Tuesday, April 23, 2013

I don't do vague well

I was really hoping my RE would results from my bloodwork that showed some definite reason why we lost our baby and it would have a medicinal fix so we could go into another transfer with a little piece of mind.  We are still waiting the results from one test but the only thing we've found so far is two mutations of the MTHFR gene (that's a real thing, not me trying to curse in lolspeak).  Apparently about a third of the population has one or two of these mutations and they cause you to absorb folic acid badly.  Low folic acid can cause neural tube defects and if bad enough can end a pregnancy.  The fix is massive amounts of folic acid supplements when pregnant but my RE doesn't think this caused our loss.  He does suggest the supplements if we try again but it's not the smoking gun we were looking for.
He's also curious about the coincidental timing of me stopping PIO and the baby dying.  Everything I've seen has said by twelve weeks you body should be making so much progesterone that the amount you'd get thru shots is basically adding a quarter cup of water to a two gallon jug.  However, because the shots go in your muscle and are absorbed thru your bloodstream there's really no way of getting accurate lab results on what you are producing and what you are injecting.  He suggests doing shots for the first 12 weeks again and then switching to a vaginal suppository.  These allow the uterus to absorb the medicine directly, bypassing the bloodstream so they can monitor my progesterone levels thru bloodwork and see what I'm actually producing.  Again, not a smoking gun but a curious possibility.
So, unless this lab comes back with something significant we are left with vague lab results and a difficult decision.   I really want to know by the end of the week what we are doing. Its really hard to put something behind you when you don't yet know what's ahead.

2 comments:

  1. Every one I know who has had repeat miscarriages and mutations of the MTHFR were put on blood thinners....at a minimum....baby aspirin every day and high doses of folic acid. Did you discuss that with him at all? It won't hurt and I know lots of people who have gone on to have successful pregnancies afterward. I hope that is the case for you too.
    kd

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  2. I'm so sorry that you didn't get more conclusive results. It sounds like you RE plans on being proactive though. Godspeed!

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