Less Than a Week to Go!

I had my last prenatal checkup yesterday. We are getting really close now and I've definitely got the about-to-deliver-jitters.

The appointment went pretty well- at least at the beginning. The non-stress test was great and Fiona looked awesome in the ultrasound. The doctor commented that she was very photogenic. The ultrasound tech estimated that Fiona weight is 5 pounds and 11 ounces, but I'm pretty sure the margin on error is pretty large. Anyone care to venture a guess on the final birth weight?

Also, my body seems to be slowly preparing for delivery. I was 2 cm dialated and 25% effaced.

My conversation with my doctor didn't go quite as I expected. I haven't really mentioned it on my blog, but there seems to be a difference of opinion between my doctor and me on my liver condition. The information she has shared with me is WAY different from what I have researched on my own. I'm also a part of an online forum for women with my condition and they are all getting very different treatment than I am getting and are being told things that are quite the opposite from what my doctor is telling me. It's frustrating to say the least. Switching doctors or even clinics wouldn't make a difference because all of the doctors on the eastside consult with Maternal Fetal Medicine and I'm sure a different doctor would be telling me the same thing. I would have to completely switch hospitals, which maybe I should have done.

When they orginally diagnosed my condition, it was based on bloodwork that came back with slightly elevated bile acid levels. My doctor put me on a medication that she claimed would only treat my symptoms (the itching) and not lower my bile acid levels. Although everything I've read claims that this medication does lower the levels. Whatever.

Furthermore, everything I've read indicates that the higher the bile acid level, the higher risk there is for the baby. My doctor also argues that there is no correlation and that there is an equal risk whether my numbers are "1" or "100". So, she has refused to do any further blood work after the diagnosis to chart my progress. Until last week...

A little over a week ago I complained that my itching was starting to worsen. My doctor finally decided that check my blood levels again. The results take a week to come back, so I knew that we would get the results yesterday.

When she came into the exam room the first thing she tells me is that I didn't have cholestasis afterall. She said the bloodwork came back normal (I think it was only a point or so lower than the first test) and that I could probably go off the meds and that we didn't need to induce afterall. She said that she would need to double check with Maternal Fetal Medicine before I final decision was made. So, I was sent home not knowing how long I would have to wait to know our fate.

I was really frustrated because in my opinion, the fact that my bile acid levels are lower tell me that the medication is working- not that I suddenly don't have Cholestasis anymore. This disease is known to quickly worsen during the last month of pregnancy. I've read accounts of woman who have had their numbers triple in a matter of days. The thought of suddenly be passed off as "cured" and discontinung the medication was terrifying to me.

Thankfully by the time we got home, there was a voicemail from my doctor saying that she had talked to a doctor at MFM. The doctor confirmed that this medication can lower my bile acid levels and said we need to still induce at 37 weeks. I was so suprised that this doctor said this because another doctor at this clinic already told me that the opinion of the clinic is that this medication is for treating the symtoms only.

We were SO relieved!

So, now the plan seems to be set in stone. I'm having an amniocentisis this Tuesday to determine lung maturity and then if the lungs look good, Fiona will make her debut on Thursday the 14th. Unless my doctor finds a way to interfere between now and then- which she seems to be preetty good at.

Sorry to bore you with all of the boring medical babble. I haven't really recorded this anywhere else. Someday when I get pregnant again, I will want to remember this experience. Oh wait, I'm NEVER getting pregnant again. Someone please remind me of that in 2 years.