Thursday TTGP Grad Check-in

adirat

It seems like there's now a preponderance of us, so let's check in! 

@kyersten @slaven @jess0211 @heatherdubrow @julesdp (Sorry if I omitted anyone -- please let me know if I did!) 

This is a check-in for friends from the TTGP board. If you were a contributing member of that board please let us know how you are doing! 

1. Due date?

2. How are you feeling? DD posts are welcome if you need support

3. Any upcoming appointments and/or updates from recent appointments? 

4. Questions/concerns? 

jess0211

@adirat great idea!!!!

1. Due date? 11/11

2. How are you feeling? DD posts are welcome if you need support 

Mostly anxious and DH refuses to have a real conversation about it until my next beta on Monday. He is being so pessimistic and it's sucking my excitement.  I know he is just afraid to get excited, but I want to enjoy this time too even if I am worried. Also, it's soooo hard keeping this a secret! I have decided to tell my bff becauee there is no way I can keep it from her and she is a doctor with ob experience so I know I'll want to ask her questions. 

3. Any upcoming appointments and/or updates from recent appointments? 

I have another beta on Monday 

4. Questions/concerns? 

Just worried about my beta only being 47 at 11dpo but I know that's not out of the range of normal but the anxiety in me is making it hard to chill out!

adirat

@jess0211 I am certain 47 is no problem if you're doubling. I was 104 at 13dpo and the nurse told me that's high, so for you at 11dpo that's probably perfectly average. Have you checked this out? It assuaged my fears between betas: betabase.info 

Good luck with the next beta! So excited to see you here  

jess0211

@adirat I did look at betabase and it made me feel so much better. But didn't seem to assuage my anxiety. You know the researcher in me has been spending my "down" time doing wayyyy too much reading lol so glad to see you here!!!!!

kschref

Just popping in to ask if you would like to do this regularly on Thursdays and I'll add it to the thread schedule.

flowerpower5838

Can I just say that I feel really lucky to be with you ladies here in November? I mostly lurked in TTGP and you all had so much support and wisdom to share. It was really very helpful and allowed me to feel comforted when I needed it most. FX that more ladies from TTGP get to join us throughout the month.

adirat

@kschref It doesn't have to be on Thursdays necessarily. Also whether or not you post on the schedule... We'll remember

@flowerpower5838 Sorry I omitted you... I only looked at the grad posts. I have to admit I don't remember you from ttgp but we can get to know each other here. 

flowerpower5838

adirat I just stopped lurking and started participating more last month so I didn't really feel like I should post on the grad thread. There was no omission either - just wanted to drop in and say I am glad you ladies are here

adirat

Like others I am so excited to see a great crew from ttgp here! It's what made me decide to jump in to November. Hoping to see more ttgp friends before the month is up. you all. 


1. Due date? Based on o, November 4, but the nurse practitioner at my RE's office thinks it'll be a day or two earlier based on betas (likely an early implanter for a number of reasons).

2. How are you feeling? DD posts are welcome if you need support 

I had a LOT of anxiety in the days between my betas after hearing my progesterone was middling and I needed suppositories. But after the second beta came back at 400 I felt much better! I'm also having symptoms, which are super annoying but kind of give me some anxiety relief. The anxiety from PAIF is real guys. 

3. Any upcoming appointments and/or updates from recent appointments? 
I have an u/s at the RE's one week from today! Wow! If everything looks good there, I will be graduate to an OB/midwife (and I will need to find one too since my gynecologist doesn't do OB). 

4. Questions/concerns? 
Yeah if anybody has tips on how to deal with low blood sugar headaches/stomachaches besides eating constantly? This poppyseed is going to make me balloon up. I have to eat like every 90 minutes or I start feeling super low blood sugar sick. 

heatherdubrow

1. Due date? I haven't received an official due date but according to a FET calculator, @jess0211
and I are due date buddies at 11/11!! I'll update that after my betas though

2. How are you feeling? DD posts are welcome if you need support 
very cautious...but otherwise good. No symptoms yet other than being exhausted 

3. Any upcoming appointments and/or updates from recent appointments? 
Beta on Sunday! Then another on Tuesday and then a 6 week ultrasound

4. Questions/concerns? 
No but I am seriously excited for this badass bmb!! Fingers crossed more of our ladies make it over here!

JulesDP

I could not be more excited to share a BMB with you all! I seriously couldn't have picked a better group.  Here's hoping a ton of good eggs from TTGP come our way  

1. Due date? 11/9 as of now!

2. How are you feeling? DD posts are welcome if you need support  
Anxious City, USA. I was able to have my blood drawn for a beta/progesterone test.  I will hopefully have those results by tomorrow.  I just keep repeating "today, I'm pregnant" to myself. 

3. Any upcoming appointments and/or updates from recent appointments? 
Crossing my fingers that I get my results tomorrow. Assuming those results and the second beta all check out, I won't have my first true appointment until 8 or 10 weeks.  

4. Questions/concerns? I'm considering switching OB/GYN practices. Any tips on where/how to start the search?

wvrn1216

Just want to say congratulations to you all.  I was on TTGP board, but was way more of a lurker than a contributor.   I'm not very good at "keeping up".

jess0211

@JulesDP weren't we cycle buddies this past month?! I knew it was good luck!

slaven

1. Due date?
Nov 10

2. How are you feeling? DD posts are welcome if you need support
I'm feeling fine actually. Tired and less hungry which I think is early food aversions or something. 

TW I've never had a loss but being on the TTGP board has made me realize how much of a common occurrence it is. I count every day as a day closer to the second trimester and a smaller chance of a MC but I'm still scared even though I have no reason to be. I mean I had a 15 day LP for crying out loud haha. /TW

3. Any upcoming appointments and/or updates from recent appointments? 
Dear lord I was just calling like 5 different people to get an answer on my OB referral (damn military insurance and living overseas). The nurse on my initial apt. Wednesday (it's Fri here now) never put in the referral so now  I have to wait till Tuesday before hearing anything since they're obviously closed on weekends. I know it's too early for a scan and most women don't get seen till 8 weeks anyway. I'm excited because I hear this OB does scans at every appointment. I'll be about 16 weeks when we move so I'll probably get a 3D scan done here too because it's cheaper here than in the States, like $40 out of pocket.  
4. Questions/concerns? 
meh I'm just chugging along waiting for more symptoms to show so I know I'm actually KTFU

kyersten

1. Due date? Since I wasn't charting or doing OPKs the last cycle (how I wish I had now!), I'm actually truly not sure. My RE office is considering me 6 weeks this coming Sunday, I'll hopefully know a due date at my ultrasound on Thursday. I've played with online "due date" calculators and get anywhere from October 29 to November 3. 

2. How are you feeling? DD posts are welcome if you need support  What a roller coaster! I'm so happy and thankful. Then I'm freaking out and calling DH and my poor RE nurse needing reassurance. With so long as IF, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, which I know is an awful way to feel. 

3. Any upcoming appointments and/or updates from recent appointments? I wish I could get a beta done every day, seriously (and I hate getting my blood drawn)... but next appointment is 3/9/17 for my transvaginal ultrasound.

4. Questions/concerns? I hope I'm not the only one googling the dumbest things all the time. My google is many searches of : "Is _____ a normal symptom of pregnancy?" 

@jess0211 How super fortunate your bff is a doctor with ob experience! That is a useful friend to have around! 

@adirat I am totally with you on the feeling symptoms makes me feel much better - and agree the anxiety after IF is so stressful. 

@heatherdubrow So excited to find out how your appointments next week go! 

@JulesDP I love that mantra: "Today, I'm pregnant!" 

@slaven Definitely agree with you on the fears and just wanting to be past the first trimester! And $40 out of pocket for the 3D scan is great!!

heatherdubrow

Gahhhh!!! I freaking love this!!

adirat

@kyersten My RE u/s is also on 3/9! I am so eagerly awaiting that day. I hope yours is all good news and you see the heartbeat! I am hopeful I'll feel a lot more confident after the u/s.

kyersten

Awww, that's exciting @adirat! I will be looking forward to your update as well on that day! 

heatherdubrow

Can I post my anxiety here? I took another test this morning and the line hasn't really gotten any darker, it's still very faint.. any insight? Talk me off the ledge? Please??

jess0211

@heatherdubrow keep telling yourself a line is a line and you're pregnant right now. I don't know that all people necessarily  get darkening lines. Sending you so many positive vibes and hugd. Who knew this time period would be so anxiety provoking?! I am right there with you on that! Hugs!!! 

adirat

@heatherdubrow Yes, absolutely. Hugs friend. That is so stressful. What kind of test are you using? I had a similar freakout about Wondfos but I read online that individual Wondfos often don't have the same amount of dye in each test (hence another reason they are so cheap -- less quality assurance). A line is a line is a line on Wondfos, essentially. 

jess0211

@adirat  that's an excellent point. I wonder if that may be true for other brands too?

heatherdubrow

I'm using frer...ugh! My Sunday can't get here fast enough! Thanks for the love ladies!

adirat

@heatherdubrow I don't know what your RE practice is like, but would they see you sooner for a beta? Like today and then Sunday to check doubling?

kyersten

@heatherdubrow I am so sorry for the anxiety!! I think with urine pregnancy tests, so many factors can play into the darkness of the line. I would try to feel that a line is a line and wait for the beta. But I know it's easier said than done not to worry!

For peace of mind, if the doctor can't see you sooner for a beta, maybe try a different brand (even a cheapie one from somewhere)?

jess0211

@heatherdubrow I was just coming back to suggest what @kyersten did, perhaps try another brand...if for no other reason than to just ease your anxiety a bit. 

heatherdubrow

I'm in Texas now with my husband for a conference so the soonest I could go in anyway is Sunday. I'm gonna find a drugstore and get a digital. Thanks ladies 

RedBreast35

Totally lurking you guys cuz I love you, but @heatherdubrow just remember digitals require more hcg than a regular line test!  It took me 2 or 3 days of positive wondfos before I turned a digi!!  
Also, so happy for all of you that you're here and thrilled/jealous you get to be in a bmb together!  
OK, *lurker out*
  

heatherdubrow

@RedBreast35 good point. I think I'm just gonna wait until my betas. I've been googling like a crazy person and I think my tests look pretty standard for 7 and 8 days post transfer (fingers crossed). Thanks for checking in girl!

m6agua

*lurking from November 2016*

First off I want to say Yay for all you. November babies are great! I also was a participant of TTGP before my BFP.

@jess0211 I just wanted to say try not to worry so much about your beta. I was PGAL and had so much anxiety during my second pregnancy, that in hindsight I should've just tried to enjoy it more. If it helps at all these were my beta's and I had an u/s at 6 weeks that measured 7 days behind, then at 8 weeks was just a couple days behind and now have a healthy baby. I was tracking everything so I knew pretty well when O was.
10dpo: 16
14dpo: 187
17dpo: 497

@heatherdubrow Like PP have said a line is a line and the darkness can vary for many reasons and is not a reliable source of "how pregnant you are". FWIW I don't think FRERs are the end all be all. I actually had way better luck/results with the Dollar Tree cheapies (New Choice I believe). I personally would consider those superior to FRER.

I am so excited for you ladies!

ETA: more info

jess0211

@m6agua thank you so much! That is reassuring! 

heatherdubrow

@m6agua thank you! That's reassuring!

slaven

@heatherdubrow I had two faint FRERs on Monday when I first tested and a positive digi that night, none of it was FMU. Obviously every one is different but I was 12dpo with light FRERs which you would think at that far past O would be darker. I don't have any more FRERs to check to see if mine got darker. 

heatherdubrow

@slaven thank you! I think I might just be going a little crazy with my IF brain! I'm impatiently waiting for my betas and hopefully that will be good news

slaven

@heatherdubrow I think we're all going crazy about the first tri, and I'm not even an IFer. I either want more symptoms (who thought I'd ask for morning sickness) or an ultrasound asap. 

slaven

Super random. I posted a lot on the TTGP board about our upcoming move from Korea to NY, which was the reason we TTA for a bit. Well I just found out today that when we ship my car it'll go to Baltimore. DH is buying a new car when we get back so we won't be carless but it takes about 3 months for mine to get there. I'll be about 7 months pregnant and have to go to Baltimore from upstate NY. Like grocery shopping in Canada is a thing there kind of upstate. DH will probably rope a friend into getting it with him because I don't think I could make that kind of drive and then drive the car back myself or we'll take a long weekend, take lots of breaks, and make a babymoon out of it.  

jess0211

@slaven when are you transferring again (what time of the year? You're headed to Fort Drum right? The drive from Baltimore to Watertown isn't bad at all. I do it a few times a year, you can do it in7-8 hrs. 

Eta: let me know if you want to chat about upstate ny and/or doing the drive from there to baltimore.  I have lots of experience with both! Eta lol just saw your comment about grocery shopping in Canada...true story. We would just pop over to Canada for dinner a lot when i was a kid 

@heatherdubrow  I just took another hpt and it wasn't any darker than previous tests....it's a different brand so not sure if that helps 

slaven

@jess0211 We don't have exact dates yet but we're supposed to be out of Korea by May 31st. DH should get his orders this week and then we can plan our travel. We're hoping to fly to Boston, spend some time with our family in MA/NH, buy DH's new car there, and then drive up to Drum. It's funny to see that the Ottawa Ikea is the closest haha. Since moving is expensive, a LO on the way, and I may have a hard time finding a new job (especially being pregnant), we're probably going to have to do some Ikea/cheap shopping for our new house. We're in a tiny apartment now and don't own much furniture. 

slaven

I just realized I'm going to be 6 months pregnant when my SIL gets married and I'm a bridesmaid. I bought my dress a size too big but tried it on this morning and I already fill out the bust and the waist has no stretch and had weird seams/darting in the middle and down the bust. I don't even know if a larger size would look good on a bump because of those long darts. Attaching a link to the dress:

https://www.azazie.com/products/azazie-kaya-bridesmaid-dress?color=grape

It's in the color spa, which is easier to see the darts/seams. I obviously don't know how large I'll be then so I'm just going to have to wait until May or so and then discuss it with my SIL then. There are some maternity options but idk how she feels about a different dress just for me. 

heatherdubrow

@slaven I was 36 weeks pregnant in my bffs wedding. I normally wear a size 8 and ordered a 16 then had it altered closer to the wedding and it ended up looking pretty good (I think!).
Also, I agree have your H and a friend pick up the car, that will definitely be too much for you.

jess0211

@slaven lol people never believe me when I tell them how close Canada is. Please feel free to PM if you need any recommendations or advice on the area!