#ob gyn and fertility doctor near me

[robotsocial]

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motherhood hospital gynecologist, ob gyn and fertility doctor near me, fertility specialist near me

[94monkeys]

How it started/ how it's going

This isn't going to become a pregnancy blog (I think??) but I did want to get down a few thoughts about how I've been feeling and what's been going on!

How it started

Well, long story short, we did IVF and it worked. On the first try? Yes. Did you expect that to happen? Absolutely not! Between when we decided we would do it (Nov/Dec) and when we could get into the schedule (March) I had gotten myself to "okay, we will try this and see if it happens." For me, I think that decision was the hardest part—harder than the shots and putting our whole life on hold—accepting that this was our best option and that we were going to pursue it despite the odds.

(I hasten to point out that I live in a state where IVF is mandated to be covered by insurance—not all of it because our system sucks, but enough of it that cost was nowhere near as big a factor as it is for many. Can't describe how lucky this was of a life choice.)

I found out I was pregnant right after my husband got COVID... which was right after we had been in semi-isolation for IVF.... how 2022! The first people I told were my dentist and dentist's assistant because, LOL, they almost didn't let me get a cleaning without a doctor's note. At 6 weeks! Everyone remembers that magic moment when they deliver the happy news to their dentist, right? The next people I told were my 2 close friends who have walked with me through this whole process (one had a similar pregnancy loss, the other is dealing with her own massive health issue). I'm so lucky to have them in my life.

How it's going

Honestly... really good! Decembaby is looking healthy and testing has all gone well so far. While gender is a construct we found out the baby is a girl and I'm excited for that too. (My husband just discovered that "girl clothes" are more exciting than the clothes designated for baby boys. Yes, it's his first day here. But he's so happy and excited and just the best.)

I am having to take it easier than normal, but I don't mind. Fitness and food right now is a whole other circus best suited for a separate post, but I have been able to be fairly active and I'm eating in a way that feels good! I haven't weighed myself since mid-March since we started IVF, although they are weighing me at the doctor's office. So I know I have gained a little weight and some of my clothes are not as comfortable any more. But I'm kind of enjoying not micro-tracking it and knowing that if I have to pay more attention to it, my doctors will tell me.

In my first trimester I was exhausted and often woke up nauseated (although I never fully ralphed and I'm grateful for that!) I was also massively anxious because of the losses we had gone through before, even worrying that I didn't feel sick/ drained ENOUGH for things to go well. The worst anxiety hit the 3.5 weeks between when I "graduated" from fertility and when I got seen by my regular-degular OB/GYN.

I still have some anxiety that I will jinx myself by telling people. I put off telling people at work for so long that someone else I work with is pregnant (!) so now we'll probably just dive-bomb everyone together. I guess that's why we haven't done a big splash announcement on social media yet. Maybe we still will!

For now I'm glad I can enjoy this phase even as I know it will change. I'm starting to feel her move around, especially after I've been lying down for a bit. Such a weird alien feeling! We can't stop talking about things we want to do with her and what she'll be like. It's just—wow—this is our lives, this is happening.

[prolifeproliberty]

Hey! I've been following you for a while, and while I don't agree with you on everything, I really respect you.

Recently, I've been thinking about birth control, and how doctors' over prescription of it is similar to the way some people push abortion, in treating the natural processes of women's bodies like diseases that need to be cured.

Anyway, I am 23 years old, not sexually active, and over the past couple years I've been getting increasingly painful periods. The other PMS symptoms have been getting worse too, the fatigue, digestive symptoms, etc. I mentioned this to my doctor, and of course she immediately suggested the pill, and I said no. She then prescribed pain killers, and the appointment was basically over.

Of course I wanted the pain to go away, but I also just wanted to know what was going on. Is my level of pain and symptoms normal? Is it going to keep increasing over time? At what point should I be concerned that there might actually a problem?

I know you're not a doctor, but I was wondering if you might know where I could go for some answers. This doctor was just a GP, would getting an actual GYN help? Any other resources or directions you could point me in?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Thank you for reaching out! I'm sorry you're dealing with these symptoms.

If you're in the U.S. and have a location near you, I highly recommend finding a OB/GYN through FertilityCare Centers of America. They specialize in NaProTechnology, which is used to better diagnose and treat all kinds of reproductive health issues.

NaProTechnology involves fertility awareness, usually through the Creighton Model, which can also be used to either prevent or achieve pregnancy if/when you do get married and become sexually active.

Hopefully this helps! You can also find more info on different methods of fertility awareness here.

[gracieminabox]

Pea, I would love to ask you about this "instant magnetism" between Phil and Len. This has always been one of my favorite Trek relationships, and I would love to hear you elaborate.

I would be delighted, my dear. (You and I discussed this, briefly, over a year ago - but I’ve since expanded it a bit.)

Behind a cut because it got long.

So, as we know I wrote in TWOHM, Len was already a highly respected surgeon by the time he hit Starfleet, and Phil was already an established follower and admirer of his work. Indeed, it could be said that Phil was a bit envious that Chris got to meet Len first. It didn’t seem fair. (On the other hand, a fifty-year-old man stomping his foot and sulking because his best friend got to meet the surgeon Phil fanboyed over didn’t seem particularly rational.)

In spite of a few close calls and attempts, Len and Phil don’t actually meet until about a month after Len arrives in San Francisco. Classes haven’t yet started, but hey, Len’s clinical skills are already well established, so he takes a position as an ER attending. Mostly routine stuff - fractures, lacs, MVAs, appys - not much need for ob/gyn consultation.

Until.

***

One sweltering July evening, Len’s attending to a little Andorian girl, prepubescent but barely, with some puzzling stuff going on. He looks back at her chart; she’s been in here repeatedly, all with a similar constellation of symptoms. Len’s confused - symptomatically, hematologically, this looks like an autoimmune presentation. But Andorian autoimmune conditions are jaw-droppingly rare compared to other known species, and are typically only diagnosed at autopsy.

As Len is scratching his head, trying to figure out how to proceed, his patient develops an acute abdomen. She’s got free fluid on a bedside CT (executive decision: they have those in the future) so off to the OR they go. 

Stomach, pancreas, liver, spleen, intestines, kidneys, uterus - normal all around.

Except…wait.

“…what the hell?”

Now, Len’s damn near an expert on xenoanatomy and xenophysiology, but other than knowing that those sure as shit ain’t supposed to be there, he doesn’t have a damn clue what he’s looking at.

“Who’s on call for gyn tonight?”

“Dr. Boyce, sir. You want me to page him?”

The name barely even registers for Len. “Please.”

Minutes later, Dr. Boyce walks in, the picture of calm confidence. Even masked, Len can tell his face is kind; even gloved, he can identify hands like his father’s, nimble, talented, gentle.

“Hello, Dr. McCoy,” he says warmly. “How can I help?”

Len stands aside, letting his fellow surgeon into the field. “Ten year old Andorian female, presented yesterday febrile to 39C with abdominal pain, hypotension, unusual somnolence, and antennae ptosis. All labs normal. Developed an acute abdomen, appearance of free fluid on bedside scans.”

“Mmm,” Dr. Boyce hums calmly, peering around. “No readily apparent gyn pathology. That’d be rare enough in a prepubescent, especially an Andorian. Her LFTs are okay?

“Liver looks good,” Len stated, before elevating the patient’s uterine fundus. “But you’re the gyn expert. Tell me - what the hell are those?”

Len watches as, behind his mask, Dr. Boyce’s face shutters.

***

Andor was miserable - cold and dark and dreary - and Phil’s gentle calm was really tested. The people were friendly enough, though, and there’s no better place to flex your reproductive endocrinology muscles than on a population experiencing a fertility crisis.

Most of his time was spent holed up in a lab, but he got to consult on a handful of patients. He accompanied a native Andorian doctor into the OR for an ex-lap on a teenage Andorian girl with an acute abdomen. He frowned down into her belly at the pale lavender walnut-shaped tissues tucked into the flex of her retroverted uterus.

“What are those?” he asked.

The Andorian surgeon sighed. “What we came here to find.”

***

“They’re Risan ovaries,” Dr. Boyce answers quietly.

“What?” Len asks dumbly.

Dr. Boyce squeezes his eyes shut for a moment, then audibly swallows and collects himself. “Risan ovaries,” he repeats. “Transplanted, probably on the black market. Remember your xenogenetics - Andorian plus Risan.”

Len considers it. “Andorian genes are heavily dominant over virtually any species, including Risans,” he says. “An Andorian-Risan hybrid would be indistinguishable from a full-blooded Andorian without a genetic scan.”

“And transplanted ovaries would up the chances of a successful conception, which means a lot to a planet with a fertility crisis,” Dr. Boyce finishes. “I’ve seen this before.”

“What do we do?” Len asks.

“Doctors,” a tech calls out, “her pressure.”

There is no more discussion of protocol.

***

Phil’s anger is quiet, like a simmering pot of water. Len’s is explosive fire.

They go to inform the girl’s parents. Len cannot stop himself from asking what the hell they were thinking, putting alien organs into their little girl on the black market. The girl’s parents snap back that Len - that any human - has no idea what it’s like, the terror of one’s lineage dying out, and with it, one’s people. Len looks fit to be tied, but Phil serves as a calm, firm hand, ushering them away to the on-call room.

They sit facing each other in the dark.

“Were you able to save the other one?” Len finally asks. “The girl in your fellowship?”

“I don’t know,” Phil answers. “She was still in the ICU when my rotation on Andor ended. I asked for follow-up, but I never got any.” He sighs heavily, rubs his eyes. “I hope so.”

“Who would do that to their child?” Len asks through gritted teeth. “Who would risk their baby’s life just to propagate their genes?”

“People who get desperate,” Phil answers rationally. “People who think it’s their best chance, however misguided.”

“It’s fucked up.”

“It is,” Phil agrees.

Len squeezes his eyes shut. He sits on his hands, rocks back and forth, purses his lips. Phil’s been best friends with Chris Pike for nearly thirty years; he’s fluent in agitated body language by now, and he reads the fury, the sorrow, the shame at not being able to save a child in need, all radiating from the posture of the man across from him.

“Leonard,” he says softly, “we’re doctors, not gods. Our powers to save people from themselves are pretty limited, even for the best of us.”

Len scoffs, rubbing his face viciously. “Save people from themselves, hell; some of us expedite that process,” he spits, thinking of a gasp of breath, a hypo of hydromorphone, a nimble, talented, gentle hand going slack and limp in his.

“Only in an effort to do good,” Dr. Boyce replies. “Only ever in an effort to do good.”

Len looks up and makes eye contact. Dr. Boyce’s eyes are this odd shade of blue-gray that Len thinks might look cold on some faces, but on him looks nothing but warm.

“You did your best by that child, Leonard,” Dr. Boyce repeats. “It wasn’t enough. That hurts. That’s terrible. But your conscience is clear.”

Len pauses for a moment, looking up. Then: “Captain Pike was right about you.”

Dr. Boyce’s face softens almost imperceptibly, and his lips curl into a little smile. “What’d he say?”

“That you made everybody around you feel better,” Len answers. “That you made everybody around you do better.”

Dr. Boyce’s smile grows, warm and touched.

“Thank you, sir,” Len says.

“Call me Phil, kid.”

[tog-centre]

11 Things You Should Always Discuss With Your Gynaecologist

They say, Never hide from a doctor and lawyer. If you do so you might have to face serious repercussions in future. This is indeed true. Many people hesitate or feel embarrassed in discussing about their health issues with their doctor, not realizing that if they provide hidden or incomplete information then the doctor will not be able to diagnose the problem which will straightaway affect the treatment. Such type of risk should not be taken with health matters. Also if symptoms and conditions are detected early, they can be prevented or treated before they become worse. Many women are self-conscious about their vaginal health, but there's nothing you can say or show your gynaecologist that they haven't seen before.

Here are some of the topics you should always bring up with your gynecologist doctor, as it will help them better analyze the treatment option that will benefit you the best. Things that are happening may seem usual to you but please let your gynaecologist decide whether its normal or not.

What should I talk to the gynaecologist near me

About your family history

You should tell your gynecologist about any conditions in your family's medical history, such as high blood pressure, thyroid issues, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and more. This will enable your healthcare professional to develop an appropriate treatment plan for you.

About your menstrual cycle

If you've seen any changes in your menstrual cycle, or having pain, irregularity or heavy flow, make sure to tell your gynecologist doctor, including:

Unusual pacing

Clotting\Spotting

Periods that are irregular or uncomfortable

Cramping or any other changes that you're worried about

These changes can be normal, but they can also indicate additional issues including pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids. Your gynecologist will assist you in determining if these changes are normal or pathological, as well as providing the necessary treatment.

About your sex life

It's awkward to discuss your sexual history with your gynecologist, but they need to know about any previous illnesses or sexually transmitted infections you've experienced. Your gynecologist can help you figure out why you're having discomfort during intercourse and address any questions you have about other sexual issues.

If you have discomfort or bleeding during intercourse, you should see your gynecologist since it could be caused by infections, dryness, or other underlying medical issues.

About your contraceptives

If you are currently using birth control pills or another form of contraception, you should tell your gynecologist. Please notify your gynecologist if you are suffering any side effects, symptoms or allergies.

Pregnant or trying to conceive

If you're pregnant or attempting to conceive, let your gynecologist know. They can help with pregnancy tests, early indicators of infertility and pregnancy, and ovulation kits, among other things. They can also perform genetic carrier screening prior to conception.

Your sexual desires

While having a low libido is typical, it's important to talk to your gynecologist about it to figure out what's causing it. Low libido might be caused by certain drugs or stress, or it can be a sign of another underlying medical problem. In such cases, your gynecologist will determine the source of the problem and propose a treatment plan to boost your libido. Also be transparent if you experience any painful sex, sexual discomfort or unable to have orgasm.

Discuss about your vagina

While it's typical for the vaginal area to have its own characteristic odor, a foul or fishy odor should never be overlooked. As a result, it's a good idea to talk to your gynecologist about it to make sure it's not due to a bacterial or yeast infection.

It might be frightening to have an abnormal growth in or near your vaginal area. Make sure it's not an ingrown hair, a shaved cut, or a zit before jumping to conclusions. While benign growths are most of the time, they can also be indicators of herpes, so you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.

Many women have problems with their vagina not being properly lubricated during sexual intercourse, which can make their vagina itchy and cause chafing. Vaginal dryness can be caused by a variety of circumstances, including a woman's age and other underlying causes.

Itching in the vaginal area can be quite irritating; however, it is not always the case, and itching can be a sign of other underlying difficulties such as vaginal irritation, vaginal infections, sexually transmitted illnesses, and so on. It could also be due to vulvar cancer in the worst-case situation. A gynecologist must be consulted in order to receive an accurate diagnosis. Vaginal itching should not be taken lightly by women, as it could indicate a serious problem. It is therefore vital to avoid feeling uncomfortable or bashful while talking with a doctor and to tell them everything without hesitation.

Pain while having sex

There are numerous reasons why a woman may have a painful sexual encounter.

If there is a change in sexual activity, this is a red flag.

- If they are infected with a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD).

– as a result of discomfort and damage in or around the vaginal canal

- as a result of vaginal infections

- as a result of urinary tract infections

- as a result of vaginal dryness after or during menopause

- This ailment causes a woman to endure considerable discomfort during sexual intercourse due to a condition known as Vulvodynia, which causes inflammation and pain in and around the vagina.

Consult Obstetrics and Gynaecology Care Centre in Jamaica

Incontinence of the bladder

Urinary incontinence is more common in post-menopausal women. They are unable to contain leaks due to the decrease of suppleness in their vaginal tissues. This illness can also affect women who have recently given birth, particularly if the infant is large. Urinary incontinence can be well treated with the numerous treatment options available today, therefore it should not be overlooked.

Sore breasts

Sore breasts are most common in women during or just before their periods. However, if it occurs frequently, talk to your gynecologist about it.

Lifestyle

Knowing your lifestyle is beneficial to your doctor. This covers details such as your workout routines and whether or not you smoke, drink, or use drugs. Remember, your doctor should be aware of these factors (both positive and negative) so that he or she can give you with the finest health care possible.

Topics can be intimidating but it is imperative that your gynaecologist knows every detail if you have more than one sexual partner, if you’ve had unprotected sex, if you bleed after sex, your supplements or medications if any, if you have any sleep issues, if you have been sexually abused

The majority of women perceive their gynecologists' appointments to be a chore, and they are relieved when they are finished. Reproductive health should never be taken for granted, and all women, regardless of whether or not they are experiencing problems with their reproductive system, should schedule frequent visits with their gynecologists. Women should also consider getting a pap smear at least once a year in addition to these normal checkups. Regular visits to your gynecologist can help you stay in touch with your reproductive health while also assisting you in finding answers to all of your questions about whether or not the problems you're experiencing are normal. This will be really beneficial in the long run.

The Obstetrics and Gynaecology (TOG) Centre Jamaica is a woman’s OB Gyn clinic catering to all women reproductive health related issues, including fertility, abortion, ultrasound etc. It provides services related to :

Pap Smears & Endometrial Sampling

Colposcopy and LLETZ Procedures

Preconception Counseling

Tubal Ligation (‘Tie Off’) 

Reversal of Tubal Ligation

Major Surgical treatment of Fibroids

Antenatal Care

Vaginal Deliveries and Caesarean Sections

Management of Ovarian Cysts and Other Gynaecological Pathology

Non-surgical Treatment of Heavy or Painful Menstrual Periods

Provision of contraception and Emergency Contraception (‘Family Planning/Birth Control’)

The Obstetrics and Gynaecology (TOG) Centre is the Best OB Gyn Clinic in Jamaica providing quality OB GYN healthcare services to women of All Ages. TOG Centre has clinics at Spalding, Mandeville and Santa Cruz. 

Discuss your health issues with Best Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Jamaica Today! https://togcentre.com/

[assortedmoneydiaries]

a week in NYC on a $80,000 salary

Day One

5am: I wake up, snooze for 10 minutes, and do my morning face routine: rose toner, bronze eyeshadow, eyeliner, eyebrows. I make a fried egg over easy (a dozen for $1) and drink some peanut milk (homemade with peanuts, water, and sugar). 

6:45am: I get to my monitoring appointment for my egg freezing process, and I get bloodwork and an ultrasound within 20 minutes. I pay for lupron, a trigger medication for the egg retrieval process scheduled for this weekend. I’m getting my egg freezing reimbursed, but for now I’m paying this out of pocket. $85. 

7:50am: I get to work - it’s a Sunday, but I have a 12 hour shift ahead of me. I immediately get a sign-out about a patient with a weapon in his rectum, so this day is already wild. 

12:00pm: The day hasn’t been too bad, actually; I microwave my pre-packed lunch - white rice with eggplant, chicken, and thai basil. I briefly entertain buying a drink from the vending machine, but it passes. 

6:00pm: After a day of answering pages and browsing furniture, it’s dinner time! I microwave my pre-packed dinner - pesto chicken bread pudding that I made with my brother’s leftover sourdough bread. Back to work. 

8:00pm: Time to go home! The night ended with a patient who caught a goose in Central Park with a fishing net and decapitated it. The police confiscated the knife and the goose. 

10:00pm: Because it’s the weekend, my normal one hour commute becomes two hours. I talk to my prospective roommate about our housing plans, inject myself with follistim and clomiphene for the egg freezing, and pass out. 

Daily total: $85 (to be reimbursed). 

Day Two

6am: Same routine, but an hour later! Wash my face, get dressed, and an egg and peanut milk. Not having to think about breakfast makes my life easier when I’m already so groggy. 

8am: I’m still on the subway, but we have virtual morning lectures from 8am-9am, so I just join on my phone. I get to the hospital at 8:10 and continue the lecture on wifi. I drop off the black sesame milk buns that I made over the weekend in the residents’ lounge. 

9am: We have morning rounds for 30 minutes, and I go see my patients and write their notes. One of my patients is someone I saw in the ED yesterday, and she’s very sweet now that she’s no longer intoxicated. 

12pm: Lunch time! I microwave my pre-packed lunch, same as yesterday, and chill with the other residents for an hour. 

3pm: I count down to 3pm for the donut drop from Kora; within 3 minutes, the donuts are sold out. Thankfully, I made it - 2 sets of the Sari-Sari (leche flan, ube, churron, halo-halo, and keso). All set for pick-up on Friday. :) $65. 

4pm: I get out of work, and go home to chill, work on the apartment rental application, and work out. 

7:30pm: Dinner with my mom eating leftovers, and then Stone Age (a free online board game with friends). 

10pm: Follistim and clomiphene again, and off to bed. 

Daily total: $65 (hopefully will be reimbursed for $56 since I’m sharing with 6 other people) 

Day Three

5am: I have to go for monitoring again today, so I wake up early ... and do the same routine, except with hot HK milk tea instead of peanut milk to warm me up. 

7am: It’s 50 degrees outside, and I decide to cancel my dinner plans (outdoor dining with a friend) because I’m not dressed appropriately for the weather. I go in for monitoring and it turns out I need to take a medication as soon as I get home from work, so I have an even better excuse to cancel.  

10am: I discharge two patients, one of whom is my age and is one of the nicest patients I’ve ever had. I have medical students now, so I bring them along to see my patients. 

12pm: Lunch time - I microwave my pesto chicken bread pudding that I brought from home. I was hoping to snack on a black sesame milk bun, but they’re all gone. :(

5pm: I go home instead of going to dinner, but it turns out that I don’t have the medication after all. I contact the ob/gyn, but it’s not available at any pharmacies; I’ll just pick it up from the clinic tomorrow (for free). 

7:30pm: I eat leftovers again for dinner (peking duck and steamed dumplings). The rest of the night is pretty low-key; lazing in bed and scrolling through social media. I get myself to do a few squats, but I feel so meh that I don’t really end up doing much and call it a night. 

Daily total: $0 

Day Four 

5am: It’s getting pretty tiring waking up early for these appointments - can’t wait for them to be over! The follicles are growing nicely :) I pick up the medication and make sure I don’t lose it this time. 

10am: I discharge another patient, who is legit one of the most motivated patients I’ve ever met; he called his pharmacy to make sure that his medications would get sent properly. 

12pm: I remembered that I had some leftover beef rendang from dinner last week, so I microwave that for lunch. I also take the medication ... vaginally, and I lie down on the couch for 10 minutes awkwardly while my co-residents come in and out of the lounge. 

5pm: I catch up with a friend through FaceTime, and we talk for 2 hours about self-quarantining, socializing, therapy, and being tired introverts. 

7pm: Duke is hosting a free private screening of Miss Juneteenth with a panel of speakers (including the film director and producer), so I watch it while eating dinner with some college friends. I didn’t immediately love the movie, but the panel definitely made me appreciate it a lot more. 

10pm: Medications again, and off to bed because I have ANOTHER early appointment tomorrow. Oof. 

Daily total: $0

Day Five

5am: I press snooze and I basically get out of bed at 5:30 and leave at 5:50. I’m coughing a bit this morning, and I’m 99% sure I don’t have covid, but I don’t know for sure. 

9:30am: I talk to my attending and program coordinator about my very mild symptoms - slightly running nose, dry cough - and they recommend that I just get tested downstairs. It’s very efficient; I sign up for a patient portal, and I get bloodwork and the nasopharyngeal swab for the PCR. I really do not want to get swabbed again unless I have to; it does not feel good. 

12pm: Microwaved lunch again - rice with tofu and beef, which my mom made last night. 

2pm: I’m negative for antibodies! 

5pm: I take a quick trip to Chinatown to grab some snacks - drinks at Bambu for two, which I have 20% off for ($14) and a set of 6 cheese tarts from Pink Lady ($16). $30. 

6pm: My fertility doctor calls me and tells me that we have to reschedule my egg retrieval until I get my covid result back. :( 

7pm: I meet up with two friends for dinner at a Korean-Uzbek restaurant near my house; it turns out that they do outdoor dining! We were originally planning on doing takeout and eating in my backyard, but this works, too. We get lagman (a hot Uzbek beef noodle soup), kuksi soup (a cold Korean noodle soup reminiscent of naemgyung), 4 pieces of manty (Uzbek beef-lamb dumplings served with sour cream), and a Korean beef bun. $17

9pm: We go back to the teahouse in my backyard, and eat cheese tarts and finish our drinks. We lose track of time talking about furniture styles, dating, splurges, and money diaries. I regretfully have to end the night at 10:30pm because it’s time for my medications, and I have to go to sleep. 

Daily total: $47

Day Six

6am: I didn’t have to go in this morning, whew! We also don’t have lecture this morning, so I had a leisurely morning reviewing my patient charts. 

9:30am: Negative covid test, yay!!! Egg retrieval is on for Sunday. 

12pm: Microwaved rice with eggplant, chicken, and thai basil again. I still have 2+ weeks worth of this and the pesto chicken bread pudding at home; I really should freeze it. 

2pm: I try to talk to my new admission, but apparently he refuses to talk for the first three days every admission. So ... just chilling. 

5pm: I go to my bank to get certified checks, but it turns out they’re $12 each and money orders are only $1 at the post office ... so I go to the post office. I get two checks for $1200 and $750 and pay $4.75 in fees. They’re supposed to be reimbursed, but I have to pay the application fee for my rental building up front. $1954.75

6:30pm: I give one donut to my brother and I sell one to someone else, so I get some money back! 

7pm: I meet up with friends for dinner at Tradisyon, where we split a bunch of entrees among 5 people: squid, lechon, sisig, mackerel, and kare kare. Everything was delicious :) We shared the donuts, but they were actually really dense, so we only ate 5. Idk what I’m doing with the 3 leftover donuts :x $15. 

10pm: We continue hanging out but it gets too cold and I need to inject myself at 10:15pm, so we end up going to someone’s studio apartment nearby :O First time hanging out indoors for some of us! 

Daily total: $1969.75 ($1950 to be reimbursed)

Day Seven

8am: I go in for final bloodwork, and I pay for the egg retrieval procedure for tomorrow - oof. I’ve never had to spend so much at one time, and I was mortified when my credit card was declined. We put half on my credit card and half on my debit card. $3250. 

9am: I hang out at Chris’ apartment because I need to wait until 10:15am for my second injection, and I may or may not need to have the procedure today if my bloodwork comes back indicating that I may be ovulating. We chill and wait for Daniella to arrive. 

11am: We decide that it’s way too cold outside to go biking in Central Park or eat out, and we ultimately decide on spicy hunan food from the restaurant right next door to Chris’ apartment. We order a LOT of food - mapo tofu, eggplant with green beans, chongqing chicken, hot and sour soup, beef noodle soup - and eat at his kitchen counter. I drink some of Chris’ tea with his maple oat milk from Trader Joe’s. $24. 

2pm: After a lot of conversations while chilling on Chris’ couch (and a 15 minute nap), we decide to go for a short walk outside so that we can feel slightly productive on our free day together. We check out some cool recycled trash sculptures of dogs that are ... kinda ugly. 

3pm: I go home and spend the rest of the day freecycling (posting stuff I don’t want anymore for other people to pick up from my house) and chilling. 

8pm: It’s Saturday night, which means my dad makes sushi for us. It’s a decadent, delicious, and free meal for me :) 

9pm: I go to bed early for my procedure tomorrow! 

Daily total: $3274 ($3250 to be reimbursed)

Weekly total: $5440.75 ($5317.88 to be reimbursed, so actually $122.87). 

[clairelunarlove-blog]

A Negative in a Negative World (Pt 1)

I’m in pain. It’s important to understand that if you go through this. In the matter of less than 12 hours I’ve experienced more pain than ever before. Over the last 3 months, my husband and I have been going to a fertility clinic. I’ve wanted children since before I was even capable of reproducing. I’ve never been “regular” with my cycles. I’ve had them since I was 11. For the first 2 years they tried to even out. After that, my body just gave up trying to be “normal”. I started taking birth control to regulate my cycles. A few years on it and I got off of it. Simply because I wanted to start a family. I got married at 18. Moved 2 states away from my friends and family. After awhile of no success I went to the OB/GYN to see what the problem was. Ignorantly, I didn’t realize how important a regular cycle was to reproduction. At the age of 19 I was diagnosed with “a hormonal problem”. Not much info, eh? I shrugged it off. Fast worward to age 21. I went back to the doctors to get a more definitive diagnosis. PCOS. I went to my mom’s work, 2 minutes away from the clinic and bawled my eyes out. It was my fault. Not my husbands, but mine. Fast forward 2 years. 2014. I had split from my ex. I was 23. I started dating someone new from my new job. We hit it off. After a few years of dating we became engaged. We’d lived together the majority of the time. We got engaged in July of 2017. We got married in April of 2018. 2018 was a horrible year though. I’d been diagnosed with an incurable virus and had lost contact with all of my friends. I suffered from “voluntary” alcoholism that year and had spiraled into a dark state, despite my recent wedding. My husband and I purchased a house in September of that year as well. 2019 was a year of change. Healthy change. I reconnected with my 3 best friends. I sent messages apologizing to the people I had hurt in the past few years. I was turning a leaf. By the end of 2019, beginning of 2020 I had a new attitude. December of 2019 my husband and I decided to contact a fertility clinic I’d got a recommendation from. Our first consult was December 17. Fast forward 3 months later. I’ve had multiple tests. Invasive, painful, expensive. I’ve tried 3 different medications to induce ovulation. I was granted 1 egg. After 3 weeks of daily, self given shots, the universe gave me 1 egg: which is what anyone else (regular) gets. I was still thankful. After 2 failed oral medications, these shots were our last shot before IVF. I finally had 1 egg that was bigger than 10mm. My left ovary hadn’t done anything in that time. And my right only capable of one. So on March 6 after 3 weeks of shots, and months of mediations and supplements, we did an IUI. Intrauterine insemination. He didn’t really have any problems with mobility or count, the blame solely rested on my body. But since we’d invested thousands of dollars in such a short amount of time, I wanted to spend an extra $500 for the procedure just to be safe. Instead of leaving it up to chance with timed intercourse. Test in 2 weeks they said. March 21. Today, officially. Unfortunately, when I woke up today, March 20th, I went to the bathroom and discovered my period had started. All I’ve done is cry on and off today. My husband had just gone to the store this morning to pick up a few groceries and a pregnancy test. And I didn’t even need to use it anymore. I know some people still have it at the beginning, or even light ones throughout their pregnancy. But this was MY body. MY luck. And where my body, my cycle, my desire of parenthood is concerned, it’s Murphy’s law. Anything that can go wrong, will. It doesn’t matter that I had 1 egg like everyone does. It doesn’t matter that it was of a good, healthy size. It doesn’t matter that I’d listened to the docs and had intercourse Thursday evening, the procedure Saturday morning and intercourse again Saturday evening. It doesn’t matter that I’ve maxed out credit cards, drained our savings and damn near emptied our regular banking account on supplements, medications, shots and copays over the last 3 months.

[thehungrykat1]

Egg Freezing: My Personal Journey With Cryopreservation

“Do you have a boyfriend? When are you getting married? You should have kids already! You’re not getting any younger.” Women of my age tend to get asked these questions a lot. Friends, relatives, and most especially your own family members will be asking these questions more frequently the closer you get to age 30 and it will get more persistent every year thereafter. Unlike men, women have a shorter fertility clock that has to be respected. I’m sure almost every woman wants to have children someday, but we also have our own dreams and ambitions. While men can take their own sweet time and still have offspring even until their forties and fifties, women need to be more aware of their body clocks and accept that it will be much harder to get pregnant as they get older. Thankfully, modern medical science has given us a new alternative that will “extend” our child-bearing years and give us a better chance to have our own families in the future.

Oocyte Cryopreservation, or more commonly known as Egg Freezing, is a relatively new procedure that lets women have their eggs frozen and stored inside a medical facility for use and fertilization at a future time. There are many different and personal reasons why some women will choose to have their eggs frozen. Some may already be in their thirties but still waiting for their Prince Charming. Others may already be married but opt to delay childbirth for career or lifestyle choices. In my case, I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or simply Lupus, when I was 19 years old (Read: My Six Year Journey Living With Lupus). Lupus is such a mysterious disease and there is still no effective cure in sight. The only thing Lupus survivors can do is to manage their symptoms and keep themselves healthy. Thankfully, aside from my damaged hips and joints due to Avascular Necrosis, I am still relatively healthy, but that may not always be the case. This is why I decided to have my eggs frozen at 26 years old, still near the peak of my fertility, so that I can have some insurance and peace of mind in case Lupus continues to attack my body further.

As I am writing this blog, fourteen of my tiny microscopic egg cells are safely frozen and stored inside the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City. These will be tucked away for the next few years, to be thawed and used for in vitro fertilization (IVF) when I decide to do so. Of course, the natural way of getting pregnant is always the first option. That also means getting married first. Those will happen in their own due time, and if I am fortunate to receive those blessings, I may not even need to use my frozen eggs at all. But I can take comfort in the fact that I have done my part to increase my chances of having my own children later on.

My personal doctor and OB-GYN is Dr. Virgilio Novero, Jr., head of the Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine and Infertility (CARMI), St. Luke’s state-of-the-art facility offering special services for Egg Freezing, IVF, and couples with infertility problems. Founded in 2011, CARMI (http://www.stlukescarmi.com) is designed to be one of the most advanced IVF laboratories in the Philippines with its top-of the-line equipment and services that help it deliver world-class results. Dr. Novero is one of the pioneers in the practice of IVF in the Philippines and has done over a thousand IVF cycles. It was actually one of my close friends who referred me to Dr. Novero. She did her egg freezing procedure here a few years ago and she just got married last year. Now, she is six months pregnant through in vitro fertilization with Dr. Novero using her frozen eggs.

Encouraged by the results from my friend, I finally decided to push through with my own Egg Freezing last November. It was not a simple decision to make because the total costs for the entire procedure at St. Luke’s BGC ranges from P300,000 to P350,000, definitely not a small amount. I am including a breakdown of these expenses day by day so that you will know what to expect on each visit. Egg Freezing is becoming a more common medical procedure and we don’t have to travel abroad anymore for this service. There are other clinics and hospitals in Metro Manila that also offer Oocyte Cryopreservation like Kato Repro Biotech Center and The Medical City, but I decided to go with St. Luke’s because of their excellent reputation and my friend’s recommendation. The first step was to visit the clinic of Dr. Novero for a consultation. His clinic is at Room 514 of the Medical Arts Building of St. Luke’s BGC and it is open for consultation on Monday to Friday from 10:00am to 1:00pm.

Many will be asking why I decided to do egg freezing at my young age, but it is actually best to do this during the age of 25-35. These are the prime reproductive years when your eggs are healthy and plentiful, and age is the biggest factor that will determine how many eggs will be successfully harvested in each cycle. Women are born with all the egg cells they will ever have and these will diminish in number and quality over the years. You may think that you still have plenty of time to find the right partner, or to prioritize your career first, but when you get to your thirties and realize that getting pregnant is not as easy as you thought, that’s when you will hope to have done this procedure much earlier. Once the eggs are frozen, they will forever retain their quality and can be used even when the woman reaches her forties or fifties without any adverse effects. Do note that the costs for IVF itself are different and separate from egg freezing.

It was just the first time for me to meet Dr. Novero that morning so I also informed him about my Lupus condition. He explained everything I needed to know about the procedure and immediately put my mind at ease. He gave me a list of tests I needed to do to make sure I was a good candidate for oocyte cryopreservation, so I headed down to the Institute of Pathology on the second floor, also known as the laboratory. This is where I gave urine samples and did some blood extraction for various tests and screenings, including an HIV test. I next went to the Women’s Healthcare facility just a few steps away for a trans-vaginal ultrasound. The line here can get a bit long but the ultrasound procedure just takes a few minutes.

Expenses for the day included P21,500 for the tests and P1,200 for the consultation for a total of P22,700. Take note that since I had a Persons with Disability (PWD) ID, I was entitled to a 20% discount on hospital charges, so my actual costs were a bit lower. Hospital bills can be paid through cash or credit card, but the fees for the doctors had to be paid in cash. Since I had Lupus, I also needed to do a couple more tests to get clearances from my Nephrologist and Rheumatologist, but these were done elsewhere. I went back to St. Luke’s a few days later to get my results and then submitted these to Dr. Novero’s clinic. He gave me the thumbs up as I fortunately passed all the tests and then we proceeded to discuss the schedule for the ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval. Consultation fee cost was P1,000.

The ovarian stimulation cycle actually begins during the second day of your menstruation. This means that you should free up your calendar for a few days because you will not have complete control over the scheduled visits. The entire cycle takes less than two weeks but you will be making quite a few appointments at the clinic for tests and consultations. When my monthly period started last November 1, I had to be at St. Luke’s BGC at 8:00am the next morning for my Estradiol hormone test at the laboratory. This is the primary female hormone and the doctor will be checking this regularly throughout the cycle. The test was set at 8:00am and I had to wait 2-3 hours for the results, which I will then forward to Dr. Novero’s clinic. Fortunately, there are a lot of restaurants and lounges at St. Luke’s BGC so waiting is not a problem. I met Dr. Novero at 11:00am with the results on hand and he gave me my first hormone injection at the clinic. This medication encourages multiple eggs to develop inside the ovaries instead of just one per month. He also gave me my first take-home assignment inside this cute pink cooler bag.

Inside the bag were several boxes of hormone injections which will have to be administered daily at a certain hour for the next three days. This is probably the most harrowing part of the egg retrieval process because it usually means injecting the solution yourself or having your partner or family member do it for you. The boxes have to be placed in a cool environment, so I immediately placed them inside the fridge when I got home. Total expenses for the day were P32,000 for the hormone injections (four days worth) and P3,400 for the lab test for a total of P35,400.

There is actually an option to just go to the clinic every day and have Dr. Novero or his assistant do the injections for you. That would have been easy if I lived near the hospital, but since I live in Quezon City, it really wasn’t an option. There was also no way I could do the injections on myself. I don’t think I will ever be psychologically and emotionally prepared to do that. So there was no other alternative but to have my boyfriend administer the injections for me. Lucky him.

The injections have to be done at around the same hour each day, which in my case was at 11:00am. The first time was the most difficult basically because we were both nervous about making a mistake. But once we did the first injection correctly, the succeeding ones became much easier.

Each box of Gonal-F contains one vial of powder solution and one syringe pre-filled with solvent. I was instructed to use two vials of Gonal-F each day so I needed to open two boxes. The doctor will determine how many vials are to be used for each shot so these may be different for other women. The vials can be combined using just one syringe so there’s no need for the other syringe set.

There is an instruction booklet inside each Gonal-F box so make sure to follow it properly. The first step is to insert the pink needle for reconstitution onto the pre-filled syringe. Next, remove the cap and slowly inject all the solvent into the vial of Gonal-F powder. Swirl it gently without removing the syringe. After the powder has dissolved, turn the vial upside down and gently draw the solution back into the syringe.

Since I needed to use two vials, I re-injected the solution into another powder vial before drawing it back again to the syringe. Once the solution is ready, it was time to switch the needle with the fine bore needle for subcutaneous injection. Now the real action begins.

Thankfully, the actual needle for injection was not as long and scary as I thought. Dr. Novero’s assistant gave me a few instructions on how and where to inject the needle, which should be around two inches below the belly button. There are also a few video tutorials on YouTube about subcutaneous injections so that also helped us. It is better to fold your skin before inserting the needle but make sure all the solution is completely released inside. This is the only time I am happy to have some fats on my belly because I’m guessing this would hurt a lot more for thin women. Overall, despite the jitters and anxious moments, my boyfriend did an okay job with his first injection. It just felt like a regular doctor’s injection.

After my third day of hormone injections at home, it was time to go to the hospital again the following day for more tests. The same schedule was followed with Estradiol tests at 8:00am followed by an ultrasound to monitor my ovarian follicles. I noticed my Estradiol levels really spiking up from its initial number of around 40pg/mL. I guess that means the hormone injections are working. I have heard a few stories of women going on a hormone-induced emotional roller coaster during these periods, something like a super PMS, and I was also expecting to experience a few episodes myself. But surprisingly, I seem to have gotten some happy hormones and actually felt quite cheerful during the two weeks.

Dr. Novero gave me another hormone shot at the clinic and a new set of take-home medicine. He also saw two big follicles on my ultrasound so he gave me something to prevent it from bursting. Expenses for the day included P3,400 for the laboratory test, P2,950 for the ultrasound, and P29,500 for two days worth of injections for a total of P35,850. Women during this stage may also feel some bloating and abdominal discomfort but these are mostly manageable.

My next visit to the clinic came two days later on my seventh day of hormone treatments and this time my Estradiol level had risen to 1700+. I had another injection and ultrasound at the clinic and got my take-home kit, but this time it came with a new device called the Gonal-F Pre-Filled Pen. Total costs for this visit included P3,400 for the laboratory tests and P35,350 for three days worth of injections for a total of P38,750.

The Gonal-F Pen is actually much easier to use because it already contains the hormone solution inside and you only have to adjust the dosage as shown on the pen. The same procedure is done by inserting the pen’s needle two inches below the belly button and just pushing down the knob until the prescribed dosage is released. I went back to the clinic on my 10th day of hormone treatments. This time, there were no more laboratory tests done and Dr. Novero just did a final shot and ultrasound in the clinic. He said that everything looked good and I was finally ready for egg retrieval two days later on November 13. He also gave me a syringe filled with a solution called the Trigger Shot which I was to administer at exactly 10:30pm that evening, 36 hours before my scheduled procedure. This is the final medication which will cause my eggs to complete their maturation process and be ready for harvesting. I paid P12,300 for the day.

After 12 days of hormone treatments, it was now time to harvest my eggs for freezing. My schedule was set at 10:30am so I needed to be at CARMI at least an hour before. This is where the outpatient procedure will be done with Dr. Novero and an anesthesiologist from his team. An 8-hour fasting period was required and I had to arrive with no makeup, perfumes, or any lotion whatsoever. Not all egg retrieval operations are successful, so I was just hoping to harvest as many healthy eggs as possible. 20-30 eggs would be a good number, but some do not even get 10 eggs. If the procedure fails, or if the eggs harvested are too little, then another cycle of hormone treatments will have to be done, resulting in even more added costs.

Here I am just a few minutes before my procedure began. The retrieval is minimally invasive because the needle is passed through the vagina under ultrasound guidance to reach the ovary and follicles. After puncturing the ovary, the eggs are then sucked out through the needle. I did not feel anything since I was asleep throughout the procedure, but it does hurt afterwards. The doctors told me that they had some difficulty during the operation since I could not do the normal position for other patients. You see, my legs are not as flexible as they should be due to my Avascular Necrosis, so the less than one hour procedure ended up taking more than two hours. Nevertheless, it was a successful retrieval and my eggs were then sent to the lab for freezing. I would not know the results and final count until after a few days, so I was told to come back to the clinic the following week. After paying the doctor’s fee of P87,200, as well as the hospital fee of P100,500, which included the one year storage fee of P12,000, I was advised to go straight home and rest the entire day. Total expenses for the entire egg freezing cycle was P333,700.

Contrary to what most doctors say, there will be some moderate pain since your ovaries were practically punctured. It’s not the same for everyone, but I had intense abdominal cramps and I could not really function properly until after a few days. Nevertheless, I was really excited to find out how many eggs were successfully frozen but I had to wait until the next visit. One thing to consider in the Philippines is that we have stricter laws when it comes to IVF. You need to be married to your partner if you want your eggs to be fertilized, so single parents and sperm donors are definitely not allowed. Embryo freezing actually has a higher success rate than egg freezing because it already combines both the sperm and the egg at a later stage of development, but this is also not allowed in the Philippines unless you are already married to your partner. Other countries are more lenient, so some prefer to have their egg freezing done elsewhere, or have their frozen eggs transported to another country for fertilization.

When I visited Dr. Novero the following week, he gave me the results and the good news. They were able to retrieve a total of 14 eggs, 10 of which are considered healthy and mature, 3 eggs still immature, and 1 egg damaged. These were frozen using a standard rapid cryopreservation procedure called vitrification and are now all safely stored inside St. Luke’s BGC. Since IVF is a delicate procedure, only a small percentage of healthy eggs will result in successful pregnancies and live births. Dr. Novero assured me though that 10 healthy and mature eggs will give me a very good chance. Now, every time I pass by St. Luke’s BGC, I can’t help but think that one of my future babies is safely tucked away and sleeping inside, frozen in time, waiting for the moment he or she can re-enter my womb and join me as I go on the most beautiful journey any woman can ever have.

Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine and Infertility (CARMI)

Ground Floor, Medical Arts Building, St. Luke's Medical Center-Global City

32nd St. Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

789-7700 ext. 2111

www.stlukescarmi.com

www.facebook.com/stlukescarmi

[thebeechbitch-blog]

Raising Hell

Most of you know me for being outspoken and opinionated about everything. Hell, some people might call me an “over-sharer” (for anyone following my Instagram account). The truth is, I’m a private person where it matters. I want to share a deeply personal story with the hope that it’ll spark a dialogue about women’s health and open lines of communication between other women who feel alone in their quest for answers and advocates.   I’ve been struggling with a silent and undiagnosed illness for roughly five years. I should preface this by saying that it’s actually been much longer than five years; I’d experienced symptoms in high school that were eventually mitigated by using hormonal birth control for nine years. Every month, like clockwork, I would start my period and the first day would be a nightmare. I would often barrel through the nurse’s office in high school, begging for Advil, writhing around in her office until the pills kicked in. At home I would lock myself in the bathroom and assume fetal position on the floor because the cool tile was the only thing that kept me from passing out. My mom explained to me that cramps were part of being a woman, so I never thought my experience was an abnormal one. I went on birth control in college. For the most part my cramps got better, but a host of nasty side effects cropped up with birth control. For the first two years of starting a new pill, I had debilitating depression with suicidal ideation, something I find difficult to admit even 13 years later. My freshman year of college was spent sleeping and watching independent films in a dark dorm, seldom leaving for social interaction of any kind. Years later when I moved over to a different prescription, I experienced the same sadness: constant weeping over nothing (to the point where my roommate and friend said she couldn’t deal with me anymore) and cystic acne that only exacerbated my depression. The painful cramps were gone for nine years but I still took Advil for slight cramping. And, I would spend years in dermatologist offices, using medicated creams to keep my breakouts at bay. When I was 25 I decided I wanted to live more holistically and stopped taking birth control. The side effects during this phase were horrific for my skin. I say this with no hyperbole – it took my skin three years to fully recover from the damage that hormonal birth control caused. I also suffered from unexplained GI issues that prompted a colonoscopy. Results showed I had an inflamed lymphocytic layer, presenting colitis-like symptoms, though the doctor told me “it’s probably IBS.” I started noticing other strange symptoms off birth control, one that I’d never experienced before. For those of you who really know me, you know that I love to exercise. I was running regularly in my early 20’s; I could run a 5K in 30 minutes with general ease. Several months after I stopped birth control I started having debilitating uterine cramps (for reference, it feels like a strong wave of contractions that knocks me to my feet and makes me clammy) about 10 minutes into a run. I would find myself doubled over in pain, on the brink of vomiting or passing out. Eventually, I realized that if I sat it out for five minutes when an episode occurred, I’d be able to continue my run like nothing happened. I started getting paranoid about having an embarrassing episode in front of people, or not being near a bathroom when I might need one, so I stopped running outside. I tirelessly scoured the internet for other women who might be experiencing similar symptoms. I found several forums where women documented the same scenario I’d been experiencing on my runs, but no answers from medical professionals. When I raised the issue to my OB-GYN during a routine check-up, she shrugged, claimed she had “never heard of that,” and sent me on my way. That was the last time I saw that particular doctor. It was around this time when my painful periods came back with a vengeance. In 2016, my periods became so intense that I was vomiting regularly from the pain on the first day. The first bad episode that comes to mind is when I got sick at work and had to puke into my trash can. I left early after my coworkers stopped me in the hallway to tell me that I looked pale. The pain was so severe that I continued to throw up all over myself on the drive home. One bout in December 2016 landed me in the hospital. I had to lie to my supervisor and say that I came down with a bad case of food poisoning, which, incidentally, would be my crux each time I had to stay home from work. My (now) husband (then fiancé) grew worried that I was dangerously dehydrated. I couldn’t drink water without vomiting. Any pills I took to lessen the pain were quickly eliminated into the toilet, and heating pads weren’t helping. This went on for hours.

I sat in the hospital waiting room that day, vomiting into a bag, and feeling like death might be a better option. The hospital staff were quick to put me on a bed in the hallway, where I continued to hurl into a bag while staff and patrons looked on. Once the morphine and anti-vomiting meds kicked in, the doctor came by to tell me I was experiencing “dysmenorrhea,” which is clinically defined as “painful menstruation.” I ripped into him with what little energy I had left from the day. I explained that this wasn’t normal and that I wanted something more to be done about it. He looked me in the eyes and said, “I’m not sure what you want me to do,” then slinked away. Two hours and my full deductible later ($1,500, in case you were wondering), I exited the hospital depleted of energy -- hopeless and angry as hell. I dreaded that this was the new normal, so I decided to make some life changes. I decreased coffee intake and started a new exercise regimen that didn’t include running. I researched vitamins to take for inflammation (fish oil, garlic, turmeric). I introduced spinning classes and yoga, which ended up being such a great thing for me. I even lost some weight leading up to my wedding in 2017. Periods were still bad – I was living on eight Advil and portable heating pads one day a month (shout out to Thermacare) – but I felt more in control of the symptoms. I was experiencing the dreaded exercise pain during spin class but could manage it by slowing down for five minutes or by avoiding third position movement (riding out of the saddle seemed to aggravate my uterus and GI symptoms). Sadly, my exercise pain started getting worse and more frequent from 2018 to 2019 and I started tracking symptoms using a fertility app (shout out to Flo). There was no continuity or pattern, except I noticed that there was a two-day window right after my period ended when I could exercise without pain. Two days. Otherwise, pain would occur ~10-15 minutes into any cardio activity. Any time I’d go to a group spin class I would have to stop pedaling or worse, leave the bike for a mad dash to the bathroom. It has become too embarrassing for me to exercise with or around other people. To date, I experience exercise-induced uterine pain with GI symptoms 95% of my cycle. And new GI symptoms have appeared in 2019. I feel a stabbing pain in my intestines right before I relieve myself and debilitating constipation most weeks. I almost never feel the relief of an empty colon. I feel bloated on most days, regardless of what I eat. Some other symptoms related to this illness include fatigue (check), bladder fullness (check), lower back pain (check), and a host of other fun things I experience regularly. I’ve gone to different doctors for all these symptoms over the years, with very little relief and even fewer answers. For those of you who have read this far…thanks! I realize that I haven’t revealed the big diagnosis, which is an allegory for my entire journey thus far. I’ve been to four different OB-GYNs over the last five years. I’ve had countless ultrasounds and different hands feeling my organs through my vagina, only to be told that I am “completely healthy.” These diagnostic tests are an invasion of privacy. Imagine if a man complained about frequent urination and had to go to four different doctors for multiple prostate exams. Can you imagine a man being anally probed on multiple occasions, only to leave the office without a diagnosis? Probably not, because it simply… Would. Not. Happen. With a hurried tone, my most recent doctor told me I could either go back on birth control or try to conceive. If I had trouble conceiving, he would consider exploratory surgery as a next step. I was 28 at the time and not looking to conceive. I had also explained that birth control made me suicidal as my body adjusted. He told me to come back when I was having difficulty getting pregnant.

Can you imagine? A woman’s two options are synthetic hormones or pregnancy. I didn’t want either option at 28, so I chose the third option – live in pain. Miss work, cancel plans with friends, cease exercise altogether. This is the path I chose. The next time I visited his office was after a particularly bad month in February 2019. He stuck to the same routine: ultrasound, probing, followed by “you’re healthy” dialogue. I broke down in tears when he showed me my “healthy” ultrasound. I had to prove my misery with tears and whimpers for him to finally start taking my pain seriously. He said we should go ahead with an exploratory surgery “if that’s what I wanted” and passed me off to his assistant to make an appointment. I put the appointment on hold because I didn’t feel right about how this doctor had treated me. Did I really want this guy doing an invasive procedure after years of rebuffing me and my very real, perceived pain? I sought answers online and decided to make an appointment with one of the only three (vetted) specialists in New York state qualified to correctly diagnose and remove unhealthy tissue from my abdominal cavity. My appointment in November will be out of network because our healthcare system has failed women. We’re told that women should be checked regularly for HPV during pap examinations and the annual exam is covered by insurance. It’s also worth mentioning that HPV rarely develops into cancer. And yet, this is the gold standard for annual exams. Anything falling outside of the annual pap is billed. Any other complaint or exam… billed. Here it is. The diagnosis! It’s estimated that 1 in 10 women in the world suffer from Endometriosis and there are currently no diagnostic tests that accurately identify the disease. Exploratory surgery is the only way doctors can diagnose Endometriosis with certainty. Endometriosis is severely underfunded, but very common. It can affect all abdominal organs, in addition to the liver and lungs (more rare), and hormones fuel the development of diseased tissue. Finding a specialist in the field is daunting, and surgery is often too expensive for most women. Most non-specialized OB-GYNs will use ablation, a surgical technique not recommended for full removal and recovery. I received a call from Dr. Masahide Kanayama’s office after filling out an online form. The office manager ran off a list of questions: “do you experience painful cramps, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, back pain?” I said “yes” to all of these. I told her I’ve been vomiting from the pain for years. I asked her if anyone had come into their office with constant, exercise-induced pain. She said, “oh sweety, it sounds like you have Endometriosis.” Nobody believed me. Nobody explicitly stated the obvious to me, out loud. I’ve had to advocate for myself for years. I’ve had family members brush me off, calling me a “hypochondriac,” but I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life! We need to do better for women’s health. We need to believe women. We need to advocate for women. We need to fund research for women’s health and specialize in women’s diseases. I have my first appointment with Dr. Kanayama, an out of network doctor, in November. He’s a specialist in the field and may be able to see signs of Endometriosis on 3D ultrasound. If I’m comfortable moving forward and he thinks I’m a good candidate, I’ll schedule a surgery to excise the nasty tissue that’s been plaguing me for years, robbing me of my happiness and sanity. Who knows how severe or extensive it is; I just hope they can get it all. If you are a woman who has been experiencing any of the symptoms I’ve shared, or have had similar experiences in doctor’s offices, please reach out to me. Or better yet, share your stories. I want to hear from you and let you know that you’re not alone, you’re not crazy, and your pain is real. I realize that not everybody is as candid or willing to share, but we must start somewhere. We must raise hell. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”