November IUIs

jilligan14

Hey all,

I'm getting ready to start my first medicated cycle (5mg letrozole CD 3-7, Ovidrel trigger shot and TI) and was hoping it's okay that I join this thread. I've been reading these threads for awhile and I love all the support but not sure about the rules since I'm not technically doing IUI just yet (but open to it if TI doesn't work out).

I just turned 36 and have been TTC #1 for a couple years now. I've done everything all natural so far - tons of supplements, herbs, acupuncture, diet changes, etc. I have PCOS and H has excellent SA. I'm really hoping that my body responds to the meds!

I go in tomorrow for CD3 baseline ultrasound. Can't wait to get this party started!

Good luck to everyone! Fingers crossed for you all!!!!

Caroline351

Joining!

Tomorrow is our first IUI. I have 2 mature follicles so I'm optimistic. DH gave me my injection last night (thank God he can handle it!) so we are ready!

Good vibes for everyone!

roxgibbons

@Caroline351 Good luck on your first IUI.

Have any of you ladies tried acupuncture in conjunction with infertility treatments? It's something I wanted to look into but wanted to see if anyone has tried it. I finally started spotting today and hoping that I will have a full flow later (i never thought I would ever say that) so I can get Cycle 2 going.

GeauxTigers77

@Caroline351 Good Luck and Fx on your IUI!

@roxgibbons I've never tried acupuncture but I've heard some of the other ladies talk about it on other boards.  I'd be interested to know too from those that have tried it how they feel about it.

BrightenMySky

@roxgibbons I'm doing acupuncture this cycle.  IUI on 10/31, just had my progesterone draw this morning (looks good).  I see an acupuncturist who specializes in fertility.  For my IUI cycle w/Clomid, the treatments were once while on Clomid (around day 2 of the pills), the day in between the trigger shot and the IUI, and then once in the 3-5 days post IUI.  Please let me know if you have questions.  I find it relaxing, at least, and hoping it helps.  

GL to everyone!

jilligan14

I also see an acupuncturist who specializes in fertility issues. She's helped me change my diet to combat my PCOS and also has me on some strong herbs. I find it very relaxing and think it's helped regulate my cycles a bit. I'm still going forward with this medicated cycle but will keep seeing the acupuncturist as well.

roxgibbons

Thank you all for the info. I looked up three acupuncturists in my area who specialize in fertility issues and will start calling around. If I decide to do it, I will definitely use it in conjunction with my meds. If anything the relaxation factor sounds very appealing- since all I hear from family and friends is to just "relax"- Any of you sick of hearing that too?

My full flow started so I am starting my Letrozale/Femara on CD 3 for 5 days. Ultrasound and HSG all scheduled. I didn't do a trigger last time but am planning to ask for it this round if everything works out.

BrightenMySky

Oh yes, @jilligan14, my acupuncturist also recommended general diet changes to promote fertility.  She is not judgmental or prescriptive, which I like--just giving me tools that could help.  

@roxgibbons  I am definitely sick of "relax," especially when it's coming from family that is a significant source of stress  Just so you know on acupuncture, my provider would only do treatments if I came in for the full cycle--I first met her when I was post-IUI, and she said she wouldn't touch me until either AF or BFP (and the former happened, so that's how I ended up in an IUI-acupunture cycle).

Anyway, hope this cycle is it for you! 

ZoeFer

@roxgibbons GL with your new cycle. I saw that you are going to have HSG test scheduled in this cycle. I have never had that test and i was supposed to have it at the begining of this cycle but I couldnot schedule anytime earlier than CD9 and dr thought that it might be too close to ovulation. We decided to go ahead with my first IUI. He suggests that if this iui cycle doesnot work, i could give a break to medication (letrozole) and do the HSG test. But if it is possible to do HSG and medicated IUI in the same cycle , i do not want to waste a month for only to have this test. I was wondering if you could comment on this.

PCOSat25

@purplepeony31 I am doing well! Currently 6dpiui. Using estridiol and progesterone suppositories...yuck! DH is away for three days so I am just trying to keep myself busy but still relax. LOL. My RE said no exercise

BETA is on 11/16 and I am going to really try to hold off on testing before then. We will see how I do with that...

How are you doing? What CD are you on? Hopefully not still waiting on CD1. I swear the waiting is the hardest part of this process. It is like wait on CD1, run around frantically for a few days for MEDS/US/IUI, and then wait again for the TWW.

cmm012

I'm scheduled for my first IUI this month.  Waiting for cd 1.  I have irregular cycles.

shanparadise

Hi ladies! I'm going to jump in on this as well. I had previously been on one Clomid cycle in August with my OB/GYN and my body hated it. Trigger was cancelled due to a giant cyst that formed on my left ovary. My AF after that cycle was horrible, TMI but it was straight black for a week.

Finally was able to see an RE last month and had our first month of real treatment. I have a tendency to ovulate too early, so we did Femara days 2-6, Gonal-F days 3-8, and Cetrotide days 6-8. We had our IUI this morning (day 10) with DH's count at 99+ million and with three mature follicles for me. Our only known issues are high prolactin that is controlled with Dostinex and a low AMH for me (I'm only 27 and it's between 0.7 and 1.2, I've had it checked twice). Crossing our fingers that this works for us!

shanparadise

@jilligan14 Acupuncture has been a life saver for me. My RE and my acupuncturist are actually friends and both believe in what the other does. It's so nice to have both eastern and western medicine working together.

rainbowmandala

Hi there, I'll join this discussion too. I just started injectibles. Menopur. I'm pcos and after 3 cycles of letrozole.... The letrozole just stopped working for me. My RE said menopur should work well and this is my first attempt at injectibles. Been ttc 2 yrs so I hope this is a good fit too. Good luck to everyone!

tbyars07

Joining in on the Novemeber board. I go for CD3 workup Monday morning. On to our 4th IUI...

ZoeFer

had my first IUI yesterday, beta scheduled for 11/21. For those of you who will have the first IUI, it was even less painful than my papsmears. I was way too nervous, that was my only problem.
GL and FX for everyone here !

PCOSat25

I totally agree with @ZoeFer the IUI is not painful! I would say the only thing that is even remotely uncomfortable is placing the speculum and locating the cervix. BUT I have a retroverted uterus and my cervix hides sooo I am always a difficult patient. Baby dust to everyone going in for their IUIs this month! I am officially half way through my two week wait sooooo hopefully it is about implantation time

junicek

I am feeling bummed. I went for day 8 US and bw and since day 3 my estrogen hasn't gone up at all and my LH is elevated. My largest follicle is 11...they aren't sure where this cycle will go. I'm going back Tuesday to see, but I'm not feeling too hopeful.

PCOSat25

I'm sorry to hear that @junicek. FX the cycle turns around for you and you have progress by Tuesday!

cmm012

Sending you hugs.

vnegron87

FX @ZoeFer i had two back to back Saturday and Sunday, HPT on 11/22. Wishing you and all the other ladies going into their TWW sticky beans!

PCOSat25

Hey ladies, I have a question for you all. How many of you do two IUI procedures a cycle (2 days back to back) vs just one IUI?

ZoeFer

@PCOSat25 thanks for bringing this up. They did only one for me, when I asked the nurse they said that I should have discussed it with my doctor at the beginning of my cycle . I was also wondering if I should ask for two for the next cycle.

shanparadise

Ladies, any insight on when I'm going to stop feeling like garbage from all the drugs? I felt fine on my first few days of Femara and Gonal-F and then it got progressively worse. By the time Cetrotide was added in I was super nauseous most of the day and dog tired, but unable to sleep. I triggered Friday with an IUI Saturday and I'm still feeling gross. Any help is much appreciated.

rachlee2010

@PCOSat25 my dr only does one iui (at least for me) And I've never asked but I've heard I think on here that two back to back iuis are more common if there is a male infertility problem

vnegron87

@PCOSat25 i do IUIs back to back because we are using donor sperm (I'm in a same sex relationship) so I'd assume that @rachlee2010 has a point...big male infertility problem here lol. I think though that if you are able to BD with DH around IUI time that one IUI would be just fine.

BrightenMySky

@PCOSat25 for both of my IUIs I only did 1 (36 hrs after trigger shot--so I do the trigger one evening, and then the IUI 2 mornings later).  Then they recommended that we BD at least the night of the IUI and the next day.  

vssbrm

1 week of the TWW down and still going strong!! Im trying not to think about it too much, so I have not been on here too much lately. I hope everyone is doing well - FX for all and good thoughts to those starting their next cycle!

vnegron87

GL @vssbrm hope this next week goes by quickly for you!

lh060

11dpiui and decided I just had to test ...well wish I hadn't...it was a bfn ...go on Thursday for my 14dpiui beta test...should I still have some hope I could still be pregnant??

roxgibbons

@ZoeFer - glad to hear you had your IUI! Hope this is your month Sorry for the delay of getting back to you about HSG, we had house guests this weekend so finally got a chance to get online. My dr didn't say anything about doing the HSG un-medicated. The only thing the clinic said was to make sure its not too close to ovulation, which even on letrozole didn't happen till CD 15 last month. As it turns out I decided to cancel the HSG for this month. My husband and I are leaving for a trip for our anniversary Wednesday evening and we're not coming back till Saturday and the only time I could get in was Wednesday afternoon. The nurse who scheduled it didn't say anything about no intercourse or the potential cramping and bleeding but I exchanged some emails this morning with my dr's nurse practitioner and she mentioned no intercourse for 48 hours and there could be cramping and bleeding- she suggested I cancel and just focus on enjoying my anniversary and relaxing. As much as I want to get this test done- I think being able to relax on our trip as opposed to potentially being sidelined by bleeding and cramps is more important. She said if we don't conceive this cycle we'll just reschedule for the next. In the mean time I'll call up the acupuncturists, and I started my letrazole yesterday and hopefully will get a good response when I go in for my ultrasound.

MrsKD1018

Oh! Yay! I am joining as well :-) I tried 3 rounds of Clomid (50mg) last year at this time after a year of trying with no success (had 2 follies each time). Hubby and I decided to take another year for us and see what happened. Well, looks like I have that pesky "unexplained infertility" (I am very regular and his counts were low but nothing they were worried about...) September rolled around and we decided to take the "next step" in trying, so I started on 100mg of Clomid Oct 23 (cd3-7); had the u/s showing 2 follies on Nov 2 (cd13) and got my trigger shot that day. Went in for my first IUI on Nov 3!

I'm in that annoyingly excited/anxious/nervous 2-week wait right now (cd20)...

roxgibbons

@lh060 I'm sorry for your BFN- I hope your beta shows otherwise- hang in there

 

ZoeFer

Thanks @roxgibbons for your reply. Enjoy your anniversary and have a fabulous time ! I also emailed my doctor this morning, and he said that I can do HSG in the medicated cycle. I wanted to have another IUI before the year end, due to the insurance issues. But I hope that both you and I would not need to take this test  

ZoeFer

@junicek Do not loose hope. I did not grow any follicles until CD14. Then they prescribed me with second round of Letrozole , Cd14-Cd18 with higher dose. At CD21 I had 15mm , 2 days later it was 22mm and my estradial went up . I had my IUI on Saturday. I hope you will grow follies without extra treatment though.  

wifeinraleigh28

Well I just got off the phone with one of the pharmacies that's filling my prescriptions... found out the progesterone isn't covered by my insurance but it will only be $50 something... guess I can handle that!  My progesterone is being delivered tomorrow, and Friday I'm expecting my follistim, ganirilex, and ovidrel.  Oy vey, that's a lot of things to inject into my body!!  I'm not used to this yet as this is my first round with fertility meds.  The ganirilex is just to have on hand in case I need it, still a little confused about that.  But I'm expecting to start the follistim on Monday or Tuesday next week after my baseline ultrasound on either Friday or Monday depending on when AF decides to show up!  Ahhhhh I'm super nervous but also very ready to get the process started.  I'm expecting to be incredibly moody and hormonal on all these injections, and I'm just hoping it doesn't affect my job too much (I'm a therapist...uh oh).

jilligan14

@wifeinraleigh28 - I'm on my first medicated cycle too but just doing Letrozole (a pill) and the Ovidrel trigger shot. I'm on my last day of the Letrozole and so far I've just experienced headaches, a bit of cramping and some nausea. Good luck with all those injections! P.S. I was wondering if your username means you live in Raleigh?

wifeinraleigh28

@jilligan14 - I've heard that many people experience similar symptoms as you... I am very headache prone so I feel guaranteed to be suffering from headaches throughout all this (including pregnancy).  But I know it will all be worth it in the end.  And yes, I live in Raleigh!

Edited because I did the @ thing wrong

jilligan14

@wifeinraleigh28 - OMG! I live in Carrboro!! If you don't mind me asking, which clinic do you go to? Wouldn't that be crazy if we had the same RE???

wifeinraleigh28

@jilligan14 - How funny!!  I'm going to Carolina Conceptions!  My doctor is Dr. Meyer and while he doesn't have the BEST personality, he seems to know what he's doing.  He has some amazing reviews... Which RE are you using??