Beta Results #3

So, I had my most recent HcG beta test today. I had already figured that if my numbers simply doubled every other day then the level should be at 1200 today, and if the numbers tripled every other day like it did before, then the the level should be at 4,050.

After waiting for the phone to ring all day, the nurse finally called and said that my results are: 1,652! That's more than double, but not quite triple. Absolutely excellent! I was really hoping that they would give me the date for my ultrasound at the same time they gave me the results, but Dr. York hasn't even been in to see the results yet. The nurse said she may be there half a day tomorrow. Otherwise, I may hear back from her Friday. So, I guess I should just sit back and relax and enjoy the holidays, and if I hear from her earlier then all the better.

I have been wondering a bit (because I tend to overanalyze EVERYTHING!) if perhaps I ovulated later than I thought I did this last cycle. It was my first cycle on Clomid so I already ovulated later than I normally do. I got a positive OPK at cd 15 and another one (darker) at cd 16. Then on cd 17, my temperature spiked really high and stayed up for that day and the next. Then it fell really low. On fertilityfriend.com, they counted that drop as not going below my coverline even though it was in the same range that my temperatures were pre-"ovulation". But, when my temperature fell on cd 19, I took another OPK and got another positive result. That's 5 days from my first positive to my last. And then it turned negative on cd 20. I've been taking OPK's long enough to know what a positive really looks like and know that sometimes if it lasts that long it's because your body geared up to ovulate and then didn't right away. What i'm also curious about is if it could've been more than one egg that I ovulated, as I was on Clomid and do already ovulate on my own. However, there's no possible way to know this from my chart. To throw the whole thing off even more, I was really sick with a bad head cold on cd's 16 & 17, so I wonder if the spike in my temperature was from a slight fever, and that's why it fell back down 2 days later. So, I got my BFP on cd 30 which was 14 dpo's, but the test was REALLY faint. Then when I did my first beta on cd 32 (16dpo's) it was only 50. If I did ovulate later than I thought OR the egg implanted later than normal, then that would explain why my test was so faint AND why my beta was so low to begin with. They both could be explained by not being as far along as I thought I was. In fact, all of my beta numbers fit better into their categories if I was really 2 days less past ovulation than I thought I was.

Having said all of that, though, there really isn't much of a way to tell when it's a matter of only 2 days or so. I suppose that the doctor MAY be able to determine a difference in the fetus age, but it really doesn't matter. Regardless, my numbers are doubling at the rates they should be and everything is looking good.

I haven't really been experiencing many symptoms, but I can tell certain changes. The first is that my stomach muscles seem a lot tighter than normal. I can feel it especially when I turn different directions. From what I've read online, this is caused by your uterus stretching and making room for the baby. I've also experienced some constipation. I didn't really want to admit that one, but it's true. Apparently this is caused by your body absorbing extra water, which causes aforementioned problem. The worst symptom so far, I'd have to say, is my nasty cold sores on my lip! I didn't think this was baby-related until today. You see, I had a cold sore just after getting over my cold a few weeks ago. I knew that it was from my immune system being lowered from the cold, which is totally normal. I've experienced that my whole life. However, after it went away, my lips were extremely chapped, and then I broke out in cold sores all over my bottom lip. It's the worst I've ever had. I read today that being pregnant does lower your immune system because your baby is absorbing all of the nutrients it can and your whole body is working to take care of it. It turns out that it's pretty common to get cold sores like this. I didn't know that. Finally, my boobs are a little tender, but only when you push on them. This didn't come up until last night. When I told Jesse that they hurt, he asked me if that was normal. I kinda laughed and explained that it was, and then told him about someone I recently heard talking about how infertile people probably poke their boobs more often than non-infertiles because they want to ensure that they are still pregnant. I can just picture women all over the world constantly poking themselves.

Aside from looking like someone punched me in the lip, I feel absolutely great. I'm excited about everything that is to come.


Previous Comments:

I Believe in Miracles said...
Great news on beta #3!
~~HUGS~~
December 23, 2008 8:07 PM

Kara said...
Congrats on Beta test #3! PRAISE GOD!
December 25, 2008 6:45 PM

Leigh said...
That is great news - well done./
I feel exactly as you do - anxious even though you should be excited.
December 30, 2008 6:34 AM