The Official TTC for 6 Months or More Thread

[BrightSpot]

MP, thanks for your thoughts & prayers, as always.

Bella, thanks, lady! Fingers crossed for you too! Are you testing tomorrow? Dust your way1 (Also, I might've bookmarked the adorable sleepers you bought...)

tammy, thanks! I'm excited to get started, but also a little bummed that we won't have more time for the diet changes to affect things.

JGator, thanks for your sweet post. It made me tear up a bit. (And I can't blame the hormones yet!)

Ltl, good memory! I did feel pretty awful on Gonal-F last time, so I'm not looking forward to the side effects again since I'll be taking it this cycle too. But I guess that's probably a drop in the bucket compared to an egg retrieval. They initially prescribed both lupron & ganirelix for me, but the doc changed his mind and apparently removed both from my protocol. I hope this is ok & doesn't compromise the cycle in any way.
I hope you're feeling ok & that your babes are growing away!

Lizzy!! Of course I remember your story! I was hoping you'd check in & very much appreciate your support.

Ladies who have done IVF--when did your doc say you had to stop exercising? Mine didn't mention anything but I thought there was a point at which it wasn't safe to exercise with the stim medications.

afm, today is my 7th wedding anniversary with DH. I hope it's lucky #7 because we're starting our IVF cycle today! I went in for what I thought was day 3 bloodwork but wound up getting an u/s too & starting the cycle. Initially we were supposed to have several days of lupron followed by ganirelix plus the stims (gonal-f & menopur). Since my lining was thin & I had been on the bcp for several months, my doc didn't want to suppress me further & wanted to "get this show on the road." On one hand I'm happy to get it moving & to have a shorter timeline & fewer injections to deal with, but I'm also surprised it's moving so quickly & hoping that the new protocol is just as good as (or better than) than the old one. Judging from the calendar they sent me, it looks like the egg retrieval could be as soon as Mother's Day weekend. (Ironic or hopeful?) I guess we'll have to take everything one day at a time & see how things progress. Please keep us in your thoughts & prayers that this is a smooth process with a successful outcome!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

i just have to share b/c it is too funny!

We got a http://www.amazon.com/Micra-Sperm-T...id=1367342876&sr=8-1&keywords=micra+fertility months ago. It was DH's idea to get the test, but he has been finding creative ways to avoid taking it ever since.

He finally got up the nerve to take it a couple days ago, but he messed it up (spilled most of his sample, forgot to put the solution on the slides, etc.) Then the microscope was focused wrong so he couldn't see anything and spent almost 30 minutes thinking that he had no swimmers, not one. Even with all that, once he got the microscope focused properly, his sample was just within the lower limit of normal on the test. So I was like, you are probably fine. But then he saw some photos on Youtube of other people's tests with their "super swimmers" and he was feeling very inferior.

In general, he was freaking out. I just got a voice mail from him saying, "I'm going to give you a moment to take me off speaker phone...[long pause]...I better be off of speaker...[another pause]...Bella, I did the test again and I did it right. I am virile as a mug!!!! Swimmers everywhere!!!! So many you can't even count!!!! even more than we saw on youtube!!!! I called him back, and he is very, very proud

He's been taking supplements (fertilaid, omega3, coq10, vitamin C) for the past 3-4 months and I wish that he would have done a baseline test before that to see if they improved things...but either way, I am thrilled that he's got what seem to be healthy swimmers.

The best part is, now that he knows that he has swimmers he's like "oh, I can go to the Dr and get a test now because I know that they are good. I just didn't want to go when I didn't know if I had swimmers

***I know that a professional test could give more info, but since he doesn't have insurance and we are not doing IVF, or even IUI, it doesn't seem necessary right now.****

 

[monkeyprincess]

Bright, happy belated anniversary! And WOOHOO to finally be starting the process! I have the highest hopes for you and really hope the process is as painless and seamless as possible. Thoughts and prayers and dust!!! And then some more dust!!!

Bella, too funny. Fingers crossed for you this cycle!

 

[JGator]

Bright, yay for starting the IVF process, and the timing sounds great with your anniversary and Mothers Day!!! Happy 7 year Anniversary. 7 is a lucky number so that has to be a good sign.

Bella, your DH cracks me up!!! Glad he is feeling more confident. When are you planning to test???

 

[royalasscherlover]

Thanks all for the reassurance and checking in to see how things are going. I took the 100mg of Clomid as prescribed and had a slight headache and warm tummy the first couple days but no other noticeable side effects. Unfortunately, my follicles don't seem to be developing very quickly - CD12 was only 10.5mm and no + OPK 8 days after finishing the Clomid. I'll get another blood test tomorrow to see how things are going. If it doesn't look like the Clomid is working, I think my doctor wants to switch me to injectables next cycle.

Pupp, so sorry for your friend. I hope things work out ok.

Tammy, thanks for the support - the waiting and wondering is so hard and not something I really want to share with people in real life.

Bright, I hope that #7 is the lucky one for you! And thanks for the compliment on my asscher - I really need to get a picture in it's setting sometime.

Bella, cute story about your DH. Will you test today? Good luck!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Short blonde, I'm sorry that your body isn't responding strongly to Clomid. Even if it doesn't work, many people have great success with injectables!

I am going to wait to Saturday to test. I just hate seeing that BFN so I am going to try and hold out...

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Tested today 12 DPO, BFN. I hate seeing that. Next month I am waiting until after I am late to test.

DH and I had an argument this morning and in general I am just angry.

I hate TTC. It is just always waiting...waiting to stop bleeding, waiting to ovulate, waiting to see if you are pregnant...rinse and repeat and repeat and repeat.

I feel like such a negative Nancy today, but that's where I am I was really hoping the Clomid+royal jelly+coq10+acupuncture would do the trick...

 

[BrightSpot]

Mp, jgator & short blonde, thanks for the good thoughts.

Short blonde, I'm sorry the clomid doesn't seem to be working for you. Lots of women have great luck (& minimal side effects) with injectables. How was your blood test?

Bella, I'm so sorry about the bfn. I hear ya about hating ttc & feeing negative. I'm right there with you. Hugs. Will you try clomid again next month?

Afm, not good news from my first checkup. My lining is only at 3mm (hasn't grown at all this week) & I only have 2 small follicles on 1 side & 0 on the other. I'm going back in on Monday for another look, but it looks like we might have to cancel this cycle & try again next month. I can't believe this is happening. I'm so disappointed. Just kinda seems like we can't win on this.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Bright, I am so sorry! I understand how frustrating it can be!

I don't know what I am going to do next cycle yet, it will depend a lot on whether I have a "normal" period.

Right now I am focusing on not being furious with DH.

I just feel tired.

I am tired of TTC, I am tired of my body not responding, I am tired of the stress of fully supporting DH while he's in school, I am tired of shouldering the load of household stuff, I am tired of DH not being ready to start another adoption, I am tired of being in school...I am tired of taking care of everyone but no one taking care of me...

...and then, knowing that stress makes infertility worse, I feel upset that all of this is probably making my body be less fertile...and then when you throw hormones on top of it all...well, it's really not a pretty day in the Bella household.

 

[tammy77]

Big, HUGE hugs to both of you! Bella, something to keep in mind is that at least for me, Clomid gave me SUPER pms. Another GOOD thing to keep in mind is that this was only your first cycle and you're not even "out" yet! Statistically you really do have at least 3 cycles before they'll start looking at next steps.

Are there religious beliefs that are keeping IUI off the table for you guys? I only ask because for us, that's what did the trick (as you know). I did the two rounds of clomid then moved to the femara/trigger/iui. Maybe you could go with just Femara and a trigger shot to KNOW that you ovulated, if IUI isn't something you're okay with? I found Femara to be MUCH better for me - mood wise and also for my lining.

Speaking of lining, ugh Bright it's just NOT fair!! If you have to cancel this cycle, do they have a different protocol for next month? I guess the silver lining is that you had been wishing for more time to let the dietary changes and supplements kick in. Maybe your body and baby just need a little more time to get it just right. I don't know hun, grasping at straws here and SO wish that I could do something to help. *hugs*

 

[Bella_mezzo]

My insurance doesn't cover any fertility treatment and my Re's office estimated $4000-$5000 for a basic IUI, no monitoring except 2 ultrasounds, with clomid and way more for injectibles b/c it would involve more monitoring plus the cost of drugs.

Also, it is pretty much impossible to get to my REs office.

I guess I should find a new RE, but...ugh...I am not sure where to begin and they are all so expensive. Given how many people's insurance doesn't cover this treatment, you would think that they would be way more straight forward about pricing/logistics.

If we are going to spend that much money DH and I would both rather adopt as there are so many children who are just waiting for families, but DH isn't ready to start an adoption yet.

If there was a reputible IUI option that was say $500-$1000 I think that we might consider that.

It is all so frustrating. The Clomid made me crazy angry right around ovulation, and it seems some hormonal imbalance is now hitting me again and I feel so angry and tired....

 

[monkeyprincess]

Oh Bright, it really does seem like you keep encountering setbacks, and I can't even begin to imagine how frustrating it must be. Do they think it has something to do with just coming off birth control? Maybe having a normal cycle will help for next cycle? You obviously have a protocol that it is supposed to help with lining, but I think I drank raspberry leaf tea and took baby aspirin while I was on clomid because I read that was supposed to help with lining. Big hugs, Bright. I know it's rough, but try to hang in there. We're all rooting for you.

Bella, argh, I remember the frustration you're having all too well. Not to be all pollyanna, but has AF arrived yet? Keeping my fingers crossed still. As far as IUIs, I don't live in NYC, so things are probably less expensive, but if I remember correctly, I was able to get an IUI for around $1,000, including DH's side of things. I went through an NP in my OB/GYN's practice. I totally get what you are saying about preferring to put that money toward an adoption though. It must be so frustrating not being on the same page as your DH with all of this. I know it's different for guys, but my DH just knew how sad it made me not being able to get pregnant, so he really stepped up and did what he needed to do to make it happen for me, and I don't know what I would have done, if I didn't feel such a strong commitment from him. Have you ever considered getting a little counseling with your DH to talk through some of his hesitation? It really is such a cruel cycle to go from the high of thinking maybe you are pregnant to seeing that BFN month after month. I'm thinking of you as you decide how to move forward with all of this if it turns out this wasn't your month.

 

[BrightSpot]

Thanks so much, ladies. You guys really made me feel better.

Bella, I hope you're feeling a bit better & enjoying this beautiful weekend. Another option might be to try clomid (or femara) with a trigger shot (only around $100 without insurance) & timed bd. You'd probably have to get a couple of monitoring appointments but it would be cheaper than an IUI.
Did AF arrive? Just thinking you're not out until then...

Tammy, that's funny-that's exactly what my DH said (that now
I can have the extra time I'd wanted for my body to adjust to the changes.) I guess that's the silver lining. And better to cancel the cycle if the odds of success are very low than to go through everything & have a bad outcome.

MP, yep, that's pretty much what the doc said-that this could be because my ovaries were suppressed for several months on the pill & sometimes it takes them a while to ramp up again.

I've been drinking fertilitea & taking baby aspirin but I guess my hormones just aren't kicking in. The doc who saw me on Friday (not my regular doc) asked if I'd had my AMH tested (I haven't) but then looked at my chart & saw how much better I responded to the Gonal F (at a much lower dose) when I did my last IUI & said maybe having a normal cycle would help.

So unless things have changed dramatically by tomorrow's appointment I guess that's the plan. I don't know if it would be an option to covert to an IUI cycle or not (or if we'd even want to do that.)

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Thanks Bright, I'll look into that!!!!

Good news, I definitely ovulated, bad news, I think tonight is the beginning of AF. I have never had a luteal phase that felt like this (hot flashes, constipated, mood swings, 14 days long, etc.) I don't know if it was the clomid, or actually having progesterone rise to the level it was supposed to, but this was very different. So, I'll take that as a positive.

DH is READY for the next cycle. He's like, okay, when do we start

I think that I am going to take the clomid again this cycle at 50mg but also do whatever I can to strengthen CM and lining.

We'll see...

 

[BrightSpot]

Quick post. So the IVF is definitely off. Just trying to decide if we covert to iui or call the whole thing off & try again next month. My lining is at 9mm & follies at 14mm, 12mm & a few at 8-10mm range. We might have 1-2 at iui time.

On one hand it would be nice to still have some sort of shot this month & not waste the meds but I'm scared of another m/c. What would you do?

 

[monkeyprincess]

Ugh Bright, so sorry IVF is off this cycle. Your journey has had more ups and downs than I can even remember or count, and it just sucks. Like the saying goes, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." As far as deciding whether to convert this to an IUI, here are my thoughts. Before this cycle began, had you committed yourself to doing an IVF and skipping any more IUIs? As tempting as it is to not "waste" this cycle, I would just hate for this cycle to throw you off somehow and cause further delays and setbacks or God forbid another miscarriage .It seems to me that IVF has the best chance of ensuring a healthy embryo implants. Was there anything different about this protocol that would lead you to believeyou have a better chance of a successful pregnancy than you did during your last IUI? Sorry, not very helpful, but whatever you decide, I'll be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. Hang in there lady. This is going to happen, and you are going to be a mom.

Bella, that's great that you at least ovulated and had a somewhat normal cycle. Have you considered having an ultrasound to monitor your follicles and lining? As someone else suggested, it would be great if you could have a better idea of what is going on and possibly even trigger when the follicles hit the right size. Either way, much luck to you this cycle! (I'm dipping my toe back into the TTC game, and I also just got AF this weekend. And as much as it sucks, it also signals the start of a new cycle and new possibilities).

 

[Bella_mezzo]

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((bright))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) huge hugs lady! You are so strong!

What if you just BD so that you still get some advantage of the cycle if the egg and swimmers are strong and healthy, but stick to your no more IUI plan and gear up for next month?

 

[royalasscherlover]

Bright, I have no advice, especially since I don't know your full history with mc, but sending you good luck and peace with whatever decision you make. Sorry this round didn't work out the way you had hoped. What does the baby aspirin do?

Bella, sorry to hear that you are frustrated. I haven't even been at this very long and I'm frustrated too, and sick of all the waiting you described. And I can totally relate to the vicious cycle of wondering if the stress and frustration is actually making it harder on our bodies to do our thing.

Afm, I'm not sure where I am. The blood test actually came back promising and my doctor thought I would likely ovulate within the next day or two. I had EWCM on Saturday and was pretty hopeful, but so far I have no temp rise to confirm ovulation. I'm afraid I'm not going to ovulate at all this cycle, even with the Clomid, and I feel like my body is broken. Due to circumstances beyond my control, there's no more BD'ing this week, so if it doesn't happen shortly, I'm out. I guess I'll wait it out for another week or so and then start progesterone again if I still don't have a temp rise.

This is not fun. Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[BrightSpot]

Thanks, ladies, for all of your thoughts & support.

So, when we were trying to decide whether to jump into IVF or do one more IUI, our new doc suggested that, if we wanted to try one more IUI (mainly for financial reasons), he recommended suppressing me for a while then doing the stim injections, thinking that might result in a higher quality egg than I got with my clomid cycles. So, unwittingly, if we so covert to IUI, we would be using that initial protocol. I asked the doc what he thought & he does think doing an IUI now would give us a better shot than we would've had in the previous IUI's. So, we haven't decided for sure, but I think we might give it one last try. (Gulp)

MP, thanks, sweetie. Everything you said is 100% correct & what I was thinking/worrying about. My only hope about doing the IUI is that it is a fairly different protocol from our last IUI so maybe there will be a different result? Also, I fear if we don't do it, I'll always wonder if it could've worked...

Best of luck to you as you TTC #2 (and sorry about AF). Feel free to join us over here if you like, but I hope your round 2 is much shorter than round 1!

Bella, thanks for the hugs-back at ya! I think that's great that your cycle is pretty different this time around. And I'm going to hold out hope for you until AF finally arrives (or doesn't!)

SB, I'm so sorry to hear about all of the frustration. This process can definitely be a rough one. I hope you O soon, but do remember that the swimmers can stick around for several days, so don't worry too much if you can't time things perfectly. Are you using OPK's?

As for baby aspirin, it can help with lining & if you have a blood clotting issue (I do) it can help with that too.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

AF is here with a force and vengeance. So, CD1 for real...text book, like to the hour, 14 days after I thought I ovulated, so that's good...

 

[tammy77]

Oh Bright, what a decision to have to make! MP summed it all up but I thought I'd toss in the thought that maybe it would be successful since you're DH's numbers look better and the infection is gone. I'd be tempted to do it, but I've not been in your shoes so I'm treading lightly in terms of advice. *BIG hugs* and I hope with all my heart that it works if you do decide to take a leap of faith!

Bella, I'm sorry to see that AF has arrived but you are right - it's progress! Regarding the IUI costs, honestly that sounds outrageous. I live in a city that has a high cost of living and it would have only been about $1200 for private pay. An injectible cycle would have been $4,000ish! Do they have a breakdown of the fees? Could you possibly see a different RE even if it meant going to a neighboring city?

 

[monkeyprincess]

Bright, well, that's interesting about what the doctor said about the protocol. The more I think about it, there are just no guarantees for anyone whether you conceive naturally, via IUI or IVF. The sad truth is that miscarriage is always a possibility, and you've been down that road before, but you survived. If you feel like you need to give the IUI one more try, I say go for it, knowing that if that doesn't work, you will try IVF. Hugs and dust.

Shortblonde, good luck to you. Hopefully, you did ovulate and were able to BD at the right time. If this cycle doesn't work out, it does sound like injectibles might be the right thing for you to try.

 

[BrightSpot]

Tammy, thanks, dear. You're right-maybe we'll have a better shot this time now that DH's infection has cleared & his side of things looks better. I sure hope it works too but I'm trying not to get excited.

MP, you're absolutely right about there being no guarantees. Of course IVF would give us a better shot than IUI, but there are no guarantees for either. And I sure hope that this doesn't result in another m/c because those aren't fun, but I've survived. Thanks for your support & wisdom.

Bella, so sorry about AF. That's a good sign that your LP was 14 days though. I'm hoping next cycle does the trick for you!

Afm, so we have 2 follies (1 at 18mm, 1 at 19mm) as of this morning & a "beautiful" lining (per the doc) at 12mm. I'm triggering momentarily & we're doing an IUI on Friday. Wish us luck!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Good luck Bright!!!!!

So, AF stopped today...? So strange! Not sure what is going on.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Bright, sounds like the conditions are ripe for a BFP! Sending you lots of thoughts, prayers and dust for tomorrow!

 

[BrightSpot]

Hi guys. Well, the IUI is done. I'm a little bummed because DH's count & concentration was actually lower than it's been in the past (only 6 million motile post-wash) so I'm going to try not to get my hopes too high.
We've been instructed to BD tonight, then start progesterone on Monday.
I'm trying to decide if I want to test out the hcg or wait. I took the intramuscular hcg, the one they use for IVF, which is stronger than the ovidrel I've used in the past, so I don't know if it will stay in my system longer.

Mp, thanks, for the prayers & dust! Keep & em coming!

Bella, thanks for the luck! That's so strange that AF was so short. Was it heavier than usual? I have no idea what this could mean. (Though I'm glad your bleeding isn't going on for weeks!)

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Bright, you can count on my thoughts and prayers! I'm sorry you guys didn't get the counts you were hoping for, but the good thing about the IUI is that you at least know that you have the healthiest and hardiest swimmers making the journey at exactly the right time. Just think you might be conceiving your baby right now!

Bella, pre-baby while I was TTC, I had pretty short AFs. I think I read somewhere that 4-9 days of AF is considered normal, but I was regularly having 2 day AFs with a little bit of spotting beforehand and after. I wondered if it had something to do with the fact I had a somewhat short luteal phase, but when I was being monitored on clomid, my lining was just fine, so who knows. Post-baby, they are lasting about a week. Sorry, that is not really helpful, is it? So, are you taking clomid again now?

Pupp, I don't know if you are still checking in, but I wondered how your friend who was pregnant with quads is doing. I hope they are feeling better about things. I got some sad news yesterday. The girl I work with who was expecting triplets lost one of her babies, so they did an emergency c-section to deliver the other two. Fortunately, the surviving babies are doing well. They were born at about 32 weeks and will be in the NICU for awhile. Apparently, the identical twins had that twin-to-twin transfusion thing, and they discovered one of the babies' hearts had stopped beating. Just tragic, especially since she had made it to 32 weeks. The really weird part about this whole story is that the dad of the babies is also an identical twin, and I guess he is pretty distraught about losing one of the twin boys. He wasn't with her when she found out they lost the baby or did the c-section because he was in surgery to remove a kidney stone. I can't even imagine everything they are going through right now. I'm sure once they get a chance to grieve and the babies are home, they will feel better about things. Sorry, that is a depressing story.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Oh Bright, I can definitely understand how that would be disappointing. I read a few weeks ago that normally only about 400 swimmers make it up to the egg to try and fertilize it, so getting 6 million on an IUI freeway to the egg is still great!

AFM, I've had some weird spotting all week after a day and a half of insanely heavy flow. Still not sure what's up with that, but I am taking Clomid again this cycle, first pill tonight, and have acupuncture tomorrow morning.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I just wanted to pop in and answer Bright's about the HCG. I did the IM shot for my ivf cycle and by 7 days it had tested out. Whatever you do, I am wishing you luck!

Bella - I hope you have better luck with the clomid.

MP - I am so sorry about your friend. Honestly, I have sen that happen twice (once with twins and once with triplets) and it is one of my biggest fears being pregnant with twins. I am so sorry it happened to her, and they will be in my thoughts.

 

[tammy77]

Bright, I'm on an awful Internet connection so this is shorter than I want but I had to pop in and say that I am thinking of you and praying that your iui leads to a healthy little one for you two. Big hugs!! I'll be back for a better post when I'm out of Yosemite.