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The Official TTC for 6 Months or More Thread

LV, I do something similar to what Pancake said. I take one a day starting at about 10dpo (because I ovulate early), and once it starts fading in a bit, I start taking them twice a day because I also tend to have short surges.

I have read about taking estrogen, so I will definitely ask about that if my lining is not looking too good. Part of me thinks I might need to bite the bullet and go to an actual RE after another cycle or two. I was hoping to avoid it, but I seem to be more of a complicated case than I was last time. I just know it will take longer to get all the testing done, not to mention the fact we have to pay for everything out of pocket. Ugh.

Random, I haven't gone to any support group. I think someone on here did. Maybe Tbaus? If you think it might be helpful for you, there's no harm in trying it, right?

Bright, I can't complain too much because we did just have 60 degree weather over the weekend, but then it got freaking cold again, so I'm complaining anyway :) Good luck this cycle. As always, I really pulling for you!
 
Happy new year all! I'm hoping for lots of real good news for all of us in 2014.

Back in a few days to catch up with everyone...
 
LV- I'm sorry to hear about the spotting. I hope your cycle sorts itself out soon, it must be incredibly frustrating for you. Sending lots of dust to you. Thank you for the support. I guess I am a bit of a worrier and all these extra tests can make you stress out more. I'm trying to relax and be positive now.

MP- How annoying that the trigger held up for so long. I hope this cycle goes well and everything lines up follicle/lining wise. I hear you on the frustration, but I'm optimistic you won't be waiting too much longer for that BFP. Sending you a truckload of dust this cycle!

amc80- Thanks for the giggle! What a hilarious story, I never would have thought of using the wrapper!!

aviastar- I'm glad the tests all came back ok. I know it sucks having to go through all of it but I feel like it was a relief once we got the all clear. That meant we could just focus on DTD and not be plagued by thoughts of "what if". Good luck to you!

blackberry- I can't remember if I congratulated you already. If I did, congrats again and best wishes to you and your sticky bean!

sb- Good luck to you this cycle. It must be a relief to know you are doing something this cycle, I hope your pro-activeness pays off.

BrightSpot- I love that you've gone rogue! Good on you. I hope you are having a wonderful time away with your DH, and that you caught that egg!


AFM- Well, thank you all so much for putting up with my worrying.I'm 7 weeks 2 days today. We went for another ultrasound this morning and saw the little smudge on the screen, with it's little heart beating at 144bpm. It's only 1cm, but boy is it causing havoc already. I can barely eat, I am nauseous all day but not actually throwing up (thought I feel like if I could I would feel better). All this combined with the ultrasound today and I am truly starting to feel like I am pregnant and this little parasite (haha) is here to stay. We've even come up with a name, since it is about the size of a raisin we have been calling it 'Soltana', which is a mixture of DH and my names.

*Deep breath* So with that, I think it's time I moved myself over to the JBP thread. But I will still be lurking in here and egging you guys on!! I know I haven't had a lot of time to post in here but I do feel invested in a lot of your lives and truly wish for nothing but the best of each and every one of you. Until then, I'll catch you all on the other side of this rollercoaster! Happy New Year to all of you: 2014 is going to be our year!!!
:wavey:
 
Tbaus, what wonderful news to start 2014! Wishing you a healthy and happy pregnancy! Hopefully, some of us will be joining you on the other side soon. Until then, lots of sticky dust!

SB, happy new year to you as well. Keep us posted!

Happy new year to everyone else!
 
Tiptoeing back in the TTC waters, hoping not to get bitten by the BFN sharks.....

I'm CD 1-2, with some first morning spotting a day or two prior. I doubt I ovulated nor did I keep track this last "cycle", but started CD 1 about 28/29 days after my miscarriage started. I've read it has to be at least 21 days after miscarriage has subsided to consider it a period , which it has, and the heaviness to prove it. Not much for cramping but whoa the mood swings (mostly work induced), and sweets cravings. Guess I'm baaaack!

Me, OB, and RE all agreed to try this first cycle unmedicated, especially with how I overstimulated with the Clomid increase. Although the following cycle will also likely be unmedicated because we will be in Jamaica the time I'd need to have scanning and any possible triggers. I'm ok with giving this a try. I feel like my body is "reset".

That being said, I think (I know) a lot of my problems stem from stress and general anxiety, mostly from work and work/life balance. Do any of you use or in the past used an anti anxiety medication? I hesitate obviously now because TTC and having to likely discontinue it if I became pregnant, but I feel like it could also help immensely. I am not against acupuncture, but it is not readily available in my area for general relaxation purposes. I am also not a fan of jumping on a medication on a whim but I am wondering if it could be a benefit at this point.

New year, new deductible and copays.... The joys of all this TTC! Hoping we can get some 2014 babies on the calendar!
 
Heya, SS, so sorry you have to be back here, but looking forward to chatting with you again! I'm not very well versed in anti anxiety stuff, but I thought there were some medications that were safe for use during pregnancy, or after the first trimester. Now the key, I think, would be trying to find which medication worked best for you and hoping it was one of those. Any chance of addressing the root of the anxiety at work first?

I have high deductible insurance, so we simply pay out of pocket till I hit a very large number, which is it's own set of concerns! But if I do hit that number, I think everything after that is covered 80%. I'd have to see if that included infertility treatments; honestly, I reviewed the maternity care coverage with a fine toothed comb, but in all my optimistic naivete I didn't think to check for infertility.

And I'm just going to go ahead an apologize for the upcoming pessimism, cause, ladies...I am struggling. CD21 results back and I showed no indication of ovulation at all. We did talk about the fact that I got (and have always gotten) positive OPKs, this time on CD19, and that I did have a temp shift (and have always had one) on CD22. So, not what I would have expected to be ideal testing time, but she assured me that it was a pattern of increase they were looking for, not a specific number in relation to O day. And I did not have it; apparently my progesterone levels were very low. It is possible to have a LH surge without actually ovulating and it looks like that's the case for me.

She reviewed my tests and data with the consulting RE and gone ahead and called in a Clomid prescription for me, 50 mg days 3-7, and ordered an ultrasound between day 10-12 and another one after a positive OPK. The nurses in the midwives office support three clomid cycles- two at 50mg and one at 100mg- before referring patients on to the RE. So I will either be KU in three months or, just as we hit our year of trying, be seeing the RE. I'm expecting AF by Friday, so I'll be starting our first medicated cycle early next week.

Here's the thing: I knew something was wrong, but I had so convinced myself that is was simply a roadblock in the eggy highway. That's not ideal, but it does mean everything else is working properly and that I am capable of conceiving and bearing life. Now not so much. I'm broken and without modern medicine I wouldn't even know I was broken! We've been trying for nine whole months and we didn't have a shot in hell! My body doesn't even want to attempt to pass on my genes!

And I am so anxious to get started on the meds and so grateful for a midwife who called me on New Years Eve when the office wasn't even open so we could start immediately and so absolutely and abjectly terrified that this won't work and we'll really be looking at serious intervention that I don't know we can financially carry right now. It must be hard for practitioners in these situations, because what do you say? "No worries, this will fix you right up?" But maybe it won't. "Now, don't get your hopes up- this is uncertain business!" Well, that's happy and helpful. I am grateful for a nurse who was straightforward, helpful, laid out a three month plan, and didn't hesitate to start ASAP. She said, in her personal opinion, that this would do the trick for us, everything else appears to be in order.

I've been in a daze all day. Just trying to wrap my head around it, even though I thought I knew this was on the table. And maybe feeling slightly overdramatic, but I'm just gonna roll with it for tonight. Let myself be sad and then get up in the morning and go to work and start this next step towards mommyhood. So, erm, pardon my blue-colored dust, I'm reconstructing my expectations.
 
Aviastar, sorry to hear you're feeling frustrated. I'm a little confused by your results. I'm obviously not an expert, but I'm thinking that if you only just had a positive OPK on CD19, and then had your blood drawn on CD21, it's possible the blood test was just taken too early before you ovulated. Is it possible to have more blood drawn on what would be 7dpo to check your progesterone, etc. Obviously, I do not know everything your doctor was testing for, but if you are regularly getting positive OPKs followed by rising temperatures and AF, then you are most likely ovulating. The ultrasounds will be helpful to see what your ovaries are up to though. And if the problem is that you are having a surge but not actually ovulating, it might help if you are monitored with ultrasounds and then use an HCG trigger to induce ovulation. There is a condition called LUFS that you might want to look into. From what I understand, that's when you gear up to ovulate, but don't actually ovulate. All that is to say, don't get too down just yet. You are still very early in the testing process, and I don't think your doctor has done enough to get an accurate idea of what exactly is going on. Also, if the problem is just that you are not ovulating that is probably actually easier to diagnose and fix than other conditions. Hang in there!

SS, welcome back. I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm also sorry that you are dealing with anxiety. I know that there are some meds that are considered safer than others for pregnancy. My sister is pregnant and taking anti-anxiety medication (she had a little breakdown after stopping anxiety medication cold turkey, and then immediately found out she was pregnant, and had to get back on). I want to say she is taking Lexapro, but I don't know that for sure. I think she may also have taken Wellbutrin. This is definitely something to discuss with your doctor to weigh the risks and benefits. My sister's doctor said the risk to the baby is very slight, and in her case, it would be more risky for my sister to not be on anything. Do you think seeing a therapist would help? Or can anything be done to improve your work situation? My job gives me a lot of stress and anxiety too. Starting today, I've switched to a reduced hour schedule, which I'm hoping will help and take some of the pressure off. Is something like that an option? Hang in there. I hope that things start to look up for your soon!
 
Aviastar- I was going to say the same thing as MP but she beat me to it. The CD21 testing is based on a CD14 ovulation...it really is meant to be more of a 7DPO testing. Anyway you could get a retest next month?
 
Hi MP and amc, I asked about that too. I need her to clarify a few things for me when I go in, but she assured me that she knew that I wasn't 7 days past O and she was interpreting the results accordingly. It's confusing to me too, but the consulting RE, who works with one of the major clinics around here, signed off on the protocol. At this point I don't want to balk on starting the clomid if that is the recommendation, but I have some questions that I need answered before I do a second or a third clomid round, should it come to that.

Anyway, I am in a much better frame of mind today. Yesterday was bad, but having this as a safe place to just write it all out really helped me to clarify my fears, face them, and then start to put them away. So thank you all for being such a stellar support system!
 
Aviastar - I am glad you are feeling better today. You are totally entitled to having a bad day! None of this is easy to deal with. You bounce back quick -- good for you!! Regarding your test results, though I did not know you could get positive opks without ovulating, I'm assuming that your MW did not see a rise in progesterone. There was a chart I remembered from years ago, but could not find today. I found this http://kelliekrasovec.com/files/hormone-levels-for-fertility-patients1.pdf not sure how accurate all of the info is, but maybe the blood work did not show greater than 1.5? Just speculating. In any event, I think the standard course of treatment would probably be 50 mg of clomid even if you were ovulating on your own, so while it would be nice to know exactly what is going on, it probably wouldn't make a difference re: your treatment plan. The silver lining in all of this, if you are not ovulating, is that you have discovered something that can be fixed. Often, women are diagnosed with "unexplained infertility," and it's incredibly frustrating not knowing why things aren't working the way we hope. Hopefully, 50 mg will do the trick for you. Since you will be monitored, you will know for sure whether you ovulate this cycle. Wishing you lots and lots of luck!

MP - :wavey: How nice that you started your reduced work week. Yay!

SS - Regarding anxiety medication, I would suggest talking to your doctor about it. Is it something that you think you need/would benefit you in life in general? I wouldn't start taking something solely in hopes that it would help me get pregnant. If anti-anxiety meds were the cure, then everyone would be taking them, right? But, if you are truly suffering from anxiety, I would not rule them out just because I was ttc'g. I hope that distinction makes sense. I'm very distracted and struggling to articulate! There are plenty of ways other than acupuncture to relax -- consider yoga or meditation cds? There's an RE practice here that offers yoga, I believe, it is very popular. I would also seriously consider other work options. I think you've mentioned your employer before. I've been working for a great company for a few years now. Before that, I was completely miserable. It makes such a difference. You spend so much time there, so consider a move for your own overall well-being.

Tbaus - :appl: Yay! :appl: I'm so happy for you! What wonderful news!! Will be checking on you over in JBP!

SB - Hope you are doing well.

Pancake and MP - Thanks for the OPK advice. I was doing 2 a day, then convinced myself I wouldn't ovulate so went down to one in the evening and got a smiley face that night (12/31). The spotting also stopped earlier that day. So, maybe I ovulated after all. 2WW starts now.
 
Hey aviastar,

Sorry to hear about all of your troubles :( I had talked to my RE about the same thing regarding the OPKs and she told me that a lot of times, women that have pcos can register a false opk positive and actually not ovulate at all. That may explain it? Have you been tested for pcos at all?

http://pcos.about.com/od/infertility/qt/OPK.htm
 
Aviastar, I'm glad you're getting more information. Like I said, I'm no expert, but I still just don't think your nurse or doctor or whoever gave you the information waited long enough in your cycle to verify whether you are actually ovulating. Especially if you had a positive OPK followed by a temperature rise on CD22. But regardless, clomid is pretty much the standard first line treatment, so really no harm in that, as long as you are also going to be monitored with ultrasounds. Really hoping the news isn't as bleak as you first thought.

LV, glad the spotting stopped. Hopefully, you still have a shot this month despite the earlier spotting. And yes, I'm happy about the reduced hours. I'm not sure how much my schedule is going to change just yet. I'll probably still come in every day, but just leave a little earlier. The big thing is that my billable hour requirement has been reduced to 70% of what it used to be, so hopefully that will take some of the pressure off of me.

I forgot to mention that I go in tomorrow for an ultrasound. Keeping my fingers crossed my lining and follicles look good. I'm kind of at the point where I feel like I'm never going to get pregnant, so I almost expect bad news tomorrow. Hoping to be pleasantly surprised.
 
SS, I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm glad to hear that your body has gotten back on track quickly after the miscarriage, though. I'm also sorry about the anxiety you've been feeling. I don't know much about anxiety meds, but it's worth checking with your doc if you think they might help you.
Big hugs to you.

Aviastar, I'm glad you're feeling better today. Feel free to vent here any time! This is such a difficult journey & it's hard not to let it get you down.
That said, ditto to everything MP, amc & LV said. I do suspect you're ovulating & the testing was ill timed to confirm this. But, if anovulation is the issue, it's easily fixed. And a low dose of clomid seems like it's the first protocol to try whether you're ovulating on your own or not. I'm hoping it does the trick for you!

SB, happy new year to you as well! I hope your femara cycle is going well.

Tbaus, what wonderful news! I'm so happy for you! Wishing you a happy & healthy pregnancy (& an improvement in your morning sickness symptoms!)

LV, yay for O'ing! I did a little Internet research on the mid-cycle spotting & apparently it's pretty common & ovulation is one possible cause. Here's hoping for another nonmedicated cycle miracle like your daughter! (That was interesting about the residual follicles. I wonder how often that happens.)

Oh, and about my darker opk's this month...kinda makes me wonder if I really O'd in the past during my unmediacated cycles.

(Just read Random's post about PCOS & false OPK positives...maybe that explains it?)

Random, I've never been to an (IRL) infertility support group, but I imagine it would help to be able to talk about this with people who understand. Let us know how it goes & I hope you're feeling better soon.

MP, how are you doing, dear? When's your u/s? Thinking of you & wishing you all the best for this cycle.

Brightlight, thinking of you too.

Afm, not much to report here. I started taking the oral prometrium on NYE. I'm taking 100mg twice a day & I think this is my favorite progesterone delivery method. (What an odd thing to say!)
Our weather in FL hasn't been great, which is a bummer, but it's still warmer than at home.

It's officially the 3rd anniversary of TTC (2 1/2 years with a RE) for me, which is pretty depressing. My resolution for 2014 is to get resolution on this issue (either way.) The knowledge that I can get off this roller coaster does bring me some comfort.

Here's hoping for good news & better times in 2014.
 
Aviastar, are you able to request a repeat test in a few days? I'm not sure I understand how they can make conclusions on a test that early after suspected (or even confirmed) O' date.

MP good luck with the scan tomorrow!

Also everyone else, thanks for the warm welcome back. I have been contemplating the idea of speaking with my physician about medication for some time, probably as far back as post partum. Looking back I'm sure I had some depression or anxiety that I am going to make sure I am watching for should it creep up next time. I have spoken about that with my OB in the past as well and she is not one to brush it off so I am not too concerned about that. As for now, I know its not the cure all or solution to getting pregnant by any means, but I don't think the general anxiety and stress is helping matters. I can say 90% of the root cause is work, and I am struggling with the solution to that. My job has very few positions in the area, the vast majority at the organization that I work at. So much so that if I leave, I will likely not find a position again. I keep leaning toward staying at home (the thought was after the 2nd one was born but now its getting to feel like that could be an eternity away). I struggle with the self-worth/one income/financially contributing aspect of it but that's another topic for a different day. I think it all has a snowball effect and in the end affects my life and attitude at home. I'm trying to find other outlets, exercising as a method of releasing stress, and talking about it with friends and family. Still alot to figure out but I am trying to keep my options open and start looking at other opportunities.

Aside from that, I'm still aboard the AF train, waiting for things to slow down. Today is lighter than yesterday, but overall heavier than usual, nothing too awful,especially since I've had VERY little to no cramping (woohoo!). TIme will tell in the next week or two what develops on the OPK front. I'm hoping that since my cycle came relatively quickly since the MC that my cycles won't be too out of whack. Not holding my breath though! I've definitely had my share of curve balls thrown on the TTC front, so I should know by now to expect the unexpected.. let's get some pleasant surprises soon!!!
 
SS, if this is something you have dealt with before, I think it would be smart to take it up with your doctor. I have to think there is a pretty high rate of depression/anxiety/chronic stress in women dealing with infertility. Especially if you are already prone to it. I was pretty anxious when I was trying for my first, and it got worse in early pregnancy. I felt better after the first trimester, but then I did have some baby blues after my son was born. So, I can somewhat relate. Anyway, I really hope one way or another you are able to find a way to reduce your stress/anxiety, and I also hope you don't have to wait too much longer before you are pregnant again with a healthy little bean. Take care!

Bright, good luck this month. I keep thinking somebody on here is due for a miracle, especially you! I agree that it would be nice to at least come to a resolution about what your plan will be as far as trying again or not after all this time. I just don't know what the end point is though, you know? I think about that for myself, at one point, would I actually just give up trying and not secretly be hoping every month? Tough question. Anyway, I hope it doesn't come to that and you will be pleasantly surprised in 2014.

Hi to everyone else!

AFM, I had an ultrasound today, and of course, the results were a bit of a mixed bag again. The good news is that I have probably 4 good follicles this time, but the bad news is that my lining isn't ideal. It is about 6.3, but we are still going to go ahead and have another IUI on Sunday. I have no idea why all of my IUIs keep happening on Sundays! I'm grateful I have the opportunity to have my IUIs on Sundays because I know that's not always the case, but it sucks getting up earl for that, and I feel bad that the NP has to keep coming in, and it is also tricky because we have to figure out to do with our son on Sunday mornings. Anyway, ready or not, here I go again I guess.
 
You gals are the best! I've got my appointments set up for this month, so I'll keep on asking questions! LV, I think that's exactly what she said- that the progesterone never went up at all. But now, of course, I can't remember exactly cause I was upset and I've freaked out and forgotten the exact words- so thank you for the link!

MP, so sorry your lining wasn't better, but at least you aren't cancelled this time! Four follicles is a great number!

SS-yes, definitely talk to your doctor (it's always a good option!) and without knowing anything about your financial or family situations, I'm going to be bold- if work is making you that miserable, quit. It's not worth it and it really does start to bleed over in all other aspects of your life. There are all sorts of compromises and solutions out there, switching fields, going part time, heck- waiting tables for spending cash, that would be better than slowly drowning at a job you hate every day. Hopefully you (and all of us!) get pregnant very soon and then you can just quit without having to worry about it!
 
Hi everyone, I hope you are all holding up well. Who's all in the 2ww now? Sending lots of good thoughts and hoping 2014 is off to a good start!

AFM, I had my 3rd IUI yesterday. I made sure to have a full bladder, and it was a piece of cake, so I really think Brightlight was onto something with that. Unfortunately, the antibiotics didn't clear up DH's white blood cell issue from last month, and his count was only a little better at 11 million with over 90% motility. In previous SAs before this and last month, DH had between 20-30 million, which isn't stellar or anything but was sufficient, but hopefully 11 million is enough to do the trick. DH is supposed to make an appointment with a urologist, and he is all bent out of shape about needing to do that. He was moody all day yesterday after hearing that. But I'm going to keep on him until he does so we can figture out the source of that issue. I'm somewhere in between feeling hopeful that this will be our month and feeling despondent and thinking this is never going to happen. Praying that if this is meant to be, a little bean is growing inside of me right now.
 
Great to hear it went well this round, MP! And, I know it's awkward for guys- as much as they seem to love their parts they sure do have some anxiety about getting them checked out! But really, we see gyns yearly for an invasive internal check up, so he can suck it up and see a urologist because he has an already identified infection. Besides, that could totally be the key this time around!
 
MP, I'm hoping you're lucky this cycle. Sorry your DH is bent out of shape about going to a urologist but c'mon! After everything you've been doing for your whole TTC process (meds, monitoring, triggers, U/S, appts, etc), he's getting huffy for having to go to a urologist? I'm glad Aviastar you posted because I felt the same way too. Anyway, hoping things are OK with your DH and it'll hopefully be a treatable infection and behind you guys in no time.
 
Aviastar and LC, I completely agree. I understand why he is upset and doesn't want to have to deal with it because it does suck, but I asked him to follow up on it for Ev's and my sake, and I know he will do what he needs to. Really hoping there is nothing more serious going on than an infection. The doctor did say it is relatively common, and most guys probably never even know they have it. We only caught it because we are doing the IUIs. I doubt that is the key to our fertility issues, but it certainly isn't helping matters.
 
MP, I'm glad your IUI went well, but sorry to hear the infection hasn't cleared up yet. Ditto to LC & avia's comments. Your DH definitely needs to get it checked out & probably won't get too much sympathy about having to see a doc around these parts.
My fingers are tightly crossed for you, friend.

avia, glad you're going back to the doc & will ask more questions. Fingers crossed that they were incorrect in what they told you. How's it going with the clomid?

ss, I hope you're able to speak with your doc about the anxiety. I read somewhere that levels of post partum depression are higher in women who suffered from infertility before they became pregnant. And fertility treatments are certainly stressful. I hope you're feeling better soon.

SB, thinking of you & hoping this cycle is going well.

afm, I'm cd9 today & have been cramping a good bit today & yesterday, so AF must be right around the corner. I'm still taking the prometrium. Not sure if I should test tomorrow or wait until AF shows or CD12. I'm hoping it doesn't come early because we're away from home this week & I really want to do a cycle with the RE & I'm afraid if we don't get back in time, all bets may be off.
(AF was supposed to arrive on Thursday & I was hoping my doc would let me start a cycle on CD 4 or 5 instead of the usual CD3.)
 
Hi all! Sorry for disappearing for a bit, we were traveling and I needed a bit of a break from thinking about all this TTC stuff. Thanks for keeping good thoughts and inquiring about me in the meantime.

Bright, fingers crossed that AF stays away - preferably for 9 months (it would be so great if going rogue panned out!) or at least long enough that you can get back to start your cycle with the RE.

MP, fingers crossed for you as well that the IUI was successful and that your DH can get his infection cleared up. I completely understand the cross between hope and despondency - this is such a tough process and it can be tough to keep your spirits up month after month. Hugs.

aviastar, I'm sorry that the tests didn't come back as you hoped, but I agree with others that you should keep asking questions and request another progesterone at your personal 7DPO. As an anovulator, I can relate to the feeling that your body is failing you by not working properly, but agree that at least that part can be easily fixed. Glad that you are feeling better and good luck with the Clomid!

ss, so sorry to hear about your loss. I don't have experience with anti-anxiety meds, but I know that there are some that can be used while TTC/pregnant so I would talk to your doctor.

lv, good luck with the 2WW!

random, I go to a monthly support group run by my RE's office. I really like it - it helps to feel less isolated and is nice to talk with others who are experiencing similar emotions, plus I have learned a few things about insurance and treatment protocols from them too.

AFM, I had expected to do an unmonitored Femara cycle due to our travel, but I had no signs of ovulation while I was away, so I went in for an u/s yesterday at CD 18 to see what was going on. I was feeling frustrated that I hadn't managed to ovulate without a trigger, but apparently I was just a little slower to develop this month - I had a 20mm follicle on each ovary, the first time I've had more than one. :appl: So we triggered yesterday and I had my 3rd IUI this morning. I'm feeling ovulation pains beginning now, so I'm really hoping that at least one of those eggs makes good! I also have an appointment with my RE later this week to discuss next steps.
 
SB - That's great news!! Good for you! I hope this is it for you!! Fingers crossed!

BS - Would cramping typically start so early for you? Hoping it's a positive sign and not AF! Fingers crossed! If you are still in FL, you are very lucky! We had frozen pipes in one bathroom this morning! Oh, and going back a few posts -- I do not know how common residual follicles are, but my RE told me (when I went back this time around) that residual follicles are a sign that the medication dose is too high. I would have to go back, because I don't recall what my dose was back then, but this past cycle was 225mg of follistim, which I think is the highest I've been on, and which I think is what my IVF dosage will be. I do think the spotting was related to the meds because it went on for a number of days (maybe 6?) and occurred prior to ovulation. I read about ovulation spotting too, but then changed my search terms to something like "mid-cycle spotting and IVF" and then I found posts about women who had similar spotting after an IVF cycle. I guess it has something to do with the high doses of follistim (or other similar drugs.) Still undecided if I should take a break before starting IVF, assuming I am not graced with a miracle this cycle.

MP - I think that's a fairly typical man response. He'll get over it. Still a little frustrating though, I am sure. Best of luck in the 2ww. Yay for 4 follies!

*****
AFM, nothing new here. Incredibly busy at work, so just trying to let distraction prevail. No idea when I will test. Not counting down the days. I don't want to think about it, frankly, so I'm not!
 
LV, yes, I do think DH's response was very male. I guess as women we just have to get used to the invasive exams at a relatively early age, and for we fertility-challenged ones or women who have had a baby, you just give up on your dignity/modesty at a certain point. Anyway, I know he'll do what he has to do. He works in an office with three other people, and he claims he hasn't had a private moment yet to make the call, but I'm sending him daily or bi-daily texts until he makes the appointment. Sorry about the pipe! Keeping my fingers crossed for you, and I completely understand trying not to even think about it, so I won't even ask for a reminder of where you are in your cycle. I'm trying to do the same thing and not think about it, but I still have a long way to go! Oh, and I apparently had a hemorrhagic cyst from last time that we saw on the ultrasound on CD3, and it was still there on CD10 before I triggered. Is that the same thing as residual follicle? I also had a really big follicle that she didn't think would have a normal egg (in addition to the 4 follicles that were about 20 mm).

SB, great news that you were able to get a trigger and IUI after all, and even better news that you are working with two follies this time! I'll be keeping everything crossed for you. You're only a couple days behind me.

Bright, it's not over until it's over, so I'm hoping cramping is a good sign! If not, and you do end up getting a negative test, maybe you can keep taking the prometrium a few extra days to see if that helps hold AF off? I'm hit and miss with that. The past couple of months, when I've triggered and then used prometrium after ovulation, I have had LPs that were like 16-17 days long, so I'm thinking the prometrium had something to do with that. But in the months when I haven't triggered, the prometrium doesn't seem to do anything to keep me from spotting. I can't tell if it's the trigger or what? Anyway, it's worth a shot. But really hoping that you are either pregnant or the timing works out for you to get to your RE at the beginning of the cycle.
 
SB, thanks, lady.
That's great that you were able to do an IUI after all! And 2 follies-yay! Keeping my fingers tightly crossed that this cycle is the one for you.

LV, yeah cramping before AF is really annoying as that's another symptom that could be related to coming AF or early pregnancy. I think I did have cramping before my bfp's but I've also had it before bnf cycles ended (usually when I'm taking progesterone) so it's hard to say. I had a lot of pre-AF cramping a couple of cycles back & got excited but it was a bfn.
That's interesting about the residual follicles & too high dose of medication. And the correlation between meds & mid-cycle spotting. I guess all kind of things can happen when we mess with our hormones! I'm hoping you have a miracle cycle this month. If not, I really think you'll have success with IVF.
Oh and I'm actually in Vermont now so I'm definitely feeling the cold! It's even too cold to ski here!
I hope it warms up for all of us soon!

MP, thinking of you & sending dust your way. That's odd about the cyst. Was your doc concerned? Will it likely go away on its own?
You posted when I was composing this post so thanks for answering a lot of my prometrium questions. (You read my mind!) I was absolutely wondering if I could keep taking it a couple of days longer than necessary to delay AF & make getting to see my RE at the correct time easier. Did you stop taking it when you got a bfn in the past or did you wait until AF arrived?
Would your dh be offended if you just called & made the appointment for him?

Bright light, you're in my thoughts too.

Afm, I tested this morning at 10dpo--bfn. Has anyone gotten AF on prometrium? I'm taking 100mg orally twice a day. I've gotten AF on Crinone but not on PIO so I'm not sure what to expect this time.
 
Brightspot, sorry about the BFN. Not over yet though. I've always used prometrium suppositories for progesterone, and yes, I've had AF start despite taking them (or at least spotting). I always stop after the spotting starts. But like I said, either they or the trigger have given me long LPs the past two cycles. Who knows? Can't hurt to try, right? And yes, I would definitely call and make the appointment for DH, but the problem is that he is constantly in court or has clients coming to his office, so he really does have to make the appointment while looking at his calendar. He'll do it, but it is very typical of him to take his precious time doing it. Me, I would have made the call first thing Monday morning! My NP didn't seem concerned about the cyst. I'm guessing I'll have to take a month off if it hasn't gone away by next time. And if I end up not getting pregnant this month, I might take a break anyway. It seems like if an IUI is going to work, it should work by the third attempt. So frustrating because I really have no Plan B at this point.
 
MP - I do not know if they are the same type of cyst, but I believe the cysts I have were "leftover" from the prior cycle, and there were too many of them that they had to call the cycle off. I *think* they said there would not be enough room for new follicles to grow safely? I do hope this is the cycle for you and that you don't have to worry about a Plan B. Lots of people do more than 3 IUIs though. There are other things you could try like taking estrogen for your lining, or even trying injectables? With all of that said, I really really really hope you don't have to deal with a Plan B! Oh, and thanks for not asking how many DPO I am! I was really avoiding thinking about it, but finally started to think about when to test yesterday. I am estimating that Saturday is 10DPO, and I will try to hold off on testing til then. Not exactly waiting to test, but considering I usually start at 8DPO, that's really good for me!

BS - I am sorry about the BFN. I hope it was just too early to test. I have taken oral prometrium many times now. I have not noticed a lengthening of the LP, but everyone is different. Last month, for whatever reason, AF arrived 12 days after ovulation, when it was usually 14.
 
MP, thanks for the info. Very helpful. That makes sense about your DH's s schedule. My DH is great about going to appointments but not good about booking them for himself. After a while I just got tired of nagging & booked them myself. (Though we work together & I can see his calendar so it's much easier for me to do that.)
And I think an IUI could still work for you even if it doesn't this cycle. Maybe that infection is holding things up. You never know...

LV, thanks for the prometrium info. I was hoping you'd chime in. I understand not wanting to think about the cycle.

Dust going out to both of you.

AFM, I tested again this morning at 11dpo & got a faint positive test. Considering my history, I have a lot of mixed feelings right now. To quote Cabaret, "Maybe this time I'll be lucky. Maybe this time [it'll] stay..."

I guess I'll try to go in for a beta when I get home on Tuesday (assuming I still need to.) I feel super awkward about the rogue cycle though-would I need to confess to my drug use (clomid & prometrium) to my doc?

Any and all dust you could send my way would be appreciated.image_983.jpg
 
Bright, holy cow! I can't believe your rogue cycle worked! However, I completely understand your hesitation right now and need to protect yourself after all of your losses. I'm going to send lots of thoughts and prayers your way that this time you will be lucky and this time it will stay! Grow baby grow! As for the clomid, eh, I don't know if you need to say anything. I remember when I had my first ultrasound with Ev, the tech asked if I had taken clomid because I had several follicles, but since you don't normally get multiple follicles, I'm not sure they'd even be able to tell. Lots of thoughts and prayers headed your way! Please, please, please let this be a sticky bean!

LV, hoping for good news from you on this weekend! And I'm a little worried about whether I'll have multiple cysts remaining after this cycle. We'll see, but my body probably needs a break from the meds for awhile anyway. Hoping you will stay busy over the next few days and not have to think about testing too much. I'm only 4dpo today, so I have 10 days to go until I take a test. I just don't think I'm going to put myself through the torture of testing and seeing lingering trigger again.
 
Ah, good for you, BrightSpot! I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope this is it for you!! That would be so wonderful! I understand your reservations -- it's almost like you pass phase 1 and then you have to wait and see what phase 2 holds. But, you passed phase 1!! Woo-hoo. As to the meds issue, having given this only brief thought, I would not mention the clomid, but I would probably call today, tell them you have a bfp and that you want to start taking prometrium. The end. That would cover the prometrium, and maybe they would even call into a pharmacy where you are if you needed more? I don't know what your schedule is like, but it'd also be possible to have blood work ordered elsewhere if you were up for an early beta. I could certainly understand wanting to wait too. Sending mega-dust to you!! ETA: Just saw your bfp photo, Bright! That's a very respectable line! I hope that's a good sign! Fingers-crossed and sending more dust to you!!!!!!!!!

MP - Just saw your post! Yes, the beauty of taking a cycle off is that you don't have to worry about the lingering trigger shot! I wouldn't worry about the cysts, since you've never had multiple before. Also, I think they are more of an injectable drug issue, though I don't know for sure. When I researched a bit last night, it seems that harmless cysts can form for no reason, resolve themselves, and we are usually never aware of them! I kind of wonder if that's what I had this cycle, and that is what somehow caused the spotting. I've never had spotting before, so no idea. I realize this cycle is similar to when I conceived S, but the only difference then was that I was also doing acupuncture, which I've dropped off on this time around, but am working on picking up again.
 
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