The Official TTC Thread!

[LtlFirecracker]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Firecracker, I got my BFP at 9dpo - maybe test. You never know lady. Fingers crossed this is your month! When do you plan to POAS??

I did yesterday. Nada. But temps still up and no spotting yet. I am probably going to try again tomorrow or tuesday. If I spot, I will just wait and see if AF comes, it is due pretty soon.

 

[megumic]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Firecracker, I got my BFP at 9dpo - maybe test. You never know lady. Fingers crossed this is your month! When do you plan to POAS??

I did yesterday. Nada. But temps still up and no spotting yet. I am probably going to try again tomorrow or tuesday. If I spot, I will just wait and see if AF comes, it is due pretty soon.

Both good signs! Fingers crossed for you!!!

 

[JGator]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Prana, how did your appointment go today? Thanks for the well wishes on DH's SA. He had it today and seems to have survived. I'm not sure how long the results will take but I'm not expecting anything to come of that since I did get pregnant twice last year. We'll see. So sorry AF showed up again.

MP, I think maybe I was more worried for DH than he was himself. It went fine today. DH left for a business trip today so I'm hoping whatever my RE says on Wednesday about a trigger lines up with his return on Thursday! Yes, I think we need a good strong egg and swimmer this time around. Sorry AF showed. What are your next steps on the IUI?

Bright, I doubt your numbers would double and I think you would be in a lot of pain if you had an ectopic. Also, the doctor did press on the sides of my stomach - not the center. I guess where the ovaries are located. Yes the plan is the same as last month (timed intercourse with Clomid and Trigger) except I took the Clomid later in my cycle this time - I assume because this isn't a Clomid Challenge.

Hi, Ltl, I am on CD 11 now so yeah, waiting for Ovulation, and/or forcing it with the Trigger shot. We'll see what the RE and/or nurse say after my ultrasound on Wednesday. Any news from you on testing? I know how hard it is to have a husband who travels. I am fortunate to work from home so I was able to visit him a few times earlier this year in the cities he was travelling to when I didn't ovulate on a weekend. He has some flexibility so if I give him some notice, he can also try to work from home a day or two around my cycles. Hopefully, we won't need to keep this up too much longer as we'll both get BFPs soon!

Tammy, so sorry AF showed. I am glad you have 2 great cycle buddies in Prana and MP though. I have a good feeling for you three this month!

DandiAndi, welcome . I hope your stay on TTC is short and sweet. I was on the pill for 10 years and stopped in November 2010. It took a few months for my cycles to regulate as far as cycle length goes, but I didn't start temping right away either as we didn't start trying till March of 2011 though. Are you taking prenatals? My advice to remember to temp is to prop your thermometer up in front of your alarm clock so you can't see the time without removing it. That helped me - after a few weeks you should start remembering! Good luck!

AFM, not much to report. DH had his SA today. I just finished my 5th and final Clomid dose last night. So, just waiting till Wednesday for the big day of HSG and Ultrasound/Bloodwork. Hope my follies are growing nicely!

Hi to Jen and Sha and anyone else out there

 

[mlk]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Hi fellow TTCers. I am a long time lurker but have never actually posted. I have 4 more BC pills to go and will then start the journey with you.

I have recently started losing a lot of hair and because of this thread was introduced to PCOS and fertility issues. In the back of my mind I was always worried that I may have a lot of troubles as I was an only child and remember my mother having a lot of trouble having me and was never able to have any more children, although I don't remember if she was ever diagnosed with anything. Unfortunately neither she or my dad are here with us, so I have no one to ask questions of. Anyway I got some blood test results back yesterday and it looks like I may have some thyroid issues and possibly PCOS. The tests are quite inaccurate at the moment because of the BCP pills. I guess I have to look on the bright side of things as this was discovered on the eve of us TTC.

A bit about us, I am Australian and almost 31 y/o. My husband is Irish and 38. We live in Sydney and were married in Ireland in May 2011 after 6 years together and a very rocky past couple of years due to my parents deaths, his mother's interference, redundancies and his hesitations to putting down roots across the other side of the world. Anyway we have come a long way in the last year and I am looking forward to a fresh start this year.

I hope you all don't mind a newbie like me joining your thread out of the blue and with such a downer thread! Let's hope 2012 is kind to us all.

 

[JGator]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Welcome, MLK. We are happy to have new people join! Good luck getting your hormones sorted out. Has your doctor suggested waiting a certain period of time after BCP to be tested again? I hope that BrightSpot (who just graduated to JBP) can chime in about PCOS and hair loss. Are you hypo or hyper thyroid? BTW, I love Sydney. Also, very sorry to hear about your parents.

 

[megumic]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Welcome, MLK. We are happy to have new people join! Good luck getting your hormones sorted out. Has your doctor suggested waiting a certain period of time after BCP to be tested again? I hope that BrightSpot (who just graduated to JBP) can chime in about PCOS and hair loss. Are you hypo or hyper thyroid? BTW, I love Sydney. Also, very sorry to hear about your parents.

Welcome! Just wanted to say I have thyroid issues as well. Baby Center has a great "thyroid issues and concerns" group that I recommend checking out once you know what direction your thyroid is headed. Hope your stay here is short and sweet!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

mlk - welcome, I am really hoping you get everything sorted. You are right, you should be off your pill before you take the labs to mean anything. But if you mom had issues, I think it is good you are looking into this. I am 32 and my husband is almost 41, so we are in a similar boat as you, except I don't think I have PCOS.

J Gator - Hoping to see some follicles from you. It sounds like you have 2 more days until your US.

monkeyprincess - Getting a doc to listen will be the hardest part. I even talked to a top pediatrician who works closely with REI docs, and she said I should wait. I don't think she knows my husband is 40 though. I was hoping his age could get us in sooner, but while I found that advance paternal age can decrease sperm counts, I cannot find anything that states that we can get evaluated sooner because of that.

AFM - it is 12 DPO. BFN today, and maybe the slightest spotting? Not good news. If the spotting does not progress tomorrow, I will check again on Wednesday when AF is due, otherwise if it looks like AF is coming I will let it come. I am really at a cross roads as to what to do. As you guys know, I am a pediatrician, and right now my schedule books out a month in advance, and they want to increase it to 6-8 weeks. It sounds like you guys are all going in daily for a while. I am also considering moving in a few months to another state, which would totally delay the workup. The problem is right now, I live 3 hours from an RE doc. My doc is the smartest guy in there, and I trust his opinion, but it is clear since we know each other he does not want to talk about this. There is an NP who works in our clinic part time, she is the women's health provider. Maybe I will talk to her and see what she thinks.

 

[mlk]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

JGator, Megumic and LtlFirecracker, thanks for your replies.

As for the thyroid, I only received the blood test results yesterday, but the doctor said it was underperforming, so I think its Hypo. My TSH levels were elevated (5.9). Further bloods were taken to ascertain the T3 and T4 levels and I am having a Thyroid ultrasound tomorrow. I then have an appointment with an endocrinologist on the 23rd.

The dr aslo said I had elevated testosterone levels but the only abnormality I can see from the results is the SHBG levels are elevated (which seems to be a symptom of hyperthyroidism). Once again, not sure how accurate these are given I am on Yasmin. However together with my Insulin Resistance level of 15, she suspects PCOS too.

Also, if anyone can shed some light on what will happen once I finish the pill on Friday if I do have PCOS, I would be grateful to hear your experiences. I am worried my hair loss will become even worse.

 

[monkeyprincess]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Firecracker, sorry about the BFN and possible spotting. Holding out hope for you still though! You are in a tough spot with being so far away from an RE and about to move. It might not be very efficient to start running tests if you are just going to have to repeat them when you move and get a new doctor. Plus, if you wait, you will probably be right around the one year mark (or close enough). I've had really good luck with the NP at my doctor's practice, so I would definitely recommend talking to the NP if I were you. In my case she seems more knowledgeable about infertility issues than my obgyn.

JGator, glad your DH's SA went okay and that he didn't get too worked up about it. I agree with you that his results will more than likely be just fine or more than fine. Hoping the clomid did the trick for you this cycle and you get a few good follicles. And good luck with your HSG.

MLK, welcome! I hope that your TTC journey goes smoothly for you after the rough time you've had. It's good to be aware that having a baby may not come as easily as you hope, but I wouldn't assume you'll have fertility issues just because your mom did. My mom was on her fourth pregnant by the time she was my age and had zero fertility problems, yet here I am having trouble. You just never know until you start trying. Also, as far as your possible PCOS diagnosis, I really do think it will be important to see what happens after you stop the pill because from what I read, most doctors will not diagnose PCOS without a history of lack of ovulation, cysts on the ovaries, or long cycles, and you would have to be off the pill in order for any of these things to be happening. . . . Hoping you are pleasantly surprised. Good luck!

DandiAndi, welcome to you too! I wouldn't stress too much about the temps or cm since it was just your first month off BC. HOping your stay is short!

Tammy, sorry to hear AF arrived, even though you knew it was coming. Seems that there are several of us at about the same point in the cycle. Hoping this month is a lucky one for us around here!

AFM, I spoke with my NP's nurse this morning and was told that the NP wanted me to take the month off because there was a pretty good chance my right ovary would be dominant this cycle and she didn't want to waste a clomid cycle. Obviously, I was a bit distressed about the recommendation, so the NP called me back later. It turns out she made this recommendation thinking my right tube had not been open during the HSG, but when she looked at my information she remembered that the right tube had only been slow to open. She said we could go ahead with the clomid again. It is my understanding that it is random which ovary will be produce the dominant follicle(s) in any given cycle, so I'm a bit perplexed as to why she assumes my right one will be dominant this time, and I'm frustrated because it makes me feel like my chances aren't as a good this cycle. One more vent, I had her call in the Rx to the Walmart nearest me. I hate Walmart, always have, and try to avoid it, but my NP said it is by far the cheapest clomid, so I have been getting it there. Anyway, when I got there, I was told it would be ten more minutes. About 10 minutes later, I was told they did not have any clomid but they would likely get some tomorrow, so I have to go to Walmart 2 days in a row. Argh! I have one clomid pill left over from the cycle I was cutting them in half, but I'm debating whether to start today (CD3) she recommended or tomorrow on CD4 like I did last cycle. Sorry for the rant.

 

[Dandi]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

JG, great tip re. the thermometer, that's a ripper! I've just gone and moved my alarm clock to my side of the bed!! Thanks hon!

Thanks for the ressurance mp! I just have to have patience, which unfortunately is not my strongest point

Welcome mlk! Goodness what a turbulent time you've had of late. Here's hoping to a successful and healthy 2012 for you and your hubs!! Great to see another 'local' on here (I'm from Geelong - GO Cats!!! )! Good luck lovey!

 

[mlk]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Monkey princess, thanks for the welcome and the positive thoughts. You are exactly right, I can't get ahead of myself and assume the worst. DH told me not to be a hypochondriac, but I think he is oblivious to the whole intricasies of TTC and especially the effect of PCOS and thyroid issues.

I am sorry to hear so many of you are having your patience tested with TTC, I guess it is something that always remains unspoken between family, friends and colleagues. Fingers crossed everyone's BFP comes just around the corner. Now it is time for me to catch up on everyone's journeys. I originally started reading this thread a few months ago and have reached page 323, but I think I need to read the more recent posts now that I am actually on this journey with you all!

 

[mlk]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Dandi Andi, we were just down in Melbourne over New Years. Didn't head down your way this time, went to the beautiful MOrnington Peninsula this time, but went through Geelong a few years ago on a trip to the great ocean road. Geelong was a lovely seaside town. Hope you escaped the recent heat! Nice to see another Aussie here too!

 

[Dandi]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Oh gosh, yes it has been so hot! It got to 43 deg here a few days ago... now it's pouring rain and I'm cold!! What the?! We went to Melbourne for NYE too, we were down at Docklands for the night. The weather that night was spectacular!

 

[Sha]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

JGator, Megumic and LtlFirecracker, thanks for your replies.

As for the thyroid, I only received the blood test results yesterday, but the doctor said it was underperforming, so I think its Hypo. My TSH levels were elevated (5.9). Further bloods were taken to ascertain the T3 and T4 levels and I am having a Thyroid ultrasound tomorrow. I then have an appointment with an endocrinologist on the 23rd.

The dr aslo said I had elevated testosterone levels but the only abnormality I can see from the results is the SHBG levels are elevated (which seems to be a symptom of hyperthyroidism). Once again, not sure how accurate these are given I am on Yasmin. However together with my Insulin Resistance level of 15, she suspects PCOS too.

Also, if anyone can shed some light on what will happen once I finish the pill on Friday if I do have PCOS, I would be grateful to hear your experiences. I am worried my hair loss will become even worse.

Hi mlk, it's great that you're getting tests done so that you can get some answers on your fertility. Some women find their cycles a bit wacky the first month off BC - others go straight back to what they were like before. What were your cycles like before the pill? If you do have PCOS, I suspect you might O later than most - therefore having a longer cycle overall; or you may find out that you're not ovulating as regularly as you should. Hopefully that won't be the case.

I notice you mentioned being on Yasmin and also having high SHBG levels. I'm interested in that because I was also on Yasmin and came off of it prior to TTC, but I think it's had a lasting effect on my testosterone levels (elevated SHBG) resulting in low libido since using it, which is upsetting. Can I ask what your experience on it was like? Do you think it reduced your libido at all? I'm currently taking a Vitamin D supplement, in the hopes of reducing my SHBG a bit. I'm not sure how much it's helping yet, though.

 

[Prana]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Welcome MLK!

Hi JGator. Thanks for asking about our appointment. I'm glad to hear that your DH did a good job at his appointment, hopefully the results are good!

Our appt went well. DH has an appointment to give his swimmers on Thursday, and I have another US appointment for next Tuesday to make sure my fallopian tubes are open (it's a dye test). I had blood work drawn before my appointment (on CD3) to check my FSH and fasting glucose.

An interesting thing my Dr. told me regarding Luteal Phase/LP defect...I was concerned about my LP and thought maybe my progesterone levels could be low. But she said that thinking about progesterone deficiencies and LP defects are OUTDATED practice! I was surprised to hear that , because I know so many women take progesterone in hopes of implantation occurring. She is not concerned about my spotting whatsoever. She is more interested in finding out what is going on with my hormones prior to ovulation to make sure that I am producing good quality eggs, and in doing the dye test to make sure my tubes are opened. She actually seemed like she didn't want to do the dye test this soon, but I told her I was ready to go ASAP and so she was able to get me an appointment to have it done. I think that I'm being hasty with this, as I really don't feel that there is anything wrong with my DH or I, but I'd rather do it now and know, than wait another 6 months and still not be KTFU and have to start it then, having wasted time. My Dr. also told me that a lot of pregnancies happen after having the dye test. She doesn't know why, but she said maybe it's because everything gets opened up and flushed out. So we will see what happens, hopefully DH and I check out OK. But if not, at least we will have answers and be able to move forward.

Hope everyone is still doing well! I still lurk from time to time, but I'm still definitely taking a step back from temping and charting and all that. Even though I always know exactly where I am in my cycle...

 

[megumic]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Mlk, just wanted to share that hypo can make it difficult to ovulate. At 5.9 you are def hypo, but not horribly so. Wait for the free t3and freet4 readings to know more. Also ask your doc to check your antibody levels. This is important in determining e cause of your hypo. It could be nodules or hasimotos or an array of other things. The ultrasound will help too.

The good news is that being hypo is easier and safer to treat than hyper. Generally you get a thyroid hormone supplement which helps bring tsh into normal ranges. Don't worry lady, with a good ends behind you you'll be in great shape in no time. Just be sure your doc is dosing and treating you based on your frees and not your tsh. Good luck!

 

[BrightSpot]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

mlk, welcome! I've been recently diagnosed with PCOS too & the primary symptom that led me to suspect PCOS was hair loss (and late ovulation). I didn't really notice the hair loss until I went off the pill & even so, it took several months for me to put 2 & 2 together. I'm sorry you're going through this. Hair loss can be really devastating, especially on top of struggles conceiving. (I'm also so sorry to hear about the loss of your parents. Big hugs to you. I hope you have some good news to share soon!)

As for me, I tried for a year & just had success with 50mg clomid + ovidrel trigger + IUI. All my docs said that there's not much they can do to treat hair loss while you're TTC, unfortunately. Hypothyroidism could also cause hair loss. Are you taking metformin for the PCOS? I started taking it in November &, once I got used to it (it can cause stomach upset, especially early on), I've been pleased. I even lost a few pounds. There are lots of studies that show that metformin can help pcos women ovulate & conceive.

I would recommend that you start temping when you go off the pill so you can determine if you're ovulating or not. Sometimes it can take a few months for your body to regulate after coming off the pill, PCOS or not. Also, I think you really have a head start in that you already know you had PCOS so you can proceed accordingly & seek out treatment more quickly if you realize you're not ovulating. It took me a good 8 months of trying before I got a diagnosis. Hopefully your journey will be much shorter!

Let me know if you have questions & I'll try to help as best I can. Also, there's a great website called soul cysters that has a lot of great information on PCOS. It also has an active TTC board with lots of btdt PCOS women. I've also posted in the TTC for 6 months of more thread here on PS & a few lovely ladies answered some questions about PCOS for me. It might be worth checking out.

Best of luck to you & hope your stay here is short & sweet!

 

[BrightSpot]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

missrach, I agree with MP that temping is less stressful than you might imagine. I got used to it pretty quickly & was glad to have confirmation of ovulation (or, some months, anovulation). How long have you been taking metformin? I heard that sometimes it can take up to 3 months to have the full beneficial effect. Have you lost any weight on it, btw? I lost 10 lbs since November, which is kinda cool.

LtlFirecracker, sorry about the bfns. Is your temp still up? Here's hoping the spotting is implantation bleeding & AF stays far away.
I think that's a good idea to talk to the NP about your concerns.

It seems like AF is making the rounds a lot lately. I'm so sorry she knocked on your doors, Prana, MP & Tammy! At least you guys can be cycle buddies (and maybe bfp buddies?!)

MP, are you going to do an IUI next month or just clomid & trigger? I'm hoping this will be it for you! I agree that you seem to respond really well with the clomid at 50mg. Btw, I checked my insurance claims & it looks like my insurance company was billed $2700 for two consecutive days of IUI. Probably yours would be less if it's out of pocket? How's your kitchen coming, btw?
As for supplements, I was taking everything under the sun. Here's a list. I don't know if any of these actually helped. I'm more inclined to think the clomid & IUI did the trick, but you never know.
Womens multiple, B6 400 mg timed release, Move free (for joint pain), Fish oil 1200mg omega 3, Calcium 600 mg & 400iu vitamin d,
Vitamin c 500mg, CoQ10 75mg, L-arginine 500mg, chaste tree berry 200mg, evening primrose oil (for cm) 500mg, Low dose aspirin.
There were so many pills I had to get one of those extra big pill containers for old people.
Btw, my RE also said it was arbitrary which ovary ovulated any given month (they don't necessarily alternate.) Sorry about the frustration with the NP & the Walmart! I don't think your changes are diminished this month. When did you decide to start the clomid?

DandiAndi, welcome! I hope your stay is short & sweet.

JGator, thanks for the reassurance on ectopic. I'm glad your DH was able to have his SA without too much stress. I hope your hsg & ultrasound/bloodwork goes well tomorrow. Keep us posted! (And remember to take advil before the hsg.) I've heard (maybe from MP?) that starting clomid later can produce fewer, but more developed follies. Hoping this is the month for your sticky bean...

MLK, I forgot to mention in my previous post that I am also an only child & my mom had a very hard time conceiving me. Though I've never asked her about it, I suspect she also had/s PCOS. It is very likely hereditary.

Prana, good luck to you & your DH on the testing. I had the dye test (HSG) too & before I took it my OB also said that a lot of her patients get PG very soon after the test. Hoping that's just what you need! I agree that it's better to have information so you can move forward in the best, most efficient way. Best of luck!

Hi to anyone I missed!

 

[mlk]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Thank you ladies for all of your replies.

Dandi Andi, I think we escaped the worst of the Melbourne heat, we left the day before it hit the high 30's. We stayed near Docklands and saw the fireworks from outside Crown. It was a lovely night, although I must say we are spolit by Sydney's fireworks show each year and we live right near the Harbour, so we just have to walk up the hill a bit for a great view of them.

Sha, thanks for the info re Yasmin and SHBG. I have been on Yasmin for about 8 or 9 years now, so not sure what effect that has had on things. My cycles before were always pretty regular, 28-30 days and never had any overly lengthy cycles. Although my periods, even on Yasmin always lasted 7 days. I can't say Yasmin affected my libido or anything, although I am worried about the SHBG/tesosterone levels and what will happen to my hair come Friday. I also have low Vitamin D levels so I started Vitamin D supplements yesterday. My GP has PCOS herself and significant hair loss, so she was very sympathetic to me and she said that her hair improved after starting the Vitamin D. She said to ignore the labelling and take 2 x 1000 tablets a day. Hope Vitamin D helps you too.

Prana, I think its great that you are being proactive and getting things checked so early. Hopefully everything is clear and maybe that knowledge will let everything happen in a relaxed manner and quickly.

Megumic, thanks for the info on Hypothyroidism. Do you by any chance know whether this causes insulin resistance, or is the insulin resistance more than likely a sign of PCOS? The doctor did run an antibody screen, all of which came back normal. Are there specific antibodies to test for? Well the Thyroid ultrasound is later today, not sure what they check. Is it only tumours/nodules, or does the thyroid appear enlarged if you are Hypo?

 

[monkeyprincess]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Sha, that’s interesting. I used Yaz, which is similar to Yasmin, but I have never had my testosterone levels tested. That is something I’d like to do if we do not get our BFP within a few rounds of IUI. It seems counterintuitive that a higher level of testosterone would lower your libido, but I am NO endocrinologist! And I know that the interplay between the various hormones is pretty intricate. Hoping you find a way to get your levels back to normal!

Prana, sounds like you are well on your way to getting some answers. The question of whether progesterone supplementation is effective is definitely subject to debate. I think most doctors think it *might* help but can’t hurt and that’s why they prescribe it. But based on what I’ve read, your doctor is right that inadequate development in the follicular phase is often to blame for low progesterone, so supplementing with progesterone is not going to treat the problem. That said, I know of women, my sister included, who only had successful pregnancies when they were on progesterone…. Wishing you luck!

mlk, sounds like you are very well-informed and ready to face any potential challenges, and there is a lot of helpful advice here. I just hope that TTC proves easier than you fear. I think it was Pancake who thought she had PCOS and was all ready to start testing only to discover she was already pregnant, and now she is getting ready to pop!

Dandi, that’s how I started with this thread too. I went back and read everything. Talk about information overload! But I’m glad I did it.

JGator, good luck tomorrow!

Bright, how are you feeling? Whoa, you were on even more supplements last month than me! I’ve scaled back because they obviously haven’t helped, and I’ve pretty much given up on getting good EWCM. I do plan to do a trigger and IUI this cycle. I have a breakdown of the costs from my NP, and I want to say a one-time IUI is about $500.

I decided to start the clomid last night on CD3 as recommended. I’ll go in for monitoring on CD12 and see if my NP was right about the right ovary. I’m hoping I prove her wrong. I had one on the right my first cycle, and 3 on the left and one on the right last cycle….

 

[mlk]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

BS, our posts must have crossed but thank you for your reply. Congratulations on your pregnancy. It must be such a relief after trying for a year, being diagnosed with PCOS and everything. Hope it continues to progress smoothly for you!

I as yet have not been diagnosed with PCOS although it is a possibility. It however is likely that I do have Thyroid issues. The doctor cannot run more tests for PCOS until I finish the pill and it gets out of my system. Hopefully the endocrinologist can shed some more light when I have my ifrst appointment in less than 2 weeks.

I also suspect my mother may have had PCOS. It is so hard to put all the pieces together when she is not here though. I recall her telling me that a lot of her hair fell out when she was about 13 and it continued to fall out throughout her life. It got so bad that she had to wear a wig for the last 5 or 10 years. She always said they could never give her an explanation for her hair loss, although she was regularly tested for thyroid issues, lupus etc. From as far back as I can remember she always had a heavier moustache and would get electrolysis on hairs growing on her face (often her chin but never too many at once). She also had a lot of hair on the inside of her thighs.

I do know that my mum had an early miscarriage about a year before I was born and always had trouble conceiving. I think they even started the adoption process but had me. I was then born a month premature because I think she was put into hospital with pre-eclampsia. She also had endometriosis, but I never knew the reason for her hystorectomy at 41.

At this stage no one has prescribed me anything, except Vitamin D supplements. I have a follow up with the GP on Friday to get the thyroid ultrasound results and T3 and T4 results, so maybe that will shed more light on everything.

Thanks again ladies.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Hey guys, just a quick update as I have some stuff to do and I will try to do a real post later. More spotting today, and although temps are above the cover line, they have trended down the last 3 days. My temps don't usually go below the cover line until after AF starts, so I think it is coming .

So I got an e-mail from the head doc in our clinic asking if I was going to leave for sure. I went to his office and explained our situation. He put decided to send me to an RE doc. For the doc I want to see, there is a super long wait list, but my office is looking for other options. Without getting into the details of my situation too much, if I need meds other than clomid or IVF, there is a cost difference between the two places I am going.

I will let you know what happens.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

mlk - your questions are beyond the scope of what I can answer, especially with the Yasmen. I was on Yaz for about a year as well. My labido was low on it, but I think though my 20's I was on pretty much every birth control pill out there, and the only one that did not affect my labido was a triphasic pill (ortho try cyclin). But I also gained about 10 lbs and got migraines like mad, so I did not stay on that one too long. All the other pills I was on had a low estrogen dose. In my clinic, we don't typically consider a fasting insulin of 15 abnormal, I am wondering what your doctor's cut off is? Your TSH is slightly elevated, so I would go after that before worrying about the other labs. Hair loss is a very common symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Prana - thank you for sharing what your doc thought about leutal phase defects. That thinking does make since. If I were in your situation, I would want to move forward with testing. 2 losses is enough!

Tammy - I am guessing I will be CD1 tomorrow, so I will be joining you!

DaniAndi - I am wishing you luck this cycle

MP - Sounds like you are giving it another go with the clomid. From what I remember, your tube was not significantly blocked. So I am hoping the ovary it comes from is not significant. I know I took a break from posting, but did you ever get a reason as to why you are having issues?

I just wanted to say to all of you, thank for your help. I was not expecting to get a referral today, and I am not sure it will even go though with my insurance, but it is a step in the right direction. When making my case to the lady who "manages our resources" I explained I was on "a discussion form" an that a lot of women were being worked up before the one year point. I am actually at 9 months when I did the math. It would be nice if I could get the evaluation done soon, and than if I move, I know what the next step is. Or if there is anything wrong. Hopefully I will know more over the next week, unless by some miracle this spotting is implantation bleeding. But I am not counting on it.

 

[missrachelk]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

HI Everyone - Great to have a new friend here!

My DH's SA came back normal! His boys can swim! He was really nervous so this is a big relief. I've started temping too, to get that data going. Still waiting for any signs of AF coming or being PG, but unfortunately jsut more of the no symptoms whatsoever, so I'm not super hopeful anything happened this month.

Sounds like there's quite a variance in teh cost of IUI depending on who you're seeing ($2700 for 2 for Bright, and $500 for one for MP) Really makes me wonder how much my practice charges. I suspect tehy're on the high end. Hmmm. Hopefully we won't need it but it's a lot to think about if the BFP doesn't come soon. My flat benefit is almost used up and doesn't roll over to a new plan year till something like October. I supose that's good in that if it does take a long time, we'll have that resource vilable down the road if we do need it. DH and I are also talking about taking a 2nd honeymoon to the same place we went on our first if we're not PG by the summer. So that's something to think about not baby related and I love having a big trip planned to daydream about (wedding planning and I got along really well )

I'm just waiting patiently for my appointment in 2 weeks and probably won't have much to contribute till then (that is if AF still doesn't show or if I happen to get a miracle BFP)

Bright - I'm jsut getting my first refill of Metformin, so only one month in. It's agreeing with me just fine (no emergencies and I'm enjoying being regular!) but I haven't really had much reduction in my appetite or aversions and I haven't lost any weight yet. I really hope to, I have 10-20 pounds to lose (depending on how aggressive I want my goal to be) about 12 or so will get me back to where I was on my wedding day, so that's my short term goal. I also have totally dropped off my exercise in the last month, so am hoping picking it back up and cutting way back on treats will help that scale to budge. I've finally realized I can't keep crap in the house, so no more chips, cracker or cookies will be brought into the house. Hopefully it works!

 

[BrightSpot]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Mlk, thanks for the congrats. It is a relief to be pg after trying for a year, but I'm also finding new things to worry about now. I guess it's always something!
I'm glad to hear you haven't been diagnosed with pcos yet. I would pursue the thyroid issues as those can cause hair loss too. Let me know if the vitamin d helps. I'm sorry (for her sake) that your doc has hair loss too but very glad you have a healthcare provider who is sympathetic to your plight. It makes a big difference. I've felt that some of my docs were on the dismissive side. I know it's only cosmetic, but hair loss can really affect a girl's self esteem. I hope yours is in check soon!
Let us know how going off the pill affects things. When you're not trying (after you have your little one!) I've heard great things about spironolactone for hair loss, but it must be taken with the pill as it causes birth defects. 
You'll probably need to have your hormone levels checked once you're off the pill & you might want to ask your RE about metformin if you're insulin resistant.  If you temp, you should be able to tell if you're ovulating or not. If not, clomid or femara can work wonders! 

Ltl, I'm glad you have a referral going but hope you won't need it. Sorry about the temp drop & spotting. I had a huge temp drop last cycle & thought I was out for sure. Just sayin...

Mp, I know, the amount of supplements I was taking was pretty ridiculous. And there's no way to know if they made a difference. My RE said they wouldn't hurt but might not help, but by the time I asked him, I'd already bought them, so I figured why not take them? 
I'm glad you're doing an iui this month. 
Clomid negatively impacted my cm, but if you do iui, you can bypass that whole situation. I really hope that'll do the trick for you! I'm also glad it's relatively reasonably priced. 
And I'm feeling pretty well, thanks for asking. I'm still having some cramps, but they're better than before. Not much else in the way of symptoms but it's still so early. 

Rach, glad your dh's swimmers are normal. Yay! That must be a relief. 
I'm also glad you're tolerating the metformin. I'm a carb bound &, while I'm still eating carbs, I've almost lost my desire for desserts. I've gone from having dessert every night to maybe 1-2 times/week. That's probably helped with the weight loss. And I go to the gym regularly, but I did that Pre-metformin too. 
That's funny-my dh & I made a tentative plan to take a 2nd honeymoon on our anniversary too if we weren't pg. Here's hoping you don't get your trip either!
As for iui charges, that was the charge I saw on my benefits page for my insurance (it was covered except for copay). I assume if you paid out of pocket the charge would be different. 

 

[Sha]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Sha, that’s interesting. I used Yaz, which is similar to Yasmin, but I have never had my testosterone levels tested. That is something I’d like to do if we do not get our BFP within a few rounds of IUI. It seems counterintuitive that a higher level of testosterone would lower your libido, but I am NO endocrinologist! And I know that the interplay between the various hormones is pretty intricate. Hoping you find a way to get your levels back to normal!

quote]

Based on my reading, Yasmin contains a hormone that raises SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin). SHBG binds to free testosterone and basically renders it useless - and free testosterone is important for libido. So it's possible, I think, to have high levels of total testosterone (which includes other stuff), high levels of SHBG, and low levels of free testosterone - hence low libido. I think Yasmin (and Yaz) are also anti-androgenic so they control androgens in the body- which is why they work well for controlling acne and other testosterone-related issues. That's what I picked up based on my reading. Maybe a medical professional on here can clarify if that's not accurate, though.

thanks for your reply mlk!

Bright - CONGRATS on your pregnancy!

 

[monkeyprincess]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Firecracker, darnit, sorry about the BFN and dropping temps. I think it is a positive development that you are going to start looking into seeing an RE and start running tests. My DH is also older than me by about ten years, and that is one of the main reasons I felt an urgency to look into fertility testing before the one year mark. I’m glad I did because I’m approaching the one year mark now, and I can’t imagine how I’d be feeling if I hadn’t even had my bloodwork done yet! Hoping things work out for you and you get some answers!

You asked about my issues, and really, we haven’t had any huge red flags in our testing. My levels seem to be pretty much normal, I seem to be ovulating regularly, and my tubes were both open after the HSG, although the right one was a little slow to open but eventually showed spilling. DH’s SA came back pretty much normal, but his forward motility was slightly low. I’m thinking that the motility issue along with the fact that I don’t seem to produce much EWCM and my possible tube issue are the likely culprits at this point. If IUI doesn’t work, I will probably get referred to an RE and have more extensive testing.

Rachel, that’s great your DH’s test came back normal. One less thing to worry about! Now if we can just get you ovulating regularly, maybe you will get your BFP! I think a second honeymoon is a great idea. DH and I keep talking about taking a trip, but my job is our biggest obstacle right now. Hard to plan ahead and take off enough time for a decent vacation, but I am committed to making it happen!

Bright, I don’t think it is just the clomid affecting my cm. I just never get the textbook EWCM, or if I do, it is very scant and short-lived. That’s another reason why I’m hopeful an IUI is our answer. Glad to hear you are doing well! The cramping means that things are happening and the little bean is growing. Can’t wait until your ultrasound next week!

Sha, that’s really interesting. I misread your post earlier and thought you were saying that SHBG was a type of testosterone and your testosterone levels were high, but now I see you were just talking about the SHBG level. I haven’t noticed a change in libido pre/post yaz. It’s not something I really think about very much because so much of our BD’ing is timed and not exactly spontaneous since starting TTC. Sad but true. Anyway, I hope the vitamin D helps you!

 

[JGator]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Hi, everyone, sorry for a me-centric post, but just wanted to update you all on my test week.

DH had his SA on Monday, and the results came back today as normal. I had my follow up ultrasound and blood work today post Clomid, and I have 1 follicle on the right measuring 17 mm and 3 on the left measuring 15, 16, and 17mm. The HSG showed everything is fine in my tubes, but I have a small polyp/cyst on the upper right side of my uterus that I need to get checked with a saline ultrasound if I do not get pregnant this cycle. The doctor said it should not get in the way of getting pregnant though. My RE wants me to trigger with Ovidrel tomorrow. And I'll start taking progesterone nightly at 3 DPO. I am relieved to get a good batch of test results. Hoping the HSG helps and we get a super sticky bean with good genes this time around.

Hope all is well with everyone out there and I hope some good news starts rolling in this month.

JGator

 

[tammy77]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

Wow this thread is hopping, I love it! I wish I had time to catch up and keep up, but this week has been NUTS!

I'm trucking along, on CD7 but there's so much going on right now in our household (all good, just busy) that I actually don't have much time to think about TTC. I know it's probably just where I'm at in my cycle, but I find that I'm a lot less obsessive than I have been in past months. I think part of it is realizing that for where we are at in our TTC journey, there's not really anything left to learn. I have my fresh batch of opks ready to go and will start them in 3-4 days, fully expect to O on or around CD14. If we don't fall pregnant this month I already have a silver lining ready to go (MIL's visiting and we're spending a weekend in Napa). I would LOVE to be able to tell her in person though and I'm ready to give up wine. Did I really just say that?!?!

I'll be back to do a proper post after I've had time to catch up, but I'm afraid that won't be until tomorrow evening at the earliest. I would love to add a couple of hours to the day, but only if I can use them for fun things like surfing PS, relaxing or catching up on sleep!

 

[JGator]

Re: The Official TTC Thread!

I found this link with information on hormone levels on what is normal for different hormones on different cycle days. In case any of you go forward with blood work. I was specifically looking for Estrogen since I got a number for mine today which ended up being normal/good.

http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/hormonelevels.html