The Official TTC Thread!

[tammy77]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Pupp, I remember seeing those kits now that you mentioned it! I wonder if it's worth using though, since it only does count. I'll have to look around to see if statistically it's more likely to be count or performance IF there is an issue. I really think he's fine, it's just a peace of mind thing, you know?

To answer your question, I've been off BCP and charting since Oct '11. We had a little Halloween slip up RIGHT before I ovulated, so I'm counting that as trying for purposes of moving things along. We went through Nov as "ntnp" (aka me being a closet OPK'er and him being an in denial guy), then Dec, Jan, Feb have been truly TTC w/pulling out all the stops (no pun intended). That's why I count us as really TTC for about 4 months, even though this is my 5th cycle off BCP w/unprotected sex during my fertile window and no baby. Hm I didn't even realize it's actually been 5 months until I checked my FF charts to write this post.

I know that you're all right and I even say it myself, but it's like something kicks in once you're on the downward side of the 6 month trek that the nagging "little" voice of uncertainty starts to drown out the calm voice of reason. Thank you for the reminder, reassurance and testing info.

 

[amc80]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Pupp, I remember seeing those kits now that you mentioned it! I wonder if it's worth using though, since it only does count. I'll have to look around to see if statistically it's more likely to be count or performance IF there is an issue. I really think he's fine, it's just a peace of mind thing, you know?

Someone on one of my other boards recommended this- http://www.amazon.com/Micra-Sperm-Test-Count-Motility/dp/B000SLM504/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1330640929&sr=1-2

It tests both count and motility.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

I'd personally skip the at-home test because I would be suspicious of its accuracy, and even if the count does come back normal, you wouldn't be able to rule out other issues, so you'd still be wondering. Chances are your DH's counts, etc. are just fine. My DH is ten years older than yours (he's 41), and his counts were decent, but it was his motility that was borderline low. There is an at-home test for FSH. I got a free one along with some of my FRERs. You take it on CD3.

 

[tammy77]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

So I bit the bullet and did some preliminary research for DH about what an SA will entail at our MD. It turns out to be not THAT bad. It's $120, so our out of pocket is $60. I think that's not too bad. He can collect the 'sample' at home and have it there within an hour and we'll know withing 24 hrs. I relayed everything to him and he is fully on board. I love that man.

MP, you were posting at the same time I was. I didn't think about the FRER free fertility test. I'll have to pick that up next time I'm at Target! I totally agree with you on the home kits. I want the whole picture, otherwise I'll just end up worrying about the parts that we didn't get answers for.

The only thing to decide now is do we want to get his SA done this cycle or next. Thanks again ladies, you're all awesome!

 

[amc80]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

MP, you were posting at the same time I was. I didn't think about the FRER free fertility test. I'll have to pick that up next time I'm at Target! I totally agree with you on the home kits. I want the whole picture, otherwise I'll just end up worrying about the parts that we didn't get answers for.

I've never used this test, so maybe I'm not the best one to respond...but I've never read anything good about it. The consensus from doctors is that the test isn't great (this is based on what I've read from women who have used it and then talked to their docs about it). I guess it could fall into the "better than nothing" category, unless it's not accurate, which would give you a false scare or false hope.

 

[BrightSpot]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Afm, some of the gloomies are creeping back in, but I'm trying to keep them away as much as possible. Doesn't help that I had to get a baby shower gift for my sil today. 
I'm wondering how soon af will come once my beta zeroes out. Is it a month or a few days? I'm getting conflicting info when I search online. While I realize every woman's body is different, it would be nice to know what to expect. 

Mp, how are you feeling? Hope you're doing well & feeling relaxed. 

Jgator, sorry your tsh level is up, but glad your doc is on it. I hope the bloodwork goes well. 

Jen, I don't know much about IVF, but I'm sure it's a stressful process. I'm glad you get to go in again soon for more monitoring. Can you ask lots of questions of your doc to put your mind at ease?

Enbc, how long did it take your af to return after your beta went to 6? I'm glad you're feeling a bit better. How is your acupuncture going? Has it been hard to convince your dh to go?

Dandi, so sorry about af. I love your positive attitude, though! It's definitely early in the process & you'll have a full month to try this month!

Mlk, I actually didn't take a lot of pics on vacation (bad me!) but I'll see if I can find something fun. So sorry this month has been stressful. It's easy for the guys to get stressed out during ttc as there can be a lot of performance pressure. Maybe keeping it on the light side as much as possible would help?

Tammy, I second amc & mp's posts that sometimes it just takes some time and the fact that you already have 2 darling girls bodes well for your fertility. But I also understand that as you approach the 6 month mark (& a milestone birthday) it gets more stressful. I was able to get the cd3 tests, the progesterone (7dpo) blood tests plus the hsg & referral for dh's SA all through my OBGYN. So you don't necessarily have to jump right to a RE. If it gives you peace of mind & makes you feel like you're doing something, might as well get them done. I'm glad the SA looks pretty easy (so much better that your dh can produce at home) & your dh is on board. Yay! I agree that it's probably better to get the full picture from your doctor rather than trying the at home tests. 
Sorry you're feeling down. This process can get to ya. Hugs. 

 

[monkeyprincess]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Tammy, as amc said, the First Response test is probably not the most accurate thing in the world, but since it comes free with the tests anyway, I figured why not. We all love to POAS It gave me a bit of peace of mind, but I certainly wouldn't put much stock in the result. Your DH's SA sounds very reasonable. Ours was about $200 I think, but for some reason (maybe the way it was coded), insurance covered all but $18. It's nice you can collect the sample at home. We were not given that option much to DH's chagrin.

Bright, so sorry to hear you're feeling a little down. I think that is completely expected, and you are probably going to have those gloomy days once in awhile until you get another BFP. And you will get another BFP! I think it is a really good sign that you conceived your first IUI cycle. And if you have a few more follicles this next time, it will up your chances of having a sticky little bean even more. So sorry that the timing of all this coincided with the baby shower. That must be really hard.

JGator, interesting about your thyroid levels. I had forgotten you were struggling with that. Hoping your meds take care of the problem for you. I'm glad you'll be able to get a little more peace of mind tomorrow by having your betas/progesterone tested. I have a good feeling about this/these little bean(s). To answer your question, I don't have another ultrasound until March 13th. I have days where I feel really positive and then days when the doubts creep in. I felt a bit "yuck" the past couple of days, so I was encouraged by that, but of course today, I feel just fine and worry about feeling fine The worry never ends!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Tammy - I think with 4 months of true trying, it is really too early do do any extensive testing. Since you are approaching 35, I think giving it 6 full cycles is reasonable. As you know, I just started my workup after 9-10 cycles, and honestly, my REI did not even do the day 3 test or day 7 test. He checked my husband, did 4 basic blood tests on me, and the HSG, and will determine if more testing is needed. I don't have my follow up until the end of March, so I probably won't get any intervention until the April cycle. As AMC said, you can do everything perfect, and you only have a 1/4 chance of getting pregnant each time. Just try to keep that in mind. I think with the internet, and FF to help us track our cycles, we get ourselves into the mindset that we can make this happen really quickly, but the odds are just that. Some people will get pregnant their first month trying, and some will be several months. Oh, and BTW, I have horrible insomnia. I don't think the insomnia has anything to do with your temp drop, because if you were moving around, and not sleeping well, your BBT would be falsely elevated if anything. Just keep your head up, and know that your time will come. Look at everyone else here who has had success!

Brightspot - welcome back, I really hope you had some time to relax. I thing you brought me some good luck, as of this morning, my temps are still going up.

Jen - Did you have your US today? I am hoping everything went well and your mind is at ease, but I am guessing IVF can be stressful.

MP - I am glad you are doing well, I would not worry unless your body gives you a reason too. Think about how many people don't know they are pregnant until they are 6-8 weeks along, I am guessing they didn't have symptoms either.

Dandi - Sorry about AF, that just sucks! Wishing you better luck next cycle. Enjoy your b-day!

mlk - I hear you with the husband. Mine does not like the whole schedule thing, we had to work something out that is working pretty well. I just tell him when the window starts, and we try every other day until I tell him we are good. As for him being ready, I would find out if he figured out why you are making advances to him, and if he hasn't, than maybe find out how he would like you to tell him it is time to start trying. Guys sometimes honestly don't put 2 and 2 together.

JGator - I am guessing the work of making a baby is going to increase your metabolic needs a little . Lab values differ from place to place, so I would go with what your RE states over what you read because he/she knows their lab. I hope it stabilizes soon.

To anyone I forgot hi.

AFM I am either 7 or 8DOP. I am in a bad mood, as while I am writing this, I am also writing my sister who is asking me for medical advise, than dismissing it. My temps are continuing to raise. But the weather has also warmed up here. I am not sure when I am going to test. I think I am going to assume I am 7DPO and base my decision to test on that. I am going to a conference next week, and I am hoping to have an answer before I leave for the conference. As for symptoms, I have honestly had none. Not typical for my leuteal phase. So we will see what next week shows.

 

[Jen_91909]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Tammy - I'm sorry to hear you are thinking you're out for this month. My two cents: while I certainly wouldn't assume anything is wrong at all (like lots of the girls said there is that whole pesky 20% number), I am all for being proactive and getting some early tests. DH and I were really only trying-trying (as opposed to the ntnp before that) for 4 months when we had some initial testing done. I certainly knew that everything could be fine and things could just be slower to happen, but I wanted to just *know* one way or another. Well, in our case it turned out we are dealing with severe male factor issues (specifically morphology) and that we needed to be fast-tracked to IVF. Please don't misunderstand - I am in no way trying to scare you and the odds are certainly that everything is totally fine with you guys. My point is that if we waited the requisite year we would still be trying right now naturally with no answers. Again - I am sure everything is perfectly fine with you. But be it for that peace of mind or just for answers, my opinion is some preliminary testing at this stage in the game is not a bad idea. We also did everything through my OBGYN initially.

JGator - It is great they are staying on top of your thyroid. Mine was at 2.7 in January and they also put me on 25mg synthroid. 4 weeks later it was 1.4. So the good news is yours should improve very quickly. I'm glad for you that you are getting some more bloodwork tomorrow.

mlk - it's true a lot of us went through similar things with our DHs when first TTC. My DH would gladly do it daily in general, but didn't like the idea when he knew it was for baby-making... as in, he wanted it to be more spontaneous and out of pure desire- haha, sorry babe but when we both get home at 11pm midweek and I know I'm ovulating I can't say that desire was the first and foremost thing on my mind. But, like MP said, he got on board quite quickly and wanted it to "work" as much. I think your DH will come around too.

Bright - I'm sorry to hear you've been feeling down lately. It is bound to continue to be a bit of a rollercoaster after what you've been through. Please know we are all rooting for you and I have a good feeling you are going to get your sticky bean very soon!

MP - Augh, the worry really never does end, does it? Do your best to keep staying positive, lady. We just have to turn our words of advice on ourselves, huh?

Enbcfsobe - Just wanted to say hey! I've never tried acupuncture but have always been curious...

Dandi - Sorry to hear about AF, but you have a great positive attitude!

AFM - I had another ultrasound this morning after 5 days of injections (or 5 days of stimming, in IVF slang ) and I think it went well. The doctor said my uterine lining looked beautiful, so that was great. Then she started measuring follicles and calling them out to the nurse. I told myself ahead of time that I would try to keep track but that went out the window in the moment. I would say she called out about 9-12 follicles in total that measured between 11-15mm. (Only one was 15mm and the rest were all 11-13mm). Then I know there were 9 total (3 on the left and 6 on the right) that were still grouped as "under 10mm). Maybe some of those will still join the party. The doctor seemed pleased overall and said they seem to be growing well together. They added a 3rd injection, Ganirelix, to the mix tonight. This will prevent my body from ovulating prematurely. I tolerated the injections much more poorly tonight... not sure why exactly but I'm just feeling much more... sore. Also really starting to feel my ovaries throughout the day now... lots of twinges, etc. It's all pretty interesting.
Oh, and the doctor today guesstimated my egg retrieval for Tuesday! That seems so soon... it seems to be going so fast! They'll have a better idea when I go for my next ultrasound on Sat a.m.
The other thing that happened is that my nurse called and said my RE decided to change the medicine I trigger with from Ovidrel to Lupron & Novarel. So it was another trip to the pharmacy... From what I can gather, I think the new trigger shot will help with preventing overstimulation (OHSS), a nasty condition that can happen after these cycles. That is my guess for the switch, the nurse didn't give me the specific reason.
Sorry if this is boring gibberish, but figured I would give thorough updates in case anybody is interested in this stuff!

 

[Jen_91909]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Hi ltl! I think we were posting at the same time. I just wanted to wish you luck with this cycle. Fingers crossed for you!

 

[lizzyann]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Jen, that sounds like a great count to me! You also have to remember that when you take the trigger it causes the final maturity of those follicles and eggs, so you end up getting more eggs from the smaller follies as well as the larger. It's not like with Clomid that only the larger follies release eggs, because in this case you aren't releasing any eggs, they are retrieving them out of the follicle. Make sense? Hope so. I don't remember my follicle count. It might be on here somewhere as I might have posted that when I was going through IVF. But they ended up retrieving 14 eggs, of which 11 fertilized, of which 8 made it to blastocyst (day 5), of which 4 were high quality. So 1 was put in me (my baby!) and three are frozen! At first I couldn't believe that of 14 eggs I only ended up with 4 high quality blastocysts. But at the same time it made some sense to me...maybe that was the reason for all of my losses, I just didn't have enough high quality embryos. I needed the science of IVF for embryo selection to aid me in getting and staying pregnant. You can do it! You are so close now! The anxiousness is the worse but the retrieval was not bad at all. I expected the worse so I was pleasantly surprised in how fast the whole thing was. I was only sedated for less than 15 minutes! Good luck! If you have any questions, I am always checking in periodically.

 

[tammy77]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Hi Ladies!

Well, I didn't test this morning. Aren't you proud/shocked?! I definitely feel like I've reached the "I don't want to see what I already know" stage of TTC.

Ltflirecracker, thank you for your thoughts! This next cycle will actually be my 6th, but at this point DH and I are mostly interested in seeing how things are for him since he hasn't had any children yet and it's not like he can take his temp to see if his version of eggs are being released. So awkward, but I don't know how else to say it!

My only real concerns with my system are my age, which is apparently not TOO old even when I hit 35, and my weight. I'm not going to sugar coat it. My BMI isn't healthy and I need to lose a good 15 pounds. Even then I'll still be overweight but more manageable and the same weight that I started out with when I got pregnant with my girls. I am a tiny bit anxious (google time ahead) about my progesterone levels in my LP, or something. Is it weird to consistently have a dip at 6-7 DPO? I've seen a few things that suggest it might mean I'm having issues and I know I didn't have that the last two times I charted when TTC the girls. So maybe I will get the CD3/7DPO draw. I don't spot pre-AF though and I think that's part of it? Ugh I don't know lol.

Jen, that is exactly why DH and I don't want to wait. To be honest, the peace of mind is well worth the $60.00 we'll have to pay, especially since it's not nearly as invasive as we originally thought it to be.

Sorry for such a me-centric post! I hope everyone is having a happy Friday!

 

[monkeyprincess]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Tammy, I also agree with Jen’s analysis. If you find out everything is fine with your tests, that’s great, and you’re not out that much money. But if turns out that you or your DH have a fertility issue, you’d rather have the information sooner, so you can do something about it. Hang in there lady. And while you’re waiting, it’s great to have a goal of eating healthier and getting more exercise, so you’re in great shape when you do get pregnant. I will continue to send dust your way!

Firecracker, good luck to you this cycle! One more week to go! As far as the symptoms thing, I can honestly say I did not feel any differently than I normally do right before I got my BFP. I was so sure it hadn’t happened because I thought I would just “know” when I was pregnant, but it turns out I was wrong.

Jen, sounds like things are moving right along. That’s great! I’m so hopeful for you that you’ll have lots of lovely follicles that turn into healthy blastocysts!

JGator, hope you are doing well. I think you’re having more bloodwork today, right? Sending you lots of dust for great numbers!

 

[JGator]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Bright, it took me 31 days after my D&C for my next period to show. Sorry you have been sad lately. It does get better with time, though. I was a basket case until my period showed thinking I was never going to get one again or it would take 3 months, but my body was ready again pretty quickly.

MP, i hear you on the worry never ends. I am a nervous Nelly about this pregnancy. Hopefully, both of us are worrying for nothing, and we'll be feeling baby kicks before we know it! I cannot wait to get to that phase!

Jen, thanks for letting me know about your improvement on Synthroid. I'm much more optimistic now. Good luck with the rest of the IVF process. Sounds like things are chugging along, and you'll have more updates this weekend.

Hi, Tammy . I'm still hopeful for you this cycle. Don't be too hard on yourself. And, sounds like you have a good plan in place for the cycle day testing and a SA for your DH. That' s great that he can do it at home.

AFM, just got my Beta results back. My beta is 1304 and progesterone is 37! My progesterone is down from 49 and my beta is up from 319 on Monday. So, my beta is doubling at least every 48 hours which I am happy about. A little concerned about the progesterone going down, but the nurse said they like to see it above 15 and it isn't a concern that it's down.

I have to wait a week now for the ultrasound. Hopefully, I will keep my sanity between now and then. There may be some POASing going on over here for reassurance between now and then. Happy Weekend to you all!!!

 

[Puppmom]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

JGator, that is wonderful news!

Tammy, congrats on not testing. I know all too well how hard it is to hold back!

 

[enbcfsobe]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Happy Friday everyone!

Bright -- I'm sorry you're feeling down again. It has really taken me until after president's day (about 3 weeks) to feel even remotely normal emotionally. I think it takes 3 to 6 weeks generally after your betas go to 0 for your period to start. It took 20 days after the day my beta measured at 6 (taken day 4 of bleeding from m/c#2) for AF to arrive. After my D&E for m/c #1 it took 30 days after the date of the procedure, but my betas the day after the procedure still measured around 220 and they didn't test after that so I don't know when I got close to 0. I noticed that I started to feel even better after I got my period after each cycle, both physically and emotionally. I hope you find that things start to feel a bit clearer and brighter soon! I found that massage and yoga helped me at least get some chunks of time out of my life when I could let that weight lift off me a bit. I'm not terrible regular about either, but it still helps.

Tammy -- So sorry you were disappointed this cycle, but it sounds like you have a plan in place. I am on the side of its better to find out if there's a problem sooner rather than later. Good luck!!

JGator -- glad to hear the beta results are continuing to go well!! that's teriffic! from what my RE said about progesterone i wouldn't worry about fluctuations as long as its in the normal range -- apparently your body pumps it out at various times so its difficult to get an accurate level as it is constantly changing. i'm sure you''ll figure things out with your TSH. i had some higher readings last year (3.7, then 2.5) but even without treatment i'm now down to 1.9. it seems like they aren't really able to account for some of the flucuations in that area either...

LtlF -- good luck with your waiting!! so sorry you are having a cranky day.

Jen -- so glad your ultrasound went well!! fingers crossed for a smooth trigger, retrieval, and petri dish growing bonanza!

MP -- thanks for continuing to offer advice and support to all us ttc-ers. we're all rooting for you!

I know there were a few questions about acupuncture - my treatments have mostly been with needles on my ankes/feet, wrists/hands, and ears/head/forehad, except that last time for my back I had to be on my belly and there were needles in my back. That took some courage as it felt pretty vulnerable but those ones in my back I could barely feel at all, not even an initial stick. I'm just trying to trust it and give it some time to work. Short of getting pg, I won't be able to evaluate for a few months if it's working in terms of regulating my cycles. DH was reluctant at first but I think after I told him I thought it was already helping my back he was more convinced that even if it doesn't fix his swimmers it might help his neck (he has an old injury that has led to some early arthritic changes). So he's got an appointment for next week -- we'll see how that goes.

AFM, cutting out early today to rest my eyes. So excited that there's baseball on TV tomorrow (jewelry nut and sports nerd are a weird combo, I know) and I'm getting a haircut for the 1st time since October. I've been on prenatals pretty much that whole time so my ends have barely split, but its just looking flat and my half-grown-out bangs are super awkward.

Have a great weekend, y'all -- sorry if I missed anyone!!

 

[monkeyprincess]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

JGator, woohoo! Sounds like your betas are doing just what they are supposed to do! That's great news! I hope you are feeling somewhat relieved. And I think as long as you keep monitoring your progesterone, you should be fine. If it is stressing you out at all, I don't think it would hurt to ask to be put on progesterone for the first trimester as a precaution. Mine came back at a 36 I think (and that's after I had stopped taking the progesterone because of that lab error with the first blood test), but she said I might as well just stay on it because it wouldn't hurt and might help. That's exciting that your ultrasound is only one week away. I'm so anxious for my next one!

Hi everyone else! Hope you have a great weekend!

 

[tammy77]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Awesome update, JGator!!

enbcfsobe, has your DH tried the fertility blend vitamins? I was looking at them for DH and I both and the reviews look fantastic, but I am sceptical. I might try vitrex or fertilaid for a month or two.

 

[Prana]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Hi Ladies! Hope you all are doing well.

I haven't been around a whole lot lately, but I know for sure that MP and JGator need some congratulations!! So happy for you both!

As I've mentioned before, I haven't been reading the board, so I apologize for being out of the loop.

My SIL is doing great with her pregnancy, she's 15 weeks 4 days today, and starting to get a cute little bump. She's still super nervous though. And they decided to find out what they are having, so a couple more weeks and we will know if it's a niece or a nephew!

AFM, I honestly just need to talk...

In January DH and I got tested. I had a CD 3 lab draw to look at my hormones, I'm assuming. Plus I had an HSG. DH had a sperm analysis. I was totally expecting to have something wrong with my labwork, which ended up being stellar. My HSG (although painful and uncomfortable) was totally clear. (My left tube did clear out slowly, but it did clear out.) The nurse told me that DH's sperm analysis was the best she's ever seen.

So I decided that we are healthy, there shouldn't be any issues. My doc is ready for me whenever I want to take the next step. I'm just fighting back tears right now, as I'm on my second day of spotting and AF should be here within a few days. Shouldn't our next step be just to get pregnant? I'm just having a really hard time understanding why, if nothing is wrong, we aren't getting pregnant. My boobs aren't really that sore anymore, so I know AF is on her way.

I guess I'm just having a really hard time coming to terms with the notion that my DH and I will likely have to undergo some sort of intervention to get pregnant. I just can't believe that this is happening to us. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG! So why can't we get pregnant?
My doc wants to think about clomid. But I ovulate every month, so what is Clomid going to do?

I'm sorry to kill the mood, I'm just desparate and so sad. I'm dreading my friends baby shower next month. I thought I would be pregnant by the time I had to attend the shower. I thought we would be pregnant together, as we both started TTC within a few months of each other. Now I'm beginning to wonder if it will ever happen for us. There has to be something else going on that we aren't aware about for us to keep coming up empty every month.

I'm sorry, I just need some support.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Hi Prana, thanks for the congratulations. I'm like your SIL and still very cautious at this point, but hoping that I can be more excited and confident after my next ultrasound. I'm so sorry to hear you're having a hard time right now. I've been there, and it is not a fun place to be. Honestly, it seems like infertility is unexplained way more often than you would think. You have mentioned spotting before AF before. Have you ever looked into what might be causing that? Another thing I wondered is whether you have you read the book Making Babies? That book takes a holistic approach and discusses a lot of lesser known causes of infertility that you may not have considered. Maybe it would be helfpul to you if you are reluctant to seek infertility treatments. I know how frustrating it is to try month after month with little to no answers as to why it is not happening. Of course nobody wants to have infertility issues or to seek medical treatment, but the good thing is that there is so much that can be done, and the fact that you have no major red flags leads me to believe that you will someday soon have your BFP. Think of your SIL. She probably never thought she'd be at the point she is now. Babies come into the world in all sorts of different ways, and it really doesn't matter in the end. Hang in there. I'll be thinking of you and hoping you are pleasantly surprised when you least expect it.

 

[Prana]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Hi Prana, thanks for the congratulations. I'm like your SIL and still very cautious at this point, but hoping that I can be more excited and confident after my next ultrasound. I'm so sorry to hear you're having a hard time right now. I've been there, and it is not a fun place to be. Honestly, it seems like infertility is unexplained way more often than you would think. You have mentioned spotting before AF before. Have you ever looked into what might be causing that? Another thing I wondered is whether you have you read the book Making Babies? That book takes a holistic approach and discusses a lot of lesser known causes of infertility that you may not have considered. Maybe it would be helfpul to you if you are reluctant to seek infertility treatments. I know how frustrating it is to try month after month with little to no answers as to why it is not happening. Of course nobody wants to have infertility issues or to seek medical treatment, but the good thing is that there is so much that can be done, and the fact that you have no major red flags leads me to believe that you will someday soon have your BFP. Think of your SIL. She probably never thought she'd be at the point she is now. Babies come into the world in all sorts of different ways, and it really doesn't matter in the end. Hang in there. I'll be thinking of you and hoping you are pleasantly surprised when you least expect it.

Hi MP! Thanks for your reply.

I've mentioned the spotting to my doc on a few occasions, and she is adamant that it is not a problem. My mom also told me that she always spotted before she got pregnant the first time, and then never again after that. I'm going to call my doc tomorrow to tell her that I want to have my progesterone level checked because I really think that my progesterone might be low. I have several symptoms of low progesterone. I think I might have to end up switching practices at some point. My doc says that giving progesterone and checking progesterone levels are old practice, but everything else we've checked is completely fine. She mentioned the next step being clomid, but I don't see how that is going to help me since I already ovulate every month.

I read the Making Babies book about 5 or 6 months ago and have altered my habits to the books recommendations for my type. Luckily I didn't have to make any drastic changes, just things like drinking hot or room temp water instead of cold water and avoiding certain foods. I wasn't one of the lucky ones who benefitted from those changes.

Thanks again for your support.

 

[mlk]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Hi ladies,

Prana and Tammy, sorry to hear that you are both feeling down about this process without many answers. I am all for vitamins, herbs and now am trying acupuncture. Prana, have you looked into a good wellness/acupuncture clinic in your area? I know mine went through all must blood test results with me and discussed them much more than my dr did. Although I can't offer any advice, I will give you both plenty of hugs and dust!

AFM, well its CD19 here and no sign of ovulation. Here is a link to my chart, hopefully someone will be able to share some of their wisdom. <a href="http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/3a39a6/">My Ovulation Chart</a>

The good news is that DH now seems to be on board, but now my cycle is all over the place. Last month I o'd on CD17/18 and had very clear signs, EWCM for 3 days, positive OPK, sore nipples, ovulation pains. This month, nothing!

Does anyone have experience where their first cycle off BCP was completely normal and then failed to ovulate after that?

 

[tammy77]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Hi Prana,

Big hugs, I'm so sorry that you're struggling. Have they checked you at 7 DPO for progesterone levels? I'm sure they probably have and it just wasn't in your post, but with the spotting I thought I'd ask.

MLK, Mine was the opposite. I had late ovulation the first month then it leveled out. That said, TONS of people report that it does take up to 6 months or so to really be back to normal cycle wise. My ovulation is all over the place from CD14 to CD17/18 atm. Do you have history of having irregular cycles prior to going on the pill?

AFM: Yep, she's here. LP was 12 days vs 13 like it was the last couple of months. I guess it's prob not a big deal. DH is going to try to get the SA done while I'm dealing with this business over the next few days. Not much more to report atm, just ready to move on.

ETA: It took me about a hour to post just this one little thing so I didn't see that you responded already. I really do question why she wouldn't just check your progesterone lvls even though she was willing to do the HSG. It's YOUR body, YOUR insurance (or $$$). Good luck, be insistent!

 

[JGator]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Prana, thanks for the congrats. I am sorry you are down. I am happy all your tests came back so well, though. I took Clomid for 3 cycles. I know I was ovulating regularly during the several months we tried on our own prior to moving on to Clomid. What they say is that the Clomid helps you have a better ovulation, and make the follicles grow stronger and larger so that you have a better chance of a good egg or eggs being ovulated each month. Of the 3 cycles, I had a chemical pregnancy, a BFN, and a BFP that has made it to 5 weeks so far. We did Clomid plus a trigger just so we would trigger ovulation when the follicles were of a good size. I think you should definitely get your progesterone levels checked. If you do end up having low progesterone, you can take progesterone suppositories starting a couple days after O.

Tammy, so sorry AF showed up. I am glad your DH is getting his SA and that you are looking into the CD testing and HSG.

Hi, MLK. Glad your DH is on board now. And, sorry about your cycles being all over the place. My O was pretty consistently on CD 14/15 until I went on Clomid and then it ended up being earlier depending on which CD they had me start each month. I was off BCP for 3 months before we started trying, and I didn't start charting until we started TTC so I am no help to you there. But, I was pretty consistent with 29 day cycles and ovulation on CD 14/15 after 3 months off BCP, if that helps.

enbcfsobe, I hope the acupuncture works for you. I have a friend who was about to have IVF for her 2nd child (first was IVF), and she had acupressure done on her wrists for something unrelated to fertility, she got pregnant that cycle. So, I definitely think it works. Hope you enjoyed your baseball this weekend.

Hi, MP . Any new symptoms? I had a few bouts of nausea this weekend. But, nothing too serious yet. Can't wait to hear all about your next ultrasound. I'm sure you will really be able to relax and celebrate at that point.

Hi, Bright. Thinking of you. How's it going in NYC?

Jen, how did your RE appt go on Saturday? I hope you are still on track for a Tuesday retrieval. Very exciting!

AFM, I'm just at 5 weeks now so I'm really hoping this is a sticky bean. Can't wait till Friday for the ultrasound. I know we likely won't see a heart beat. I think we will find out if there is one or two in there, though. DH is still calling them "the Trips" . I told him that is highly unlikely. We went car shopping again this weekend and the Trips came up a lot - "is this car big enough for them?", etc. No purchase yet, but we did put in an offer - might hear something back tomorrow.

 

[Jen_91909]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Hi everyone,

This may be more of a drive-by post because it's been a crazy weekend and I can barely keep my eyes open - but, I wanted to check in. I will come back tomorrow night to do less of a "me-centric" post!
First, I just want to thank everyone for their thoughts and well wishes for me during this process. It can get stressful and the support here is wonderful. Especially lizzy, thank you for checking back in here and sharing your experience and advice with me.

So, long story short is my egg retrieval is officially Tuesday morning at 10am. I just did my trigger injections (2 shots of ovidrel) 15 minutes ago. When I went for my u/s yesterday morning they told me it looked like I was going to trigger that night (sat) for a Monday retrieval, but would make a final decision after the bloodwork. Well, I got a call several hours later (at a baby shower no less) that they were going to "push it another day" and to come in for an u/s this morning.
Well, this morning I woke up and everything felt different - I felt no pain around my ovaries (and have been feeling it constantly) and my boobs were very sore (which they hadn't been). I pretty much freaked and was convinced I had prematurely ovulated. I dragged DH out of bed and we went for the morning monitoring extra early. At the u/s the doctor said everything looked fine, that it certainly didn't look as if I had ovulated and that the bloodwork would confirm it. This was before 7am this morning, then I was a wreck all day waiting until 3:30 when they finally called me (usually weekend calls come in by 2 latest so I was convinced something wasn't right).
Everything was fine. I basically stressed all day for no reason, but I can't describe how stressful this can get because the stakes just feel so.darn.high.
And it's amazing because my mood was so high and optimistic yesterday, then this morning I was the complete opposite. I don't know what's going on with my emotions. It's tough.
I have my last u/s & bloodwork tomorrow morning, then retrieval tues.
I'm not going to lie, I am still completely and irrationally paranoid that I am going to prematurely ovulate between now and the retrieval. I had 1 22mm follicle that I'm nervous is just going to jump the gun after this trigger shot. This type of thinking is in NO WAY helpful and constructive, and I totally get that. It's just that I can't seem to get out of my own head about it. I have to keep reminding myself that the doctors do this all day long and to have faith in them and their decisions.

Oh just for an fyi b/c I know a few of you are following along on the details, at today's ultrasound I did manage to count the follicles as the dr. called them out... I purposely only counted ones that measured 15+ b/c they have the highest odds of having mature eggs at this point. There were 11 on my left and 13 on my right that ranged from 15-22mm. Most of these were in the 17-19mm range. There was one 20 and one 22. It's that 22 one that has me anxious.
There were also a several in the 13-14 range that I suppose have a shot of maturing by the retrieval.

I am very happy with this count, though of course we have no idea yet if there are eggs in all of them and how many of them will be mature/able to be fertilized. But, the good news is that my body responded to the stimulation well, and I should focus on that for now and stay positive.

Wow... I love that I actually typed "long story short" towards the beginning of this post and then proceeded to ramble this much.

Again, I apologize for this post being all about me, but now I'm truly exhausted from the nerves all day and don't want to rush through responding to everyone. I'll be back tomorrow! Thanks for reading everyone!

 

[Dandi]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

HI girlies!

Aw Jen, I'm sorry this is all taking its toll emotionally on you hon. Good luck with your egg retrieval, sending you great vibes and I hope all goes well. Keep us posted, and I hope you get a much needed rest!

JGator, so exciting about your u/s!! What car did your DH make an offer on? Eeeee it's all happening for you my dear! Happy times!

Hey tammy, GRRRR about AF! I'm so sorry she showed up. Good luck with your DH's SA, I hope everything checks out. Big hugs for you, my love.

mlk, as far as I'm aware it's not unusual to have the odd anovulatory month, even for women with super regular cycles. Is it possible you will O late? How regular are your cycles usually? I'm so glad DH is fully on board with you!

Prana, I don't have much in the way of advice, but I just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you and send you my full support!! Big big hugs.

Hi mp, I hope you and your little bean are keeping well! When is your next u/s??

Hello enbcfsobe, Bright, LtlF and anyone else I may have missed. Wishing you all well!

AFM, I'm on CD5, so too early for any funny business yet! One thing I have noticed is that AF only lasts a couple of days now that I'm off the pill, whereas she hung around for the best part of a week the 12 years I was on the pill. Has this happened to anyone else? I thought going off BC would have the opposite effect?

 

[Prana]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

mlk- I have looked into acupuncture. There's a place that specializes in infertility acupuncture a few towns over from me. I think I'm going to give them a call. Thanks for the hugs. I hope you O soon!

Tammy- no, I don't think they've checked my progesterone at all. I plan on calling today to see if we can get my levels checked though.

JGator, thanks for the info about the Clomid. I just called my insurance company and was informed that they cover absolutely nothing to do with treatment of infertility, only diagnosis. Yay. So I suppose I will go through this one last level check for my progesterone and then figure out what we are going to do.

Thanks again everybody

 

[JGator]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Prana, if you are in the US, you can get Clomid at WalMart for a very low price. I can't remember how much - MP may be able to chime in - I think she got hers there. I have insurance coverage so it was super cheap out of pocket for me. I did have to pay out of pocket once when insurance was pre-approving me, and it might have been $20 at CVS for 10 pills to cover 5 days. I think though at Wal-Mart, it's only $5 or $10 without any insurance.

Dandi, we put an offer in on a Toyota Avalon. We are also still considering a Camry and 2 different Volvo sedans. And, yes, my AF did shorten to about 3-4 days from 5-6 when I went off BCP. I do think the first couple days were heavier than they were on BCP though.

Jen, sounds like you have a ton of follies in great shape. I'm sure you will end up with a great amount of eggs to work with for IVF. Are you planning to freeze any embryos if you have a lot more than you need like LIzzy did? Do you know how many you will implant/put in? Not sure of the terminology. Keep us posted. And, wow! 2 Ovidrel shots! You are a trooper. Try not to stress too much. I'm sure your RE knows what he/she is doing and you won't ovulate prior to your retrieval. Keep us posted and I'm sending good egg making vibes your way.

AFM, I hate Mondays. So, tired. Not up for work this week. 4 days till the ultrasound! Something to look forward to. Hope all is well with everyone out there!

 

[monkeyprincess]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Prana, just to let you know, my insurance doesn't provide any infertility coverage whatsoever, not even for diagnosis. We've probably spent about $2000-2500 in diagnosis and treatment. That said, clomid is very inexpensive. I think if you get it at Walmart, it is only $7-8 or something like that. Also, even if your doctor doesn't believe that supplementing progesterone is worthwhile, I think it will be useful to know whether you have adequate progesterone on 7DPO, because that can give you a clue as to whether you have adequate follicular development. They are all intertwined. I know it is hard waiting and not having very good answers at this point, but I really do think your prospects for getting a BFP are very good Prana based on everything you've said. Lots of dust.

Jen, I'm very excited for you for tomorrow. Sounds like things are going wonderfully. Just trust that your doctors have the timing down right and they know what they are doing. In the meantime, I'll be sending you anti-early ovulation dust!

JGator, glad things are going well for you. I would think with your betas, a singleton is likely, but you just never know! Can't wait to hear how your ultrasound goes on Friday! (Looks like we were writing at the same time )

MLK, if I remember correctly I O'd a little earlier my first cycle off of BC, and then it started to gradually increase a bit. I really do think it takes a few months to establish patterns.

Bright, I really hope your cycle returns sooner rather than later!

Sending dust to all of you others - Dandi, Tammy, enbcfsobe, and Firecracker!

 

[Prana]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Thanks again JGator and MP. I appreaciate all your support. Thanks for letting me know about the Clomid pricing too.