cowboy boot roller skates

To make a long story short, I have not one, but two uterus, or uteri. AND, not one, but two cervix, or cervices. I am special! From a regular pap visit last winter, I was referred to an ObGyn who referred me to a reproductive endocrinologist who was able to identify uterus didelphys. I am not trying to conceive currently. But Boyfriend and I want to get married and start a family someday (in the not-so-distant future, as I am in my thirties!). I feel lucky to have learned about my didelphic uteri as soon as I did, before trying to start a family. I feel like I am prepared for my journey!

Long story:

February 8, 2008: I went to see Dr. C for a regular no-hassle Well Woman visit complete with pap. I started a new job at a new company the previous August and had to switch to a different insurance provider. With the new insurance provider, came a new Primary Care Physician. Although this would have been my thirteenth annual visit and my thirteenth pap from probably five different doctors, this would have been my very first visit to see Dr. C. Doctor said that she noticed something out of the ordinary…some tissue where it did not belong. She referred me to an ObGyn in the network. I called right away to schedule an appointment. I was worried. All of my previous visits since the age of 18 have been perfectly normal! I always get the card in the mail about a week later that says my pap is normal and I think nothing of it until my visit the same time next year. Unfortunately, this visit was not so normal. My initial thought was endometriosis. I tried not to worry too much until I saw the ObGyn. But I did.

February 14, 2008: I went to see ObGyn Dr. P for a sonogram. Dr. P explained to me that I have one of four different uterine or mullerian anomalies. He showed me photos from a medical book:

Dr. P explained to me the difference in the four anomalies. From the sonogram, he was unable to tell which of the four applied to me. When he said the word bicornuate, I started to cry. I told the doctor that I have a friend with bicornuate and I know how difficult it is to conceive with such an anomoly. Said Friend = Boyfriend’s ex-wife. They had multiple miscarriages before delivering a very premature baby who left this world after just a few weeks in the NICU. Boyfriend told me his story on our second date.  He struggled for a long time with his loss, and always will.  How could I go through that? And how could I put Boyfriend through that again? Dr. P said that he wanted to schedule an MRI which should reveal a more clear image of my uterus. Later that evening I told Boyfriend what I had learned. I remember being so scared to tell him. I didn’t know how he would react after what he had already been through. I was more scared of his reaction than of how I was feeling. He was very calm. He assured me that it would be ok, that there are so many things that medical professionals can do now to help us conceive and carry babies. He did not seem overly concerned or worried. He was exceptional. 

February 20, 2008: MRI.

February 25, 2008: Met with Dr. P to go over MRI results. I brought my laptop to record his audio, in case there was too much information for me to remember. Unfortunately, all Dr. P could really tell me was that the MRI results were incomplete. The MRI did not clearly show the shape of my uterus. A vaginal ultrasound was necessary. He was referring me to a Reproductive Endocrinologist. I was disappointed that I had not really learned anything additional from this doctor’s visit.

March 12, 2008: Boyfriend and I met with Reproductive Endocrinologist, Dr. P. Boyfriend held my hand during the ultrasound. We all three looked at the monitor trying to make out the squiggly lines. Finally, after some time, Dr. P pointed to the monitor and snapped some screen shots. He said that he thought he saw two separate uteri. He also said that it appeared as though I was getting ready to ovulate from one ovary. He said my ovaries looked good.  He asked us to meet him in his office after I had dressed. I remembered being irritated with the doctor when he left the room. I believe he said something to the effect of, “well, you don’t have anything to worry about until you try to conceive.” He left me feeling like that was never going to happen. Just because Boyfriend and I were not yet married and trying to have children, did not mean that we would not try in the near future. This did not mean that this thing with my uterus or uteruses would never affect me. IT WOULD. I was going to have children. I was going to get married. I was going to LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. Did he think I was a child? I was three months from turning thirty years old…I was not a child! Boyfriend told me to calm down. I did. We met Dr. P back in his office and he pulled some medical books from his shelves. He showed us pictures similar to the ones above. He pointed out that, from all of the photos, I had the least worrisome of the possibilities. Doctor said that I have uterus didelphys. I have two totally and completely separate uterus (or uteri). I also have two totally and completely separate cervix (or cervi). I have one vaginal canal. The reason Dr. C was able to notice anything back on February 8^th during my regular well woman exam, was because I also have a vaginal septum. Doctor G said that this should not be an obstacle in future childbirth and there is no need to surgically remove the septum. Doctor said that my main concern would be premature birth. Whichever uterus the embryo decides to implant itself in, may not be of normal size and may not allow for full term pregnancy. But, Doctor said, there are things they can do to help prevent and prepare for preterm labor. Also, he said I may be at higher risk for miscarriage. Also, there is a possibility that it could take longer for me to conceive: if I ovulate from, say, left ovary and the egg is hanging around near the left uterus while the sperm swims up to the right uterus…there will be no resulting fertilization. So, it could take theoretically twice as long to conceive as a “normal” person with simply one uterus. But, Doctor said, that there are meds that I could take to induce ovulation from both ovaries. This makes me wonder about multiples. Will I have twins: one baby in each uterus? Doctor says that is not likely. Although rare, I have read articles of this occurring. I was so thankful that Boyfriend went to that doctor’s visit with me. Instead of feeling scared and alone, I felt like we were in a partnership, learning about my body and our reproductive future together. He comforted me and gave me strength. I know he will be there in the future as well if difficulties arise. Boyfriend and I agreed that what we had learned was more positive than it could have been. And he told me that I am not alone and he would go with me anywhere I needed him to go. I am so blessed to have him in my life! After days and hours of online research , I eventually came to feel not like I am at a disadvantage, but that I am unique, special and that it is kind of cool to have two uteri.

March 18, 2008: Appointment with radiologist for ultrasound to verify that I have two kidneys. With uterine anomalies, a person can have one, two, or three kidneys. I have two.

 

February 13, 2009: One year later. Time for my Well Woman with two paps this time please. After a week, I had not received that generic card in the mail that says my pap was normal. But, I ALWAYS received the card in the mail. What happened this time?

February 25, 2009: I received a phone call from the nurse. No card in the mail and the nurse was calling me? This can’t be good… Nurse said that my left cervix pap came back from the lab abnormal. She scheduled a biopsy of my left cervix. I was to take two Aleve twice a day starting 48 hours prior to the visit.

March 2, 2009: Biopsy on left cervix. Was not as painful as I had imagined it would be. She actually took three different biopsy samples. The third was the most painful…a quick sharp pain. Dr. C said that the cells were of low grade, so nothing to get too concerned about. If cells are pre-cancerous, we would take further action. If they are not, no action taken except for another pap in three months.

March 4, 2009: Received phone call from the nurse. Cells are NOT pre-cancerous, but they did test positive for HPV. Need to freeze cervix. Again, nurse advised to take two Aleve twice a day starting 48 hours prior to visit.

March 10, 2009: Cryosurgery. Dr. C used a tank of nitric oxide, just as in freezing a wart. (I actually snapped a pic of the nitrogen tank while waiting for doc to arrive…weird, I know)

She said there would be some cramping. She literally froze my left cervix. - 20 degrees Celsius or - 4 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold. Doctor said she would have to freeze the cervix TWICE. She froze for three minutes continuously. Then she took a break for two minutes. The break between the freezing was the most painful…severe cramping. It’s like my cervix or uterus or both were contracting, reacting to the nitrogen. Nurse was at my side, saying how well I was doing. I suppose some ladies do not handle this painful freezing of inner parts very well. Um, I can understand why. Then she started up again with the nitrogen…only a minute and a half this time. I found this a good time to ask her opinion about my twenty year old sister and the HPV vaccination.  Doctor agreed that Sister should get the vaccine.  I found that talking helped to distract me from the nitrogen and oxygen and cold and whatever else was going on down there. Then the cramping again. Severe. Painful!  Dr. C said that the cryosurgery would shock the body and help it to rid the left cervix of the HPV and the bad cells. She said that the body generally fights this on its own, but the freezing will hurry it along. Dr. said my body would release a lot of water along with the bad cells and I will need to wear pads for at least two weeks. Dr. C said she would see me in three months for another pap. We would follow up every three months until she sees a normal pap. Doctor said generally another freezing or further treatment is not necessary. Thank goodness. I scheduled the next visit for as close to three months as I could. I wanted to get this over with.

March 19, 2009: Called nurse with symptoms. Picked up prescription for infection in left cervix. Just my luck. After about two weeks symptoms receded.

June 10, 2009: Follow up pap.  Awaiting results.

June 16, 2009: Pap is normal!  Follow up visit in three months to see that it stays normal.

September 16, 2009:  Another follow up pap.  Awaiting results.

September 25, 2009:  Good news.  Results are normal.

January 27, 2010:  Four month follow up pap.  Awaiting results.

February 5, 2010:  Pap results are normal.