~~~~MARCH 2011 INFERTILITY ONE THREAD~~~~ - Page 5

[renavoo]

Good luck Lydiah!!! Jenger, I'm so sorry that you felt down. It is hard because of course we love holding the babies but yeah, it just makes it that much harder that we can't have one. sniff. I just found out my other friend is pregnant. And no, they weren't trying...

Lega, I'm glad you took a mental health day!! And as for the wine, whatever. You need a break. I can't believe your DH is being so unreasonable. First of all, a glass of wine isn't going to hurt anyway, especially before ovulation. Clinical studies prove this. Second of all, it's not like HE has to give up anything...so darn it, if you want a glass of wine to relax, you should!! TTC is such a stressful time that it's good to be able to unwind. I too drink when I'm between cycles (not a lot but a glass or two of wine with dinner once or twice a week seems reasonable). My DH encourages me to because he realizes that it's hard to put everything aside as we try...for the first 6 months, I didn't drink at all, even during AF time but seriously, one day, I just fell off the wagon because I NEEDED to destress. So, next time you need to and he gives you that look, just tell him to relax and grab a drink with you

Tantylynn, welcome and good luck at the ob/gyn!

[Lega]

Hi everyone!

Had visit with my RE,,,not everything lost yet - I have folicule in one ovarie about 1,5cm,,,so continue testing till friday,,,Endo 0,77 so I guess clomid doesnt do any harm at that point.

Lygiah I will hope for the best!!!

Tantylyn once I was diagnosted with policistic ovaries too,,,after couple years them disapear and no I am under unexplained infertility unbrela,,,what symptoms do you have?

Renavoo how do you feel?

About that wine,,,its a constant problem in our home,,,I came from the culture where we drink a lot :) My DH doesn't (only rarely ocations),,,So now when we so into baby making thing and when I am taking meds, he kind of feels like he has serious reason to stop me :) Tonight am back on non alkoholic beer,,,

[renavoo]

Hi Lega, YAH! I hope that it works out. The little follicle is almost ready!

How does non alcoholic beer taste? I'm not really a beer drinker so I'll only drink wine or the occasional scotch, although I don't drink that anymore since TTC.

I'm doing ok. I am having ups and downs. I have no faith in this month; I had the IUI on Saturday and the sperm sample was really good apparently (160 million sperm and 88% motility) but then my DH started feeling sick so we weren't able to BD that night and the night after. I felt like I ovulated a little late too so I don't think any of the sperm were alive by the time I ovulated. Add in the thin endometrial lining and I'm thinking my chances of conceiving are fantastically low if at all existant. It seems like everyone around me is getting pregnant, even without trying, so it's frustrating. My coworker just bought in his baby today, who is so adorable and while I loved playing with her, I'm just getting even more depressed about having this unexplained fertility. Maybe I just missed my shot. Maybe I'm too old?

Oh well, hopefully I feel better soon.

DH and I are thinking that we should just go to IVF now...the RE we are with now wants to go through another clomid cycle with estrogen. We'll see what our new RE thinks!

[LuluRoo]

Renavoo - How long is the expected life span of sperm post-IUI?  I know it can live 5+ days in healthy CM...I'm wondering if it doesn't live longer when you bypass the CM issue via IUI...Either way, don't lose hope.  It's so easy to be hard on ourselves and focus on the negative. 

Interesting story - a good friend of mine tried Clomid with no result, had an ultrasound and was told in January that she had no ovaries.  None.  The jerk RE wanted to stop all treatment, said "no use beating a dead horse."  Can you believe the nerve???? Anyway, she decided to get a 2nd opinion and went to a different RE, took shots to "blow up" her ovaries and see if they were there and guess what?!  She was pregnant the next cycle.  

Anyway, just wanted to check in and say I've been thinking about you all...no new news for me, still waiting for my Dr's appt next Tuesday to see what our course of action will be.  I've been trying to do some research on Clomid and Femara.   It seems like you hear a lot more about Clomid than Femara.  Is it standard to be put on estrogen with Clomid, or is it something that you need to request?  I'm wondering why Clomid seems to be prescribed more often when it sounds like Femara provides the same result without the side effects of thinning the lining and reducing CM.  So much to learn...

[renavoo]

Hi LuLuRoo (I love that handle!). Thanks for the encouraging words. According to my searches, the washed sperm usually live about 24 to 72 hours; however, they are only viable for around 12-24 hours, (possibly 36 hours) but generally, 24 hours is the outset. So yes, there is still hope but what with my lining being so thin, I'm not sure what my chances are.

I was curious about the Femara question as well! I mean, so many people said that they had no issues with Femara treatment so I wonder why it's second line therapy after clomid. I assume that it is probably because physicians are much more comfortable prescribing clomid-maybe it has been around for a longer time than Femara? As for estrogen, I think it varies with the physicians. From what I've seen, some doctors will prescribe estrogen once there is evidence that the clomid negatively affects the woman's lining (I think my RE should have prescribed it during the second month since my lining was so thin the first month...but she was hesitant and is only now admitting that I perhaps need estrogen so she said she will prescribe it for my 4th clomid cycle)

To me, her acquiescence is now too late so I am going to another RE. I've been asking my RE for some answer to the thin lining for the last 2 cycles...she hasn't addressed my concerns. Therefore, DH and I have agreed to go to someone else. We're spending massive amounts of money-the least someone can do is listen to my concerns and address them. I'm not saying she had to prescribe estrogen...I'm saying she should have given me a reason why she didn't prescribe estrogen!  I'm so happy your friend got a second opinion. It's so annoying how some of these physicians really just treat people so poorly. Ok rant over now :o)

Less than a week till your appointment! I hope the doctor gives you some good news!

[jenger]

renavoo- Clomis is WAAAAAAYYY older than femara... It has been in use since the 50's, for fertility.  And ovulation stimulation is an "off label" use for femara - not condoned by the manufacturer and others.  And I don't think it's been around for more than 10-15 years.  So, it makes sense some RE's are reluctant to try it.  Incidentally, mine chose it first...

AFM- 7 days straigt of hight readings, haven't o-ed yet! Arg!  And I thought femara would make me ovulate early - I am on track for a cd17 o.  Arg.

[Lega]

Jeger, my re tried to tell me that I supposed to o early w clomid,,,I told him "No way, I don't think so,,,am ovulating on my own and am ovulating late",,he didn't believe, but I was right,,,I think most of RE goe by books and dont listens to the patiens,,,Most of us knows our bodies very well (its impossible not to know after such a long TTC),,,and we know books too :) am happy I found my obgyn - she listens and talks like human being, not like smb smart with bunch diplomas on the wall,,,

Renavoo how long your lutheal phase usualy is>? I think I will be one week behind you, so we will wait for yours BFP and then for mine :)

Beer is good, wine is nasty,,,look in the grocery stores and try,,,

[tantylynn]

Thanks!
 

Originally Posted by renavoo 
 

Tantylynn, welcome and good luck at the ob/gyn!

Wow Lega, I haven't heard of anyone having their PCOS just go away. Were you on any medications for it? My symptoms are: hormonal imbalance (greater than 2:1 ratio of LH:FSH), classic 'pearl string' of ovarian cysts, infertility, irregular periods, acne, and some heavier hair growth (it is fine blonde hair mostly, but still annoying). Haven't been tested for insulin resistance, and I'm not sure by looking at my blood results whether elevated androgen levels were tested. Apparently I fall into the "lean PCOS" category, I've never had issues with my weight...

Originally Posted by Lega 

Tantylyn once I was diagnosted with policistic ovaries too,,,after couple years them disapear and no I am under unexplained infertility unbrela,,,what symptoms do you have?

[brichole1214]

Tantylynn:   I've got your blurb updated!!! I hope that you're able to get more answers once you meet with the OB. 

Renavoo: HUGS!!!

LuluRoo:  My RE told me that Clomid is usually just the "go to" drug that most GP or OB/GYN's use to treat infertility in women before refering then to a RE.  He refuses to put women on it and goes with other medications to assist with growing follicles...because essentially that's what the medications are there for.

I don't know if you ladies were reading on this thread when I posted what all I took and what cycle days that it took for me during my struggles with getting pregnant but i'm about to go on the hunt for that post so I can post it here for you ladies to read.  I was on Femera and Menopur (an injectable) for most of february and march last year...and I got to trigger at the end of the month...got pregnant yesterday a year ago!!! And got my BFP 10DPO (or 11 DP trigger)

Headed to look for that post!! Thinking about all of you ladies!!!

[brichole1214]

Okay...found my post!!! I just thought i'd share with you ladies!!!!
(CYCLE BEFORE THIS ONE ENDED IN OHSS SO IT WAS A BUST AND WE HAD TO WAIT FOR THIS CYCLE TO START BEFORE WE COULD TRY ANYTHING NEW)


CD1 ~ 02/18/10
CD2 ~ 02/19/10 ~ HAD B/W AND U/S ~ nurse said too many folicles left over from the OHSS cycle and would have to wait three weeks to be rechecked!!!
CD23~ 03/12/10 ~ HAD B/W AND U/S ~ 5mg Femera and 150IUs Menopur(injectable)
CD24~ 03/13/10 ~ 5mg Femera and 150IUs Menopur
CD25~ 03/14/10 ~ 5mg Femera and 150IUs Menopur
CD26~ 03/15/10 ~ 5mg Femera and 150IUs Menopur
CD27~ 03/16/10 ~ 5mg Femera and 150IUs Menopur
CD28~ 03/17/10 ~ 112IUs Menopur (HAD BREAK THRU BLEEDING)
CD29~ 03/18/10 ~ 112IUs Menopur
CD30~ 03/19/10 ~ B/W U/S ~ 2 follicles continue Menopur inj 112IUs (obstained from BDing)
CD31~ 03/20/10 ~ 112IUs Menopur (obstained from BDing)
CD32~ 03/21/10 ~ 112IUs Menopur (obstained from BDing)
CD33~ 03/22/10 ~ U/S and B/W ~ 4 follicles ready (3 on right 1 on left) injected 35IUs of Menopur and DTD
CD34~ 03/23/10 ~ Ovedrill trigger this AM
CD35~ 03/24/10 ~ DTD again
CD36~ 03/25/10 ~ testing to see when trigger shot is gone (around 1dpo)
CD37~ 03/26/10 ~ testing to see when trigger shot is gone (around 2dpo)
CD38~ 03/27/10 ~ testing to see when trigger shot is gone (around 3dpo)
CD39~ 03/28/10 ~ testing to see when trigger shot is gone (around 4dpo)
CD40~ 03/29/10 ~ Trigger shot is out of system ~ (around 5dpo)
CD41~ 03/30/10 ~ slightly light headed and emotional (around 6dpo)
CD42~ 03/31/10 ~ very tired and getting more light headed (around 7dpo)
CD43~ 04/01/10 ~ emotional wreck!!! And still very tired bb's hurt (about 8dpo)
CD44~ 04/02/10 ~ same as day before (around 9dpo)
CD45~ 04/03/10 ~ same as before can't handle spicy foods and VERY light headed while shopping for easter stuff.....took a FRER at 830 pm on around 10dpo and got a BFP!!!!
CD46~ 04/04/10 ~ Took another FRER and it's still positive at 11dpo and also got a "PREGNANT" on a CBE Digital!!!!
 

[renavoo]

Oooh Jenger and Brichole, good to have some insight into why doctors may prescribe clomid first! Thanks!! And thanks for the hugs, Brichole! :o) I'm feeling much better today. Darn hormones! ;o) Lega, my luteal phase is anywhere from 14-16 days. Before clomid, my luteal phase was about 12 days...with an occasional 10 dayer...after the first clomid cycle, it got up to 14 days and after the second cycle, it was 16 days. I'm curious what it will be this month? I love your optimism. If you and I get pregnant this month, let's drink a virtual alcohol free beer. Heck, even if we don't, let's drink that virtual beer. ;o) Today is 5dpo and I feel very few side effects. I get lightheaded but that's something I often feel. I think I just get up too quickly!

Brichole, thanks for posting your details! That was very informative. haha I'm now going to become a symptom seeker! I keep feeling that since I haven't felt anything yet, it probably means that nothing has happened. Inherently, I know that is illogical...after all, even if the egg was fertilized, I know that implantation probably hasn't occurred yet. So therefore, no HCG is being produced yet and therefore, I shouldnt be feeling any symptoms at all. But I feel like my level of hormones must be low since I used to get tender breasts/nipples from DPO 1. Interestingly, this has not happened since I've been taking clomid (at least after cycle 2!). Clomid has become my worst enemy!

Brichole, happy one year anniversary to getting the BFP!

[Lega]

Brichole and I tought mylife is complicated :) But it worth it!!!

Tantylynn I didn't have sindrome,,,I just had policistic ovaries with irregular cycles. But I got more and more regular and this year my ovaries look good.

Renavoo I was right!! I am going for my IUI tomorrow - found wonderful smile on my OT today :)

[LuluRoo]

Brichole - thanks so much for posting! It is so helpful to see what has worked for others in the past.

Congrats on your "O", Lega, and good luck with your IUI!      

You hanging in there, Renavoo?  You're about 7 days post-IUI I think, so I'm sure the wait is getting to you... Keep your chin up!

Hope you all are having a great Friday.  Here in Minnesota it is cold but sunny.  My dad came over to fix a clogged bathtub drain last night (DH is helpless with that kind of thing) and saw TCOYF and the Conception Chronicles on my coffee table.  Oops!  He didn't say anything, but I guess he knows we're "trying". 

I go to my first acupuncture appointment tomorrow and am very excited.  A friend of mine went to the same acupuncturist for 3 months prior to getting pregnant to try to even out her cycle.  She has PCOS and had great success with the acupuncture and herbs.  She's now 23 wks pregnant and is continuing to see the acupuncturist once a month throughout the pregnancy. 

The more I read, the more I think I am going to see if my Dr. will put me on Femara as opposed to Clomid.  I think some Drs won't, because it's not approved for that use (is a breast cancer drug).  My insurance doesn't cover Clomid (it's fairly inexpensive anyway) but does cover Femara (although I'm not sure if it would if it were coded as being used for infertility)...I think I'm willing to chance it and hope that my insurance will cover the Femara...if they don't I think it's $150 or so per cycle.  Ugh. 

[renavoo]

YAH, Lega! Good luck with the IUI! let's keep our fingers crossed.

LuLuRoo, I'm hanging in there. haha barely. I'm just looking forward to the weekend because my DH and I are going to see family and maybe try to catch the orchid show in NYC. He's trying to cheer me up and he knows I love to take photos so he's looking for opportunities where I can go and do that! I think acupuncture is such a great idea! Too bad I'm afraid of needles! But let us know if it works for you! I think any bit counts so I have my fingers crossed for you too. As for Femara, I don't know if it would be covered but I think that it would be worth it, to be honest. For clomid, I have to pay $40/month so that's much cheaper but I feel like the stress of getting the news that I have really thin lining would be worth the extra money. Hey, I'm spending so much already! But I think DH is ready to just go on to IVF after this month. I'm going to take a month off and just let my body readjust and then we'll discuss next steps.

I still don't think I feel any symptoms. I get these weird twinges on my lower right abdomen but I'm not sure if that's just the way I'm sitting or what. I won't be testing until next thursday, though; that's when I'm scheduled for a beta test and it'll be 12dpo. So we'll see. I'll just continue to ride it out!

HAPPY FRIDAY, LADIES!! I hope everyone gets to relax a little!!

[brichole1214]

Anytime ladies!!! :)  I enjoy getting to share my positive experience with fertility treatment...though my road to getting that BFP was a struggle!!! I probably wouldn't have made it through had I not had the friends I had here on the infertility one thread and on the One thread in TTC !!!!  

I hope that everyone is having a good week.  I know i've been MIA most of this week but I've fallen behind in my data entry for this month and it's coming up on the end of the month so I know i've gotta get that done so my supervisor doesn't have a stroke!!!

I don't know if i told you ladies about me and DH building a house but just in case here goes lol...WE'RE BUILDING A HOUSE!!! LOL  We drove by yesterday and they have all of the walls up on our 2 story 1635 sq ft house!!! It's not the biggest house ever but we are living out of MAYBE 900 sq ft right now so i'm really excited to get more room to work with!!! We should be closing at the end of May....so i'm UBER excited about it.  I am having to work all of this over time at work though to come up with our down payment (we only have to come up with 3.25% because we got a FHA loan) and i'm really feeling it right now.  I got called into work last night and had to be here at 11pm and i don't get off until 11am this morning!!! Then i actually have tonight off but i have to be back at 7pm Sunday...so this week i have a total of 20 hours OT.  Next week I FINALLY get 3 off days and with what I work extra next week i'll STILL have 40 hours so i'll get my full pay check plus 20 hrs OT on my next pay check!!! I ended up with 36 hours OT on my last check and it was nice.

Ok, sorry had to share my good news!! YAY

and Renavoo: thank you for the happy ann. of my BFP!!!! I really can't believe that it's been a year already.  It feels like just yesterday....and it took a LOT to make my DH believe that we really were pregnant!!! He was like "are you sure? How can you be sure?  what if it's still your trigger shot? That line looks really faint to me...could you be reading it wrong? "    LOL  My mom took me to the store and bought me a digi the afternoon of Easter and when we got back I took it and YUP it came up PREGNANT within like a minute or so.  I really really pray that by this Easter most if not ALL of you have your BFPs!!!!!  

Don't forget ladies i'll be starting the new thread for April next friday morning before I work off.  I won't be back around a computer until 1030pm Sunday night that weekend so i'm not ignoring anyone i promise....i just won't be near a computer to change anything or comment on what's going on next weekend until late!!!!

Sending out BABY VIBES and LOTS of REPRODUCTIVE THOUGHTS THIS WEEKEND!!!!!

[tantylynn]

Brichole That is so interesting to see your BFP cycle all laid out like that. Thanks for posting! It looks like a ton of work, congrats again! Also congrats on fulfilling one of those 'lifelong dreams' of building a home. What an exciting time! The people I know who have built were out of there minds with stress at times, but they say it's ALL worth it when you move into that beautiful, built-just-for-you home

[blueyezz4]

Brichole - That is awesome that you will be moving into your new house before you know it!!  All that OT will pay off and you can finally relax in your new space.  I was looking over your list and I guess i was thinking that you did an IUI, but you just didn't meds and timed intercourse.  That is pretty cool.  Will you be doing the exact same protocol when you start trying again in Sept???

Renavoo -  When you said  "I get these weird twinges on my lower right abdomen" I thought, that sounds like a good sign!!!  I think I remember getting twinges when I got my 2nd to last BFP.  Keeping my fingers crossed for you!!!  Wow, I can't believe that you have to pay $40 for like 5 days of Clomid.  I think when I was using it I got paid for it out of pocket and got it at like a Costco pharmacy and paid like $7 total.  When I used it the 100mg it really thinned my lining, but the 50mg was better.  Estrace does a great job thickening the lining.  I think the last time I used it my lining was like a 10 or 11 which is the best it has ever been.  Good luck to you and I have my fingers crossed for a BFP and a quick TWW.

Lulu - I hope you enjoy your acupuncture treatments.  I always find them relaxing.  I have started back to it too, but only once a week for a little while.  It can really add up.  I never took too many of the herbs b/c they seem to affect my stomach and just cost more money.  I sure hope it works for you!  Good luck!

Lega - how did your IUI go? How many follies did you have? When is your test?  Fingers crossed for you!!

Tantylynn - I was also Diagnosed with PCOS when I was in H.S. b/c of a blood test that they did every so many hrs and then like 2-3 yrs later I had the same test done with another RE and they said I didn't have it.  I had kinda irregular periods, inc. hair growth, acne... no cyst on my ovaries though that I can remember... oh and I think higher testosterone levels.  Who knows... but now I have unexplained infertility and who knows if I ever really had PCOS.  Never had any troubles with my weight either.  My RE at the time had me on BCPs and also a diabetes drug (forget the name of it but you take it by mouth Metaformin (sp?) maybe?).

AFM - sorry I have been a little out of the loop here.  I spend most of my time over on the Spring IVF area since that is what we are doing (well a FET actually this time).  Anyways, we trigger tonight and have our transfer set up for Wed morning.  My fingers are crossed b/c I kinda feel like this is our last shot at having our own child.  The whole thing kinda scares me b/c if we don't get a BFP this time I don't know if we will give up all together or what.  I don't even want to think about it right now.  I guess we will cross that bridge when we get to it.  Good luck to you all and I will be lurking for sure!!!

[tantylynn]

Blueyezz That's crazy! I guess I shouldn't be so surprised that doctors get it wrong sometimes, or perhaps you really did somehow get rid of it? Yeah, metformin is the drug you're talking about I think. I'm hoping that they'll start me out with that drug, I've read good stuff about it even from people who have PCOS without the weight issues. Do you remember if it helped any of your other symptoms (acne, hair growth, etc)?

AFM,

Weekend Wrap-Up
Name: tantylynn
Age: 22
TTC #: 1
CD: 14
DPO (if applicable): N/A
Testing: no...unless my OPKs I ordered will hurry up and arrive!
Trying Since: May 2009
Plan for this Cycle: First cycle charting (temps & CM), pre-natal vitamins, and when it arrives in the post - Maca Root
Link to Chart (if applicable): http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/tantylynn
Thoughts: I don't know how far from O I am, but my cycles are generally really long..so probably a fair way off still. My chart probably isn't very reliable this cycle because I'm fairly certain my thermometer is a dud. Still waiting on the BBT to arrive in the mail! I wonder if the post-people realise how much of my TTC journey they have in their hands at the moment!? LOL

Good luck to everyone in the 2WW!!

[MountainMamaGC]

I tested yesterday at 12 DPO with a FRER and it was negative. I am 13 DPO today and I am sure AF will come tomorrow. My cervix feels slightly open like before AF comes. Oh well. We are taking a month off so we dont have a xmas baby and so I can take a road trip with my brother and not be pregnant. I welcome a TTC break actually.

[renavoo]

Hi Ladies,

Blueyezz, i just want to say to keep your hopes up! Hopefully, you get your BFP this month. Good luck!! Please let us know how Wednesday goes. I hope it is as smooth as possible.

Lydiah I'm sorry about this month! ( my DH and I also decided to take this month off if the tests are negative. I think we always need a break from all of this stress!

Brichole, that really is so exciting!! And take it from someone who lives in a 650sq ft apartment; more space is always nice! yaaah! Hey, maybe you can post photos of your house once it is done! Nothing like a brand new house to make working massive overtime worth it!

Today is 8dpo for me. Still nothing really clear in terms of symptoms, although Blueyezz, you're giving me hope. Haha. My lower right side still is a little tight. I don't know how to describe it. I went from tiny twinges and a little pain a few days ago to soreness yesterday to some tightness that feels better when I stretch it out a little. A part of me is therefore convinced that I must just have worked out wrong but it feels different from my usual muscle pain that I get from working out! Well, I'm trying to hold out from testing until my beta on Thursday, which would be 12dpo but who knows if I will be able to hold out! I'm still not optimistic but hey, like we say, we aren't out until AF shows her face!

Hope everyone has a wonderful start of the week!