newbie intros w/o 11.04.19

kiki047

Welcome, new members! Please read The Ultimate TTGP Guide pinned at the top of the board (https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12685680/the-ultimate-ttgp-guide-newbies-read-this-first/p1). It's full of information about TTGP and about our community here on The Bump. Please introduce yourself and share as much (or as little) as you would like. Once you're ready, feel free to jump into any of our daily/weekly threads to participate in the community!

Ages (you and SO): 

How many months have you been TTC?: 

What are you doing to get knocked up (WAYDTGKU)?: 

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.):

misskdreams

Thanks @kiki047 for starting this thread and pointing me in the right direction.

Some of this info is also on the IF testing/treatment thread for this week. 

Once a lurker x2 and now looking for support. 

I have a 9yo and a 3yo. During both pregnancies and during the first few months I lurked on The Bump for information and just to feel like I wasn't alone in my experience. Now I am trying for a 3rd and having issues. It took 19 months to conceive my now 3yo. I had a blocked tube and had a procedure to remove the block. I was later given clomid and conceived my now 3yo.

(I am unsure how to do the "trigger warning", but the rest of this intro gets a little rough: loss, medical issues.)
My clomid pregnancy was twins early on and we lost one. During the birth I went into A-Fib and was rushed to the ICU. During testing it was found that I had nodules on my throat, which later turned out to be cancerous, and then I soon had a total thyroidectomy. My fertility struggles and medical issues in general left me psychologically warn. Shortly after that pregnancy I began therapy and was later prescribed medication for anxiety. It helped me so much to process everything that had occurred. I've since discontinued the medication recently because I have this idea in my head that I should try to be "clean" to prepare my body for pregnancy. I know that's not based on reality. I just feel like I want to do anything I can. I may even be putting additional stress on my body in stopping the medication.

I've been lurking The Bump off and on for a decade (that sounds crazy when I type that out), but there is honestly something special about this group on TTGP. Many other groups were not so supportive and weren't there for help and encouragement specifically for the TTGP journey. This is finally a group I'd like to participate in. 

Ages (you and SO): DH and I are both 36

How many months have you been TTC?: 4 months

What are you doing to get knocked up (WAYDTGKU)?: charting, OPK, temps, and an appointment with my OB to address potential fertifility issues moving forward (I've got to get ahead of this before an additional 19 month long IF journey.)

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.): I have two little girls, 9 and 3. They are a dream. But they too know that our family doesn't feel complete and bring up another sibling even though they don't know we're TTC. I love hiking, gardening, the beach, knitting (I know there are many knitters here!). I work as a construction manager and often find myself covered in odd bruises and drywall dust. But it's fun, I promise. 

Each TTC journey has been so different for me. Everything that I thought I had learned about my body from my previous infertility seems to have changed. I was a 28 day cycle, ovulate on day 14 kinda girl. Now my OPKs are telling me that I am ovulating as early as day 9 and my BBT is all over the place and just nonsense. I am so nervous to see what lies ahead for me with IF as I have struggling silently by myself in the past. 

Also, my husband is in grad school and is so overwhelmed. We haven't told anyone we are TTC and it's been very lonely (again!) feeling so strongly about something that I don't feel comfortable opening up about. 

kiki047

@misskdreams hope your stay here is short, but really happy you've decided to join in after all these years of lurking. You're so right that TTGP is such a special group of ladies. I've been here since May 2018 and have made some truly wonderful friendships in the process. Feel free to join in the GTKYs and you may find that the TFAS thread is a safe place where you can talk about your existing children. 

flinstone-2

Hello.. 
I'm not necessarily new. *** TW I used TTGP with my first and second pregnancies. We lost our second pregnancy at just over 14 weeks, so I'm back here while we wait for my cycle to come back and hopefully regulate. END TW***

Ages (you and SO): 29, 35

How many months have you been TTC?: Since March of 2018, ***TW except pregnancy between August and mid October 0f 2019 END TW**

What are you doing to get knocked up (WAYDTGKU)?: Nothing right now, just waiting for my cycle to come after my D&E

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.):***TW I'm a SAHM to a 2 year old son. I was so so excited to bring him home his baby brother in April, but the universe had other plans and we are back here.End TW**** I'm just trying to keep my head up and not let the age gap that my hopefully 2 kids will inevitably have get me too far down. As far as hobbies, I enjoy being outside, exercising, cooking and recently Downton Abbey  

bows22

No no no @flinstone-2 I’m so so sorry❤️❤️

flinstone-2

@bows22 thanks friend 

gingermama29

@flinstone-2 oh no! So sorry for your loss. 

keikilove

@flinstone-2 Im so sorry you’re back here with us. I’m so sorry for your late loss.💔 Of course we welcome you back with open arms. Hugs to you!

kpearse99

Oh my god, @flinstone-2 I am so deeply sorry you have found your way back here. My heart breaks for you, friend, but we are ALL here to support you. Sending you so much love and hugs.

kiki047

Oh @flinstone-2 I'm so sorry for your loss.

tyrion_

Oh no, @flinstone-2, I am so sorry to see this update and that you’re back here. 

bluetickgal

@flinstone-2 so sorry for your loss! 💜

flinstone-2

gingermama29 @bluetickgal @tyrion_ @kiki047 @kpearse99 @keikilove thank you all and thank you for the support

mercury94

*lurking* 

@flinstone-2 I’m so sorry. I’ve been missing you and afraid of something like this. Take care of yourself. Sending hugs and prayers. 

ashley35209

Hi everyone. I'm back trying for baby #3. 
Ages (you and SO): I'm 31, husband is 34

How many months have you been TTC?: 4

What are you doing to get knocked up (WAYDTGKU)?: OPK, temping, charting.

Tell us about yourself!
We have 2 kiddos (DD 7yrs, DS 4yrs). I'm a medical review nurse and I work from home. We decide about 8 months ago to try for baby #3 when I was diagnosed with Grave's disease with a multi nodular thyroid. I had a total thyroidectomy in July and we've been TTC with no luck. My cycles are wonky, my temps are erratic, and my body doesnt seem to know what to do. With our previous 2, we were fortunate enough that it only took 1 or 2 months to conceive. So, my husband is becoming very discouraged that we are having trouble this time around. I'm starting to feel that maybe we should be happy with what we have and stop trying. I may only be joining you all for a month or two before calling it quits. But I love hearing everyone's stories and learning from others. Especially others in similar situations to my own. 

charmedlifex3

= Whatsbumpingpumkin

Felt like a change. 

5unflowr22

Ages (you and SO): 40, 42

How many months have you been TTC?: 12

What are you doing to get knocked up (WAYDTGKU)?: OPKs and paying attention to my body's signs... watching caffeine intake... H and I both staying hydrated and exercising...charting only sometimes to verify O still happening every few months...choosing not to temp every month because temp will be in 99's right before AF comes and this sets us up for doubts and disappointment...********TW we conceived three times this year that we know of, back-to-back (to back) early losses. Our hearts broke each time the lines on the very positive tests faded away...My regular midwives said that I shouldn't do anything differently because their practice considered them to not be "real pregnancies". My feeling was that embryos make hcg, not women. So, I was very unaccepting of that response and I consulted my endocrinologist and she did full panel. Everything came back normal. She said that even in context of normal functioning thyroid, because of my subclinical thyroid history it was possibly the culprit of multiple early m/c and put me on a dose of some thyroid medicine. After 6 months of that, and no results, we decided to take a break from it for now...not sure what to do anymore...we both had immediate successes in the past so while we know it can be normal to take this much time and longer, it is new territory for us. At this point we are trying to have faith that what is meant to be will be...************end TW. I'm here to be a part of a supportive community, where I can be with others in a similar, hopeful, or trying to be hopeful, place. We are doing what we can to stay hopeful.

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.): Newly remarried to the long time love of my life. We each have two kids in school, all close in age. We are also foster parents, have a large energetic puppy and a pathetic, adorable cat. We feel complete in each other, having reunited and followed our paths to each other, and whole in our family, but there is so much about raising a child, and everything that goes into it, that we can't help imagine how fulfilling a journey it would be together.

ramzlau

@ashley35029Welcome! Going through a Graves diagnosis and a thyroidectomy sounds like a lot! I hope your stay here in TTGP is short because you find yourself KU! I am curious if you have spoken with your obgyn or a reproductive endocrinologist regarding your plans of pregnancy. I have nodules on my thyroid and have been diagnosed with elevated TSH levels, and that has affected my ability to get pregnant in the past. With your mention of wonky cycles, it makes me curious if they would have a game plan for you to help with this process. Best of luck! Look forward to getting to know you! 

@Sunflowr22 Hey! Welcome! *TW so sorry about all your losses TW* You mentioned talking with your endocrinologist, have you considered working with a reproductive endo? And on another note, what kind of puppy do you have? 

flinstone-2

misskdreams wow it sounds like you have been through quite a journey. TW ** I started my anxiety medication ASAP after our loss a few weeks ago and plan to ask my OB about TTC on it today at my appointment. In the past I've always weaned off, but right now I kinda need it... End TW**

@mercury94 thanks. Yes, not a great story and ended up back here. I did see your news and I'm super excited for your family! See you in Disney in a couple weeks

mercury94

@flinstone-2 I bet we will walk right past each other or do the same ride at the same time and not even know it. 

tyrion_

I partially live at Disney and always wonder if/where any of the TB ladies are there when I am 😂 @mercury @flinstone-2

I’ll be there today! 

capnjackharkness

@tyrion_ We're going in December and I'm excited to see it all lit up for Christmas!  I LOVE Disney. WEnt for the Food and Wine Festival the last few years. 

tyrion_

@capnjackharkness The Christmas decorations are the best! I just love it this time of year! 

ashley35209

Thanks! My last lab check in September was all normal. Hopefully I start to "normalize" soon. 

5unflowr22

@ramzlau thank you. I read from last week's intro that you have had sadness recently as well. I'm so sorry. To answer your question, while I haven't gone that route yet, the endo I am followed by did do a panel of reproductive hormone tests as well as thyroid and all was fine. Is there anything a reproductive endo would look for that she may have missed?

ramzlau

@Sunflowr22 I am not sure, but my RE just mentioned that it isn’t just the TSH levels that she is concerned about but also the antibodies of the thyroid? Not sure I completely understand the difference, but thyroid apparently can have a lot to do with quality of egg. So was more just curious if an RE and endo would have a different take. GL! 

5unflowr22

@ramzlau yes you are completely correct! The one that jumped into mind immediately was "peroxidase". I had antibodies in the past but don't have them now. That's where she is in unknown territory and explaining things as best she can. Thanks!

queenie_t

Ages (you and SO): I'm 27, and DH is 30. 

How many months have you been TTC?: 9 months

What are you doing to get knocked up (WAYDTGKU)?: OPK, appt with RE next month (DH had his appt last month), prayer, and joining communities like this to keep the stress levels down!

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.): I'm in the legal field. I love my clients and the work I do each day. My favorite hobby is to read. I just started getting into the mystery/thriller book genre. I'll take any book suggestions if you have any.    Although I'm not the best, I dance every second I can (usually in the house alone lol). 

gladmamma

Hi everyone!! I hope it's okay that I'm introducing myself here instead of waiting for this week's newbie intro to open up I'm eager to say hello! 

Ages (you and SO): we are both 34

How many months have you been TTC?: we're in our 5th month

What are you doing to get knocked up (WAYDTGKU)?: OPK, appointment with RE on 11/22

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.): I work for a hemp farming company in Southern California. In my free time I love to write, cook, hike, go to the beach with my pup, watch movies and tv, and go to dance based work out classes. DH and I have the cutest little labradoodle. She's 7 months old and I'm completely obsessed with her. I'm excited to get to know all of you!