Progesterone Deficiency - Heather Limoges
Unlike some women, Heather Limoges had never really wanted children. Even her marriage in 1995 didn’t change her mind. It took an odd dream two years later to convince her that children were, in fact, in her future. Out of the blue, one night she dreamed that she and her husband Steve lived on the coast of Maine in a big Victorian house. In the house was a baby in a car seat. Heather woke up from that dream wanting a baby – and Steve, who always had wanted children, was thrilled.
The Limoges got pregnant right away but an initial ultrasound couldn’t find the fetus, even though elevated HCG levels confirmed the pregnancy. A few days later, more tests discovered the problem – Heather had an ectopic pregnancy. After losing her fallopian tube as a result, Heather and Steve began trying again, but after a year of trying with no luck, they switched doctors. Years of negative pregnancy tests, numerous doctors, and two pregnancies that ended in miscarriage followed, with their hopes sinking lower each month. In desperation, Heather and Steve consulted a local fertility specialist, but after spending $2,000 and feeling much more like a number than a person at the clinic, they gave up.
Believing that conceiving and carrying a baby to term was impossible for them, Heather and Steve went to a meeting of PARINTS (Positive Approaches Regarding Infertility Treatments), a nurse-operated program focused on improving the infertility care process. There to learn about adoption, Heather met Executive Director Becky Kubala, who, after hearing Heather’s story, told her she should visit one more doctor – Elan Simckes.
Heather decided to take one more chance and made the call to Dr. Simckes. She knew instantly that she was in for a different experience. “He made me laugh from the get-go,” says Heather. “Infertility exams are awkward, but he puts you at ease and makes you laugh.”
Her initial consultation turned into a 45 minute talk with Dr. Simckes as he thoroughly reviewed her fertility history. No doctor had ever taken that much time to talk directly with her or to read her chart so completely. Steve says, “Dr. Simckes takes a step back and really looks at everything. He sees what’s wrong in the chart. In five years, we’d been to tons of doctors and no one had just read the chart – but he did.”
What Dr. Simckes told Heather and Steve shocked them. Other doctors had diagnosed her low progesterone, so she had been taking progesterone pills to supplement, but she had also been diagnosed with a liver disease. None of the other doctors had ever told her that the pill form of progesterone passes through the liver, and the drug was being filtered out of her system through the liver. In other words, the progesterone was simply passing through her and doing nothing to help her carry a pregnancy.
Immediately, Dr. Simckes switched Heather from progesterone in pill form to suppositories and, soon after, shots – betting Steve that they would be pregnant within two months. Steve was only too happy to lose that bet when seven weeks later, they found out Heather was pregnant. This time there was no miscarriage. Heather and Steve celebrated the birth of their daughter Hope – so named because of their infertility experience – in April 2000.
After Hope’s first birthday, Heather and Steve decided to muster their physical and mental energy to try again, and daughter Katie arrived in November 2003. This time, they knew immediately they wanted another child and became pregnant after only two months of trying. To their surprise, their last pregnancy turned out to be double the fun – twins Grace and Josh arrived to round their family out beyond what they’d ever dreamed of having.
Of the entire experience, Heather says, “Dr. Simckes is so laid back but intense at the same time. It’s hard to explain, but it’s a beautiful balance. He can focus like no one else, and I honestly believe in my heart of hearts he’s the best doctor I’ve ever found.”
Steve agrees, “I wouldn’t recommend anyone else but Dr. Simckes. Don’t waste your time, energy, or money with anyone else. For the men, he makes you feel like you’re part of the process – much more like a friend and confidant than a number. Dr. Simckes is the best doctor I could ever recommend.”
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