Me: 34 DH: 36 | Together since 2007 | Married July 2016
TTC #1 since 7.2017
Dx: low morph (1%), ANA positive, low decidualization score, high TSH and testosterone, histone antibodies
IUI #1-3 | all BFN
IVF #1 | 6.11.19 | 24R, 17M, 15F, 6B, PGT-A tested - 5 normal, 3 girls & 2 boys
FET #1 | 9.10.19 | BFN "I know you, but we've never met. I'm with you, but I don't know your name"
RPL, Receptiva, & ERA testing | all normal/negative, recommended going on gluten and dairy free diet for next FET
FET #2 | 3.31.20 | Opted to cancelled due to pandemic, continued diet and tried naturally over the summer
2nd Opinion with another RE | 8.20.20 | Not immune to measles (received 1 dose); SA results similar to 2 years ago; decided to move forward with FET #2 redo at start of next cycle
Surprise natural BFP! | 9.22.20 | MC 10.23.20 at 8 weeks
TTCAL naturally | starting 11.22.20
Initial consultation with Reproductive Immunologist | 9.14.21
Decidualization score biopsy | 10.1.21 | abnormal - low score of 1; endometrial scratch recommended and progesterone supplementation
Saline sono | 10.15.21 | normal
Bloodwork | 10.21.21 | high TSH, high testosterone, positive for anti-nuclear antibodies and histone antibodies, high protein S, multiple genetic mutations
BFP! | 11.3.21 | EDD 7.14.22 | biopsy provided same effect as endometrial scratch; added supplemental progesterone and estrogen, prednisone, levothyroxine, and MTX Support to maintain pregnancy
DS born 7.19.22 after induction
TTC #2 begins 6.2023
Consultation with RI | 6.6.23
Saline sono, endometritis biopsy, skin & eye check | all normal
Labs | high TSH, Factor XIII mutation, high %CD56
Follow up | 8.8.23 | prescribed metformin, prednisone, plaquenil, and levothyroxine
Repeat labs after 3 weeks on meds
Follow up | 11.9.23 | Green light!, increase in prednisone, added lovenox
Repeat labs in 8 weeks
Follow up | 1.16.24 | Green light continues
TTC put on pause
TTC #1 since 7.2017
Dx: low morph (1%), ANA positive, low decidualization score, high TSH and testosterone, histone antibodies
IUI #1-3 | all BFN
IVF #1 | 6.11.19 | 24R, 17M, 15F, 6B, PGT-A tested - 5 normal, 3 girls & 2 boys
FET #1 | 9.10.19 | BFN "I know you, but we've never met. I'm with you, but I don't know your name"
RPL, Receptiva, & ERA testing | all normal/negative, recommended going on gluten and dairy free diet for next FET
FET #2 | 3.31.20 | Opted to cancelled due to pandemic, continued diet and tried naturally over the summer
2nd Opinion with another RE | 8.20.20 | Not immune to measles (received 1 dose); SA results similar to 2 years ago; decided to move forward with FET #2 redo at start of next cycle
Surprise natural BFP! | 9.22.20 | MC 10.23.20 at 8 weeks
TTCAL naturally | starting 11.22.20
Initial consultation with Reproductive Immunologist | 9.14.21
Decidualization score biopsy | 10.1.21 | abnormal - low score of 1; endometrial scratch recommended and progesterone supplementation
Saline sono | 10.15.21 | normal
Bloodwork | 10.21.21 | high TSH, high testosterone, positive for anti-nuclear antibodies and histone antibodies, high protein S, multiple genetic mutations
BFP! | 11.3.21 | EDD 7.14.22 | biopsy provided same effect as endometrial scratch; added supplemental progesterone and estrogen, prednisone, levothyroxine, and MTX Support to maintain pregnancy
DS born 7.19.22 after induction
TTC #2 begins 6.2023
Consultation with RI | 6.6.23
Saline sono, endometritis biopsy, skin & eye check | all normal
Labs | high TSH, Factor XIII mutation, high %CD56
Follow up | 8.8.23 | prescribed metformin, prednisone, plaquenil, and levothyroxine
Repeat labs after 3 weeks on meds
Follow up | 11.9.23 | Green light!, increase in prednisone, added lovenox
Repeat labs in 8 weeks
Follow up | 1.16.24 | Green light continues
TTC put on pause
Re: PGAIF Check-In 11/17
EDD/How far along are you: I'm 7w5d today, EDD is July 1st. I'm pretty sure I found out the day my egg was fertilized at like 9 DPO/my birthday and clung onto that faint line for dear life.
FTM/STM/STM+: STM, I have a 6yo daughter who was also conceived on fertility medication due to my lack of ovulation. 3 rounds of Clomid and found out I was pregnant with her on the day of my IF appointment.
What did it take to get here: 1 miscarriage/ectopic, 2.5 years of trying naturally and finally 1 round of Provera to stimulate my period followed by Letrozole in September.
Questions/Comments/Thoughts: All IF journeys is so different, from the extremes to the not so extreme. Regardless, all Infertility always feels extreme. It was so hard hearing friends decide to have a baby, try once or twice, and get pregnant. Or those who've never had a miscarriage after 5 children. I always felt like my body wasn't reliable, but I'm "totally healthy" otherwise. For a bit, I hoped it was my husband who had the issue, but when his sperm came back strong and efficient, it stung that it's my lack of ovulating that's kept us from growing our family for so long. Both of my babies are painfully wanted. We dream everyday of having two kids, but I'm paranoid every single minute of having another miscarriage. I'm more afraid of everything this time around, and I'm not sure how to process it all.
IF Diagnosis: up until recently it was unexplained with low morphology, recent tests show my actual diagnosis is immune system issues preventing implantation - and possibly keeping pregnancies but we don't know yet
EDD/How far along are you: July 14 / 5w6d today
FTM/STM/STM+: FTM
What did it take to get here: oh so much. We did it all. IUIs, IVF with a FET. PGT testing of the embryos. I had a hysteroscopy and polypectomy done after an abnormal saline sono. Did a lining biopsy after the failed FET. At that point everything was normal so my REs recommendation was just to go gluten and dairy free for 3 months before another FET. Covid happened so we paused. A 2nd opinion told me I wasn't immune to measles so I got the MMR vaccine and ended up pregnant that cycle. *tw* ended in MC *end tw* and only this year did I look into the immune system problems. The 2nd biopsy I did in a way counts as an endometrial scratch and we got pregnant again. It's taken nearly 4.5 years to get here.
Questions/Comments/Thoughts: I also struggled a lot with everyone else around me getting pregnant. How unfair it is that they don't have to pay ridiculous amounts of money just to conceive! And knowing my body attacks the embryo it's really hard to be excited and we're really struggling with when will be the right time to tell friends and family. This is a question for STMs.... how long did it take you before you knew you were on the path to a THB? I know this is kind of a PGAL question too. But I imagine it's similar to not truly believe you're pregnant after years and years of never seeing a 2nd line on an HPT.
TTC #1 since 7.2017
Dx: low morph (1%), ANA positive, low decidualization score, high TSH and testosterone, histone antibodies
IUI #1-3 | all BFN
IVF #1 | 6.11.19 | 24R, 17M, 15F, 6B, PGT-A tested - 5 normal, 3 girls & 2 boys
FET #1 | 9.10.19 | BFN "I know you, but we've never met. I'm with you, but I don't know your name"
RPL, Receptiva, & ERA testing | all normal/negative, recommended going on gluten and dairy free diet for next FET
FET #2 | 3.31.20 | Opted to cancelled due to pandemic, continued diet and tried naturally over the summer
2nd Opinion with another RE | 8.20.20 | Not immune to measles (received 1 dose); SA results similar to 2 years ago; decided to move forward with FET #2 redo at start of next cycle
Surprise natural BFP! | 9.22.20 | MC 10.23.20 at 8 weeks
TTCAL naturally | starting 11.22.20
Initial consultation with Reproductive Immunologist | 9.14.21
Decidualization score biopsy | 10.1.21 | abnormal - low score of 1; endometrial scratch recommended and progesterone supplementation
Saline sono | 10.15.21 | normal
Bloodwork | 10.21.21 | high TSH, high testosterone, positive for anti-nuclear antibodies and histone antibodies, high protein S, multiple genetic mutations
BFP! | 11.3.21 | EDD 7.14.22 | biopsy provided same effect as endometrial scratch; added supplemental progesterone and estrogen, prednisone, levothyroxine, and MTX Support to maintain pregnancy
DS born 7.19.22 after induction
TTC #2 begins 6.2023
Consultation with RI | 6.6.23
Saline sono, endometritis biopsy, skin & eye check | all normal
Labs | high TSH, Factor XIII mutation, high %CD56
Follow up | 8.8.23 | prescribed metformin, prednisone, plaquenil, and levothyroxine
Repeat labs after 3 weeks on meds
Follow up | 11.9.23 | Green light!, increase in prednisone, added lovenox
Repeat labs in 8 weeks
Follow up | 1.16.24 | Green light continues
TTC put on pause
@elmann1 I’m so sorry your doctor put you through that. There’s no reason he shouldn’t have prescribed you meds sooner. That’s just BS if you ask me. I’m right there with you with feeling anxious and afraid of everything this time around. I’m trying to hard just to take one day at a time.
@inthewoods23 Girl. I am so happy to be sharing a BMB with you! You have no idea! I remember when we first interreacted with each other back in 2018, doing our first IUIs. I’m hoping so hard that this is your THB. As for your question. Last time, it took a really long time to believe that this was real. I don’t think I had a sigh of relief until we were out of the first trimester. After the NT scan. And after the NIPT. That’s when I started to feel a little bit more comfortable with the idea. But I really didn’t fully relax until the 20 week anatomy scan and I started feeling kicks. But honestly, as a mother, you’ll never stop worrying about your LOs.
IF Diagnosis: Unexplained
EDD/How far along are you: 3w5d, whelp, that just made me feel crazy for even posting here lol. It’s still super early but for some reason, I’m feeling confident. Which is unlike me.
FTM/STM/STM+: STM, DS is 2yo. It took nearly 2 years and 4 medicated cycles to conceive him.
What did it take to get here: We have been trying for just about a year now. We jumped right back to treatment since we knew we had trouble conceiving the first time. We did a couple cycles of letrozole and TI. Then the month off, in-between TI and the start of our first IUI, we fell naturally pregnant. I was testing like I normally do but didn’t see much line progression from day to day. **TW Betas confirmed what I was seeing in the tests, the numbers weren’t rising appropriately. We miscarried at 5w4d TW** We took the next 3 months off to try naturally, since you have an increased chance of conceiving after a MC. But we didn’t see anything. So back to IUIs we went. One right after the other. This was IUI#4. Our clinic has been such a pain to work with. I swore them off after this cycle. And we were likely going to be done with treatment for a good long while too. I’m still in a bit of shock that it worked!
Questions/Comments/Thoughts: I’m trying so hard to wait it out for my betas on Friday. Part of me wants to call and reschedule it for tomorrow morning. In fact, I almost drove to the clinic this morning to ask them to run it right then and there. But then I realized that that would make me a crazy person lol. The other part of me just wants to stay blissfully in this happy moment. Gah. I don’t have any more tests either, which is probably a good thing. Because I would be going crazy over analyzing them.
Married: 8/2015
TTC #1: 4/2017
Testing: HSG, U/S, BW, and DH's SA all normal
DX: Unexplained
8/2018: Clomid + TI = BFN
9/2018: Clomid + TI + Progesterone = BFN
11/2018: Clomid + IUI + Progesterone = BFN
12/2018: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone \\ Cancelled due to cyst
1/2019: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFP! \\ EDD Sept 30th, 2019
10/7/2019: Healthy baby boy!
TTC #2: 12/2020
2/2021: Letrozole + TI = BFN
3/2021: Letrozole + TI = BFN
4/2021: Surprise! Natural BFP! \\ EDD Jan 6th, 2022 \\ Chemical, betas not rising
8/2021: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFN
9/2021: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFN
10/2021: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFN
11/2021: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFP! \\ EDD July 29th, 2022
IF Diagnosis: primarily MFI (OAT) + ovulatory dysfunction.
EDD/How far along are you: 7/15 - 5w5d
FTM/STM/STM+: STM
What did it take to get here: this time around, an FET, but that's after we put in all the work on the front end. It took us almost 3 yrs to conceive DS. With visits with a variety of health professionals before we were told that IVF w/ ICSI was pretty much our only shot.
Questions/Comments/Thoughts: Ugh. Just wondering why this process has to suck so much for so long. Like, I feel like after everything we do to get here, once we're here we should get a pass. Unfortunately, that's not the case for so, so many women who go through IF.
Spoiler for more of my own personal pity party and potential TW
@zwink1
edit to add spoiler
Married: 8/2015
TTC #1: 4/2017
Testing: HSG, U/S, BW, and DH's SA all normal
DX: Unexplained
8/2018: Clomid + TI = BFN
9/2018: Clomid + TI + Progesterone = BFN
11/2018: Clomid + IUI + Progesterone = BFN
12/2018: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone \\ Cancelled due to cyst
1/2019: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFP! \\ EDD Sept 30th, 2019
10/7/2019: Healthy baby boy!
TTC #2: 12/2020
2/2021: Letrozole + TI = BFN
3/2021: Letrozole + TI = BFN
4/2021: Surprise! Natural BFP! \\ EDD Jan 6th, 2022 \\ Chemical, betas not rising
8/2021: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFN
9/2021: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFN
10/2021: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFN
11/2021: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFP! \\ EDD July 29th, 2022
@inthewoods23, to your question, I don't think I really felt secure in a THB until after the anatomy scan, and even then I was still on pretty high alert worried something would go wrong - which only amplified when he started wiggling around in there and I got nervous when he went quiet for too long. I feel like IF by default gives you an overly anxious response to pregnancy because you're so used to everything going wrong you keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.
@zwink1 I'm sorry about the bleeding-- and I don't think you are "idiotic" for being optimistic. You got a really promising beta, and it's reasonable to assume you are, in fact, pregnant. Bleeding can be really normal, and it's also possible that bleeding + high beta might mean a vanishing twin? My memory is that you only transferred one, but they can split. Either way-- I think the first tri is almost always a roller coaster. (I describe it as "alternative waves of nausea and anxiety")
BFP 11/30/2017 | MMC 12/31/2017
BFP 6/22/2018 | CP 6/27/2018
BFP 10/5/2018 | EDD 6/14/2019
Baby girl born 6/19/19
TTC #2 May 2020-November 2021
BFP 7/18/2020 | MonoDi Twins | MMC 9/10/2020
BFP 11/7/2020 | CP 11/9/2020
RE Consult January 2021 | Dx "borderline DOR"/RPL
IVF with PGT:
Standard Antagonist:
ER #1 3/27/2021 7R | 5M | 3F | 2B | 1 PGT-A Normal, 1 low-level mosaic
ER #2 4/22/2021 10R | 7M | 3F | 2B | 0 normal, 2 aneuploid
ER #3 5/19/2021 2R | 1M | 0F
Estrogen Priming Antagonist:
ER #4 7/10/2021 5R | 4M | 3F | 1B | 1 PGT-A Normal
Duostim (Standard Antagonist):
ER #5 9/22/2021 13R | 11M | 8F | 5B | 2 PGT-A Normal, 1 low-level mosaic, 2 aneuploid
ER #6 10/9/2021 9R | 6M | 4 F | 1B | 1 aneuploid
FET #1 11/5/2021 | EDD 7/24/2022
Baby boy born 7/19/22
TTC #3 since May 2023 (ntnp)
IVF Started Fall 2023 (Standard Antagonist)
ER #7 10/6/2023 | 9R | 6M | 5F | 3B | 2 aneuploid, 1 high-level mosaic
ER #8 10/31/2023 | 5R | 4M | 3F | 1B | 1 PGT-A Normal
FET #2 11/27/23 | CP (bHCG = 8)
FET #3 planned Jan 2024
Beta from last night came back without cause for concern, so we're sticking with the plan of checking it again Fri to see where it goes.
EDD/How far along are you: 7 weeks tomorrow
FTM/STM/STM+: STM
What did it take to get here: See below but short story is donor eggs. This morning at the Dr office, DH goes "wow you have a thick file!" Um yes. Its been a long road. Luckily like @zwink1 says the hard part was earlier so this round was only FET.
Questions/Comments/Thoughts: Like @LJMoon6 says I think the hardest part of IF is how analytical we become about all the numbers and each step of the process. I freaked out after my second blood draw because the nurse said something about the number being a LITTLE high. He said nothing to concerned about but of course I googled all the things and worried another three days until my next appt. I wish I could just sit back and enjoy complaining about the symptoms instead of having to be so thankful we made it this far. Its a lot of emotion.
@bumblebee0210 it becomes more and more real as you pass each milestone. The heartbeat is what I find the most reassuring.
TTC since 2017
3/18-9/18- IUI's
11/18- IVF #1
1/19- IVF #2
8/19- DE Cycle #1- 5 PGS tested normal
9/19- FET #1- SUCCESS! May 2020
10/21- FET #2- SUCCESS! July 2022
@zwink1 I definitely threw my phone across the room when I got my sister's text with my niece holding/wearing a big sister shirt. That stung so hard! But my 2nd niece is my birthday buddy who couldn't wait another freaking 24 hours to actually have the same birthday lol. I'll take a day apart though. It's fun. BTW I laugh every time you write OAT in your IF diagnoses because it reminds me of oat milk haha. I had to look it up once what it actually meant.
@cmhme what's IF without some sarcasm and humor? Blood work is the worst because you have such a sense of dread over what your numbers will be. The nurses are never helpful! My last pregnancy that *do I need to tw this in this thread?* ended in a MC *end tw* my first HCG was only 15. The stupid nurse is basically telling me it's likely a chemical but the following 2 checks it doubled as it should. Nobody apparently cared when I tried to tell them I ovulated super late that cycle so while I should have been around 100 for being 4w, I didn't ovulate until CD21, not 14.
@bumblebee0210 I think you're right about it evolving. That's probably how I will feel. When I go in for my US on Tuesday next week if there's a stronger HB and I'm actually measuring more on time I'm going to feel so much better. Especially since I should have had all that done this week but couldn't because of my covid quarantine!
TTC #1 since 7.2017
Dx: low morph (1%), ANA positive, low decidualization score, high TSH and testosterone, histone antibodies
IUI #1-3 | all BFN
IVF #1 | 6.11.19 | 24R, 17M, 15F, 6B, PGT-A tested - 5 normal, 3 girls & 2 boys
FET #1 | 9.10.19 | BFN "I know you, but we've never met. I'm with you, but I don't know your name"
RPL, Receptiva, & ERA testing | all normal/negative, recommended going on gluten and dairy free diet for next FET
FET #2 | 3.31.20 | Opted to cancelled due to pandemic, continued diet and tried naturally over the summer
2nd Opinion with another RE | 8.20.20 | Not immune to measles (received 1 dose); SA results similar to 2 years ago; decided to move forward with FET #2 redo at start of next cycle
Surprise natural BFP! | 9.22.20 | MC 10.23.20 at 8 weeks
TTCAL naturally | starting 11.22.20
Initial consultation with Reproductive Immunologist | 9.14.21
Decidualization score biopsy | 10.1.21 | abnormal - low score of 1; endometrial scratch recommended and progesterone supplementation
Saline sono | 10.15.21 | normal
Bloodwork | 10.21.21 | high TSH, high testosterone, positive for anti-nuclear antibodies and histone antibodies, high protein S, multiple genetic mutations
BFP! | 11.3.21 | EDD 7.14.22 | biopsy provided same effect as endometrial scratch; added supplemental progesterone and estrogen, prednisone, levothyroxine, and MTX Support to maintain pregnancy
DS born 7.19.22 after induction
TTC #2 begins 6.2023
Consultation with RI | 6.6.23
Saline sono, endometritis biopsy, skin & eye check | all normal
Labs | high TSH, Factor XIII mutation, high %CD56
Follow up | 8.8.23 | prescribed metformin, prednisone, plaquenil, and levothyroxine
Repeat labs after 3 weeks on meds
Follow up | 11.9.23 | Green light!, increase in prednisone, added lovenox
Repeat labs in 8 weeks
Follow up | 1.16.24 | Green light continues
TTC put on pause
@zwink1 I’m glad your beta looks good and the spotting has slowed down (stopped?). I need to take a lesson from my own advice to you because now I’m spotting and freaking out. Why can’t this be easy!?
@cmhme I’m sorry that what the nurse said made you go down a rabbit hole. I swear if it’s not one thing to worry about it’s another. I’m glad the third beta came back just fine.
@inthewoods Oh girl. I’m so sorry. I hesitated so much coming back to TTGP because of that. I think that’s probably why my participation sucked so much.
Married: 8/2015
TTC #1: 4/2017
Testing: HSG, U/S, BW, and DH's SA all normal
DX: Unexplained
8/2018: Clomid + TI = BFN
9/2018: Clomid + TI + Progesterone = BFN
11/2018: Clomid + IUI + Progesterone = BFN
12/2018: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone \\ Cancelled due to cyst
1/2019: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFP! \\ EDD Sept 30th, 2019
10/7/2019: Healthy baby boy!
TTC #2: 12/2020
2/2021: Letrozole + TI = BFN
3/2021: Letrozole + TI = BFN
4/2021: Surprise! Natural BFP! \\ EDD Jan 6th, 2022 \\ Chemical, betas not rising
8/2021: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFN
9/2021: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFN
10/2021: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFN
11/2021: Letrozole + IUI + Progesterone = BFP! \\ EDD July 29th, 2022
TTC #1 since 7.2017
Dx: low morph (1%), ANA positive, low decidualization score, high TSH and testosterone, histone antibodies
IUI #1-3 | all BFN
IVF #1 | 6.11.19 | 24R, 17M, 15F, 6B, PGT-A tested - 5 normal, 3 girls & 2 boys
FET #1 | 9.10.19 | BFN "I know you, but we've never met. I'm with you, but I don't know your name"
RPL, Receptiva, & ERA testing | all normal/negative, recommended going on gluten and dairy free diet for next FET
FET #2 | 3.31.20 | Opted to cancelled due to pandemic, continued diet and tried naturally over the summer
2nd Opinion with another RE | 8.20.20 | Not immune to measles (received 1 dose); SA results similar to 2 years ago; decided to move forward with FET #2 redo at start of next cycle
Surprise natural BFP! | 9.22.20 | MC 10.23.20 at 8 weeks
TTCAL naturally | starting 11.22.20
Initial consultation with Reproductive Immunologist | 9.14.21
Decidualization score biopsy | 10.1.21 | abnormal - low score of 1; endometrial scratch recommended and progesterone supplementation
Saline sono | 10.15.21 | normal
Bloodwork | 10.21.21 | high TSH, high testosterone, positive for anti-nuclear antibodies and histone antibodies, high protein S, multiple genetic mutations
BFP! | 11.3.21 | EDD 7.14.22 | biopsy provided same effect as endometrial scratch; added supplemental progesterone and estrogen, prednisone, levothyroxine, and MTX Support to maintain pregnancy
DS born 7.19.22 after induction
TTC #2 begins 6.2023
Consultation with RI | 6.6.23
Saline sono, endometritis biopsy, skin & eye check | all normal
Labs | high TSH, Factor XIII mutation, high %CD56
Follow up | 8.8.23 | prescribed metformin, prednisone, plaquenil, and levothyroxine
Repeat labs after 3 weeks on meds
Follow up | 11.9.23 | Green light!, increase in prednisone, added lovenox
Repeat labs in 8 weeks
Follow up | 1.16.24 | Green light continues
TTC put on pause
@cmhme, I don't think they get how much their off the cuff comments about a minor concern is going to send people dealing with IF down a rabbit hole. I mean, really, you're dealing with a population of people that are already hyper aware of their situation.
Oh no @LJMoon6, I hope it turns out to be nothing serious. I'll be sending you all of my calming thoughts since I'm definitely not doing a good job of using them myself!
AFM - The bright red stuff stopped, still a little darker spotting, but that's slowing down too and my repeat betas have been okay, so I'm hopeful the u/s on Monday will be fine.