July IUI

Isthisthereallife

Thank you, @kaityh1! Good luck to you also!! 

BecauseLove

Toby102008 I hope the fermera works for you. The femera/letrozole works (some of the time) to mature my follies...but doesn't seem to cause ovulation for me or at least not good enough. So I do a trigger...most of the times it has been Pregnyl which I had less symptoms with than the ovideral. But really it seems like unless I do the trigger there isn't really anything happening. And I don't get the trigger if my follies don't mature. So its a fun cycle. Hopefully things will go well for you on fermera!  

Best of luck Monica54321

Thanks for the heads up about the brains behind the spread sheet meli123k

BecauseLove

Toby102008 I was going to mention that this last 2 months have been extra long (though before TTC I use to have cycles that were 9 months or more) because I did Fermera in April and didn't have enough time before my travels to get trigged, so then when I came back from the trip I didn't start spoting until the end of May..and I spotted for a few days but no true red blood. So when I called my dr...I got a new nurse (that is now not my favorite person) to ask if she thought this should count or not. And of course she said no...and that I had to wait at least a few more days and call back. That was fine (annoying but fine) then when I called back again she said I needed to wait again to confirm that AF wasn't coming... she wouldn't prescribe me progesterone to get a real AF started until I waited 2 weeks beyond when I was spotting...and she kept asking me if I was sure I wasn't prego...yeah...more than slightly not fond of her (let me tell you if I thought there was any way I was prego I would be ecstatic...not asking for meds to bring on an AF).

Anyways they finally put me on estrodial (for 21 days) and then progesterone (for 5 days) to cause a real AF. My cycle ended up being 80 plus days. Uffda!

LOL pardon the rant! 

Toby102008

@jkd2388 I just started my Femara a couple hours ago. I didn't want to wait until tonight. I hope I don't have the side effects like I did on Clomid. They were terrible! 

@isthisthereallife The link works now but it is view only still meaning you're the only one who can edit it. @monica54321 put in her post how you could change that. But anyways, I know exactly how you feel too. We are so anxious to do our first IUI, but know how slim the chances are of the first one working. My DH is way more realistic about it than me, which has actually caused some fights. I keep telling him if he doesn't have hope and a little faith it's never going to work. A lot of if with him is the money because everything is OOF. It's hard to put aside other things we need to pay for something that isn't guaranteed. I just keep reminding him it'll all be worth it in the end. 

@becauselove My RE also wants to do the trigger, but I know that can't happen if the follies aren't mature. And of course she told me that our biggest issue is going to be getting me to ovulate. Awesome. So that's why she started my on 5mg of the Femara instead of 2.5. But she also said we won't go through with it if I have more than 3 mature follies. I hear a lot of women on here have way more than that. I get they don't want multiples, but how many times do you end up with more than 2 with these drugs I wonder. I'm just now scared to overstimulate. But wow, 9 months is a long time without AF. I've only ever gone 3. That nurse sounds terrible. Lol. I hate when they ask me to take a hpt before starting something. Like we know we're not pregnant, we wouldn't be talking to you if we were! I know some women are obsessed with the poas thing but not me. I put if off at all costs. I'm over seeing BFNs. I usually make DH read them now. I think I'm ranting too. Lol. Here's to Femara maturing our follies!!! Good luck! 

Toby102008

@isthisthereallife I just went back into the link and I can edit it now. Thank you! 

Isthisthereallife

@Toby102008 Glad it's working! And I agree, my DH is the more realistic of us. He has the patience of a saint and is willing to wait if thats what needs to be done. I, however, cant stop thinking about it all day/everyday.

@BecauseLove That nurse sounds like a peach!! It also sounds like she wasn't being to sensitive to the situation. I know these doctors and nurses deal with this all day, everyday. But it's different for us. This is EVERYTHING to us and every conversation affects the course of our lives. At least that's how I feel.

meli123k

@Starlight811 So sorry this cycle didn't work out, but best of luck with your upcoming IVF!

Unfortunately I'm out this cycle too. My worries came true, and my TSH is off again...not by much, but enough that the RE wants to cancel the cycle again Feeling so discouraged and just worn out by this whole awful process. I probably won't be on the boards much this month to try my best to keep my mind off ttc, but I really hope the rest of you get good news this month!!!

Isthisthereallife

@meli123k I'm sorry!! Keep you're head up. We're here if you need to talk. Take the time you need and be gentle with yourself. Thoughts!!

BecauseLove

Isthisthereallife Don't worry you have suffered enough Everyone on here deserves a kiddo (or at least I think so). We have been trying for what seems like forever but it really is just life. Nothings fair. If I get really deep I start to think about fate...and maybe its all about timing and that maybe there is something I just didn't know about it all and whatever is meant to be will happen...thats if I am trying to just let it go. When I am more of a control freak (which is most of the time) I am like dude...maybe I just need a different combo of drugs or whatever. 

I am sorry hear your heart is hurting and hope that luck comes your way soon! And at least in the meantime you have the rest of us that get it it. 

I think it is harder for those of us having to take the meds and deal with it every day to just let it go and not think about it rather than husbands or wives that may not physically be going through it. 

Ps. Yeah the new nurse is my least favorite...which is sad because I really really like the other people that have carried for me and the other nurse (dr) whom I work with....mostly cause they know I have been trying for 2 years and are totally supportive and sad for me too when things don't click. My last IUI was kinda perfect...good follies, good injection, good timing, good insert, good sperm numbers and still nothing. I appreciated that the staff were super kind about it...and the ultrasound techs who I see the most are great too! 

Toby102008 Your right...the money for this TTC stuff is hard! Just thinking about having to go to IVF and the money (slash likely hood that I would need to drop like 30 pounds) is so stressful! 

I don't really think I have had any side effects from fermera...my side effects are almost all from Met or the trigger (not much from the Pregnyl but a TON from Ovideral). 

Toby102008

@isthisthereallife I too think about this all day everyday. Plus I am the emotional one while my DH keeps it all bottled up. I think he thinks he has to be the strong one. And although I love how he holds me together, sometimes I wish he would talk more about his feelings too. Because I know this kills him just as much as it kills me. 

@meli123k I'm so sorry. Hang in there and we are all here for you if you need us. *hugs* ❤️

@becauselove The cost of IVF scares the heck out of me too. It would take us forever to save and the last thing I want to do is wait around doing nothing while saving money. They give us the option to finance it too, which is probably what we'd have to do, but then there's just more debt to our lives. Ugh...ill try not to think about it. RE said we could do 4 IUIs. So we will take it one step at a time. I think my RE said they use ovidril for the trigger. Do you know what the difference is?  

Isthisthereallife

@BecauseLove Thank you. Silly as it is, that validation helps. But it's all going to work out as it should. I have to believe that!!

@Toby102008  Sounds like our DH's are cut from the same cloth. I'll be so interested to see what he is like once we actually start the process.

Ejmacias

@Starlight811 sorry about the cyst. Best wishes with ivf. 

@Isthisthereallife great idea for the cart!  And never feel like you haven't been through enough. The fact you are on this board proved you have.   This process is tough and even though I'm new to it.  I can say any women who has to go through this process is a saint. 

wish all you girls tons of luck this month.

@meli123k I'm so sorry about this month.  Please stay positive and sending happy thoughts your way. 

Unfortunately I'm out this month too . Went in to my RE today and he tells me my hsg came back not so good. They are going To remove one of my Fallopian tubes because of hydrosalpinx and hopefully repair the other from scar tissue. I have surgery aug 3.  I'm feeling a little defeated but hopefully tomorrow I will see the hope.   I went into the RE today so hopeful for my cd3 ultrasound, left with a prescription for birth control.  Aughhhh!!!!

good luck girls.  I hope y'all all have better news. 

jkd2388

Sorry to hear about all of you who can't have the iui this month. Hugs to you all, and if you guys need to talk we are here! Hoping for the rest of us this is the month. 
@Toby102008 I had side effects last month on femara like clomid but just different ones. Hoping it won't be too many side effects for you!

jkd2388

And I agree, I feel like it's worse for me vs my husband. I'm the one taking meds and having the side effects and getting things done to them. My husband is far more calm about it all than I am, I'm turning into such an emotional person and I wasn't before! We have unexplained infertility and for someone who is a control freak that's a hard pill to swallow, that I can't do anything about it to fix it. It's nice to know you aren't the only one who is going through it and feeling these things. 

meli123k

Thanks everyone for the kind thoughts! I am feeling a bit better now than I did earlier today...I'm trying to tell myself waiting another cycle isn't too bad, I did it before so I can do it again! I know you all understand the frustrations of waiting too, even when we are moving forward with treatment it still feels like there's so much time spent waiting...

Ejmacias So sorry to hear about the HSG results, that is really frustrating I hope the surgery goes well and that they are able to repair the other tube. Sending happy thoughts your way too!

Toby102008

@ejmacias So sorry to here you are out and the hsg results. Good luck with your surgery hun. 

@jkd2388 The only thing I noticed today was a headache. I read that is a common side effect, but could have just been a coincidence. We will see. I was an emotional wreck on Clomid. And had terrible hot flashes. Anything has to be better than that! And I completely agree that this is all so hard when I too am a control freak. When things don't go as planned my anxiety is out of control. I just remind myself there is nothing I can do no matter what, and there is no use stressing about it. Much easier said than done. 

jkd2388

I hear you! I try not to stress about it but it's hard. And when everyone around you tells you not to stress I feel like it makes it worse. 
My worst side effects from the femara are insomnia and just feeling tired. But I felt not as emotional last month after switching from clomid to femara. So I hope the side effects aren't as bad as with clomid for you! 

Isthisthereallife

@Ejmacias Thank you! I'm sorry about your HSG! Hopefully surgery is quick and painless and you'll be back in in soon! Thinking of you!!!

Isthisthereallife

Reposting the link to our chart to make it easier to find:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1d2mzlc1XD7WE1zTxHuTUGIbC3zOrWCUc1ciWahfvhyA/edit?usp=sharing

@elisam511 & @daboz, how are you ladies doing on your TWW? 

Toby102008

@jkd2388 I know! The worst thing that someone can tell me is to "just relax" My "best" friend does it all the time and I want to punch her! I quit talking to her about it all because her advice sucks and she just makes me feel worse.

 I have a whole story about her and it just drives me insane! She tried getting pregnant 7 years ago. Well it wasn't happening and her and her boyfriend kind of gave up. He was in and out of jail, they were on and off, and finally she ended up pregnant a year and 10 months ago. Let me tell you, her getting pregnant was hard. Her one year olds birthday last weekend sucked. And she'll post all this stuff on Facebook about how she struggled for 7 years with infertility and it just infuriates me. She never saw a doctor, she never took a opk. She just didn't get pregnant and gave up. Her boyfriend rarely worked so they would have never had the option for treatment so I don't know if that's why she's so cold to me or what. Because we didn't have to wait 7 years. Because we're going ahead with treatment after 2. I don't know, but she's made comments about how I'm crazy to pay the money were paying for IUI, and if I would just relax it'll happen when it's meant to. Ugh!!! And the other day her daughter was peeing on the floor so I told her, "hey, charlottes peeing" and she goes to me "if you ever want to be a mom you better get used to it." I had to walk away because it took everything in me not to slap her. I'm a nurses aide might I add, and deal with urine and feces on a daily basis. I was just informing her that her child was peeing. Sorry for the rant. I just can't even stand to be around her anymore and I think DH is tired of listening to me complain about her. Lol. 

sasha29-2

@Isthisthereallife  I totally, 110% hear you.  But I mean, however you got here, you're here now.  Maybe the first round works, maybe it doesn't, but you've got a supportive husband and you're doing the best you can.  I think everyone goes into this process hopeful, but the success rates are what they are, and at least here there's a community to turn to if things don't work.  

One thing I was not expecting that happened for me is that starting treatment took away a lot of question marks.  When we were just TTC with OPK's and hope, there was always a lot of worry about missing the surge (my OPK's were rarely, if ever, hard positives), timing the surge, if DH would be around during the window as he travels for work, then waiting for AF to show up or be late, an would this month be a 30 day cycle or a 50 day cycle, and when is AF "late," and how soon is too soon to POAS, etc.

Now that we're doing the Clomid/Ovidrel/IUI, all those question marks are gone.  The doctor knows exactly what's going on, and so do I, at least to the best extent that's humanly possible.  I know we'll hit the fertile window, because we're doing the IUI and we've frozen a sample from him so if he's not around we're still covered.  I know it probably seems crazy, and I don't know how I'll feel during the TWW, but for now, I'm much, much calmer than I was before we started treatments, because I know when things are coming.  Even if it doesn't work, at least I'll know, there won't be this big mystery for weeks at a time.  IDK, maybe I'm the weirdo, but it's helped me to think of it that way.

Isthisthereallife

@Sasha29 I think that makes a lot of sense! In our case, there is basically no chance that we could get pregnant without help...my hubbys swimmers goes the wrong direction. But yet every month when my period was late...I kept POAS and praying by some miracle that it would "just happen". It was always such a let down when it didn't. I'm glad to know that we at least have control over the process...even if we don't over the outcome. It totally makes sense what you're saying. 

On another note, I went ahead and added you to our tracking sheet!! Sending positive vibes, tomorrow's the big day!! 

BecauseLove

Ejmacias I am sorry about the news. 
meli123k Sorry your out this month.
 
Isthisthereallife Thanks for making the chart!  

Toby102008 not sure the difference between ovideral and pregnyl. My dr's office usually only prescribes Pregnyl but they were out the first time we triggered so they gave us Ovideral instead.

The difference to me is ovideral is already prepped and isn't a deep needle. I had a ton of side effects on it..totally thought I was prego because I had so many surreal effects. Oh I think it was more expensive too but not by a ton. 

Pregynl you have to prep yourself ..the right amount of saline into the dry meds then suck the meds up into the syringe and the needle is longer for deeper penetration. I have had very little side effects on it. 

At one point I was monitoring all my side effects of all my meds but I found that less I thought about it the better off I was..so only if it is something really bad to I note it in my charts now. 

Gosh your friend sounds like a real bummer. I am sorry to hear about having to deal with her. So many people say stupid stuff when your ttc and having fertility issues. 

 

Toby102008

@becauselove Was the ovidril at the REs office and the pregnyl at home then? They do the shot right in the office for me she said. And luckily it's included in the cost of the IUI. Along with all US, which is very nice. While I was just seeing my OBGYN and on Clomid I kept having to pay for US because my follies weren't maturing and I had to keep going back in. I'm going to try to not monitor side effects even though I'm sure I will when the time comes. Lol. 

Do you ladies test out your trigger shots or just wait the full 2 weeks before taking a hpt? 

meli123k

@Toby102008 So sorry you are having to deal with an ignorant friend I haven't had anything quite that bad happen with my friends, but I have had to stop discussing treatments with a couple of them because they just say the wrong things...I had a long talk with one of my good friends not long ago about some things she had said that were hurtful to me, of course she didn't realize they were hurtful and was apologetic, and I was glad to let go of the grudge I had been holding onto, but I wonder if our friendship has suffered from all of this...then again, we were starting to lose touch anyways since she had moved, had a kid, and is now pregnant again. I feel like we don't have a lot in common anymore, which sucks.

Isthisthereallife

@Toby102008 Wow. That sounds really, really hard. I don't see an "easy" way in which you could even approach the subject with her since she feels like she faced the same struggles you are. You have to make sure that you take care of you. Since she's not being very considerate of your feelings, maybe you need to take a bit of an emotional break from her? Obviously I don't know the right answer, but I'm so sorry that you have to deal with that!

Toby102008

Thanks ladies. It's definitely hard having friends with kids or who are pregnant when we all are struggling with infertility.  Ive definitely distanced myself and chose to not tell her what's going on anymore. It sucks not having her to talk to about this and that is why I'm so happy to have found this community. It does make things a lot easier taking with people who understand exactly what I'm going through. And you're right @meli12k It does such to lose friendships over this, but we all have to remember that this is our own journey and people with a negative attitude towards us don't need to be in our lives. 

Toby102008

@isthisthereallife Thags the hardest part for me is that she acts like she went through the same thing. I would never take away from her that yes, she tried and didn't conceive for 7 years, but her and her boyfriend weren't even together those full 7 years. They both were with other people, she never saw a doctor, she never took a opk. She never went beyond just having sex and it not happening and assuming she couldn't conceive. If she truly struggled the way I am, I think she'd be a little more understanding and sympathetic. 

Isthisthereallife

@Toby102008 I totally get it. You don't want to minimize her situation but it is not the same as what you're going through. I wish she would be more sympathetic to you.

BecauseLove

Toby102008 all of the trigger shots I have had I have done at home (or in the car in the target parking lot lol). Most of it has had to do with the timing of when we were doing the IUI (My dr does 36 hours after the trigger shot..so if my dr appointment didn't align with that then I would have to do it at the right time.). 

I tested out my shots.

Toby102008

@isthisthereallife Exactly!!!

@becauselove I'm not sure if my RE lets us do them at home or not. She said we do them the day of the ultrasound if the follies look good. But she did say something about only needing ultrasounds possibly the first time just to make sure we don't overstimulate. But I do like knowing if the follies look good and how many I have. Now the target parking lot is funny. I could just imagine if someone walked by and saw you doing that! And I'm reluctant to test out the trigger only because I don't know if I want to see a positive hpt knowing it's not real you know? 

elisam511

@Isthisthereallife Thanks for asking! I am feeling awesome! Not sure what the results will be, and don't feel any different than I usually do on this 2ww, but I can tell you that I AM definitely drinking a lot more vino these days! While taking letrozole and doing the trigger shot I wouldn't DREAM of drinking a drop, but now that I'm not taking anything, its game on! hahahah I have a nice glass of red wine waiting for me at home. How are you???

jkd2388

Ugh @Toby102008 that sounds so frustrating with your friend!! I hate when people say just relax, I want to say if you had to go through this you wouldn't be relaxed!! I have two friends who just had babies and it's hard to see everyone around you get what you want. And my dr. keeps using my age as an excuse that we don't need to worry and have time, but I'm the opposite; I feel like it should happen quickly because of my age and we are going on over 1.5 years of trying. No one gets it unless they are going through it. Glad I have people to talk about it to! Sometimes ranting just helps

Toby102008

@jkd2388 I hear the same thing about my age! "You're young, you have lots of time" Yeah well, imagine how hard it'll be once I get older if it's this hard while I'm young! I've even had a nurse at my REs office comment about my age when she asked my date of birth. I completely understand how you feel. It's best I stay about from friends with children. It's nothing against them, it's just what's best for me. 

jkd2388

Isn't that the worst?! I think the same thing, if it's this hard now won't it only get harder after 30?! Hope this iui will work for us!!

Toby102008

@jkd2388 Me too!!! I read somewhere after 25 you lose a 5% or 10% chance of conceiving every cycle. Then after 30, you lose more, and so on. So if it's this hard right now, it's only going to get worse. I'm fortunate enough that my egg supply looked great, but every year I know it's depleting.  

Hopeful_mom

Hi everyone!! Seems like I missed a bit and have wanted to comment I've just been an emotional mess all day....I hate others are suffering but it does make me feel like I'm not completely insane for being this upset!!!

i was all excited to update the board to say I got my IUI but it was not meant to be...thanks for taking the time to make the chart too!!!

having a rough time as the g-ds just weren't with me and my OH didn't make it back for our IUI and I didn't have a frozen on reserve to do it.  To go through all the drugs, u/s and to be so let down I'm just beyond.  Circumstances were unforeseen but I'm still so angry!!  

Work is very stressful so I'm wondering if I should try one more IUI before ivf....this is just so hard.  I literally have done 4 rounds of Clomid and only got the chance at one IUI day after trigger so I wonder if I didn't give the iui fair shake.  And my insurance covers nothing for ivf but helps a lil with IUI.  It's all so upsetting!!!  I want a baby like yesterday!!
PS my dr asked if a student could sit in and I said NO.  I was a lik caught of guard and was already upset that I had to go to this appt by myself.  I felt like an emotional wreck I really need a student to see all that!!

Sorry to the ladies like me having a crampy cycle with no hope!!! Still wishing everyone else the best and hope to see BFP!!!

@Toby102008 u really got a winner on ur hands!!! I think as we grow we find that we grow out of old friendships and that ok!'!! We have enough issues we don't need to hear it from others.  Y no one knows I'm trying as I couldn't deal with all the extra questions and such!! Ull b a great mom just believe in that!! She obviously doesn't want to see how that roll is suppose to go

Isthisthereallife

@Toby102008 I don't like those stats!! My doctor tells me the same thing all the time. "It's good to be your age". That's not helpful!! I think @Hopeful_mom said it best, I was ready for a baby yesterday.

@Hopeful_mom, I am so sorry hun. That is so frustrating and painful to go through all that and not be able to do the IUI. I don't blame you for not wanting a student in there at that moment. It's so hard and emotional and to let someone else witness that is hard. Don't beat yourself up about it. You have to be gentle with yourself and allow yourself to feel whatever it is you're feeling. It's valid. It's real. And you have the right to be upset. The bright side is that it wont last forever and soon you'll be back on your feet moving forward in the right direction. And I totally hear what you're saying about not giving IUI a fair shake. That would put me in a hard head space too. Especially with insurance helping. What do you think you're going to do?

@elisam511 sounds perfect! Fingers crossed that this is the one!! I am doing well. Still anxiously awaiting AF. Yesterday, for no reason what-so-ever, I got SOOO moody. My lovely DH said to me, "Your head is spinning and it's reminding me of the Exorcism of Emily Rose". He always knows the right things to say. Then he also told me that that typically happens a day or two before AF.....so FX. I can't wait to get started on meds and feel like crap. LOL. In other news - I think we're finally getting to move back into our house this weekend. Our house has been under remodel (still is), and we've been staying with my mom for the last 3 months. It's finally in a place where we can live in it while it's being worked on. So that is VERY exciting!!

Any fun plans for the weekend ladies? 

Isthisthereallife

Our Chart Repost

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1d2mzlc1XD7WE1zTxHuTUGIbC3zOrWCUc1ciWahfvhyA/edit?usp=sharing

Toby102008

@hopeful_mom I'm so sorry. I know how frustrating waiting is. Hang in there and whatever choice you decide to make will be what's best for you. Dont ever feel guilty about your emotions. No one truly understand how devastating this all is unless they've gone through it. I will be thinking about you hun. 

@isthisthereallife DH and I are heading out in a few hours to go to the U.P. (Upper Michigan) where we are both from. Hopefully see our parents, take the boat out fishing, enjoy the sunshine, and just relax. What about you?