Normal

My husband and I underwent the first set of tests (the more affordable ones) requested by our new doctor.
I had my hormone (prolactin), rubella titer and serum insulin test in Asiatic, a Chinese-owned laboratory in Broadway Avenue, QC.

Hubby had his semen analysis done in Victory ART laboratory in Makati. The said lab is managed (not sure if owned also) by Dr. Greg Pastorfide, Kris Aquino's OB Gyne.

Both tests showed normal results. We are just really waiting for the Immunologic tests, which I mentioned in my previous post, to confirm what is really wrong with me, and to know what treatment needs to be done.

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Polycystic Ovaries

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  On my first visit to my new OB, she did an ultrasound on me and confirmed that I have Polycystic Ovaries. However, since I have my monthly periods and I am able to conceive, PCOS is not a major concern for me as of now. Nonetheless, I was given Metformin (1 tab a day, before bedtime) to manage this condition.
  
  This made me research on PCOS more. According to the materials that I have read,PCOS is a health problem that can affect a woman’s menstrual cycle, ability to have children, hormones, heart, blood vessels, and appearance. Typical signs of PCOS are high levels of androgens, sometimes called male hormones, although females also make them; missed or irregular periods; and many small cysts (sists) in their ovaries. About 1 in every 10 women in the reproductive age has PCOS. The cause, however, is unknown, though some studies show that PCOS runs in the family.
  
  Symptoms of PCOS include the following:
  
• infrequent menstrual periods, no menstrual periods, and/or irregular bleeding
  
• infertility (not able to get pregnant) because of not ovulating
  
• increased hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes-a condition called hirsutism
  
• ovarian cysts
  
• acne, oily skin, or dandruff
  
• weight gain or obesity, usually carrying extra weight around the waist
  
• insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes
  
• high cholesterol
  
• high blood pressure
  
• male-pattern baldness or thinning hair
  
• patches of thickened and dark brown or black skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs
  
• skin tags, or tiny excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area
  
• pelvic pain
  
• anxiety or depression due to appearance and/or infertility
  
• sleep apnea–excessive snoring and times when breathing stops while asleep
  
  PCOS may be treated using diabetes medications (such as Metformin). Metformin affects the way insulin controls blood glucose (sugar) and lowers testosterone production. Abnormal hair growth will slow down, and ovulation may return after a few months of use. Recent research has shown metformin to have other positive effects, such as decreased body mass and improved cholesterol levels. Metformin will not cause a person to become diabetic.
  
  Fertility medications may also be given to women with PCOS. Since patients with PCOS do not ovulate regularly (or not at all), fertility medications such as Clomid or Femara may help stimulate ovulation.
  
  When a woman with PCOS gets pregnant, there appears to be higher rates of miscarriage, gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia), and premature delivery. A doctor, like mine, may prescribe Metformin. Metformin is a FDA pregnancy category B drug. It does not appear to cause major birth defects or other problems in pregnant women. But, there have been no studies of metformin on pregnant
  women to confirm its safety. Talk to your doctor about taking metformin during pregnancy or if you are trying to become pregnant. Also, metformin is passed through milk in breastfeeding mothers. Talk with your doctor about metformin use if you are a nursing mother.
  
  Women with PCOS also pose the following risks.
  
• diabetes or pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance)
  
• higher risk of heart attack than women of the same age without PCOS.
  
• risk of having high blood pressure.
  
• high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.
  
• the chance of getting endometrial cancer: irregular menstrual periods and the absence of ovulation cause women to produce the hormone estrogen, but not the hormone progesterone. Progesterone causes the endometrium to shed its lining each month as a menstrual period. Without progesterone,the endometrium becomes thick, which can cause heavy bleeding or irregular bleeding. Over time, this can lead to endometrial hyperplasia, when the lining grows too much, and cancer.
  
  For more information on PCOS, visit womenshealth.gov or http://www.4woman.gov/faq/polycystic-ovary-syndrome.cfm

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Absent?

Where was I?

I haven't been able to blog lately. A lot of things have happened and I didn't have time or energy to post them here. But now that I finally have nothing else to do, I will be sharing with you what I have been up to these past few weeks.

1. I changed OB. Yes - I went to Dra. Chiaoling Sua-Lao, a Reproductive Endocrinology expert recommended by a n@w sis. I had a total of 3 meetings with her. The first visit was last March 3, followed by March 10 (with Kristian), then March 12(with Kristian again). She said that based on my ultrasound and other previous tests, I don't have ovulation/fertility problems. She is suspecting immunologic problems as the reasons for my recurrent pregnancy losses (I had 2 MCs last year). She had me undergo a series of tests - hormones and immunology profile. I had the prolactin/rubella/serum insulin test at Asiatic in Broadway Ave, QC. I have yet to know the results. The next set of test - immunology profile is quite expensive - a total of P13K. Kristian and I are still saving up on these tests which will be done in Dr. Ed Lim's clinic in TM Kalaw Ave. The final test is for the killer cells, which, accdg to Dra. Chiaoling is the most expensive to treat. The test will be done in the US, to be paid in USD560 + P5K shipping cost. Whoa! Although I do not have any problem with my previous OB who was recommended by my SIL, I just felt that I needed to consult an expert on RPL problems, which explains the switch.

I will be posting more details on these tests soon.

2. I got sick. Ever heard of Costochondritis? It is a condition that causes chest pain due to inflammation of the cartilage and bones in the chest wall, accdg to about.com. I nearly collapsed/fainted last March 11 while attending novena mass. I experienced hyperventilation and chest pain and dizziness. I was on SL for the next 2 days. I went to St. Luke's ER the following day, and was advised not to do anything stressful. However, I only found out about the Constochondritis thing Saturday, when my mom forced me to see a Cardiologist. I also found out that the medicines given to me in the ER were wrong - one has an effect of a sleeping pill/sedative, while the other belongs to the aspirin family, which I am allergic to! What the..!

3. I met and lost Tweety aka Santina aka Annie. She is a darling kitten whom we adopted but eventually lost a week after. More on her in my next blogs. I really miss her.

4. A good mix of these things: Still contemplating on WAHW-hood. Looking for online money-making opportunities. Looking for a really efficient DSL provider. Looking for a day job (Day Job = Normal Life). Rediscovering my passions. Thinking of ways to invest and earn from a small capital. Worrying about future finances.

That's it for now. I will be posting more in the next few days. :)

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Musings of a Soon-to-be-WAHW

In a month's time, I will have to decide whether or not to become a WAHW.

I am having mixed emotions as I type this post - partly excited, partly scared, partly relieved. I feel that 5 years is enough. I was able to work my way up the corporate ladder - from a shy Administrative Assistant for the HR Director in 2004, I got transferred to HR Operations pioneering the corporate site in 2005, a year later, I was promoted to HR Officer, and a year after that I was again promoted to Senior HR Officer (Assoc Manager). I got the highest performance appraisal rating for 2 years in a row.

Here are some of the pictures taken from years of hard work in this company...

1. The cute and shy AA



2. The original RCBC-CVG1 Team


3. My first own team ever


4. The team that grew this big - my CVG1 Team in 2008



5. As part of the HR Management Team


Although I was very much disappointed when my promotion was declined several times by several people for reasons that they don't clearly say, I have learned to become numb about it and decided to just go on with my work even without the promotion. Honestly, I am no longer thrilled about being promoted because I just know that this work is not something that I really enjoy doing. I have far better plans for myself than just sitting in the office for long hours, trying to please and impress everyone.

I have posted 6 questions in n@w, the online community for newlyweds, on being a work at home mom (wahm) or work at home wife (wahw). Those who were very kind to reply gave me bits and pieces of their experiences of having a home-based career. All of them were positive about it and I learned that it shouldn't be that scary at all. But still, I am scared - scared of how my family and my husband's family will react on my early retirement, scared of the financial impact of this decision, scared that I might not be successful, scared that I might get bored, etc...

Although I am just about 85% sure that I am doing the right thing, I know that I really should do it. Why? Because I want to live my life the way I know I should. I want to do the things that I have been putting off for the longest time - like studying make-up, baking, sewing, photography, etc. I know, I know. Some might say these are just for the rich - for those who can afford to do the things they want.

But isn't it the way life should be lived? By doing the things you enjoy doing, and by being with the ones who make you happy? I no longer enjoy what I do at work, and I would rather spend time with family and friends than most people at work - so why not leave?

I have read an article in a magazine months ago, about a woman who was diagnosed to have breast cancer. Since she had to undergo treatment, she needed to leave her work. In her free time, she was able to re-discover her passions - she found time to bake, paint and plant flowers in her garden. She was also able to spend quality time with her kids and her husband, who were very supportive of her. She is now in remission. I remember something about having to "stop and smell the flowers" in that article. That article served as an eye-opener for me. I don't want to wake up one day asking myself, "what did I do in the past 30 or so years of my life?", only to find out that most of my life, I have been in the office, trying to please the people who do not even care about me as a person. I do not want to wait for something as bad as having a terminal illness before I stop and smell the flowers.

There's a question that's always asked at the start of the business preview of one of the network marketing business that my husband and I are part of, "if time and money were not so limited, what would you do differently?" I don't have nothing against being employed, some people really get a kick out of the perks and the stable income of being an employee. But as I worked my way up the ladder, I realized that the higher you go, the lonelier you become. Sure, you will be paid higher, but this is in exchange of the pressure and demands of your work, as well as the enormous responsibilities you are given. There will be lesser friends at the top, fewer people who care. At the end of the day, it is ourselves, and our families, that matter - so why not spend most of my waking time doing the things I love and being with the people who matter to me?

So help me God... :)

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A small, sweet story (from heart-2-heart)

I was browsing the website of heart-2-heart and I saw this cute post. I thought of posting it in my blog as well. Read on..

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