I apologize that I haven't posted in such a long time. Life practically exploded with deadlines, work and family-related things. There was really no time to update or even any new developments.
However, now that things have started to slow down, normal life can start to resume.
Dave and I talked today about what our plan is moving forward now that my medication change is over and we have been given the go ahead from Dr. L. Since my birth control is up next week, we have decided not to refill it and to move forward with TTC.
My last day of hormonal pills is April 3 and the last day of sugar pills is April 10.
My OB/Gyn, Dr. S., told me that whenever we decided to stop birth control that I should give him a call to "give him an FYI," but that he didn't need me to come in for an exam or anything. He already knows my history and my last exam was in October. His instruction for me then was to continue taking prenatals, start and finish my medication process with the supervision of my neurologist and follow the instruction for a safe pregnancy, and once we stopped birth control, to call him if I still haven't gotten a period after 45 days of stopping the pills.
His only other suggestion to me was to take my basal body temperature every morning. It is the only sure-fire way, other than using OPKs (ovulation prediction kits) to tell if a woman is ovulating after stopping birth control.
I know that this isn't going to be an easy journey but it is one that will be well-worth it.
This feels so exciting!!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Motivational Quotes
"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope."
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Big News All Around
At 6:14pm on March 11, 2013, our nephew, Nicolas Lawrence, was born. Robbie G is now a big brother! Dave and I couldn't be more excited for another addition to our family!
I had my appointment today with Dr. L. It was a follow-up to me completing my medication transition to the Lamotrigine and then to the Lamotrigine ER.
She gave us the "go ahead" to trying to start a family. We went over my trough level, which I found out was at 4.3 (up from the original 3.8). It is at a low therapeutic level, which is where we want it to be if we were to get pregnant. She explained that once we are pregnant, we may have to adjust the dosage a little higher because the baby would be bigger and it gets more difficult to manage seizures at that stage. I'm okay with this plan because the cognitive brain function is mostly formed in the first trimester and I'm taking just under 4mg of folic acid to counteract any complications of my medicine.
She mentioned that this would be a difficult path for us. I read some articles from the National Institute of Health that explain that the average woman that takes one type of antiepileptic drug has a 31.8% chance of suffering from infertility. That percentage doesn't factor in my PCOS (which thanks to being off Tegretol, some of the symptoms have lessened) and endometriosis. A healthy woman has only a 20% chance every month of becoming pregnant, assuming she ovulates on her own.
All of those statistics frighten me. I am optimistic though. I have always wanted to be a mom and I know it'll happen one way or another. I realize I can't focus on the statistics because you never know what God has planned for you.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
*happy dance*
Just received a call from Walgreens. I transferred my prescription to their because the coupon I found online for GoodRX brought the price of my prescription down to $336.
Dave and I tried to pick up the prescription earlier and the pharmacist couldn't figure out how to get the coupon to work. We were going to call Dr. L's in the morning to try and figure something out. However, the pharmacist from Walgreens just called to let us know that it worked. I feel so relieved.
We will be picking it up tomorrow. On to month 2 of Lamotrigine ER!
Dave and I tried to pick up the prescription earlier and the pharmacist couldn't figure out how to get the coupon to work. We were going to call Dr. L's in the morning to try and figure something out. However, the pharmacist from Walgreens just called to let us know that it worked. I feel so relieved.
We will be picking it up tomorrow. On to month 2 of Lamotrigine ER!
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Trough Level #2 Results
Dave brought it to my attention that I never posted the results from my last trough level. (My husband is looking out for my readers, ha!)
Nurse Gary called last week to tell me that my new trough level with the dosage increase and change to the extended-release Lamotrigine was "perfect" and that they no longer want to make changes. He didn't give me the exact level number but I'm going to be asking at my next appointment on Monday.
I am still floating at the fact that there is a way to apply my medication to the deductible while still using the GoodRX coupon. I am feeling such a sense of relief about that.
In other news, I went to the dentist today because I have a crown that feels loose. She took a look at it and told me that I need a root canal and then they will replace the crown (which, it sounds weird, but I couldn't be more excited about that. I have an old silver one and they will be replacing it with a porcelain one). I'm not excited about the root canal. Yet another expense we are incurring thanks to my health... *sigh* however, at least only needs to be done once every 15 to 20 years.
Anyway, I have to leave for work. Everyone have a good day!
Nurse Gary called last week to tell me that my new trough level with the dosage increase and change to the extended-release Lamotrigine was "perfect" and that they no longer want to make changes. He didn't give me the exact level number but I'm going to be asking at my next appointment on Monday.
I am still floating at the fact that there is a way to apply my medication to the deductible while still using the GoodRX coupon. I am feeling such a sense of relief about that.
In other news, I went to the dentist today because I have a crown that feels loose. She took a look at it and told me that I need a root canal and then they will replace the crown (which, it sounds weird, but I couldn't be more excited about that. I have an old silver one and they will be replacing it with a porcelain one). I'm not excited about the root canal. Yet another expense we are incurring thanks to my health... *sigh* however, at least only needs to be done once every 15 to 20 years.
Anyway, I have to leave for work. Everyone have a good day!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Finally Good News
Finally, we are getting help.
The woman from third-party company that handles our insurance e-mailed me today. She let me know that she had spoken with a representative at our insurance company on my behalf.
She told me that they approved for us to use a discount card/coupon for my medicine to lower the price and then we can manually submit it to go towards our deductible. It will bring the price down to $336 instead of $675. This is great news!! I really was starting to feel like we were being punished for trying to do the right thing.
I feel so incredibly relieved. I'll be calling in my refill tomorrow to a pharmacy that accepts the new coupon.
The woman from third-party company that handles our insurance e-mailed me today. She let me know that she had spoken with a representative at our insurance company on my behalf.
She told me that they approved for us to use a discount card/coupon for my medicine to lower the price and then we can manually submit it to go towards our deductible. It will bring the price down to $336 instead of $675. This is great news!! I really was starting to feel like we were being punished for trying to do the right thing.
I feel so incredibly relieved. I'll be calling in my refill tomorrow to a pharmacy that accepts the new coupon.