Lesbian TTC via IUI . 3rd times the charm ?

ghern001

My wife and I have been trying to get pregnant via IUI but haven't had any success. Did clomid then tamoxifen now letrozole anyone have luck third time around ? I am trying to stay positive but also starting to feel responsible for the failure I have been diagnosed with PCOS because they don't know what else to call it but have no insulin resistance and have irregular periods rather than absent. Feeling frustrated and looking for some lesbian TTCers

starlitfae

Not a lesbian but I starting iui. Just wanted to say hi and say you're not alone

GoldenKeys

Welcome! I know of quite a few stories of people getting a BFP on a 3rd IUI or later.   Are you being monitored on the Clomid (with ultrasounds,etc?)   I do believe that there is a LGBT TTC board on here, but an even better choice to check out also might be the Third Party Reproduction board where there will be more people who are doing IUI's with donor sperm.

Definitely stick around here though... I am sure there are several people with PCOS who you can give and receive support to/from...

LMN11881

Hi! My partner and I are on the TWW of our second try doing iui with tamoxifen and frozen donor sperm.

ghern001

Yes we do regular monitoring usually weekly for progress and baselines before each cycle. Our first was clomid then tamoxifen and now letrozole so we are hoping it does the trick. PCOS is not something I imagined getting thrown in our baby making plan but what can we do!
Thanks for the support and I hope you all get your BfP soon!
My friend actually did all natural IUI and got pregnant with her baby on try 6 so I am trying to channel her bravery and stamina

Neuron79

Unfortunately, third time was not a charm for me. Did 3 IUI's, 2 with clomid. Taking a bit of a break. My wife got lucky on her first try! Think we will move to a fertility clinic next since it's getting rather expensive and our donor is retiring.

GoldenKeys

@Neuron79 I'm sorry about your BFN... I really hope that you get better success with your clinic. 

ghern001

Two week waits are the worst I hate seeing that little empty spot where the line should be but I have faith our time will come and I won't even believe my eyes lol I am beginning to wonder what a positive even looks like

olivep42

Not a lesbian but Just wanted to give you some hope. I am currently 15 weeks pregnant from my 7th IUI. PCOS. Seriously thought it would never happen and wanted to let you know that it can! Good luck to you.

KLake42

Hi, I'm a lesbian, and just starting out.  I had my first IUI one week ago, so I have one more week to wait (and of course, wondering if any little belly twinge is maybe an implantation cramp-- but I'm taking progesterone, so there are a lot of random twinges).

I just turned 38 and my blood work indicated low reserve, so this IUI was medicated (femara, trigger shot, progesterone).  I'm hopeful, but also working on settling in to the idea that this could take several tries before I know if this path will be open to me.  If you're on your third try, then it still may be too soon to know if this will work.  I mean, I respect all your choices, your feelings, and how you approach this, but I will encourage you to be patient.

My therapist helped me a lot with this-- once you are a parent, there is so much out of your control, you are really just along for the ride.  A baby can really turn into any kind of person, you know?  Maybe a thrill-seeking mountain-biker, maybe a hippie musician, maybe Alex P. Keaton, there are just so many places this path could take you.  When it comes to TTC, there are some things you can do, but you're also kind of along for the ride, since there are so many things your body can and can't do, and the only way to find out is to take a deep breath and jump.

Those are the things I'm trying to focus on, as I work on patience for myself.  I hope you find the best ways to breathe through this process, find patience when you need it, and find the right path for you. 

ghern001

Thanks for your encouragement everyone. We had an US yesterday and no action at all from the letrozole so we are now on follitism injections which are super expensive so I really hope they work. With PCOS I guess you never know you could have ten follicles and only 1 good egg so we will see what happens next week fingers crossed everyone and I hope you get your positive @KLake42

blsav23

Pregnancy warning ****
I'm not a lesbian either but also want to provide hope. I am currently 15 weeks pregnant from my 5th IUI. I tried clomid, letrozole alone (x3) & finally, letrozole plus gonal f. Boom--5th time, pregnant with twins. It can & will happen. Best wishes to you, friend.

ghern001

We have four follicles ! I couldn't believe my eyes now we just wait to see if they all get big enough

blsav23

ghern001 said:

We have four follicles ! I couldn't believe my eyes now we just wait to see if they all get big enough

That's fantastic!!! Hopefully you'll get at least a couple mature ones!!! Keep us posted

ghern001

Feel deflated we had a trigger 27 hours before Insem today and I was hoping it would all be perfect since we had four good follicles this time, BUT now I am worried because I don't think I have ovulated at all yet. I know with two follicles it felt horrible so I am expecting worse for four and still no pain never thought I would be so sad to not be in pain. Anyone have iui less than 36 hours after trigger ? Any success ?

blsav23

I think you're ok. I had a couple IUIs less than 36 hours after trigger & I think ovulation timing was ok. You have to remember that you ovulate, on average, at 36 hrs past trigger so if you triggered 27 hours before IUI, you would ovulate about 9 hours later. Sperm (even washed!) can live for a long time. I've always been told/read that it is best to have IUI before ovulation so the sperm is waiting for the egg.
Don't count yourself out yet!! Are you temping, by chance?

KLake42

My doctor is planning to schedule my next IUI about 24 hours after the trigger (since I ovulated too fast last time, based on my temps and when I felt my ovary cramping).  It's better to do the IUI ahead of the ovulation itself, since the sperm take some time to swim up the tubes.  Best timing would be for the sperm to make it up the tube just when the egg pops out.

Just breathe, and do some self care.  You've done your best for this cycle, and maybe it will work, maybe it won't, but you've already done everything you can do.  Take care of yourself.  If the timing was good, then managing stress is very important right now.  If it didn't work this time, then managing stress is the thing that will help you out for wherever you go next.  

I got my first BFN last week, and I'm getting geared up for my next IUI next week.  My feelings are all over the place-- disappointed, but hopeful, but... I think I went way too deep into my head last month, focusing ultra hard on every little clue as to whether or not things worked.  This month, I think I've got to step back, emotionally, and just take care of myself.  So maybe I'm giving you the advice that I need, but I think all of us here deserve some self-care and stress management.  This $#!7 is hard!!!

If you've been charting your temps, you may have a clue about when/whether you ovulated (though if you're like me, that's all a maybe, since I can't always remember to take my temperature before I've started my 6am tossing and turning, ignoring my barking dog).  And not everyone feels ovulation cramps every time-- some months I do, and some I don't.  I'm afraid you'll have to wait it out to know for sure.  

ghern001

So being the paranoid person I am I called our REs office and talked to our coordinator who reassured me there is no way I did not ovulate given my CM and the trigger and the size of our follicles! I feel better hearing it from her for some reason so now just THE WAIT ! Feeling so excited and hopeful

GoldenKeys

ghern001 said:

So being the paranoid person I am I called our REs office and talked to our coordinator who reassured me there is no way I did not ovulate given my CM and the trigger and the size of our follicles! I feel better hearing it from her for some reason so now just THE WAIT ! Feeling so excited and hopeful

So glad that you're feeling better about this!  FX for you...

ghern001

So I officially tested out the trigger this am now to cross all our fingers and toes for a BfP in the next week and a half !

KLake42

Fingers are crossed for you!

Now, go see a movie, pick up a book, start a home improvement project, or go shopping for shoes or craft supplies-- do stuff!  Maybe make a date night to see Pitch Perfect 2 or Mad Max.  Just find ways to occupy your brain!

hopes4baby

Hi. I am a lesbian and I am on my first cycle of ivf. I did 7 IUI cycles with Femara with no luck. I am 41 and a little padded. I don't have any other diagnosis.
I am hopeful but worried. I agree that it starts to feel like failure if one doesn't get pregnant even when it isn't. Hang in there. You are not alone.

1DAD

Hi My name is Taye I'm new to the bump , me & my girlfriend are trying to get pregnant & she just had her period after our first try & I guess i was looking for some good feed back on positive things that keep stuff healthy ,Fun None stressful it was kinda hurtful to get our first BFN

GoldenKeys

@iDad Hi there!  I'm so sorry that you got a BFN.   If you haven't already, please the "Welcome" post on top of the board... .   BTW there are two other boards that might interest you as well, there is a LGBT board for TTC and also a Third Party Reproduction that can also lend support.  GL!

1DAD

Thanks alot

KLake42

@1DAD, I just got my second BFN after my second IUI. 

We're trying to look at this as a process, that we can expect this to take several tries before we succeed, so a BFN is a disappointment, but we haven't lost the whole game.  Heck, we're still learning the rules about how this game even works!

But we are trying to do a lot of self care.  Indulge in things that aren't unhealthy (I'm not going to gorge on sugar and get shitty drunk, though I'd really really like to, but we are going to go see the Avengers at the theater with the really plush seats).  Find stress relief-- go for a hike, or do something active and fun.  Find a pool to relax in.  

Or, you know, poke around the TTC boards and cry all day.  That's what I'm kinda doing at the moment, to be honest.

smcivit

I completed my 3rd round of Femara in April and am now almost 7 weeks pregnant! So I would say the 3rd time was the charm for us! 

ghern001

Third time was our charm as well I am 6 weeks pregnant today and we are hoping all goes well at our first ultrasound June 12th

blsav23

ghern001 said:

Third time was our charm as well I am 6 weeks pregnant today and we are hoping all goes well at our first ultrasound June 12th

Yay!!! Congrats!! I have been checking this board for an update but didn't want to be pushy. Here's to a happy & healthy nine months!!