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The Official TTC for 6 Months or More Thread

SS - The waiting is just hard! I wish I had some good advice for you. I am so hopeful for you!

MP - Glad to hear you are getting the process started. Strange about your cycle. Hope the blood work turns out ok. Are they doing a full panel type thing, or just look at estrogen level? Will you start drugs this cycle?

AFM, finished clomid last night, had an u/s and blood work this morning. One dominant follicle (at 16) and two smallers (maybe 12 and 10). I start follistim tonight, and they also prescribed Estrace because my lining is looking thin at this point. She thinks the two smallers may catch up. Another u/s and b/w on Thursday. Very hopeful that 12 and 10 catch up.
 
LV, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you that a couple more of those follicles catch up before you next ultrasound. Is that what the follitism is supposed to help with? Keep us posted! And yes, I will be starting meds this cycle. Just 50 mg of clomid, but I don't plan to do any IUI this first month. The NP called me this morning and said that if I could get into the clinic in the next hour, she would do an ultrasound. My ovaries looked good, so I start clomid tonight. She mentioned that everything in my bloodwork came back fine, but my FSH is elevated from last time, and it is higher than expected for someone my age. Right after I left, I realized I never asked her the specific number, so I will have to do that at my follow up ultrasound next week. Anyone have experience with elevated FSH? I need to do a little reading on that later, but I assume that means my ovarian reserve is not that great, right? So I guess it is good we are starting this process sooner rather than later.
 
MP - My FSH was a little elevated. I believe it was almost 12. They like to see it in the single digits. I got 2 separate opinions from it. My first doctor was concerned about it, my second doctor said it was very "mild" and didn't seem concerned at all. If you get multiple FSH values, your worse one is the one they take into consideration. So for example, I had another FSH 2 months later, and it was almost 11. While that is better, they still took the higher number as what my ovarian reserve.

As for you, I doubt it has gone up a lot in the last year (it increases very gradually over time), so while it might make things a little harder, it should not be a deal breaker when it comes to getting pregnant.

Now I want to remind you, that despite my "slightly decreased ovarian reserve/egg quality" I had 17 eggs, 11 fertilize which were all "above average embryos," 2/2 implant, and 5 make it to freeze when I did IVF. All the embryos that fertilized survived to 3 days, and over half made it to 5 days. Those are amazing numbers, so my FSH ended up not being something to worry about. I think the reason I could not get pregnant was a tubal issue or mild endometrosis.

Hope this helps!

(and yes I am still holding on at 5 cm on bed rest).
 
Firecracker, thanks for the information. That is reassuring. I’m kicking myself for not asking for the specific number! I want to say my FSH was around 7 when they tested it two years ago, so it wasn’t exactly low for my age then, but hopefully, it hasn’t gone up too much since then. I responded well to relatively low doses of clomid (50) last time around and had 3-4 follicles each time, so I’m really hoping I respond okay to it this time as well. If not, I guess we will have to cross that bridge when we get there. Prayers headed your way for you and those two little babies!
 
MP - Hmm, you'll have to get that number . . . I wonder if she meant slightly elevated for your age vs. slightly elevated in general? Since you had a relatively easy (well, as easy as it gets here) go of it last time (it was just one cycle on clomid, right?), then I doubt whatever your FSH is will have any real bearing on how things go this time around, which I expect and hope will be positive and quick!!

Follistim is similar to Clomid (very general --both produce more eggs!) I think it's usually either/or, but my doctor suggested a combo because Clomid reduced my lining when I previously took it solely, and I had "residual follicles" from the Follistim, a sign the dose was too high, so he prescribed a combo in hopes of working out both of those issues. Follistim is an injectable. I actually did it myself for the first time tonight. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Previously, DH always did the injection. The needle is tiny, and the medication actually goes into a "pen" that you dose by a dial. They make it really easy to do, actually, which I appreciate!!

I think DCG mentioned she also had a Clomid/Follistim cycle when she conceived her daughter, so curious why she had a combo, but she hasn't been back yet to tell us! DCG - Where are you?
 
LV, I got pregnant on my first cycle of clomid/IUI. I did two cycles of just clomid (no trigger) before that that ended with BFNs. But yes, relatively speaking, I was very lucky it happened on our first IUI cycle. I know there is a good chance it will not happen as quickly this time around, but I'm hopeful.

SS, sending good thoughts your way!

Hope everyone else is doing well.
 
Reporting in - 3 follies - 24, 21 and 19. Very happy with three! My lining is 6. something. She said they like to see 7, and I'm on my way there. I only had two doses of follistim, but it seemed to work fast. Depending on bw results, looks like iui tomorrow and Saturday. That went by so quickly. She thought I might not be ready until over the weekend.
 
LV, that's great news! Lots of dust headed your way. I really hope the first time's the charm for you! Oh, and I just called my NP's office, and they said my FSH number was 9.4. Not overly alarming at this point if it's still in the single digits, I hope. It will be interesting to see how well I respond to the clomid this time. I took the first one last night and woke up early this morning with a really bad headache. Hopefully, it was just a fluke because I didn't have any problems while taking it before.

Sorry everyone, I feel like I'm dominating this thread. TTC is dominating my thoughts right now!
 
MP - Yes, I think they said anything under 10 is good, but I think we've seen some good examples here (I'm thinking of Bella's AMH too) lately where these numbers, though indicators, don't seem to make a difference when it comes down to it. How many days will you take clomid for? Please, no apologies for posting! Post away!!!

I did get the call and tomorrow and Saturday are a go! I am keeping-it-real about our chances, hopeful but definitely aware it may not work out. I will be taking pregnyl (which is HCG, I guess?) by injection. Triggering tonight. Woo-hoo!
 
Hello ladies,

Sorry for the long time in between posts, but work has been hectic and I have been traveling a bit lately. In any event, let me get down to addressing everyone, an then I will update you all with things on my end a bit later.

Fisher - Lovely as always to see you. I hope you conception journey for number 2 is much easier this time around! Big hug

LV - So glad to hear that the TB drama turned out to be a false alarm. Btw, we really are in synch. I had CD1 on the same day as you and I'm getting my IUI done today (CD12). So question about your protocal - did you just do one 50mg of Clomid per day or two per day? That's great that you had three eggs with it, nice response. I think the Follistm helps too though with growth, etc. It's funny b/c I had almost exactly the same three egg sizes when I get pregnant with my S. Hoping that is a good omen for you... :bigsmile: I am not too familiar with the Estrance, what is that? Also, did I read right that you are doing 2 IUI's? If so, that's pretty cool. Oh, and to answer your question, the Clomid didn't to much for me by itself, so that's why my last doc added in the Follistm in combo with Clomid. I also did two doses of it. And you are a rock star for injecting yourself, I couldn't bring me hands to poke me, lol. I did hear that the new pen click thing is easier though, as compared to the mix it stuff I had to do.

MP - Thanks for the good wishes. I'm sure you NP has a reason for doing the Clomid alone, though I am afraid I don't know what your diagnosis was, so its hard to say. Being "unexlpained infertility" and ovulating normal, etc, I think IUI was the normal protocal for me. Let's see what you NP says though going forward. That's great that you responded so well to the Clomid in the past though. Question regarding your short cycles; how long is your LP? Mine is typically less than or equal to 12 days, with spotting, so I find the progesterone was very helpful for that. Btw, the comment you made about being more relaxed the second time - I know I am too, funny how that works...Good luck with this Clomid cycle and let us know how it goes! Oh and as for FSH, mine was around 9 too. They didn't seem to worried about it (I think you start to get worried above 12 or 15), but it definitely doesn't get lower, so better to be on it now rather than later.

Tbaus - Thank for the happy thoughts. Sorry to hear about the house, but perhaps that wasn't the house for you. I'm sure the perfect house is just around the corner! I am really sorry that you have to be the advocate for your fertility process. I completely agree that all of those things (SA, HSG, FSH level, etc.) should have been done before you started with ovulation induction. That being said, are you really happy with your FS? If not, I might recommend checking out another one, b/c you really shouldn't have to ask for those kind of things, but that's just my two cents. As to your question about progesterone, yes, usually a progesterone level above 10 indicates ovulation. I wish you oodles of luck with your upcoming cycle (when it wants to arrive, lol)

Bright - I appreciate the well wishes. I'm sorry to hear about the screwy timing, that can be such a pain. I remember my first go round I literally was jumping off a plane and straight into my doc's office to get things done. While it can be a pain to plan around the treatments, you may have to be a bit creative with travel schedules. Not to add to your stress, but just remember the holidays are right around the corner, and it may be even more difficult to schedule. So, I would say that you should do what you can to get things done in the next couple months, so you don't hit more roadbumps later. But whatever you decide, go enjoy the non-preggo (ie being able to drink lots of tropical drinks) lifestyle and see what happens...Good luck!

Split - Wow, two good follie and four little ones, that's great! It looks like you triggered but no IUI, right? Either way, I wish you LOTS of luck with the cycle and hope it works out! As for the waiting, it really can be hell sometimes, but just hang in there, we are here for you!

Shortblonde - Thanks for the happy thoughts. I'm sorry you are having a tough go of it. I know that however happy you may be for your friends that get pregnant, it stings all the more when it's so easy for everybody else. Just know that we are here for you, though I think the support group will be nice to have some battle buddies IRL. That sounds like you and your RE have a solid plan for tyring to get preggo soon. I would say go with the IUI as well, if only b/c the odds could in fact be increases with it (assuming you have issues) i.e. the likely chances of me getting pregnant with unexplained is 2-5% and with IUI is the more normal 15-20%. That is not "increased" odds persay when comparing the normal person's pregnancy chances, but clearly for my situation, it is greatly increased odds. So maybe you can put it to your husband like that? Either way, its a lot cheaper than IVF and why not do everythign you can do help your odds, you know? ;)) Do let me know what you think of the Femera though. I don't know anyone who has tried both Clomid and Femera, and I would be curious to see the differences. Good luck on this cycle!

AFM, things have been hoping around here. I went in for CD3 testing on Aug 27, and after getting the all clear, I started my 5 days of Clomid. I also had my HSG done on the 29th. All was good there as well (as expected). So, after the holiday weekend, I went in on Tuesday and was told I had one good folli of 21 (and then a bunch of inconsequential ones under 12). So, I got the green light to trigger that night, and just got back from my IUI this afternoon. So, here we go again, wish me luck! I did have some questions/comments for you all though. Did any of you on Clomid only produce one egg? It seems like most people who take it get at least two eggs, but I was wondering if my beginning to diminish egg supply had anything to do with that. Also, I know another lady mentioned their DH has less than great morphology. I am curious abotu this one. I researched the topic when I was fighting with my insurance last go round and most research indicates that <9 morphology is subpar for concenption odds, but most RE's seem not to worry unless its grave (< 3%), in which case you would usually jump straight over to IVF. Does anyone wonder why they don't worry about the gray area here (like 4-8%), I mean I think it is a factor, and I would be curious to see what you all think.

Well, it looks like a bunch of us are in the middle of our cycles here, so lots of luck to you all and can't wait to hear some good news :appl:
 
DC, I'm the one with the DH that has lower morph. His was 4% on the strict scale if I remember right. They weren't terribly concerned because his overall numbers were great. Still, it must have been a contributing factor since our iui worked and I only had the one egg. Speaking of, I also only got one good follicle on clomid and femara. I was diagnosed with diminished supply, my AMH was only .57!

I'm sorry for not posting more. I think of you ladies often and read along, praying for positive pregnancy tests for all! ::)
 
DCGator, hopefully your one follicle was a really good one and that's all you needed! What dosage of clomid did you take and on what days? Last time around I did one cycle of 25 mg on Cd3-7, and I only had one dominant follicle. The next two cycles, I took 50 mg, and I got 3-4 follicles each time. I took the clomid on days 3-7 and 4-8, and it didn't seem to make much difference. I know I read that if you start it earlier on CD2 or CD3, you will likely produce more follicles, but who knows if that is true. Oh, and to answer your other questions to me, I actually opted not to do an IUI this cycle because I wanted to see what would happen if I just took the clomid with a trigger and progesterone. I strongly suspect we may need to go the IUI route, but we will be more mentally prepared for it if this cycle doesn't work.

LV, all my best to you today and Saturday! I also used pregnyl, and it obviously did the trick for me last time around :) I'm doing clomid on CD3-7 and going in on CD9 or 10 to see what my ovaries are up to :)
 
Drive by update, 14dpo, still BFN. Won't get AF unless I stop Crinone so trying to decide when to stop it to make next cycle schedule work out a little better, if it gets to that point. I'll give it 2 more days then I'm done. I was a late O'er/implanter/HCGmaker last time, didn't get a BFP til day 31 or something like that so I guess that is giving me false hope!
 
SS - Fingers still crossed for you!

DCG - To answer your questions: estrace is estrogen, and apparently increases uterine lining, which clomid can sometimes thin. The clomid was 50 mg, once per day. It's interesting . . . I wonder if my other two smaller follicles would not have caught up if I hadn't taken the follistim? After my first u/s, it was not clear they would. They grew a lot (I'd have to go back to see what I posted) in two days. I have a question for you -- you had an HSG at the beginning of your current cycle? I was under the impression that an HSG could only be done in a non-medicated cycle, but am happy to see that must not be the case. Oh, and yes, my RE does back-to-back iuis, so one each at 12 hours and 36 hours post-trigger. From what I read on-line, it appears most REs do only one iui, but some studies suggest slight increases in success rates.

How many DPIUI are you now? Are you taking progesterone? Wishing you lots of luck! Let's hope the first time is the charm!

MP - Thanks for the good wishes. I do not recall taking pregnyl last time, but maybe I did. I am scheduled to take it on the 10th and the 16th. I forgot how long the nurse said I had to wait to test. Maybe 10 days? Or 7 days after the last pregnyl. Yeesh, I usually start testing at 7 dpo. I guess it's not that much longer to wait to test, but I would just really prefer to know sooner!

**************
AFM, both IUIs went great. 2-3 week wait starts now! Someone please remind me not to google things like iui success rates. I think a lot of it just comes down to luck, so I am going to try not to worry and fill my mind with more productive thoughts.
 
LV, my doc had me take estrogen with the Clomid too. I'm glad to hear that the pen injections were easy to use, since that is where I'm headed next if the Femara doesn't do the trick. Good luck with the TWW!

SS, keeping my fingers crossed for you too.

MP, good luck with the Clomid this cycle. Hopefully the FSH isn't an issue!

dcg, hoping for good news after your TWW.

tbaus, hope you're doing ok out there.

MP, Tammi, and DCG, thanks for the IUI info. We've talked about it some more and I think we're going to do it, because if we don't and the cycle doesn't work, I will wonder if the IUI would have made a difference and that kind of doubt is the worst.

AFM, I took my last dose of progesterone last night, so I expect to be CD 1 tomorrow since I've already been spotting for the past couple days. Then I'll start Femara on CD 3 and go in for a monitoring ultrasound on CD 14 to find out whether or not it worked. I'm trying to be zen about all of this since there's not much I can do or know for a couple more weeks, but I'll report back on any differences I experience with Clomid vs Femara.
 
SB, hopefully you will have better results with the femara. I get what you mean about wanting to get an IUI done, so you don't have to wonder if that would've made the difference. I'm not having one this month, but if I don't get pregnant with the clomid alone, that will definitely be my next step.

LV, glad the IUIs went well. Now the long wait begins. I'll be crossing my fingers for you for sure! I actually only had the pregnyl for my trigger shot, and I didn't get any additional shots after the IUI. I guess it depends on your dose, but I'm thinking you will need to wait longer to take a pregnancy test to make sure it is out of your system. It does sound like your doctor is doing everything possible to ensure you get a BFP as soon as possible!

One more dose of clomid to go for me. Really hoping I respond well to it, and I should have a better idea of that after my ultrasound on Wednesday.
 
Hi MP - Yes, I triggered with Ovidrel, and will take two pregnyl injections, which will extend out test time. I think they told me it increases progesterone. I will ask on Tuesday, when I go in for blood work (I also do not recall doing blood work during the two week wait, but I will also go in 2X for this.) In my prior cycles there, I took progesterone in pill form. I guess the protocol has changed.

Hope you find good results at your U/S.

SB - Hopefully you won't need to find out about the follistim! Good Luck this cycle!!
 
Wow, things are really hopping around here! I hope everyone is hanging in ok & that we get some good news here soon!

SS, good luck to you! How many dpo are you? It's possible to get AF on crinone (I did!), so I'm holding out hope for you!

LV, great news on the 3 follies! I'm glad your IUI's went well. I hope your 2ww goes well & ends on good note. My first RE did 2 IUI's & my current one only does 1 (though he advised me to BD the evening after my IUI too).
You asked me about testing for genetic issues because of my m/cs. Both my DH & I had blood tests for a bunch of genetic issues after the second miscarriage, but the only thing that came up as a issue was a mild blood clotting disorder for me. The "products of conception" were never tested as both miscarriages were blighted ovum. And we didn't wind up testing our embryos during the IVF cycle because it was around $5k out of pocket to have that done & it just didn't seem to be the best financial bang for our buck.

DCG,I'm glad your IUI went well too. Fingers crossed for good news! I also did 2 clomid cycles at 50mg & only produced 1 follicle. But, hey, it only takes one! And I think IUI really helps when morphology is a bit of an issue. When they wash the sample, they get only the best swimmers right where they need to be.
I definitely did enjoy the tropical drinks & scuba diving that would've been off limits if I were pregnant. And you're right about the holidays making things even tougher to plan. My first IUI finished right before we left for the Christmas break so I was sweating that one.

SB, good luck with your upcoming cycle. Do keep us posted on the clomid vs femara & lots of dust coming your way!
Yes, it is indeed difficult to balance living your life & doing fertility treatments. They can be so overwhelming & force you to kind of put the rest of your life on hold, which isn't healthy.

MP, I hope you're responding well to the clomid. Keep us posted on how your u/s on Wednesday goes.
And I really appreciate your thoughtful posts. At this point in the process, it's just easier for me to be realistic about things. I haven't given up hope yet, but I'm starting to come to terms with the fact that this might not happen. But, hey, you never know, right?

Ltl, good to see you. Hang in there, lady & keep baking!

tbaus, I'm sorry you lost the house, but maybe it's for the best with since it sounds like the process with these sellers was not a good experience. I hope the next one is your dream home! I'm so sorry about the PCOS symptoms on top of the cancelled cycle. Is waxing helping the new hair on your upper lip? I wish I knew something that would help for the hair loss. It's so devastating. Big hugs to you. I hope this TTC process is over for you soon & with a happy ending. And yes, the spike in progesterone likely means you did ovulate.

afm, I'm back from the DR & had a nice time. It was good to spend time with family (young & older) & to have some fun in the sun. It was our first big family vacation since our nieces came into the world, so kind of interesting to see how much schedules & activities have changed. DH & I were able to go on a dive together, though, which was really lovely.

Now we're back & will have a coordination meeting tomorrow with the nurse in my RE's office for our next cycle, the IUI/FET combined cycle. I'm still trying to figure out how to coordinate this with upcoming travel plans, but am leaning toward doing the cycle next month & hoping the travel plans can be adjusted to accommodate it. I just need this process to be over one way or another.

I'm also a little bummed today as it's my Gran's birthday (who passed away in November) & the 1st anniversary of our 1st due date. Sigh.
 
BS, sorry about the anniversaries. :(( I have a hard time too when I see dates on the calendar on "what should have been."

I am frustrated that I had 2 good pitches and no home runs. I would have liked to think that two eggs meant double the odds, but I guess not. I have finally come to realize for myself that I'm not the one in control of what happens.... Right now I'm 17dpo. Still pulling bfn's. I stopped the Crinone (last dose was Sat am), so if its like last cycle, AF should start up tomorrow morning, or 48 hrs after stopping. I was reluctant to stop, just in case, but the numbers on the calendar just aren't promising. For future reference, what would happen if I were to stop for a few days expecting AF, but find out I was PG? I would obviously start again immediately, but would 1-2 days off be detrimental ?
 
Bright, welcome back from your vacation. Sounds like so much fun, and hopefully,you were able to take your mind off this crappy TTC stuff and sad anniversaries for awhile. Keep us posted on what you find out at your appointment today. I'm crossing my fingers so tightly for you and cheering you on no matter how long it takes!

SS, did you have a trigger? Or did you just use OPKs? In other words, how sure are you on your ovulation date? If you are pretty sure you ovulated when you think you did, I have to agree with you that you most likely would have had a positive HPT by now if you were pregnant. And I'm really sorry about that :(( If it would make you feel better, you could proabbly ask for a blood test just to be sure .... Anyway, to answer your progesterone question, I have read a few things here and there about how you shouldn't stop progesterone suddenly if you are pregnant because it can cause you to miscarry. I'm not sure if that is true or not. But it wasn't true for me. I had a false negative blood test when I was pregnant with my son. I had a very faint positive HPT, but I had spotting and the blood test came back negative, so I was told I wasn't pregnant and to stop taking prometrium. I stopped taking it over the weekend for two days, but the HPTs kept coming back positive, so I had another blood test the following Monday, and I was in fact pregnant. My progesterone level didn't drop after I stopped the prometrium (but maybe that is because I had enough progesterone already without the supplement), and everything was fine. Anyway, big hugs to you. Do you plan to use clomid again this next month?

LV, that makes sense about the trigger/progestone since it is the HCG that sends the message to the corpus luteum to keep producing progesterone. It sounds like you have a very proactive doctor that is not taking any chances. Fingers crossed for you!

AFM, my first (or maybe only) ultrasound is scheduled for tomorrow. I used an OPK this morning, and there was a very visible second line, so I'm thinking I'm only a day or two away from my LH surge. I'm kind of looking at this cycle as a test run to see how I respond to the clomid, and if I just happened to get pregnant, even better! I'm a little afraid to move on to the IUI again because it is effectively our last straw, and I worry that we won't be lucky and have it work on the first time again. But I'm trying not to go there just yet....
 
MP, good luck with your US! I hope you can save your resources as a last resort and that it won't have to come to that. Always nice to have something as a backup.

I did have a trigger, and felt o pains about 32 hrs later. Obviously the opk's showed positive after that, so i can only assume I ovulated on the trigger. Right????? Finally got AF this morning as suspected so I can move on with next month's plan. Put a call in to the nurse today as they will only fill clomid after a confirmed cd 1. She mentioned possibly going up to 100mg , but would check with the doctor. I had 2 good follies and 4 borderline, with a trigger, is it necessary or beneficial to up the dose ? I don't know much at this point. I do know I am going to be terribly afraid of BD'ing if I end up with 3+ follies getting triggered.
 
Hi Ladies,
I guess it's time to move back over here. This is my sixth month TTC baby #2. DS will be 2 in December. Kind of bummed out, I know a lot of people that got pregnant on their own second and third times. I really believed that I would too. Last month I ovulated really late and the clinic decided not to IUI because the chances were too slim. I am now on CD 41 and no sign of AF. No BFP either...just waiting ::)

Hope you are all well! I'm looking forward to getting back into things over here. I hope all of you in your 2WW are doing well!
 
SS, yes, if you had a trigger and felt O pain, you almost certainly did ovulate when you think you did. It's frustrating when you know you ovulated and had good timing, but it still doesn't happen, isn't it? I'm sure your doctor will have good advice for you as far as the dosage. The cycle I got pregnant with my son, I for sure had 3 good follicles, and probably actually 4 after I triggered, plus I had an IUI, but I still ended up with one baby. The incidence of multiples on clomid is not that high, but it is always a risk you need to consider.

Blackberry, sorry to hear you are having to go through all of this again too. Like you, I really was holding out hope that I would be one of those people who was able to conceive on my own after having my first baby, but here I am. Were you on any medications this past cycle? If not, maybe that would help move your ovulation date up. Hopefully, with a little help, you will be pregnant again in no time.

AFM, I had an u/s this morning, and I seem to be responding well to the clomid again, so that was a relief. I've got 2 follicles that are 17-18 and a few more that are around 14, so I will go in again on Friday and hopefully be ready to trigger!
 
Hello ladies,

I hope all is going well with everyone. I am hanging in here during the 2WW :errrr:

Tammy - Intersesting about the morphology issue on your end. Congrats on getting pregnant with just one egg thought, that's awesome! Can I ask you more about Femera though. My practice here really likes to give that one over Clomid but I am not 100% sure about it. What was your impression on it vs Clomid?

MP - I actually took 100mg of Clomid per day for days 3-7 (two 50mg pills a day), and still only got one egg, so I am thinking its back to Follistm and Clomid combo, should this not work. At least I know I respond pretty well to Follistm, so that is comforting. We just wanted to try the "conservative" route first, but seeing as how it did essentially nothing, I am more comfortable with insisting on the Follistm. That's great news on the two bigger follies and the smaller ones as well! Fingers crossed for your appt on Friday! Btw, don't stress too much about the IUI, its just one more step to getting that lovely little baby you are hoping for ;))

Split - I am so sorry to hear that you didn't get your BFP this go round. :(( I know it's so heartbreaking, especially when you have invested in all the available treatments. Its like getting an extra boost of hope only to be let down that much harder. Hang in there though and hopefully you can find a treatment protocal that will work for you next go round. Hugs Btw, regarding the upped Clomid, everyone responds differently, so you won't really know how you will respond until you try. That being said, even when I had three eggs, I only got one baby, but that is definitely a calculated risk you need to decide if you are comfortable with. At the time, we were happy with two babies vs. no babies, so we rolled with it, but its a very personal decision. On that note, if you don't want to increase you does, just tell you doc and stick with what you are comfortable with. Let us know what you decide and good luck!

LV - I have heard that Clomid can reduce lining, so that makes sense. I also was under the impression that you couldn't do an HSG in a medicated cycle, but apparently, that wasn't an issue here. That is really cool about the double IUI, I think anything that increases your chances is muy bueno! :bigsmile: As for your question, I am 6DPO/DPIUI and hanging in there. I am on progesterone, though different from my last office, they gave it to me orally (vs inserts), and twice a day. Fun side effects on that one, though I will share more at the end...This practice also has me come in for BW mid 2WW to check on my progesterone levels, so maybe its a new thing for all RE's? So you are what about 4DPIUI #2 now? I am also wishing you oodles of luck! Hopefully this will be it for us :naughty:

Shortblond - Thanks for the well wishes. Sorry to hear that this cycle didn't work for you :(( , but I am very eager to see what the Femera does for you versus the Clomid. If you don't mind me asking, what dosage of Clomid were you on and how many viable eggs did you get? Did you ask to change to Femera or was it your Dr's recommendation?

Brightspot - I don't know your whole history, but you poor thing with the multiple m/c's. You are a strong women and I send you a huge hug! I am also sorry to hear about the passing of your granny and your first m/c due date. A whole bunch of hugs for you... As to morphology, my research (and my experience) does suggest that IUI's help with morphology, I was just surprised this doesn't seem to be more of an issue to most RE's. I'm glad you enjoyed your vaca and the lovely alcoholic beverages =) Going forward, with the IUI/FET cycle, do you only have to do the trigger with that one, or will they put you on any other meds? Either way, good luck with the schedule and let us know how it goes.

Blackberry - Welcome back to the board, but sorry that you had to migrate back here. Hoepfully we can be a good resource for you though as you go through your journey. I know how everyone always says once you get pregnant your body just "knows how to do it now", so it should be easy, but unfortuntely, for people around here, that isn't always the case. As much as I hated hearing "it will happen" from seemingly well meaning people when I was a year into trying for my first, I seem to harbor the same cringing response when I hear that type of" its easier the second go round" mantra. I feel like for those people who have one and get pregnant right away, yes, it is easier, but for those of us months into it and not pg the second go round, it is again, not that easy... :evil: Anywho, rant over, but keep us updated on how AF progresses. Hopefully she will rear her ugly head soon, so you can get started with some baby making. Btw, are you going to use any procedures/meds or are you going au natural?

AFM - So, I am 6 DPO/DPIUI and hanging in there. I have taken two HPTs the last couple nights to see if the HCG was still lurking in my system from my trigger, and it it has been, so that's kind of a good metric to check later tests upon, since I can't handle waiting the full 2 weeks, lol. :loopy: Speaking of crazy, has anyone else taken the oral version of progesterone? OMG, that stuff is nuts! I previously had been on Prometrium/progesterone for a number of cycles via insertion method and didn't really have any side effects, however, this oral stuff make me seriously dizzy. The first night I took it, I had to lay on the couch and close my eyes so I didn't fall over. Granted, the dizziness has been less in the proceeding days, but still, not cool :x I know the other way can be kind of messy so to speak, but I think I may request to go back to that method. Anywho, this doc requires me to come in for BW a week after IUI to check progesterone levels, so I am going in for that manana. My temps have not really been that high though, so I am kind of curious to see if this progesterone via mouth has been as productive as the other method. Well that's where I stand, but I will check in with you soon. Till then, good luck everybody and let me know how its going!
 
Wow, busy few days on here!

dcgator, I was on 100mg Clomid and didn't respond - I had no viable eggs. I have taken oral progesterone many times to induce AF since I don't cycle on my own, but I've never had problems with dizziness. Sorry to hear it's been a problem for you!

MP, great that you are responding well. Keep growing!

Blackberry, I'm sorry that the second time hasn't been easier. What protocol was successful for you the first time around?

SS, sorry to hear about AF. It is hard to accept that we're not really in control of this, huh?

Bright, welcome back from vacation! I hope you are feeling a bit better and were able to get your cycle sorted out at your appointment.

LV, fingers still crossed for you.

AFM, not much to report since I'm still waiting on AF to arrive...my dose of progesterone was a lot higher than what I've taken in the past, so I guess it's taking longer to get out of my system. I am eager to get going with this cycle already!

I also went to the support group at my RE's office earlier this week and it was great - I really appreciated having some others to talk to about this and even learned a few tips for dealing with insurance, etc. The social worker who facilitated was also really nice and supportive. It was a huge relief to be able to talk openly and hear from others experiencing similar emotions. They also bring in people like acupunturists and dieticians to discuss how they can contribute to fertility.
 
DC, fingers tightly crossed for you! I've never taken oral progesterone. It seems to me the old way of thinking was that getting progesterone closer to where it needs to go was the way to go, but based on what you are all saying, maybe that thinking has changed? I'm using the suppository this cycle, but I'm fine with that since it worked for me last time, and I'm not even sure if low progesterone is an issue for me.

SB, I'm so glad the support group was a positive experience for you. It helps so much to be able to talk to people who can relate to what you are going through. Really hoping that your new cycle starts soon and brings good news for you.

LV, fingers crossed for you as well! Hope you're doing well.

Bright, thinking of you and hope you were able to come up with a plan for how to proceed. Always cheering you on!

Hello to everyone else!

AFM, change of plans. I went in today for a follow up ultrasound, and I had 4 follicles around 20, and two more that were around 17-18. MY NP didn't want to trigger me, and is just having me use OPKs instead. Of course when DH heard that she didn't want to trigger me, he immediately had concerns about trying this month. Given my history, it is unlikely that all of the follicles will contain high quality eggs, but I will have to talk to him a bit more to see how he feels about trying. Last time I used clomid without an IUI, I had 3-4 follicles and didn't get pregnant, so there's a pretty good chance that will happen again. What do you all think - what would you do?
 
Hey ladies,

I wanted to check in with everyone before the weekend, so hi :wavey:

Shortblonde - Sorry to hear that AF ins't coming in a timely fashion, but hopefully she will get her butt in gear this weekend. Thanks for your experience with progesterone, I am still waiting for my office to get back to me on my progesterone levels, but we'll see. I am glad to hear that you found a good outlet in the support group. Hopefully, that can be another tool to help you through this often bumpy journey.

MP - Thanks for the well wishes! I think I prefer the progesterone in the non-oral form, though actual it's the same exact pill, you just swallow it (kinda wierd :? ). Anywho, I tend to agree with the "older" philosophy too, so I think I will request it that way for my next cycle, if I need one. As for your dillema, that is obviously a personal decision b/t you and your DH, but here is what me and my DH reasoned when deciding if we want to do injections and thus raise the multiples chances; would we want 2 more kids or no more kids? I know it seems kind of simple, but we would rather have two more children versus no other children, so we have decided that we are willing to take that risk. All of that being said, we only have one egg this cycle, so its kind of a mute point, but when we used injectibles before, we had three eggs and only got my one lovely little girl. So, in our point of view, if we have to do injectibles this next cycle and our faced with that question, we now what we are willing to do (in theory). I might add that depending on what you diagnosis was, assuming you only have 2-5% chance of getting pregnant on your own, now you have 15-20% (approx), based on 4 good eggs, which is what a normal person has. In that case, why not go for it, right? Whatever you decide to do, I wish you lots of luck!

LV - How's it going? You hanging in with the 2WW. Lots of good vibes for you sweetie!

AFM - I just got a call from my doctor's office, and my progesterone was 23.78, so it seems like the pills are doing their job, since my progesterone level without supplementation was about 15 or so (I can't remember exactly right now). That, or maybe there is something else going on in there...a girl can hope, right :naughty: In any event, I seriously lack the patience to test at 14 days, and I am traveling next week, so I will likely be testing in the next couple days. Please do keep your fingers crossed for me ;)) Have a good weekend everyone!
 
I keep meaning to report in, but haven't had time to post this week, which is good because I also haven't had a lot of time to thinking about waiting!

BrightSpot, I'm glad to hear you had a lovely trip. Thanks for the positive thoughts. Time will tell. I had asked about testing because I wondered whether there was any testing that gave clues re: the cause of the miscarriages, but it sounds like it's safe to assume it was a chromosomal abnormality, if I understand blighted ovum correctly? I had a miscarriage after my first iui, but had to have a d&c, after which they did testing and determined chromosomal abnormality. I do worry that if I do get a bfp, that the same will happen, just because chromosomal issues are more likely given my age. It's sort of set far aside worry, but it's there.
I hope you had a good meeting at your RE's office and have a good plan going forward.

Blackberry - Were you on meds this cycle? Sorry to hear about the wonky cycle. Keep us posted.

SB - That's so nice that your office has a support group. Sounds like it would really help. I find it always helps to talk about stuff when you are going through it.

DCG - Sending you lots of dust for a nice dark second line!!! Fingers are super-crossed for you!!

MP - Wow!! That's quite the response!! You took just clomid, right??? Did the NP give you any specific advice re: risk of multiples? I will be totally honest. My husband would probably orchestrate a trip to another continent for either one, but not BOTH, of us!! That is six potential eggs. The NP at my RE's office suggested that even 15s (I think she said 15, could have been 14, but almost certain it was 15 instead) could release, which they know because sometimes a woman will have one good sized follicle and a 15, and then she happens to have twins! I suppose I do not know what happens if you do not trigger? Does that mean all follicles definitely will not release? My husband would totally be a no-go, so I wouldn't even need to think about what to do myself. I hope I am not coming across as harsh. Obviously, it is whatever you and your DH decide!

***********
As for me, well, the week flew by, they always do lately, so haven't had much time to think about my situation. I did feel a lot of cramping yesterday. It was low and central. I thought I had read something about hcg maybe causing that and tricking people into think they are pregnant. I do not think I would feel anything physically re: implantation at this stage. We did do the HCG shot on Monday. I decided to start testing out my HCG this a.m. in hopes that there is some sort of progression from Sunday to Monday, when I go in again for blood work, and they tell me whether or not I need to take yet another HCG shot. I feel like it's almost cruel to have to take another HCG shot when I really just want to know if my body is producing any on its own! But, I trust it is for the best, but will still track my tests over the weekend just in case it goes away. I do not expect that it will go away by Monday as the line was pretty clear today. Given that any HCG I would produce would be super low at first, I don't think the test will show any differences, but hey, it gives me something to do, right? lol!

And, yes, MP, you were absolutely right when you said this above: "that makes sense about the trigger/progestone since it is the HCG that sends the message to the corpus luteum to keep producing progesterone." When I read that, I was like, wow, she's so smart. I don't know why, but some of these basic concepts seem to just escape me! Anyway, that's basically what the sheet that the office gave me said! I hadn't read the sheet until after I posted about it, and I had no idea there was a full explanation there.
 
MP, thanks for cheering me on! It sounds like you responded quite well this month--maybe too well? What was your clomid dosage this time? If it were me, I would use OPK's & just BD (or use the ovidrel shot in my fridge anyway! :Up_to_something:) But I'm definitely in the "better two than none" camp, like DCG mentioned. Perhaps you might feel differently since you already have one child. Also, since you're not doing an IUI, I think the chance of multiples is lower. Let us know what you decide.

blackberry, welcome back. I'm sorry TTC #2 has not been easy, but I hope it's a short ride from here. Do you have a plan for your next cycle? IUI worked for you last time, right?

SB, I'm so glad your support group meeting went well. It must be really helpful to talk to people IRL who understand what you're going through. I hope AF arrives soon so you can move on with the next cycle.

SS, I'm sorry about CD1, but glad that at least you know now so you can make plans for next cycle. And yes, I would assume you ovulated with the trigger. Ditto MP's post about the incidence of multiples on clomid being very low. Good luck!

LV, yeah, I'm pretty sure my miscarriages were caused by chromosomal abnormalities. I had a D&C with one of them, but I don't think they were able to test the products of conception. I'm so sorry you had a miscarriage too. Big hugs to you. I think once that happens to you, you always worry about it happening again. I'm glad you're not letting it consume you, though.
That's interesting that your doc is giving you another hcg shot in order to supplement your progesterone. I've never heard of that, but MP's explanation does make sense. (She's definitely a smart lady!) But it makes trying to test extraordinarily difficult, doesn't it! Argh!
Are you going in for a beta hcg blood test soon? Keeping my fingers tightly crossed for you.

tbaus, how are you doing? Thinking of you.

DCG, thanks, dear. It's been a rough few years fertility-wise (PCOS diagnosis for me & some male factor issues for DH, 2 miscarriages, 4 IUI's & 1 IVF). We're going to give it one or two more shots max before closing this chapter & moving on.
As for this cycle, the doc said we could actually do a natural cycle with only the trigger shot, but I'm electing to stim with gonal-f as well to hopefully give us a few follies & a better shot with the IUI portion. Then, after they do the IUI, they'll wait 5 days, then transfer the embryo.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed very tightly for you! ! I've also been unable to wait to test & have found that the hcg from the trigger shot was out of my system by 9dpo/11dp trigger shot. I'm sorry about the dizziness from the progesterone, but at least it seems to be working. That level is super high! Hoping that's a good sign. When are you testing again? Have a great weekend & fun travels & I hope you have wonderful news to share soon!

afm, I talked to the nurse & we're set for the next cycle, which should start around the 25th. We're doing a combo cycle of an IUI with gonal f injections & (assuming it thaws ok) a day 5 FET of 1 embryo. I have the meds in the fridge & am ready to go. We also were able to schedule the family trip for next week so I should be home in time to begin the next cycle. I'm relieved to get the trip scheduled so I don't have to juggle travel with this cycle. I just didn't want to postpone the cycle another month.

We are still trying the old fashioned way this month, though I don't have much confidence of success. I had a positive OPK yesterday, so I think today is O day.

Happy weekend, everyone!
 
BrightSpot|1379117574|3520439 said:
That's interesting that your doc is giving you another hcg shot in order to supplement your progesterone. I've never heard of that, but MP's explanation does make sense. (She's definitely a smart lady!) But it makes trying to test extraordinarily difficult, doesn't it! Argh!
Are you going in for a beta hcg blood test soon? Keeping my fingers tightly crossed for you.
Click to expand...

Yeah, a few years ago, they did the progesterone pills taken orally. When I asked the NP about that, she seemed unsure what I was talking about, and said this is the protocol. She was not there a few years ago, so it sounds like this is what it's been since she started. The other nurse was there back when I was so I will ask her why they made the switch. I do not think it is common as I have not found many references to it on-line.

I think the trigger is 10,000 HCG. The supplement on Monday was a half dose, so I am waiting for that to go away, but I also had the 10k to trigger, sooo it seems like it will be a while. On Monday, I think they will test estrogen and progesterone. Not very familiar with progesterone levels, but depending upon what it is, I guess that determines whether I get the last HCG shot (also 5k). I think it's something like 9 days after that before I should test. Again, have to look at that sheet because details also escape me at this point!! I have no idea when they would do a beta, but not anytime soon with this HCG supplementation.

I am wishing you TONS OF LUCK on your cycle this month!! I hope hope hope you get a pleasant surprise!!!!
 
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