July 2012 Infertility One Thread -- Let the Fireworks Ignite! - Page 3

[shesaidboom]

Thanks for all the comments about OPKs! It was really helpful.

SKJ - thank you for the congrats on the wedding! I hope the timing is excellent too.
I'm so sorry about the situation with your DD's home daycare owner. I can relate to that feeling so much. Even though it's a happy thing, it is so hard when you're dealing with infertility.

SimplyRochelle - I can't imagine how stressful it is dealing with adoption at the same time as RE stuff. I'm glad you got a nice little break!

deborah - I'm glad you're seeing your OB. I hope there's an easy solution to the pain & weird cycles.

cait - I'm really crossing my fingers for that free baby!

skj2011 - I'm sorry your appointment was cancelled. Did they reschedule? Hopefully you won't have to wait too long.

sourire - thank you! I hope that with all our BD sessions we'll have hit that O at the right time. I'm not longer having O symptoms, but I did for several days, which is weird for me.
I hated the Puregon side effects. And oh my gosh, what is with all the follicles? I'm so sorry things aren't going as they should. How many follicles were you making with Femara alone? Maybe the Puregon is just too much for you. An IVF convert sounds like it would be the best way to go if all those follies mature. I do hope they let you.

SilaMarila - ok, I don't want to freak out yet because I know you're waiting to, but that definitely sounds like good news. Fingers crossed! Keep us updated.

bucketofrain - I'm so sorry for the BFN. The vacation sounds wonderful! I hope it gives you a lot of time to de-stress and relax.

smiles - I really hope it was a lab error. I'm sorry you have to wait even longer. I do hope the results you get are much better. I'm so sorry. Big hug to you.

AFM, just waiting, waiting, waiting. I feel so frustrated. Come September it'll be one year since we started this process. That's only two months away. I don't want to reach that deadline without a BFP.

[SilaMarila]

SKJ - I'm sorry about the cancelled appt! That is odd to me that they won't give you numbers over the phone. My acupuncturist said my pulse was "choppy" and that she gives me a 20% chance of a successful pregnancy 

Bucket - I'm sorry about last month's crap cycle ugh. Have a great vacation (I'm jealous!) and maybe a break is all you need!

Sourire - Well I hope something works out for you, whether some of those follicles stop growing or IVF! I would definitely make an appt with one of those other Dr's. I'm using Wondfo internet cheapies and they are supposedly pretty sensitive. I have 1 FRER left that I might use tomorrow.

Smiles - I'm so sorry. Hoping for a miracle for you. Like Sourire said, maybe look into further testing.

AFM - I got on the computer after I got home my morning activities (before I told DH about today's lighter test) and when I clicked the history I noticed he had been looking at mini vans. I about lost it. I'm not letting myself feel much of anything at the moment. I just did another test and it was the same as this morning. Super light. 

[polyhymnia]

Hi all - I am back after a crazy couple of months. Hoping to stick around for awhile.

Me - 30, DH - 30. TTC #1 since 6/11. Lots of well-timed sex, regular 28 day cycles with pretty clear ovulation patterns on my charts, but nothing happening :( I have my first appointment on 7/24, with my regular GP. It is a routine physical appointment but because of how my insurance works I have been told this is the best way to start. I'm hoping my GP will run some tests under a non-IF diagnosis to try to get them covered, then refer to an RE if necessary. Does that seem reasonable? Any suggestions on things to ask for or ways to approach it? I'm afraid she will just blow things off. I don't have a strong existing relationship with the dr but have seen her 1-2x a year for 3-4 years now.

[Milk8shake]

Thanks for the new thread Rochelle!  Can't believe you had to fill out 16 pages.  That's ridiculous.  The worst part is, when you go to the appointment, and they ask you all the stuff that is in those 16 pages.  You just know that they never even looked at the flippin' thing!  

Sila - Damn girl.  Personally I am wondering about the batch of hpts that you're using... Maybe that's why you're not seeing a big change in darkness.  Can you pick some others up?  And a golden FRER while you are at it?  

Smiles - A month is a million years!  We all know that.  I am so sorry for the bad news, but the not knowing is so much worse.  I don't even know what to say.  

Sourire!  GO follies, GO!  Oh, I hope that an IVF convert is on it's way!!  Can't believe you have had such a great response.  Seems like it is meant to be.  

I will be back after work catch up on everyone else!  

[wissa19]

Smiles - :(  I'm so sorry you didn't get any clear answers from the test.  I'm sorry the news might be menopause too!   If your FSH really is 50 that's really high...I'm holding out for a lab error.

Sila - Stalking you now...fingers crossed for no AF Sat.

Sourire - Girl when you're ovaries decide to work they get down to business.  If you really want to do IVF I hope they'll just go ahead and convert.  Have you tired a femara/injection combo cycle?  That's what I was going to do next...  (FYI - I had 3 -4 mature follies the cycle I got my BFP and ended up with just 1 baby, but I totally understand why you would be afraid to go ahead with IUI.  We didn't do IUI that cycle, plus we were pretty sure one of my tubes wasn't working.  It was still a little scary until that first ultrasound because my HCG levels were high. Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is I understand why you're canceling your last cycles and poo on those ladies who were ugly to you about it.)

Milk, TF2B, Shesaidboom, Deborah and all you new ladies ... I'm still stalking and hope you can join the graduates thread soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

[Sourire]

Shesaidboom - on Femara I only had 1 follicle all three times. Well technically the first month I had 3 (21mm, 14mm, 14mm) but 14mm follicles have a pretty low chance of ovulating and fertilizing. I realized after reading your update and Smiles as well that I shouldn't complain about skipping 1-2 cycles, some of you ladies have to wait much longer than me! Now I understand your frustration better.

Sila - I'm really crossing my fingers that you get a nice dark line on that FRER tomorrow morning. The 20% chance your acupuncturist gave you seems pretty low, but here's another way to look at it: the chance do success with Clomid IUI is only about 10%, so you've already beaten those 10% odds, it's not so crazy to imagine you beating the 20% odds and staying pregnant! Stick baby stick!

Welcome back polyhymnia. I'm not sure a GP would know what tests to run for IF, most people who don't go straight to an RE see an OBGYN first because usually they will do the basic testing and prescribe Clomid and stuff. My guess is that your GP will end up referring you to an RE or an OBGYN right away.

Wissa - yes this cycle and last have both been combo cycles. I take Femara CD2-6 and Puregon starting on CD5, 50 units which is pretty much the lowest dose. Since i had more follies than i wanted last month, the doctor put me on Puregon every other day instead of every day this time. My doctor said that the combo cycles are supposed to be a lower stim than just injectables and most people get 2-3 follies on this protocol. So I guess I'm really not normal haha. My ovaries either produce a single follie or they go wild, I can't seem to get that middle ground!

[BucketOfRain]

Sourie: WTF is right! At least you have a glimmer of IVF hope for this cycle. I hope your follicles have continued to grow like crazy and your doctor sees no other option when you go back.

Smiles: I'm sorry you had such a bad appointment yesterday, I truly hope it was a lab error. 

Shesaid: That one year mark is really tough for sure, I hope you don't get there. 

Sila: It's so unfair that you are still unsure what is happening. I hope you get some clarity soon - and that you pass it on to us asap! It is so strange the things that can hit us hard on this journey. Every cycle I can see the path that we would go down if I got pregnant. When the baby would be born, how old my daughter would be, when my mat leave would be, when we could travel again and on and on. It is so hard to have those dreams/plans dashed month after month. Maybe you will end up needing that mini van though. It's funny, I always swore I would never have a mini-van and now I find myself so sad that I may never need one :(

poly: I'm in a similar boat with regular cycles, good counts, well timed bd and still nothing...it stinks. My regular ob did day 21 blood work, HSG and semen analysis. When all of that was clear he said there was really nothing else he could do and sent me to an RE who did more blood work and came up with the lovely diagnosis of unexplained infertililty. Good luck with your appointments, not knowing what is going on is slightly maddening.

AFM: Nothing new to report on the fertility front. I am starting to get ready for vacation and although sad that I was unable to do meds/iui this month the thought of relaxing on a tropical beach is overriding any negative thoughts. I am planning lots of relaxing/walking/meditation and of course bd as I will probably O while there so maybe I will get a vacation baby this month:)

[SKJ2011]

I hope you ladies don't mind but I need to do an AAM post. I got some crushing news at my RE appointment.

First, they f-ed up and didn't do the AMH even though I specifically called and told them it wasn't checked on my sheet. That was CD 3. Today is CD 18. They said they tried to get it in, but weren't able to. But, they didn't bother telling me this and the test will take 7-10 days to come back. I'm so pissed. And, I made it clear I was in the appointment. So, off to a great start here.

My FSH is only 6, but my estrogen was 75. That plus only having 7 antral follicles (instead of the 10 they told me on CD 3) = diimished ovarian reserves. He recommends doing 1 clomid cycle with IUI and then straight to IVF. I got pregnant in January (m/c) and this is only our 3rd month trying. I feel like the doctor is being SUPER aggressive. He basically said we are running out of time. I"m 34. How can this be? I'm more stunned than anything and not really believing him. Am I crazy to think it's not so desperate? I've got a second opinion scheduled for August 2nd. I'm not going to make any decisions until then.

DH's swimmers were fine. I'm praying that I won't need any intervention and that I"ll get my miracle baby this month. I'm sure that's not going to happen though. I wish it was next week so I could at least know this cycle's a no go.

I'm so torn between wanting to try on our own, or with clomid and feeling like we don't have any time to waste.

I'll do persies in a bit.

Thanks for reading...

[SKJ2011]

Sila I"m sorry your acupuncturist didn't have more promising thoughts. 20% chance is better than 0%. I'm sorry you are stuck in limbo. I truly hope you are in the 20% category. Please please please!

Bucket - I hope the vacation is a cure all! What a lovely souvenir that would be. Sorry you are dealing with unexplained IF. That's got to be a really frustrating diagnosis. I totally hear you on imagining all teh posibilities each month. I've been working really, really hard on not doing that. It just makes it so much harder when AF shows up. This is the first month I haven't checked my potential due date. It's been hard, but it feels better not hanging my hat on a date if that makes sense. OF course, I've got the bigger picture dates in my head all the time - like I need to conceive #2 by September in order for my kids to be 3 years apart. I'm ok if they are further apart now. BUt it was a long hard road to acceptance.

Sourie - I hope this cycle gets converted to IVF. We are sort of in opposite boats. My RE wants me to be doing IVF, and yours seems to be holding you back. Maybe we can switch?

shesaidboom - I truly hope you get a honeymoon baby and you are good and knocked up come September. Come on baby!



Off to do fertility yoga...

[deborahbgkelly]

I guess I forgot to update you all. Sorry about that. I did not have any cysts or fibroids, we suspect the Endo is back already- blah! OTOH, there is a newish, non-narcotic drug she gave me to try at next AF (I hope I never get to see how well it works).

[monkeyscience]

smiles - I'm really sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I don't really know much about premature menopause, though I did have an internet friend miraculously get pregnant in spite of it. I don't think she was doing anything special, though. I hope you can get some better answers!

Sila - Hoping for things to take a more definitive turn for the better! I am still holding out hope for you.

Deborah - Yay for a new pain med, at least. Boo for endo coming back so soon!

Teresa - Hoping you also get a more definitive turn for the better, too! If not, I think it is awesome that you definitely gotten pregnant with your first IVF try, so hopefully any future attempt would also be quickly successful!

Everyone else,

AFM, nothing new to report at this time! Maybe after my mw visit tomorrow.

[SilaMarila]

FRER is negative and if I really stare I think I can see just a shadow of a line on the IC. My temp went down too. Goodbye almost baby. I'm sure AF will start tomorrow or Sun.

I dreamed that we decided to go with a sperm donor and Ryan Lochte (anyone as excited for the Olympics as I am?) was our donor. I was too nervous to get a beta so they did it on him and his hcg was 10 at 10dpo and we were pregnant. Weird....

[chicajones]

Sila, I was reading along with bated breath! Sorry to hear that your temps went down. :( The one good thing is that if it was chemical, it means SOMETHING happened, even if it didn't turn into a complete BFP. It was only two cycles after my chemical pregnancy that we got a for-real, all-the-way BFP, so I am hoping that this was just your body finally figuring out how things are supposed to go. Now that it's getting the hang of it, I bet you'll find yourself right in the swing of things before you know it!! (But, I also know--it's hard right now, and it sucks, and it's totally okay to be sad and release your excitement and expectations in a healthy way). Will be thinking of you a lot this week... 

[SKJ2011]

Sila - I'm so sorry I was so hoping this would work out. Thinking of you.

[Smilesarefree]

Thanks Everyone for you thoughts and well wishes.  I feel certain that the result was right because I have all the symptoms to go with it.  But you never know, I am going to try and not think about it for a month (ha!).  Thanks SKJ for the book suggestion I will definitely look into it.  Sourire - the doctor I saw doesn't do the antral follicle count, I will ask her if the IVF clinic does it, it may be worth going there just for that if they do them as part of the workup.  She doesn't measure the AMH either, FSH is her gospel I guess.

Sila -

[Sourire]

Bucket - have a great vacation!

SKJ - sorry to hear about the diminished ovarian reserve. If you are not ready to do IVF, nobody can force you. My RE wanted me to start doing IUI's in August 2011, but I wasn't mentally ready for that so instead I did a few cycles of experimenting with Femara/Prometrium/Crinone and then I started the IUI's in January 2012. The RE was a bit annoyed that I wanted to wait, but it's not his decision, it's mine! So you just need to explain that to the RE and if they won't listen to you then it's best to find a different RE. The 2nd opinion sounds like a good plan. BTW, just so you know, antral follicle count can be a bit subjective: 1 doctor may count 7 and the other may count 12. Also it can vary a bit from month to month. I had an antral follicle count of 13 last year, and I did it again this month and it was 20. Plus if you just got pregnant a few months ago your situation surely can't be that bad!

Deborah - what's the name of your new med? I take Anaprox or Naproxen during AF but it gives me horrible stomach cramps (almost as bad as the uterine cramps I'm taking the medication for!) so I'd like to find something else. Sorry about your endo coming back, that is horrible.

Sila - I'm so sorry to hear that :( I'm really sad for you. You've had chemicals before haven't you? It sounds like you might have an argument to do some immune testing at this point.

Smiles - that's strange about your Dr only caring about FSH. I was listening to an interview with an RE yesterday on the Creating a Family podcast and he was actually saying that pretty soon nobody will test FSH anymore because AMH and antral follicle counts are both better indicators. It sounds like it might be worth going to the IVF clinic just to get some proper testing done, even if you aren't planning to do IVF.

AFM - just got back from my u/s. I got good news and bad news. The bad news is that I definitely won't be having IVF this month. The good news is that I can go ahead and do my IUI without worrying too much about multiples!

On Wednesday my 4 main follies were at 14mm, 14mm, 13mm, 12mm.

Today they were at 19mm, 14mm, 14mm and 13mm.

So only one of my follies really kept growing! Based on what I've read follies 16mm and up are ideal, but 14mm and 15mm follies can occasionally ovulate & fertilize (but there is a much smaller chance). Last month I had 3 follies that were 16mm+, but now I only have 1 so even though I technically have 3 potiential follies, I feel totally comfortable with doing the IUI. So Ovidrel tonight, IUI Sunday morning! Hooray! Overall I'm pretty happy with this result even if I didn't get my IVF.

[SKJ2011]

Sourire - I'm so glad to hear things seem to be looking up! Hoping this is it and you won't need to even think about IVF. Thanks for your thoughts. I"ve spent all day on the phone and internet and I think I'm feeling ok. I read this blog by some RE in Canada and it answered a ton of my questions, especially the one about conceiving naturally.

His opinion: "Actually, if you are trying to get pregnant naturally, ovarian reserve doesn’t matter too much. After all, up until menopause, your body will generally find 1 egg a month from the pool to mature and ovulate. I’m not saying ovarian reserve doesn’t matter with natural cycles at all, but, we have all seen natural conceptions in women who have very low reserves."

That makes me feel much, much better.

[Milk8shake]

Sila - 

On the flip side, I had an equally weird dream... I dreamed that DP and I (finally) got engaged and we were planning our wedding.  It was a really warm, fuzzy, and lovely.  And then I found out that I had a brain tumour and was going to die before we got married.  Not so fuzzy anymore!  

Shesaidboom - Ick for the one year mark.  I have had to stop thinking about those time frames, it sucks way too much.  A honeymoon baby could fix that problem!

Smiles - is it just me, or does your doc seem a bit cocky?  I mean, what does it hurt to run an AMH?  

Sourire!  Wahooo!  That's good news about your IUI.  I hope that this is your month... Things just seem to be falling into place for you.  

SKJ - What did we ever do before Google?  Seriously.  I'm glad you found that blog.  It makes a lot of sense, too.  

Wow, that's a lot of "S" usernames!  

AFM:  Am I the only one who thinks that waiting to O is hella boring?  Jeez.  I'm over it already, and I'm only CD 10.  I probably won't even O for another week!

Anyway, I've given up on temping.  Whoever mentioned it last thread, you were right about my thermometer - it only had one decimal point.  Stupid hospital sold it to me specifically for charting though!  Is it weird if I still have a chart though, just for the purpose of recording opks and sexy time?  After my failed efforts at recording CM, seems like that is the only info I could enter.  

Can I ask what plan of attack you guys use in terms of timing?  I mean, do people really go for it every second day until O (or +opk), and then everyday for three days?  I think I'd be exhausted!  

DP is starting to come on board more and more - last night he ate his goji berries without even a whimper.  I'm so proud of him.  And he has made the change to boxers, even though he reckons it makes him feel like a teenager.  He has also mentioned a few future "pregnancy plans", so I'm pleased that I'm not the only one thinking about it.  

We got all of our fertility bloods and crap back.  Mine were all good, but DP's thyroid was a tad high.  Doctor didn't seem concerned though.  Still waiting on his SCSA results.

In other news, I've been thinking for a while now about putting together a miscarriage specific, Australian based support group/website.  There is next to nothing here in Oz, aside from Stillbirth and NND groups who "include miscarriage", but really don't.  There are a few things that have happened lately in my life that make me think that I am meant to do it (aside from my fertility experiences).  It has just been weighing on my heart, you know?  

My biggest problem, and the reason I haven't even started anything yet, is because I cannot decide on a domain/group name.  I don't want to be stuck with something terrible and regret it later.  Every time I think of something that I think would be good, I check it out, and either the domain is registered, or it has really inappropriate connotations.  

For example, I thought of "cherish".  Cherish.org, something like that.  I Googled it - Cherish is a pro-life group here.  Not something that I want to be associated or confused with.  

I also like "butterfly babies".  The domain is available, but there is a "butterflybabycakes.com.au" that sells christening cakes.  Ugh.  I feel like I will never find something.  

[deborahbgkelly]

I don't know who asked me, but I never had a chemical I was aware of. There is one month last year that may have been a possibility, but it was pre-testing, so I can't be sure. We know I have an auto-immune disorder (Hashimoto's). I'm going to ask them to double check lupus coagulant and MTHFR. We know that we had clot-type stuff in the placenta which is why I will be on baby aspirin until 36 weeks. I tested negative for lupus coagulant but it said something about a horizontal analysis to completely rule it out. Sourire- The drug is called Lysteda. It was not available in North America until the last couple of years. AFM- If we weren't traveling, I might go back to the IVF sooner, but it won't work right now. I imagine that the Endo might have stayed away longer had my pregnancy been full-term.I had orientation for volunteering with foster care today. It was quite interesting, but a full-day and now I have to do some more work too.

[stretch358]

Can you remove me from the TTC list
I am getting stressed out already just thinking about it.  It was a really hard 2 years TTC #1 and it left it's mark on me.  I think We are just gonna wing it and try not to think about it for a while.  I wish all of you the best.  I may be back if I can get the TTC anxiety under control.