Got more results today! In addition to having genes, clotting and autoimmune testing, also tested blood pressures and blood sugars and saw a nutritionist. I need my triglycerides tested and I'll be done. As I've researched the results, I have found fascinating studies along the way. I'm documenting them below for my own use as well as anyone else who is wondering about tests and treatments for implantation issues.
At this point, I've seen each professional and had almost every test that was recommended by my RE. The nutritionist advised me to stick with the methyl folate prenatals, walk 10,000 steps a day, and changed my vit D supplement to 4,000 iu/day instead of a weekly. We also discussed a low carb diet and portion size and that starchy vegetables like beans were a good thing.
I did have the MTHFR gene tested. 30% of the population has one mutation; I am positive for two mutations. My doc will prescribe 4g methyl folate for me. I would love to hear from others what they have been prescribed for this. I may see a naturopath about this, one who has been educated at Bastyr, where I have been told that so much of the work on this has been done. Here's a great summary: http://healingthewholechild.com/2012/03/01/mthfr-mutations/ . So, with folate issues, histamine levels/homocysteine can raise, which can lead to implantation issues and high risk pregnancies (as I had with Bud). http://humupd.oxfordjournals.org/content/14/5/485.full.pdf . This is not to say that my histamine levels are raised, they have not been checked. I'm seeing notes that it can also affect IBS and anemia, too.
My Vitamin D came in at 24.1, so it’s good that my nutritionist put me on a dose since I thought the summer sun had been okay and stopped my weeklys (50,000 IU) for the summer. A Yale study on the effect of Vitamin D deficiency on implantation may be found here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15905361 . There are conflicting studies on whether or not it helps with insulin resistance in women with PCOS (which I may or may not have.) Pro: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21613813 Con: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22464806. And last one, this article discusses its effect on endometriosis (me!), hypertension and pre-eclampsia (me!) PCOS (me?) and gestational diabetes (me!). It's all about me, right? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3239848/?tool=pubmed .
My A1C is 5.8 which is just mildly elevated. It usually would not be treated but they hope to head off GD and delay any prediabetes by going ahead with metformin. It has actually lowered each year for the last three tests.
I also tested positive for Factor V Leiden mutation which is a blood clotting issue (5-10% of the population has this), and abnormally high for the Protein S, Free antigen (136), which if too low would also be a blood clotting issue (okay if high? I’m doing research on that .) The doc is thinking no birth control pills for me, baby aspirin, and a sub cu shot if I become pregnant for a mild blood thinner. Here is a discussion on blood clotting and its effect on implantation here: http://www.reproductivemedicineinstitute.com/pages/peri-implantation .
Everything else, including Thyroid antibodies, were normal. The hypertensive pregnancy guru found that I am hypertensive in both ways, so I am now on two blood pressure medications. I am taking my blood sugars and so far, ever one is less than 130 an hour after a meal. Most in the 120’s, with a few lower than 100, particularly fasting. If anything, I worry that my blood sugar is too low fasting now since i am on the metformin. There are some issues with metformin and B12 deficiency in people with the MTHFR gene: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17908667 . Here's another article - I think i'll start supplementing with B12, too. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2874129/pdf/bmj.c2181.pdf .With the information on my newfound hypertension, we are now thinking of transferring one embryo at a time. Of course, this costs an extra $5,000. Ironic that the healthiest thing to do is not covered by my insurance or Attain plan. It all comes down to money vs. health.
So, we move forward with this information. The nurses are looking over calendars and I hope to have a new date for FET by the end of the week. We'll also do the endometrial biopsy. Those research studies, although small in test groups, have amazing results.
