Anyone deal w/Urticaria, Trich, Sperm antibodies, Mycoplasma?

[ginnylynne]

Oh and as far as the hives, Dr. originally thought it was baby aspirin causing the hives as they appeared about the same time I started taking it. But I've been off the baby aspirin for over a month now and if I don't take a benedryl a day, they come back in full force. I did read on another site that one woman was allergic to morton's lite salt and once she stopped using it, the hives went away. I have been a big lite salt girl for years now but since I read that, have gone back to reg. salt. So far havent noticed a major change in the hives, am still waiting to see. Have you been tested for anticardiolipin antibodies at all? And one more thing, I also feel like some of my poor heath has been because DH and I bought and moved into an old house last Jan. We're talking early 80's but after we moved in found that lots of things are wrong with house, like mold around old tiles in the bathroom, some water leaks, etc. Also, my coughing and nasal running seem to increase a bit when DH lets our 2 dogs into the house, I wonder if they're carrying in some pollen or something on their fur thats making me worse. Dr has told me I display asthma symptoms now which I never had before and wonder if you have any of these conditions where you live?

[Heatherttc1]

Hmmmm. The allergist is doing sinus-allergy testing @ the end of the month. I have just had regular blood tests (good), Mono (negative), Chlamydia and Gonorrhea (negative) and the anti sperm one (think it's not good) and the Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma (not back yet).
My mom just e'd me (she doesn't know I'm ttc) b/c I updated her on everything and her dental hygienist said she had all the same problems as me her whole adult life (hives and always sick and never get better) and her allergist referred her to an immunologist and I guess she's OK - I asked my mom to send me more info. I am going to look into our insurance and see if they cover immunologists and make an appt. The allergist is not "exciting" me. I also want to call the ob/gyn and bug them but I probably won't. I'm going crazy!!!!!
I do have hayfever (I think) every few yrs - I'll have a really bad day or a few bad days. I get a few days of really light allergies when things are melting in the Spring. I sneeze when I get in moldy areas but nothing major.
I figure I can treat allergies and maybe get rid of the hives, but am concerned with the sperm thing - but who knows maybe that could be cured...but I am getting old I don't have time for all this!!!!
I have tried eliminating things from my diet. I thought the herbal tea I started drinking in October was it but I haven't had it for over 2 wks and nothing's changed.
If I could just get the word from the ob/gyn and the ENT I could put the pieces of the puzzle together. I know the ENT might not get the scans for a few days This waiting sucks!!!
My old ob/gyn saw live sperm when he found the trichomoniasis, then my follow up visit he saw dead ones but they were from 3 days prior But, he said the environment was good. Still, who knows what happened to me while I had that infection for so long
Well, have to run to the library to get some books...will check in later.
I hope you can improve your environment - maybe air purifiers or something?

[ginnylynne]

Believe me, I know the waiting sucks!! You just have to try and convince yourself that the better armed you are with info the better things will go when you finally do get pregnant, so the waiting's worth it... I know what you mean about the age thing too, I'm 36 and not getting any younger! I just always figured that as long as I wasnt waiting until my forties that it wouldnt be such a big deal. Surprise, ha ha. Let me know when you get test results back and good luck!

[Heatherttc1]

Yeah I feel it's good to really educate myself. I have about 50 pages of info saved in my Favorites and I just checked out 10 books @ the library - ones I already read (but I never read the infertility part!).
I had a psychic tell me I had two angels over my shoulder and I would have a girl but the labor will be hard. I'm not saying that I believe in them 100% but I always cling to that - what else is there right now
I am still waiting for the docs to call...I can't take it anymore! I just want to call the labs myself and find out what's going on! I hope I can take Zithromax or something and get my immune system in order and everything will be OK.
I mistakenly thought I'd be pg right after our marriage in Jan '04 - ha ha. I didn't know anything about ttc then though...and I even went for a ttc checkup with my old ob/gyn and all he did was peek inside real quick and do a Pap Smear. Now I realize that WASN'T a ttc checkup!!!!
I also feel like my life is on hold - I am ready to have kids and am getting up there in age and am kind of nervous - and this immune thing is a big hindrance. I am trying to remain positive though
What's your next step?

[ginnylynne]

My next step is going to a hematologist on the 24th to see what we can do about this anticardiolipin blood disorder thing. I'm also trying to decide if I should go ahead with an IUI this month. I really want to but......if my dr.s' dont know everything they need to know, I keep worrying that even if I get pregnant I'll just have another miscarriage again. As you can tell I'm feeling a little gun shy! The thing is my RE FORGOT to order the progesterone and prolactin tests last month so now we're playing catch up and my confidence in her is really waning. She did say that she'll need to put me on a progesterone supplement but still hasnt prescribed anything and I'm feeling like c'mon let's get this going!! I'm sure a lot of it is I'm a control freak and want to know what's going on RIGHT now! It is hard though to just sit back and wait for it all to happen. I actually do have a 13 yr old son, who is a major blessing, but I've wanted another baby since he was maybe 5 and now that I'm married for the second time to a wonderful man, I so very much want to have a child with him. It's also hard to see so many other women get pregnant at the drop of a hat, go thru their pregnancies, have their babies and I'm still doing dr.'s appts and waiting around. How long have you been ttc? And what's your next step once these tests are back?

[Heatherttc1]

ginnylynne - GL on the 24th! I am still waiting on the ob/gyn results - I would like to call them and bug them...I know I'm not their only patient but I need to get going on all this! I really want to see an immunologist ASAP. I am also waiting on the ENT to review the CTs and MRI - if I can add or remove something from this puzzle that would really point me in the right direction.
We've been ttc since mid Jan '04 - of course I had that long-term trich infection and didn't find out about it til Sept '04
I am hoping I can repair my haywire immune system. I gave up sugar today and am trying to eat only healthy things. Plus, I am going to try drinking a lot of water which usually bores me.
It's harder for me to see babies everywhere - I get so sad
Plus, I don't have tons of time to try for a child!
I also worry that maybe my tubes are scarred or something like that I guess I have to try to relax and take it one step at a time but it's so hard when you want a child - I don't want to wait a day for the next step! Sigh...
Thanks loc for the link - I will check it out!
Well I am going out of town til Sun night - I'll check in then!
GL everyone and have a great weekend. If anyone comes up with more info pls post it here!

[Heatherttc1]

Anyone out there?
I am going to call the ob/gyn today - I think I have an infection - feels like a yeast infection (I just had one from antibiotics) and a slight UTI
I'm going to ask for ALL my blood test results at the lab desk before I go in, then ask the ob/gyn about the antisperm antibody test results. I read that sometimes they'll go away on their own, sometimes they're treated with protein-inhibiting medications such as Tetracycline (not always successful), Zithromax.
If the levels are low enough you can still conceive naturally.
I still believe my immune system is screwed up as I get the same cold when I get a little rundown, I always have a painful upper throat, swollen lymph nodes on rt side of neck (no mono or STD) and sperm antibodies.
I think I should just go to a Reproductive Immunologist - if I can find one! Anyone know of any in WI or IL?
I figure if I can repair my immune system I will be OK.

Anyone have any updates?

[Twins_Squared]

Hi Heather,

I have done 3 fresh IVF cycles (#1 neg, #2 and #3 positive). I had a slew of complications in pg #2 that were brought about by an unresolved SCH (sub-chorionic hematoma) and at 21wks I delivered my twins and the succumbed to neonatal death a few hours later.

After my loss, I was tested for the full immune panel and found to only be borderline positive for ACA (a type of APA). I then relocated to a new city, found an RI and took heparin in conjunction with my 3rd IVF. I, again, became pg w/twins and again, had an SCH. My RI then re-tested my immune panel and I subsequently turned up positive for elevated NK cells and ANA, and was then treated for both. Unlike the data you found, I found that I tended to have more issues whilst pg than when not pg.

I also tend to get hives and had a severe hive/allergic reaction to PIO, which I could only take once. I also get bloody noses that come on suddenly and without warning....two immediate family members also have this issue and one member (my sister) also gets the hives and suffered IF.

In my 2nd twin pg, my Perinatalogist (Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist), who is very well known and respected in his field, treated me in conjunction with my RI and was quite aggressive. It was his belief that my first pg complications were brought on by a combination of my immune issues and undetected infection. I was a bit surprised about the infection thing, especially since I've never had an STD, my Dh and I were tested for infections prior to our IVF cycle and also given a very strong antibiotic pre-cycle.

Nonetheless, my Peri did bi-weekly vaginal cultures throughout my pg and I turned up with no less than 8-9 infections, some of which were repeat offenders. I had e-coli, mycoplasma, ureaplasma, group B-strep, and yeast infections. I was treated with pg safe antibiotics and went on, despite a very rough and scary pg to deliver safely at 35wks!

Hope this helps and also gives you some hope...

[Heatherttc1]

Wow what an inspiring story! Sorry you had to go through all that. How wonderful that you were able to get through all that successfully. I have been really sad lately wishing I had taken better care of my health and been educated re ttc much earlier. There were several years I did not visit an ob/gyn as I was embarrassed to go - how stupid - I might not be dealing with this now
This sounds silly but a "psychic" told me a few months ago that I had two angels over my shoulder but I would have a girl.
A month ago I heard someone say "You still might get pregnant" before I woke up one day. I like to cling to those silly things hoping there's something to them lol.
Real stories like yours are what I can really cling to when I feel depressed.
When I was dx with Trich I asked the ob/gyn if I might have something else as I read that if someone has that they probably have something else (there's usually another infection when Trich is present) - he laughed and said "I don't think so".
I wish that doctors would be more investigative and proactive but I know many just treat what's apparent. I suspect a RE would be more apt to look into "non-apparent" things...
Well, thanks so much for sharing your story - I feel much more positive now that I can beat this.

[ginnylynne]

Heather, sorry you're feeling depressed! This is a hard road to go down!! It definitely sounds like you need an immunologist, health doesnt just start to go haywire for no reason! I did the same thing you did, when I started to have odd symptoms in august, I just blew off the night sweats, fatigue, coughing,weight gain, major breast tenderness, etc. because I didnt think I would be listened to at the dr. Now of course I realize that all these things are related and I'm trying to learn to trust my instincts a little more. I'm going to my RE tomorrow for another ultra sound to see if I'm getting ready to ovulate so we can do an IUI this sunday. My DH is excited and hopeful but I can't seem to visualize another outcome except one more miscarriage... The dr.s' just seem so cavalier and I want to just scream at them! I'm sure they've seen it all before but that doesnt make me feel any better! It IS hard to see other pregnant women or women with babies. A girl I work with is now about 5 months pregnant and we were excitedly comparing notes about getting pregnant, of course she suceeded and I had the miscarriage last june. You have to hang on to some hope that it will work out in the end. I think it's a good sign that a pyschic told you you would have a daughter! You're just at the beginning of trying to unravel what's wrong and fit the puzzle together...just know that every test puts you that much closer. Good luck! Mod-Jillie, how wonderful that everything has worked out after so much heartache! You must be a strong woman!