Intro (also intro'd in TTGP)

iLoveMyPups

Just wanted to do an intro since I have been lurking for a few days (figured it would be rude not to say HI!!) - I did post in TTGP but I feel like I may fit in with both groups ;;)

DH & I have been TTC for almost 3 years. After a number of failed attempts (I now know our timing was off), I guess you can say we were NTNP.  I know how stress & fertility don't mesh well and we def. had Over the past 3 years, we have had a lot of stressful situations occurring (which I feel could have effected our efforts) - my dad having a heart attack, DH having multiple shoulder surgeries, me in nursing school, moving 2 times, and recently his grandmothers diagnosis with pancreatic cancer. I also had lap surgery in May to remove a paratubal cyst and endo. Now that things have calmed down and I am recovered, we're trying to get back into the swing of TTC. I quit smoking back in August 2011, but occasionally  would smoke an electric cig, so I gave it up all together before my lap surgery. Also hitting the gym about 4 days a week & eating healthier (RE said weight could be an issue and losing around 20lbs would help). After talking to a few girl friends who had trouble TTC, I recently I started charting & temping (only been at it since June). DH had a SA done in May and he's good to go (unsure of actual #'s - questioned myself on calling RE's office & requesting a copy).

Keeping my fingers crossed that my stay here won't be too long, but hoping you all will accept me & allow me to lurk and chime in when I have any advice to offer. 

Edit: To fix my sentence about stress & fertility. (Sorry ladies - no intention of offending anyone)

iLoveMyPups

rainbowbridge14 said:

Welcome and sorry for everything you have been through. It sounds like it has been a tough few years. Glad you are seeing an RE and getting testing done. Have you done CD 3 blood work? HSG to check your tubes? Are you planning to pursue treatment soon? 

I don't want to come off as rude or discouraging at all with this, but I did want to mention that talking about how stress and infertility don't mesh well may not come off well here (at least it didn't for me- others feel free to chime in if I am off base). The process of infertility is very stressful and a lot of times those of us going through it hear that we should just stop stressing or feel that our stress is blamed for our failure. The truth is that women in war torn countries undergoing huge amounts of stress still get pregnant. Maybe I am just sensitive and having a one of those IF days, but I just thought I would mention it if you are going to be hanging around on this board a lot. 

Thanks for your response.. I did blood work last year and I am thinking about asking if I could do it again.RE felt as though I didn't need an HSG and just did the lap. Wondering if I should ask for one of those too...

In my post's defense ... I didn't mean it like that at all!! Maybe I typed it up wrong?? ... What I meant to say, was in the past 3 years that we were TTC, a lot of horrible & stressful situations kept popping up in OUR lives and adding to it was not being able to get pregnant... Trust me I'm not blaming stress itself for infertility, because your point about women in war is very true. I was just stating our issues over the years, which I feel like took away from our efforts. Also I feel as though those issues I mentioned as far as my dad and DH's g-mom, adds to the pressure of having baby since they are getting up there in age & won't be around much longer Sorry if I offended!!! 

kristyn831

Welcome and good luck!  I get what @rainbowbridge14 is saying about stress, although it doesn't personally bother me as much.  You should hear all of the bad advice people give me about why I'm not pregnant when lo and behold, DH has severe MFI.  So, yeah, I've learned to blow it off as people just trying to be helpful when they're not at all helping.

iLoveMyPups

@rainbowbridge14 Thank you for being so kind. I am very sorry to hear about the dementia and memory loss on your DH's side of the family! I have seen patients with dementia and it is so sad! It breaks my heart. My dad recovered from his heart surgery, but he will be 73 the end of September and although my DH's parents are in good health, I never was able to grow up with a grandfather. Both of my parents lost their dad's when they were young, so I missed out and I would really love my future baby to have a grand father. And it really doesn't help when he tells me "When am I going to get some real grand kids instead of those dogs"... UGGHH way to add the pressure dad! 

Hollowvic

Welcome, hope you get some answers soon!!! I understand what others are saying about stress. I get it all the time and it's so annoying bc stress really has nothing to do with it. I don't think you were trying to be offensive, I'm so used to hearing the comments about trying not to stress I'm immune to it at this point......good luck, this is a super supportive and helpful board!!!!

iLoveMyPups

Thank you @Hollowvic - Love your gif siggy. That shit is hilarious!!!

theholmanherd

Thank you for fixing the sentence (not one of my triggers, but it can be for others) instead of going BSC like some new posters have in the past You seem pretty awesome and we're happy to have you, although I'm sorry you have to be here. IF is a major bitch, so we just hope we can make your journey a little friendlier Welcome!

lebradford

Hi! Welcome to 3T.:-)

iLoveMyPups

Aw thank you. I have read some recent BSC posts... I was like really? ... You have my word I will try to keep my cool lol. 

iLoveMyPups

iPutKetchupOnKetchup said:

Enter the controversy. I love love love myself some Rainbow, buuut I respectfully disagree with the stress thing. Ladies, stay in your seats. 

I am not saying that the cure for IF is to "just relax".. but the physiological impact of stress on the human body is real. Take me, for example. It is well known to those who know me IRL that I am a realist pessimist who may be ridiculously a tad bit high strung. Before IF even became a part of my reality, I was being prescribed the highest dosage of some pretty strong BP meds. At 25. 5'2 and 114lbs. My diet isn't the issue. My age isn't the issue. My habits (although not the best) aren't the issue, either. It was is the way I allow outside influences that I have no control over consume my brain. It fucks with my mind and started to wreck havoc on my cycles. By process of elimination, including medical tests and a lifestyle analysis, the fact that I stress out all the time over absolutely nothing things going on in my life has impacted my fertility. Plain and simple. 

Stress is a real thing. It causes real issues with you, both mentally and physiologically, that can be attributed to having trouble ttc. This does not mean that it the dominating factor in your dx; however, recognizing that circumstances in your life are causing your body to revert to flight or fight mode is important. Eliminating stress (just like changing your diet) is a rare gem in the minefield of IF - it is something you can have control over, and even if it not the main cause of your IF, disposing of it is certainly a step in the right direction. 

Welcome to 3T, and good luck. 

I love your name, I love your comment... Oh gee I just love everything the very little I know about you. 

... And I also love ketchup... 

Hollowvic

@iPutKetchupOnKetchup‌ I do agree with you. I think for some stress is a major factor as it can mess with your cycles. There has to be some truth to people who stop trying and bam!!! I do think for a lot of people it has nothing to do with stress. I am one big stress ball, have been a worry wart my whole life, I don't think it's what's preventing me from conceiving!!! Then again, you never know.

BunnyBerry

Welcome to the board. Hopefully the lap you had plus the chance that perhaps a lot of those cycles didn't have great timing, will add up to a quick BFP for you!

Did you get a hysteroscopy along with the lap? Because if not, then you do need an HSG as far as I know to prove tube patency and make sure your ute has nothing to affect implantation.

As far as the stress debate - I just want to say, IF sucks and stress sucks and both are making me fat. And @nariadreaming thanks for the info about stress and MFI, I had never learned that before, MH is a really high-anxiety kind of person with huge amounts of stress due to his insane school and work schedule (which thankfully he cut down on for this fall). I will talk to him about taking care of himself emotionally as an important part of our IF treatment and hopefully he will invest some time in himself.

Pintobean39

Welcome to the board and Good luck!

I'm with @BunnyBerry‌ stress and a these drugs are making me fat too.

I don't really have any other advise that the others haven't given except, I vote call and get the SA report. I get copies of every test I've every had done at every Dr that I've ever seen. I'm a little weird though. I had a Dr once get cancer and close her practice and I had been seeing her for years about a medical condition that I have. When I started seeing a new Dr having all those years of my records helped him see the full picture. So now I just make a habit of getting my test results and I file them away. The nurse at my RE's office now automatically makes copies for me when I'm there.