Product Review: First Response Fertility Test

I saw the commercial for First Response Fertility Tests probably close to a year ago now and even though I was completely annoyed at how the commercials seemed to associate infertility with age, the POAS-aholic in me couldn't resist.  So when I started my first cycle after Henry this past week, I made a trip to Wa.lmart (who has the best price at 20 bucks for 2, also there is a coupon for 2 bucks off on the FR website) to purchase the test.  The night before cycle day 3, I set out the box in front of the toilet with my pee cup (yes I still have a special pee cup in my bathroom cabinet) so that I wouldn't forget since the test instructions say that you have to use first morning urine on cycle day 3 (and no telling how long it will take for me to get another cycle since my cycles are forever long!!).  Woke up on cycle day 3 to my old pee cup friend and took the test, but I wasn't too nervous waiting for the results since I already knew that I have an elevated fsh (around 10) for my age.  According to the directions, after a wait time of 30 minutes if the line is lighter than the control line or not there at all, then you have a "normal" fsh.  Well my line was not as dark as the control line and that left me a little confused.  After all, it has been almost two years since I had my fsh tested so my egg supply couldn't have gotten better over the years.  I found myself staring at the lines over and over just like I previously stared at opks and pregnancy tests, and there was lots of googling and even calling the company.  Through my google search, I found that most fsh urine tests have a sensitivity of 25 mIU/ml.  Based on what I've read about fsh in the past, 25 is basically game over for using your own eggs because most REs won't try with those numbers.  Since I was told by several customer representatives that the sensitivity of their fertility test was "proprietary information" (although they have no problem publishing the sensitivity of their pregnancy tests and opks), I can't help but assume that it is the same sensitivity as other fsh urine tests used in medical offices (think the urine tests are typically just used to screen for menopause).  I have a huge problem with this because even though some women with an extremely high fsh level might take the test and get a positive and immediately go to a dr to get tested.  Other women might see that their line was kinda dark but not dark enough and assume that their egg supply or quality has nothing to do with their fertility problems.  This helpful link explains fsh and a chart for typical lab values and corresponding success with fertility treatments.  Take a look at a fsh of 15 for instance with less of a response to stimulation and a lower embryo quality...if the sensitivity of the FR test is what I assume (and again no way to know since the company won't say), a woman with a 15 fsh would have tested negative.  The really annoying customer service rep guy that I talked to kept saying that my results meant that I had an "adequate ovarian reserve."  I really wanted to start laughing at him when he tried to explain fsh to me, but I decided to give the poor guy a break.  


So in my opinion should you buy this test and try it?  Not unless you feel like paying twenty bucks to pee on a stick that isn't going to give you a definitive answer (unless your fsh is sky high...and not sure you would want to find out that from peeing on a stick).  My advice...get your RE or your GYN to run your cycle day 3 FSH number and know the exact number.


And remember...be your own advocate!


Okay here is a pic of my stick taken from my cell phone so it is poor quality and the line looked darker in person.

  

A Miracle.

Continue your prayers for sweet Becky and her husband this month.  Their story is below.

I want all of you who feel that you are in a good enough place right now to go read the birth story over at Making Lemonade.  Miracles happen every day.  This baby (Chase) was covered in prayer before he was even conceived, and his story is a sweet testament of God's faithfulness.  

Warning--don't read this at work because you will cry.

Praying for a Little One--for Becky

Please join me in prayer for Becky this month (April-May) and let her know if you prayed for her in the comments section. I know she will be encouraged by all of your prayers, and I know all of you will be blessed by her story.  I don't need lots of comments on my other posts (haven't been getting a lot lately....are ya'll still out there??), but I do expect my readers to come out of hiding or google reader (I'm guilty too!) to comment on these praying for a little one posts as I know it would be very encouraging to Becky.

Becky and her husband, John, started trying a little over a year into their marriage.  They didn't immediately go for testing since there was some time that they were apart due to both being in the military.  Their initial testing did find one problem, but their doctor didn't explain the severity of the issue.  A simple google search left Becky staring at the screen in disbelief that it appeared IVF was the only option for them to conceive.  (Becky has not discussed the details of their diagnosis on her blog for privacy reasons).  Their first IVF attempt did result in a precious little life, but sadly Becky's pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.  Becky and John believed this sweet baby was a girl and named her Johannah Elise.  During their second IVF attempt, Becky was given some very distressing news from her embryologist that was noticed during their first IVF.  After receiving the news that IVF #2 was negative, Becky and her husband felt that God gave them a clear no and took time to mourn the loss of a biological child.  As Becky explains in this post, "There are very real losses that must be dealt with and accepted before you can move forward with adoption with an open heart. What I realized is that for me the pain of seeing a pregnant women was less about the experience of pregnancy and more about the child that would come. I want to be a parent more than I want to be pregnant."                 Becky and John felt called to adopt from South Korea through a designated adoption opportunity that came to them but eventually fell through.  Even though it was very disappointing, Becky and her husband are glad that the opportunity led them to South Korea adoptions as they definitely feel that they are supposed to adopt from South Korea.  Recently, Becky and John received their welcome packet from the Korea program so they are now officially waiting!!!!!  The current wait for a referral is six to nine months and the wait for traveling over to Korea is taking about 6-8 months so Becky and John's little one will most likely spend his or her first birthday in Korea.  Something very exciting is that because a baby has to be up for adoption for Korean citizens for the first five months and an average referral time is about six months, Becky and John's baby could be born any day or just recently born!  Becky is beginning to hope and let herself dream (you can read more about that here).  Becky and John will most likely have a boy because boys are less likely to be adopted domestically in Korea, and Becky is dreaming of an airplane themed nursery since they will be stationed next to an Air Force for their next assignment.  Too cute!!  And a little boy's dream to get to watch all of those planes and jets!  They are also talking about names but will wait to finalize as they would like to use their little one's Korean name as their middle name.

Specific Prayer Requests:

-I-600A be processed in a timely manner with no issues
-For the Lord to show Becky how she should be using this waiting time to prepare for motherhood and to continue to serve Him
-For peace and patience as they wait
-For healing for their child who may be born any day now and his/her birthmother as they both experience a profound loss
-For healing for Becky over the pain of infertility and pregnancy loss
-For the Lord to unite us with the child He has for our family

Becky- I'm so excited for you and John, and I can't wait to "meet" your little one.  Thank you so much for sharing your journey so we can all learn about adoption and for the blessing of watching God answer our prayers.

My Gyn Appt Today

I was feeling pretty anxious when I pulled into the clinic's parking lot.  I have nothing but great memories of my time at this particular clinic because it is a brand new building that opened at the end of my pregnancy, but I just know from past experiences how quickly that can change.  Once I sat down in the waiting room with Henry in his stroller, I heard a girl behind me talking to her husband.  I was holding back the tears because I could hear her sniffling big time, and I just knew she just found out she had a miscarriage.  I sat there rubbing Henry's leg just so grateful  that he was there with me...healthy and safe.  I guess I need to stop making up a story for everyone in the waiting room because we got called back to the lab at the same time, and she just had bad allergies ;).  But it showed me just how emotional going back to the gyn is for me.  Long story short...I'm not pregnant (yes my dr insisted that I should be tested since we don't use protection), but I do have a cyst (small one on my right side).  My pain is still more to the left even though the right was tender during the exam.  My dr and I both think the pain is related to my endometriosis and since I'm not willing to get on any bc pills, there isn't much he can do.  I did crack myself up at one point...when I got back from the u/s room, my dr said he still wasn't ruling out an early pregnancy (because they didn't have the test back for the lab yet), and I replied "why?  my lining was only a 6."  He laughed...looked down at the paper and agreed..."yeah that is pretty thin."  I could tell he was pretty surprised that I knew what I was looking at on the ultrasound screen.  So how do I feel about everything?  I'm fine.  I know that endo is going to be a part of the rest of my life, and I can deal with pain.  I'm just glad it wasn't anything else!  I go back in six weeks to see how I'm doing.

What if...

Going through infertility one of the hardest parts for me (and still hard) is the what ifs.  My "what ifs" have changed at different times during our journey..."what if there is something wrong with me and I can't get pregnant"  "what if clomid doesn't work?"  "what if we do this exploratory surgery and he finds nothing." "what if I can't find the strength to do any more treatments?"  "what if I lose another baby?"  "what if the tiny sweet baby clothes that I packed up in a box yesterday never needs to be re-opened?" "what if it is going to be many years before I get to do this again?"

Melissa at Stirrup Queens has a special project that she is working with Resolve on called Project IF to participate all that you need to do is leave a comment stating one or more of your what ifs in regards to infertility.    I encourage all of you to follow this link to read the what ifs...if you are currently going through infertility, you will leave feeling encouraged that so many other women share your doubts and fears...and if you have never been through infertility, you will leave with a greater understanding of the toll of infertility and how you might be able to comfort someone going through it.  If you do leave a comment, please leave it here also.

I have a cyst.

I know this feeling all to well.  I have that achy, crampy, swollen feeling around my left ovary.  And sorry tmi...but it hurts when Shaun and I get together (in the last week or so).  Hmmm....not really sure what I should do about it because I don't want to take birth control pills to shrink it (won't take another one of those unless it is part of an ivf cycle) and a lap surgery right now is pretty much out of the question (unless of course medically necessary).  I guess it could also be my endo growing back.  Whatever it is...it is bothering me.  Haven't started my cycle back yet so I have no idea what is going on in there!  Advice?

I heart being a VW.

Another post below on my vitamin d levels....finally getting to catch up on some blogging.


What is a VW you might ask?  About a year ago, my close friend started trying to conceive her second child.  Since she knew that I knew way too much about ovulation and how to get pregnant, we talked a lot about "exciting" and tmi things like discharge and timing.  Her husband would overhear our conversations and couldn't believe what he was hearing.  He nicknamed me the vagina whisperer and my friend and I thought it was hilarious so she started calling me her VW.  The name has stuck and several of my IRL friends call me their VW (and one calls me her Fertility Life Coach).  I love being able to encourage other women through the trying to conceive process and then to eventually see them through their pregnancy and delivery (haven't had a friend yet to adopt but I would love the opportunity to walk that journey as well).  When my friend was on the way to the hospital with strong contractions, she called me to let me know they were on their way, and I heard her husband say, "are you calling your VW?"  Too cute :)

Through this blog, I've also had the opportunity to encourage and pray for women that I've never even had the pleasure of meeting.  I get emails like "did you have cramping after your IUIs?"... "positive ovulation test tonight...please pray" to the happiest email I've received yet "I'm excited to tell you that I'm pregnant...just took a test a hour ago and my husband isn't here so I haven't even gotten to tell him yet."  Do you need someone to stalk your fertility friend chart, pray for you, encourage you through a tough time??  I would love to be your VW or Fertility Life Coach or just plain old Courtney.  You can always email me at prayingforalittleone@gmail.com.

DISCLAIMER--not a doctor, and I do not give medical advice!  Just encouragement from experiences I've been through so please don't sue me :)

Whoops Guess I Should Take My Own Advice...

Got my Vitamin D levels back...22.5.  Normal levels are 30 to 74 so I'm not severely deficient, but I'm still deficient.  My Dr said I do not need a super dose but to start taking 2,000 units and get more sun.  I'm also going to need to start getting better about giving Henry his vitamin d drops since this means he won't be getting enough vit d in my milk.  I'm actually pretty surprised that I'm low since I've been taking supplements since before I even got pregnant with Henry.  Makes me wonder what my level was before I started taking it...yikes!  Still curious if anyone else got their levels checked.  This is really out there and obviously I don't have a medical degree to know if this is even possible, but it makes me wonder if there is something in my genes that makes it harder for me to absorb vitamin d.  They are starting to link endometriosis to autoimmune diseases (like Multiple Sclerosis--which my Aunt has) and then MS has been linked to vitamin d deficiency so it wouldn't be that far of a leap.  Okay I'm going to stop pretending to be Dr. Courtney (as my support group calls me) now...