Jamie's Success Story

Thank you, Jamie for sharing your story.  ________________________________________________________________________________________

How I Ended Up with Two Beautiful Boys through Napro

My ttc journey begins earlier than most’s-before I was even married.  But let me start at the very beginning so you have an appropriate timeline of my various diagnosis and treatments.  In 2000, probably, a cryo surgery done on cervix due to overabundance of mucus producing cells as well as hpv; also always told I had an "angry" cervix or irritated and treated for cervicitis over and over and over again to no avail. Then, in April 2003 I met my future husband and we began dating.   I already knew, at that time, I had endometriosis but doctors wouldn’t not believe me.  My sister had it and I had the symptoms.  I found had the magic symptom that got me treatment (pain during sex) and so then my doc believed me and in June 2003 I had a diagnostic lap done and endometriosis was found and lasered by ob/gyn #1; followed up by 2 lupron shots and some anti hot flash type med for side effects (norethrindrone).  In the summer 2005 I stopped using pill and having premarital sex based on conviction of Catholic church's teaching.  I believe what I had been told, that the pill was good for endo, so once I went off of it, I knew I still needed to keep the endo at bay.  I had many Catholic friends who were charting using the Creighton Model, and they had mentioned it was for health reasons as well so I started charting using CrMS before I was even engaged.  I went to the intro and most of the follow ups by myself.

After charting a few months, I saw a napro trained primary care doc and he wrote me a referral for the “best of the best” he said, Dr. Hilgers.  His referral actually meant my HMO BC/BS had to cover him as in network.  I remember the nurse that wrote the referral said I didn’t really need to go to Omaha if I didn’t want, that there were plenty of good docs here.  Very grateful I ignored her!  It seemed like it took forever for the nurses to call me back and even longer to get the surgery scheduled.  I was very impatient, but good came of my repeated calling! I found out through one of the nurses that there was also such thing as having Dr. Hilgers review my charts.  I scheduled the surgery in Dec. 2005 for April 2006, and in February I received the letter back with additional recommendations.  Some meant I would expand my stay in Omaha (for an ultrasound series) and expand what would be done during my surgery, and the hormone series was something I could do at home and then send in to Omaha.  Dr. Hilgers said I didn’t have to do them right away, since I wasn’t married, it was really my call.  However, I received the letter just a few days after being proposed to began the hormone series draws immediately. 

In April 2006 I spent 2 weeks in Omaha, mostly for the ultrasound series that followed ovulation.  I also had a hysteroscopy, laporoscopy, selective hsg, biopsy and culture, all during my surgery.  I got diagnoses with several things through this process-all were correctly and immediately diagnoses as a result and all were immediately treated.  I was diagnosed with low pre and post peak progesterone, low estrogen, lutenized unruptured follicle syndrome, T3 problems, ureaplasma urealycticum (an infection, a mycoplasma), polycystic ovaries (but not the syndrome?), endometriosis, and factor V leiden (heterozygous).  The treatment for this mountain of problems could have been seen as equally intimidating: I was on 25 mg clomid on days 3,4, and 5, 2000 units hcg shots post peak days 3,5, 7, and 9. T3-22.5mcg 2x daily, B6 daily, 500 mg amoxicillian (3x daily) on CD 11-15, and mucinex CD 15-peak plus 3. 2 weeks of doxycycline for DH and I and baby aspirin per my local ob/gyn.  I must say, though overwhelmed, I felt incredibly proactive.  It always feels good to be doing something toward your problems.  I knew I was in great hands and would easily have paid out of pocket for it all, should it have come to that.

In Aug. 2006, I got married and we began actively ttc.  I did cycle reviews monthly on the phone with Pope Paul VI and did Peak plus 7 blood draws for estrogen and progesterone.  The meds were tweaked a little over time.  The first change was Dr. Hilgers halved my hcg after a side effect (my hands got red, felt hot and swollen), so 1000 units.  Had two cycles where I mistakenly used the SF instructions for avoiding rather than achieving.  Third cycle I corrected the error and, low and behold, we got pregnant!  Unfortunately, Dec. 21st, 2006 we had a miscarriage at 10 weeks (Michael).  During the preg I got regular hcg draws, reg ultrasounds, and reg blood draws for prog.  I was on max dose prog shots during pregnancy.  After the miscarriage, my blood work indicated low post peak estrogen. Dr. Hilgers added estrace 2mg P+3-12 (started with 1mg, needed more).  

 However, I do know now that I should not have been on estrogen with factor V, as a  precaution.  We tried again to achieve a pregnancy and were successful on our 2^nd cycle trying (after the break Dr. H asked us to take to heal).  That baby was Gabby and she was conceived on July 23^rd, 2007.  After this we decided to have a consult with Dr. H (Aug 2007).  We learned he highly suspected that our infection was to blame.  I had good prog levels medicated, but TEBB brown blood was persistent.  He suggested a longer dose of orals for husband and myself, based off the work of Dr. Toth.  We read up on Dr. Toth and did a phone consult.  Dr. Toth agreed with Dr. Hilgers’ assessment and so we complied and took 21 days of biaxin, then first 10 days of each cycle ttc. 

In Jan 2008 we conceived our son after 3 cycles of trying. Immediately got on 10 day ambulatory IV of clindamyacin per Dr. Toth.  We did this locally.  As with other pregnancies, took prenatals, baby aspirin, T3 until Dr. Hilgers discontinued around week 28, progesterone levels drawn every 2 weeks before due and shots 1-2x/week, amt dependent on results. I had no antibiotics  during pregnancy other than IV. None (as in zero) intercourse during pregnancy.  In March 2008, while pregnant, we did Infection followup testing in NY for husband and I and we got clean bills of health on all accounts.  I continued Chlamydia (CT PCR) testing 2 more times-one done locally and mailed to DT for results and one done locally and run locally).  On Oct. 8, 2008 I delivered Charles Raph.ael, who was  7 lbs 80z, 19 inches, had IV during delivery for good measure.

I nursed him one year and didn’t get my cycle back until Oct. 25th, 2009.  Cycle returns. First two I wait, 2nd get blood work (estrogen and progesterone at P+7), 3rd medicated, and 4th get go ahead to try to conceive.
                On Feb. 14th, 2010 we conceived our second son on the 1st cycle trying use all same protocols with Charlie; get IV after hcg doubles. Saw heartbeat on 3/17/10. This time there was a new Dr. Toth protocol.  We continued orals (10 days worth) every 8 weeks throughout pregnancy (new this time-and no PCR testing) and still do IV at delivery; again no intercourse at all.   On Nov. 11, 2010 Anthony James was born at 12:30am, after a quick delivery.  He was past his due date, water broke day before scheduled induction around 4:30pm on the 10th.   He was 8 lbs 10 oz, 20 " and very healthy!  I nursed him a year as well and my cycle returned exactly one month after I quit, to the day, Dec. 11, 2011.  Dr. Hilgers has repeated my thyroid panel and added .075mcg of Synthroid due to a low T4.   I will retest in 6 weeks.  I will not go back on post peak estrogen support due to my Factor V diagnosis, so we will see what the future holds.  For now, I am grateful for what I do have, two beautiful boys thanks to Dr. Hilgers’ work! 

                This file was updated 12.31.11.  To see where I am currently in my ttc journey, and also for resources, help and support around Naprotechnology and working with Dr. Hilgers long distance, please see my blog: http://tool4god-myjourneywithgod.blogspot.com/