***TTCAL Check-in Week of August 22nd***

jdebaie

1. I intro'd once before but it's been a while and I've been lurking a bit more! Saying hello again   I'm 33 and my husband is 39.

2. Status (WTO, TWW, Benched, etc.): TWW

3. Rants/raves: It's been a busy last few weeks which has been good in taking my mind off TTC.  We're heading to Michigan for Labor Day weekend and hopefully we'll know if we're pregnant this month by then.

4. GTKY: What's your favorite date night activity with your SO?  Dinner out! I feel like we never go out anymore and, although I love to cook, it's so nice to have someone else cook for you!  We also used to bowl quite a bit and got very competitive! haha

lilylover27

@kiki75 I am so sorry for your loss and that you find yourself here. I also suffered from a MMC back in March, was discover at my 12 week appointment, and I went the medical route as well. I also had the cyst post MC as well. I went back for my follow up after the medical MC and that is when they found the cyst and some retained tissue. I was sent home to pass the rest naturally which happened about 3-4 weeks after and then another 2-3 weeks after that I had my follow up. At the follow up my cyst had shrunk and I was told to wait two cycles before TTC again. All in all I would say it was about 2 - 21/2 months before we were ready to TTC again. I know the waiting is hard and depressing and seems to take forever. FX that at your follow up everything is looking good and you have a speedy recovery. As other posters have said this board is a really great place and I know they have helped me out a lot on this journey.

SoonToBeMommaHowe

Good morning everyone! I've been such a slacker at checkins. I've felt like TTC has just been on the back burner once we confirmed that this past cycle was a bust. 

2. CD1, WTO 

3. Raves - I just had an u medicated cycle that was normal length for the first time since September 2015! I turned a profit at my first ever craft fair and immediately spent my profit to take DH out for an awesome dinner date. 

4. We love exploring new restaurants, bars, diners, etc. Everywhere we've moved, which has been 4 places in 5.5 years, we make a list of places to try and usually try to check one off on date night! 

@ladipale...so sorry about DHs comment. This journey is so rough.

@Kiki75 sorry for your loss. Hopefully you can find some comfort here with us. 

@jdebaie welcome back! And GL in the TWW

brooklyngirl18

@roxgibbons so sorry you're feeling so down about this whole process. Sending lots of hugs and positive vibes to you. Hang in there

elm0262148

1.) I've been posting here, but I've never introduced myself. My name is Erika, I'm 22. I've been with my boyfriend for 5 years. We were trying to conceive for three. I got pregnant in May 2016, and I lost our baby July 30th 2016. I'm fairly new. Hopefully we'll all get out of here soon.

2.) I'm currently on a TWW. Actually I'm over half way through my wait, I'm 3 days away from testing. 

3.) As far as rants go, I'm tired of seeing girls I graduated with post that they're having their 4 or 5 child (again I'm 22, we graduated almost 5 years ago, and multiple girls I went to school with are currently pregnant and it's not their first). I'm also tired of seeing high school girls post that they're pregnant. It's just like stop. Shouldn't you be studying for a history test, not having sex.

4.) Favorite date night activity with my SO: It's super lame, but the movies. I know, it's nothing extravagant, and it's a really common past time. We don't have tv or anything, so when we go to the movies we go all out. We dress regally, we go to Whataburger (I know it's fast food, but it's delicious), or somewhere really nice that we wouldn't usually go, and then we get bunches of snacks and popcorn and stuff. I love it. BTW Suicide Squad was fabulous. 

TScalei

@jdebaie - Bowling sounds like a fun date night activity. I was thinking my DH and I should start doing that - its fun to have some friendly competition sometimes!

@roxigibbons - Im so sorry for your disappointing news. I totally get how you are feeling sometimes you just want the universe to throw you a bone and have something go right to give you a glimmer of hope. Fx for you!

@soontobemommahowe - congrats on your first profit - that's really exciting!! What do you make? I love exploring new places to eat. I feel like enough new places are always opening that there is always somewhere new to try.

KarenBeth714

2. Starting ivf process and they are designing the genetic probe first before we move ahead. 
3. So frustrated as we move forward. Just got off the phone with the lab. It will take 8-12 weeks to design the probe. More months of waiting. My og due date is just a few weeks away and I just can't deal.
4. We live going to concerts. Now that injust found out that we are months away from starting the meds, we are goi g to get tickets to a music festival in September so I can be I my happy place while we deal with this torturous wait.

@roxgibbons sorry that you are dealing with a sucky cycle, hope things turn around for you soon. 
@elm0262148 sorry for your loss and fx for your upcoming testing. 

SoonToBeMommaHowe

Thanks @TScalei! I make rustic items (chalk painted mason jars, tea light holders, etc) and bake gluten free desserts! 

roxgibbons

Thanks everyone- I'm not going to lie- I feel pretty shitty right now. But I am moving on with this cycle and did my trigger last night and IUI tomorrow. 

I listened to the Beat Infertility podcast today and specifically listened to the one about meds. According to the RE on the show,  Menopur doesn't necessarily give more eggs but helps with quality and is usually used in conjunction with other meds. The plan for me is if this cycle does not work we will do a combo cycle. DH and I spoke last night and decided we will do one more medicated after this one and then we are done with medicated cycles, unless something else comes up. We're just emotionally drained, and exhausted. Lots of self care right now.

BitterBetty12

@Kiki75 Hugs girl. I'm so sorry you have to be here with us, but I'm glad you found your way to this board  There is no better support system!

@roxgibbons I am so sorry to hear about your cycle not working out as well as expected. FX that things turn out in your favor. Sending lots of positive vibes your way. I hope you and your DH take care of yourselves 

@KarenBeth714 Sorry to hear about your approaching due date. FX things move quickly and you can move forward with the IVF process.

@elm0262148 Welcome. I'm so sorry you find yourself here with us. I know how hard it is to see other people pregnant and with babies when hhats all you really want for yourself. I wish I could say it gets easier. I've found blocking people on Facebook helps!

@SoonToBeMommaHowe That's great news about your normal length cycle, and the craft fair! Don't worry about not being around as much. Sometimes we all need to take a step back from focusing so much on TTC.

KarenBeth714

Hey all- some of us on another thread about weigh gain during a loss were talking about having a weekly thread where we can support each other through a healthy check in. It would be a place where we can offer support, share fitness goals, meal plans and recipes and successes. I was thinking maybe on Fridays or maybe Sunday as you are planning for your week. Let me know if you guys are jntersted and what day would be good to do it.

Aera11

@roxgibbons I've listened to that podcast too and found it helpful. I'm sorry you're having such a hard time right now.  I can totally relate right now. Yesterday was my birthday and I was so sad, DH tried really hard to make it a good day, but I still just felt anxious and depressed. I was just blindsided by my emotions because I normally love my birthday. This year, all I could think of was 'I should've had a baby by now'. My birthday-BSC had me looking to see how many chances I'll have to have one before next year. Today is better for me and I'm hoping for you too. FX this cycle will be it!

kiki75

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome. It has really meant a lot to have a community who understands. 

I had my follow-up appointment yesterday and we got the best news we could hope for. Everything has passed and she couldn't find the cyst anywhere. So, we're just at the point of following hCG down. Yesterday was already down to 373. After that, we can try again after my next period.

All in all, everything was relatively good. I really like my doctor and she was super patient with all of my questions (including the number of them that were basically asking for reassurance that there was nothing else I could have done) and the medical assistant was pretty sweet, too. The tech who did my blood draw was kind of an insensitive dip but she was still better than ones who have just seen the hCG and congratulated people. 

My doctor also explained some more about the "Chances of NOT having a MC" chart. I'll put it in a spoiler box because while it helped me at this time, you may also not want to know. Or maybe you all already know and I'm the last to know...

One of the things I have fixated on is being upset that at 9+1, according to that chart--which I checked every single morning before getting out of bed--I 'should' have had a 98% chance of keeping my baby. So I was upset that even with odds like that, we still lost it. My doctor explained to me that that chart is applicable for babies with normal development up to that point. It doesn't mean that if you haven't had signs of a MC by then, those are your odds. So while it kind of devalues that chart for me, I will probably still use it next time because I will probably need to play that head game to stay sane, knowing that does somewhat help with the feelings I had surrounding it.  

TScalei

@kiki75 - that is wonderful news and must have been such a relief! I can relate to the blood draw thing I had so many insensitive comments when I went to get my HCG blood draws for my last loss - congratulations, how long you have you been trying, do you have any other kids - is this your first and the worse are you sure you wants kids I have a 9 year old and some days I don't know if I want him. Ummmm seriously? I feel like they should have a note on HCG tests that half the people that are getting that test have probably just suffered a loss. I went for my first blood draw for my second loss yesterday and thankfully the tech didn't say anything.

mokay19

1. Introduce yourself (if you're new):  hello! I'm mokay. DH and I are both 25 (he's just about 26) and we just experienced our first loss this past weekend. I was 6 +5 when I had a natural miscarriage and passed a few large clots. Right now I'm still in the middle of things while DH isn't home and is out of contact so it's a little depressing at my house. 

A little bit of my history: we have been trying for 12 months now. I have PCOS and I don't ovulate or get a period on my own, so in those 12 months I have ovulated once using Femara and an HCG trigger. It's promising to know that I can conceive, but sad to that it didn't work out. We're moving in October so unfortunately we'll have a couple month break in treatment while my body heals and we move. I just realized that now that since our next cycle will be even more delayed and assuming I conceive within 6 months of trying again, DH will most likely be deployed when the baby is born. Makes the loss even more painful for me. Such is life I suppose

2. Status (WTO, TWW, Benched, etc.):  Benched

3. Rants/raves:  I'm still cramping like a period and bleeding so my days are currently frustrating and painful. I keep telling myself that my time will come eventually and I just have to remain positive. Easier said than done!

I have a question: Why do they make you wait a cycle before trying again?  If your numbers are at zero, then what's the point of waiting? (I plan on googling this and asking my doctor on Monday when I'm there, but I figured that it wouldn't hurt to ask you ladies, too)

4. GTKY: What's your favorite date night activity with your SO?  Trying a new restaurant and going somewhere that has live music!

PS: sorry for the Debbie Downer post... Just had to vent a little bit. My dog only listens so much!

TScalei

So sorry for you loss @mokay19. Please feel free to vent away - we all understand. My doctor told me to wait one cycle too - I think it is to give your body time to heal, for you to heal emotionally and for dating purposes on an u/s since they usually estimate how far along you are based on your last period. Again, I'm sorry you are going through this.

MDLH

1. Introduce yourself (if you're new): Good morning! Just about 1 month post miscarriage. Found out at our 12 week appt on 7/28 that we lost our child. Got the ok to move forwards and start trying again about 2 weeks ago.

2. Status (WTO, TWW, Benched, etc.): WTO, although I'm not too sure what my body is doing right now since the miscarriage is so recent. 

3. Rants/raves: Miscarriage Stinks! But I will rave that we've received incredible support from family/friends. 

4. GTKY: What's your favorite date night activity with your SO? We love cooking a nice meal together at home. 

DungeonTrollMel

@mdlh welcome to our little world. I'm so sorry you have to join us here. Bodies can be very weird do several months after MC. It's frustrating. Hopefully we can help answer any questions for you 

brooklyngirl18

@Kiki75 @mokay19 @MDLH  so sorry for your losses, welcome to our little corner of the bump. I hope you ladies find support here and have a brief stay. 

mrt

1. Hi! I was here in February after my mc, but stopped trying for a while, so I have been absent. 

2. I guess technically I am wto. I got a positive opk yesterday, so I'm waiting for my temp to go up. 

3. Hubby was too tired to bd yesterday after work when I got positive opk, and I got a little mad at him about it, but we did Tuesday and again today, so I'm hoping that's good. It's a little unreasonable, I know, but I really want to be pregnant before 9/11, which was my due date.

4. We like to sit at a restaurant bar to have dinner so that we can sit next to each other and talk. People look at you strange if you sit on the same side of a booth and the other side is empty.

CTRMommyof4

1. Introduce yourself (if you're new): I'm not new, although I keep drifting on and off of the boards, because it's so hard for me emotionally right now. 

2. Status (WTO, TWW, Benched, etc.): TWW

3. Rants/raves: I have broken out the last couple days, which usually signals AF for me, so I'm really bummed out and just trying to hold on to any last shreds of hope that I may have at this point. 

4. GTKY: What's your favorite date night activity with your SO? Dinner and a movie