Bitter Sushi Ladies, October 2011

[monkeyscience]

Welcome to the October 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

Calycanth

TTC #1 since March 2010, one miscarriage May 2010

cbaa2010

TTC # 1 since Oct 2010

enigo

Has one beautiful son, trying to conceive after three losses

Gemmine

me(27) & DH (28) TTC #1 since July 2010 with 1 loss April 2011 (5 weeks)

IsisandOsiris

TTC #1 since August 2009

jennabella

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

kinza

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

kittenbritches

TTC #3 since May 2010

kparker

TTC #1 since 9/08 with male factor, IUI #4 ???

 lilmom

36, TTC #2 for 2 years with PCOS and rarely ovulating

littlest birds

TTC for 16+ months after VR

monkeyscience

me (27) and dh (25) TTC #1 with PCOS since 6/10 - waiting till May 2012 to decide on further interventions 

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

Smilesarefree

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

Sourire

TTC #1 since August 2010

Wissa19

Wissa19 (33), DH (38) sweet buddy (12/07), TTC #2 since 06/09

yoyonana

34 , DH 31, TTC for 3 years, done all kinds of tests, unexplained infertilitty

In our thoughts, on hold, and/or waiting

milk8shake

AGreenMum10

silverbird

ttc #1 since June 2010, after a two year delay for illness. Husband passed away 5/25/11

mi_dawn

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

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

CA Country Girl - due 6/26/12

Praha - due 6/11/12

Sweetest77 - due 5/20/12

TandN - due 5/17/12

Kyamo - due 3/7/2012

MommyMatsumoto - due 1/2012

Emaya - due 1/2012

Sweet.Bee - due 1/15/2012

lavatea - due 12/2011

miriam bat avraham - due 11/28/2011

Rachel88 - due 11/20/2011

MahnaMahna - due 11/2011

Waiting on an update...

grahnola mum - due 10/3/2011

borobaby - due 9/12/2011

justthinkn - due 9/2/2011

BSL BABIES

Jane -  baby boy 9/30/11

Maurine - Phin 7/20/11

Tear 78 - Anika 7/15/11

slylives - Cameron 6/15/11

kalamos23 - baby boy 4/28/11

xtara2003x - Emerson Rae 4/27/11

jenniferadurham - Ryan born 3/28/11!

Nanette56 - Tristan and Cael born 3/18/11!

finnegansmom - Henry born 2/11!

jessica_s - Asher Kingston 1/20/11

LINK to our graduates thread - Summer/Autumn 2011 Edition!

Please let the threadkeeper (monkeyscience) 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! Thank you!!

Edited by monkeyscience - 10/27/11 at 10:15pm

[monkeyscience]

Hope it's okay I started the new thread a bit early (unless you're in Europe... then I'm a bit late, I think!), but I figured I would forget first thing in the morning tomorrow.

This is totally optional, but I thought it might be fun to do a getting-to-know-you thing at the beginning of this month. Feel free to answer whatever questions you feel comfortable with, and disregard those you don't like!

Name:

Age:

dh/dp's name/age?:

Time TTC?:

Ever seen a BFP (outside of trigger shots?):

Kids? (ages, genders, whatever):

Any angel babies?:

If IF were not part of your life, how many kids would you have?:

IF diagnosis:

Tests you still want/plan to do:

Fun things you like to do when not obsessing about TTC:

How did you meet your dh/dp?:

What is one of your favorite books?:

Movie?:

Dream vacation spot?:

Do you have any causes you're passionate about?:

I'll be back to fill out my answers tomorrow, probably! Also, milk8shake, do you want me to move you to the graduates list? What's your EDD, if so? Still praying for you!

[toothfairy2be]

I'm going to go first, since I am bored before bedtime! I need to catch up on personals for everyone- I did read all the rest of Septembers Thread, happy for you having a diagnosis   lilmom; I def think you should do some more hormone work smilesarefree; I'm wondering how your testing was today milk8shake; glad you are feeling you're on your way out of the woods with your cold monkeyscience; doctors are so hard to deal with, it is exhausting LTB-  I wonder if you can call to get the schedule for the week before you set up your appt;---and enjoy your 'quality time' CAcountrygirl!  Oh. Wissa- encourage those ovaries in whatever way you think will be most effective, sometimes we need tough love!

Name: Caitlyn

Age: 26

dh/dp's name/age?: Brian 26

Time TTC?: Off Nuvaring since 10/09 NTNP until 10/10- TTC since then

Ever seen a BFP (outside of trigger shots?): Nope, I haven't even tried with the trigger shot

Kids? (ages, genders, whatever): I have a wonderful 1 yr old niece and a second on the way

Any angel babies?: none of those either

If IF were not part of your life, how many kids would you have?: at this point probably just one, but we would like 2 or 3... My best friend told me today that she hopes we have twins, because with how long we have been trying we should be on to # 2 by now anyway.

IF diagnosis: unexplained infertility

Tests you still want/plan to do: None right now, have done ultrasounds, CD3 panel & HSG

Fun things you like to do when not obsessing about TTC: ohh that is a hard one... I have done a lot of things just because we aren't pregnant yet.. I love to travel, I will really try anything. I spend a lot of time doing weights, yoga and pilates. I like to spend time with my family- sister, niece, cousins & their kids. We love to explore Boston when we have free time.

How did you meet your dh/dp?: First year of college, at a party

What is one of your favorite books?: Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas

Movie?: Comedy- Knocked up, Action- Shutter Island

Dream vacation spot?: Paris

Do you have any causes you're passionate about?: I support just about everything, but there is nothing yet close to my heart that I have a passion for.

Well that was fun! I am bored at 5dpo... no symptoms that I don't accredit to the HCG trigger or progestrone supplements (sore nipples, cramps, fatigue).

[CA Country Girl]

I just posted short notes to many of you in the September thread right before Monkey opened this one, hopefully you will still get them.

Name:  Darth (yeah really).  I am older than the first Star Wars Movie, but only by a couple of years, so I did get made fun of in Kindergarten. And kind of hard to hide my identity from anyone who has ever met me because of the name, but I want to share with you ladies.

Age: 35 (will be 36 in December)

dh/dp's name/age?:  Nicholas (also 35, but six months younger which makes him joke about me being the older woman).

Time TTC?:  Lets say about 17 months.  We were NTNP for a few months before, since DD 4th B-day in  Feb 2010.

Ever seen a BFP (outside of trigger shots?):  Only with my DD and it stunned me.  We were NTNP then and I never thought it could be this hard to conceive.

Kids? (ages, genders, whatever):  One beautiful daughter (Adiya- 5 years old)

Any angel babies?: None

If IF were not part of your life, how many kids would you have?: At this point, I would be really happy with just one more.  Though I am one of 4 and love the idea of a big family.  I would love to adopt in the future if it is feasible and I can convince DH.

IF diagnosis:  None.  First official IF appointment Oct. 21

Tests you still want/plan to do:  Maybe the HSG (thats the dye in the tubes right?).  Have done CD3 and 21 day progesterone (a couple of times)

Fun things you like to do when not obsessing about TTC:  Hike in the woods with my dogs, yoga, swim, ski when I can get to the mountains, some rock climbing, read a lot (I teach literature and still read for fun), write short stories (only published in literary magazines so far), gardening

How did you meet your dh/dp?:  On city bus in SF on a very rainy day.  Did not give him my number then, but found out we both worked in restaurants in the upper Haight.  Oh 1999- we were so young and care free then.  Fun trivia- his parents also met on a bus, but that was a bus from New England headed south during the Civil Rights Movement.

What is one of your favorite books?:  This is a really hard one for me.  I am a total book nut- but to name a few The Bluest Eye, Beloved, and Sula by Toni Morrison.  Anything by Octavia Butler (Awesome Science Fiction), Dostoyevsky's Notes from the Underground, Kate Chopin's The Awakening, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie, The Last Report on the Miracle at Little No Horse by Louise Erdrich, Middlesex by Jeffery Eugenidies, I could go on and on, recently loved The Game of Thrones series.  Let me know if anyone ever wants a book recommendation.

Movie?: Also hard- Oh Brother Were Art Thou and The Big Lebowski by the Coen Brothers,  My Neighbor Totoro by Miyazaki, Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal

Dream vacation spot?:  Would love to go to the Greek Isles, back to Northeastern Brazil (where I lived for 9 months), heck I would go so many places.

Do you have any causes you're passionate about?:  I am involved in anti-poverty and anti-racism work whenever I can.  I work at a University that is dedicated to Social Justice and community involvement (it is kind of liberation theology Catholic) and I bring students to homeless shelters and teach about social class and racial inequalities in the U.S.  I am committed to working for equal access to good education, health care, healthy food, and safe (non-polluted) neighborhoods.  I also am a big environmentalist (partly because poor countries and neighborhoods are often faced with the biggest environmental dangers).

[LessTraveledBy]

Thanks, Monkey, perfect timing, also for Europe!

Lilmom, SOOOO happy for you! Not a fun thought to think of being in pain, but yet, I am so thrilled that this diagnosis makes so much sense and that you don't need to wait forever to TTC.

I read my history on Mothering last night and saw a woman I don't even know (the old me, that is). I used to be much more gentle with other posters, and just seemed to have a whole different outlook. I found a message in which I asked about teething when our dd was less than 4 months old. I told dh about it and think I saw tears in his eyes, also. (Now we'll find out if he ever lurks.... lol.) Around the same time I had asked what percentage of women lose their milk during pregnancy and at what point, explaining that I was hoping to get pregnant in a year or so, as we would like a large family but, yet, wanted dd to be able to nurse until at least 2. (She ended up nursing until almost 4, so that makes me smile now.) That sweet innocence. Makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time. The reality, a year after that post about pregnancy and nursing, was that dd was still not eating solids, really (not until 2) I had started to gain weight and feel terrible, etc. And here I am, over 6 years later, still carrying that extra weight, now feeling quite well on dessicated thyroid, and still hoping to figure out what the matter is with my body. Maybe the hardest thing during these years has been to try to let go of the idea of a country house full of home schooled kids. Frankly, I still dream of that, somehow, and have not managed to find a different dream, really. The average 1.8 kids in the suburbs is so far from what I have ever wanted. Well, even for that I am still missing the 0.8 kids. Hah.

Name: LessTraveledBy (I can be recognized so very easily here, so at least I want someone to work a bit if they want to make sure I am me. I would wish they did not, as I don't want to intentionally hurt anyone's feelings. Yet, I have been very honest here about the rawest of things... This has been my only place for such, so I would wish that it be left alone. Yet, what can I do...)

Age: 34

dh/dp's name/age?: MoreTraveledBy, 37

Time TTC?: Not sure. Started to TTC when dd was less than 3 years old, so almost 4 years ago. Then stopped for quite some time when thyroid medicine was being adjusted. Started again about 16 months ago.

Ever seen a BFP (outside of trigger shots?): Only once in 2005. Had been married for 6 months and became pregnant the first month of reversing NFP.

Kids? (ages, genders, whatever): dd 6, who might well be quite miracle. (I have most likely had hypothyroidism since childhood.)

Any angel babies?: None that I know of. However, a doctor once felt I might have a problem with implantation, so count as you wish. Every once in a while I have a strange cycle with a much longer than normal for me luteal phase, yet, never a BFP.

If IF were not part of your life, how many kids would you have?: At least 3, but preferably more. Had our 1st at 28 and believe in letting a child self wean. Thus I think I got married too late to have a very large family, anyway.

IF diagnosis: None. Hormone tests all okay, except progesterone, which was just a bit low, right below range. 

Tests you still want/plan to do: SA (somehow, not simple as won't do it the "usual way") and HSSG

Fun things you like to do when not obsessing about TTC: Make shoes, surf the web (way too much, lol).

How did you meet your dh/dp?: online

What is one of your favorite books?: Right now, Max Lucado's kids books "You are special" and "You are mine"

Movie?: No clue... it has been 6 years since I went to see one and I don't watch tv almost at all

Dream vacation spot?: Ooh... just about anywhere as long as you don't have to be in great shape to enjoy things. 

[Milk8shake]

Name: Jayde

Age: 28 (!)

dh/dp's name/age?: Simon (29)

Time TTC?: I think I worked out the other day that it's about 28 months.

Ever seen a BFP (outside of trigger shots?):  Several

Kids? (ages, genders, whatever): None

Any angel babies?: Four little ones (12.5wks, 9.5wks, 8.5wks and 7.5wks)

If IF were not part of your life, how many kids would you have?: I always thought I would have two - one of each.  At this point, I would be thankful for one.

IF diagnosis: Unexplained recurrent miscarriage, uterine abnormality (cannot say for sure if this has any impact on my losses)

Tests you still want/plan to do: Natural Killer Cells is the only test I haven't had

Fun things you like to do when not obsessing about TTC: Play with my doggy, play guitar hero, go for motorcycle rides (as the pillion), surf the net

How did you meet your dh/dp?: At a NYE party

What is one of your favorite books?: Oh man, that's tough.  Maybe A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry.  I've read it a bunch of times, so I guess that counts. 

Movie?: The Castle  (It's an Aussie movie, and I heard that it bombed in the US   I don't think Aussie humour is interchangeable sometimes!)

Dream vacation spot?:  Thailand - we are planning to go next year and sit on a beach for about two weeks.

Do you have any causes you're passionate about?: Animal Rights.  I've been a vegetarian since I was about seven, and I have been working towards becoming a vegan for some time now. 

I know a lot of people think that animal activists are lunatics, but I'm not one, I promise.  It's just something I've felt strongly about since childhood. 

To be honest, I don't expect to see the world become vegan or vegetarian (certainly not in my lifetime - although it would be great!), but I am convinced that steps need to be taken to ensure that animals are treated in a humane and ethical manner.  They are capable of feeling fear, and pain, and I believe that measures should be taken to eliminate, or at least minimize their distress. 

I'm not convinced that the consumption of animal products are necessary for our existence, but I don't "push" my views onto others.  Having said that, I do think that it is important to be educated about how your food gets to your plate.  And that's what it's about for me, education. 

FWIW, my whole family, and DP eat meat.  I'm the only one who doesn't.  Although I'd love to change that!

WHOA - after all that, I'll have to come back for personals.

Smiles - I don't know about moving to the grads... that's really scary for me.  I guess technically I'm a bfp, but I don't know... Would it be okay to leave it until after my scan on Wednesday?  And I will see how that goes first??

[monkeyscience]

So fun to read about you ladies!

Don't have time to answer the questions yet, but maybe in a little bit. dh seems to be starting to get sick. :(

milk8shake - I'm actually threadkeeper this month, not Smiles, but it is totally fine for you to stay put until you're comfortable being moved!

[monkeyscience]

Jane had her baby!!!

[beautifulnm]

Name: Beth

Age: 25

dh/dp's name/age?: Tim

Time TTC?: about 7 months

Ever seen a BFP (outside of trigger shots?): My son & about 7 months ago.

Kids? (ages, genders, whatever): DS is 18 mos, nearly 19

Any angel babies?: BFP from 7 months ago. missed miscarriage

Fun things you like to do when not obsessing about TTC: taking babycakes to the playground, baking, cooking, running, and yoga.

How did you meet your dh/dp?: mutual friend

What is one of your favorite books?: Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events. Seriously. I love kids books.

Movie?: The Darjeeling Limited

Dream vacation spot?: Germany.. or Belgium. . beer, rolling hills, and fast cars. not in that order.

Do you have any causes you're passionate about?: very crunchy haha. organic vegetables on the Cuba model..

[Milk8shake]

Originally Posted by monkeyscience 

milk8shake - I'm actually threadkeeper this month, not Smiles,

Hahaha I knew that.  Apparently my brain is not functioning at the moment!!
 

[Kinza]

Name: Kinza

Age: 32

dh/dp's name/age?: Todd/39

Time TTC?: 35 months

Ever seen a BFP (outside of trigger shots?): Not a real one

Kids? (ages, genders, whatever): None

Any angel babies?: None

If IF were not part of your life, how many kids would you have?: One or two by now

IF diagnosis: Male factor, PCOS, endometriosis with scarring, autoimmune crap

Tests you still want/plan to do: Have done everything, I think

Fun things you like to do when not obsessing about TTC: Work out, read

How did you meet your dh/dp?: Friend of a friend

What is one of your favorite books?: Rilla of Ingleside (I love kids books, too)

Movie?: The Snapper

Dream vacation spot?: Ireland

Do you have any causes you're passionate about  Literacy.  I live in a state with a really, really bad educational system.  The practical literacy rate here is shockingly low (and you only have to read on a fourth grade level to be considered literate!).  I believe my state will remain at the bottom of the country in every way as long as the educational system is allowed to stay broken.  The politicians seem committed to spending money on everything except education, so I imagine this will continue to be a problem.  So, I do my bit by working as an underpaid public servant, encouraging kids to read and teaching them to use the computers they don't have access to at home or in school.

lilmom, I'm so glad you found out what is wrong with you!  I'm sorry it's not really fixable, but I'm really happy it's not something life-threatening.

Still thinking of you, Milk8shake.

Congratulations to Jane!

AFM, freaking out about our happy little IVF cycle coming up.  I'm not using BCP or nuvaring to control my cycle because of bruising hormonal BC causes.  Apparently it can be dangerous, or indicates a propensity for blood clots, or something.  So of course my cycle is not cooperating, and I'm about 5 days ahead of where I want to be.  I have a call in to the nurse practitioner at the RE's office, but the office nurse did call back to find out when my lupron will arrive (Tuesday!), and she said that probably everything will work out ok.  If I need to start injecting a few days earlier, that will be fine and they can fit me in for the IVF training earlier than originally scheduled.  Hmm.  We'll see.  Anyway, lots of tension right now, much of it related to the IVF thing, but also work and general health stuff.  I've been going to acupressure appointments a lot, and that seems to help, at least temporarily.

[AGreenMum10]

Name: Ali Age: 30 dh/dp's name/age?: Adam 31 Time TTC?: 24 months Ever seen a BFP (outside of trigger shots?): 4 times Kids? (ages, genders, whatever): None Any angel babies?: 3 If IF were not part of your life, how many kids would you have?: Not sure... IF diagnosis: endometriosis Bicornate, retro Inverted Uterus...Funtimes Tests you still want/plan to do: I'm good... So far.. Fun things you like to do when not obsessing about TTC: Photography!!! It's my passion How did you meet your dh/dp?: He had a little Cush on me for year before we offically fell in love... We met and I knew he something else... What is one of your favorite books?: The best loved Dolls- another children's book... I just bought a new copy for the library... Movie?: Signs & The Village... I Love M. Night the director... But I also like funny movies like the Great Muphet Caper, Juno and Roman Holiday... It's a Mix but I love them Dream vacation spot?: Paris Or just France in general Do you have any causes you're passionate about- Recycling and just doing as much as you can to reduce waste...We need to clean up after ourselves while we are here. Update.... We heard the babies (embryo's) Heartbeat Friday! 124 BPM!! Fast little perfect beat! For 6weeks 5 days! It was so amazing, this is the FIRST time we could do this... We both got teared up, cried tears of joy and it was the same stenographer (sp?) she remembered us and she also had a hard time getting prego for her first so she was just so excited for us... I am so happy to have this stage, now to make it 5 more weeks and then I'll feel a little better, then a few more then even more better then.. the rest of the way and.....Few! But I'm not trying to get a head of myself just want to be positive.... This will be our time. It feels right.... Milkshake- How you doing? Any updates? Lillmom? How you feeling? XO all.... Thinking about you ladies...

[beautifulnm]

I forgot..

I have been doing my web-inspired fertility cocktail of prenatals, B6, and vitex. Miraculously I am having a LH surge now, right on schedule for a 'normal' 28 day cycle (it was 33+ prior to this).

[lilmom]

Name: I'm too private to share! But I will say that it is not Lily. I picked Lilmom for "lucky in love" mom : ) And also because my brother likes to call me Lil because I am little and he is about 6'1.

Age: 36

dh/dp's name/age?: 31 (yes I am the older woman. But everyone thinks we are about the same age, lucky for me, HIS age)

Time TTC?: 2 + years of hardcore trying, 6 months before that of Let's see what happens.

Ever seen a BFP (outside of trigger shots?): yes

Kids? (ages, genders, whatever): One gorgeous 4 year old boy

Any angel babies?: At least 1, another 1 that I suspect, many years ago. So, probably 2.

If IF were not part of your life, how many kids would you have?: at least 5. I would have as many as I could house/clothe/birth! Dh and I both really love children and wanted a large family. Like LTB, I dream of having a country house with a bunch of homeschooled kids. Doesn't look like it's gonna happen though.

IF diagnosis: pcos - irregular cycles and trouble ovulating.

Tests you still want/plan to do: I would like to do the HSG and the 3 day panel, if I dont get a bfp soon.

Fun things you like to do when not obsessing about TTC: spend time with DH and DS, read, write, be in nature, cross-stitch, cook, bake, exercise, decorate, play rummy, watch college football or watch almost any sport live.

How did you meet your dh/dp?: at a piano bar

What is one of your favorite books?: Oh, there are so many. I don't know where to start really. I really love to read. I like funny chick lit books, classics, and sometimes dramas..but no murder mysteries or scary stuff. I love Barbara Kingsolver. Also love Jennifer Chiaverini (totally different from Kingsolver!), Emily Giffin, certain Faulkner novels, certain Hemingway..Flannery O'Conner..I could go on and on.

Movie?:  This one is also hard. Nothing is even coming to my mind! I like romantic comedies, sometimes dramas..again nothing too scary or awful. I feel like I have had enough drama in my life that I don't need to watch any on a big screen.

Dream vacation spot?:  I have several..Hawaii (love the ocean), Austrailia, Great Britain...I love any place with a nice beach and some historical context can be fun too. Love mountains too but the beach is probably my favorite. Once I lose 25 or 30 lbs I will be even more anxious to go.

Do you have any causes you're passionate about?: I am passionate about organic/healthy eating. I also am anti-vax and feel strongly about it. I am passionate about individual rights as well...i.e. the ability to choose to homeschool, not vax, etc..I hate when govt tries to dictate these things and make them law .I am actually pretty natural medicine minded as well but I'm more passionate about it for my self and my family, and not into telling other people what they should do or choose for themselves, on all these issues really. I want people to make good, healthy choices but I don't want to force anything on anybody. I feel strongly about literacy and education in general. Our kids are not getting educated these days. My mom is a teacher and the stories she tells are so disheartening. The town I live in has a dropout rate of 60%. These kids have no skills, can't read, can't get a job. I feel passionately about child abuse. People should not be hurting their children. Wow. I have alot of causes. Anything that touches children really touches my heart, and practically everything touches children, doesn't it? I'm one of those people who wishes they could help every hurting, hungry, illiterate child in the world. Sigh.

***I am so excited for Jane!!!!!!****

Kinza- good luck on the upcoming IVF cycle!! Woo hoooo You'll be out of here in no time.

beautifulnm- That sounds really good!

LTB- Ohhhh I remember the innocence of being a new mama too and how positive I was and how I thought I'd get pregnant again 18 months after having DS..I thought I might have 3 kids by now...I try not to torture myself thinking about it. Thank you for being so happy for me! I'm pretty happy too, just trying to figure out if we should go ahead with the Clomid or not. AF should be coming tomorrow so I need to decide, because if we do try it this month, then I need to start taking it on CD5. So, I really only have a few days to decide, which is scary, because I am not 100% confident about this nerve-pain diagnosis..plus it's scary knowing there is probably no painkiller they can give me while I am pregnant to help me...but then again, I would know it was coming..I don't know. Maybe there is something. I need to try to contact the ob.gyn's office on Monday and let them know what the deal is. But I'm pretty sure muscle relaxants during pregnancy are a no-no. Anyway, thanks for the excitement!

Monkey- so glad you are feeling better!

AFM, like I said, trying to decide whether or not to go ahead with the Clomid this cycle..and also hoping Dh will get a new job quickly so we can move. Our lease is up in November and we don't want to stay here in this town, but we need a new job to move! Oh yeah, with my new meds, I slept last night, really well, for the first time in MONTHS. Felt great!!!!

[LessTraveledBy]

Congrats, Jane!! (So happy for you. I always wondered how you were able to do your job, mentally. So wonderful that it is now you holding the little one!)

Great idea to have everyone tell a bit more about herself. I wish we had done that a long time ago. Maybe new people could be asked to respond, also. It is so much easier to welcome a new person, when we can actually kind of picture her. At least I feel that way.

This will be another one of those cycles of "timed everything perfectly," and yet it will most likely be another BFN. I have too many cycles of negatives to really hope. However, I will be taking progesterone, starting in just a couple of days, and that is exciting. (NOT prescribed by the fertility clinic doctor, who it seems, did not even know what their lab considers to be a good result... Good thing I happen to have a doctor in the family, though I try to not trouble her with lots of stuff.)  We will try (again) to get the SA done in the next couple of weeks and then the HSSG. After that I WILL take the Clomid, I think, as that will be the end of the line for us. How many cycles does it make sense to take that, I wonder. (Anyone have an opinion?) The reason I am coming to this decision is that I only have until next fall to receive help. After we move, I will not be able to go to a clinic. More importantly, however, while I seem to ovulate basically every cycle, my OPK's are faint. Either the surge is very fast or happens at night or something, or I just don't have enough of the hormone. (Yet, I do ovulate, which is confermed by all possible signs, now including progesterone labs after an ultrasound.) Since my progesterone was a bit low, also, I am wondering if there might be something going on with my ovulations, like just not enough hormones. In any case, it feels good to be within a year of this journey ending, at least in some way. I doubt that we will ever stop timing things and hoping. 

[CA Country Girl]

I agree with LTB, I really like getting to know a bit more about all of you too.  Monkey- I hope you get time to give us yours soon?

I especially liked the causes question.  I happy to see more people passionate about making the world a better place for people and animals too.  I am right there with Kinza on the literacy work and I feel Milkshake on the animal rights front. Although I am kind of a "beady-eyed" (eat chicken and fish) vegetarian myself, I have always taken care of many animals and know they have feelings and emotions like us.  I think it is pathetic that humans are unable to recognize the rights of other species to survive and thrive.  

On the non- TTC front (but related to animals we love), I am reposting something I already put in TTC #2 if anyone goes there too.  I spent a couple of hours last night at the vet.  My hyper-active one-year-old german shorthair pointer cut his chest open on some barbed wire somewhere in the woods behind our house.  I thought we had got it all, but apparently we missed some.  Although my DD and I were both scared for him, I was really proud of how mature and helpful she was.  DH was at work and she really proved her five-year-old self able to be calm and collected in a crisis.  She told me, "I have never seen him with blood like that.  My heart is upside down," but she helped like a champ.  While we waited for him to be fixed up, we went out to sushi at a place where you pick your plates off the boats going through the canal in front of you.  Her favorite food in the world is Salmon sushi.  The puppy is OK, though it will be hard to keep him down until the stitches come out, and it really made me realize what a big girl my DD is becoming.  I know she will be an amazing big sister when we can finally give her the chance.

[Gemmine]

Name: Tamara

Age: 27

dh/dp's name/age?: Nickname: Crabby, Age 28

Time TTC?: I'm on Cycle 12, but it's been since July 2010. There might be more, but I "tracked" 3 in 2010.

Ever seen a BFP (outside of trigger shots?): March 2011

Kids? (ages, genders, whatever): 0

Any angel babies?: 1 loss, April 2011

If IF were not part of your life, how many kids would you have?: Would love to have 4

IF diagnosis: N/A. Seeing my OB this month, will ask for basic tasting

Tests you still want/plan to do: whatever will give me some answers!

Fun things you like to do when not obsessing about TTC: reading, blogging, daydreaming, traveling

How did you meet your dh/dp?: met in high school, 1st boyfriend, etc. split up after high school, got back together a few years later.

What is one of your favorite books?: Switch, Blink, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter series, true crime, travel narratives, historical fiction, sci-fi thrillers

Movie?: Black Swan, Jurassic Park, City of God

Dream vacation spot?: Morocco

Do you have any causes you're passionate about?: Not specific causes, but I advocate research always to make educated decisions.

Cait: I would love to go to Paris too!

CACountry: Loved yours! I watched Game of Thrones but haven't read the series yet. My Master's is in Sociology and I focused on race, so I'm very interested in your university work!

LTB: What do you mean about the SA not being done the usual way? I know more and more people marrying someone they met online. Yet people who don't get online much still have ignorant things to say about it. I'll be very interested to see if taking progesterone helps you, and if you decide to go on Clomid.

Milk8Shake: My mom almost named me 'Jade' and it's on my list for a future baby girl, if she should ever come to be. Thailand beaches look so beautiful; I'd love to go too.

beautifulNM: I've been wanting to start yoga for the longest. How do you like it?

Kinza: Is this your first IVF? Keeping you in my thoughts.

AGreenMum: So glad to hear about your baby's heartbeat!!

lilmom: What will sway your decision to try the Clomid?

monkey: Looking forward to your personal stuff!

AFM: Having a weird cycle. I've been charting since January and 1 fool-proof (so I thought) way of telling I wasn't pregnant, was the temp-drop on 11DPO that I ALWAYS get. I'm here at 13DPO with not only no temp drop, but a temp RISE. BFNs 11 and 12DPO, didn't want to waste a test today. The OPK I used as a bootleg preg test was negative. So I'll be waiting to see what happens by Tuesday I guess.

[lilmom]

LTB- It does sound like maybe you don't have "strong" ovulation, so maybe the clomid will really help with that. I hope so. I'm glad you decided to go ahead with the testing and the clomid.

Gemmine- I'm hoping the temp rise means a bfp is coming soon!!! 

AFM, I think we are going to postpone the Clomid this cycle, maybe. DH and I are both concerned that my body will not be up to being pregnant just yet, if it did happen with round 1 of clomid. I know that's probably unlikely, but I can't really explain just how sick I have been. The pain was just about unbearable at times and I basically did not eat for 3 weeks with this issue. I was vomiting, nauseous all the time, miserable. I felt good yesterday, and I felt good today as far as the pain, but today was also CD1 so that means I also had a migraine headache. (I almost always do on CD1, especially if I ovulated.) So, it just seems like I might need a little time to really feel strong and healthy again before getting pregnant. However, I am so anxious to get on with it that it is going to be really hard for me not to take the clomid! But, then again, I have not been well for 2 months. If I get pregnant, and I'm unable to take the meds they gave me for the nerve pain, there's a chance I could have that pain for 9 months. Or at the least, after I get big. So, the whole thing is really scary now. But I also feel it will be worth it. I just don't really know. I think I will try to call the Dr's office tomorrow to ask about taking the meds and if I can take them together with Clomid, and if they think I should hold off another month. I still have my prometrium too, so if I don't take the clomid, and I don't ovulate at a "normal" time, I still could take the prometrium to get on with things later. In any case, we won't TTA, but we might not take the clomid, due to taking the other meds and seeing how my body adjusts. I feel good now, but there is a fear in the back of my mind that it could come back somehow. I know DH really thinks we should hold off. I am torn. But right now I guess I am leaning toward holding off. It's one cycle, and now I do know that I have enough eggs for that to be ok. i do hope they are healthy eggs though! Isn't Clomid supposed to help with egg quality? Anyone know? If I don't do it this cycle, we will do it in Nov. for sure.

[monkeyscience]

Wow, you ladies have been busy!! I've checked in via my phone, but I ended up having a pretty busy weekend (it's my church's big semi-annual conference, so that meant 8 hours of church for the weekend, plus spending time with family), so I never got to post my answers. Here they are:

Name: Monkey (yeah, I'm paranoid about using my real name on the internet. It's a very boring name, though!)

Age: 27

dh/dp's name/age?: Pirate, 25 (hooray for younger men!)

Time TTC?: 16 months (which amounts to a grand total of 2 ovulations)

Ever seen a BFP (outside of trigger shots?): nope (though I did test with my trigger shots - yeah, pregnancy tests work)

Kids? (ages, genders, whatever): none, though I do have an adorable almost-1-year-old niece, with twin nephews on the way

Any angel babies?: no

If IF were not part of your life, how many kids would you have?: 4-6 - I'm still hopeful IF doesn't mean the end of this dream

IF diagnosis: PCOS

Tests you still want/plan to do: I'd like to get my thyroid checked, AGAIN, knowing what I now know about optimal thyroid levels for TTC

Fun things you like to do when not obsessing about TTC: read, do puzzles of all kinds, snuggle with dh, hang out with friends

How did you meet your dh/dp?: we met at a church Halloween dance for singles. I was dressed as a goddess, he was dressed as a pirate (hence his nickname). He got my number, asked me out for the next Friday, and 7 months later, we were married!

What is one of your favorite books?: read recently - Sisters of the Sari; in general - The Hunger Games trilogy, Harry Potter, pretty much anything by Eoin Colfer, random nonfiction about how things aren't what we think they are (like Freakonomics or Blink), all kinds of things, really. Oh, and for the Jane Austen inclined out there - Austenland by Shannon Hale. I laughed my guts out!

Movie?: The Emperor's New Groove is always good for a laugh; I also like Jane Austen movies, among other things

Dream vacation spot?: I realllly want to go back to Maui, but I'd say practically anywhere there's a Sandals Resort is on my list (no, never stayed in one, but I really want to!)

Do you have any causes you're passionate about?: I have a lot of things I care a lot about, but I'm often pretty bad at turning caring into action. That's something I really want to work on. But I am pretty passionate about civility and mutual respect. I don't think there's really any excuse for rudeness, especially over contentious political or moral issues. I think that disagreement does not have to lead to insults and hostility, and I HATE name-calling.

I'll be back a little later to post my responses to some of the things you ladies have said. I'm still sick, but better than before. Still cannot shake the cough, and still feel especially terrible when I wake up in the morning. And, despite our precautions, dh is getting sick, too. :( I'm hopeful he won't have it as bad as I did. We'll see.

Edited by monkeyscience - 12/2/11 at 12:22pm

[AGreenMum10]

MonkeyScience- Can you put me on the Due date list.... May 20, 2012!

thank you!