The Official TTC for 6 Months or More Thread

[JGator]

Yay, LV! Lucky 7 dust to you!!!! Grow embies, grow!!!

 

[amc80]

LV, that's awesome!

 

[random_thought]

I received an unexpected embryo update this morning. All 7 embryos are still growing. Some are ready to be tested today, but they will allow the others to grow til day 6 for testing. Today is day 5. Last cycle, I had 4 remaining at this point, so I am feeling positive at the moment.

Wow that is really awesome! I'm excited for you!

 

[monkeyprincess]

LV, wonderful news! Really hoping you get even more good news after they are all tested. Feeling very positive for you!

And thanks for your insight. I would really appreciate it if you would share information about your protocols. I realize my doctor is not at one of the superstar clinic, but I have to be honest that I'm not sure how much I buy into all of that. I don't think my situation is competely dire. I've conceived and carried a baby full term, and my ovarian reserve is borderline low according to FSH and AMH, but I don't think I'm to the point where my only shot is by going to a famous clinic. And I honestly don't think I have the emotional endurance or the finances to go through more and more testing, which they apparently require, and I just don't think it would work with our family and work schedules. The other thing is that I sort of feel like those doctors get to benefit from the fact that another doctor took the first (or second and third) shot at IVF, and it's easy for a second RE to say that the first RE did everything wrong, but you never know if the second RE would have done the same thing as the first RE. Hindsight being 20-20 and everything. Does that make sense? I just have to trust that I've been put in the right hands and that my doctor has enough experience and knows enough about my case to do the right thing. But you better believe I will be asking A LOT of questions.

JGator, sorry about the BFN, but the great thing is that in a few days, you will be able to start the testing and get a lot more information about what the right path is for you. Sounds like we may be going through this process together.

Hi to everyone else!

 

[monkeyprincess]

LV and JGator, thanks for discussing the RESOLVE site. I am traveling today, so just had a chance to look it over, and I can't quit. I'm not sure it is necessarily making me feel any better, but it is nice to be able to read about so many different experiences. Not sure how I never came across that before....

 

[JGator]

Hi, MP, have a good trip and hopefully you will get some hope from reading RESOLVE. I completely understand why you are happy with your RE. I know this is only your 2nd cycle with an RE so I think you should give her a few good tries as I'm sure she is very knowledgeable and will learn more about you as you progress through this journey.

LV, any updates on the 7 embies? Sending them grow dust!!!

AFM, CD1 - my temp dropped this AM so I had a warning. I called and left a vm for the nurse at my RE's office to schedule CD3 bloodwork and the HSG. Have any of you done Counsyl genetic carrier testing? They recommended it for us, but it's out of network so we are considering something similar offered by LabCorp which is in-network. We have very different ethnic backgrounds so we think the chance of us both being carriers of something is very low though (South Asian and European). Counsyl caps the fee to $99 per person if you have insurance so that may end up being a better deal - I don't know enough about it or the differences between their testing and Labcorp's. Hoping the nurse can shed some light when she calls back.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Thanks everyone for your support.

Apparently four of the embryos stopped growing, so there were only three viable embryos for testing. The four embryos that stopped growing between days five and six will also be tested, but they are not capable of being transferred. I guess the RE thought there might be useful information to be learned re: why they stopped growing. He said they would not usually test those embryos. I was upset to learn that so many did not make it.

The other three that we transferred from prior clinic, were thawed, but did not grow any further.

They usually quote 2 weeks for the results from testing. I spoke with the lab today, and she said she thinks I might hear sooner.

I'm having a hard time with all of this.

 

[monkeyprincess]

LV, I'm so sorry to hear you're having a hard time. The whole waiting process must be so draining and stressful. We just have to hope that the three remaining are hardy and normal and survived for a reason. I so hope that one of them is going to be your baby.Hugs. Nothing about this is easy.

JGator, the Counsyl test was recommended to me as well. I didn't see the point since we were doing IUI. I am still not sure if I want to do it even if we do IVF, but I should probably decide soon. I hope your blood work comes back better than expected.

 

[Loves Vintage]

MP - Thank you. It was very hard to process that four of my embryos did not grow. I just don't know enough about all of this, but have to trust the doctors. I appreciate your support through all of this. Good luck with your test! I think you are testing tomorrow, right?

JGator - I've had all of the genetic carrier testing that they've recommended, but never heard it referred to by the test name you had. Good luck with all of your testing!

 

[JGator]

Hi, LV, I am so sorry to hear you lost 4 embryos. I am hopeful for you that the remaining 3 are strong since they made it to day 6. When will you find out the test results? Does your fertility cinic do the testing on site?

MP, did you test today? Sending BFP dust to you.

AFM, my CD 3 testing is tomorrow AM and my HSG is scheduled for Thursday. We still have to get DH's SA which they said he could do at home this time. And, we still have to get the blood work for infectious diseases and the genetic carrier testing scheduled.

 

[monkeyprincess]

LV, I definitely get it. You went from one day thinking all 7 were looking good to finding out that you lost 4 four of them the next day and the three from the prior cycle stopped growing as well. That was a lot to take in. I hope that you are feeling a little better about things and more hopeful after having a few days to let it sink in. I remember you saying earlier that your doctor said you would likely be looking at 1-2 genetically normal embryos, and I'm still very hopeful that will be the case, or better yet, that all three of them are.

JGator, hope everything went well with your CD3 bloodwork, and good luck with your HSG. Am I the only one who finds it irritating you have to get tested for infectious diseases when you are contemplating IVF? I mean, I get why they do it, and you are tested for HIV, etc. during pregnancy, but it just irritates me for some reason and just adds another level of indignity to the whole process.

AFM, another failed cycle. I tested on Saturday and wasn't at all surprised, and I thought I was handling it much better than usual, until I had a breakdown later that day when DH and I couldn't agree which water table to get our son at Babies R Us. He was shocked I started crying over that when we got to the car until he realized it was probably really about the failed IUI. I have accepted the reality that IVF is our only option for another biological child. I called this morning to tell them the test today was negative, and the stupid receptionist said, "Are you sure you let the test sit long enough?" Yeah, thanks, pretty sure I've figured that part out by now and would've done anything to see a line if it had been there. I spoke with a nurse who said I will have to come in for a sonohysterogram and the lovely infectious diseases test for DH and me. I apparently have to start birth contol as well. I really do want to talk to her and ask her all my questions before proceeding, and I was told I could do that at the time of the sono, which seems a bit odd. I guess DH will just have to come with me that day and we'll just hold her hostage until all our questions are answered. Anyone who's had a sonohysterogram, how does it compare in terms of discomfort to the regular HSG? Anyway, just feeling a bit bitter today. I have to travel again today and tomorrow, so I'm going to keep taking my progesterone another day to hopefully hold AF from starting until after I get back, and then I guess the fun begins.

 

[Loves Vintage]

JGator - They do not do the testing at the RE's lab. The testing is done off-site. They usually say 2 weeks, but the woman at the off-site lab said maybe sooner because they were not so busy. When will you get your CD3 results?

MP - I am so sorry to hear about the crying over water table incident, but it sounds exactly like something I would do! The sono-HSG (not sure if that is the appropriate abbrev, but that's what I always call it) is a piece of cake. No discomfort that I recall. I've had three of them. Sigh. I still have to post my protocols for you. I am a very scattered information type person, but I will pull it together for you and post. Thank you for your understanding about my sense of loss on Thursday. It was just a very difficult day. I did not have time to process it at all. Got the call and then had to go to a work lunch immediately thereafter. I felt so lost. I am doing better now. Whatever will be, will be. I asked my RE how many he thought would come back normal, and he said two. I don't buy it though. I think he may suffer from being overly optimistic.

SB - Do you have a date set for your FET?

 

[royalasscherlover]

LV, I'm so sorry about your embryo progression, but keeping everything crossed that the remaining three are good ones. And ultimately, it only takes one...

MP, I'm so sorry that your last IUI didn't work. I really had to grieve the fact that I needed to do IVF, so you are justified in being bitter and upset. And to the receptionist - how people working in the RE's office can be so insensitive is beyond me! I had a sono and found it mildly uncomfortable, but it was over quickly.

jgator, I hope all your testing goes well. We did genetic testing for cystic fibrosis because we know that his immediate family has carriers, but opted out of the others because we are from different backgrounds as well.


I go in on Wednesday for my pre-scan to see if my ovaries have recovered from the OHSS and are ready to start moving forward. I have a tentative FET date in late-ish July, but I am trying not to get attached to it because any delay, such as with my pre-scan or lining checks, would push us into mid-August due to the lab closure. I'm in a weird mindset lately - the joy of having embryos has worn off and I'm back to worrying that my transfers won't work and there are no other options after this. I think the emotional strain of everything is getting to me and I really just want to feel normal and happy again.

 

[monkeyprincess]

LV, oh I know, it's hard to even let yourself be optimistic in any of this, but I'm really, really hoping your 3 embryos or at least 1 or 2 of them are normal. I was just reading a blog I found over the weekend about a girl who had like 20 follicles retrieved, of them, only 4 made it to testing and freezing, and only 1 of the 4 was normal; HOWEVER, that 1 embryo took, and she is in now her first trimester. I'm not sure if that makes you feel any better, but my point is that it really does only take 1. I would love to hear about your protocols if you think of it, but no worries if you are too busy. I guess I'm just wanting to know before I start birth control that there is not a reason why that wouldn't be a good idea. I'm going to ask that when I talk to them again and hopefully get the doctor on the phone. I was reading something about how some people are oversuppressed from that and do not respond as well. I don't know how concerned they are about my ovarian reserve as my numbers are still on the borderline, so maybe it's not an issue.

SB, thanks. Yes, it really is a grieving process, and I think I've been grieving for several months now, so I'm finally just to the point of accepting that it is what it is. I also think I'm still a little bit in shock that this is really going to happen. And yes, I know the receptionist is in an awkard position when somebody calls with bad news, but really they can be so stupid sometimes with their comments. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that everything looks good on your scan and you can move foward sooner rather than later. In the grand scheme, it's just a few weeks difference, but it can feel like a lifetime when you get to this point and are stressed out and anxious. And I know I would be feeling the same way as you right now. It's just so hard to imagine good things happening when youve been beaten down time and time again with bad news. However, this really is going to be the best shot you've ever had at pregnancy, and I just think that you are finally due for some good news.

 

[Loves Vintage]

MP, Do you know yet how long you will be on bcps? Does your RE "batch cycles"? BCPs seem standard, so BCPS in and of themselves should not be concerning. Thanks for sharing that story of hope. It does help. When it comes down to it, only one normal embryo would be ideal for us, IF it works. I really do not want to go through another stim cycle again, even though the last one was not so bad. I just don't want to do it again.

SB, I am sorry you are feeling down. I totally get it. I am so hopeful for you!! I hope everything goes well on Wednesday.

 

[monkeyprincess]

LV, the RE mentioned that they like to have you on BC for about three weeks, and the nurse I talked today said the same thing I think. I do not believe they batch cycles as nobody mentioned anything about that to me.

 

[JGator]

MP, so sorry about the BFN. I think you need to process your feelings in your own time and in your own way. Wishing you the best of luck and peace with your decision to move to IVF.

LV, I'll be thinking about your embies over the next 2 weeks - hoping they all test well. My clinic also sends the embies out - I am thinking it will be out of network if we to the CCS/PGS.

SB, I hope your appt goes well and your ovaries have recovered. How are you feeling? Have the symptoms subsided?

AFM, I had my CD3 bloodwork and ultrasound Saturday and got the results today. See below. Should I be concerned about the E2? I go in on Thursday for the HSG. Trying to get my DH to commit to an SA appt - he's travelling a lot these days.

CD 3 blood work
tsh - 1.60
prolactin - 4.10
fsh - 7.49
lh - 5.57
e2 - estradiol - 95.8 - slightly elevated

Ultrasound -
10 follicles - all less than 10
thickness 5.1
uterus - retroverted

 

[monkeyprincess]

Jgator, the only thing I know about E2 is that if it is elevated on CD3, it can be artificially lowering FSH. At least that's what I understood from my RE. Beyond that I'm not sure what E2 levels indicate. I'm sure your doctor will have much more information for you next time to you talk. Did they also test your AMH?

 

[JGator]

MP, thanks. I called back and left a vm to get my AMH. I hope they tested that.

 

[monkeyprincess]

JGator, with my AMH, I remember I couldn't get same-day results like I did for FSH, etc., so it's possible it is just taking longer to get the results back. And don't forget, AMH can be tested any day of the cycle, so it shouldn't be a problem if they didn't test for it initially.

 

[JGator]

I apparently have to get the AMH done when I get the infectious diseases blood draw at the lab on my own this week. The joys!

 

[random_thought]

AFM, another failed cycle. I tested on Saturday and wasn't at all surprised, and I thought I was handling it much better than usual, until I had a breakdown later that day when DH and I couldn't agree which water table to get our son at Babies R Us. He was shocked I started crying over that when we got to the car until he realized it was probably really about the failed IUI. I have accepted the reality that IVF is our only option for another biological child. I called this morning to tell them the test today was negative, and the stupid receptionist said, "Are you sure you let the test sit long enough?" Yeah, thanks, pretty sure I've figured that part out by now and would've done anything to see a line if it had been there. I spoke with a nurse who said I will have to come in for a sonohysterogram and the lovely infectious diseases test for DH and me. I apparently have to start birth contol as well. I really do want to talk to her and ask her all my questions before proceeding, and I was told I could do that at the time of the sono, which seems a bit odd. I guess DH will just have to come with me that day and we'll just hold her hostage until all our questions are answered. Anyone who's had a sonohysterogram, how does it compare in terms of discomfort to the regular HSG? Anyway, just feeling a bit bitter today. I have to travel again today and tomorrow, so I'm going to keep taking my progesterone another day to hopefully hold AF from starting until after I get back, and then I guess the fun begins.

I'm so so sorry the iui didn't work, i was really hoping you would get a surprise bfp

The good news is that the sonohysterogram is what I had done. I don't have an hsg to compare it to but it felt like a regular pap smear. I didn't have any pain or discomfort getting the the little tubey guy up there to shoot the saline and when they did that part I didn't even have cramping. I took 1000 mg of acetaminophen before hand. I hope it goes well for you too

 

[monkeyprincess]

Thanks Random. I've had two HSGs, and didn't have any problem with them other than the whole indignity of it, so I'm hopeful the sono-HSG will be the same. Hope you are doing okay.

JGator, good deal. Hopefully, your doctor will get a lot of information from your results and find a protocol that works for you. Will you be sitting out this month?

AFM, I'm embarrased to admit it, but I'm even starting to get jealous of celebrity pregnancies. Just as in real life, it seems that every celebrity who had a child around the same time or after I did either has a second child already or is pregnant. I saw another one today and about started crying. Please tell me I'm not the only one with such ridiculous thoughts! Why I even get on FB or look at celebrity gossip is beyond me at this point. It's just a constant reminder that most people do not have to go through all these hoops to build their families. Also, my plan to hold off AF with one more day of progesterone seems to have failed as I've already had spotting and am feeling a bit crampy. Tomorrow is going to be a long day, and I'm with a senior partner at my firm all day traveling, so it really couldn't be any more inconvenient to have to worry about AF starting, not to mention the fact, it is a complete slap in the face after another failed IUI. Sorry, just had to vent.

 

[JGator]

MP, sorry you have to travel and the news of the celebs and FBers is annoying isn't it? All of my friends had babies years ago when I wasn't even married yet so I felt that pain and frustration too. My BFF has a 16-year old, and the average age of my friends' children is probably 8-10. I do have a couple friends on FB who are my age who are having their 4th kids or something like that. There's a secondary infertility topic on RESOLVE where someone is complaining about reading about Drew Barrymore's 2nd baby in People. http://www.inspire.com/groups/finding-a-resolution-for-infertility/discussion/how-do-you-deal-with-the-pain-of-wanting-a-sibling-for-your-child/ You/we can all commiserate with the poster. The RE said they won't start anything until after this cycle because they do all the testing and then have you meet with the RE for a plan most likely post-ovulation once all the tests are completed. They said we could try on our own this cycle though. So, we'll see if DH's travel permits that. I am fine either way. When we tried with K, they immediately put me on Clomid the first cycle, and it was a blur so I'm kind of glad they are doing all the testing and being thorough before starting me on anything.

RT, how are you feeling? Do you have a surgery date?

LV, thinking of you and your embies.

SB, good luck tomorrow. Let us know how the appointment goes.

 

[random_thought]

RT, how are you feeling? Do you have a surgery date?

Not yet, I believe they are waiting for CD1 to schedule it. Currently I'm CD20. So I feel like i have been ovulating for a week straight. 7 days of ewcm. Of course I was told not to try this month because it would likely end in miscarriage. Of those 7 days, 4 were spent in really horrible pain and I lived on my painkillers. I suspect the "hsg" I had irritated my tubes and maybe that is why? But who knows. I'll be shocked if AF shows up on time. Oh, and AF is due the day of my 30th birthday so ain't that grand!

 

[JGator]

RT, AF and your Birthday! Party time!!! 30s are great - don't worry!

 

[random_thought]

6 pregnancy announcements in one day on my facebook. SIX.



I like lots of things in sixes. Packs of beer. Packs of abs. Ten dollar bills. Kittens. Boxes of chocolate.

The list goes on and on.

HOWEVER.

Pregnancy announcements does not belong in that list

SIX.



FML.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Random, happy early 30th birthday! I agree with JGator, I'm enjoying my 30s and felt like I was officially an adult when I turned 30 No wonder your numbers are still looking good - I didn't realize you were that young. Sorry to hear you are still in pain. Any word on when you can finally have surgery. I'm still so surprised they couldn't fit you in earlier. And six announcements in one day? That's crazy! I feel like I get the wind knocked out of me sometimes when I see another person is pregnant. I've found the ones that seem to get to me these days are people who have kids around my son's age or younger and are on their second or third babies. I don't at all mean that I'm not happy for them, but my first instinct is to feel sorry for myself. I can tell people are hinting or trying to ask if I'm going to have another baby soon. It's happened several times recently, and I just want to say, believe me, we've been trying for 14 or 15 months now, and if it were up to me, I'd have another baby by now! But, of course I don't.

JGator, thanks, I totally could've written that! Hope you're doing well. I think you said you have an HSG coming up this week. Hope that goes well. I'm sure it will.

AFM, CD2 today, and I'm wating on a call about what the next step will be. I can't believe we're really going to do this.

 

[random_thought]

Random, happy early 30th birthday! I agree with JGator, I'm enjoying my 30s and felt like I was officially an adult when I turned 30 No wonder your numbers are still looking good - I didn't realize you were that young. Sorry to hear you are still in pain. Any word on when you can finally have surgery. I'm still so surprised they couldn't fit you in earlier. And six announcements in one day? That's crazy! I feel like I get the wind knocked out of me sometimes when I see another person is pregnant. I've found the ones that seem to get to me these days are people who have kids around my son's age or younger and are on their second or third babies. I don't at all mean that I'm not happy for them, but my first instinct is to feel sorry for myself. I can tell people are hinting or trying to ask if I'm going to have another baby soon. It's happened several times recently, and I just want to say, believe me, we've been trying for 14 or 15 months now, and if it were up to me, I'd have another baby by now! But, of course I don't.

Thank you! I know what you are saying about people who are on their 2nd or 3rd with kiddos the same age as ours. It really isn't fair but .. life isn't fair I guess. We just gotta keep on keepin on

 

[JGator]

RT, 6 is insane!

MP, any word back from the RE on next steps? I'm wondering on timing as I may be in the same situation soon.

AFM, I had my HSG today along with blood test for Counsyl genetic screening and another blood test (5 vials!) for the infectious diseases and AMH testing. The HSG was fine - no pain, and my tubes are both open. They did mention I have an area that didn't fill with the dye which could be a fibroid or something else (?). The NP said that I may have to have the saline hysteroscopy so we'll see what the RE thinks when he sees it. So, now we still need my DH to do the Counsyl test and the SA, and then we can schedule our follow up with the RE on next steps.