The Official TTC Thread!

[Mandarine]

Festy, How exciting!!!. I warn you though...once you start running you just can''t stop...specially if you start racing...it''s so addictive!!!. It''s one of the best exercises I have ever done...mentally and physically. I love it and hope you enjoy it too!. I have only been running for about 5 months so I am familiar with training

. You should check out the Health Fitness board on the nest (I''m always over there and those ladies have just a ton of great info and are very motivational!!!). You should also check out the C25K programs (couch to 5K). It''s programs to help you training from nothing to a 5k in 9 weeks I believe. They have free podcasts for your Ipod and a bunch of great info on the web/blogs.

Good luck

 

[NovemberBride]

Date: 2/23/2009 12:41:47 PM
Author: InLuv101
Mandarine -- Were sore boobs normal for you post O and pre-Af?

Novbride -- I hope you don''t have to wait til your anniversary either! April sounds perfect. How great that your DH is showing interest. That always helps me feel like I''m not carrying the TTC burden on my own. Cute doggy in your avi btw.

Thanks InLuv, that''s our furbaby Rex in the photo. We rescued him form a shelter about a year ago and he is just the sweetest dog ever. We''re not sure exactly what he is, definitely part pug and maybe part beagle or jack russelll terrier? He''s very protective of me and jumps and barks at DH whenever he even hugs me, so he has been very unhappy with all the bd''ing going on. We have to put him in his crate and he just cries the whole time. Doesn''t do much for the mood but we love him anyways!

 

[Festy]

Date: 2/23/2009 1:09:32 PM
Author: Mandarine
Festy, How exciting!!!. I warn you though...once you start running you just can''t stop...specially if you start racing...it''s so addictive!!!. It''s one of the best exercises I have ever done...mentally and physically. I love it and hope you enjoy it too!. I have only been running for about 5 months so I am familiar with training

. You should check out the Health Fitness board on the nest (I''m always over there and those ladies have just a ton of great info and are very motivational!!!). You should also check out the C25K programs (couch to 5K). It''s programs to help you training from nothing to a 5k in 9 weeks I believe. They have free podcasts for your Ipod and a bunch of great info on the web/blogs.

Good luck

Couch 2 5k - I love it! Thank you so much for the suggestion, I will definitely check it out. Training will be a challenge since we go to Argentina for two weeks in March!

 

[Sha]

Date: 2/23/2009 11:08:22 AM
Author: missjaxon
Sha - I am glad to hear your test results came back normal. I am feeling better about things now and a lot more optimistic. It was a definite shock, but is something that can be managed and for that I am thankful.

peony - I am heterozygous, thankfully! Thank you for the hugs! *big hugs back to you*

Mandarine - Congratulations! Thank you for the good vibes

! I am sending you good vibes as well for a happy healthy 9 months and a happy healthy baby.

So I guess I was wrong about my PCOS diagnosis. My GP had ordered the tests and SHE Told me last week Friday that my hormone levels were normal (sigh of relief...). But I had an appt. with the gynaecologist today (a VERY rude man, by the way) and he told me they were abnormal!! What the heck!!!!

How can one doctor be telling you you're fine and the other telling you you're not? I'm so annoyed right now, and don't even know who to believe. He said my LH and FSH ratios were off. My LH is 5 and my FSH was also 5 (at CD3).. He said one should be higher than the other? He also said my DHEA is high. Does anyone know what the LH/FSH ratios actually should be? Isn't it supposed to be 1:1? I feel like these doctors don't know what they're talking about. He also wants to put me on Glucophage (which I have to take every day) along with the Clomid to help with conception.

Pah!! I'm just so pissed about being told one thing and feeling relieved and then being told something completely different.

And the gyn was so rude today it just didn't help. He got miffed at me for not having my "information" and not remembering the exact date I O'ed this cycle but practically laughed down my charts when I brought them last time. I hate going to him!

Ugh.

Ms. Jaxon and Peony, can I ask what your levels were?

 

[Festy]

Sha - I don''t blame you for all the

''s! I''d be furious too! Is it maybe time to get a new gyn? He sounds like a real charm school flunkie. I''m afraid I don''t have any answers for your questions beyond what I could google. But I''ll tell you - I''m a little miffed at my gyn. too. When meeting with the RE last week he pulled up the results of the routine blood tests my gyn had ordered back in May (they''re in the same practice). Turned out my TSH in May was 3.5, and the level they "like" you to be at when TTC is 2 or below. My gyn. never brought this to my attention. When I wondered aloud to my RE why my gyn. hadn''t flagged this he kind of explained it away. Made me wonder if he was just covering for her...but it did not inspire much confidence. Needless to say, he ordered a new TSH test.

 

[vizsla]

hey ladies!

i don''t post here much, but i read faithfully everyday.. anyhoo i just wanted to say congrats to all of the newly preggo ladies!!

annnnnndddddd.........


last wednesday, while driving home from visiting my sister and nieces.. i decided i couldn''t stand it anymore and pulled over in a tiny little town, found the nearest dollar store, bought a test, drove to the gas station (hey, i needed gas too.. it was a multi-task stop and decided to take the test right there in the gas station bathroom (i know.. so romantic.. and always how i thought it would be well about 1.5 seconds later....

BFP!

i just stared at myself in the mirror and started laughing.. i mean, i was after all, in a gas station bathroom (albeit a nice one) by myself with an hour and a half drive left ahead of me before i could tell my DH and KFU....

i set it down on my console in my car and just stared at it for the entire way home.... (not very safe, but when you are in a state of disbelief i couldn''t help looking every 5 mins or so just to make sure it wasn''t a dream)

2 more tests at home and a digi confirmed it! i pray that this sticks... i''m about 5wks and 1 day

anyhoo.. we''ve been "trying" for almost a year.. and i swore i just wanted nature to do it''s thing.. it finally did i didn''t temp, but did check out the "when am i most fertile" "when am i ovulating" calendars on-line.. i guess this last time it did the trick

i just wanted to thank you all for your generous information.. you are all beyond sweet, kind and wonderful! thank you thank you thank you thank you!

 

[InLuv101]

Sha -- Man, I''d be PO''ed too! I don''t really have any knowledge to offer, but I agree with Festy, I''d be finding a new gyn. I hate it when they are rude like that. Sorry that happened and hopefully you get some clarity about your levels and what''s really going on.

Vizsla!!!! -- I remember when you were posting a while back!! I''m so thrilled for you! That is sooo awesome...seems like somethings in the water here lately. I pray for a healthy and easy 9 months for you!!

 

[Mandarine]

Yayyyy Vizlaaaaaaaaaa!!! Congratulations!!!

I am so happy for you and wish a healthy and happy 9 months!!!!. Another newbie! You are actually a few days ahead of me...So exciting!!

Sticky dust to you (and me, phoenix, natalina...who am I missing?). Sticky dust for us all!

Congrats!

M~

 

[Mandarine]

Date: 2/23/2009 4:17:53 PM
Author: Festy
Sha - I don''t blame you for all the

''s! I''d be furious too! Is it maybe time to get a new gyn? He sounds like a real charm school flunkie. I''m afraid I don''t have any answers for your questions beyond what I could google. But I''ll tell you - I''m a little miffed at my gyn. too. When meeting with the RE last week he pulled up the results of the routine blood tests my gyn had ordered back in May (they''re in the same practice). Turned out my TSH in May was 3.5, and the level they ''like'' you to be at when TTC is 2 or below. My gyn. never brought this to my attention. When I wondered aloud to my RE why my gyn. hadn''t flagged this he kind of explained it away. Made me wonder if he was just covering for her...but it did not inspire much confidence. Needless to say, he ordered a new TSH test.

Sha, I agree with Festy...I think it''s time for a new Dr!!!. I hate rude Doctors!!!!!...but there are more options out there so it''s his loss!

I''d be furious too...that''s just not right!

 

[Mandarine]

*Girls...pssstt! go check the Preggo thread...our friend Dreamer posted!*

 

[InLuv101]

Thanks for the heads up Mandarine!

 

[missjaxon]

Sha I am so sorry! I can''t even imagine being jerked around like that. Especially since I know how good the sigh of relief must have been and also on the other end the shock in hearing something like that!

and I extremely dislike rude doctors!! My LH/FSH ratio is 5:1 and I was also told that normal is 1:1. My DHEAS came back on the high end of the reference range but wasn''t classified as high but my Androgen and Testosterone and Prolactin were all extremely elevated. I can''t even find my lab sheet right now to give the exact results but I do remember they were more then double the highest number in the reference range. I would definitely get a second opinion and hopefully you got a copy of your lab results. No matter what I am getting tested for I ALWAYS ask for my own copy for my own files at home. I am so sorry to hear this

I would also not take any medications until I was 100% sure I knew what was going on. I hope you find out what is really going on soon. I feel so bad * BIG HUGS*.

 

[Festy]

Viszla, congratulations!!!

I love your story about testing! Thanks for coming back to share with us. Many wishes for a sticky bean for you!

p.s., love the avatar. I''m an architecture nut myself.

 

[peonygirl]

Vizsla, HUGE congrats to you!! You and your DH must be over the moon.

Sha, your LH doesn''t sound elevated, but elevated androgens and insulin/glucose are better clinical predictors of PCOS than LH/FSH ratio. Do you know what your androgen levels were? Glucophage (Metformin) isn''t really warranted unless you have some glucose issues/insulin resistance going on since the whole point is to regulate those things. DHEA is a precursor to both estrogen and testosterone, so it would be great to see about those hormone levels. What other tests did you get and what were the levels? I would totally change drs and get some better answers. Sorry about the frustration!!

 

[vizsla]

aww shucks ladies.. i''m blushing

thanks so much...

and i have been letting myself get a liiiittttllleee bit excited, but i haven''t shared the info with anyone other than my midwife, DH and my trainer of all people. my midwife told me to tell him right away and to lay off my half marathon training... i''m a little freaked out about how i''m going to cope to this body changing.. but (deep breath) i know it will all be worth it.

i''m still not going to think it''s real until my first apt. march 23rd.

thanks again ladies.. and to all of your new beans out there STAY PUT!!! YOU''RE GROUNDED!!

 

[vizsla]

mandarine - after you and phoenix, natalina posted i just had to.. (i still have the un-rational fear that if i say it out loud it won''t be true anymore) but it sure is nice to go into battle with someone even if they are a cyber someone

 

[Mandarine]

Viszla you can''t run or just not train for a marathon?. I have never ran a marathon (but hope to one day!) but have been running constantly for the past 5 months...around 10-15 miles a week. I am going to the Dr tomorrow and will ask, but was curious to know what they told you. Right now I''m not sure if I should be staying still continue my routine (not go above what I was doing before getting pregnant) and just listen to my body. Let me know! Thanks and congrats again!!!

 

[Mandarine]

Date: 2/23/2009 5:29:50 PM
Author: vizsla
mandarine - after you and phoenix, natalina posted i just had to.. (i still have the un-rational fear that if i say it out loud it won''t be true anymore) but it sure is nice to go into battle with someone even if they are a cyber someone

I understand completely. I am still in shock too and we haven''t told anyone IRL. I don''t think I could cope with not being able to say it to someone though, so having this as an outlet will help me while we wait to tell!.

On the other hand though, I am trying to only let myself have positive thoughts and keep sending good/happy vibes to the little bean!

 

[natalina]

Congratulations Vizsla! That''s fantastic! Sending wishes for a sticky sticky bean for you!

There is definitley a streak going on here! Here''s hoping that this is one EMPTY thread in the next couple of months because all of you ladies have moved on over to the preggo thread!!!!

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Vizsla,

CONGRATULATIONS!! So cute that you kept staring at the test on the way home (I would have done the same thing)!!

Best wishes to you during the next 9 months!!! Yay!!!

***
Mandarine,

How did you score a Dr. visit so early on?

***
Sha,

What a bummer that you got conflicting information! I''d be in tears, and furious (NOT a good combination!!). I hope that the first Dr. was right and the second was wrong!! Any plans for seeing a different Dr. for another opinion?

***
Sunkist,

Thanks for asking about me. I''m not in the 2 week wait at this time; still waiting to ovulate. Oh yay.....

 

[dani13]

CONGRATULATIONS Mandarine and Vizsla!!!!! So happy for you!!!!

 

[phoenixgirl]

Congrats Vizsla! We're really close (I'm 5 weeks 4 days)!

 

[dani13]

Congratulations, Phoenix Girl!!! So exciting, all of these new preggos!!!!!!

 

[Sha]

Congratulations to the new preggos, vizla and pheonixgirl!

How exciting!

Mandarine - I love how you presented the digi to your DH. That was so cute! What a great anniversary present.

------------------------------------------------

Thanks for the support, y'all, with my gyn experience. That wasn't even the extent of his rudeness. He actually responded to an email during our consultation, without evening saying, "Excuse me".

Yah. I could go on. His bedside manner is horrible! But sadly, he's the only practicing gynaecologist on the island (yah..living on an island has its drawbacks).

I think that's part of the reason he acts that way. So yeah...unfortunately I don't really have a choice.

It sucks.

Msjaxon and peony, thanks for the info. I actually did get a copy of my results. So if my LH is 5 and my FSH is also 5, isn't that a 1:1 ratio? Peony - my DHEA was 109, 70 and my testosterone was 0,660. Prolactin was 16 - which he said was normal. I had to redo the TSH test so I'm not quite sure of that result yet. Do you know how those numbers compare? You're studying medicine, right, Peony? It would be great to have your input. I'm very skeptical of my gyn right now. I asked him whether I would have to be screened for insulin resistance before taking Glucophage and he said no...? So I don't know. I plan to do some more research before taking it, though.

Where are you in your cycle, Peony?

 

[peonygirl]

Sha, all your numbers look just fine! Actually, quite good! I''m assuming the comma is a decimal point? I''m only a premed (the DH is finishing med school this year), but I have all of the charts of expected values and my own numbers right here. I think that it would be a good idea to get your insulin and glucose checked before you think about Metformin. It wouldn''t do anything bad for your chances to conceive if you didn''t need it, but why be on something you don''t need? It''s basically a diabetes drug that has been helpful with women with PCOS because they show a lot of the same dysregulation as those with type 2 diabetes. The only number I didn''t see besides that was estrogen (estradiol). Did you get that tested? It''s probably fine, but just in case!

I''m on CD15. Getting *very* nervous that Clomid won''t work for me, even though I''ve heard most women ovulate around day 18-19 with it. Was that the case with you Sha?

 

[sunkist]

Sha, Sorry the doc was being such a meanie today. He deffinitley deserves a kick in the booty. I''ll hope that a new doctor moves to the island for you

Mandarine, Yay for getting the digital ''pregnant''!!!! Happy aniiversary to you and hubby

This is first year anni, right??

HI Fisher, sounds like you''re hanging in there! I''m sending over tons of O dust delivered straight to your front door. Whalk right into it and I hope it helps!


***
CD10 here, I"m waiting for O too. Should be here in a week. I''m going to see if I can get hubby to do an every day marathon! 3 or 4 days shouldn''t hurt too much, right???

Prolem is I''m going to try and hit him up in the morning and he''s always so tired, poor guy. I feel silly asking cause maybe this is all TMI, but any suggestions on getting hubby''s attention from sweet sleep?

I''m also going to plan some easy to make/ easy clean up dinners so we can get to bed sooner (hopefully) the night before, we always eat dinner so late.

 

[peonygirl]

Sunkist, what about night BDing? DH and I practically never do it in the morning because he either has to wake up super early or on his days off he sleeps in until noon.

 

[sunkist]

Peony, Ya, mornings are similar for us. I have to get up early for work and he sleeps in longer. But we''re always so tired at night. Trouble is he''s very difficult to wake in the mornings too

But he wants me to try, somehow...

 

[fisherofmengirly]

November,

Your puppy is TOO cute!! I love that face!!! Does she have an under bite? My dear FlipFlop does and I''m such a sucker for the faces she makes!!!

****
Mandarine,

Let us know how your Dr. appt. goes, lady! Also, I''ve been meaning to ask this for a long time, but is your avi of an angel on the subway?

****
Sunkist,

Hopin you ovulate soon, girlie! I''m hoping that I did yesterday! Today''s temp was WAY up, and I''m praying that tomorrows and the next 18 plus following are, too!

****
Sha,

Are you on an island where you can''t go to another island or a mainland to see another Dr.? Dang, that''s rough. Still hoping you get the answers you need SOON! (And that they''re GOOD answers, to boot!!)

****
I''ve not been posting much lately (well not as rapid fire often as I often do). Please be praying for my mother-in-law. We saw her this weekend right after she came home from her treatment and it just broke my heart to see her in such pain, and so weak. There are only 2 treatments to go, and then hopefully a transplant, and then *no* more treatments or worries!! The road''s been tough for her, and I have never seen her with the side-effects from undergoing the treatments. Taking it a little hard, and wishing with all I am that I could do something to make it all better.

I''ll come back when there''s anything to report on the TTC front, though. Promise!

And I''m still looking for good news from my friends! (And this past week or so has definitely *delivered* lots of that!!!)

 

[Mandarine]

Fishie, I am so sorry to hear about MIL and will keep her in my prayers!!!.

I have no idea why the Dr wanted to see me so early as I was expecting they would say "come in 4 weeks" or something. The receptionist was actually a bit rude and told me HPT didn''t count to them and I needed to come in...so she booked me for the next day and told me I will be seeing my Dr!. So who knows, maybe they are just money hungry or something, but I have so many questions for the Dr that I didn''t complain!.

On the Avi...lol...I don''t know if it''s a subway...but it does sort of look like one. I was just drawn to it when I saw it and I''ve always loved angels, so that''s why I pikced it

Sunkist, This is our first anniversary!!. We always said we wanted to wait "at least a year" before we started trying....we just didn''t realize it would be exactly a year! kind of funny!.

Now for your other question...this may be TMI, but you asked!!...I''m not a morning person, but I have found that most guys, given the necessary "loving", are always "up" for morning BD. So....snuggle up to DH and grab the bull by the horns (so to speak)...and if that fails, there are always lollipops!. THAT never fails.

Sha, I''m so sorry you don''t have more options! that really does suck!!!!. Maybe rally up the other women andu vote him off the Island like in Survivor??..."the tribe has spoken"...

Dani, Thank you so much!!!!

***********

DH decided to come with me to the Dr (if he can get away from work...we will see). I''m definitely a little nervous. Yesterday I had some tinted (not red) very light spotting...I''ve read it''s normal but for some reason I need a guy in a white coat to tell me it''s all good!.

Happy Tuesday!!!

M~
Peony, I am sure Clomid will work for you!...happy thoughts your way for O to come soon!