List your Queer TTC Success Story ! - Page 2

[CI Mama]

Age: starting trying at age 36; got pregnant & gave birth at age 38

What TTC strategy did you chose (Traditional,IVI, IUI, IVF, etc.)? IUI

How many tries (months) before success: 7 tries over 15-month period

How did you time your Insem ?:Looked at cervix, OPK, estradiol test, successful round used HCG & I think that was critical to actually getting pregnant.

Type of sperm used (frozen, KD...etc.): frozen

How many Insem's did you do on your successful cycle ?: 2

Diagnosis or any known issues: Had a uterine fibroid removed about halfway through the whole process.

Meds used ?: Tried Clomid for a few rounds, but my body always over-reacted and I had too many ripe follicles and so couldn't inseminate. Took estradiol a few rounds too...I have no idea what that did for me. The round that I got pregnant, I did HCG before 2 inseminations. I think timing was the big issue for me all along and the HCG finally did the trick.

Symptoms or issues during 2WW: None.

Did you use any feretility-enhancing tricks: Gave up coffee, cut back on all caffeine, did some acupuncture, mostly spent a lot of time trying not to freak out.

What DPO you got your BFP: I no longer remember exactly. It was about 2 weeks later.

Number of babies: 1

Anything else you would have wanted to know before you started this process: We tried 3 rounds at home with frozen sperm before finding a helpful nurse pracitioner and doing IUI at the clinic. I wish I'd just gone right to the clinic...those first tries were so stressful and we really had no idea what we were doing. Also, for me the emotional journey was about 1000 times more intense than I ever expected. Things really got better for me when I spent as much time/effort/resources attending to my emotional/spiritual needs as I was spending charting a bunch of physical processes.

[osker]

I guess we never did this.. So, here goes:

Age: 31, 32 now
What TTC strategy did you chose (Traditional,IVI, IUI, IVF, etc.)? IUI
How many tries (months) before success: 12 (over 3 years)
How did you time your Insem ?: 14 hrs post OPK+
Type of sperm used (frozen, KD...etc.): frozen anon
How many Insem's did you do on your successful cycle ?: one
Diagnosis or any known issues: none
Meds used ?: none
Symptoms or issues during 2WW: cramps starting at 8dpo -ongoing
nausea briefly at 10dpo
Did you use any feretility-enhancing tricks: nope
What DPO you got your BFP: 12, very, very faint.. 13dpo dark +++
Number of babies: 1
Anything else you would have wanted to know before you started this process: some days it is exhilarating, other days it feels like crap. probably a good prep for parenthood!

[Forthwith]

Age: 29
What TTC strategy did you chose (Traditional,IVI, IUI, IVF, etc.)? IUI
How many tries (months) before success: Worked the first try!
How did you time your Insem?: I used OPK tests and paid attention to my body's fertile signs. The cycle we inseminated, I actually got a negative OPK when I tested in the morning, but every other sign was go, so I ended up testing again at lunch (the first time I had ever done that!), and the lunchtime OPK was positive. I was inseminated almost exactly 24 hours later.
Type of sperm used (frozen, KD...etc.): Frozen
How many Insem's did you do on your successful cycle ?: One
Diagnosis or any known issues: None
Meds used ?: None
Symptoms or issues during 2WW: It was strange and hard to describe - I could feel my uterus, in the same way that you can feel when you have a full bladder. Also, coffee smelled like poison
Did you use any fertility-enhancing tricks: I ate lots of fresh pineapple post-insemination, and when I got sick right after my BFP, I avoided anything I thought might boost my immune system.
What DPO you got your BFP: 12dpo, but it was very faint until 14dpo
Number of babies: One
Anything else you would have wanted to know before you started this process: I cannot stress enough how important a good post-thaw motile sperm count is. We paid a lot of attention to this when choosing the donor, and I think that it's a good part of how I got pregnant so fast.

[kythryne]

My story is a bit odd, because my partner had fully transitioned (MtF, non-op) years before we decided to try to have a baby. I really didn't want to use a donor, and she wanted a biological connection with our child, so she opted to go off hormones. She ended up identifying as genderqueer after that, but that's another story...

Age: 32 (partner is 29)

What TTC strategy did you chose (Traditional,IVI, IUI, IVF, etc.)? Initially, we went at things the very old-fashioned way. Then there was one IUI before we moved onto IVF, which was what finally worked.

How many tries (months) before success: Four years, trying every single cycle.

How did you time your Insem ?: I started with simple charting, moved on to OPKs after a while. The IVF cycle was of course tightly monitored and there was a trigger shot to kick off ovulation prior to the egg retrieval.

Type of sperm used (frozen, KD...etc.): See above about partner!

Diagnosis or any known issues: I have severe PCOS and a very short luteal phase. My partner had no sperm for quite some time after stopping hormones, then low counts, and then poor motility once things got back to normal.

Meds used ?: I did four cycles of Clomid before the IVF. For the IVF cycle, I was on Gonal-F, Menopur, Lupron, and of course, the hcg trigger shot at the end. Followed by progesterone suppositories from the day of the retrieval right up until now (I'm about to start tapering off).

Symptoms or issues during 2WW: Literally from the moment I got home after the embryo transfer, I was utterly exhausted... and my cats insisted on sleeping on my belly! The day I got my positive test, I woke up feeling a ton of stretching, pulling sensations in my pelvic region, which was actually what caused me to give in and test early.

Did you use any fertility-enhancing tricks: Acupuncture, which seemed to mostly help with the stress and occasionally got my cycle a little closer to normal.

What DPO you got your BFP: 11dp3dt... so 14dpo.

Number of babies: Just one!

[Coco99]

Age: DP is now 33

What TTC strategy did you chose (Traditional,IVI, IUI, IVF, etc.)? IUI

How many tries (months) before success: 10 tries over 2 and a half years. But I think it would have been less if the clinic had been proactive and investigated earlier. We got pregnant on our second clomid cycle.

How did you time your Insem ?: Opk's at first but they stopped working so for our successful cycle, we used Ultrasounds and trigger shot

Type of sperm used (frozen, KD...etc.): Frozen

How many Insem's did you do on your successful cycle ?: 2 at minus 12 and + 12 hours around O (supposedly)

Diagnosis or any known issues: DP seems to ovulate immature eggs so clomid helped with that. Her LP was also a little short.

Meds used ?: Clomid and trigger shot

Symptoms or issues during 2WW: DP got gastro around 10 DPO when she is usually very resistant to illness. Temp went way down and then went back up at 14 DPO.

Did you use any feretility-enhancing tricks: Well, DP had been taking a B vitamin complex for our last 5 tries. it helped lenghten her LP

What DPO you got your BFP: 15 DPO. We didnt test earlier.

Number of babies: It's twin GIRLS !

Anything else you would have wanted to know before you started this process: Its long and tough and very very costly lol. But its worth it. Oh... and you dont stop worrying after you are successful TTCing lol. Pregnancy is worry after worry too !

[TheGirls]

We have had two pregnancies, my pregnancy (which resulted in our now 2yo) and DP's pregnancy. She is currently pregnant with twins, due in December. I was 26 when I conceived, DP was 29.

What TTC strategy did you chose (Traditional,IVI, IUI, IVF, etc.)?

Me: vaginal insemination at home
DP: vaginal insemination at home, followed by IUI at the OB's office

How many tries (months) before success:

Me: one
DP: 8 vaginal inseminations at home, 1 IUI cycle

How did you time your Insem ?:
me: went way overkill and did 4 seperate insems, starting from when i got my positive OPK, about every 8 hrs.

DP: varied, but the successful cycle was an IUI about 6hrs after her postive OPK and a vaginal insem at home about 10hrs after the postive OPK

Type of sperm used (frozen, KD...etc.):

Both: frozen, IUI ready (washed) sperm from an anonymous donor.

How many Insem's did you do on your successful cycle ?:

Me: 4. Overkill, but it worked.
DP: 2 - one vaginal, one IUI

Diagnosis or any known issues:

None, for either of us

Meds used ?:

None

Symptoms or issues during 2WW:

None

Did you use any feretility-enhancing tricks:

I drank FertiliTea, DP did as well for the first 4 or 5 tries, then stopped.

What DPO you got your BFP:

Me: 9dpo (faint)
DP: 15dpo (first test)

Number of babies:

Me: one
DP: two

Anything else you would have wanted to know before you started this process:
That DP's family tends to make twins would've been valuable, but we were pretty well informed otherwise.

[simoneVT]

Originally Posted by carmen358

Age: 38 when I conceived - 39 at birth

What TTC strategy did you chose (Traditional,IVI, IUI, IVF, etc.)?
IVI @ home

How many tries (months) before success:
Chemical pregnancy 1st month, BFP 2nd and 3rd try (2 miscarriages - 9.5wks and 5wks), BFP 7th try (healthy baby girl born Dec. 30, 2009!)

How did you time your Insem ?:
Cervical mucus and opks. Also, had been tracking/temping cycles for almost a year before TTC and I had pretty regular cycles. Did first insem on first day of fertile cm, continued every day/second day until temp went up. Used OPKs to pinpoint O more accurately but relied on cm more.

Type of sperm used (frozen, KD...etc.):
Fresh, KD

How many Insem's did you do on your successful cycle ?:
3 times

Diagnosis or any known issues:
None that I know of.

Meds used ?:
None. But after my 2nd miscarriage, I did have weekly acupuncture specifically for fertility and chinese herbs until my next BFP (about 3 months).

Symptoms or issues during 2WW:
I "felt" pregnant each time. Not sure how to describe it. "Full" feeling. Whenever I had more symptoms but didn't "feel" it, I always got a BFN.

Did you use any feretility-enhancing tricks:
Not sure if it is considered a trick but I did consume a whole pineapple after inseminating.

What DPO you got your BFP:
10DPO for the last BFP

Number of babies:
1!

Anything else you would have wanted to know before you started this process:
That miscarriages (for no "real" reason) are super common - no one talks about them though. Acupuncture is amazing and the best TTC thing I did!

Thank you for this! Yes, your reminder to tend to the spiritual journey is a good one.

[marielizabeth]

Age: 28

What TTC strategy did you chose (Traditional,IVI, IUI, IVF, etc.)? First at-home with KD, then IUI with frozen, then IVF

How many tries (months) before success: 11 inseminations/embryo transfers

How did you time your Insem ?: fertility monitor, OPKs, mucous, cervical appearance for known-donor at-homes, ultrasound and trigger shot for IUIs and IVF.

Type of sperm used (frozen, KD...etc.): KD then frozen willing-to-be-known

How many Insem's did you do on your successful cycle ?:it was IVF, we transferred 4 embryos

Diagnosis or any known issues: anovulatory cycles, ovulation disorder (not PCOS, but some of the same symptoms)

Meds used ?: the golden IVF cycle was with Cetrotide and then FSH and progesterone suppositories (Cetrotide works well for women who tend to hyperstimulate)

Symptoms or issues during 2WW: I stopped wanting to eat sweet things, but, honestly, nothing felt any more "different" than any other time

Did you use any fertility-enhancing tricks: tried acupuncture, herbs, tea, yoga, meditation, therapy . . . it was all good for me, but it was the IVF that got me pregnant

What DPO you got your BFP: 14, in the doctor's office. I will never forget it.

Number of babies: one, but there was a blood clot and a lot of horrifying bleeding the first trimester, and we think it was related to a very early miscarry of #2

Anything else you would have wanted to know before you started this process: most importantly, that it would end, that there would be a child somehow, some way, at the end of all this, and it would not feel like this forever. also: 1) sometimes you see the good effects of Clomid the month after you take it; 2) if you have PCOS or a related disorder, you're more likely to have breastfeeding problems -- have a good lactation consultant's number at the ready!
Going through all of this actually will make you a better parent! It's true!

[citygirl144]

Age: I'm 30, my DP (who is carrying) is 33 and will be 34 at her EDD

What TTC strategy did you chose (Traditional,IVI, IUI, IVF, etc.)? At home vaginal inseminations, Fresh sperm with a known donor

How many tries (months) before success: We conceived on the first try, to our absolute amazement

How did you time your Insem ?: We inseminated 3 evenings in a row on CD 14, 15, 16...we believe she o'd on 16. Our KD's volume was really small by the 2nd and 3rd night and if it hadn't worked we would have switched to a every other day strategy the next month and figured out how to get him to increase volume through greater arousal etc.

Type of sperm used (frozen, KD...etc.): Fresh/KD

How many Insem's did you do on your successful cycle ?: three

Diagnosis or any known issues: No reproductive issues but DP has a lot of issues with poor immune system that we worried would interfere with conception. She also had a slightly short luteal phase corrected ahead of time through acupuncture and fertility tea.

Meds used ?: TCM, acupuncture

Symptoms or issues during 2WW: DP was really forgetful. We went to a wedding at a coastal resort in georgia in June and she forgot to think of packing a bathing suit.

Did you use any feretility-enhancing tricks: Acupuncture and TCM. A special diet to help her immune system but also helped fertility (no sugar, dairy, wheat). Supplements, including a prenatal. Lots of fertility tea from the Maia clinic. DP stayed laying down for the rest of the nights after the insems and with hips elevated for a long time (hour or so...i'm sure this was overkill but it worked!). We also used the ovacue fertility monitor and it was so, so worth the expense. We hated the OPK kits and temp taking, and her cervical mucus was scant so that was a bust. the ovacue saved us. We gave our KD a fertility supplement for men.

What DPO you got your BFP: CD 12 or 13 (i can't remember now). It was negative before that.

Number of babies: One due in February

Anything else you would have wanted to know before you started this process: I can't believe how lucky we got (so far, knock on wood). The folks on this board are incredibly helpful and generous with their wisdom, even to those of us who aren't frequent posters. The process leading up to insemination was multi-year and involved lots of stressful decisions and issues relating to donor choices and known donor issues; which one of us would go first (it is still stressful and challenging for me to be the non-bio mom); etc. I also have to say that because i had spent years reading all the TTC blogs etc I was convinced it would take us forever to conceive so i was pretty blown away by how fast it was.

[2moms3kids]

Age: DD1 - 23, DD2 - 26, Baby3 - 29


What TTC strategy did you chose (Traditional,IVI, IUI, IVF, etc.)?
DD1 - office IUI, no meds
DD2 - office IUI, clomid
Baby3 - home IUI, no meds

How many tries (months) before success:
DD1- 1 month (me)
DD2 - 7 months (first clomid cycle got BFP) (DW)
Baby3 - DW did many IUIs with meds and finally 2 failed IVF cycles. Once she gave up, I did 1 home IUI and got a BFP!

How did you time your Insem:
With meds - did an ultrasound and trigger....then IUI 36 hours later.
Without meds - Waited for a positive OPK and then did the IUI 24 hours later

Type of sperm used: frozen - anonymous donor (each child has a different one)


How many Insem's did you do on your successful cycle ?: 1 each time

Diagnosis or any known issues: None

Meds used ?: DW did clomid, injectibles and finally 2 rounds of IVF (then insurance ran out)

Symptoms or issues during 2WW: Felt pregnant

Did you use any feretility-enhancing tricks: Cut out caffeine, upped B vitamins

What DPO you got your BFP:
DD1: 14 DPO
DD2: 13 DPO
Baby3 - 11DPO

Number of babies: 1

[wehrli]

well, i just entered the second trimester so i guess it's time for me to do this...

Age: 30, will be 31 when the babe is born (DP is 30, will be 30)
What TTC strategy did you chose (Traditional,IVI, IUI, IVF, etc.)? we choose to do IVI at home... after 6 unsucessful tries, 2 vials per cycle; (one year after my preconception appt) we got infertility coverage and moved to IUI with the RE.
How many tries (months) before success: after 6 IVIs at home, we got pg the first IUI with RE (ended in m/c) waited 3 cycles, got pg with second IUI
How did you time your Insem ?: a total of 8
Type of sperm used (frozen, KD...etc.): frozen
How many Insem's did you do on your successful cycle ?: one IUI, 36 hrs post trigger
Diagnosis or any known issues: possible PCOS
Meds used ?: clomid 5 out of 8 tries (my lining was getting thin, too)
Symptoms or issues during 2WW: first and most subtle Sx was some nasal issues. i didn't even think anything of it until after the BFP! i had sore BBs at 10-11DPO but not more sore than they always got, then the day of my beta (12DPO) i got most of the Sx, frequent urination and BBs feeling like they were on "fire" being the most prominent! holy cow!!
Did you use any feretility-enhancing tricks: EPO CD1-O, pineapple O-5DPO,
What DPO you got your BFP: 12DPO, beta was 72... i have yet to POAS!
Number of babies: 1
Anything else you would have wanted to know before you started this process: like ppl have said, i wish i would have known how long it would take... and how successful i'd be at IUI! if we would have only started with that... for baby #2 we will be trying to go straight to IUI!!

[kelly]

A bit more nontraditional than most, I'm afraid...

Age:
Started TTC at age 31
Preg #1 - 35
Preg #2 - 41
What TTC strategy did you chose (Traditional,IVI, IUI, IVF, etc.)?
Started with OPKs and IUI's, progressed to clomid, then to injectables and triggers with ultrasounds, laparoscopic exam and hysteroscopy, next to IVF with my own eggs TWICE with one pg and miscarriage, then to DONOR eggs for both successful pg
How many tries (months) before success:
Not months, years. 11 IUI cycles, two IVF cycles with my eggs, two IVF cycles with donor eggs
How did you time your Insem ?:
OPKs
Type of sperm used (frozen, KD...etc.):
Frozen, unknown donors (different one for each pg)
How many Insem's did you do on your successful cycle ?:
IVF with donor eggs - one try each time
Diagnosis or any known issues:
"Unknown infertility" - suspect premature ovarian failure
Meds used ?:
You name it, I had it. Clomid, hCG, lupron, gonadotropins, progesterone, estrogen, probably more but it's all a blur now
Symptoms or issues during 2WW:
Bloating, similar to pre-AF, but nothing that said pg except that "feeling" in my head that said something wonderful was happening
Did you use any feretility-enhancing tricks:
See above
What DPO you got your BFP:
Trying to remember... Preg #1 ~12 dpo, Preg #2 ~10 dpo
Number of babies:
Preg #1 - Started with 3 babies, only 2 live births (twins)
Preg #2 - One
Anything else you would have wanted to know before you started this process: I would have liked to have skipped the 11 IUI cycles that delayed things for so long for us prior to our first full term pg, and I would have liked to have had someone who had similar problems to talk to. This was the hardest thing I have ever done, one of the most expensive things I have ever done, yet the most rewarding thing I have ever done.

[gumshoegirl007]

Age: 32 (will be 33 when the baby is born, DW is 30)

What TTC strategy did you chose (Traditional, IVI, IUI, IVF, etc.)? We opted to use a known donor and inseminate at home. It was fresh sperm, an artichoke jar and a syringe for IVI.

How many tries (months) before success: We got pregnant our very first month.

How did you time your Insem ?: We used OPKs, cervical mucus, cervical monitoring and temping.

Type of sperm used (frozen, KD...etc.): Fresh, known donor.

How many Insem's did you do on your successful cycle ?: We inseminated 3 times over 4 days - CD14, 15 and 17. We had a positive OPK on CD15 and FF indicated ovulation on the CD16. I'm pretty sure it was the very first insem on CD14 that did it. It felt so different from the other two times.

Diagnosis or any known issues: None. Although charting indicated alternating cycles of 26 and 30 days. I was concerned that my luteal phase would be too short. We did our first attempt on a 30 day cycle and I ovulated 2 days earlier than usual.

Meds used ?: None.

Symptoms or issues during 2WW: The way I mostly felt different, and I understand that this isn’t a common pregnancy symptom (or even one at all), was indigestion. I burped an awful lot and my stomach was bloated/hard with lots of gurgling and general discomfort. My breasts were tender, on and off, but not much different from PMS (actually, not as bad). Queasiness, but we were in the middle of a heat wave. A few dizzy spells, but again we were in a heat wave.

Did you use any fertility-enhancing tricks: I was on a good sleep, low stress, lots of exercise, no caffeine regime.

What DPO you got your BFP: We POAS at 12DPO.

Number of babies: 1 (thank goodness!)

Anything else you would have wanted to know before you started this process: This is our first pregnancy, but third child. We have two children now ages 12 and 15 that we adopted nearly 4 years ago. Given everything that I had read, I really did expect getting pregnant to take a longer time, to involve more heartache, and to be more challenging. I pushed up our baby timetable because of my growing concerns with fertility and age. I’m so happy that we got pregnant when we did, and as easily as we did. I only wish we were a bit more financially prepared than we are due to some unanticipated expenses that will impact my mat leave and make the next five years a bit more challenging for the entire family than they have to be.