New Hope for Infertility
Dates: 3rd Thursday of the month
Location: St. Catherine of Sienna Parish, 411 E. 68th St, NY, NY
Time: 7:15 pm (following Mass in the Church)

Dr. Anne Mielnik, NaProTECHNOLOGY-trained physician and founder of Gianna Healthcare will give an overview of the NaProTECHNOLOGY approach to treating infertility and recurrent miscarriage and answer questions about this new approach to treating infertility.
Admission is free.

The Gianna Center is now listed in Wikipedia

The Gianna Center is now listed in Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianna_Beretta_Molla

Archbishop Dolan's Blog:The Gospel in the Digital Age

To read Archbishop Dolan's full blog post click on the link below.
http://blog.archny.org/?tag=the-gianna-center

"These doctors offer a unique service in the archdiocese; they are specially trained in helping couples in the noblest quest of all – procreation of human life! Word must get out that there are morally licit, technologically savvy ways for couples who have been having difficulty conceiving a child to bring about new life. Word must get out about what is happening at the Gianna Center, because the false caricature that the Church is against science and technology has unfortunately become far too widely accepted."

"When I heard these inspiring physicians talk on my radio show recently about the successes of the scientifically proven, ethically defensible ‘NaProTechnology’ and compare them to the world’s deadly answer to infertility – in vitro fertilization – I said “This needs to be on the front page of the every paper in the country!” These doctors do something others don’t – they listen. They walk this often deeply painful journey with couples and then try their hardest to find the root causes rather than give pat answers to “common complaints.” They use the latest advances in natural family planning – which is not the old rhythm method! – helping couples understand their own unique cycles and systems. And – if needed – they assist in correcting underlying problems so the couple can conceive naturally. This should be music to our ears folks! It is to mine!"

Natural Fertility Treatments Vs. The IVF Bandaid

Click the link to read the full article.
http://www.leavethelightson.info/natural-fertility-treatments-v-the-ivf-bandaid

Here are some quotes from the article:
"In a culture that promotes alternative medicine, natural childbirth, and sometimes-bizarre dietary supplements, it seems strange that natural infertility treatments are not well-known. A natural infertility treatment is not necessarily alternative medicine, but rather a conventional-medicine approach that seeks to cure the underlying cause of infertility, allowing natural conception. It stands in contrast to assisted reproductive technology such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), which is stick a "band-aid" solution that does nothing about the underlying causes of fertility problems."

" the reason IVF is so popular — despite its astronomical cost and mediocre success rate (only 1 in 3 attempts results in a live birth) — is because it is a "magic pill" approach. It is a silver bullet, a straightforward process left in the hands of doctors. Natural fertility treatments are more complicated because they start with diagnostics, rather than jumping immediately into treatment."

A mass for St. Gianna in NYC video

http://netny.net/currents/video/stories/remembering-st-gianna-51810/

St. Gianna, a patron for infertile couples, honored in Manhattan

For the full article go to http://www.cny.org/archive/ld/ld5052010.htm

One of the Church's newer canonized saints was honored in Manhattan this week, with an unusual twist. Among those paying tribute to her was her son.

St. Gianna Beretta Molla may be the first saint ever canonized while her children are still alive. She spent her life in her native Italy as a physician, wife and mother. In 1962, pregnant with her fourth child, she developed a uterine tumor. She refused to have an abortion or hysterectomy, and insisted that if a choice had to be made between herself and the baby, doctors were to save the baby.

She died at age 39, a week after giving birth to a healthy girl.

St. Gianna was beatified in 1994 and was canonized May 16, 2004. She is honored especially for her courageous witness to life, and she is being promoted in particular as a patron of couples struggling with infertility.

She also was chosen as patron by Gianna: The Catholic Healthcare Center for Women, a facility in Manhattan that offers general health care for women, including special treatment for infertility. All of its services are pro-life and in conformity with Church teaching.

On May 17, Archbishop Dolan visited the Gianna Center for the enshrinement of a photograph and relic of St. Gianna. The archbishop led a prayer service and blessed the image and the center's offices.

A Mass was celebrated that evening at St. Catherine of Siena Church especially for couples battling infertility, to honor St. Gianna and seek her intercession.

Speaking at both events was Pierluigi Molla, eldest child and only son of St. Gianna. He noted that as a pediatrician she devoted herself to the care of mothers and children. He called the Gianna Center "a wonderful way to honor her memory."

He remarked that his mother, while deeply devoted to her faith, her family and her patients, also loved skiing, rock climbing and music. In an interview later, he said, "The message is that an ordinary life can be blessed. It's not necessary to do extraordinary things." She was canonized, he said, "for how she lived her life and not just for how she sacrificed it."

Faith Meets Science

Faith Meets Science
Natural Family Planning & NaProTECHNOLOGY

A Conference with Fr. Dan McCaffery and Dr. Anne Mielnik

Saturday & Sunday, May 22-23, 2010
Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
74 West Main Street, Waterbury, CT

Schedule of Events:
May 22-23: Special Parish Mission on Natural Family Planning
All weekend Masses will be celebrated by Fr. Dan McCaffery from NFP Outreach,
with homilies dedicated to deepening the understand of Catholic teachings on marriage and family planning.

Medical Conference, Sunday, May 23, 2010
2:00 pm The Scientific Basis of Modern Natural Family Planning Methods
Talk by Dr. Anne Mielnik

3:00 pm Catholic Treatments for Infertility, Recurrent Miscarriage and Other Reproductive Health Disorders
Talk by Dr. Anne Mielnik

4:00 pm Q & A
Fr. McCaffery & Dr. Mielnik

For more information, please contact The Gianna Healthcare Center for Women at 212-481-1219.
www.giannahealth.org