The Official TTC Thread!

[swimmer]

Oh Fisher,
You look like one of those textbook charts! how wonderful! Hope your balloon escapade goes well. Good luck waiting to test!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Fisher What a great chart! I am so happy that the clomid seems to have worked so well for you. If this isn''t the cycle, then I bet you one million dollars it will be the next couple! I think you will be preggo before you know it! So tell Paul now that he will never get that much sex again in your lives together... well until you try for number 2 that is

My DH still thinks back fondly on the days of TTC and the marathon!

 

[peonygirl]

Hey gals! I''ve been MIA a bit because of really bad m/s.

Sha, I am SO excited for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You must be over the moon!! Let us know how you tell your DH, and again congratulations to you!!!!

Fishie, your chart looks great! I wouldn''t worry too much about a FSH of 9, since it seems like you ovulation just fine, and the test is a very imperfect measurement of ovarian reserve. Anyway, you''re only 29, right, and women in menopause have levels of 30-40! I am really excited to see how things go for you this month!!! And this cycle will be a month, finally.

 

[sunkist]

WOW Fisher, you guys really followed the doctors orders on getting that BDing in!

Good job! Your chart looks awesome, congrats on the Clomid looking like it worked realllly well

I''m hoping, praying, and crossing my fingers for all the best luck this month. And if not this month it''s gonna be REAL soon!

I hope the office bday party went well!

 

[february2003bride]

Fisher- Yay for crosshairs and early ovulaton!!!!

As for me, I''m still not on CD1 yet, just spotting along. I''ve taken a few more tests and all are negative. So I''m just hanging out till AF arrives!

 

[peonygirl]

Hey gals! I just got some interesting news. Just got back from our first ultrasound (there''s a baby and a heartbeat in there, yay!), and the tech noticed lots of cysts on my ovaries. The ones on the right especially looked classic polycystic (string of pearls pattern). It just makes me so happy for Clomid, since I think it would have taken me much longer to conceive without it.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

 

[Blenheim]

Maisie, I''m so sorry to hear your news.

Sha, congrats!!!!

Fishie, your chart looks great. And great job covering your bases there! I have my fingers crossed for you.

 

[ChinaCat]

Sha- CONGRATS!!!

Maisie- I''m really sorry about your news. Go give your beautiful children a hug. Take care of yourself.

Fishie- Ok, I never charted so I am clueless about charts. That being said, your chart looks awesome! It actually is one that I can understand and see clearly, so it must be a good one for me to understand it!!!

 

[Festy]

Hi ladies, I''ve missed you all so much! DH and I are back from Argentina and had an absolutely wonderful time. I am thrilled to pieces to see so many new BFP''s (I just spent 2 hours catching up on this and the Preggoid thread) and sad to hear some bad news. Why does there have to be bad news? I will post some honeymoon pics soon.

Amber - jaw-droppingly, ass-kickingly happy for you!

November and Sha - I feel bad for lumping you together, but there is so much information for my brain to hold onto right now! Congratulations and big hopes for sticky beans!

Swimmer - I thought of you often on our trip and I am terribly sorry for your loss.

InLuv - you and I need to go on vacation more often! Well done, my friend!

Fisher - I am so excited for your chances this cycle. If it''s not this one, it''s going to be soon. I can feel it.

Have I forgotten someone? I feel I have...my apologies if this is true.

*********

So right, like I was saying, great honeymoon. We ate and drank a ton! I was at the end of my cycle for the first week of the trip. Poor DH had a good feeling about this cycle, but I could tell I wasn''t knocked up. AF even came a day early - a day before we left for wine country. Needless to say, much red wine was consumed by me! Heck, I was drinking a glass a night before AF showed up. I just had a feeling. AF showing up a day early threw a potential wrench into our plans. We scheduled an HSG for CD 11 of this cycle. I was told that the test should happen between CD 6-11. So AF showing up a day early I *thought* would mean that the test was now scheduled for CD 12 and I''d have to wait a month. So I talk to the nurse at the RE''s and get this - she tells me that because I didn''t *wake up* with AF, that CD 1 wasn''t until the next day. I said, really, because I had enough flow to use a tampon by that afternoon? She said nope - CD 1 is the next day. Frankly, I didn''t change anything on my chart, but if she thinks I can still have the HSG on the day we''d originally planned, then so be it. She even said we could BD that night, which we''ll probably need to do. It''s this coming Wednesday.

Fisher, I think you asked what this is. It''s both an xray to see how your uterus looks and a dye test. They inject dye into your cervix to see if it comes out your Fallopian tubes and hence to see if your tubes are blocked. Bizarre, no? I''ll post more later, I''m off to the gym. I desperately need to get back on the exercise track!

 

[Maisie]

Thank you for the kind words everyone. I appreciate it.

 

[sunkist]

Hi Festy! Welcome home and I''m glad you guys had a wonderful honeymoon

You went to Argentina right? Sounds like you had a fabulous time. I hope everything goes well on your HSG. I''ll be sending positive vibes to you!

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Festy and InLuv,

Must see pictures from your trips!!!

Must see!!

Peony, I''m so glad your appt. went well!! Yay!!! I''m excited for Sunkist and Amber to have their appts, too. I''m sure they''ll go wonderfully, too!

Yay for my newly preggo friends!!

We went to see Martha today; you guys, she looks like her old self, and sounds like her old self and it was so encouraging to see her like that!! We''re so excited that she''s close to the end of treatment now (6 down, 2 to go) and it''s gonna be great when she''s all healed. I can''t wait for that day!! We''re gonna have a party! They did a test last week and found NO, not even one tiny bit, cancer cells. Yay!!!

 

[Clairitek]

Fisher, I just wanted to pop in from lurking and say that I''m so happy to hear about Martha''s improvement! So wonderful to hear they didn''t find any cancer cells in the last test.

 

[ChinaCat]

Fishie- What great news about Martha!!!! So happy to hear that.

 

[sunkist]

Thanks Fisher!

I'm so excited too! I have no idea what to expect. I'm a little nervous too! I'm so happy for your good news about your mother in law. Paul must be so happy too. I'm thinking of all you guys. Fisher where did you live when you lived in
CA? I remember it being in Riverside or somewhere? I went to UC Riverside and met hubby there.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Sunkist,

I grew up about an hour (or so) from Riverside and I went to school near UC Irvine. My school''s a tiny Christian school, but just a hop and a skip from UCI. I loved it there... minutes from the beach! I was loving it!!!

After college, I didn''t move back home, I stayed in the OC. I loved it, loved it, loved it! But my Paul is a southern boy, so Georgia is home for me now. And I don''t mind it (it''s worlds different from Cali, though!!) because it''s more laid back here and I''ve "calmed down" a lot being in the south, where life seems to be less chaotic. Haha. That makes it sound like we''re way off in the country, but we''re not. We''re in the metro area of Atlanta, so I''m close to a lot of fun activities and attractions, still.

Funniest thing about moving from Cali: I used to LOVE traffic and driving fast and wiggling between the lanes, but now I''m so paranoid in bad traffic and will only go into actual Atlanta traffic if I have to, and usually Paul has to drive through it for me. What a wimp I''ve become!!

Yes, Paul and I are both so excited about Martha. Ever since she started her treatments, she''s not had any cancer cells found in her testing, but because of her recent infection, it''s been over a month since she''s had a chemo treatment, which would be a longer amount of time for the cancer to show up.... so, being that it''s stayed away is an excellent sign. Her spirits are definitely up because of it, and having extra time away from chemo treatments I truly believe is going to provide her with the added strength to get through the home stretch! So excited. I love how God works things out just right. We were so upset when the got that infection, but the change the rest she''s had and extra time at home has had on her is amazing. So, it was a blessing in disguise!

I can''t wait for 4/10 to get here for you, girly!! It''s going to be an exciting day!! Is Cliff going to be able to go, too?

 

[sunkist]

Oh, you were by UCI! Cliff and I went there too

We're living in the OC now too. I think I know where you went to school then! My hubby tutors kids all over the OC so knows all the schools. That's so cool!

Yes, I'm pretty sure Cliff will come with me. I just want to call the doc office and make sure this is an appt he'll want to come to. He won't be busy with anything else at 9am in the morning, but if it's just paperwork, he probably doesn't have to be there. But I'm really thinking it will be more than paperwork and we'll actually get to see something!

eta: that's so funny about being scared to drive in traffic now! heehee! Thank goodness Paul can take care of that.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Yep, you probably do know the school then. It''s grown some since I graduated (can''t believe it was almost 8 years ago!!!), but it''s still small by most standards. I loved it there! Some of my best friends in the world I met there (you know, a cluster of them are pregnant right now!... it tends to go in spurts. My best friend just got pregnant and is due in October, so I''m hoping the spurt scatters down to December, too!).

I think being away from a big city, high congestion traffic area for a number of years while I lived in NC kind of changed me a lot, driving-wise. I don''t speed at all now, and I don''t like traffic at all. So funny. When we go home for vacation and I drive, I get flipped off and all kinds of things because I''m not going the standard 10-15 over the limit all the time.

I miss California very much. The cost of living is far too high for a social worker and a teacher to make it comfortably, though. So for now, here we stay. If we have a little girl, I''m hoping to convince Paul that we should name her Callie, after the best state in the nation. Haha. He''s not buying it yet, though (but I''m working on him!!). Her middle name would be Jayne (pronounced like the more typical spelling Jane), which Martha''s middle name. I just love Callie Jayne. I adore it, even.

Anyway, cart before the horse....

Re: the appt, you can probably call and ask them what all will be done at the appt. If it''s a Dr. you''ve not used before, they''ll want your medical history as well as your hubby''s for sure. By the time April 10 gets here, you should be what, like 8-9 weeks at least, right? I bet if you tell them you''re not sure when you ovulated for sure for sure, you can get an ultrasound! Of course, I don''t know about lying... but it would be more like a fiblet, since charting is only a guesstimate... (give or take a day or two).

I think when you''re on Clomid, they do an early ultrasound, mostly to see if there''s more than one baby baking. So, I''m looking forward to an early ultrasound, you know, when the time comes.

****
Any/all Clomid takers (past and present): Did any of you notice any side effects after taking the pills? Like during the two week wait period? I feel like I''m having more pressure or tingles in my lower abdomen/girl parts than I typically do, and I wonder if that''s a side effect? I''m also super (and I mean *super*) emotional and I''ve been crying (happy and sad) tears at the drop of a hat. It''s really odd. I''m only 6 DPO, so I figure it can''t be anything baby-related....

Okay, it''s almost 12:30am... I usually go to bed by 10:30. But, I don''t have work tomorrow, so I''ve been trying to figure out taxes. Aye. I wish it wasn''t so complicated when you get a house! Or maybe I just don''t understand it since I''m sleepy now.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and has a wonderful Monday!!

 

[tiffanytwisted]

Fisher- clomid has made me super emotional. Happy, sad, angry all at the same time!! ( I actually started bawling watching the amazing race!) This is my third month and for some reason the emotional side effects this month haven''t been as bad. It also made my BB''s sore, which was never a problem for me prior to my period before the clomid. Last month I had some "pressure" also but not the first month and not this time. The side effects all vary so much from woman to woman, and it seems for me to vary month to month. Not really sure why that is.
Have a GREAT Monday off!!

 

[peonygirl]

Sunkist, I would definitely call in advance to see if you are getting an ultrasound at your first appt. We didn''t and I would have been SO disappointed had I found out that day. We scheduled one for the next day though (ultrasound tech only works 3 days a week).

Fisher, I definitely think I had hot flashes and the day before I got my positive OPK I was really emotional and itchy (?). For some reason my pants felt way too tight in the thighs, and I almost had a nervous breakdown because I was at school all day with nothing to change into. Luckily that only lasted one day! I do think that I had some ovulation pains around then too. They could tell at my ultrasound that I''d ovulated from the left side, pretty cool! And then about a week after ovulation I started feeling super hot and my nipples started hurting, but that may have been from the pregnancy. Good luck to you!!!!!! Do you think you''ll be testing? BTW, if Paul doesn''t like Callie would he like a longer name that you shorten to Callie? Like, um, Calliope? I like that name even though it''s kinda silly! Or Calista or Caroline?

Tiffany: I''ve been thinking about you!! I''m sending you good vibes!!!

 

[ChinaCat]

Sunkist: Hey there. I agree, I would call and ask if you are getting an u/s. I got one at my first appt which I think was at 6 or 8 weeks. If your DH can go, I would recommend it. They ask a ton of questions about medical history, both yours and his, and it''s just easier if he''s there. If you do get the u/s, it''s pretty cool for DH. I don''t think mine actually believed it until we saw the heartbeat. Makes it more real, you know?

Fishie- Ah, I used to live in Southern Cal as well. I viscerally miss it. Everytime I go back I come home a little depressed. There is something about a certain smell there that just makes me feel like it''s home there. And I really really really miss the ocean. But I''m with you, everytime I think about moving back, the cost of living (plus the insane state income tax) stops me. Plus my family is here. Still, I would move back if I had the chance. My DH has promised we can send the little one to surf camp out there every summer so he can sort of still be a beach kid. Ha!

Festy- Your trip sounds AMAZING! I am so jealous. I had a bunch of trips planned this year, and South America is definitely on my list. That''s the one thing that I keep wishing I''d had more time to do before we got preggo- travel to more places. I''ve done a fair amount, but there''s still so many amazing places I haven''t seen. So glad you got to enjoy it! Any pictures?

Hello to all the other patient and lovely TTC''ers. How was everyone''s weekend? How are the "Golden Girls" holding up?

Happy Monday!

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Blushing,

Didn't you say your test day was April 1? I'm hoping such wonderful things for you, girlie!!

Tiffany,

I don't think I pay enough attention on this board. I don't remember knowing you were a Clomid user. Thank you so much for your input. I just don't want to let things play into my head, but so far this two week wait has been very different from the ones before. I'll chalk it up to the clomid.

Lulu,

What are you up to these days?

Swimmer,

Thinking of you, girlie!!

ChinaCat,

Cute belly pics on the preggo thread, lady! You're starting to show your baby. Yay!!!

Thanks for coming in to check on us from time to time.

Sha,

How are you doing, mommy to be??

Peony,

Thanks for your weigh in on Clomid symptoms, too. I think I was niave and thought all my "symptoms and side effects" would come from while I was actually taking the pill, not days and days later. Paul said it would stay in my system for a while, and I laughed him off.

PS--I'm *so* excited to finally have a cycle be a month!! I was telling Paul about that over the weekend and he said he agreed, but he didn't know the BD would be so "short." Haha-- just goes to show how long we'd gotten used to having that line run, waiting for ovulation to happen and for my crosshairs *not* to move.

Thank you to everyone for the well wishes for my mother in law. It was beyond wonderful to see her feeling good again. I just hope she got the rest she needs to kick round number 7's butt soon!

***
DD and all Canadians,

So, Paul's promised me since our dating lives began that he'd take me to Canada one day. I have a love for Canada due mostly to the Anne of Green Gables books. Isn't that silly? Anyway, I'd like to go to PEI, but knowing that we may not really go that "far" into Canada, can anyone suggest a fun spot? We've been to Niagra (US side) and I *saw* Canada on the other side. Haha. I was really like a 5 year old so excited over going to Disney Land... but we didn't go because we thought we'd need passports (that was 2005 and we didn't), but now we will. Anyway, suggestions welcome!!

He promised we'd go before we had a baby, and over the weekend he said we need to plan that trip!! I agree!!

 

[InLuv101]

Festy's back! Festy's back!! :::insert happy dancing emotie here:::
So glad you had a great trip but sorry AFF showed up. Please do let us know the results of your HSG.

Fisher -- So glad you MIL is doing well! I love to hear great news like that.

Sorry I've been too lazy to upload any of my pics (although we didn't take many) from my camera. Will do soon

Sorry I can't offer you any clomid side affect experiences.

Have a wonderful Monday ladies!

CD7

 

[tiffanytwisted]

Fisher- I''ve been doing clomid combined with IUI for the last 3 cycles. Hopefully the 3rd time''s a charm. (I test Wednesday). I found that PMS symptoms I hadn''t had before were magnified (sore boobs, hot flashes, emotional, etc.) during the TWW and last cycle I was convinced I was pregnant. I also wasn''t expecting those symptoms during that time to be from the clomid, but then I did a little more reading. a lot of the women on FF have the same stuff during the TWW. I also found that clomid extended my lp by 2 days (it went from 12 days to 14 days).

A Canada trip sounds fantastic!!

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Hey Tiffany,

I get you and Blushing mixed up a lot, it seems. I thought she was testing on Wednesday! Aye!! Well, I''m thinking good thoughts for you on Wednesday day too now (don''t want to not thinking something good for Blushing, too though). Haha.

Yeah, it''s so easy to think everything is about a baby growing when you feel something weird. But I know that at 6DPO, that''s nearly impossible. So I''m just waiting, waiting, waiting. But happily waiting since at this point (CD20), I''ve usually not even ovulated yet.

I had read and heard about clomid making your cycles longer, too. So, for that reason, I''m not sure when/if I''ll test. I want to, because I do have more hope than usual just because clomid has a fair success rate, but at the same time, my LP varies as it is from 13-15. So if I''m supposed to wait an extra two days, might as well wait and see if I make it to 18 DPO since that''s supposed to be a "sign" of pregnancy, if your temps stay above the coverline. That would be the day before Easter. Somehow, if my temps stay up for anything past CD16, I think I''ll test though. I bought more FRERs, so I''m not feeling like I have to be as careful using them as I was last cycle.

 

[Festy]

Thanks for the warm welcome-back, ladies!

Fisher, I''m so very happy for you and your family. I hope your mother-in-law continues to feel good throughout her last two treatments. Funny, our next trip may be to Quebec City. I am more than a little embarassed that I''ve never been to Canada: I went to college in Maine, majored in French and am half French-Canadian! Pathetic. I''ve heard that PEI is great. There are also some islands nearby that are owned by France (can''t think of the name, and anyway that wouldn''t really be Canada, would it?) Anyway, we may go in late July for a few days.

Tiffany - my fingers are crossed for you! What a serious drag that Clomid side effects mimic early PG symptoms. Is there nothing that is ever easy? Would you mind sharing your experiences with IUI with us, i.e., what''s involved, medications, etc? It may be the next step for us and I''d like to have an idea of what it''s all about. If you''re not up for sharing that''s totally ok.

Sunkist - good luck at your appointment. So exciting!

 

[Blackpaw]

Fisher</b the Canadian rockies are beautiful!! Lots to do, great hotels, restaurants, and very pretty scenery. Good option if PEI is a bit far from home.

 

[Blackpaw]

Grrr that didnt work!!

Well the canadian rockies are beautiful! Lots to do, great hotels and restaurants, and such beautiful scenery. Perhaps a good option if PEI is too far afield?

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/30/2009 9:28:01 AM
Author: fisherofmengirly
DD and all Canadians,

So, Paul''s promised me since our dating lives began that he''d take me to Canada one day. I have a love for Canada due mostly to the Anne of Green Gables books. Isn''t that silly? Anyway, I''d like to go to PEI, but knowing that we may not really go that ''far'' into Canada, can anyone suggest a fun spot? We''ve been to Niagra (US side) and I *saw* Canada on the other side. Haha. I was really like a 5 year old so excited over going to Disney Land... but we didn''t go because we thought we''d need passports (that was 2005 and we didn''t), but now we will. Anyway, suggestions welcome!!

He promised we''d go before we had a baby, and over the weekend he said we need to plan that trip!! I agree!!

You will have to fly no matter where you come, so why not choose the best place you can? In my opinion, the best places in decending order are: 1) Vancouver and Vancouver Island (where I am moving for my job!); 2) Nova Scotia/PEI; 3) Montreal. I think Montreal is the only one that you would consider "not that far into Canada" since it is probably straight north from you, or close to it. And Montreal will seem more foreign since it is French! Don''t worry, many/most people speak English so it is very easy as a tourist. It is simply THE most beautiful city in Canada, it reminds me so much of Europe. And in the summer they have both a Jazz festival and a comedy festival, which is awesome. Southern Ontario where i live now is not that amazing, IMHO, although the wine country is very nice on the Niagara peninsula. But I am a west coast gal at heart and BC is by far the most beutiful scernery and environment that canada has to offer. However, I did drive around the north-west coast of Nova Scotia and it was a very very close second

Simply gorgeous. Let me know if you have any questions!

 

[melz]

Hi Fisher - So you're 6DPO too today? When are you testing? (sorry if you mentioned and I missed it).

Edit: you did mention and you're not sure ... reading too quick.