IF /testing check-in week feb6

wabash15

@adirat ok here are some more..... for strictly sub fertile couples there was not a significant difference (though they did comment on a lack of data...). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26892070

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=timed+intercourse+versus+intra-uterine+insemination

seethosestars

@laurad75 - I hope you get more follies soon!  I haven't done IVF yet but have done a ton of reading on DOR.  I see you started with the bcp - what I read suggests that for those of us with DOR this may be too suppressive.  Maybe ask your RE about alternatives to bcp (estrogen-primed or natural start) cycles.

laurad75

@wabash15 butt baby is the best post in the history of thebump.  If anyone wants to challenge that please send me links to equally hilarious posts.  I don't have a busy day. 

laurad75

Thanks everyone for the love and support. When I finally got a call from the office with my bw results it was a nurse I don't know covering for my regular nurse so I didn't get all the info I need.  Tonight is my 12th night of stims so I will be out of meds after that and no one has mentioned ordering more so hopefully I will get more answers today.  I also have to ask the dreaded question - what is the minimum number of follicles needed for them to do IVF and if its less than what I have will we switch to IUI?  I am going back in for more monitoring tomorrow morning and hopefully there will be one or two more and we can schedule ER for Friday.  

I just want to catch a break!

adirat

@laurad75 Fingers crossed you get good info today!

@wabash15 Thanks, that's helpful. The RE indicated he thinks the problem is my luteal phase defect, which substantially reduces our chances each cycle (as the blastocyst would have to implant sooner than my progesterone starts dropping, which gives it only a day or two compared to a typical woman's week to implant). I can't find anything for this issue specifically, but perhaps unexplained infertility is generalizable to us.  

wabash15

@laurad75 fx things look better today. I really hope you get to proceed with your IVF.

AFM I really should just stop charting. I triggered last night and as predictable had a temp spike this morning which has me irrationally freaked out that tomorrow's IUI  will be too late. I just need to stop and trust the process.

kaitlink33

@wabash15 we're kind of cycle buddies! I triggered last night too. Good luck with your iui.

heatherdubrow

@laurad75 I hope you get some answers, and a break soon!

@wabash15 and @kaitlink33 good luck!

saralee797-2

@wabash15 I can relate when FF didn't want to give me CH I convinced myself the trigger didn't work. But I can't stop doing all the things!! 

Good luck to my IUI friends!

JuneRoseRuby

Diagnosis (If you've been): MFI

Cycle/CD: 14/1

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA):  WTO

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?) Waiting for blood work testing results on Feb 15 with the urologist. 

  

How are things going? Just coasting right now. Finally told H's mom about the diagnosis the other day. We will tell my parents when they come back from their vacation. 

  

Any questions? Any organic tampon users out there? I just started trying them, and I just got the Whole Foods brand. They are not great.  Any one else like a brand? 

GTKY: what's your favorite color? Blue. 

@Everycol0r I have been trying to be good about working out this past month. I am literally saying "baby" in my head whenever I feel like stopping or it burns or it's hard. 
@laurad75 I'm still pulling for you! 
@antoto I feel the same about NTNP, not looking at FF, but how can you avoid the signs your body gives you. ugh. 
@tamalahoops 14 is awesome! Did your RE recommend the PGS? I asked mine if we would do it for our IVF whenever that is, and he said no since I have no prior history of MC. I was a little bummed 

wabash15

@juneroseruby I have not used organic tampons. I used to be a die hard OB user but I recently tried a menstrual cup and I love it. it was amazing. I won't go back to tampons.

eggplantface

@adirat You asked wayyy back on page 1 about why I suspect MFI: Because I'm neurotic, mainly The RE said at the beginning that H had low morphology, but he didn't think it was a problem. Then after our second IUI he said H's volume was low, and that he thought it was "wise" to move to IVF because of the "numbers" for the last IUI. Well, my numbers were great! Two eggs. So that only leaves H's numbers...And based on body language I got the distinct feeling my RE doesn't like discussing the male problems. He's also doing ICSI for fertilization rather than the petri dish, and that's usually only done with MFI. So really it's just my diagnosis. If it's frowned upon to use the MFI designator without an official diagnosis then I won't next time.

Bababatty

@JuneRoseRuby I've been using Lola, and I'm also not thrilled. I was drawn to the no-chemical part and the fact that you choose how many of each size you want in the box. But I get a lot of leaks, which defeats the purpose. I'm sad that other brands are no better.

adirat

@eggplantface I don't blame you for suspecting that given what you said. That said I'm pretty surprised an RE wouldn't want to discuss male problems... That's the issue half the time... What does the RE do if that's the only issue? 

eggplantface

@adirat That's the thing--I think that whatever is wrong with either of us, the RE thinks IVF will solve it and H doesn't need to change anything to do IVF so the RE is just barreling ahead. The other day H actually said to me "Is it possible that the surgery on your uterus caused some damage that's preventing the embryo from implanting?" Then I blacked out and when I came to H was in a bloody pulp on the floor.

Kidding. I told him I had had an HSG and saline sono and everything was fine. He's like "Then what could be the problem?" And I gave him a list of things: Bad eggs. Bumper car sperm. Incompatibility of egg and sperm. Abnormal embryos. But in any case, IVF should get around any of those possible issues, especially with ICSI and PGS testing. I insisted on the PGS testing because, yes, it could be my egg quality too so, better safe than sorry.

tamalahoops

@JuneRoseRuby PGS was not reccomended for us either. But doing pgs has a significant impact on success rates. We want to do whatever we can to make this successful. The downside is you cannot do pgs and a fresh transfer and the cost will always be entirely out of pocket. 

[Deleted User]

@eggplantface In a creepy stalkerish way I'm really looking forward to hearing about your upcoming IVF journey.  We are also planning for ICSI and PGS.  FX for you!

JuneRoseRuby

@tamalahoops okay, so you are just insisting it needs to be done. It's like an extra $3,500. I did read that it increases chances since you transfer the best of the best. I also don't know if we will even have an option of picking since we only had one sperm anyways in his SA. 

@Bababatty I was thinking of trying Lola next. I'm glad you mentioned that. Maybe Honest Co.? If they suck we can blast Jessica Alba.  I am getting a lot of leakage with mine too and they are like old school cardboard tampon applicators and a good 3 inches long. I felt like a teenager today trying to get my first tampon in, then it wouldn't go in any farther, so it felt like it was falling out for hours. I also somehow got blood on the floor in the bathroom today and H thought one of the dogs was bleeding... ugh  I am not sure I am ready to jump to the cup yet. 

tamalahoops

@JuneRoseRuby Oh yeah. I pushed for it. We sold our house to afford all of this nonsense. We are ALL. IN. 

JuneRoseRuby

@tamalahoops I hear ya, we had saved "baby money" for my maternity that we are now blowing on IVF. 

Everycol0r

Have y'all read "It Starts with Egg"? 

adirat

@Everycol0r I am reading It Starts with the Egg right now. I believe it was @LadyMillil who first mentioned it to us. I've read the chapters about chemical exposure and made some changes. (I find it a little overwhelming to read all at once so I've been reading it a chapter at a time.)

hartmich

@everycol0r I've read a lot of commentary about it. One of the more recent grads read it a few months back and shared her takeaways. It seemed overwhelming to me so I never read it but I have implemented some of the suggestions - no plastic containers, for example. This reminds me... I'm almost out of shampoo so I might buy one that is phthalate free....

Everycol0r

I'd say to start with the vitamin section and then make subtle changes regarding everything else. 

heatherdubrow

adirat said:

@Everycol0r I am reading It Starts with the Egg right now. I believe it was @LadyMillil who first mentioned it to us. I've read the chapters about chemical exposure and made some changes. (I find it a little overwhelming to read all at once so I've been reading it a chapter at a time.)

I've been exposed to so much chemotherapy(through my job for 5 years) I seriously have to wonder if it played a role in my IF. A lot of nurses I worked with had trouble getting pregnant.

Everycol0r

heatherdubrow said:

adirat said:

@Everycol0r I am reading It Starts with the Egg right now. I believe it was @LadyMillil who first mentioned it to us. I've read the chapters about chemical exposure and made some changes. (I find it a little overwhelming to read all at once so I've been reading it a chapter at a time.)

I've been exposed to so much chemotherapy(through my job for 5 years) I seriously have to wonder if it played a role in my IF. A lot of nurses I worked with had trouble getting pregnant.

I'm not a doctor, my degree is from Grey's Anatomy, but didn't they freeze Izzy's eggs because of the chemo exposure? 

heatherdubrow

@Everycol0r that would make sense, we did that for our patients. But that's for high dose exposure that you get when you have cancer. My exposure was from administering it and handling urine as a nurse. Much smaller exposure but probably large over time.

Everycol0r

heatherdubrow said:

@Everycol0r that would make sense, we did that for our patients. But that's for high dose exposure that you get when you have cancer. My exposure was from administering it and handling urine as a nurse. Much smaller exposure but probably large over time.

Maybe so. I bet you could be onto something. I wonder if there have been any studies? @LadyMillil

LoveInDC

****The dirtiest lurker and Greys fan*****

They froze Izzy's eggs as a precaution because she was receiving an extreme strain of chemo as a patient and it could have interfered with her fertility.

*****Sorry, okay, bye now ******

ETA: Here is a list of studies regarding nurse exposure if you want to go down that rabbit hole.

adirat

The CDC has a whole page about occupational exposure. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/antineoplastic/effects.html#effect

heatherdubrow

Ugh. Yea we had measures in place to minimize exposure but I've always wondered how much 'prophylactic chemo' (haha, corny nurse joke) I was actually getting.

heatherdubrow

@LoveInDC if there is time before treatment starts they really encourage egg freezing for anyone of childbearing age. We've had teenagers do it. The problem is it's not common because there usually isn't time.

LoveInDC

heatherdubrow said:

@LoveInDC if there is time before treatment starts they really encourage egg freezing for anyone of childbearing age. We've had teenagers do it. The problem is it's not common because there usually isn't time.

That's interesting! I'm with @Everycol0r and only have my medical education from Grey's Anatomy. My mother is a cancer survivor, but she had already gone through menopause and sheltered me a lot through that experience anyway. It's odd they would be so proactive about patients and not as much for the staff. FX you don't have to add this to your list of worries.

JuneRoseRuby

@Everycol0r, I am reading it now and I love it. I must say that I already live pretty crunchy and this just validates my psychosis. 

laurad75

Good morning.  I recently read It Starts With The Egg and enjoyed it. It helped that I was on the Whole30 diet when I read it so I did mind her telling me to avoid sugars and simple carbs.  We tossed out our BPA products a long time ago but I am slowly replacing my beloved hair and make up products with non-toxic options and there was a lot of good advice about that.  I also implemented her suggestions on supplements such as DHEA, folate (vs folic acid) and ubiquinol (coq10). 

saralee797-2

I downloaded the book last night. I understand how it can be overwhelming especially the BPA and beauty products. It can be a lot to change all at once. I decided to start with the vitamins if this isn't our cycle and slowly swap out the rest. I currently take CoQ10 but maybe not enough. We lose Tupperware like socks so I don't feel so bad replacing with glass! 

Everycol0r

I definitely encourage big lifestyle changes to occur slowly so you don't get overwhelmed. 

hartmich

Isn't DHEA only recommended for certain people? I remember reading somewhere that if you don't need to supplement it, it can actually be counterproductive... Or am I totally off base?

adirat

@hartmich I think that's right -- I'd have to look back at the book but I remembering thinking when I read that part that DHEA wasn't for me. 

I actually found it very liberating to recycle almost all our plastic tupperwares! I love throwing things out and it was simultaneously that + we are going to have a baby now! Not that we did, but I had hope lol.

adirat

@wabash15 Today is your IUI, right? I hope it goes great!