The Official TTC for 6 Months or More Thread

[split_shank]

I can't offer a true scientific answer, but my trigger was out by day 10, and however the math works, the half life of pregnyl figures to be out of the system by 10 days as well. Good luck MP!!

 

[monkeyprincess]

Thanks SS, I saw something like that as well, but then there are other people who apparently have it linger a bit longer. I'm hoping the trigger will be gone by tomorrow or for sure by Wednesday, and then anything after that would be legitimate. Really trying not to get my hopes up too much. Anyway, I know you are dealing with some beta uncertainty yourself right now, so I'm thinking of you as well and hope everything goes well with your ultrasound.

 

[aviastar]

Just a quick drive by post to report on my appointment this afternoon. It went very well and I was pleased with the attention I received.

The midwife was thrilled I had charts! She was very happy with the look of my charts and agreed that it looks like I am ovulating. She ruled out luteal phase defect pretty officially; she said the early spotting was nothing to worry about and the 10-11 days post O and the over 21 day total cycle length were all perfectly normal and healthy.

She did go ahead and order a pelvic ultrasound for me, which they were able to fit in this afternoon ( ) and everything looks really good. I noticed a change in CM over the past few days, which again, is even earlier for me than last month, but based on the ultrasound it does look I am getting ready to ovulate. I had a nice lining at .08; she said they like to see .10 by the time of O, so I am right on target there. And I have a nice fat follicle in my right ovary measuring at 1.5cm; they like to see 2mm-ish for O, so again right on target. No signs of PCOS (whew!).

Endo is only diagnosable with a lap; so we are pursuing CD3 and 21 bloodwork for me next cycle since I am too far in to start this cycle and an immediate semen analysis for my husband; I was so happy she ordered both.

She was very happy that I had been a successful egg donor and has requested those medical records from the RE I donated with.

So, it looks like my cycles are actually shortening up as the BC finally makes it way out of my system, but the midwife did agree with me that based on charts alone we should have been successful by now so she is fully supporting my desire to be proactive in tackling this!

If the next two cycles don't work for us and all the bloodwork and SA come back ok we'll pursue a lap in January to ruleout/diagnose/treat any endo that might be present.

Overall, very happy with the visit. I'll be back for a proper catch up and post later!

 

[brightlight]

I've been busy trying to get ready for Thanksgiving, so I haven't had time to post. I have still been checking in and reading everyone's updates.

Monkeyprincess - I think I read somewhere that as a loose guideline, it takes one day for every 1,000 units to get the trigger out of your system. Good luck! My thoughts are with your sister as well. Hopefully, the spotting stops, and she has a healthy pregnancy.

Loves Vintage - I'm so sorry that you're in limbo. You're a strong lady, but all the mixed emotions are so difficult. I agree with the other ladies that you're PUPO, and I'm sending buckets of dust your way!

Laila619 - I'm so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. Hugs.

Shortblonde - Hugs, lady. This journey is so hard emotionally. There were times when I used to cry when I got my period. I completely understand about being sad over the holidays, because you want to have a little one to share them with. Is dexamethazone supposed to improve egg quality? I had only heard that corticosteroids help with implantation. I think having your progesterone checked post ovulation is a good idea. How long is your LP typically?

BrightSpot - I asked Admin to send you a message, but I don't think it went through since I never heard back either way. Usually, I get an e-mail saying they've completed my request. If you still want to connect privately, that would be great. If not, I won't take it personally. I had to wait until I ovulated to do my tests. I had a temperature shift but all my OPKs were negative, so I went in for an ultrasound to confirm that I had ovulated. I'm more than happy to talk to you about my tests in case there are any you think you may want to talk to your doctor about since it sounds like you want to be thorough. I just don't want to go into detail about them on-line. I'm sorry to hear you've been down, but you've been through a lot. Have you considered waiting until after the holidays to decide whether you want to move forward with another IVF cycle? That way, you can give your mind and body a break, and you won't have the added stress of the holidays weighing on you.

Tboz - I'm not familiar with your story yet, but I'm sorry your body isn't responding the way you hoped to the letrozole. I'm wondering if one of your ovaries needs more help than the other one. If it's a pattern, can you adjust your dosage for the ovary that needs more help? I used to notice that one of my ovaries consistently (every other month) ovulated about a week later than the other, but I was able to get both my ovaries to ovulate consistently on CD16. I hope you get good news Thursday.

Apologies to anyone I missed.

 

[brightlight]

Aviastar - I'm glad your appointment went so well! It sounds like you have a great midwife.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Aviastar, I'm glad you have found a good advocate in your midwife. Keep us posted on how everything goes with the testing. It feels good to at least be acknowledged and to know you are taking steps in a positive direction.

Brightlight, thanks for the good wishes. I'm not sure where you are currently at in this process, but I hope that things are going well with you.

Thinking of everybody else!

AFM, thanks for the good thoughts for my sister. She was able to see a heartbeat on the ultrasound yesterday and everything seems to be right on track. She hasn't had any more spotting, and they didn't see any sign of a hematoma or anything, so hopefully it was just a fluky thing. She is still not back to 100% mentally yet, and I wish she seemed more exciting about everything, but hopefully with time, that will come. She was so worried she wouldn't be able to have kids, so I hope in time she remembers how blessed she is even though the timing is not ideal.

I have no self-control it seems and took another HPT this morning. It was pretty much the same thing. A squinter of a line that was really no ligher or darker than yesterday. I'm thinking I'm just holding on to the last bit of that trigger, which is good to know for the future I guess. I'm feeling like a bit of negative nelly about my chances right now. I just want it to be the weekend, so I know for sure, but at the same time, I kind of wish I had another week before I had to find out.

 

[BrightSpot]

LV, I'm so sorry. I understand what you're going through & I always try to prepare myself for bad news as well. I guess your lines just looked so promising (& so early) on the FRER's that I was having a hard time believing the news.
Sending you a huge cyber hug. I hope you get some surprising good news on Thursday.

SB, thanks for the hugs. Sending them back at ya. I'm sorry about the BFN. It stings no matter how long you've been at this & once you start treatments, it really ups the ante physically & emotionally & makes failure even more difficult. But you're right that it's only your second medicated cycle. It's so hard to be patient, but sometimes these things take time. Do you have a plan for the next cycle?

JGator, I chuckled when I read your post because I totally did read that in the blog MP posted. (I haven't read all of her posts, but did read of her success with Femara.) It's something that's always been in the back of my mind since I know several ladies (IRL & here) who have had success with Femara. It's worth a shot, right?
Thanks for all of your support, friend.

MP, thanks, sweetie. Sometimes I feel like I'm in an abusive relationship with infertility/fertility treatments. I'm getting so banged up here, but I keep coming back for more, hoping to have a positive outcome someday. Ugh.
That's interesting news about your hpt results. LV was correct when she said my triggers (both Ovidrel & IM hcg injection) were gone by 9dpo. (Though I didn't test them out, I only tested at 9dpo, so they may have been gone sooner.) Crossing everything that this is a super early bfp rather than the remainder of the trigger shot.
Also I'm happy to hear your sis's pregnancy seems to be right on track. Hopefully she'll be able to feel excited about it soon.

avia, I'm thrilled to hear you had a great appointment with your midwife. It sounds like she's doing all the right things & is very proactive. Yay! That's also great news that everything looks good & that you have no signs of PCOS. Hopefully you'll have success soon either on your own or with minimal intervention.

brightlight, thanks for your post. I hope you're doing well. The upcoming holidays are definitely causing me stress re: cycle timing. In a way, it would be nice to wait until after the holidays to move forward, but waiting causes stress as well, so we haven't decided yet how to proceed.
Also, I'd definitely like to connect. I just took another look at my email & I don't see anything from PS mods. I just created a listing on Loupe Troop for you. If you reply to it, we can connect.

afm, so I'd been spotting every day since my D&C 2 weeks ago. On Friday the cramping & bleeding both intensified. I checked with my doc & he said this could be a fresh period. The good news (so to speak) is that he ok'd me to use tampons, so that makes my life a bit more pleasant. The bad news is that he said I needed a break before doing another cycle. I'm supposed to contact him with my next period or on December 13th, whichever comes first. I'm a bit confused by this & can only guess it has to do with their holiday vacation schedule. I don't really want to wait another cycle to move forward, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to fit one in before the holidays. Perhaps if I scale back a bit & just do a femara IUI it won't require as many monitoring visits.

I forgot to mention that my doc saw a large cyst (or 2) on one of my ovaries via ultrasound before the D&C. He didn't seem too concerned & it was the least of my worries at the time, but I hope it goes away quickly & doesn't interfere with moving forward with this process.

Also the "products of conception" report from my D&C came back from the lab as inconclusive. (They found DNA, but it was mine & not from the POC.) So apparently there wasn't enough tissue remaining to test, which is a bit disappointing.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Bright, December 13 will be here before you know it. This time of year goes so fast. I hope the cysts will have resolved by then. And I reread my post to you and it was incomprehensible! Sorry about that. I'll blame my phone. I hope you understood what I meant. Today was 9dpo for me so I have you think it is still the trigger hanging around especially because FRERs are so sensitive. I'm feeling pretty bummed about my chances right now because I'm starting to feel like af is gearing up to make an appearance. But thanks for the good wishes!

 

[monkeyprincess]

So the good news is that the trigger appears to be out of my system. That bad news is that I have a BFN on a FRER at 10dpiui/12 days post trigger. I could see where the line would be, but I don't think it had any pink to it or anything, so I guess it's still possible I have the teeniest tiniest bit of trigger left, or else I can just tell where the line should be. I'm not feeling at all good about my prospects this month and had a good cry this morning. I know I'm not technically out, but realistically how many people get a BFN on a FRER at 10dpo and are still pregnant? At least I learned my lesson, and I do not think I will be testing until 12dpiui in the future.

 

[monkeyprincess]

LV and DCGator, what meds did you try other than clomid or femara? I'm wondering if I'm going to need to talk to the NP about trying some injectibles or what. I will probably need to consider switching to an RE, although I don't know how long it would take to get an appointment, and I'm not too keen on having to run a bunch of tests and start from scratch. But I guess we will just have to do what we have to do. It's so daunting....

 

[Laila619]

Monkeyprincess, I used Follistim. Worked for me on the first try! I still hope you will end up pregnant from this cycle, but if you aren't, it might be worth looking into it.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Thanks for the info Laila. I will definitely be doing some research on follitism and asking my NP about it. I realize that there is still a possibilty the IUI worked this month. I had only the faintest of positive last time around 12dpo but that was also the first HPT I took that month, so I'll never know if it would have been positive any earlier. I'm jsut trying to be realistic with myself that I would likely be seeing somewhat of a line by now on a FRER if I were pregnant. Plus, I'm starting to feel AF signs. So sad

 

[Loves Vintage]

MP - Sorry to hear about the maybe lack of line yesterday. I know all too well what you mean re: seeing where the line should be. I hope you are pleasantly surprised this morning! Plus, this is only your first iui cycle, right? That means if it doesn't work out, that you have lots of opportunity ahead. I think your chances of conceiving via iui must be really high, given that it worked before. I know how disappointing it is though, and how uncertain. I do hope this morning brings you a bfp!

To answer your question, I've only taken follistim (aside from clomid.) I think it is more expensive than some of the other drugs. I believe my office uses follistim for ivf as well, which is still very much on my mind.

I am glad to hear things are looking good for your sister and her baby. I hope things even out mood-wise for her soon.

BrightSpot - Thanks for your thoughtful post. I am sorry to see that you may be encountering some delays in an upcoming cycle. I hope you and Brightlight are able to connect and share some wisdom with one another.

Brightlight - Thank you for your kind support. Hope you are doing well!

Avistar - Glad to hear you had a good visit with your MW. She sounds really great!

TB - Good luck with your blood work today. Hope you are pleasantly surprised, or you at least get some better answers re: an approach to the next cycle.

SB - I hadn't heard of dexamethazone, until it was mentioned here recently, and then I googled it after your post and this article came up right away:
http://www.obgmanagement.com/the-la...atients/1b051f95e4b5a14a36e4f757079d7608.html
I don't really know what to make of it, and not sure how dexamethazone and drugs other than clomid have been studied, but perhaps worth a discussion with your dr nevertheless.

*********
I will post again later today after I get bw results. Will be nice to have an answer, even though I know whatever happens, they are going to have me come back again for more bw. Such is life at the moment!

 

[monkeyprincess]

LV, thinking of you as you wait on the test results. Would love to hear great news, and I really hope no matter what, you don't have to be in limbo for too much longer. It's a hard place to be. And thanks for the good wishes.

Today's test was pretty much the same as yesterday's. I swear I can tell where the line would/should be, but there just wasn't any color to it, so BFN. She said to take a test on Sunday and stop progesterone if it is negative, so I guess I just wait until then, and then we move on to another cycle. I fully knew there was a good chance we just got lucky last time around and got a BFP on our first IUI, but in the back of my mind, I guess I just assumed we would be pleasantly surprised again. Silly me - that's not how these things work. I just feel like the conditions were so right - three follicles, good counts, good timing with the IUI. So, if it didn't work this time, what more can we do. Sorry, just having a bit of a pity party for one over here

 

[Loves Vintage]

Sorry, MP. It is so hard to understand having the "perfect cycle" and yet, no bfp. I guess as much as conception can be controlled medically, there is still some little miracle that has to take place in all of this. That's how I've always explained it to myself. It is still early, so maybe you will get a pleasant surprise.

So, I went in for my blood work this morning. When the receptionist was setting up my paperwork, I just started crying. I was so surprised, having thought I had already dealt with this emotionally. I guess I hadn't! I actually hadn't cried yet about this. Oh well. So, I called my DH, ever the optimist, who was like, well, let's see what the results of the blood work are first. Lol. Ohhhhhhhh-kay.

 

[monkeyprincess]

LV, you are so right. When I think of my little Everett, I just know that it was more than medical science that brought that amazing little boy into our lives. Thanks for the reminder!

And I'm sorry you are having a hard time. I think there is just a grieving process that has to take place each month, even before you know for sure what you think you already know. And I think we need our DH's in our lives to keep us going and staying positive. My DH is the same way. This morning when I got to work, I noticed he had put a card in my purse just saying something simple that I was a good wife and mom. And of course that made me cry. Again. I've done a lot of crying the past few days!

 

[Loves Vintage]

LV, you are so right. When I think of my little Everett, I just know that it was more than medical science that brought that amazing little boy into our lives. Thanks for the reminder!

And I'm sorry you are having a hard time. I think there is just a grieving process that has to take place each month, even before you know for sure what you think you already know. And I think we need our DH's in our lives to keep us going and staying positive. My DH is the same way. This morning when I got to work, I noticed he had put a card in my purse just saying something simple that I was a good wife and mom. And of course that made me cry. Again. I've done a lot of crying the past few days!

Oh my goodness! That is the sweetest thing ever! Bonus points for MP's DH!! You are a lucky lady! It will happen for you, MP. It may take longer than you had hoped, but it will. Here's to no more tears for the next little while! Hopefully, I can make it through the work day at least.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Reporting in. HCG went down to 14. Estrogen and progesterone also went down. Nurse thinks loss will resolve on its own, for which I am very thankful because I really would like to avoid a D&C. So sad what we see as good news here at times.

I will set an appointment to meet with the RE. My options will be: another IUI in December vs. just going straight to IVF in the new year. I am leaning toward taking December off.

 

[Laila619]

Reporting in. HCG went down to 14. Estrogen and progesterone also went down. Nurse thinks loss will resolve on its own, for which I am very thankful because I really would like to avoid a D&C. So sad what we see as good news here at times.

I will set an appointment to meet with the RE. My options will be: another IUI in December vs. just going straight to IVF in the new year. I am leaning toward taking December off.

UGH, so sorry LV. Having been through one myself, it is just heart-wrenching. You get so attached and hopeful and excited, even if you try not to let yourself. It's just so sad and emotionally draining. HUGS. I know it will happen for you though, it's just a matter of time.

Thanks for the kind words about my loss. I was at 11w3d, saw the heartbeat and everything. I will probably go to a RE in January.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Big hugs, LV. I know you were trying to prepare yourself for the worst, but I'm sure it's still hard to have it confirmed. It's really just not fair. I guess the only silver lining is that at least your HCG is going down on its own, but as Bright pointed out, it sucks when the good news is that something worse could have happened. Taking December off might not be such a bad idea, especially with the holidays and everything. I might end up doing the same thing depending on when AF arrives and what my travel schedule looks like. Take care of yourself.

Laila, so sorry to you as well. I bet you were just getting to the point where you thought you were home free, so I'm sure the loss was devastating. Was this recently? I hope you are able to have another little one very soon.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Thanks, Laila. You must have been so heartbroken and devastated. I am so sorry. I feel heartbroken for you. It it so difficult to understand. Again, I am really so sorry.

Thanks, MP. I hope I stay strong and allow myself December off. I know what happens though, the phrase "but what if it works?" will surely cross my mind. Sighhhhhhhhhhhhh.

 

[aviastar]

LV, I am so sorry. Be kind to yourself for the next few weeks and we'll all be here cheering you on as you decide how to move forward with your RE.

MP- still holding out hope for you!

BrightSpot- I'm sorry it doesn't look like you can just jump into the next cycle right away; the waiting around is really just the worst part of all this and you have to do it all. the.time. Wait for this day to take this test, wait two weeks after you O, wait for your Dr.'s schedule to line up with yours. It's exhausting in a wearying kind of way and the lack of control really strains my ability to remain calm. I hope you can arrange the next steps as soon as possible!

Thank you all for your well wishes, r.e. the appointment. It's only my first, but it was calming to feel listened to.

We're having a little SA drama at our house; DH is theoretically happy to do it. But the conversation 1) indicated he would like me to make the arrangements for him, 2) that could I 'just make it happen' so he could drop the sample off instead of give it there, and 3) the 3 days of abstaining is like the world ending. Um, ok I can call if you are too embarrassed (get over it!); no, I cannot just make that happen; and most importantly- 3 DAYS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, SPOILED MUCH?

We compromised since it looks like I will be O-ing this week and we're certainly not taking three days off right now, that we will wait to see if this cycle is successful and then if it is not and I have to have bloodwork done he will suck it up and do the test, too. So, we're looking at scheduling both in about 2 weeks.

Also,three pregnancy announcements today. Three. Keepittogetherkeepittogetherkeepittogether.

 

[monkeyprincess]

LV, I know exactly what you mean. The thought of waiting a whole extra month seems impossible sometimes. Hopefully you and your DH will decide what will work best and which route you want to take. We won't be doing IVF, but I can imagine you would want to feel like you exhausted your other options before taking that leap. But at the same time, it would definitely improve your chance of success. Does your insurance cover it, if you don't mind me asking? I know that would be a big consideration.

Aviastar, my DH is/was absolutely mortified and terrified of the SA, but he survived, and he has had to do it two other times for the IUIs. We live about 30 minutes from my clinic, so doing it at home was never an option. I always feel terrible for him because it's got to be a really embarrassing situation and talk about pressure! He gets all worked up about it, but it is definitely a vital piece of information and part of the process if you are going to do an IUI. As for the three days thing, you DH is not going to get much sympathy on that.

 

[Loves Vintage]

aviastar - You're funny! I'm glad that you're posting here, even though under not ideal circumstances!

MP - Insurance! That has been a bit of an issue. Turns out my work's insurance does cover IVF. It is a high deductible plan, but considering the cost of IVF, a high deductible is a bargain. I signed up for it, knowing that if I turned out to be pregnant this cycle, I could just switch to my dh's plan (no deductible) when his open enrollment starts. (It's a "qualifying event," when your spouse's open enrollment begins, apparently.) His OE is always later than mine. Well, and here we are. I'm glad that I signed up for my plan. But, it covers only two cycles ~~ whether IUI or IVF. My husband's plan covers IUIs only, but no limit whatsoever on cycle attempts, so I would be able to do a December IUI for copays only, which is what I've been doing thus far. Now that I've written all of that out, it sounds like I should still do the December IUI, doesn't it? See how quickly I changed my mind?? It would basically be three medicated cycles vs. only two beginning on the first of the year. Before I found out my plan does cover IVF, we had committed to doing one cycle only out of pocket. I feel extremely fortunate to have any of this coverage at all.

 

[royalasscherlover]

LV, I'm so sorry your good news isn't actually good. I hope the rest of the process goes smoothly and you can find peace about your next steps. I also have trouble thinking about taking cycles off, but I try to remind myself that a month or two isn't much in the grand scheme of things and I ultimately find it nice to occasionally have a break from the constant prodding, poking, and counting of the medicated cycle and focus on other things in life.

Aviastar, I'm so glad your appointment went well and I hope they can get to the root of the issues for you. Maybe I'm cold-hearted, but considering that I'm the one who takes the meds, deals with the side effects, multiple ultrasounds, IUI, etc...I have relatively little sympathy for the fact that my husband needs to abstain for a couple days and then do his business into a cup. I know there is pressure and stress on their side too, but it's so much less invasive than my part each month.

Laila, I am sorry about your m/c. I can't even imagine.

MP, I'm sorry about the BFN and know just how you feel with the pity party. Hang in there. There is a large part of random chance at play here and you might not need to switch protocols just yet.

Brightspot, I'm sorry that you may have further delays. Patience is not easy to come by in this process! The femara cycles are pretty easy compared to the injectibles, so I hope you can squeeze something in soon.

Brightlight, thanks for checking in. Assuming that I ovulate 36 hours after the trigger, my LP has been 16-17 days. That plus my late temp rise are why I think I may not be ovulating so quickly.

tboz, i hope the bloodwork was helpful.

afm, CD2 and starting another round of Femara tomorrow. Fingers crossed that third time's the charm! I talked to my RE earlier this week and he said he thinks the current dose is working great for me and it's just random chance that it hasn't resulted in pregnancy yet. I asked about upping the dose to get more follicles and he said he prefers patients only have one and that he doesn't think a higher dose will increase my chances of pregnancy. He also said that there's no evidence that steroids (dexamethosone) will help. It's a little unsatisfying to keep doing something that hasn't worked, but I know I need to be patient and he is consistently rated the top RE in my area by both patients and other physicians. So we're going to give this 1-2 more cycles (depending on whether I need to skip a cycle around New Years) and then move on to injectibles. I did one round of the European version of Follistim in June and hated how it made me feel, so i'm hoping to avoid that...especially since my RE said I was underdosed that cycle! But if that's what it takes...

 

[aviastar]

Aviastar, my DH is/was absolutely mortified and terrified of the SA, but he survived, and he has had to do it two other times for the IUIs. We live about 30 minutes from my clinic, so doing it at home was never an option. I always feel terrible for him because it's got to be a really embarrassing situation and talk about pressure! He gets all worked up about it, but it is definitely a vital piece of information and part of the process if you are going to do an IUI. As for the three days thing, you DH is not going to get much sympathy on that.

Yes. There was a lot of eye rolling and blank stares on my part. I have considered bringing out some battery operated fun during those three days just to pour some lemon juice in the papercut so to speak (you may have to abstain- but I don't! ), but I think that might be just a little too cruel. I certainly plan on teasing him about it in any case.

I haven't made the actual appointment yet, but the instructions I have say we can drop off within two hours of collecting the sample. We do live about 45 mins away from the lab but if we collect and go, we'd be well within the limit. I snagged a sterile urine collector cup from the midwife just in case.

Any AF yet?

aviastar - You're funny! I'm glad that you're posting here, even though under not ideal circumstances!

Thanks, Lady! I think if I couldn't find the humor in it I would just cry all the time. It's really nice to have a place to go to commiserate- you are all so awesome!

Aviastar, I'm so glad your appointment went well and I hope they can get to the root of the issues for you. Maybe I'm cold-hearted, but considering that I'm the one who takes the meds, deals with the side effects, multiple ultrasounds, IUI, etc...I have relatively little sympathy for the fact that my husband needs to abstain for a couple days and then do his business into a cup. I know there is pressure and stress on their side too, but it's so much less invasive than my part each month.

You're telling me! Since I have already had an ultrasound and will have to be stuck with needles for the next round of tests, not to mention the meds that might be on the table- yay, he can suck it up. Seriously, though, he will do it cause it's important and he knows it. It just blew my mind that THAT was his major concern and now I can give him a hard time, so really, it's a win-win.

 

[brightlight]

LV, I'm so sorry. I don't think you can ever really be prepared for this. Please give yourself time to grieve. I also wasn't thrilled about the idea of taking some time off, but I have to admit that it's been really nice to not have to take any medication. When you enroll in your husband's insurance plan, will yours still be your primary insurance? If so, I think they would bill your insurance for the IUI first, and your husband's insurance would cover what yours didn't. So, it might count towards your IUI/IVF allowance. I'm not sure how they decide which insurance is primary and which is secondary.

Monkeyprincess - Your husband sounds like such a sweet guy. This is such a hard process, and it's so important that couples support each other emotionally through it. I'm so sorry it looks like the IUI didn't work even though this was such a great cycle. Btw, I find your "incomprehensible" posts to be endearing. They always make sense, but I can tell the autocorrect monster had a little fun with your post.

Brightspot - Does your doctor start you on birth control pills before every cycle? If so, maybe you can start the bcp to keep your ovaries resting and start your medication/monitoring right after Christmas. That way, you won't really be taking the month off. I think the bcp should help resolve your cyst too.

Laila - I didn't realize your miscarriage was so late in your first trimester. How devastating. I'm so sorry.

Aviastar - You're so funny. I think a SA is hard for every guy the first time. I just reminded my husband of all the poking and prodding I've had to experience down there.

Shorteblonde - Can you go in a day or two after your trigger to get an ultrasound to confirm ovulation? The only thing I've heard about corticosteroids is that they help with implantation by reducing inflammation around the embryo. I know it's common to take corticosteroids for a few days around the time of an embryo transfer.

I probably won't post again until after Thanksgiving weekend, so Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

 

[monkeyprincess]

Aviastar, well, your DH doesn't have much to complain about if he gets to do it from home with your help. I do have sympathy for my DH and others who have to go to the clinic to do it. I realize we go through a lot of poking and proding, but I think providing a sample is a bit more embarrassing.

SB, interesting information. Everything I read says that having 2-3 follicles provides the highest rate of success for IUI (without risking multiples). I guess there is a reason why doctors want to keep trying protocols a few times before moving on, and that must mean they think there is a chance it will work. I suspect I will also be taking Femara again this next cycle. Let's hope that we both have a little magic this next cycle!

LV, yes, from a purely financial perspective, it does sound like you would get the most bang from your buck if you did another IUI in December, but only if it makes sense for you emotionally and physically. Big hugs to you. I hope you are doing alright.

I had another BFN this morning at 12dpo, so I am 99% confident this was a bust. I'm supposed to stop prometrium if it is still BFN on Sunday. The one nice thing about this cycle is that I didn't start spotting at 9 or 10dpo like I usually do, so that's improvement.
But I guess that's not surprising because I had three follicles, so I presumably had more progesterone from that, and I am also using a prometrium supplement each night. At least if a baby had been conceived and implanted, it would have had a chance....

Brightlight, we were posting at the same time. Yes, I should know better than to post quickly from my phone without proofreading. It gets me every time! I am glad you have been enjoying a little medication free time. I was just saying to my DH that on top of the time and financial commitment, this fertility treatment probably takes a big toll on our bodies. Have a great Thanksgiving to you as well!

 

[brightlight]

I was just saying to my DH that on top of the time and financial commitment, this fertility treatment probably takes a big toll on our bodies. Have a great Thanksgiving to you as well!

Thank you for reminding me of something that I keep forgetting to mention. Ladies, if you don't already do so, be sure to give yourself a breast exam (or ask your doctor to do it for you). It hadn't occurred to me until one of my doctors told me that the fertility meds can change your breast tissue (which makes sense), so it's important to be familiar with any changes in your breasts.

 

[Loves Vintage]

SB - Good luck with this new cycle! I hope it works and you don't have to worry about med changes.

BrightLight - Thanks for your thoughts. I actually changed my mind again on the drive home from work last night. I do think I want and deserve a break. I also wonder if a break will help me better prepare for ivf? I look forward to the talk with my RE on Monday, but I don't really have a list of questions yet, so I think I should expect a second meeting with him prior to ivf. I don't know if you posted this (I think you may have, but I don't recall), but what drug did you take for ivf - follistim or something else? Is there a site that you would recommend I visit for some good info on ivf?

I am glad you are feeling good about the break. And, I had never heard about fertility meds changing breast tissue. I have already scheduled a mammogram for a few days after my 40th bday next month. It would not have even occurred to me to schedule right away, but a co-worker was recently diagnosed.

Oh, and on the insurance, I will not sign up for my dh's plan. Just my own employer's. He will stay on his own. I did ask if it was possible to be on both, but my HR said no. . . anyway it wouldn't have made sense, premium-wise, to stay on both.

MP - Sorry to hear about the bfn. If this cycle does not work out, then will you be able to do an iui next month? I know you mentioned traveling soon.