Today is the day that I find out the results of my month long hormone panel. I am working with a Catholic NaPro doctor whom I met through the Lady Dominicans. My husband and I are about to make the 2.25 hour drive to her office. I have to admit that I am nervous. I think that I am more nervous of her saying to me that she could not find anything wrong with me. That would mean we would know nothing more than we did when we started this process four months ago with me learning Creighton NFP. That would mean that I would have no answer to why I have lost three babies.
I am trying to write as I go through this process. I will write a post on Natural Procreative Technologies (NaPro), which are a form of Catholic Church approved medical interventions for repeated miscarriage, post-partum depression, severe PMS, hormone issues, endometriosis, etc. The most common treatment method from what I understand is natural progesterone given during the second half of a woman’s cycle when she is not pregnant and injections when she is pregnant. That is if a progesterone deficiency is found, which is really what we are looking for in me.
While the process is stressful because of all the unknowns, it was when I was introduced to this option that I began to have hope again. After this last loss, I was starting to accept that I would not have the option of more children whether it be because of my physical or emotional health. Each pregnancy was taking its toll on me. Rough pregnancies, that resulted in loss, and then periods of post-partum depression and anxiety. The last three years have been a roller coaster.
So today I find out if I have a hormone issue. I have had every blood test possible this year. All of which came back normal. While this is not the last step, it is the last step in the easier options. The next options would be genetic testing and structural testing. I have to admit that there is a big part of me that is hoping she will tell me I have a progesterone deficiency. So much of what I have been through in the last 20 years will make so much more sense if that is the case. Miscarriage was just the catalyst to start looking for issues. I have struggled with severe PMS for decades. Most OB/GYNs just throw birth control at women, rather than looking for the actual medical issue. I have never gone on the Pill for medical reasons and never intend to. Some women have to, but I think that these women need to look into NaPro.
Swimming the Depths 