Bi-Weekly Wine and Cheese Party

buggirl72

Happy Friday ladies! 

It's that time again. This is our bi-weekly check in. Feel free to let us know how life is; you can b!tch, you can moan, you can brag, you can cry, whatever you want. Enjoy!

buggirl72

Hi ladies!

I got my latest blood work back.  CA125 was 10 and He4 was 64 - both in the normal range. My appointment with my doctor is not until the first week of October when he will recheck the cyst and the fibroids.  So far, I have gone 4 days without spotting!!!! That is pretty exciting stuff for me.

Non-TTCAL - I bought a desk and a chair for my home office. We had been looking for a vintage piece and found a mid-century modern desk. According to the date on the bottom of the draw, it was manufactured in 1958.

It's the same style as this one but the top is blond:

BookishMomma

@buggirl72 Thanks for posting, and hooray for normal results and no spotting! I can't see the pic, but I love mid mod furniture and have some pieces from that era, too. 

As for me, I'm on day 12 of my 25-day hormone therapy cycle following my surgery to remove retained tissue. I'm feeling actually pretty good. The high dose of estrogen (2.5 mg daily of Premarin) has me feeling like I have a lot of energy. Unfortunately it also makes me feel like I want to eat ALL THE THINGS, so I'm trying to get out walking a little bit extra. We are TTA for this cycle and the next one, then moving on to medicated IUI cycle. 

Smootiepie

@buggirl72 - Yay for no spotting!!!  And glad the tests came back normal.

@BookishMomma - If you're going to eat ALL THE THINGS, the least you could do is share 

 Some of us are on CD 4 and having a hard time walking away from the chocolate...  In all seriousness, glad you're half-way through the therapy!

AFM:  DH turns to me randomly on Sunday and says: "We should do IVF. I'm ok with the idea of adoption, but the process seems to just take so long."  So yeah...we're going to pursue IVF!!!!!!  Cue me taking A LOT of deep breaths...

Our current plan is to wait until the end of October to start the process (since my work is about to get crazy), which we're hoping will put us cycling around January.  Sometimes when I think about it, it seems so far away, and other times it seems like it's right around the corner!

Non-TTCAL - my broken finger has healed pretty nicely, only bothering me occasionally now.

buggirl72

@BookishMomma - Yay for being at the half-way point! Maybe the higher energy and wanting to eat means your metabolism is running a little faster?

@Smootiepie - That is so exciting!!!!  January will be here before you know it!

BookishMomma

@Smootiepie‌ How exciting! I'm so glad you and your H are on the same page.

Rachaeleigh

Hi ladies, I'm glad it's time for this check in so that I can update everyone
IUI#3 is a bust. I just don't understand how I went from easily getting pregnant, but miscarrying, to not getting pregnant at all
I never thought we'd need IUI and then I never thought 3 IUIs would all result in bfn
What's more baffling is my great response to meds, still with bfns
The only upside is that I can now treat this Damn bacteria infection. Flagyl, here I come

We'll try to see the RE before vacation in mid September to regroup. He won't say much different than he did in July, I'm guessing...which is he doesn't think that we're at the point of IVF but that he'll support our decision. I really just want to get more of a firm price for moving forward to IVF

My need to move on, rather than do another IUI or keep trying naturally, is really to be able to come to some type of acceptance or resolution. I'm tired of limbo and maybes/what ifs

@buggirl72‌ thanks for the check in! Glad to hear that your tests were normal and congrats on the furniture

@BookishMomma‌ estrogenn gives energy?! Send me some. I'm glad that you're feeling ok

@Smootiepie‌ congrats on the IVF decision!

BookishMomma

@Rachaeleigh I'm so sorry about the BFN and the infection. Talk about insult to injury. 

buggirl72

@Rachaeleigh‌ - I am so sorry for the BFN ((((hugs)))).  Do you have endo? I can't remember if you have ever been diagnosed with that. I know that could interfere with the success of IUI.

@HoldingOutHope - I'm so excited for you!!!!!!!

Rachaeleigh

@buggirl72‌ no, not that I know of. You're the 3rd person that had mentioned that recently. Do you know how it's usually diagnosed?

@HoldingOutHope‌ congrats on moving forward! I hope the meds treat you well

buggirl72

Rachaeleigh said:

@buggirl72‌ no, not that I know of. You're the 3rd person that had mentioned that recently. Do you know how it's usually diagnosed? @HoldingOutHope‌ congrats on moving forward! I hope the meds treat you well

The standard for diagnosing endo is a diagnostic lap (surgery). My RE did say he could see endo on my u/s and I think someone else said they were told an MRI, but I'm not sure about that.The problem with endo is that the symptoms might not be something you notice and severity of endo does not necessarily match severity of symptoms.

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I think the reason that different people have been asking if you have that dx is because it would help explain why you now have infertility issues and why the IUIs are not working. Endo can hurt egg quality. On my case, my endo is on my ovary so it's an extra barrier my follicles have to deal with. My reading also showed that endo produces an enzyme that can degrade egg quality after it is released. IVF becomes the better option if you know endo is a factor.

BookishMomma

@Rachaeleigh‌ @buggirl72‌ My RE was able to see endo on my ovary via U/S, too, as well as hysteroscopy. I have a 2cm endometrioma (endo cyst) on my right ovary. I've never had a lap, so have not had a 100% definitive diagnosis, but my RE says it looks like endo. I have zero symptoms except for fairly strong ovulation pain and GI symtoms around O and AF time. Despite the suspected endo, though, my RE is still recommending that we do IUI rather than jumping right to IVF.

Rachaeleigh

Thanks to both of you, @buggirl72‌ and @BookishMomma‌ for the info
Hmm...3 of my 4 losses were BOs. Well, during the 4th, the RE said he saw a fetal pole, and 2 REs since say a fetal pole is visualized on the u/s image, but it was labeled a BO in notes/records. That makes me think egg quality issue.
How does IVF help in Endo cases?

I emailed my RE today to see if he wants us to come in for another consult (we just had one in late June) since we had 3 failed IUIs.
I also asked him to recheck my records to make sure I was tested for all potential autoimmune issues, as my mom has hashimotos and rheumatoid arthritis.
He emailed me back within 5 minutes (after hours) saying he was sorry for failed IUI and that he would get back to me tomorrow after checking my file.
He's pretty awesome :-)

buggirl72

Rachaeleigh said:

Thanks to both of you, @buggirl72‌ and @BookishMomma‌ for the info Hmm...3 of my 4 losses were BOs. Well, during the 4th, the RE said he saw a fetal pole, and 2 REs since say a fetal pole is visualized on the u/s image, but it was labeled a BO in notes/records. That makes me think egg quality issue. How does IVF help in Endo cases? I emailed my RE today to see if he wants us to come in for another consult (we just had one in late June) since we had 3 failed IUIs. I also asked him to recheck my records to make sure I was tested for all potential autoimmune issues, as my mom has hashimotos and rheumatoid arthritis. He emailed me back within 5 minutes (after hours) saying he was sorry for failed IUI and that he would get back to me tomorrow after checking my file. He's pretty awesome :-)

IVF helps in endo cases because it removes the egg. My understanding is that the endo "attacks" the egg after it is released - IVF bypasses that.

Rachaeleigh

buggirl72 said:

Rachaeleigh said:

Thanks to both of you, @buggirl72‌ and @BookishMomma‌ for the info
Hmm...3 of my 4 losses were BOs. Well, during the 4th, the RE said he saw a fetal pole, and 2 REs since say a fetal pole is visualized on the u/s image, but it was labeled a BO in notes/records. That makes me think egg quality issue.
How does IVF help in Endo cases?

I emailed my RE today to see if he wants us to come in for another consult (we just had one in late June) since we had 3 failed IUIs.
I also asked him to recheck my records to make sure I was tested for all potential autoimmune issues, as my mom has hashimotos and rheumatoid arthritis.
He emailed me back within 5 minutes (after hours) saying he was sorry for failed IUI and that he would get back to me tomorrow after checking my file.
He's pretty awesome :-)

IVF helps in endo cases because it removes the egg. My understanding is that the endo "attacks" the egg after it is released - IVF bypasses that.


Thanks :-) I'm going to chat with REnext week and let you know what happens

MyFirstRaspberry

Hello Ladies!  I apologize for the late reply. Sending out ((hugs)) to those who need them.

On the TTCAL front, last Thursday I had a hysteroscopy to find and remove scar tissue from the 3 D&C's I've had. The procedure was successful and the Doctor said the scar tissue was even more minor then they expected. I have been cleared to TTC!!

The TTC game plan is going to consist of Femara + trigger shot + IUI + post O vaginal progesterone pills. I still have to take the injection course this week and finish one last blood test before I can go off BCP and start the medicated cycle. I'm so excited to just be cleared to TTC!

@buggirl72 - Yay for normal blood work results. My FX for your Oct appt. I am really hopping you get good news on the cyst and fibroids. High five for no spotting!

@BookishMomma - Half way through the hormone therapy! Hang in there! ((hugs))

@Smootiepie - Exciting that you are moving forward with IVF!!

@Rachaeleigh - Sending you extra ((hugs)). I'm sorry for all the crap being thrown your way.

@HoldingOutHope - Was your inject class today? If so, how did it go? I'm so excited for you to start your medicated cycle!! Good luck this weekend in Florida! I'll be thinking of you.

MyFirstRaspberry

HoldingOutHope said:

MyFirstRaspberry said:

@HoldingOutHope - Was your inject class today? If so, how did it go? I'm so excited for you to start your medicated cycle!! Good luck this weekend in Florida! I'll be thinking of you.

@myfirstraspberry ~ I'm so excited that you're moving forward! \:D/

To answer your questions:

Yes, I attended the class at Annandale this morning (you're right; that building is depressing!). There was only one other girl there! So empty. Anyway, it was good. I didn't really learn anything, as I'd already watched videos online (Freedom Fertility, I think) about how to mix my Gonal-F injection and administer it. But it was good to practice mixing fake meds (and injecting them into a piece of rubber) before doing it with my expensive ones at home. You won't have to worry about the mixing part since you've just got the Ovidrel - it's super easy, no mixing or switching needles.

Well, AF is being a sneaky beotch. She showed for maybe an hour and a half yesterday, then switched to spotting, then stopped altogether. And today I've just been spotting again. My nurse is going to have me come in tomorrow for CD3 monitoring anyway because we don't want to miss it, if this is indeed just a very light AF. Oh, what fun. Get it together, body! CD3 MUST happen by Friday since I'm going out of town! :-SS

@HoldingOutHope I have found that AF is a little wonky off BCP and extremely light for me.  FX that this is really AF and you can more forward. I'm glad ot hear the inject class went well. I can't wait to poke some rubber on Thursday

BostonGayGal

Wrong board, my apologies.

BookishMomma

@MyFirstRaspberry I am so glad you've been cleared and that your surgery ended up being not as complex as expected! FX! 

I have an update, too. Despite being on the estrogen pills, AF decided to come around her usual time. I called my RE to let him know and he said to stop all hormone medications and just count the bleeding as a new cycle. Woot woot! This means we will hopefully be cleared a little bit sooner for TTC. I have to wait for one more AF and then we will move on to the same protocol as Raz:  letrozole + trigger shot + IUI + progesterone after O.

edit: correct meds info