TTCA35 Weekly update: 10/9/17

Momifbysea

Status (WTO/TWW/Benched/in process of testing or treatment): 

CD, CD/DPO (if applicable):

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment? Vitamins/supplements?):

Rants/Raves:

Questions for the group:

GTKY: Pumpkin spice, yay or nay?

Momifbysea

Status (WTO/TWW/Benched/in process of testing or treatment): IVF stims day 8

CD, CD/DPO (if applicable): CD12

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment? Vitamins/supplements?): CoQ10, prenatal, vitamin D, baby aspirin, dexamethasone, Ganirelix, follistim, menopur, red raspberry leaf tea

Rants/Raves: Vertigo SUCKS! I hadn’t had it before but a bout started last Friday around 3am. Have PT for it again today which made me vomit Friday. Everything spins nearly all the time so it’s kept me homebounf, have to hold on while showering, just NOT convenient during retrieval week! They offered me a rx for the nausea but there’s no way I’m adding in anything before retrieval! I broke my no processed foods diet bc on the way to my morning appts all I can do is nibble wheat thins and keep them down.

Questions for the group: none

GTKY: Pumpkin spice, yay or nay? I used to get really excited about it but since cutting sugar I’m kinda like, eh... I am really excited though about discovering how I can use for example honey to make a killer banana bread instead of white sugar. I have found so many good fertility recipes online and this was one of them.

ndz2018

Status (WTO/TWW/Benched/in process of testing or treatment): WTO

CD, CD/DPO (if applicable): CD9

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment? Vitamins/supplements?): BBT, OPK, Prenatal, zinc, COQ10 200mg, Maca root, raspberry tea. Made an appointment with the RE for Oct 27th for SO and I ... unless I get knocked up this cycle we'll go and see what our options are 

Questions for the group:
I got really nauseous yesterday from taking my vitamins, I drank a smoothie about 2 hours prior. Like I thought I was gonna puke! Does this happen to anyone else?


Rants/Raves: MY COWORKER IS NODDING OUT AT HER DESK! She is on heavy pain killers and this happens often I have saved her a** too many time, tell her to go home or warning her people are watching her. I'm OVER IT! At this point I'm enabling her, over it today! Screw this, she's on her own!

ndz2018

@Momifbysea can you recommend that website for recipes?? 
Also sorry about your vertigo, My mom has it, I feel awful for her. Have you tried acupuncture ? 

vlagrl29

Status - WTO CD8

PNV, 400mg CoQ10, Vit C, Maca, fish oil and OPKs coming up this weekend

The weather is beautiful here today.  My rant is 6 year olds are very sassy and she is starting to try and boss me around and not listen.  Need to put a stop to that.

Pumpkin spice? - I do love pumpkin pie this time of year but I'm not one of those pumpkin everything like some are.

vlagrl29

@momifbysea - what are dexamethasone and Ganirelix?  Are those IVF drugs?  Sorry for the vertigo.  DH has had it really bad a few times.  So bad he couldn't even get out of bed without puking.  His was because of a nerve getting pinched so going to the chiro really helped him.

@ndz2018 - I have to take vitamins with food - I don't think a smoothie would be good enough.  Maybe split your vitamins up.  Take some with breakfast and some with lunch.  I take 1 coq10 with breakfast and the other with lunch.

I do have a question - we will probably consult with an RE next month.  Do they charge for that?  I'd just like to know what the process is and how much all of it will cost.  We don't have fertility coverage so are limited to what we can afford.  My plan would be to get a consultation in November so that way we are all set up for it after the first of the year.  I don't want to do it in December.

harleyquinn0621

Status (WTO/TWW/Benched/in process of testing or treatment):  tww

CD, CD/DPO (if applicable): CD 27 12dpiui

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment? Vitamins/supplements?): prenatal, CoQ10, metformin, vitamin d & vitamin c

GTKY: Pumpkin spice, yay or nay? Yaaaaaaaas


so ladies - today was beta day....12 dpiui.....and it came back at 2.7 .....the nurse said the dr wants me to come back in on Wednesday because it’s “almost positive” ....I’m starting my new job this week and what I really don’t need is to have to tell them I’m going to be late my second day in ......I don’t even know what I’m going to tell him them at this point ....

it looks to me like a chemical preganancy right? 

vlagrl29

@harleyquinn0621 - IDK what did the doctor say?  I can't say if it's chemical or not.  I know it's supposed to at least double on the next draw.  I don't think I'd rule it out.  Have you had spotting?  I had my CP last december but didn't know I was pregnant until 4 weeks along.  First 2 draws increased then the 3rd one decreased. 

harleyquinn0621

@vlagrl29 unfortunately I only got to talk to the nurse who would only say it’s “almost positive” ......so I guess I’m “kind of” pregnant ....lol I’ll wait until Wednesday and see what happens ...

no spotting but I’m on progesterone so I don’t know if that would keep me from spotting 

ndz2018

@vlagrl29 my insurance thank goodness covers the consultation( and majority of the treatments up to I think 3 times a friend had it done who I work with)
I asked when i made the appointment and she asked me what I pay for "specialist"and told her $10 she said that's what it will cost, however my brother and his wife went for a consult in Aug and their insurance didn't.. let me ask him and get a rough estimate what it'll cost him  Every place is different we're in NJ .. and using RMANJ. 

ndz2018

@vlagrl29 Just spoke to him... he's said he thinks around $300 but said he's unsure Bc there have been so many bills from it. You're best bet will be to call them prior to setting the appointment up and let them know that you want to come in for a consultation . They will ask for your insurance info and if they don't tell you ask them how much the consultation will cost. Hey won't cost anything to ask, and this way you can be prepared!

Also thanks for the advice about the vitamins I'll give it a try tomorrow! 

artemis618

@Momifbysea I’m sorry about the vertigo - that sounds terrible . When do you anticipate your ER will be?

@ndz2018 What kind of vitamins are you taking?  I haven’t tended to have problems with them,!and so do tend to take everything after I’ve had breakfast,  but when I was researching, mine (Megafood Baby and Me) got good reviews for not making people sick (I thought it might be more of a problem after i got KU, but I never really got sick - but then again, I didn’t make it to 12 weeks...)

@vlagrl29  My consult with my new RE at the end of August cost $350 and included an ultrasound (he confirmed that I hadn’t yet ovulated - I went the day before FF thinks I ovulated that cycle).

@harleyquinn0621  I’ve never had a beta drawn (when I had any chance of being pregnant - just to confirm that I’m not per my records), so I’m not so helpful here, but my fingers are crossed for you!  Maybe it’s just a little late getting going?  Keep us posted!

Status (WTO/TWW/Benched/in process of testing or treatment):  Waiting for...my very first ever (post-IVF) transfer!

CD, CD/DPO (if applicable):  CD2 - But I can’t really complain because I got to spend CD1 watching our dog at the beach (off leash) for the first time then wine tasting in central (CA) coast yesterday.

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment? Vitamins/supplements?):  Getting ready for transfer.  Just got PGS results today and am supposed to go in for bloodwork or something tomorrow - I guess I’ll have more info then since I’ve never done this part before.  Still with all the vitamins though (PNV, ubiquinol, C, D, E, fish oil, NAC) - maybe I’ll drop the ubiquinol dosage now though ‘cause 600/day is expensive!

Rants/Raves:  This new RE (and his lab) are officially our favorite.  We miraculously got 4 PGS normal embryos (and one mosaic) from this last cycle (we’d only had one from three cycles before).  So we’re raving about him at the moment.  I’ll be 40 tomorrow and this is the best (early) birthday present ever (especially when last year I would have been 13 weeks on my birthday but we *TW* lost her 9 days before).

Questions for the group:  None

GTKY: Pumpkin spice, yay or nay?  I’m a fan and find it festive, but I’m not obsessed.  No one’s been able to figure out how to do a good pumpkin ale to my knowledge...

ndz2018

@harleyquinn0621 Almost positive sounds like a good sign! Sending you love and light doll!

harleyquinn0621

@ndz2018 @artemis618 thank you ladies ....just for context the nurse said 5 or higher is considered pregnant and from what I’ve read a lot of women are at 30+ by now .....it could be late implantation but I’ve also read implanting this late means higher risk of early miscarriage...... i’m not going to stress over it, I was expecting a negative ....but I don’t like being in limbo.....and the thought of it possibly being ectopic scares me 

vlagrl29

I don't know how anyone could be kind of pregnant lol @harleyquinn0621 - either way FX it's a good sign and numbers increase.  I think progesterone is what they give people that have had losses or low Prog.  Not sure if it would prevent spotting or not.

@ndz2018 - ugh $300 is a lot for just talking to a doctor imo.  If it included an U/S that would be different.  We'll see.  I'll get the referral from OB next month and put in a call to inquire about it.  Once you talked to the RE how long of a wait did you have to start treatment?  If we aren't starting until Feb 2018 if it's only a month wait then early Jan appt with RE I'd be ok with.  I'd just hate to spend $300 without needing it.  Gosh I'm so cheap on money but we work hard for it.  Honestly if I didn't care about taking clomid and not being monitored then I could go ahead with the OB on that.  I've already had all fertility testing done along with DH.  I haven't had any U/S though.

@artemis618 - I'm glad you found a good doctor you like.  GL on your transfer!

ndz2018

@vlagrl29 This is our first consultation, so I'm not sure.
"TW"
My sister in law kept having miscarriages, they didn't have a problem getting pregnant but each pregnancy(except for the one with my niece) they tested the fetus and each had a chromosomal abnormality!one actually caused her to have a cancerous cell in her body, even needed Chemo shots. 3 miscarriages in total. So they by passed everything and went straight to IVF. Its costing them pretty penny Bc their insurance isn't great and covers nothing but luckily they are both very successful, not that it's easy for them... I'm pretty sure they'll be using their savings for this. 

vlagrl29

@ndz2018 - wow that would be hard.  I like to have back up plans - it just makes me feel better so that's why I'd like it in place in case we need it.  Even treatment is not guaranteed and that's the hard part too - going into it knowing there may not be the outcome you were hoping for.  I know we can't afford IVF and I'm not willing to go into debt for it as we already having a living child and at some point a decision needs to be made when to stop.  We have an emergency fund and a retirement account.  I don't even know how much a cycle of femara would be OOP with an RE.  We may only have enough cash to to 1 round of treatment lol.

artemis618

@ndz2018 Yikes, how scary for your SIL.  Was the cancer from a molar pregnancy?  We “only” had one *TW* loss (with which we got pregnant our second month trying) and we decided to go straight to IVF because of my age (the RE who did my egg freezing cycle 5 years ago kind of made us feel like babies for it...). We didn’t test her, but she was NIPT normal.  It’s amazing how inefficient human reproduction is.  My husband and I have made 18 embryos (over 4 IVF cycles this year) that made it to blast for testing and only five of those came back normal.  Granted, I am substantially 40.  Though the science isn’t perfect, IVF is the best way we have to screen for the chromosomal element, so I’m optimistic for your SIL.

ndz2018

@artemis618 Yes, it was a molar pregnancy! That one was her second loss. The first one was before my niece, then they had my niece, then the molar pregnancy had to get Chemo shots and wait a Year then they got pregnant again and at their 12 week app there was no heart beat and when they tested it it had Down syndrome. So it's been a tough road for them. It's insane how inefficient the human reproductive system is!!

ndz2018

By the way guys we haven't been trying for very long. The 2 main reason we are going is Bc SO suffers from ED sometimes , so when I'm ripe he's can't, ya know do the BD! Also about 4 years ago I found out I had two tiny fibroids ( 2cm both of them) my Gyno said they shouldn't be an issue however I figured that with our other issue it might be a good idea to get an REs opinion. I'm kinda hoping that next week when I O it will happen and we won't need to go.. AF is due the day of the appointment so I figure I can take a test if it's a BFP I'll cancel it, if not it'll cost me $10 for the visit and we can see what our options are. 
I just turned 37 and SO is 42. 

vlagrl29

@ndz2018 yeah I figured so. If I was in your shoes I would want a consult as well just in case. I'm also 37 and my dh will be 42 in December. I feel our time is running out.

ndz2018

@vlagrl29 I have 6 very close friends who have had no issues getting pregnant 37 and after, keep
your head up! 

PoeMasque

**lurking**

@vlagrl29 our RE consult was $560 for literally 20 mins of just talking with him. We were mostly OOP, but because we had a referral from my OB insurance eventually covered half (we paid the full amt up front though). That price was similar to consult fees for three other clinics that are two hours away from us, so we went with the closer clinic. 

vlagrl29

hello   @PoeMasque - jaw drop! holy molly at that cost for only 20 minutes of talking.  Just doesn't seem reasonable.  Looks like I might wait for the consult until we are at that point.  That consult fee would be half of what I would be comfortable spending right now.  Maybe I should just do clomid with OB.  We'll see.  Or maybe no consult and just get to the treatment.  Do you have to do a consult?  I've already had all testing done.

ndz2018

@PoeMasque JAW DROP FOR SURE @vlagrl29!! They said we should plan to be there for an hour and half for the consult. I think your best bet would be to call and get an idea what the cost will be for it and what he consult includes. Hopefully you won't have to, FX! 

vlagrl29

That's probably the best idea @ndz2018 - I'll do that as soon as I get AF in Nov.  It would be good to know even what a femara cycle would cost.  I'm comfortable with $2k out of our own account we have now but anything more would be debt which makes me anxious.  Since we already have a living child not sure I would be ok with debt.  This whole process has really tested my faith.

PoeMasque

I agree with @ndz2018, I would call and get specifics and exact costs (they should have a finance person you can talk to). We'd already done all the tests and knew this would just be a "meet and greet". Since it was required at all 4 clinics we looked at we just went for it. We'd also budgeted for $20k for the whole IVF process (I had two friends who had just gone through the whole thing at the clinic we went with, so we had an idea of total costs), so it was less of a freak-out moment when we heard the consult cost. My guess is we could have spent an hour with the RE if needed, but we just didn't have that many questions and had already decided we wanted to do IVF to bank eggs for the future (which, sadly, did not end up happening). 

@vlagrl29 if you haven't tried any cycles with femara or clomid I would encourage you to try that before the consult with RE. Especially with your history of spontaneous pregnancy. I think clomid cost me $20 per cycle (not covered by insurance at all).

vlagrl29

@PoeMasque - so you're saying try clomid with OB before seeing RE? It would be much cheaper. I'm just anxious about not being monitored except with prog test. Also nervous it will thin my lining and have another loss. Gah!!!

Sorry you couldn't bank eggs

plus side is we just got back $1500 in a tax refund today. We filed an extension this year. Going to put that money straight in savings just in case.

artemis618

@Momifbysea Thinking of you this morning!

vlagrl29

@momifbysea -
 GL on egg retreival.  I have no doubt with the change in your eating habits and added supplements that you will have some good quality eggs.

ndz2018

@Momifbysea FX for you doll!!

vlagrl29

I'm thinking of adding evening primrose oil this cycle.  Heard it can increase CM.

Momifbysea

Ok I’m home from my ER. They got 5 eggs and while I would’ve liked more I know that it’s wuslity that matters so hopefully the foods and care I’ve given myself the last few weeks have paid off. The RE seemed happy when I told him I dropped my BMI from 26.5 to 25 since my last retrieval and that I’ve been eating berries peppers and Brazil nuts daily. He said he really thinks it can make a difference (but we both know it takes three months to really change). However, the 5-1/2 week’s on this eating plan have to have made at least some difference!

vlagrl29

That's great @Momifbysea. Dh just got me a berry draining bowl for our anniversary. I've always been a berry lover.  I also got a huge bag of frozen berries and kale to put in smoothies.

Momifbysea

Good for you @vlagrl29 it’s one of the best ways we can nurture ourselves and cut down those free radicals!

harleyquinn0621

hi ladies- just an update. had my HCG drawn again and it went up to 10. I really feel like this is going to end up being a CP. I go in for another draw  on Monday

vlagrl29

Sorry @harleyquinn0621. I hate that this is even happening to you.

artemis618

I’m sorry @harleyquinn0621

I’ve never had the “benefit” of early monitoring (having done no IUIs and not yet having had a transfer).  I’ve never even had a beta other than to confirm that i’m NOT pregnant, and with my only pregnancy I didn’t even meet my OB until my 8 week u/s appointment (didn’t have one till I was knocked up, just a gyn).  Sometimes I *think* I personally would rather not know early, but it’s tough either way.

@Momifbysea Fx for your fert report tomorrow!

harleyquinn0621

@vlagrl29 thank you being in limbo is so much worse than just a negative. i tried to get the nurse to tell me the prognosis was terrible but of course she wouldn't but for 14dpiui an HCG of 10 is obviously terrible, but she kept saying, "but it increased way more than double"....smh 

Momifbysea

@harleyquinn0621 I’m so sorry for what you’re going through with the uncertainty. Ive never been through that but it sounds rough, just the limbo for so long. Thinking of you!

vlagrl29

oh it absolutely sucks @harleyquinn0621 but I agree it's a very low number.  You'll know more by the next draw or 2 of blood.

I made a 15 minute free consultation with a functional medicine doctor tomorrow to see if she can help me with the supplements I'm taking.  I've researched enough and now I just want some guidance from someone that specializes in it and that is not my OB.