Queer Conceptions: November 2012 - Page 10

[mrsandmrs]

justice & fille - you have no idea, i have the worst luck with "sensitive" deliveries. one small example: one time i ordered a book about queer families and sperm donors. i specifically had it sent to my office so my teenager wouldn't open the package before i got home. the lady who picks up the mail at my office opened it and put it in my mailbox - even though it was very clearly addressed to me, personally. nothing like coming into work and finding a sperm donor book very obviously hanging out in your mailbox. so you can imagine, i was convinced the follistim was going to show up with lots of embarrassing stickers on it, like "this was ordered by an infertile homo who's trying to get knocked up" maybe with some holographic rainbows and pregnant unicorns on it. even though i have ordered from them before and the stickers were not terrible. they could come up with really embarrassing stickers since my last order. so the "confidential, refrigerate immediately" wasn't bad. i order weird stuff all the time to be delivered to my office (like, eggs of rare breed chickens, which people think is weird for some reason?) my standards for embarrassing packages are low but my anxiety about receiving them is high. 

darcy - thanks for the reminder to be patient in this process. it's the hardest part. 

welcome, twomommyfamily! I hope you're graduating in jan/feb! are you going to do do a monitoring cycle before you start, or dive right in?  

happy birthday scorpio!! 

I hope everyone had a good thanksgiving. Despite our struggles with TTC stuff, I feel so grateful for all the ways I have been fortunate this year. It was a good day to reflect on that and not focus on the things that haven't worked out (yet).  and eat a lot of fauxturkey and carbs! 

Also, Fertilty Friend thinks I ovulated this month. I think it kind of looks like i O'd on CD17 or 18, but I got crosshairs on 21. Either way, hopefully I won't have to kickstart the next cycle with prometrium. FX for that. Any chart stalkers want to weigh in? here's my chart.

[scorpioma]

fillefantome:

so at the end of November, you start a new thread, copy and paste the first post of this thread and make it the first post of the December thread. As you get updates from folks, you change their status in that post. Does that make sense? It's pretty easy, you just have to check a lot to make sure everyone is where they are supposed to be :)

Twomommyfamily: Do you want to be moved to "Waiting to O" for now? Welcome!!! 

mrsandmrs: THANKS! 

Also, I think it looks like you may have ovulated on 17 or 18 as well... FF makes predictions for me too that I don't always agree with! I am not a chart "expert" but that is what it looks like to me!

afm, AF stopped yesterday and I started temping today... We will be inseminating with KD sperm on December 7, 8 or 9, thereabouts. Getting excited. Going to a lesbian baby shower today- couldn't love THAT any more than I do!!

[Twomommyfamily]

Thanks for the Welcomes!

MrsandMrs- Not sure at this point if we will do a monitoring cycle. At that first RE appt she seemed to think we could just get started in January provided that the tests come back okay. We have another meeting with her on January 4th to review the bloodwork and results of the HSG then we will go from there. Would monitoring help to see how everything goes with the clomid and trigger? See if anything else needs to be done?

Has anyone else on here done an HSG? Any warnings, info? Mine is scheduled for Christmas Eve, which is lovely. Then I go to a big family dinner and the following morning get on a plane to Boston so hopefully there is no lasting discomfort. 

Scorpioma- sure just go ahead and put me in Waiting to O. I'll hang out there for another 6 weeks or so and cheer everyone on from the sidelines! 

[lizbian]

Hi all & happy belated thanksgiving to all the Americans, hope you all had a great time. I've spent the last week photographing 105 dogs for a local competition :)

I'm still waiting to hear back from the specialist as I don't think they'll give me clomid for my PCOS as I'm not going through a recognised fertility clinic so I'm trying to think of other options for getting everything regulated. Perhaps Metformin but I'll have to do some more investigating. We were going to try to inseminate last week but for a number of different reasons have had to postpone until next year so will hopefully get everything sorted by then.

Friederike - welcome & I'm living on the same side of the world as you & Nosreves in the UK & am using Cryos international as well.

I was just wondering if anyone here has problems with tender breasts for a couple of weeks before AF?  I am guessing it's to do with hormones but just noticed how long it's been since starting to chart.

Cheers & good luck with making babies in December everyone.

Liz

[Sphinxy]

scorpio - I hope you enjoyed a fantastic birthday. Good luck to you as you begin prepping for your next insem. We are on the same cycle this month - I just started temping this morning for what I'm calling my "observation cycle." And oh yes, I will certainly still be around the board during my break - I wouldn't want to miss any good news from you all! 

fillefantome - Glad to see you'll be taking over the thread in December. I hear there's something called "thread keeper's luck", and I hope it works out for you! I'd like to put in an early offer to take care of the thread in January since that will be my first cycle back to TTC and I could use all the luck I can get! Regarding your elimination diet - I tried that earlier this year when I, too, was having "intestinal woes". I hear you about the toxins being released, but the more I talk to medical professionals who I trust, the more I'm hearing that there is virtually nothing you can do to prevent implantation during the TWW. It's either going to happen or it's not. You might want to talk to your doctor about your diet if you do get a BFP, but if it is helping you feel better (I know I felt fantastic after mine), I would think that can only mean good things for you and baby. Have you considered getting tested for celiac and/or food allergies/sensitivities? Also, as much as I have a hard time buying into it completely, I do know a few people, myself included, who have had some luck resolving some intestinal issues by following some of the guidelines of the "blood type diet". (could I qualify that a little more?)

darcy - Yeah, I am realizing that I had unrealistic expectations about how many cycles this might take. I mean, rationally I knew it could take quite a while, but as is often my experience, knowing and feeling are completely different things. My mother and sister (both straight) each got pregnant very quickly when they started TTC, and my body has always behaved pretty similarly to theirs in all other aspects of general health. So I definitely had a somewhat naive assumption in the back of my mind that it would be super quick for me, too. But of course, it's very different when you're queer. The money question is a tough one - I struggled with it for a while. I think it's different for everyone - I assume there's a wide range of people of who use savings, retirement funds, gifts/loans from family, and/or loans/credit cards. For myself, I've learned that's important to agree on a plan/budget for the next 6-12 months of TTC, and then to let it go. I can't allow myself to reopen the financial debate with every cycle - it's too exhausting. I also learned from pokey that sperm and shipping fees are tax deductible in the US (see this thread), which I look forward to learning more about as I prepare our 2012 returns.

m&m - Your "worst case scenario" description of what might have arrived at your door made me laugh out loud!

twomommyfamily - Welcome!  Sounds like we will be trying around the same time. 

lizbian - It's not every cycle for me, but I do frequently have tender breasts for a few days before AF arrives.

Lastly, thanks everyone for the kinds words. DW, the pup, and I just arrived home after a fantastic few days visiting with my family. I ordered a copy of the Brill book before I left, which should arrive early this week so that I can soak up some good information during my break. Any recommendations out there for where to buy speculums and/or IUI catheters?

[cordelia15]

Just popping back to weigh in on your chart mrsandmrs, I think I would agree with FF on your O day just based on temping. I didn't see any other indicators there though CM or Opks so that would change things but your temps after 17 aren't higher than all your earlier temps but are almost exactly the same outside of that one dip. Did you have an OPK or look at cervix or CM to give you other info?

And good luck to everyone trying this month. I hope there are lots of December magic babies being made and lots of bfps to ring in the new year!

[scorpioma]

ughhhh

just got back from a baby shower and there was a mom there whose parenting style stressed me out to no end, making my DP and I say things like "are you sure you want kids?" on way home... I know it depends on the baby and your own energy but wow, haha, scary night for me!

anyways I'm sure its normal- if I wasn't afraid it might be arrogance!

[fillefantome]

Scorpio: well, that seems straightforward. I'm in.

Twomommyfamily: welcome! There are a bunch of us taking a break in December, and then starting again in January, so you'll be in good company. And I've heard great things about the HSG upping your chances by "clearing out the pipes." Did your RE have anything to say about your short LP? It seems like the "right" length is a moving target--I've seen some places say anything under 12 days is a problem--and I wonder if your RE thought you were fine (since the bloodwork and HSG are all she's having you do).

mrsandmrs: I would be totally thrilled to get a package with holographic rainbows and pregnant unicorns on it. That would make my day! (Though it might confuse/alarm my coworkers a titch.) I completely feel your pain on the FF crosshairs thing--I'm still convinced that I O'ed on CD17 (and not just because that means a real possibility that the whole babymaking endeavor could have worked), but FF thinks it was CD19. This is a pretty common occurrence for me, since I'm terrible at judging all of the other signs, so FF is generally only working off of my temps, which sometimes isn't enough for a conclusive answer. I usually just wait until my period starts and then go back and jigger the results based on the length of my LP, though this is deeply unscientific.

Lizbian: tender breasts is one of the biggest signs of PMS for me, but I've noticed that some months, it definitely starts right after O, whereas some months, it doesn't start until a couple of days before my period. This month, the month when I would probably obsess over it as a possible sign of pregnancy, I've been taking EPO, which is supposed to reduce tenderness, along with other PMS symptoms, so my normal measuring system (from "ow" to "jesus h christ, my boobs hurt--touch them and die") to is all mucked up. Oh, well, a lesson in the uselessness of obsessing, I suppose.

Sphinxy, I'm definitely hoping for threadkeeper's luck. I'm trying really hard to hold off testing until December, and will be starting the thread the day my period is due. After talking with some friends, and realizing how emotionally unprepared I am to go full elimination diet when TTC (and during the holidays), I've decided to do sort of a backwards version--staying off the caffeine, sugar and alcohol, since I really need to be off those anyway, and then just eliminating one thing at a time. It's not the recommended course, but it means I can actually eat outside of my house during the next month. So, I'm going to start with a few weeks gluten-free (fairly common and easy here), and move on from there. I developed terrible GERD a few years ago, and my gastro did an endoscopy, including checking the intestine for signs of celiac (I don't think they biopsied, but the visual screen was negative). My insurance wouldn't cover the gluten-sensitivity blood tests, which my doctor said had a high rate of false positives, and I didn't have any of the classic symptoms at that point, so I just assumed I was probably in the clear. Ironically, after I decided back in October that I needed to do an elimination diet, things actually got better on the GI front, even though I hadn't actually done anything to change my diet.

AFM: things are going well. Can't believe I have to go back to work tomorrow after a lovely, chill 4-day weekend. I like my job a lot, but it's a bit stressful, so I'll be going from 0-60 tomorrow morning.

Also, just wanted to chime in and say that even though my TTC journey has just begun, I've been lurking on this board for over 5 years now, so there are hundreds of queer folk out there who have helped me get through the waiting to try phase, and I'm thrilled to be actually trying at last with your support!

[Twomommyfamily]

fillefantome: Yeah, the RE did not think that they 8-9 day lp was going to be too much of a big deal provided the bloodwork with all the hormone levels comes back looking good. No matter what I will be taking progesterone after we insem so that there is time for implantation. Also I've heard the HSG can boost fertility for the next couple cycles after so I'm kind of happy to do it even though it doesn't sound all that pleasent. Also, like you, I'm excited that my ttc journey is also finally beginning. I've been lurking on this board a while and was so eager to join the conversation. After that meeting with the RE, it finally feels real. Also- I got a clear speculum for free from my ob-gyn when we thought we were going the DIY route.  I think you can find them online from medical supply places for super cheap.

Sphinxy: Sounds like there will be a few of us trying in January! Very exciting and I hope we will all welcome some late fall 2013 babies!

Scorpioma: I work with some extremely tough kids and very intense parents and on a semi-weekly basis, I wondered if I really want to do this. But here we are. Also one of my close friends, who actually lives right next door, has a parenting style that grates on my nerves with two totally wild kids. But DP and I just try to learn from what we see and consciously plan for what not to do if we are given the chance. Its always a reality check though!

[mrsandmrs]

RE: my chart - thanks for the input, everyone. unfortunately i missed temping on a critical day and I didn't bother with opk's or CM because I'm not actually trying this cycle. My breasts are starting to get sore, so I thought maybe I o'd earlier. 9dpo feels a little early for that for me, but who knows. I don't really recognize my cycle anymore with all the drugs I've been on. My biggest hope was that I would ovulate on my own, and have a cycle less than 35 days, and both seem likely to come true. 

two mommy family - i had an hsg about six months ago. i psyched myself out pretty badly and it was not as bad as i expected, by a long shot. i had considerable pain and cramping for about an hour, but other than that, i was fine. i felt kind of silly for taking the whole day off work and getting a painkiller prescription from my doc. i have heard that you can take 1000 mg of tylenol before (or after, of course), and I think that probably would have been adequate for my pain. The mental torture was the worst part. Monitoring seems like, well, some RE's like to do it and some just like to get started. Some of them like to see how your cycle goes without drugs or anything, to decide if or how much you might need. Also, it gives them a chance to do bloodwork thru the cycle (i.e. cycle days 3, 8, 21, etc). I don't know that either method is better. 

fille - i would be thrilled to get that package too, if it wouldn't inadvertently out me to people i don't want to be involved in our ttc journey. if it was a care package from a friend, i would be stoked about holographic rainbows and pregnant unicorns! 

scorpio! I hope you get a beautiful chart that ends in a BFP for this first month of your new year.   

sphinxy - strangely enough, you can get speculums and "tomcat catheters" on amazon. i know some other people have gotten the catheters from vets (they are actually used for tomcats) but if you dont have that kind of relationship with a vet, it might be worth ordering them from someplace online. a friendly midwife might also be willing to help you out, but your mileage may vary. 

i guess i'm going to be trying again in december, provided i don't have cysts that knock me out for another month. i guesstimated when i'll get my period and calculated my due date if this next cycle works. (is that jinxy? i hope not.) and it was practically my wife's birthday! since my birthday is very close to our older kid, it would be neat for her to have a kidlet to share cake and parties with. 

It looks like Darcy, Joy & Fille are in the TWW. Who's testing next? Do any of you have any feelings? 

Edited by mrsandmrs - 11/25/12 at 11:33pm

[joyseattle]

I agree with everyone about how supportive this board and all the lovely folks on it are during this experience!

m&m - glad your package came and was confidential. That's crazy about the book story. I don't know why someone would open something addressed to someone else. I'm not a chart exported, but looking at your chart makes me wonder what your temp would have been on CD20. If it was higher than 97.3, FF may have given you different cross-hairs. You could play around with hypothetical temps for that day to see what happens. Not that I ever do that or anything….

scorpioma - Happy Belated Birthday! So exciting that you're going to try with the fabulous KD this month. And yay for lesbian baby showers! boo for stressful parenting styles. And yes, it is different with your own.

darcy - I know what you mean about the holiday as a good tww distraction! How are you doing? Did you test?

fmorris - good luck on the partner convincing. In my experience, I had to wait three years until we were both "ready" (again).

Twomommyfamily - Welcome! It sounds like you have a great plan! I'm all for just jumping in and doing an insem with a monitoring cycle so as not to spend money on the monitoring without the chance for a bfp. Are you planning on doing progesterone for lpd? My HSG was super easy and didn't have any lasting discomfort. They say you can take OTC pain relievers before/after as needed.

lizbian - best of luck on figuring out the PCOS treatment!

Sphinxy - plastic disposable specula are super easy to buy online and sometimes at adult stores. I bought a medium and then learned that during O time I need a large to properly see/position my cervix. So, then I got a bunch of larges. You can wash and reuse them or just by a bunch. The ones online, including Amazon, sell for about a dollar each if you buy ten. If you just want one or two, let me know and I can pop it in the mail. As for IUI catheters, I got them easily 3 years ago, but now they're all physician only except for the tom-cat ones (sterile but intended for veterinary rather than human use) which are more flexible. We've used and prefer the Zavos one, but if I don't get a BFP this cycle, we'll need to use something else next cycle. I know we can get something similar from a local midwife that does IUIs, perhaps you have someone locally that would be willing to sell you them to do an "ICI."

fille -  I think cutting out the big toxin/sensitivities first is a good way to go. Best of luck on figuring out what makes your system feel better.

pokey and easttowest - I may send you PMs about the hpts. I'm set on opks for the next cycle or two. I also have 1cc syringes I can send to anyone that needs them…

AFM - 5dpo here. I've had two weird dips to my coverline, but also a cold since the day before O. I start Endometrin tonight so I'm not going to try not to worry as much about temps (although I will still temp) and looking for other "signs" as I know progesterone can make you feel pregnant. I'm already debating when to test (early vs holding out until next Sunday 12dpo). We had to get a new stove/oven today and all I could think was "there's about a cycle's worth of money" but I'm going to focus on the positives that we'll have a shiny new appliance to cook yummy food while I'm pregnant.  

 

 

[scorpioma]

fillefantome: great, I am glad you are in for thread keeper! I "broke" the thread keeper's luck last cycle but I doubt you'll need that ... 

so great about the "waiting to try" phase, I totally get that. I am glad we are all here and on this journey together.

joy: you seem pretty calm, and that is awesome! 5dpo, you are getting there! and I TOTALLY do the hypothetical temps- ha! we are scientists, us ttc-ers!!

To those looking for speculums: I got mine from an online retailer, I just googled it, ha! I got a (steel?) metal one and I sanitize/wash it, and don't have to throw it out. I like it pretty well!

I have no experience with catheters as I have never done IUI at home, just with the midwife, who had her own. I did fine with a medium all the way through my cycle, but joy is right, if you get the disposable ones maybe get one or two of each just in case you have trouble finding your cervix around O time. 

twomommyfamily: if you can work around those tough kids/parents, and are still here, that makes me feel much better. I think that this certain mom was urging bad behavior (not consciously, of course) from her daughter by giving her everything she wanted every second of the day, and the little one literally had ONLY sugary meals all day... ugh. it's a good friend of my DP, so I have to see her again in a few days... she was an amazing role  model of calmness when her baby was little but now in the toddler phase it seems like she is out of control. scary stuff!  DP said we will meditate before she comes over... classic DP idea 

many of you are using meds/interventions/tests of different kinds- it's amazing how much is out there. I have not done any intervention yet, but I know if I do I can turn to these boards to ask questions!  if any of you feel like answering, what made you turn to such things? PCOS, unexplained infertility, etc? I want to know in future months, if I cannot get pregnant, what the signs are to turn to RE. Of course I know some couples try with RE from the start out of personal preference, and get testing done in advance as to not waste sperm $$, which makes sense. As we go forward with KD this month, I'm thinking of these things just in case. 

headed into Detroit this morning to work- I am interning at a family law court that specializes in domestic violence cases. only 5 more days there over a 2 week period. not bad, I just hate the commute, and it is getting COLD here!

finals coming up... insemination might be right around one. ha! crazy... I do not want to miss a month, though, not now!!

We are looking at December 6, 7, or 8 for insem. We are going to ask KD to do at least 2, possibly 3 days.

love to you all :)

[nosreves]

hi, Joy!  i'm threadjumping here just to say that you might want to forgo the temping while taking the Endometrium, as progesterone usually makes your temps go up and stay up the whole time you are taking it.  i've learned that most of the fertility meds will screw with your temps that way.  good luck with your TWW and don't let the side effects of the progesterone do your head in too much.  (btw, the cycle where i got my BFP, i had almost no symptoms to speak of.)

[pokeyAC]

twomommyfamily - I had an HSG and it wasn't as bad as googling might make it seem. I only had some cramping when they put the balloon in for a few minutes. When it was done, I was fine. I took some sort of painkiller beforehand and my doctor also gave me valium to calm me down. I think it helped, so if you think you might need it, I would ask. Good luck! Just make sure you find out how much it will cost you first. I didn't ask and was very shocked when I got the bill. That was much more painful than the procedure.

[fillefantome]

mrsandmrs, I'm hoping to wait until my period is due before testing, because if I have a chemical pregnancy, I would really rather just not know. (I read too much online and have the "50-75% of fertilized eggs don't make it" figure in my head, so I'm trying to hedge my emotional bets.) In future months, when my KD's travel for the next month is going to need to be scheduled as soon as I know I'm not pregnant in a given month, I'll probably be more likely to test early.

On the other hand, if I weren't afraid of the whole chem preg thing and/or unexpected levels of depression over BFNs, I could see myself becoming the peeonastick lady, doing day-by-day scientific report-outs on test results.

So, I guess we'll see. As far as being pregnant, I definitely have no idea, and vacillate between first-timer optimism and a serious pessimist streak, with only the occasional landing on realistic balance.

[mrsandmrs]

also, regarding the HSG, definitely call around and ask how much they charge. in my area, there were some places that charged $750, some places that charged around $500 and several that were $250. for the exact same procedure! all recommended by my doctor! It was unbelievable. So, definitely ask and be willing to shop around. Also, we got a discount for paying cash at the time of service, so ask if there are any discounts like that. 

Edited by mrsandmrs - 11/26/12 at 7:32pm

[joyseattle]

nosreves - thanks for coming and sharing that advice. I'm prepared for my temps to be higher than normal and maybe "look like pg temps." I may stop temping, for the next week, but I wanted to temp today at least to make sure my temp went back up. Actually the high temps/low temps don't stress me out unreasonably, and I'd like to see that these expensive little suckers are doing their jobs (especially since I'm on the lowest dose). Did you do progesterone supplementation? Any side effects? I woke up with a slight headache and a low-backache, perhaps due to the Endometrin. I'm fine with it though as it makes me feel better about doing all I can this cycle.

scorpioma - glad it seems like I'm calm. Like fille, within each day I vacillate between calm (there's nothing I can do), distraction (ooh, hulu, Facebook, a new recipe, a new task around the house, etc), obsession (charting, bodily "signs"), pessimistic (yeah right it won't happen this soon) and optimistic (we had pretty good timing, it could happen!) My wife is great at being reassuring, but I don't share every time I think/feel something related to ttc or it would be a bit ridiculous.

I like your question about how we each decided to go the path we're on and I'd love to hear other responses. For us, we chose home IUIs with frozen donor sperm because we found a perfect donor to match my wife but they were only available as washed vials. Once washed there's a lower rate when using them as IVI/ICI, but we weren't interested in starting with a clinic from the get-go. We felt comfortable enough with doing an IUI at home and have done 4 so far without issue. We started ttc in 2009 and basic blood tests and HSG through an OB before two cycles of home IUIs: 1 insem the first cycle and two the second. Then this current cycle. I'm on progesterone supplementation due to some recent short luteal phases, low temps and spotting before full flow. We're planning to move to an RE in January for monitoring and perhaps a trigger, but continue doing IUI at home followed by the Endometrin. We may have been willing to try at home longer, but we have a limited amount of vials and really want to get pregnant as soon as possible to have a shot at a full sib in the future. So our current theoretical progression for this time ttc is: two cycles at home IUI; two cycles monitoring with trigger and home IUI; two cycles with letrozole, trigger and home IUI; and then reassess. We're hoping to avoid multiples, so I think we'd skip injects and go straight to IVF, but since it's all OOP for us, we'll have to see.

[Sphinxy]

Oh my goodness people - I just had five days of this totally zen, "I'm hitting the reset button", "Let's take our time and strategize" business, and now today I've spent way too much time on here and FF, and shopping for DIY supplies on amazon. I found out that I do have access to unwashed vials from the same WTBK donor that we were using for our IUI tries, and then my Brill book arrived early.... 

So now I kind of want to try in December anyway...  This is such a roller coaster - DW is not going to know what to do with me when she gets home tonight! 

Not making any decisions now... off to the gym to for the first time in weeks to see if I can re-center myself. 

[nosreves]

Joy -- are you taking the progesterone orally or vaginally?  DP and i both were on vaginal progesterone, and boy was that fun (/sarcasm).  some of the side effects i remember were sore breasts, extreme moodiness, night sweats, frequent peeing, heartburn, headaches and exhaustion.  i actually stayed on it until about 12 weeks into my pregnancy.  i've heard that the side effects can be worse if it's taken orally, but i have no experience with it that way.  when i first started posting here, i remember some other graduates of this room calling the vaginal suppositories "spooge pills"....and for good reason.  panty liners are definitely your friend if you are using it that way.  if (maude forbid) you have to move on to medicated/monitored cycles, i'd recommend forgoing the temping completely.  we temped religiously when we were doing unstimulated cycles and going by OPKs/CBFM to detect the surge, but once we moved onto a medicalized approach, it became completely unnecessary (and unreliable.)  btw, even if you just put in one embryo, doing IVF doesn't guarantee that you won't have multiples ;)

[Twomommyfamily]

Hi All, Happy Monday,

Scorpioma- I'm happy you asked about why/how to come to the conclusion of DIY or going with an RE. I look forward to reading more responses. I have Kaiser insurance and it covers 50% of "infertility" treatments. I thought that this was for straight couples only, but one of my coworkers went to the Kaiser infertility clinic and she told me we should go there, she thought they did a great job and she always saw lesbian couples when she went. So when we originally talked about getting pregnant, over a year ago, we decided it would be good to try everything medically possible rather than rely on our own limited knowledge (and limited sperm supply), especially since we had some insurance coverage. I started taking my bbt 9 months ago and as soon as I saw that I have an 8-9 day lp, that confirmed that we had to go to the RE. Just to feel like I covered my bases for the last 8 monrhs I tried vitex and b6. B6 gave me an 11 day lp one month and we totally got our hopes up and thought seriously about DIY at home. The following month I was back down to 9 days and then we also found an amazing (frozen) donor who only had IUI vials available and that sealed the deal. Since the RE emphasized that it helps to pinpoint timing we are going ahead with clomid and triggering with ultrasound monitoring and IUI at the clinic. And definitely progesterone post-IUI for the lpd.

I think its all different though if you have a known donor. If we knew someone and had access to unlimited supply, we would definitely have tried a couple cycles at home. Since each vial we buy is worth basically its weight in gold, we feel less experimental.

Mrsandmrs & Pokey- The HSG costs us $400 out of pocket. That was after the 50% coverage with Kaiser. Not cheap. And since its Kaiser everything is in-house, we don't get to do any shopping around.

Joy & Fille - Sticky thoughts and baby dust to you! And good luck keeping yourselves distracted!!

Sphinxy - what do you think? Will you go for it this month? Exciting!