Endometriosis Awareness Month: Marcy’s Story
March is Endometriosis awareness month! At Indigo, we see a lot of women who are suffering with endometriosis, however we know sometimes it can feel like you are alone. That’s why we are excited to have our Acupuncturist Dr. Marcy Julius share the second part of her story and her fertility journey. If you didn’t see her post earlier this month about her diagnosis, check it out!
My fertility journey began at a follow-up visit with my surgeon. I knew endometriosis was a common cause of infertility, but I was so focused on the pain it was causing me that the baby-making part of it wasn’t even on my radar yet. She very bluntly said that I could have problems getting pregnant, and not only should we start trying ASAP, but we should also start off by working with a fertility doctor. This was a year before our wedding, and my husband and I preferred to wait until after we were married to have kids, so it was a bummer to hear this. But we did as we were told, and right after we got back from our honeymoon we booked an appointment with a fertility doctor. After going through the usual testing, we found out my numbers were all average for my age (31 at the time), so the doctor suggested we start by trying timed intercourse with trigger shots. I was in complete shock when I saw the positive pregnancy test from that first month. “I thought this was going to be a whole journey!” I vividly remember telling the nurse on the phone. I was also in shock when I miscarried a little over a week later. You always hear how common miscarriages are, but you still don’t think it’ll happen to you. After the shock wore off, I pulled myself together and started the next cycle. Another positive pregnancy test! This time I was much more apprehensive, but my fears lessened with each ultrasound until I was released to an OBGYN at 8 weeks. At my 10 week visit we no longer saw a heartbeat. I was devastated. You have all these images, hopes and dreams all wrapped up in this tiny growing being in your belly, and then in an instant it’s taken from you.
After that I stopped getting pregnant. We tried timed cycles for a few more months, and then tried a medicated IUI. Nothing. Then I did what so many of my patients have done, switched doctors. At that point I figured I’d try something else and get a second opinion. That’s also around the time I started really getting my butt in gear and following my own advice. I got my own acupuncture treatments weekly, upped my supplement game, walked a few miles a day, and cut all gluten, dairy and sugar out of my diet.
The new doctor suggested we go right into IVF. At that time, I was treating multiple patients a day who were going through the same thing, so I really knew what to expect. And unlike most people in this situation, I didn’t feel alone. Unfortunately, the cycle didn’t go so well. Out of 17 eggs retrieved, we ended up with one day 7, PGS normal embryo. Some clinics won’t even let embryos grow to day 7. I was told the embryologist commented on how uncommon it was for someone my age to have such poor egg quality. Thanks, endometriosis…
I was however, beyond grateful that we got one. We collectively decided the best next step was to do another retrieval and try to get more. Changes in egg quality take 3 months, and I had only been implementing regular acupuncture treatments and the other lifestyle changes for about 2 months leading up to the first round, so I had higher hopes for the second. As it happened, while I was prepping for my cycle with micro-dose Lupron, I got pregnant naturally with my daughter. Was it the acupuncture and lifestyle changes? Was it the Lupron giving me a quick boost of progesterone at JUST the right time before it suppressed me? Honestly, it was probably both.
Of course, my story doesn’t end there. We’re now trying for baby #2, so to be continued…