The Official TTC for 6 Months or More Thread

[monkeyprincess]

Bright, oh I'm sorry you're still in limbo. In this situation, you would probably have preferred the betas to have just gone down. I can understand your reluctance to continue the meds given the slow rising betas, bleeding and history. Like LV, prometrium doesn't keep my from spotting/getting AF, so I hope that if you go that route, it won't prolong anything.

DC, you updated right before me. I was wondering how things were going with you, and I'm glad to hear all is well. We definitely need a little good news around here! I hope everything continues to go well, and that you have a healthy happy pregnancy. Hopefully, a few of us will be able to join you soon.

 

[split_shank]

Drive by post, but just wanted to share that I FINALLY got a solid "Peak" smiley on the CBE digital OPK! I've never had more than a "high" (estrogen rise). This is an unmedicated cycle. Treading lightly though because I have read that cysts can cause false positives, is this true? I want to believe that this month was less stressful than past, had some time off of work and was generally not caring much about this cycle since it was unmedicated and likely a month 'off' until seeing the RE. Feeling a little of the 'ping pong' balls rattling but nothing near like last month.

Going to the RE the day after tomorrow, maybe he can provide some insight.

 

[royalasscherlover]

Bright, I'm so, so sorry you're going through this. All this pain seems so senseless, doesn't it? You're in my thoughts...I wish there was more we could do. Hugs. I've also taken prometrium with no symptoms.

dc, best wishes to you for a sticky bean!

ss, I hope the RE appt goes well and you can get some more information.

mp, lv, and tbaus, hope you're doing well.

afm, CD3 here and starting another round of Femara tonight.

 

[monkeyprincess]

SS, I would think your smiley was a legitimate positive. I'm not familiar with cysts causing LH spikes, but I'm certainly no expert. Best wishes to you, and I hope your RE appointment goes well.

SB, good luck with this new cycle. I'll be taking femara this next cycle as well. Hopefully, it works magic for both of us!

Bright, thinking of you!

Hi to everyone else!

AFM, nothing new to report. I'm thinking I'm around 8 or 9dpo, and I'm pretty positive I'm not pregnant. No spotting or anything yet, but I'm just feeling the way I do when AF is a couple days away. I'm so ready to get this cycle over with and hopefully get an IUI next cycle if all goes well. A little nervous about timing because I will be traveling all over the country in the next couple of months for depositions. Yuck!

 

[BrightSpot]

SS, good luck with this cycle & I hope your appointment with the RE goes well & that s/he can give you more info on the cysts.

MP, thanks, dear. Yeah, seeing what's been going on & assuming this isn't a viable pregnancy, I'd rather avoid the limbo phase as much as possible.
I hope the femara works wonders for you next cycle & that you can time your IUI between your trips. (Or even better, that you're pg now!) How's the move going? Hoping you're getting settled in nicely.

SB, thanks, lady. Good luck with the femara this month. I hope this is the one for you!

Dcg, thanks for your sweet post & the hug. I'm glad to hear your betas have been rising nicely & that your doc is pleased, though I certainly understand the stress of starting off with a low number. Sending you tons of dust for a great u/s on November 7th & a sticky, healthy bean!

LV, thanks for your interest. I've been taking metformin for a few years to help with the pcos but my most troubling symptom is hair loss. In the almost 3 years we've been ttc I've lost at least 1/3 but maybe closer to 1/2 of my total hair volume & am balding along my hairline. Anything that could help stop this (rogaine, spironolactone, bcp) is off limits while ttc. I feel a little guilty even talking about this as a reason to stop ttc but it's really made me quite depressed. Of course, I'd go through almost anything for a little one but I can only put myself through so much for something that likely won't happen. There comes a point when I just have to start looking after myself again.
What are you up to cycle wise now? Sending you lots of good wishes for a bfp soon!

Tbaus, I hope you're doing well & enjoying your new house.

LV, dcg & MP, thanks for the info on prometrium. So the kind of weird thing is I've gotten my period before on crinone, but haven't gotten it on the PIO shots until I stopped them.
I started taking the prometrium last night & have had 2 doses today & the bleeding has slowed significantly. (Yesterday it was like a heavy CD 2 type of bleeding.) I remember reading somewhere that with crinone, your body only absorbs what it needs but I wonder if, with the other methods, it tricks your body into thinking its at a different place in your cycle than it is.

Anyway, I'm hanging on & am happy that the dosing is less messy than it was before. I'm supposed to have a third beta tomorrow, which I hope I can squeeze in with what looks like will be a crazy work day.

 

[tbaus]

Just a quick post as we still don't have internet at the new place so I am on my phone....

Bright, I am devastated for you. I'm so sorry. Everyone has already said everything I wanted to but I just wanted to add that you have been so level headed and brave throughout all of this. I don't know why it so hard for some of us, it's just not fair. Some day you will be a mother though, and that kid will have no idea just how special their mummy is. *Hugs*

dcgator_ Hooray! I knew we'd have some good news around here soon!!! Sending lots of sticky baby dust your way. Thanks for asking about my appointment, I'll update below.

Hi to everyone else. I promise to respond to everyone individually when I have some time. I am flat out this week with the aftermath of the move. I'm sorry about the BFNs, lots of disappointment in this thread . MP, I believe it is just you and me left this month? Don't give up yet, lady!

AFM, 10DPO (I think) over here. I had another blood test on Monday at 8DPO. It was just to test my estrogen and progesterone levels, which both indicated that I had ovulated (estrogen decreased, prog was way up). Another BT next Monday if AF hasn't arrived, which will be an actual pregnancy blood test since I will be 15DPO by then. So let's hope we caught that egg! I am so excited that I finally ovulated, but I am trying to remain relaxed because I know if I am not pregnant I will be devastated. No symptoms standing out, except I have hardly been sleeping, maybe 4 hours a night and then it's like a light goes on and I'm up and wide awake. Could be attributed to the move though? And TMI but I have been producing A LOT of creamy/white cm, a few times I have run to the toilet because I thought AF must have arrived. Funny because I don't remember having any ewcm around ovulation, this has all happened after. I think it started around 3/4DPO?

Ok, time to start my day. Internet will be connected by Thursday, so I should be able to check in by the end of this week.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Tbaus - Fingers crossed for you!! Glad to hear ovulation was confirmed for you, and hope to hear happy news from you soon! Congrats on the new home too!!! So exciting!!! I love home buying, but probably won't be moving myself for a few decades, lol!

Bright - Oh, now I remember you're having posted about the hair loss previously. I'm really sorry to hear that you've lost that much. I hope your bloodwork today brings some clarity.

MP - Hope you are pleasantly surprised and this is your month! Keep us posted. How is new home stuff going? Going anywhere interesting for your depos?

SB - On to a new cycle! I'm holding up ok, hope you are too.

SS - Still feeling the ping pong this month? Hope you have or had a good first visit with your RE.

DCG - Thanks for your thoughts! So excited for you! And, so happy to hear things are going well. I will check for your updates in the other thread.

************
AFM. CD6today. I asked my RE to change up my cycle, so we dropped the clomid and started the Follistim at 100mg on CD4. I'm hoping for more eggs and hopefully one good one in the bunch. I am also going to acupuncture on Thursday and hope I can go at least 2X per week. I'm at the "what have I got to lose stage?" Acupuncture is certainly a lot less expensive than IVF, so may as well use all resources available at this point. I do recall my prior acupuncturist thought it would take a good 3 months for it to help, so we shall see. I already know I am getting the IVF talk after this cycle. I asked twice for info on the cost of IVF and have yet to hear from the person who holds this information. Guess I need to add that to my list of phone calls for the day. With all of that said, we may never do IVF. I'm feeling kind of 50/50 at this point. Though I haven't confirmed the cost yet, I'm guessing it will be around $15k. With all of that said, maybe I get pregnant this month, but I guess I'm just not a positive thinker.

 

[monkeyprincess]

tbaus, hope the move went alright. It's a lot of work isn't it?! Creamy CM is supposedly a good sign, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you! Even if you don't get a BFP this month, that's great news that you confirmed ovulation. Hopefully getting you to ovulate is all it takes! I think I'm probably about 9 or 10 dpo. I really didn't do a very good job of figuring out which day I actually ovulated. I've been having EW-like CM though, which usually happens before AF, so that's why I think AF is on the way soon. I have short LPs, so I expect some spotting in the next day or two.

LV, I hope the new protocol works for you. Probably a good idea to try something else before moving to IVF, just for your own peace of mind. I'm really hoping that this will be your cycle! We've pretty much decided we will not pursue IVF for personal reasons, so IUI is kind of our last straw. I'm trying not to be negative, but for some reason, I'm just really worried IUI won't work this time. It's just a gut feeling I have. So, I completely understand what you mean.

Our move went pretty well, thanks for asking. We have our essentials unpacked, and our bedrooms pretty much set up, but we still have a lot of unpacking and organizing to do. . Plus, we need to buy more furniture and stuff because the house is quite a bit bigger than our previous place (which was quite small). I'm really looking forward to having it set-up and feeling like "our" home.

Bright, thinking of you, and I hope you get a more definitive answer after your bloodtest today.

 

[BrightSpot]

Beta today 34.4. I'm to stop meds & come in it Tuesday to make sure it's not ectopic.

 

[tammy77]

I'm so sorry bright.

 

[JGator]

Bright, so sorry to hear about the beta. I really hope it's not ectopic. Peace and hugs to you.

 

[royalasscherlover]

Bright, I'm so sorry. You've really been put through the ringer on this Hugs.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Big hugs, Bright. I'm sending thoughts and prayers that the betas go down and that it was not an ectopic pregnancy. So hard to understand all of this. I'm really sorry.

tbaus, I'm continuing to send good thoughts your way!

Hope everyone else is trucking along nicely.

AFM, I noticed some slight spotting this morning, so AF should be here in a couple days or so. I guess that means I am moving on to femara and IUI next cycle.

 

[BrightSpot]

MP, thanks. In a way this is still hard for me to understand too. Pcos aside, I feel like I'm pretty healthy & not that old but I guess with my family history (pretty much everyone is an only child conceived after many years & some medical assistance to parents over a decade younger than I am) it makes a bit more sense. Still very sad though.
I'm glad to hear you're getting settled in. Good luck with your new furniture purchases! I'm sorry AF is on the way though. I really hope IUI works for you again this time but I understand getting nervous when you approach the end of the line treatment-wise. Hugs.

Tammy, thanks, sweetie.

Jgator, thank you as well. I think peace & health are what I'm striving for now.

SB, thanks. I hope the femara is going well so far.

LV, yeah, it's been a rough few years. Hopefully I'll at least have some resolution soon.
I think it's good your exploring your options so you get a sense of what's next. I hope you like acupuncture & that it's helpful for you. Your next cycle plan sounds like a good one (though hoping you don't need it!)

Tbaus, thanks. I try to stay as level headed as possible but this is such an emotional process that it's tough sometimes.
I agree with MP that your symptoms sound promising. Fingers crossed for you! Regardless that's great news that you've ovulated.

Afm, I'm feeling a bit down but I guess this was to be expected. I feel really badly for my dh as I think it's only just now hitting him that we might not be able to make a baby. He's been very sad & it breaks my heart.

I'm also having some stress about this u/s appointment on Tuesday. Not only am I not looking forward to another baby-free u/s, but I'm concerned about the ectopic thing. With the amount of bleeding I've had (as much as a period) I really feel this pregnancy has resolved itself so I'm not even expecting to see an empty sac but I hope if this is the case that it doesn't turn into an ectopic scare.

Would they be able to tell the difference between a pregnancy that has miscarried & an ectopic if neither shows anything in the uterus? Maybe hcg levels will help?
We're going out of town immediately after the appointment so I hope nothing comes up that would change our travel plans.

 

[dcgator]

Hi Ladies,

Sounds like many of you are getting ready for the next cycles or steps, so good luck with that.

MP - Thanks for checking in on me. I really hope to see you soon in the JBP thread. As for this cycle, I am sorry it doesn't feel like this is the one, but perhaps an IUI is just what you need to make it work. Congrats again on the house and enjoy the new, bigger digs!

Split - Congrats on getting the elusive smiley face on the OPK! That is a really big step and I hope it is a sign of the good things to come.

Shortblonde - Thanks for the well wishes. So, how is this cycle going with Femera? I wish you lots of luck and hope this one is it for you!

Bright - I am again, so very sorry sweetie. I know you probably aren't in a place to think about it, but things will get better eventually. I know you said you don't want to do another IVF, but there are still good things in store for you, I just know it. I will be thinking about you today and praying that it was just a m/c, not an ectopic. Either way, I hope you guys enjoy your time out of town, and hopefully it will help you to get away from it all. Super big hug lady.

Tbaus - Thanks for thinking of me. That's great news on the progesterone levels, and that you O'ed. I will be keeping you in my thoughts the next couple days and hope for something great for you! Are you going to test before Monday, or are you more strong willed them I am? Congrats again and the move and good luck with unpacking all the boxes.

LV - Thanks for keeping an eye on me, I will keep an eye out for some good news from you too So how is the Femera working out for you this cycle? Do you have any side effects, or has it proved to be the same as Clomid? I take it you will go in sometime in the next couple days for monitering? Please do keep us up to date on that. Also, please let me know how the accupuncture is working out. I agree, it can't hurt, so why not. Also, not to jump the gun here, but if you are worried about costs for a IVF, I would seriously look into a "shared-risk" type program. My clinic here offers it, as well as the one back in DC, and while the initial outlay can be more expensive than a singular IVF cycle, the money back option if you don't get preggo or change your mind is a big plus for me. Just my 2 cents...

AFM - I know I said I wouldn't post more on me, but I am having some worries and could use some good thoughts from you guys. My damm obsession with tracking things till my 7 week appt has got me all worked up. I took one of those CBE with the dating tests, and it has got me thinking that this pregnancy is not progressing where it should. My beta was close to 400 on Friday morning, so one would assume my HCG would be around 2500-3200 now, and since the week estimator will call you 3 weeks + at the 2000 level, I should be there. But the stupid stick is still calling me 2-3 weeks, which leads me to believe that my betas are not really rising. That and the fact that my betas were low to begin with has me thinking the worst. I tried to get in this morning to get my levels tested, but they couldn't do it, so I have to wait until tomorrow morning for the test, and the late afternoon for my results. Of course, my Dh is traveling again tomorrow, so he won't be there when I get the results back, so I am stressing even more. I'm not sure what I looking for here, but if you guys could think some good thoughts for me, I would really appreciate it. Thanks ladies.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Bright, I hope you get a definitive result, either with the ultrasound or bloodwork. The LAST thing you need is to be in limbo any longer. As always, you will be in my thoughts on Tuesday and in the coming weeks. I hope that you will be a mother someday, regardless of the path you take to get there or that you at least find peace and contentment. I like to think that you now have three little ones you never got to meet watching over you.

DCG, hugs. I know what it is like to obsess over betas and HPTs in early pregnancy. I know I would be doing the same thing you are, but honestly, try not to put too much stock into that pregnancy test. It is by no means a definitive result, and there can be so much variance in tests. I'll be keeping you in my thoughts. I hope that little one is healthy and growing bigger every day!

 

[lizzyann]

Bright, when I had one of my miscarriages they thought it might be ectopic as well. When they did the ultrasound, they pushed the wand as far up into the tube area as possible (a little more uncomfortable than the norm). I was told that if it was ectopic, they can sometimes see "something" in that area. My betas did something similar to yours where they went up slightly but not enough. Mine was not an ectopic, and the betas ended up dropping. I think now that you are stopping the prometrium/progesterone you will see a beta drop sooner than later. I am so so sorry to hear this news though. It sounds like many of your family have experienced infertility but ended up having a baby of their own. Since you are getting pregnant Bright, I feel it is just a matter of time for you that you will get one that sticks. I know that doesn't help you much as you've put your time in here and are at the end of your rope. But my question to you is...are you ready to throw in the towel? Or are you able to continue the fight but somehow able to separate yourself emotionally from the ups and downs that you are going to endure in order to get your baby? I know your RE said egg quality might be a factor, and if that's the case then IVF is still your best route. Is there a way they can up your stims so that they can retrieve more, giving you a better chance? I used Lupron and was successful. Bright, again I am so sorry. I know what you are going through. You have been so strong through this. Wishing you all the best.

DCGator, I'm sorry you are worrying. I get it. Why not ask for an ultrasound? Once your HCG hits 1500 you should be able to see something. I think that will give you more peace of mind then getting another beta drawn.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Lizzy, great to see you check in. Hope all is well with you an your little family.

Hope you are hanging in there, Bright. I think of you a lot!

Tbaus, fingers are still tightly crossed for you!!!

AFM, AF arrived last night, so today is officially CD1. I have a quick question. I just spoke with the nurse for my NP, and she said she would call in my letrozole Rx to the pharmacy. I thought she said 7.5 mg from days 3-7, so I did some quick googling, and it sounds like that might be a higher dose. With clomid I responded well to the lower dose of 50 mg, so I'm wondering if I might want to start at a lower dose of letrozole as well. I'm going to speak to her again before taking it, but thought I'd see if anyone knew anything about dosage on here. Oh, and did you take the same days you would take clomid? Thanks!

 

[BrightSpot]

Dcg, thanks sweetie. And a big hug back at ya! I certainly understand the stress that comes from lower than desired betas. And unfortunately all you can do is wait because there's nothing you can do to affect the outcome. As lizzy suggested, why not ask for an ultrasound? It can't hurt & might alleviate some worry. Sending you sticky dust & relaxing vibes.

MP, thanks, dear. Your earlier post made me tear up a bit. I like to think that too. I have a photo on the wall of my gran & have stored my 2 embryo photos behind it. I like to think of her looking after them in a way.
I'm so sorry about AF. Hugs. I don't know about the letrozole dose, but it's worth asking your NP about if it's causing you concern. Also, might it be worth taking a baby aspirin if your lining was thin last time? According to "Making Babies," it can't hurt & might help.

Lizzy, thank you so much for your post. I know we've gone through some similar experiences & hearing your perspective on this is immensely helpful to me. That's a relief that they can often see something with ectopic pregnancies. What's been happening this time to me is different than my previous 2 miscarriages (lower betas & bleeding) so I hope it's just my body resolving this on its own rather than something more dangerous.

How did you find lupron when you used it for your IVF? How long did you use it? Did you have a lot of side effects?
When we did IVF my follicles developed at different rates so they weren't able to retrieve as many as they would've liked. My doc suggested that using lupron might fix this problem & yield a higher follicle count, but he said it also came with many more side effects, which scares me. I don't know if lupron would improve egg quality or not.

I vacillate between wanting to throw in the towel or try just one more cycle. The emotional ups & downs & medication side effects have been difficult to deal with & my hair loss has been going on for nearly 3 years & is getting pretty unbearable. So if the end isn't now, it needs to be soon.

I've also been rereading parts of "Making Babies" lately & it seems sometimes in cases of pcos with higher androgen levels, dexamethasone is prescribed to help with conception/egg quality so I might ask about that again. (My doc didn't seem to put much stock in this but perhaps it's worth a try if, for no other reason, it makes me feel like I've tried everything.) I also wonder if it's worth actually tying to see the doc who wrote this book for another opinion.

 

[dcgator]

Hi Ladies,

Just a quick drive by post here to let you know the verdict of B/W this morning. After a bit of wrangling with them and almost having to wait till Monday, they got on it, and I go my results; my beta was 3803, so, sigh, a big relief. Now I can stop stressing (at least for the moment) and get on with things. Btw, PSA - DON'T buy/trust the CBE digital pregnancy estimators. They are EVIL!

Bright - It takes such a strong woman to handle everything you have, so know that I truely admire your courage through all of this. Whatever you decide to do, we are there for you and will support your decision. Can I throw out there though the possibility of egg donation or do you guys not want to go that route? Either way, I hope you are enjoying some time away from all of this and that things resolve with your previous cycle.

MP - Sorry about AF, but hopefully this is the start of something great! I also don't have any experience with Femera/Letrozole, so I don't have any advice there, sorry.

Lizzyann - Thanks for chiming in. It looks we are all good, but I appreciate you taking the time to give advice.

Alright ladies, I am off to try to enjoy the weekend now, I hope you all can do the same

 

[brightlight]

Brightspot, I really feel for you. I went through the same thing several weeks ago. It sounds like you're open to trying another cycle of IVF. Have you asked your doctor about adding a growth hormone? It's supposed to improve egg quality. Since you have PCOS, it should help more of your eggs mature. You do one injection daily for a week.

 

[lizzyann]

Hi Bright, my IVF cycle went very smoothly. I had no side effects with Lupron. I actually found Clomid to be a lot more harsh on my system and caused a lot of cramps/bloating. WIth the lupron, my RE had me in regularly to check follicle size and be sure that my stims were dosed accordingly. I don't remember how long I was on it. I think I have kind of blanked out on the details after getting through that rough patch of time. However, I do still have my binder with the protocol details and I will find that this weekend for you and post any add'l info I can find for you. I know the protocol was called luteal lupron protocol. And it is the more common protocol used in my RE's office. A friend of mine also used the same protocol and ended up getting pregnant after her second retrieval. Did you do ICSI during your last retrieval? If not, maybe consider that too. Taking the best of the best sperm and the best of the best eggs should yield a higher fertilization rate, which would hopefully get you more viable embryos. I'm sorry if I am bombarding you with a lot of IVF details while you are going through this loss. Just let me know what info you'd like and I'd be happy to answer. I also don't think it is a bad idea to see if you can contact the author of that book. What's it gonna hurt you know? I sense you aren't ready to give up yet Bright. Only you will know when you are done. For me, with every loss, I just kept pushing forward. In the back of my mind, I was scared (so scared) that it wasn't going to happen for me. But I wasn't ready to stop so I just kept picking up the pieces, educating myself, asking the right questions, and moving on to the next plan.

DCGator, glad to hear your strong beta results. Now, step away from the home tests.....ha ha! And enjoy!

MP, hello hello! Wishing you the best lady!

 

[royalasscherlover]

Quick drive by cause I'm traveling, but MP, I wanted to respond that I'm on 5mg of Femara on CD 3-7. I didn't respond to 100mg of Clomid but had one follicle from the Femara, so 7.5 might be high for you.

 

[tammy77]

Mp,

I was on 5mg as well, I would really start with that if you responded well to a lower dose of clomid. Oh and yes, CD 3-7 still too. Sorry to posts and run but we have company I don't want to ignore.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Bright - I think it would be a good idea to get a second opinion. I looked up the author of the book you mentioned. It would be interesting to see what he has to say. All of the book promotion makes me a little skeptical, but I am skeptical by nature, so feel free to ignore, but I just had to say that. If you were to seek a second opinion maybe talk to him AND another RE. It never hurts to get more information, right? I really do not know what I would do in your exact situation. No one can really know until they get there. For sure, I would be talking to more doctors and taking my time to decide. Time, I know is not the best thing to even mention, but you are certainly feeling emotional, suffering a loss, and I think part of this journey for a lot of women is rushing in to one decision after another because time is of the essence. I don't know if any of this is good advice. I hope you and your DH can reach a decision that you are both comfortable with.

DCG - Glad to read your good news update.

MP - Sorry to hear about the new cycle. Hope you get your proper dosage worked out. I have no experience there, sorry.

Tbaus - Sending positive thoughts your way! Hope to hear good news from you!!

*************
AFM: I had an u/s on Friday. Looks like six follicles, but I doubt they will all grow. Hoping I wind up with one good one this cycle. I go back on Monday and anticipate the IUI next week. I went to acupuncture and was diagnosed with "deficient energy." That's the simplified version. Had my first treatment and will have two appointments per week for the first two weeks, then one per week. She didn't seem too concerned with where I was in my cycle, and didn't have any questions about my treatment, which makes me a little worried. My prior acupuncturist always asked where I was in my cycle and would seem to place needles in different places based on that. I guess I will mention to her on my own, and see if she shows any interest, lol.

I also did the questionnaire on the "Making Babies" website, which concluded that I am a "tired" fertility type, which is consistent with the acupuncturist's conclusion and my life experience as well, lol. The first recommendation is to to eat more animal protein. I haven't eaten meat in over 20 years! I did start eating fish this past year. I have been sick a lot, and I was hoping it would help. So, I guess, I should try eating more wild-caught salmon, which seems like the best fish choice for me. And, also trying to get more rest.

Oh, and one more thing I wanted to mention. IVF for me is a long ways away. Well, by long ways, I mean it would be quite a few months into the new year. I am still convinced that I can conceive via IUI (or even on our own), and that it's just a matter of time. IUIs are covered; IVF is not. We will see how this cycle goes. After three cycles, they recommend IVF, so we will see what my RE has to say if we reach that point.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Thanks Tammy and SB for the letrozole info, that's what I thought. Before I start it, I will ask about what dose I should be taking. I would think 2.5 or 5 would be more than enough. The last thing I want to have happen is too many follicles for IUI. Of course I forgot to mention it when I went in yesterday for an ultrasound. I was too frustrated to remember because it appears the same thing is happening this cycle as last time. AF started, and then just stopped. My lining was still thick yesterday, so I'm going to wait for the bleeding to start again and count that as CD1. I have no idea why that keeps happening. I'm guessing my hormones are off.

LV, I hope you have some good looking follicles this week and wish you the best this cycle. Really hoping it works, and you don't even need to think about when/if to do IVF!

DCG, glad that your betas reassured you. When is your first ultrasound? I assume you're getting an early one since you were getting fertility treatments. Hopefully, the ultrasound would put your mind at ease!

Bright, I have no idea what I would do if I were you. If you are at all inclined, I would definitely get a second opinion and consider one more IVF with a different protocol. Maybe at that point, you would truly feel like you had done all you could do. But it's easy for an outsider to tell you not to give up, but only you and DH know when enough is enough. I don't have any of the symptoms you have from being off birth control, and I haven't suffered all the negative side effects and physical pain you have from fertility treatments, but if I had, I know the decision would be a lot different. Thinking of you, and really hoping you get a definitive answer on Tuesday.

 

[tbaus]

Bright- I'm so sorry to read your news. I hope everything goes ok on Tuesday. It sounds to me like you are not totally ready to call it quits. It may be time for a second opinion? I understand how you feel though, losing my hair was very distressing and I miss having a thick head of hair and not having to comb over my bald spots. Sending lots of hugs your way!

MP Glad to hear the move went well. Sorry to hear this cycle didn't work for you either. I haven't tried letrozole, but I hope it's what you need to get this party started!

dcgator- so glad to hear the good news about your betas! Now relax and enjoy.

LV- I'm happy to hear your are trying acupuncture. I hope you enjoy it. Good luck with your next cycle

Another quick drive by from me- Thanks everyone for your well wishes this week. Unfortunately, I don't think this is my month either. I actually think it is just hitting me as I type this. Went for another BT today and the results were not what they were expecting, my oestrogen has gone up (when it should be dropping), prog is down, and QHCG was "less than 2". They think I may have ovulated late even though we triggered and it is now 15 days past trigger, so if AF hasn't arrived by Friday we will test again. From the little research I just did I think they are delaying the inevitable. Just tell me it's a negative this month. She asked if I had any symptoms and besides breast tenderness (which can be a sign AF is coming as well, though I don't usually have this as a symptom) and the creamy CM (which I forgot to mention) I've got nothing else. She seemed optimistic about it though. I'm bummed. But I guess I should be happy that I at least I ovulated this month. That's a step in the right direction, I suppose.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Tbaus, hmm, I'm sorry. I really haven't had extensive bloodwork to understand all of the intricacies of changing hormones or what levels are expected at this point in your cycle, but I'm sorry that the levels were not what you were hoping for. If you don't get a BFP this month, I hope they will just monitor you by ultrasound next cycle so that you know for sure you are triggering at the right point and what your follicles and lining look like.

AFM, I'm still waiting for full on AF to begin. Just having light spotting still. She told me to take a pregnancy test, so I did that this morning, and it was of course negative. I knew it wouldn't be positive and didn't want to waste a pregnancy test, but I figured I better make sure. I'm getting nervous because the longer AF holds off, my potential IUI gets pushed back more and more, which is not good for my travel schedule. Ever since finding out my FSH has gotten higher, I keep panicking that I'm running out of good quality eggs, and I worry we are running out of time, even though I just turned 33. I just trying to remind myself that what is meant to be will be, and hopefully, everything is lining up so we will conceive at just the right time for the baby that is meant to join our family to arrive. Ev is still very young, so each month we try is one more month we get to spend with just him, which is a good thing. I'm sure you have all felt this, but if I could just see into the future, and know we will eventually have another baby, I could relax, but it's that huge unkown.

Good thoughts going out to everyone! Praying that somebody gets good news this month!

 

[Loves Vintage]

Tbaus - I'm really sorry to hear that. I don't know much about the estrogen/progesterone levels at your testing point either. I declined that test during my last cycle because I was sure I was out, but when I had the test my first cycle, they didn't give me any indication that the levels could predict whether or not I was pregnant, but I didn't ask either, so I really don't know. Sounds like you are 14DPO? Hoping for a late positive for you. Keep us posted.

MP - Urgh. You must be frustrated. Did you skip the progesterone this cycle? As far as time running out, what is up with those FSH tests any way!?!?!? At 33, you are a youngin' as far as I'm concerned! It really shouldn't even be a worry, but I know that's easier said than done. Look at Bella and Tammy, who both had low FSH's (I think, sorry if I'm misremembering) and both conceived quickly after treatment! I wonder if you re-tested, if your results would change. I think I read about that possibility on a random blog somewhere.

**********
AFM - Still 6 follies growing slowly. I think one (maybe two) were 17-18 and four were 11-12, so not sure if they will catch up. I go back on Weds. Acupuncture was good yesterday. She actually DID ask where I was in my cycle, and then she moved me to my back and also did moxa, which I really liked. I go back there on Thurs, so fertility treatments are really keeping me busy these days.

Anyone know the stats on fertility and coffee. I started google-madness this weekend, and came across some Yale study that suggests a great decrease in fertility based on how much coffee you drink. I have not found the actual study, so not sure what a decrease in fertility actually means. I'm sure you are all two steps ahead of me and gave up coffee a long time ago. Oops! I did ask the nurse about this a few months ago, but she didn't seem too concerned.

 

[BrightSpot]

Bright Light, thank you for your post. I'm so sorry you've gone through something similar. Big hugs to you. The growth hormone sounds interesting. Did you use it? If so, did you experience any side effects? Hoping you have a sticky bfp soon!

dcg, thanks. You're so sweet. I'm so glad your beta results were reassuring. I hope you're relaxing & enjoying your pregnancy now! Keep us posted on your first u/s. As for your question, using a donor egg has crossed my mind, but I'm not sure how I feel about it. Perhaps I'd get used to the idea with time, but my first reaction is sadness at the idea of carrying a child that is genetically my DH's, but not mine.

Lizzy, thanks for sharing your experience with me. If you find more details in your binder, I'd love to hear them. So it sounds like you were on lupron after stimming? I think my doc would want to put me on the lupron prior to stimming. We did do ICSI with our IVF (my RE's office always does it with IVF). Of our 7 eggs that were retrieved 5 fertilized with ICSI, but most of them didn't progress well. (Only 2 made it to blast.) In a sense I don't want to give up because it makes me so sad thinking this might not happen, but at the same time, ttc has been so difficult for me & at some point, I'm going to have to get on with my life.

LV, yeah, I will definitely talk to my RE about the ideas in that book even if I don't contact the author. I know what you're saying about time, though I am feeling very urgently that I need to make some decisions soon. I guess I'm out until at least next cycle (not entirely sure when that will be), but I don't want to wait too long here.
I'm glad you started acupuncture & also glad that your acupuncturist has started asking about your cycle. Mine always does & varies where she places the needles by where I am in my cycle. That's great that your follies are growing away! Good luck with the IUI! I'm in the same insurance boat as you are (IUI's are covered, IVF is not). I think you're wise to give IUI's a shot for a while before considering IVF. It's a big step up cost-wise & it's much more invasive. (Of course, the odds of success are greater as well.) I suspect an IUI will do the trick for you. Hopefully soon!

MP, thanks for your understanding. I guess I'm considering a last ditch effort cycle. Maybe we can try some different medications that I haven't used before. At least this would make me feel like I've tried everything if it doesn't work. But I'm definitely at the end of my rope.
I'm sorry about your AF starting, then stopping. How frustrating! That happened to my SIL after she had her baby & it took a few months to normalize. What did you decide about the femara dose? I do understand the stress that uncertainty brings. But you are still young & conceived easily with IUI last time. Hopefully IUI will work for you again!

tbaus, thank you for understanding (though I'm so sorry that you do.) I sure hope this hair loss situation is at least partially reversible for both of our sakes!
I'm sorry the hormone levels weren't what you'd hoped, but perhaps that's good that your doc was optimistic? I know the waiting sucks & hope you get clarity either way soon (really hoping it's a bfp!)

afm, I have an u/s & more bloodwork tomorrow. Hopefully it will show that things have cleared & I'm not dealing with an ectopic pregnancy here. I also hope we have a few minutes to discuss possible next steps with my doc, though I'm concerned as apparently he's "booked solid" tomorrow.