"Insert needle here- X"

Test #1 - This first test was to confirm that yes in fact you are pregnant. I was half expecting for some odd reason that they would tell me no b/c just a week prior to doing an at home pregnancy test, I had just completed a 3 week series of blood tests to make sure that my miscarriage hormones had all been expelled and back to zero. I had thought for some reason I might still have some left over hormones when they called to tell me that "Yes, your are expecting. It's very early, and we have detected a problem in which can be resolved with medication." My first week levels were 500 for HCG and 18 for progesterone. My HCG was looking fine but it was the progesterone they were worried about.

After talking with my awesome nurse who calls me after hours and answers ALL my millions of questions, she informs me that my levels for progesterone should be at 20 or higher. I quickly questioned what this hormone does. The nurse informed me that it helps to keep a viable baby. She stated that she would be calling in a prescription immediately and I would need to start taking it that night.

I then also made sure to ask if this RX had any site effects. Susan stated no but quickly did I learn, that ontop of the normal lack of pregnancy sleep, this drug would only enhance my tossing and turning at night. Sleep was at a very minimum due to getting a little bit of insomnia. :(

Nurse Susan also stated that I would need to keep up my blood test for 3 more weeks so they could monitor my levels.

Test #2 - Results are in. HCG 1500 and progesterone 20
Test #3 - HCG 75000 and progesterone at 21 - the nurse is still a little worried about my progesterone at this point as she says that it should start to rise give the fact that the baby is growing and things are developing.
Test #4 - HCG 150,000 and progesterone 28 - the nurse is very happy and says thing are looking VERY nice

***Side note...I still can't help but think that maybe the first pregnancy might have been progesterone related. Just a normal human being reaction but I'm glad to know that they did catch it this round and that it can be prevented or looked for in future pregnancies.

***Another side note. The progesterone is only needed until about 12 weeks which at that point a placenta is formed enough to take over the production of that hormone.

By the end of my 3 weeks of miscarriage blood tests, and my 4 weeks of the new pregnancy I joke with Sean and say "I need a tatoo that says - Insert needle here-" only to be told that "oh honey...you're going to have one more blood test for our life insurance physical." I'm really starting to feel like a pin cushion/vampire. :)