Weekly check-in - Dec 23

dolphin012

This check in is for anyone on this board to participate in and will occur every Wednesday. If you are new here and haven't made a separate intro on the main board please do so before checking in so we can "meet" you! It's easy to do just click the new discussion button in the top right and post away. 

 1. Your Name or Screen Name (not full names) and State you are from. 

 2. How long have you been TTC? Are you TTC #1,#2,#3, etc.? 

 3. What are you doing this cycle? Are you seeking help with a fertility specialist (RE)? If so, what stage are you in? Charting/temping? Testing? Medicated cycles? IUI? IVF? DE? 

 4. Where are you in your cycle? (Waiting to O, 2WW etc) If in the 2ww when will you test? 

5. How do you feel about this cycle? (Are you hopeful, anxious... etc) 

QOTW: Fun Christmas plans or traditions to share?

dolphin012

dolphin012 from CA

ttc #1 for a while

We are back to temping and trying naturally this cycle. Also, looking in to alternative approaches for a building a family. We met this week with a foster-to-adopt social worker. In early january we have our follow-up meeting with our RE and meeting with a psychologist at the clinic. She is suppose to help you moving on to the next step and also works with the egg donor program. 

CD20 and still waiting to O. I normally have a pretty predictable cycle, but after about 1/2 a year of hormones, including months of ovary suppression, its expected to be a bit wonky this month. My body is starting to show estrogen like signs though, so hoping not too much longer. 

Sorry i have not posted for a while - it has just been super busy and no time for evening or early morning computer time.
We are still bummed about our ivf results, but getting better and moving forward. We are trying naturally right now, but don't have high expectations. Kind of nice to have a break from the pressure actually. A little overwhelmed with all the other options. I think its the process with all of them that is most daunting as opposed to the idea/concept. So we will see. All still tbd!

Merry Christmas everyone!! Shout out to all our recent grads. Wishing you all multiplying betas and a happy and healthy 9 months!!!

chloe97

Chloe97 from Chicago

We started TTC #1 in October, I started charting and got pregnant the first cycle. MMC  at 10, weeks on 11/30. D&C 12/4. 

We are meeting with a genetic counselor next Wednesday and I am getting my hormone levels tested to see if I have a thyroid problem. 

We were benched this month and I'm awaiting AF, but this cycle has been messed up.  It started with severe ovulation pain on Friday (which I guess is normal post- D&C) which has lessened a bit, but I still feel a fullness in my belly. I am starting to wonder if I had a cyst develop. I'm thinking about calling the doctor if this doesn't get better. I am kind of annoyed because I had not one but 2 different doctor appts this week and neither gave me a pelvic exam, I should have asked for an exam. 

Though I still have my moments of depression, I am feeling pretty excited about starting to try again. I expected my cycle to be longer after the D &C. but if my calculations are correct, we will start BD-ing in a little over 2 weeks which is crazy to me. I'm pretty hopeful about our chances of conceiving next time because I hear the first 3 months after MC are very fertile and we had no problems the first time. I am freaking out about another MC, though. I started therapy and am thinking about trying acupuncture to see if that helps with my anxiety.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! 

agriffin92013

 1. Amanda from South Carolina

 2. TTC #1 for 3 years

 3. This month we included Gonal F on days 7 and 9 to the Femara, trigger shot and acupuncture this cycle.

 4. 8dpo  going by trigger shot or 6dpo if go by temps from FF

5. Hope to have my Christmas miracle

Tomerine

Katherine from MA

TTC #2 for a year

I'm currently waiting for my period (due next week) and holding out some hope (a little) that it won't come.  We met with the RE today, and we reviewed options.  If I'm not pregnant, we'll move forward with IUI.  However, as I have never had chicken pox and the vaccine that I had didn't seem to take (I had it when it first came out and they only did one dose), she suggested that I have the set of vaccinations because she explained that chicken pox in pregnancy can be life threatening.  I'm pretty surprised and sort of irritated that no one has talked with me about that before.  I work with kids, so I'd be at greater risk.  And since you can't be/try to get pregnant during the course of the vaccinations, we're on hold.  At first I was really resistant, but DH's next round of testing is in February anyway (we're waiting to see if his boys rebound after a few fevers seem to have wreaked havoc with numbers, motility, etc), so it seems to make sense.  I'm starting to look forward to a bit of a break, to be honest.  It means that I will certainly be 40 by the time I have another one, if it happens.  But I need to let go of that deadline- it's coming and it makes me more anxious to hold on to it.  So... we're on hold for now.  (I think that covered 2-4).

Holding out hope for a miracle, but not counting any babies before they hatch.

@chloe97 I had a similar experience a few years ago.  Acupuncture really helps with the anxiety of trying again.  Also, my GYN at the time gave me a very promising statistic that I held onto about the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy after a miscarriage. It obviously doesn't always happen, but it helped me manage my own fears  Good luck!

lickastick

@dolphin012 I was just thinking about how you are doing, I am still so sad for you that the last round of IVF didn't work. Internet hugs just because. It sounds like you will find your way along this path, although it must not have been an easy journey so far. I totally get that it must be nice to have a break, so I hope the holidays treat you well! 

lickastick

 1. Createillumination from Cali

 2. TTC #1 6 cycles

 3. So many things....will they ever work?
**question**
 For the ladies who have taken vitex or progesterone supplementation...(grads or otherwise) I started vitex last cycle during the 2WW per my naturopaths instruction to increase progesterone and decrease prolactin. This is my 2nd cycle and I am finding that I am serious hot all the time. I am such a cold type person always bundled up, but man I am having a temperature crisis this 2WW. Have any of you experienced this with vitex or progesterone?

 4. 6DPO and starting in on the crazy. I swore to myself, swore... that I will not test until after dec 31st (I'll most likely get AF by the 30th) "The powers that be" please help me stick to this! Can anyone come and pry the crazy from my head and the pee stick from my hand??

5. Feeling not great about my chances simply because I have had 5 cycles of BFN so why would this be any different. Our timing was good -2,-1,0 and with the mucinex and herbs I had great EWCM this cycle but will that ever be enough? I had a dream last night that my DH was bringing my child to breast feed, it felt so real. 

QOTW: Usually DH and I go to the Caribbean or mexico right around xmas time because we don't celebrate (we do hanukkah) but this year we are going in january instead. For some reason xmas time creates a lot of internal stress for me, so I hide out from the world until it is over. DH will go be with his family, they do a little xmas celebration, and kitten and I will be lounging at home!

PoeMasque

Jen from Oregon

TTC #1 for 2 mos.

Tracking my cycle as usual and this month monitoring cervical mucous (is 3 days of EWCM normal?!)

CD 15 and not sure when I O'd or if I'm still waiting to O. Ive had EWCM since the 21st and watery for the 3 days before that. Really bad O pain on the 20th and 21st.

Feeling a little bummed this cycle. My SO doesn't want to "schedule sex" or force it. If I didn't work out of town 2-3 nights a week it would be easier, but with my schedule we have to take advantage of the days I am home. I thought we'd have great timing this month, but with the last three days of EWCM I'm not sure (wasn't expecting fertile signs so late!)

Looking forward to the next two days off (which a lot of nurses do not get!) to spend time with family. Hope everyone who will be testing this week gets their Christmas BFP!

lickastick

@PoeMasque on a good month i get 3-5 days of ewcm or watery cm. Mine lines up with opk's for me to predict O and i get O pain and a heavy feeling on right or left side or both. After +opk's my cm changes very rapidly to non-fertile. I'm not temping but considering it for next cycle, i feel like my signs are pretty clear, but i am wondering if I am having anovulatory cycles even though i have consistent length cycles.

rspalding001

1. Rita from Santa Cruz CA

 2. TTC #2 for over a year, 2 MC's 1 CP

 3. Doing progesterone and baby aspirin for teh second month in a row

 4. Waiting for AF to show up... 13DPO, negative pregnancy test

5. This cycle is over for me, moving on to the next cycle already, thinking about talking to an RE. I emailed my OB for her thoughts this morning.

QOTW: We switch between visiting my family and my husbands family every year. This year is my family so Yay!

lickastick

@rspalding001 so sorry about BFN. internet hugs

BernieRae

1. BernieRae from Oregon

2. TTC #1 for 2+ years. Working with RE for 6 mos.

3.  OPKs, prenatals, preseed, softcup, no coffee 2nd half of cycle.

4. CD 28

5.  expecting CD 1 to start tomorrow. Had some spotting over the weekend and a little bit this morning so feeling it's imminent. Feeling good that at least we have a plan to do IUI next cycle and I feel more informed and have tons of questions for the RE this time.

I have my mom visiting this week for Christmas which is really nice. My sister and her family were also here since the weekend and flew back home today.

Hope everyone has a good week!

KLake42

Kathleen in GA

TTC #1 since early 2015

IVF (first try), with acupuncture and TCM herbs

Baseline ultrasound today. If everything looks good, I start stimming tomorrow.

My emotions are all over the place. I've grown used to disappointment, but we're bringing out the big guns, right? Nervous about the drugs, though.

It was a nice quiet Christmas with my wife and my parents. A little hard for her since her parents have both passed. She really has a lot of hope around growing our family, since hers is so small (just her and a couple brothers).