Weekly Checkin -July 22

dolphin012

This check in is for anyone on this board to participate in and will occur every Wednesday. If you are new here and haven't made a separate intro on the main board please do so before checking in so we can "meet" you! It's easy to do just click the new discussion button in the top right and post away. 

1. Your Name or Screen Name (not full names) and State you are from. 

2. How long have you been TTC? Are you TTC #1,#2,#3, etc.? 

3. What are you doing this cycle? Are you seeking help with a fertility specialist (RE)? If so, what stage are you in? Charting/temping? Testing? Medicated cycles? IUI? IVF? DE? 

4. Where are you in your cycle? (Waiting to O, 2WW etc) If in the 2ww when will you test? 

5. How do you feel about this cycle? (Are you hopeful, anxious... etc) 

QOTW: What is one of your favorite quotes? 

Feel free to add any vents or shout outs.

dolphin012

1. dolphin012 in CA

2. ttc #1 for a while

3/4: Between transfers. Waiting for hcg levels to go down and AF return. I have an appt this friday with our RE to debrief the last cycle and plan FET. I have also been doing a lot of research on chromosomal abnormalities -- different types, how/when they occur, and trying to understand how it applies to us. I just sent a lengthy email to our genetic counselor with a bunch of questions . 

5. Right now just trying to focus on work as this is a really busy and fun time of year for me. I have also been trying to get my butt back into shape. Between the two ivf cycle where i had to decrease the intensity of my activities for a while so i am feeling a bit sluggish. My work in Aug and Sept can be pretty physically demanding so we will see how that goes...

QOTW: Two fav quotes: 

The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion when no one else is watching. -- Anson Dorrance

Unless... -- Dr. Seuss

Shoutout to efhoping2010 -- good-luck with your FET!!!!

Goldsgirl9

#1. Goldsgirl9 from FL

#2. TTC #2 since December 2014

#3/#4. Seeing RE tomorrow for results from tests. Very excited to start TTC again. Sat out two cycles following D&C. Feeling hopefully for the first time in what feels like forever.

#5. "The universe may not always play fair but its got a hell of a sense of humor".

#6. Shout out to all the ladies on their tww! Fx' for all of you.

efhoping2010

efhoping2010/WY

IVF/ICSI/MESA #4 but FET 2 with 2 CCS Normal Blasts, the first at the big clinic.

Please see history for the details

Flight out tonight then FET tomorrow, rest that day and the next and then home.

I am nervous/excited/hopeful and feeling scared about actually being potentially pregnant!!!

I think we really might have a chance this time

@dolphin012 thank you for the kind wishes, wishing you all the best on next steps 

QOTW: "Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way." Dr. Seuss and "And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed." Dr. Seuss

carrieandr

1. Carrie from FL

2. TTC #1 since January, 4th post-d&e cycle

3. Charting/temping, opks

4. CD12, Waiting to O. Hopefully tomorrow.

5. Started BD'ing on CD8 because I usually ovulate on CD10-12. No ovulation yet. I'm asking a lot from my poor husband.

QOTW: What is one of your favorite quotes?
"Painting is easy when you don't know how, but very difficult when you do." - Edgar Degas

Tomerine

1. Tomerine, MA

2. TTC #2 since January. 

3. Temping, OPKs, prenatal vitamin, obsessively googling foods to eat/avoid, the usual.  Oh, right, and I did Clomid this cycle.  That feels like so long ago.  

4. TWW.  Trying not to even think about it, deadlines, or peeing on anything else. 

5. Hoping that not thinking about it might get better results.   

QOTW: OMG, so many!  How to choose!

"In Summer, the song sings itself."  William Carlos Williams

"It's no use going back to yesterday because I was a different person then."  Lewis Carroll

Love the Dr Seuss quotes, too!  Good luck to everyone!  

jilligan14

1. Jill from NC

2. TTC #1, not preventing since 11/12, actively trying since 8/14

3. OPKs, temping, prenatals, inositol supplements, evening primrose oil, Vitamin E, Zinc, probiotics, cayenne, Vitamin B, increased dose of Vitex (CD 3-9) and just started licorice (CD 3-9). Trying to increase protein, decrease sugars/carb, and exercise more.

4. CD 21, STILL WAITING TO O!!!!!  @-)

5. AGH!!! I feel like I'm always waiting to O...ugh. I'm now on 11 days of the flashy smiley face (ClearBlue advanced OPK). I also do the Wondfo OPK and the line was slowly getting darker but turned light today. Temps are jumping all over the place but mostly low. Finally got a little bit of EWCM today. So maybe my body is still gearing up to O? Or it's just an anovulatory cycle? Or my body just hates me??? I'm tempted to just take the progesterone to bring this cycle to an end instead of letting it go on forever, but my friend recommended I wait until after my acupuncture appointment tomorrow (first appointment - YAY!!). I just wish my body had a *normal* cycle...

I'll go along with all the Dr. Seuss quotes...I have this one on my wall:

"Today you are You, that is truer than true, There is no one alive, who is Youer than You" - Dr. Seuss

Good luck everyone! Can't wait to see some BFPs on here SOON!!!!

thistle8677

1. thistle8677 in Oregon

2. TTC#5 (#1 for SO) since aug/sept. 2014 (recurrent mc)

3. I used opk's (digital & wondfo's), prenatals, clean eating, mucinex

4. 5dpo, cd22

5. I'm just trying to be okay with the wait until I test this weekend...reserving all roller coaster emotions one-day-at-a-time....

I love words and especially quotes.

Here's one I use on a regular basis...I reminded my kids of this at dinner last night...

"People will forget what you said,

people will forget what you did,

but people will never forget how you made them feel."

-Maya Angelou

this is just something I found on Pinterest that makes me smile...

"Sometimes I just want someone to hug me and say, 

'I know it's hard.  You're going to be okay.  Here's a coffee.  And 5 million dollars'..."

@jilligan14 xoxo

@Tomerine we are cycle buddies!

@carrieandroy..it's official. I now know that I must finish my BFA in painting. Your quote totally made my indecisiveness disappear. #notevenkidding

Good luck to all the ladies waiting on their drs appts.! FX to all. xo

carrieandr

@thistle8677 -- that's awesome!!!

jennOK

1. Your Name or Screen Name (not full names) and State you are from.

Jenn from Oklahoma

2. How long have you been TTC? Are you TTC #1,#2,#3, etc.?

Been seriously TTC #2 for 2 months (haven't been preventing for a year, so not sure if add that in or not. We really just started charting)

3. What are you doing this cycle?

Just charting.

4. Where are you in your cycle? Waiting to O.

5. How do you feel about this cycle? I'm hopeful that we will conceive in the next 2 or 3 cycles. I'm a teacher, so I'd like to plan it around the school year. If we don't get pregnant quickly though, I want to keep trying. Because of age, I don't think it's a good idea to stop and wait until next summer to try again.

SnnyFlwr

@dolphin012 Hopefully the genetic counselor will have some answers for you!

@Goldsgirl9 That's great that you're ready to get back onto the proverbial horse. Good luck with your results tomorrow!

@efhoping2010 Have a safe trip, and good luck with your EFT tomorrow!

@CarrieandRoy I bet your poor husband is loving it! Hope you get your O soon!

@Tomerine Keep us posted on your TWW. Fingers crossed!

@jilligan14 Late O's are so lame! Good luck!

@thistle8677 Have you considered adding temping to your routine? Good luck POAS!

SnnyFlwr

1. Juliana, HI 

2. TTC #1 for a year

3. This is my first cycle with meds and IUI.   

4. CD11 - giving myself my last shot of follistim this evening. Ovidrel tomorrow afternoon, and IUI on Friday.

5. Trying not to get my hopes up too high (but it's hard). I only have one good folli, so chances are not that great. 

QOTW: "For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: 'It might have been!'" - John Greenleaf Whittier

thistle8677

@SnnyFlwr best of luck to you, fx!
And yes, I chart as well. Probably forgot to add that detail

KirstenAlecia

Hey ladies.....I'm still around.....it just gets busy in my life as anyone who who is around from when I was way more active knows my life can get. 

1. Your Name or Screen Name (not full names) and State you are from. 

Kirsten from Southern CA

2. How long have you been TTC? Are you TTC #1,#2,#3, etc.? 

TTC #1 for H, #2 for me (daughter is 18)  We have been trying since we got married (on and off) on 5/21/2011

3. What are you doing this cycle? Are you seeking help with a fertility specialist (RE)? If so, what stage are you in? Charting/temping? Testing? Medicated cycles? IUI? IVF? DE? 

Charting/temping, prenatals, Vit D

4. Where are you in your cycle? (Waiting to O, 2WW etc) If in the 2ww when will you test? 

CD 23 & 6DPO so 2WW

5. How do you feel about this cycle? (Are you hopeful, anxious... etc) 

I am actually really really hopeful. We have never really been able to do the every other day BDing like suggested for FW.......till this week. We got in 3 days before O and the day before O and the day after lol.....we would have done it more but he was gone prior to.

QOTW: What is one of your favorite quotes? 

Build a bridge and get over it! lol

Feel free to add any vents or shout outs.

happyktmom

@KirstenAlecia - great timing!!! Can't wait to see what's in store for you this month!

1. happyktmom from VA

2. TTC #2 since 4/2014

3. I will temp. I will temp.  I will also continue with my Chasteberry/Vitex, CoQ10 for DH and I, PNV's, extra Vit D, Metformin, and less sugar - except right now because I'm sulking.

4. CD2 = no bueno

5. I'm still really down because we did everything right last month.  I guess if I want this pregnancy bad enough, I will cut out sugar and alcohol and increase my activity.  I wanted to go back to RE this month and go for it with IUI because that's what we discussed months ago.  DH agreed to IUI with no drugs to decrease the possibility of multiples - he's scared to death!  But we discussed last night and he said no, he's done.

QOTW: ' You are so quiet and so brave, I forget you are suffering.'  -- Ernest Hemingway 
And isn't that so true in our daily lives?!  And those around us...  you NEVER know what someone is going through.

Tomerine

Thank you @SnnyFlwr!  Hope that one follicle is strong and determined!  Good luck tomorrow!

@thistle8677 I would love to be cycle buddies with you, though FF has changed her mind (don't know why she's a she, but in my mind this app is gendered) about my O date and moved me 3 days earlier.  I don't really know where that leaves me.  Wondering if others who've had this experience found the updated O date to be most accurate?

thistle8677

@Tomerine I have a bit of a mistrust in our Lady FF (obviously female)..at least for myself, ocassionally.
Not that I would disagree with what she is saying for your chart. When did you get a peak reading?

Tomerine

I got peak CD 16. Initially she said I O'd CD 19, then changed her mind (It's a woman's prerogative, I guess?),
and put me at day 16- not the day after the peak reading like she usually does. I don't know what to think bc my temps are all over the map, though I'm not able to be particularly rigorous in my methods on that front.

emsmama15

Hi Everyone!  I'm on a break, so I'll leave it at that, but I did go to a new acupuncturist today who gave me a lot of dietary and supplement ideas that I'm going to start.  I'm feeling pretty hopeful for next month!!  

Good luck everyone. @SnnyFlwr - I hope your IUI goes well tomorrow!  @efhoping2010 - I hope everything went well with your FET today. Sending sticky embryo vibes!!

Not really a quote, but this is getting me through.  I apologize in advance for anyone who's not religious or doesn't believe in God.  I don't usually put stuff like this up, but it's helping me lately...

God answers in 3 ways:

He says yes and gives you what you want.

He says no and gives you something better.

He says wait and give you the best.

jilligan14

*Update: First acupuncture appointment today (I have done it before but a long time ago and never for fertility issues). She has a lot of experience treating women with PCOS and talked a LOT about diet. I was increasing protein and decreasing carbs anyway (and I'm gluten-free, dairy-free, and don't eat refined sugar), but she wants me to go 6 weeks with absolutely no carbs or sweets/fruits and to eat just meat and veggies. It seems pretty extreme but I'm ready to try anything. She also took a look at my charts and said they seemed very low and she's worried about my thyroid. My pre-O temps range from 96.5 - 97.4. Usually they are around 97.0. Does that seem really low? She said pre-O temps should average around 97.5 and post-O temps should be around 98. Anyway, I had my thyroid tested in November but I guess I'll go get it tested again. Overall, it's good to get more insight and I really liked her so we'll see what the future holds...

emsmama15

That does sound extreme - and painful!  Good luck @jilligan14.  My pre-O temps are really low.  I do have hypothyroid but it's VERY tightly controlled with TSH less than 1.5.  I don't know.  I think some people just run low.  Do you remember what your TSH was in November?  

Good luck!

emsmama15

@jilligan14 - Sorry to post twice.  Did she give you a list of foods you should and shouldn't eat with PCOS?  We should compare notes.

thistle8677

@jilligan14 I'm so glad you went to that appt.
I'm reading this after I responded to the thread I started.

carrieandr

@jilligan -- my lowest ever temp was 97.49 and my highest ever was 98.86.  My pre-O temps are usually around 97.7 and my post-O temps are mostly 98.2 and above. They rise to a peak, then drop.

jilligan14

emsmama15 said:

@jilligan14 - Sorry to post twice.  Did she give you a list of foods you should and shouldn't eat with PCOS?  We should compare notes.

oh yes, there was a long, long, long list of foods not to eat. Well, she mostly wants me to go hardcore for 6 weeks and then to reassess everything. Basically it was no carbs, very little beans, no sweets, no stevia (I use stevia a lot), cooking with only coconut oil, eating hot foods for breakfast (to warm the body since my temps are so low), and lots of meat. I was a vegetarian for 18 years and only started eating a little bit of chicken and fish a few years ago, so switching to a meat-heavy diet is going to be very hard for me. But I'm literally at the point where I will try ANYTHING and since it's only for 6 weeks, I figure I'll see how it goes. I just don't know how to survive without anything sweet at all - absolutely no fruits, honey, stevia, etc. Argh! I live for my little treats (which are eaten in moderation). I'd love to hear your notes on the PCOS diet!!

thistle8677

@jilligan14 it sounds very paleo, which is what I followed most of this cycle (except I was totally fell off the wagon last week for a few days and ate carbs)
I lost 6lbs and my mood became more stable (until I needed to eat)
I did have a small amount of fruit though...mostly watermelon and berries.

Side note, I was vegetarian for 15 years until I had my 3rd child and then I wanted steak.

I hope you have a lot of success! Super excited for you to be on this journey

carrieandr

@thistle8677, I was vegan for years and then Roy and I went to Italy and he encouraged me to eat vegetarian there so I could enjoy the food. From that point I decided to be vegetarian on vacations, and then when I got pregnant, I ate whatever my body seemed to want. That included seafood and turkey. Now I eat mostly vegan, but I make exceptions here and there, just to enjoy life a little more. I haven't had red meat in 5 years, though. For some reason that feels like the ultimate cheat and I can't bring myself to do it (yet).

thistle8677

@CarrieandRoy I can't imagine being vegan, not because I wouldn't like to try, but because it would be so hard to maintain with a family. I suck at feeding myself first too often. It takes a lot of dedication to be that committed! Good for you!
I totally remember the self-disgust I was up against when I finally broke down and had red meat! It was a very strong craving, so maybe that helped! Ha!
I often miss being vegetarian, but I am a huge veggie fan. I have a dairy allergy, and was diagnosed with a gluten allergy several years ago.
It sucks!

carrieandr

@thistle8677, I already wonder what will happen when there are kids to feed.

KLake42

I'm Kathleen from GA

TTC #1 since January, 3 IUIs so far that didn't quite work.

I'm gearing up again for a medicated IUI, while temping and using OPKs to monitor the cycle, along with acupuncture and TCM herbs.

Today is CD 1!!!  Here I am, I'm back, break cycle is over!!!

I'm feeling excited and hopeful like a rabid cheerleader!!!  It's gonna happen!

(and anxious, and scared, and full of dread)

I'm also having a moderately evil period day, so emotions are all over the place.  I swear, I thought I was going to start tomorrow, based on when FF said I ovulated, but I also think I'm sort of a slow riser (temp-wise) and O'ed the day before FF thinks I did.  Who knows?  But I woke up this morning, checked my temp, saw that it dropped, and told myself that my period would start today.  I felt so cool and scientific about it, kind of smug, like look how prepared I am?  Then I realized... it had already started, been going all night.  And I sleep naked.  Ew.

But I'm excited to be back in the swing of things!  I took a break this cycle, but monitored it, and it was actually a really good natural ovulation.  My temps didn't get all saw-toothed after the O.  I got abundant EWCM for the first time, timed perfectly with the OPK.  I have a few weeks of acupuncture under my belt, as well as these gosh-awful herbal teas I drink three times a day.  I thought I could handle bad tastes, but they taste like mushrooms and pee.  But they're totally going to work, if they taste that bad!

@jilligan14, I did low carb for a long time some years ago, and did a lot of research on it.  There's a very scientific reason for that type of eating to do a lot of good things to improve fertility with PCOS.  A ketogenic diet trips a few hormone wires, and balances things out.  It can be weird-- you might get bad breath and a dry, metallic taste in your mouth, but I think your acupuncturist is giving you good advice.  Make sure you get lots of fiber to keep your tummy working properly-- I'd recommend sprinkling psyllium husks in your salad.  It takes some will power to get started, and you might feel cranky for a few days, but you'll adjust and feel better in a week.  

@CarrieandRoy and @thistle8677, way back before I ever ate low carb, I was vegetarian for five years.  Then someone left me alone in a kitchen with a Coca-cola braised baked ham (at Easter).  I snuck a bite.  And another.  And I kept going back in there to grab little pieces.  I felt like a ham junkie, sneaking away from the family every 20 minutes to get my fix!  I fell, and fell hard.

carrieandr

@KLake42 - The first bite is free, but then you're hiding ham around the house and sneaking out to order deep-fried monte cristo sandwiches.

thistle8677

@KLake42 & @CarrieandRoy )
I needed to laugh.

emsmama15

@KLake42 and @CarrieandRoy - you guys cracked me up tonight!  Thank you!  )

jilligan14

@KLake42 - funny, but I DO have a funny taste in my mouth!! It's been a rough start but I'm trying to power through it.

I was a vegetarian for 18 years and have always been super sensitive to dairy products so was mostly vegan during that time. I finally couldn't do the vegan thing because I'm extremely active (dancer and aerialist) and kept ending up B12 deficient (even with supplements). I had to have the B12 shot a few times because I was a total mess. Anyway, I eventually weaned myself onto eggs and then tried some fish in 2008, mainly because I would go a long time without getting a period and started craving fish for some reason. And oddly enough, the minute I ate fish, I'd get my period within a day or two. Crazy. Over the last few years I experimented with introducing more meat into my diet but still have a hard time with feeling guilty since I was a vegetarian for so long. But ever since I started eating fish, my period got a little more regular (it used to be anywhere from 17 days to 90 days and now is between 34-42 days). So I guess it helped regulate/balance something...