Left Baby Left!

So the Dr FINALLY had his nurse call me yesterday about the HSG results. Yeah it only took them like 3-4 weeks. Anyhoo......

To refresh your memory.... the HSG is the test I had done to view my Fallopian tubes to see if they were open. They inserted contrast dye into my uterus to visualize the tubes as the dye travelled through them, or in my case, where the dye stopped. So as I reported before, my right tube is blocked and my left is open. Both the radiologist that preformed the test and my OB said it is still possible for me to get pregnant in the "conventional" way. The radiologist said it is even possible for the left tube to pull in an egg from the right ovary. Possible, but not a guarantee.

The bad news is that my OB feels I will probably have to wait until I ovulate on the left side so that the left tube will pull the egg in and then if we time intercourse correctly the egg will be fertilized and hopefully a baby will form from that. The bad news is the WAITING. Well the WAITING and the NOT KNOWING which side I am Ovulating on.

So my best friend Sara and I came up with a theory on why I have not gotten pregnant thus far. Mostly we came up with this theory so that I could have some sense of an answer... or at least a reasonable explanation as to what is happening. This theory is just a theory. Could be wrong, could be right. Unfortunately the only way to know is a series of ultrasounds that are expensive. So for now.... it is an unproven theory. So here goes:

The blockage in my tube is right at where the tube meets the uterus. We do not know if the tube is blocked all the way up or if it is just blocked at that lower point. For the sake of our theory lets assume that the tube is only blocked at the uterus and the rest of the tube is open and functioning normally. Every month in my recent memory I have had pain on my right side around the time of ovulation. So I am again assuming that I am Ovulating with my right ovary. Now if the tube on the right is clear from the ovary to the blockage towards the uterus it is possible that when I ovulate out of the right ovary that the right tube pulls in the egg on the right side. However the sperm can not get past the blockage at the uterus and into the tube to actually fertilize the egg. So the egg gets reabsorbed into my body and I get my period.

End of theory!

So if you believe that theory.... then the radiologists theory on the possibility of the left tube pulling the right egg in is *bunk*. The right tube being the closest tube would pull the right egg in just by practicality. So we are back to trying and waiting....

The problem with that plan is we don't know how long it will be for the left side to ovulate. In general the way ovulation happens is that BOTH ovaries begin producing a follicle for ovulation. It is almost like a race. Once the hormone levels are right the ovary with the DOMINATE follicle releases the egg, thus ovulating. So whichever ovary has the dominate follicle WINS and the reward is getting to ovulate. What if my Right ovary always produces the dominate follicle? It is too scary to even think about......

So one of the lower risk options the nurse suggested is that we *might* be put on Clomid. Clomid is a drug that stimulates your ovaries to produce follicles and eggs. And in women that are all ready ovulating it would probably stimulate BOTH ovaries to produce a dominate follicle/egg. This would increase our chances of conceiving if both ovaries released an egg. The only down side is that Clomid can also overstimulate your ovaries and you could release more than 1 egg from each side, which may result in multiple babies. This risk alone is the main objection Tim and I (more so Tim than myself) have in going with this option.

To reduce the multiples risk slightly we could also, in conjunction with the Clomid, do Follicle studies. a Follicle study is an ultrasound of your ovaries as you are within days of ovulation. The Ultrasound would help the Dr visualize the number and quality of the follicles/eggs as you approach ovulation. We would wait to have intercourse until this ultrasound and then decide if the number of follicles that were developing was within our comfort zone. Theoretically it would give us the option that if there are too many Follicles we would skip the cycle.

Then after Ovulation you would have another Follicle Study to count how many eggs were actually released from the ovary. And to also confirm ovulation did occur. If the cycle was a go for Tim and I we would then know when to take a pregnancy test.

Whew! After typing all that out, it looks too complicated. LOL! Maybe 3 kids is plenty?!?!? (I don't really think this)

Anyway, for now we will continue to try the "conventional way". I am at the beginning of my cycle so I should be ovulating in a few weeks. If you think about it... please send a prayer up that I Ovulate out of the LEFT ovary this cycle!