***Bitter Sushi Ladies February 2011 Thread***

[rcr]

 Welcome to the February Thread 

This is a thread for those who have been TTC for a long time, whether 6 months, 12 months, or more. At this point many of us are at or past 1 or 2 years, many have had losses, many are dealing with various forms of infertility, and some are just in a waiting period until they can TTC again.

The name? Well, all things considered we tend to be a little bitter sometimes. So read with care. And due to everything, our emotions run a little raw like sushi. Too many cycles of BFN and CD1 sushi & sake to console ourselves. This TTC business is something that seems to "just happen" for so many...but we just can't seem to get it right. So this is where we can be together, share and express anything.

Current Bitter Sushi Ladies

abstract

33, and DH (36), TTC (his #2, my #1) off-and-on since November 2006

~AA~

Trying with DH since Feb 2008, on Clomid

amo4piano

TTC #1 since Jan 2010, one m/c at 10.5 weeks

Attached2Elijah

Hoping for #3 for 4 years and 3 months with 6 months hard TTC (charting, etc) after previous unexplained secondary infertility.

blueyezz4

TTC #1 (technically #4-long story) since 2006; Moving on to our first FET after 5 failed IUI's and 1 IVF

borobaby

TTC #2 for 7 months

collieflower

TTC #2 for 2 years, with 4 m/c (and another before DC#1)

enigo

Has one beautiful son, trying to conceive after three losses

grahnola mum

TTC #2 since December 2008, with 7 losses, 6 weeks pg and hoping that it will stick.

inwaiting

TTC #1 for 14 months, with one ectopic.

indianagirl

36, TTC for a little over two years onto IUI and clomid

jenger

Mama to DD (4/07) TTC #2 since August 2009.

jennabella

TTC #2 since July 2009, with a loss in February 2010 and a loss in July 2010

justhinkn

TTC #2 since summer 2009, just starting IF testing with DH

keria

TTC #1 since October 2008.

kgulbransen

TTC since April 2010, 5 IUIs & 1 at home with frozen, all using HCG trigger; 5 at home insems with fresh donor, latest one Jan (try#11). Short luteal phase, otherwise all clear, have tried Femara and Clomid with no success. On to IVF in April??

kinza

TTC #1 since November 2008, with PCOS and Male Factor

kparker

TTC #1 since 9/08 with male factor, IUI #1 with donor sperm Feb 2011

Kyamo

TTC#1 since Jan 2010 (with PCOS)

laggie

TTC #1 since Fall 2009 with male factor issues

lapis

TTC #1 since August 2008. Living in a new country with a calmer lifestyle and trying not to get sucked into the TTC vacuum

lavatea

Has two lovely children, 6 and 3. Lost #3 at 18 weeks last November. Lost #4 pretty much right away, 4w6d in March. Lost #5 at 6w3d this past June

lilmom

35, ttc #2 for a year and a half with pcos and rarely ovulating

littlest birds

TTC for 16+ months after VR

luminesce

TTC #2 since 4/2010 after 3 years of unexplained infertility with #1

mahnamahna

Mama to 1 amazing son, TTC #2 for one year, natural parenting blogger

millefleur

34, happily unmarried to my beloved DP since 2005. Started TTC our first in Summer 2008. Nine week miscarriage December 2008. TTC again since June 2009 without interventions

miriam bat avraham

J (28) & DH (35), TTC #1 since December 2008. Currently trying Clomid & IUI

MommyMatsumoto

TTC #2 since 3/2010

monkeyscience

26, TTC #1 w/ PCOS since 6/2010

musicoholic

Stop-start TTC#2 since April '06; no known fertility issues

mrs.nap515

TTC #1 with DH. Hormone deficiencies and hypothalmic amenorrhea.

Objet_Trouve

TTC #1 since Jan 2010 with PCOS

rcr

TTC #2 since 12/2007, one loss in September 2010, one failed IVF in February 2011

silverbird

ttc #1 since June 2010, after a two year delay for illness.  Waiting for IVF. 

SimplyRochelle

TTC #1 on and off since 5/2007, m/c at 12 weeks 9/08.

Smilesarefree

36 year old mom of one wonderful dd trying for another since April 2010

sweet.bee

TTC #2 with late ovulation and an overworked husband

sweetest77

38 y/o, TTC #3 since May 09, after VR

tara2

TTC #4 (#2 for DH) since October 2009, DH with low count

TTC3Years

TTC #1 for since December of ‘06

ZanneMom

TTC#2 for more than 12 months

 In our thoughts, on hold, and/or waiting 

BelovedK

Mama of 2 (15yo DS, 10yo DD). Wife to one incredible man. Residing in Central VA. TTC someone new since November 2008 with 2 m/c (Feb/09 and Jul/09). An avid bellydancer and firedancer, who works part time doing hair, and who is giving her loving energy nowadays more toward her DH than TTC

mi_dawn

lost baby William (born still 4/09) and two m/c in 09.

Milk8shake

26, TTC #1 since 4/09. Battling endo, uterine abnormality and recurrent pregnancy loss. Awaiting results before taking the next step, whatever that may be...

 BSL BFPs!!! Stick little babies, stick, stick, stick... 

Jane - due 10/3/2011

slylives - due 6/2011

Tear78 - due 8/4/2011

Maurine - due 8/2/2011

CLH_X3 - due 7/13/11

kalamos23

xtara2003x - due 5/5/10

jenniferadurham - Due 4/2011

nanette56 - Due 4/2011 with twins!

babygrey - Due 4/2011

grapesbunch

finnegansmom - Due 2/11

barefootgirl - Due 12/10

rachwms - Due 11/10

 BSL BABIES 

jessica_s - Asher Kingston 1/20/11 

QBear'sMama - Jack Everett 12/17/10!

kellyttc#1 - Hilary & Charlotte 11/11/10!

YummyYumYumMama - Kieran 10/27/10!

lyndzies - Cadence James 10/15/10!

Carlyle - Maggie 10/9/10!

aidanraynesmom - Sloan Phoenix 9/10!

MaerynPearl - Maeryn Jean 9/27/10!

colorbywords - Emery Oaklynn 8/03/10!

LZP - Anna Veronica 7/18/10!

Pinoikoi - Ursula Marisol 6/23/10!

Lisko15 - Caleb Benjamin 6/24/10!

LINK to our graduates thread - New Year 2011 Edition!

Please let the threadkeeper know if your info needs to be updated.

New ladies are always welcome, but please join with care.

Please put all notes for changes or additions to this post in bold because the threadkeeper is doing IVF this cycle, so she may not be keeping up very often.

Edited by rcr - 2/26/11 at 4:00pm

[lavatea]

Subbing post. TWW sucks.

ETA - Thanks for taking care of the thread, rcr. Good luck this cycle!!

[BelovedK]

Ugh, heavy start to af. Otoh, I think my coworker must've gotten a BFN because she is quiet about it now, and I know her test date was last Saturday.

[rcr]

Sorry Beloved. Sorry you are feeling sad lately. I have been listening, just not posting much. I think you are really wonderful and interesting and I love reading about your 365 project and seeing your tarot posts on FB. I wish I had something useful to say that would help you, but I don't. Sometimes when I have a stupid answer to somebody asking when we are having another baby (I usually answer something to the effect that I will have a baby when they start to count as journal articles for tenure) I think of you and how you just put it out there and are so open, and wish I could do that.

[rcr]

Oh, and did I mention to you all that I actually gave myself a shot... lots of them - 6 total now. I have two more tonight. Never thought I could actually poke myself with a needle in the tummy, I am actually kinda proud that I was able to do it.

Oh, and if I am a suckey threadkeeper this month, I apologize in advance. My excuse is that I am busy with IVF stuff.

[BelovedK]

I'm so excited for you, rcr You are due a little threadkeeper's luck!

Thank you for the kind things you said

Is it evil of me to want to ask my coworker how the pregnancy is going? (really, I wouldn't do something so mean) (but I would think about it)

[Kinza]

Originally Posted by BelovedK 

I'm so excited for you, rcr You are due a little threadkeeper's luck!

Thank you for the kind things you said

Is it evil of me to want to ask my coworker how the pregnancy is going? (really, I wouldn't do something so mean) (but I would think about it)

  I would think about it, too.  And also, depending on how insufferable she was last month, I might actually say it out loud. 

Jane, I missed saying it last thread, but yay for your ultrasound!  I send to you.

rcr:  Thanks for the new thread, and I really hope you get your threadkeepers luck.    And you're very brave with the shots.

AFM:  I'm about 6 DPO, I think.  We're kind of at a standstill until we can figure out a time for DH to do his next SA.  It has to be at home this time, and the place doing it only has appointments during business hours three days a week.  WTH.  People need SA's during evening hours and weekends, too.  It's a terrible time for him to miss work right now, so I don't know what we'll do.  Blah.

[miriam_bat_avraham]

...

Edited by miriam_bat_avraham - 4/22/13 at 6:34pm

[Kyamo]

Originally Posted by miriam_bat_avraham 

That sucks now some clinics are never open. Mine's open literally every single day, even on holidays, even with the crazy weather and all the "quick, shut everything down!!!" with schools and businesses and government stuff... they're just always open. I have an ultrasound scheduled for 8:30am on Sunday. How do people do IUIs and IVF with a limited schedule???

AFM, I had an ultrasound today at CD 11. Two follicles over 10mm-- a 13mm one and an 11.5mm one. Both on the RIGHT ovary! I have never, ever, ever in all my ultrasounds had any real activity going on over there. So of course I'm convinced that that's the magic ovary and this is going to be The Cycle. Hmm, this road looks familiar... have I been down here before?  I go back on Sunday to check again. Fingers crossed for TWINSIES!  I like to aim high.

DH told me that he wants to come with me for my IUI this time. I told him it's not really much of a "procedure," but he said it wasn't because he thought I would be lonely or need support because obviously I've done this before, but because he thought maybe, if he was there too, it would be like a family event and not me just having to go off and "do treatment" and maybe both of us there, together, would give us a little magic. He is the sweetest guy on the planet, I swear. 

I think all places that do IUI and IVF have to be open daily, at least mine is, though their weekend hours are less. But when we did the SA, that was before I was referred to this clinic for IUI, so it was just a requisition form we had to take to a blood lab that would do SAs. And although blood labs are almost all open 7 days a week, out of the ones that do SA, many only do it on weekdays during certain hours. I must have phoned like 6 places before I found one that would do SA on Saturday. Maybe this is the type of situation Kinza is facing?

I hope your DH is right about it being magic if he is there. Since this IUI was in the middle of a snowstorm, DH had permission to work from home that day, so he came with me this time (I did the last one alone). Good luck.

I went to the yarn store tonight for the knitting group, and I was talking to one lady there. The topic came up in a weird way by chance, but it turns out she also had issues with rare/irregular ovulation similar to mine although not PCOS, and conceived her daughter with clomid. They tried for a 2nd but ended up giving up after 6 years. Then when her daughter was 11, she ended up surprise pregnant. Since she was used to not having a period for 3-4 months at a time, she didn't realise it until she was 5 months pregnant! So now she has a 14 yr old and a 3 yr old. This is the first time I've met someone in real life that went through something similar and really understands. So that was nice.

[Kinza]

Originally Posted by Kyamo 

Originally Posted by miriam_bat_avraham 

That sucks now some clinics are never open. Mine's open literally every single day, even on holidays, even with the crazy weather and all the "quick, shut everything down!!!" with schools and businesses and government stuff... they're just always open. I have an ultrasound scheduled for 8:30am on Sunday. How do people do IUIs and IVF with a limited schedule???

AFM, I had an ultrasound today at CD 11. Two follicles over 10mm-- a 13mm one and an 11.5mm one. Both on the RIGHT ovary! I have never, ever, ever in all my ultrasounds had any real activity going on over there. So of course I'm convinced that that's the magic ovary and this is going to be The Cycle. Hmm, this road looks familiar... have I been down here before?  I go back on Sunday to check again. Fingers crossed for TWINSIES!  I like to aim high.

DH told me that he wants to come with me for my IUI this time. I told him it's not really much of a "procedure," but he said it wasn't because he thought I would be lonely or need support because obviously I've done this before, but because he thought maybe, if he was there too, it would be like a family event and not me just having to go off and "do treatment" and maybe both of us there, together, would give us a little magic. He is the sweetest guy on the planet, I swear. 

I think all places that do IUI and IVF have to be open daily, at least mine is, though their weekend hours are less. But when we did the SA, that was before I was referred to this clinic for IUI, so it was just a requisition form we had to take to a blood lab that would do SAs. And although blood labs are almost all open 7 days a week, out of the ones that do SA, many only do it on weekdays during certain hours. I must have phoned like 6 places before I found one that would do SA on Saturday. Maybe this is the type of situation Kinza is facing?

I hope your DH is right about it being magic if he is there. Since this IUI was in the middle of a snowstorm, DH had permission to work from home that day, so he came with me this time (I did the last one alone). Good luck.

I went to the yarn store tonight for the knitting group, and I was talking to one lady there. The topic came up in a weird way by chance, but it turns out she also had issues with rare/irregular ovulation similar to mine although not PCOS, and conceived her daughter with clomid. They tried for a 2nd but ended up giving up after 6 years. Then when her daughter was 11, she ended up surprise pregnant. Since she was used to not having a period for 3-4 months at a time, she didn't realise it until she was 5 months pregnant! So now she has a 14 yr old and a 3 yr old. This is the first time I've met someone in real life that went through something similar and really understands. So that was nice.

Yes, the SA is at an andrology lab, and he has to have an appointment, because a person has to be available to run the sample as soon as it's dropped off.  I can understand needing an appointment, but really, only Monday through Wednesday, old-school bankers' hours.  It seems a bit ridiculous.  The fertility clinic is open five days a week, plus appointments for IUIs and IVFs on Saturdays, plus appointments for IVFs on Sunday.  I haven't figured out why no IUIs on Sundays.  Kentucky is not the place to be infertile, ladies.

Good luck with IUIs, ladies!  And, Kyamo, that is an awesome story about the lady in the knitting group.  It gives me hope.

[lilmom]

rcr - For the record I think you are super tough. I am terrified of shots! Of course, if I get to that point, I will deal with it, somehow.

mba - Your DH is a sweetheart! I love what he said! And maybe it will make the magic happen!!! Yay for that right ovary!

kinza - I hope you can get an appointment fast! Sorry for all the difficulties.

beloved - I would think about asking her too. But I wouldn't do it. I would just think of it. Well, probably.

AFM, my chart is so crazy, but I think I *may* be 8 dpo now? But, I am not really sure, because temps are crazy, and not normal for me to have them be so erratic after O, plus no sore bbs. But, we'll see.. Also, couldn't get my acupuncture rescheduled until the 24th, and then found out my babysitter can't do it at the time I scheduled for. Argh. So, now I'm trying to reschedule yet again. I'm so close! Yet so far!

[Sweet.Bee]

Hi, everyone! I'm feeling optimistic for a lot of you, esp. rcr with her upcoming IVF. 

I'm on CD10 and started spotting again (after 2 days w/o bleeding/spotting). It's almost enough to be "light" even, but not quite. I don't know what's going on. I've had this 1 or 2 times before, and it's just weird. And I often have many days of spotting after real flow has stopped. Does anyone know what prolonged spotting after the end of a period could mean? Or spotting, then nothing for a few days, then spotting again? It's really discouraging. 

Here's my chart:

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2e2172

[Kyamo]

Forgot to say, thanks for the new thread rcr. I can take it next month if no one else wants it.

SweetBee - not that I am an expert, but I thought that spotting BEFORE your period can indicate low progesterone or LP issue, but spotting after your period was normal and no big deal. When you say "prolonged" how long do you mean? Like what CD is the last day of spotting?

ETA: I looked at your chart. CD 10? I don't think I would be really worried about that, but again, not an expert.

[amo4piano]

DH told me that he wants to come with me for my IUI this time. I told him it's not really much of a "procedure," but he said it wasn't because he thought I would be lonely or need support because obviously I've done this before, but because he thought maybe, if he was there too, it would be like a family event and not me just having to go off and "do treatment" and maybe both of us there, together, would give us a little magic. He is the sweetest guy on the planet, I swear. 

YOU ARE LOVED! :) This is so sweet...Good luck to you! :)

Looks like I am not ovulating this month, ladies :( I'm on day 20 and nothing. (I have a 29-day cycle). SO disappointed, especially after seeing the slightest glimpse of EWCF this month (a rarety for me since the m/c!). *sigh* I think it might be time for us to call the fertility clinic soon...

Also, quick question if anyone knows. Can I take anything natural to increase the chances of ovulation? I just started taking B-6 for my short LP (which is typically 10 or 11 days) but I haven't been ovulating regularly since the m/c so if there's a way for me to boost that along, I'll try it.

I was also thinking of changing my status so it doesn't need updated--great idea.

amo4piano: TTC #1 since Jan 2010, one m/c at 10.5 weeks

[rcr]

Originally Posted by BelovedK 



Is it evil of me to want to ask my coworker how the pregnancy is going? (really, I wouldn't do something so mean) (but I would think about it)

Not evil. A little mean, but not evil. This is something that I would think about, and perhaps even do. I am mean.

Originally Posted by miriam_bat_avraham 

Thanks for the new thread, rcr!! Do you mind changing my info on the first post? I want to make it something that doesn't need to be updated all the time-- J (28) & DH (35), TTC #1 since December 2008. Currently trying Clomid & IUI. I don't know how long we'll be doing Clomid & IUIs if we don't have any luck, but when/if that needs to change, I'll worry about it later. Thanks! :)
 

Originally Posted by rcr 

Oh, and did I mention to you all that I actually gave myself a shot... lots of them - 6 total now. I have two more tonight. Never thought I could actually poke myself with a needle in the tummy, I am actually kinda proud that I was able to do it.

Oh, and if I am a suckey threadkeeper this month, I apologize in advance. My excuse is that I am busy with IVF stuff.

I was proud of myself for doing that the first time, too (although I only have one injection per cycle). The plan was for a friend of mine to do it for me so I wouldn't have to do it, and so DH wouldn't be afraid of hurting me which would have made me nervous about him doing it right, but then my friend had class and wouldn't have been to my house in time. So I just decided to do it rather than have DH have to do it, and it was no big deal, and I felt like I'd passed some milestone of toughness :)

AFM, I had an ultrasound today at CD 11. Two follicles over 10mm-- a 13mm one and an 11.5mm one. Both on the RIGHT ovary! I have never, ever, ever in all my ultrasounds had any real activity going on over there. So of course I'm convinced that that's the magic ovary and this is going to be The Cycle. Hmm, this road looks familiar... have I been down here before?  I go back on Sunday to check again. Fingers crossed for TWINSIES!  I like to aim high.

DH told me that he wants to come with me for my IUI this time. I told him it's not really much of a "procedure," but he said it wasn't because he thought I would be lonely or need support because obviously I've done this before, but because he thought maybe, if he was there too, it would be like a family event and not me just having to go off and "do treatment" and maybe both of us there, together, would give us a little magic. He is the sweetest guy on the planet, I swear. 

Yea, that is what I feel like, like I passed a milestone of toughness. The thought of doing it was a lot worse than actually doing it. Of course, I say that now, after only 6 days of the shots. If the IVF works I will have to do 10 weeks of progestrone shots in the butt, and I have heard those hurt.

Hope the twinsies make it this month (for both of us). We can have our own twin/graduate bsl ddc and ignore the belly shots at 3 weeks pregnant, etc from the "oopsies" who got pregnant right away.

Originally Posted by Kyamo 


I went to the yarn store tonight for the knitting group, and I was talking to one lady there. The topic came up in a weird way by chance, but it turns out she also had issues with rare/irregular ovulation similar to mine although not PCOS, and conceived her daughter with clomid. They tried for a 2nd but ended up giving up after 6 years. Then when her daughter was 11, she ended up surprise pregnant. Since she was used to not having a period for 3-4 months at a time, she didn't realise it until she was 5 months pregnant! So now she has a 14 yr old and a 3 yr old. This is the first time I've met someone in real life that went through something similar and really understands. So that was nice.

That's a nice story. Did she say anything about how it was to have LOs with such a huge age difference?

Originally Posted by Sweet.Bee 

Hi, everyone! I'm feeling optimistic for a lot of you, esp. rcr with her upcoming IVF. 

I'm on CD10 and started spotting again (after 2 days w/o bleeding/spotting). It's almost enough to be "light" even, but not quite. I don't know what's going on. I've had this 1 or 2 times before, and it's just weird. And I often have many days of spotting after real flow has stopped. Does anyone know what prolonged spotting after the end of a period could mean? Or spotting, then nothing for a few days, then spotting again? It's really discouraging. 

Here's my chart:

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2e2172

Thanks! Sorry about the spotting. I don't know what it could be (maybe Jane will tell you what she thinks).

Originally Posted by amo4piano 

DH told me that he wants to come with me for my IUI this time. I told him it's not really much of a "procedure," but he said it wasn't because he thought I would be lonely or need support because obviously I've done this before, but because he thought maybe, if he was there too, it would be like a family event and not me just having to go off and "do treatment" and maybe both of us there, together, would give us a little magic. He is the sweetest guy on the planet, I swear. 

YOU ARE LOVED! :) This is so sweet...Good luck to you! :)

Looks like I am not ovulating this month, ladies :( I'm on day 20 and nothing. (I have a 29-day cycle). SO disappointed, especially after seeing the slightest glimpse of EWCF this month (a rarety for me since the m/c!). *sigh* I think it might be time for us to call the fertility clinic soon...

Also, quick question if anyone knows. Can I take anything natural to increase the chances of ovulation? I just started taking B-6 for my short LP (which is typically 10 or 11 days) but I haven't been ovulating regularly since the m/c so if there's a way for me to boost that along, I'll try it.

I was also thinking of changing my status so it doesn't need updated--great idea.

amo4piano: TTC #1 since Jan 2010, one m/c at 10.5 weeks

Changed. I am not sure about the ovulation thing. Does soy help with that? Sorry about not ovulating :hug

AFM - I am having big problems with my boss at work, which is really stressing me out. He was screaming at my in my office a few days ago about the problem that we are having (which is really more personal than anything professional), in a way that is really aggressive and a bit innappropriate. I have been up half the night for the last few nights stressing out over him. I really wish I could find a way to just let stress go, but I hold it all in and obsess over it. I have been doing this fertility meditating program (circule+bloom), which helps me let it go and relax for the 15 minutes or so that I am doing the meditation, but then I just come back to obsessing about it. I work with 30 men and only 2 other women... I think there would be a much healthier dynamic if that was not the case.

[monkeyscience]

Thanks for the new thread, rcr! Can you update me to just saying "26, TTC #1 w/ PCOS since 6/2010, anovulatory the whole time. Working with an RE"?  That should last awhile.

I do not think I could give myself shots. Maybe, MAYBE if it were in the butt or arm. No freakin' way in the stomach. And dh is a completely wussy about needles, too, so that would never happen.

As far as talking about infertility - I tell pretty much anyone. I don't always go into details (because somehow it's a little weird talking about your girly parts), but I probably do go into detail more often than some people would like! Then again, I think if you're making presumptive comments about other people's family choices, you deserve what you get. At this point, I find comments about "When are you going to get started?" and "Of course you couldn't be trying to get pregnant this soon" equally offensive. I've also realized, though, that I've been judgmental, too. I assume that all the married people I know who don't have kids have chosen not to have them thus far. While that may be true for many of them, I bet it's not true for all of them. So I guess I should start with cleaning my own house.

AFM... I bled the whole time I was on Prometrium, and then stopped about two days after I stopped the medicine. WTH?? I have no clue what's going on. I guess I need to email the RE. Bleh. Really don't need this crap on top of all the financial stuff that keeps hitting us. Oh, and on top of the ice storm, too. :P

[Smilesarefree]

A curious question - what are the shots for? I don't know much about the whole ivf thing and I guess I never will, my dh is of the mind that 'what will be will be' and to 'let nature take its course'. He could 'take one or leave one' when it comes to having another kid, not that he doesn't love dd to death and not that he wouldn't love another to death as well but that is just his attitude, so I don't even chart, I do however pee on the occasional opk. I can usually tell when I am ovulating but this cycle has been a little weird, I was noticing an increase in cm on cd 8 so for kicks I peed on an opk and it was positive so then I panicked because dh was away. CD 9 I did another opk and it was neg. I did another on cd 14 - because I am obsessed and it was pos again, but no cm since cd8/9 so I have no idea what is going on and if I even did o this month.

So anyways, if there is some underlying issue with my body or dh's I will never know as he is not willing to go that route, you ladies with dh's who want it as much as you do are very lucky.

Anyways, I am really trying not to be obsessed this month but it is hard.  I get my hopes up every month, even if I know for a fact that I couldn't be pregnant.

Ahhhhhh just wanted to blow off some steam!!!

[rcr]

Monkey,  I'll update you.

Smiles, there are several types of shots. First you take a few shots in your stomach to make your body produce more eggs, which is a major goal. Then you add a shot to make you not ovulate, because they will be going in and retrieving the eggs (a surgical procedure) and if you ovulate too soon then they will loose them. 36 hours before retrieval you take an hcg shot to make you ovulate, but they do the retrieval before you actually do ovulate. Then they inject the sperm into them (if you are doing ICSI, which we are because DH has 0% morphology), and let them grow for about 5 days. Then they put them (we are hoping for two) back into you and you have to take progestrone shots for about 10 weeks if you get pregnant in order to hopefully prevent a m/c (I think that is why - not sure). Basically you want as many eggs to work with as possible, since many don't survive the 5-day growing period, many don't survive the spermination, and some will be lower quality than others. If you end up with more eggs than you need, you can freeze them to use later with frozen embryo transfer, or donate them. We are freezing them until we decide not to, and then donating them.

I think I got it right, Blue may know more than I do - this is my first time, and she has already been through it.

Oh, and Smiles, my DH has a similar attitude. He is fine with just DS. I am the one pushing for the fertility treatments (we have insurance that pays for it), and he just goes along, but if it were totally up to him we would not be ttc at all. Lucky for me, he goes along with what I want.

[Smilesarefree]

RCR - Thanks for the explanation, I had no idea how many steps are involved I guess I never really thought about it.  And maybe if I pushed DH a little harder he might be willing to help mother nature along!

[kparker]

Oh my, if I had to take that many shots I'd rather call the whole thing off and not have any kids.  No joke.  I had to have my hcg shot last night for my IUI tomorrow morning and I couldn't do it, I started shaking and bawling uncontrollably and my husband had to take the syringe from me and do it for me.  I have such a phobia of needles it isn't even funny.  Anyone who has to do shots, hats off to you.  So brave!

Oh, can I have my blurb up top edited from January to February?  I didn't develop fast enough for a Jan IUI ;P