It's Pleurisy

This is the first time I've ever had pleurisy. I didn't even know what it was until I surfed the web yesterday morning in attempt diagnose myself. Basically, pleurisy is an inflammation of the membrane surrounding the lungs. My CF doctor thinks a virus caused it.

I went to see my PCP and kept my CF doctor updated on the results. The visit with my PCP was interesting. Let me first say my PCP isn't too keen on the idea of me getting pregnant. Last year, when I saw him after getting a (false) positive pregnancy test, he gave me a stern look and said, "This is serious!" A few months later, Greg saw my PCP so he could be tested for the CF gene, and my PCP told him "what a big deal" it is for me to get pregnant. So, when I saw him yesterday, the first thing he did was look at my list of current medications and ask, "Are you on birth control?" And when I said "no" he asked "why???" in a stern voice. (He didn't say anything else when I reminded him that Greg and I are trying to get pregnant.)

Knowing he had this attitude and that I am in the 2WW, I was a little nervous when he ordered a chest x-ray. The x-ray technician made a much bigger deal about this, and she really put my mind at ease. She was definitely concerned when I told her I was TTC but said one x-ray during the 2WW should be fine and to, "Just make sure you don't have anymore x-rays until you get your period." And, of course, she carefully placed the protective apron over my reproductive area.

After my x-ray (and blood work), my PCP came into the exam room all exited - "Good News! It's just a bit of pleurisy." He told me to take Advil or Aleve. When I expressed my concern about taking those drugs during the 2WW (because they can interfere with implantation), he said it shouldn't be a big deal, but that I could take Tylenol if I wanted to.

Needless to say, I am taking Tylenol ;)

Overall, I am very relieved it's only pleurisy. I was pretty scared the other night because breathing was very painful. Last night was bad too, but I think it's improved over the course of the day, so I think I am on the mend. And the virus hasn't affected me too much - it has just made me very tired (I slept 12 hours last night!) and put me in a bit of a fog.

Hopefully I will be back at work tomorrow!

It Hurts to Breath :(

This sucks! Last night I was relaxing on the couch, writing Christmas cards and watching "It's a Wonderful Life", when I suddenly started experiencing pain in my back. It hurt to inhale, cough, and burp. Hoping it was just a pulled muscle, I took some Tylenol and went to bed. At about 2:00 AM, the pain got bad enough to wake me from my sleep - I actually got a little scared. I decided to call the doctor in the morning, took some more Tylenol, and was eventually able to go back to sleep.

Now it's 9:00 AM. I left a message with the nurse at the CF center an hour ago, and I haven't heard back yet. And, of course, my mind is racing, wondering what it could be: pneumonia? pleurisy? pancreatitis? a pulled muscle?

I'm almost positive the doctors will want a chest x-ray, but I am in the 2WW, and, (as we all know), x-rays during pregnancy are usually a no-no. And it's too early for a blood test to tell if I actually am pregnant. So I am wondering how the doctors will deal with this.

I'll update as soon as I know more!

Fertility Consult Scheduled

Today I learned it can take months to get an appointment with a reproductive endocrinologist (RE). So, I decided to give my OB/GYN a call and find out what she wants us to do if we do not get PG this cycle (as she told me to call her after 6 months TTC). I spoke with a nurse, who first asked if we have been charting and/or using OPKs (to which I said yes). She then said Greg and I should come in for a fertility consultation and begin testing. My guess is she will refer us to an RE after that, but I'm not 100% sure. Our appointment is scheduled for the first week in January.

I am excited to begin this next phase! For the past few weeks, I have felt like we are just waiting to hit that six month mark (although we are still actively TTC). In the meantime, I am enjoying the Christmas season :)

My Genotype

I can't remember if I already mentioned my genotype within an earlier post, but I decided to dedicate a post to this topic so it's easier to find. (I know I am always curious to learn the genotype of other CFers.)

My genotype is DF508/R117H.

For those who don't know a bunch about CF, there is some correlation between geneotype and the severity of the disease, and this is why we CFers are often curious about the genotypes of other CFers.

Quick genetics lesson - it takes two copies of the CF gene for a person to have CF. (People who only have one copy are carriers.) From what I've read online, it seems the "milder" gene is always the dominant one. This is why I have mild CF. R117H is associated with mild CF and pancreatic sufficiency. DF508 is the most common CF gene, and, usually, a person carrying two copies of this gene will have "classic" CF (i.e., they will have more lung complications and be pancreatic insufficient).

I feel very lucky to be a carrier of one of the "mild" genes!