Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Running in the 14th week

Lululemon Run Zoom shorts size 12; Lululemon Run in the Sun LS shirt; Brooks running shoes w/Super Feet Pink inserts; Walt Disney World Goofy Challenge 2011 hat, and I can't remember the name of the Lululemon bra size 10


ok Imagine I'm turned to the right, what you looking at is the view I see when I look down at my shoes (not bending in anyway, just tilting my head down.) This why I feel I have a bump. I normally can see my shoes just fine!

Ok yes I am leaning backwards a bit (I didn't notice that when I took it). Add in the sun hitting my pale skin and making it paler but I think you can see what I see and it's me sucking in. Weight pre-run 191!!! yay!!!!!! Weird I feel like I'm getting bigger yet the scale is going down. I wonder if it's going to catch up with me.

I love this shirt! It's got a long back with frilliness on the butt!

See?






So this was Sunday and I was 13 weeks 3 days. I was running around all weekend but not literally running. When I finally made time I misjudged how hot it was. I finished my usual 3.3 miles at a 16 min pace but oh boy! This run I smartened up and brought my larger amphipod handheld water container but it didn't help. I drank all 20 ounces but it was so humid it didn't make a difference. I still was sooooo happy I did it and I slept really well.

My pictures from my First Trimester

Week 7
Week 5
Week 6
Week 9
Week 12
Week 11


Week 13

3 Weeks 6 days
6 weeks
7 Weeks 6 days
12 Weeks 6 days


 Good bye first trimester!
 Oh and I must add all those photos of me are me sucking in as much as possible!






13th Week.. MY NT SCAN

12 weeks 6 days

My NT scan and blood work was complete at the end of this appointment. Apparently before the scan based on my age alone we had a 1/400 chance of Downs Syndrome. After the exam our chances dropped to 1/8000. Fantastic!

It started a few weeks ago with some finger pricks and then an additional blood test. Then on this day we had an hour long ultrasound. According to the sonographer, some times it can be quick and other times ... well I was one of the other times. In defense of my little one, I had a fantastic sonographer who likes text book pictures for analysis. My little was sooooo active! She joked that we should call the baby flipper. So for purposes of this post, she will be flipper. "Flipper" was flutter kicking (very gracefully; maybe due to watching the olympic swimmers?) and waving at us. When Flipper wasn't waving, tossing turning, and "posing" (think of a model and the subtle changes they do when they pose). That was our little one! Comments we kept hearing were: "you have a very pretty baby" and "your baby is very active for such an early age." All great things I loved hearing! Here are some of the pictures...
 In the one above, you can see the outline of the face and the little one has a hand in front of the mouth but not sucking thumb.
 Ok in this one, "flipper" is waving hi! and preventing a nice view of the face apparently.
 Not sure why this one is on a weird angle (thank you iphone; I took pictures of my US pix with my iphone instead of taking the time to use my scanner); similar photo the one up top but that's when our little one flipped sides.

We received 6 photos in total. One of which was of the heartbeat (164 bpm.) Then we were ushered into the waiting room to wait for the doctor to be ready to see us. First the nurse weighed me (192, down 2lbs from the appointment three weeks before.) Next, the nurse took my blood pressure (a little up for me at 119/82) and then more waiting. This was a new doctor to me.

We discussed my weight loss but that my baby is VERY healthy (she emphasized that) and that the baby was developing beautifully. She asked if I was still sick. I said yes but it was becoming less routine (ie sometimes horrible and other times fine but not on a schedule.) She said based on my weight she would like me to maintain (different from the last three doctors but ok.) She then went on to say she wants me to exercise at least 20 minutes a day. Now this part annoyed me. Not so much that she said it but how she said it. Ok maybe it's hormones but I got the impression she thought I didn't do anything. She doesn't know me and has never met me before so I didn't really take it personally but it made me wonder. The other doctors know I had been doing long distance runs and that I was still running (ok way less now and much shorter since the heat and sickness.) They also knew that I have an active job. I wonder if that made a difference in their recommendations. Overall I have no clue what to expect. If I gain will I get a doctor who cares?

She said if I was of ideal body weight I would absolutely be showing. Since I'm not I probably won't show until 20 weeks according to her. My wonderful husband said no you are definitely showing (but he waited until we left to say this.) After she said that, she added that my placenta is on the outside. This is not a problem, it just means I wont feel my baby when others do and she didn't want me to worry. It will be more like 23 weeks she said. Bummer.

After the appointment, it was lunch time! yay! Off to Chilis!I of course couldn't eat much (not that I wasn't hungry, I jut get full quick.) Well the moment we left the office Steve was ecstatic! He immediately said it was a girl. I was so surprised!!!! First there is no physical evidence yet. Second he was the one adamant that it was a boy but either way we shouldn't say what we think because based on his family it will probably be a boy.
Look how excited he is!

Ok to sum up the 13th week: 
* Morning sickness worse than ever
* keeping up running 3x/week (ok a 15-16 min pace but I'm out there!)
* Weight: 192.1 (down 6lbs from start)
* Fetal HB: 164bpm

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Thyroid... hormones... referrals

A week or so ago I went for blood work. It was follow up to my last round to follow my thyroid function. I have thought for a long time that I'm hypothyroid. I won't list all my symptoms but will point out the 73lb weight gain in 4 years despite remaining active and changing my diet.

Over the years I've had counselors and trainers ask me to get my thyroid checked. I would workout a ton and barely eat, yet the weight would come off as if I was making only tiny changes in my life style. Every time it was checked, they said I was fine. I never asked what the TSH # was but the month after I got married I had a physical with a new doctor. Here they send you your blood work before you go in. I didn't know what to look for so I didn't think much of it. That day she said I'm worried about your thyroid. She said by the old standards I was fine but by the new ones I had an under functioning thyroid. Shortly after that I changed my diet and changed the things I used in the house. Anything that may be an endocrine disrupter I got rid of (example wall flowers and plug ins.)

Fast forward 3.5 years... I'm pregnant! The doctor says my thyroid is enlarged and orders blood work. They don't tell me the results but say they want to monitor it. Next appointment was a week or so ago and when I didn't get a call about my results I called. Apparently they weren't sure what to make of it. They went from saying I was hypo to hyper. That led to a referral.

I loved this endocrinologist! He said it looks like based on my history I was hypo but .... pregnancy is correcting it! Woo hoo! When he said that I felt great! He said a thyroid slightly enlarges when pregnant and the elevations in my numbers are also common in pregnancy. He said there might be a lag in my symptoms improving but that I look good now. I agree. He will continue to monitor me throughout the pregnancy and after. I go for more blood work the end of September/mid October and then I go back to meet with him in the beginning of November.

An under or over active thyroid can lead to miscarriages even in the second trimester which is why they still want to follow it. However I'm thrilled that I got  the ok now. I feel  like I can get excited now. YAY!

Maternity Jeans!

12 Weeks 3 Days

My favorite jeans have always been Long and Leans from Gap never realizing how high waisted they can be! First thing I did was order the maternity Long and Leans. They were great at first but now they are getting baggy in the crotch and butt which is so annoying! So yesterday when I went with my friend to New York City for her wedding dress fitting we went to a maternity store to check out jeans.

First, Belly Dance Maternity is such a cute store! The two gals who were working were really friendly and helpful. Before heading there I had searched online (only briefly) for maternity jean reviews. Parents Magazine had an article online about them which helped immensely! I wasn't sure designer jeans would work for me since they legs always seem so narrow.

They only carry up to a 32 in store. She took 3 off the shelf that she though would work.
* Paige Maternity Skinny Jeans - they looked horrible! Not a surprise. Skinny has never worked for me
* Paige Maternity Westbourne Gavin - I ended up purchasing these and will be going to get them hemmed this week since they are very long; they were almost like stretch pants! The waist fit so I can't imagine going up a size, but the thighs would not have worked had they not been stretchy. They dark fit looked fantastic on my butt though and my friend said they looked great (she is not the type to lie to make me happy)
* J Brand - I wanted these to work but I couldn't get them past my thighs. So sad. I loved the wash and the style.

I am thrilled to wear these!!!! I still want a nice medium or light wash pair but I guess I can wear my Gap jeans for those moments despite how much they irritate me.

weight gain: down to 192 now!
Big day coming up! August 22 NT test

Saturday, August 11, 2012

I'm in my 12 Week!!!!!


11weeks 2 days - Sucking in! I can't believe it. My stomach will not suck in more than that!

Weight: 193.2
Symptoms: tired, constipation, bloating, nausea but only when not taking zofran
Cravings: I really want pancakes!!!!
 
Week 12 is still early so more to come... Went for blood work this week though. They tested all the hormones associated with my thyroid. Apparently with my initial appointment my thyroid was enlarged and the blood work from that showed I might be hypothyroid (no surprise here. I've been telling them that for a while!). I went for more blood work this week to check those same hormones again. My brain is so all over the place that I forgot to ask when I'd get the results and if I was would they treat it. They also did the initial blood work for genetic tests. Steve and I already said we were keeping the baby no matter what but I've always been better emotionally when I could plan ahead.

If I don't hear back from them this week, my next appointment is August 22 (I'll be 13w5d and in my 14th week). At that appointment we are having our NT screening (rumor has it that if you have a boy and he's not shy you can tell at this appointment) and then a follow up immediately after with the doctor. 

Week 11 - Aug 2-Aug 8

Week 11

Weight: 194 (at dr's office)
Food aversions: less and less with every day. Still afraid of the things that had made me really queasy.
Food cravings: nothing. Starting to eat normal again.
Symptoms: tired, bloating, upset stomach
Sucking in ... getting really hard
At my doctor appointment this week, she used the doppler. Baby B had a heart beat of 170!!! I was so scared that I would go in and she wouldn't find it. I'm more comfortable with being pregnant each day that passes but I still get so scared from my missed miscarriage that when I go in they will say my baby has stopped growing. That appointment was super boring. However, my little sister and my mom came with me and they were so excited to hear the heart beat! They gave me cute baby clothes too! I tried to stop by medicine the day before the appointment. I promptly started throwing up. Oh joy! My morning sickness is getting much worse. I used to make it about 12 hours between zofran tablets. Now I make it abut 6 hours (I force myself to wait until 8 but it's hard.) I am continuing to walk nora for at least 15 minutes daily and run on the treadmill or use my elliptical.

Next on my list.... a new sports bra! I need one bad! I only have 2 that are comfortable. I also don't have many clothes that are comfortable to lounge in or workout out in. All my Lululemon tops are amazing! I really want two more Cool Racer back tanks. There are 3 bras there I am looking at too but want to try them on. Finally my favorite pants are capris from Lululemon. I want these:
Relaxed Fit Crop IIRelaxed Fit PantAstro Pant*R

The relaxed Fit Crop  * Relaxed fit Pant  * Astro Pant
 
I want another pair of these and the full length version. I love them!!!! They don't press on my stomach and I think i could fold them down later on. I know the Astro folds nicely too. 

Recent photo from a wedding:
I look soooooo big in this! I weigh less than the last time i tried it on but look bigger! UGH! I'm not supposed to look fat. I'm supposed to look pregnant.

Week 10 - July 26- Aug 1

I love Zofran!

Weight: 195 (down from beginning up from pre-zofran)
Food aversions: strong odors like veggies (so sad)
Food likes: anything carby

Symptoms: Bloating, queasiness, indigestion, gassy, tiredness
Exercise: Walking the dog daily now; cleaning the house every other day, exercising 20-30 min every other day now too. 

No pix! I could have sworn I took some but I can't find them.

Week 9 - Zofran!!!!!! The best thing in the world

Week 9
July 19-July 25

Weight: 192 (no change this week but down 6lbs total)
Food aversions: dwindling with the help of zofran; anything with a strong scent is still off limits
Food Cravings: anything easily digestible (sugars, carbs, donuts)

Sucking in 8 weeks 3 days

Sunday I gave in and called the emergency line for my doctor. I spoke with Dr. Graham. Nice guy. Asked me what I have tried ... ginger, etc. I explained I can hardly get enough ice chips. He put in the order for zofran. He said if I didn't drink 2L of liquid by the end of the day I needed to come in for evaluation tomorrow. Well I didn't so in I went. I met a new doctor. I really liked her. The nurse and her took my blood pressure and it was 154/90. I was freaking out. Mine is usually 112/70. I told her that and she got this look like "aha!". She took out a tape measure and measured my arm and then asked my weight and looked at the chart. Next, she took another BP cuff and measured it again. 114/72. Yes! She proceeded to put a BIG note in my chart that they needed to use the big cuff with me. I've always had big arms regardless of my weight so I wasn't surprised. She apologized that no one had noticed this sooner. She also said I seemed in good spirits and that I didn't have any signs that I needed anything extra to get better. I was a little surprised since I had lost 3lbs since my last visit which was only a week ago. I also smile and stay upbeat no matter what (it's practically in my job description.) However I was feeling better since starting the Zofran and it had only been 24 hours. My next appointment was a few weeks away (Aug 7). She asked me after I was hydrated and eating to try to stop taking it and see how it went. I'll go into that later.

Week 8 - Third ultra sound

Week 8
July 12- July 18

Weight: 192 lbs
Food aversions: Now when I say everything, I mean everything! No more waffles no more lemonade. Ice chips are the way to bed
Food Cravings: Everything. I miss food so bad
7 weeks 5 days
Heart rate: 165!
How magical. I tried not to cry but the tears still came. Our little one hadn't developed this far last time. I was so scared. My blood pressure was quite high but as I found out that was just due to them using the small cuff on me (more on that later.)

Not much this week except for learning to live with the nausea. I mentioned it at my appointment. She said call if it got worse.

Week 7 - Morning Sickness

Week 7
July 5-July 11

So Pregnancy math is quite confusing... July 11 is the day I literally am 7 weeks. Just want to put that out there. These two shots were taken between 7/5-7/11

Weight (scale at home VERY accurate; always matches all dr's offices): 194 (4 lb loss)
Food Aversion: Everything
Foods I can tolerate: preggie pop drops, frozen lemonade, pedialyte frozen pops, PLAIN eggo waffles, PLAIN McDonald's pancakes
Most upsetting cravings: McDonald's Hamburger (yeah a couple nights this is all I wanted; As a vegetarian and wanna be vegan this really bothered me but I was so hungry and couldn't keep anything down so I ate it; still regret it)
Symptoms: itchy skin, nausea, dry heaves/ morning sickness/ gagging, major food aversions, yeast infection (oh fun), hair loss (on head), hair growth (everywhere else), exhaustion, bloating, gas, indigestion, heart burn... I'm sure I'm forgetting something but those are the biggies

That pretty much sums up that week. I couldn't walk Nora, clean the house, showering was tough... don't even get me started on work. I was probably the worst employee ever. I was a horrible miserable experience. I wanted so desperately to eat well for baby B and to exercise for myself and Baby B but it wasn't happening.

Week 6 - First Heart beat!

Week 6 (June 28-July 4)

 The ultrasound confirmed my EDD 3/1/13
Heart beat: 105
Weight: 195.8 (loss of 2.2lbs)
Symptoms: occasional nausea, bloating, mild occasional cramps, lack of sleep
Food aversions: vegetables (especially onions, peppers, tomatoes), tofu hot dogs (love these but they made me feel really sick on July 4), anything with carbination
We had my cousin's wedding on the 30th. So many pregnant ladies but ours was still a secret. I was the DD so it made it easy not to drink. Plus dinner for me as a vegetarian was a beautiful pasta dish and for some reason I was ok with the marinara sauce. The next morning I felt so so sick though. The hotel allows pets so I assumed it was just my allergies but still I couldn't eat. On our way home we stopped at McDonald's and I got a frozen lemonade. That's when I learned to love lemonade. I couldn't eat anything else that day. So sad. By Monday morning I was absolutely miserable up coughing really bad. I bought robustusin and regular strength tylenol. However by the afternoon I had to go to the doctor. Apparently it was a sinus infection! They put me on the zpack. I was only miserable for a few more days (at least from the sinus infection that is.)

Week 5 - Quite An emotional week!

Week 5 (June 21-27)

Oh this was quite the week!

Weight: 197
Symptoms: hyper emotional, exhaustion, cramps!!!!!
Food Aversions: none yet
Food Cravings: none yet

Monday Morning I was exhausted, peeing constantly, and crampy. Tuesday morning I wasn't tired... weird... no cramps... also weird... Slept the entire night and then slept through Wednesday night. Woke up at 4am to severe cramps. Think of your first couple days of your period. Painful! Needless to say I started freaking out. Around 6 I gave in and took a pregnancy test. Error. Are you kidding me? I've never had an error! Freak out commenced!


I started crying. The cramps were so bad and did I mention I had a nightmare that I lost this pregnancy? Add in the test giving an error? Yes I was freaking out! Finally around 9:30am I gave in and called the doctor. Around noon I started playing phone tag with this wonderful nurse. She calmed me down saying we wouldn't be able to do anything now anyway. She also said symptoms can come and go. Great. Just Great. I couldn't stop crying. I had already scheduled my next appointment for the following Thursday (6 weeks exactly by my BBT chart) which is the earliest they could see anything on ultrasound anyway. She said if I start bleeding call back but there was nothing I could do. Joy.

Weeks 1-4 My Pregnancy

Since losing my first successful pregnancy I have found a lot of comfort in blogs about pregnancies.  When that test on June 20 turned positive I knew I just had to blog about my pregnancy too. I especially loved reading about mommas who exercised during their pregnancy so it seemed like a perfect fit for me!

Week 1-2

Starting weight: 198

The one of the left is from Utica, NY (technically LMP, May 24) and the one on the right was when I was packing for Houston (June 5.) My basal body temp was really low this month (96.1-97.1 pre ovulation.) That worried me since clomid usually raises my temp and is usually a sign of how things will go for the month. I also use Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor (FM) and Clear Blue Digital Ovulation Predictor Tests (OPK). The FM wasn't picking up the High as it usually did and the OPK was not giving any smiley faces either. Going to Houston for a wedding sounded like a great distraction. This wedding needed several wardrobe changes which was not a welcome distraction however. I gained a lot of weight quickly with the short pregnancy I had back in February and my weight was still up at 198. However I found a couple lovely dresses from Boden and a great one for the wedding from JCREW.


Week 3

Weight: 198
Exercise: Ran 3 miles in Galveston (ooh that was hot!!! heat index 104!) and used the hotel gym each day we were their (recumbent bike.)
Symptoms: exhaustion

Days 9-11 Past Ovulation (DPO): negative pregnancy test each day

At 12 DPO... Pregnant!

Ok so this is how it happened... I had a clomid check (that's when you go to the doctor and they do an trans-vaginal ultrasound to check for cysts) later in the afternoon. Woke up at 5am for work and decided what the heck I'll do another test. Peed on my stick (highly recommend Peeonastick.com) and got in the shower. When I got out I almost didn't look... who really wants to start off a day that early with bad news? Apparently I do! However when I glanced down there it was. A + sign clear as day! I took off running upstairs and jumped my poor, helpless, unsuspecting husband and burst into tears. Needless to say I was a couple minutes late for work. 

Fast forward to the afternoon... Dr Matthew Saidel of the Women's Comprehensive Health Care of CT was awaiting me. As always to see him is a wait. So I waited. My urine was dilute so I figured their test would be negative. When he came him he confirmed that suspicion.  Like a neurotic mom to be, I whipped out that phone with the picture I took. He smiled so big and said yes that is clearly a line. He did the ultrasound anyway and he gave me a picture of it. "That's where it will be next time" he said. Dr Saidel finished up with two orders of blood work. One to check my HCG and progesterone and then an HCG follow up. 

Results: 6/20 HCG 74! (not sure how that didn't show up on their test or on mine earlier then; apparently my hormones take a while to enter my urine)
            Progesterone: 42 (fantastic! anything above 16 I think the nurse said is what we want)
Results: 6/22 HCG 154 (good sign; it's at least doubling every 24 hours)

Symptoms: Cramps, exhaustion (like falling asleep while texting), pains in my boobs (think cramps for boobs not the soreness I hear about), and headaches
Weight: 198

woo hoo!!! I'm pregnant!!!!! 
Due Date based on LMP: 2/27/13
Due Date based on bbt chart: 3/1/13