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Newbie Intros w/o 3.14

anniemarie887anniemarie887 member
in Trying to Get Pregnant
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). 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.)
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Re: Newbie Intros w/o 3.14

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  • anniemarie887anniemarie887 member
    @portentosa hi there! ok tell me more about these pets... obvs the cats are animals to pet and roam the house... but the others... i want more deets please! 
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  • acleverusernameacleverusername member
    @portentosa +1 on @anniemarie887's comment. 
    Yours is the most educational intro post I've ever seen on here. I think. Please expound!

    TTC History
    TTC#2
    Me: 41; MH: 40 | Met 02/2009 | Started Dating 08/2017 | Married 02/02/2020
    Mar 2024 | consult to get established with a new reproductive immunologist (Alan Beer Center)
    Apr/May 2024 | required testing & waiting for a protocol
    May 2024 | protocol given / decided to go back to my old reproductive immunologist, Dr. Jubiz
    Jun / Jul 2024 | more testing, incl. SIS, ultrasound, and endometrial biopsy
    Jul 2024 | Dx chronic endometritis; 14 days of 100mg of doxy given
    Sep 2024 | Repeat endometrial biopsy; still + for chronic endometritis. 2 more antibiotics + an antiviral
    Oct 2024 | Hysteroscopy turned polypectomy; endometriosis consult w/ specialist who confirmed high likelihood of endo based on symptoms and ultrasound; lots of blood tests ordered
    Mar 2025 | Endo excision surgery. Stage 3 endo found! Recoveing
    Apr 2025 | Planning transfer w/ RE & green light protocol w/ RI; target transfer July or August 2025
    May 2025 | Surprise BFP! EDD 1/11/2026


    TTC #1
    Me: 36, MH: 34 | Met 02/2009 | Started Dating 08/2017 | Married 02/02/2020
    TTC #1 02/2020 - 07/2022
    2009 | Dx PCOS; likely a misdiagnosis
    07/14/20 | Dx Hashimoto's Thyroditis
    07/21/20 | 1st RE appointment
    07/2120 - 08/20/20 | so much testing; no signs of PCOS
    08/20/20 | Dx Unexplained; AMA
    09/08/20 | IUI #1 Clomid + Trigger + Prometrium | BFN
    09/30/20 | Urology consult; more testing required
    10/2020 | Clomid + OPK + TI + Prometrium | BFN
    10/26/2020 | Starting 2nd IUI cycle, with Letrazole and with a new RE / different clinic
    11/03/2020 | New Dx "poor egg quality"; IUI cancelled in favor of Trigger + TI + Prometrium | BFN
    11/26/2020 | Combo IUI (Clomid + Menopur) + Trigger + Prometrium | BFN
    12/20/2020 | Combo IUI (Clomid + Gonal-F) + Trigger | IUI Cancelled due to thin lining; TI only | BFN
    01/14/2021 | Combo IUI (Letrazole + Menopur) + Trigger | BFN
    02/06/2021 | Switched to a new RE (TEW) ; trying naturally until we complete additional testing 
    03/14/2021 | Hybrid Double IUI, with Zymot (Letrazole, Gonal-F) + Trigger + Endometrin | Ovulated 4 mature eggs but still a BFN ☹️
    04/07/2021 | Natural cycle while we regroup | BFN
    04/09/2021 | Employer announces fertility benefits starting 05/01/2021! | Search for a new doctor who accepts insurance
    05/10/2021 | New RE consult & plan for IVF
    05/13/2021 | Mid-luteal IVF cycle #1 interrupted; had to get cancer genetic screening done to make sure I didn't have the same SDHA gene mutation as MH. 
    06/10/2021 | Aygestin priming IVF cycle #1; opted to Cx after 9 days of stims since only 5-6/12 follicles responded
    07/26/2021 | Attempt #2 at IVF cycle #1 (mid-luteal start): 8 retrieved, 8 MII, 6 fert (1 PN3), 3 Day 5 & 6 blasts: 3AA, 3AA, 6AB; 3 euploid
    08/09/2021 | Rest cycle / unmedicated TTC | Shockingly, a BFP! EDD: 5/25/202 | CP at 4w4d
    09/23/2021 | IVF cycle #2 (mid-luteal start): 14 retrieved, 13 MII, 11 fert, 5 Day 5 & 6 blasts: 2 x 3AA, 2 x 3AB, 3BB; 2 euploid
    11/12/2021 | IVF cycle #3 (mid-luteal start): cancelled due to ovaries being on vacation
    12/20/2021 | Rest cycle / unmedicated TTC + Pregmune Immunology Testing; BFN
    01/22/2022 | Rest cycle / unmedicated TTC + understanding uncovered immunological issues; BFN
    02/18/2022 | Mock transfer cycle! ERA, ReceptivaDx, EMMA/ALICE; start Prednisone to address NK activity
    03/16/2022 | Final, "Hail Mary" super-ovulation + TI cycle before FET; BFP! EDD: 12/21/2022 | MMC 05/08/2022
    05/20/2022 | D&C; recovering... 
    06/21/2022 | Trying naturally until October 2022
    07/21/2022 | BFP! EDD 04/02/2023; 👦🏼 born on 4/5/2023


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  • portentosaportentosa member
    @anniemarie887 and @acleverusername

    Hello! Short explanation? I'm a bug nerd. 😅

    When I was a freshman in college I volunteered at my local zoo and got fascinated by the exotic invertebrates in the bug house (honey pot ants, stick insects, etc). I started keeping some pet species... I've had a scorpion, a millipede, and a couple different species of tarantulas. I had no inverts for several years and then decided I wanted some again, but that I wanted a species that my then 2 and 4 year olds would be able to interact with. Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are large enough for small hands to handle and they are completely harmless...the hiss they make is a scare tactic only. 

    I started with 3 males and 3 females 5 years ago and now have a colony in a 15 gallon tank. It is a pretty tank.... looks like a terrarium with dirt, plants, wood, moss, and leaf litter. I feed the hissers food scraps, their favorite is bell pepper, so they are great as a small compost center. And composting is why I added the smaller bugs... I have powder orange woodlice (rolly pollies), zebra woodlice, and pink springtails in the tank. They help keep it all cleaner and are a fun way to have more bugs. 
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  • anniemarie887anniemarie887 member
    @portentosa ok this is too cool!!! 
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  • portentosaportentosa member
    Thank you. 😊
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  • optimistgardeneroptimistgardener member
    @portentosa welcome (back) to TTGP! Like @anniemarie887 and @acleverusername, I am well and truly fascinated by your intro. Speaking as a gardener who loves compost I gotta ask: how much compost does your little bug world produce? I assume the quantities are limited, but maybe you've got some lucky houseplants that benefit...
    History
    I am doing this on my own. Left ovary and fallopian tube removed due to cyst/necrosis just after birth. Right ovary and tube still purport to function.
    Began TTC in Aug '18 @ age 35
    5 or 6 (or 7?!) cycles using frozen donor sperm, ICI. All BFN
    Mar-Jun '19 IUIs, all BFN
    Began process of referral for RE in spring of '19, blood tests confirm low AMH (.54) but all else is good.
    May '19 HSG shows open tube, but ultrasound suggests fibroids
    MRI in June '19 confirms two large fibroids, one growing through wall of uterus
    In June '19 I move from California to Oregon, disrupting my insurance, referrals, etc. 5 months spent piecing it all back together.
    Nov. '19 attempted myomectomy (vaginal approach) failed. 2nd surgery using laparoscopic method in Jan '20 is successful.
    April '20 --> June '20, natural IUIs, all BFN.
    July? saline ultrasound and bubble test demonstrate open tube
    July '20 clomid cycle cancelled for thin lining
    Aug-Oct, 3 femara cycles, all BFN
    RE referral. While waiting to set up an appointment Nov-Jan,I continue with natural cycles and ICI, using a known donor, BFN...
    Jan '21 more bloodwork, AMH is worse (.30), FSH high albeit not catastrophic at 13.2. hysteroscopy all good. "looks cozy!" says the RE.
    Feb '21, injectables (menopur, novarel), iui, BFN (doc said the frozen donor sperm sample had the "best numbers she'd ever seen!")
    Mar '21, injectables, iui cancelled due to lack of follicles, converted to at home-insem. BFN
    May '21, first IVF round cancelled due to cyst.
    July '21 IVF: standard antagonist. 225menupur/225gonal-f/cetrotide/5000u trigger, AFC 7; 6 days of stims. 8 eggs retrieved, 7 mature, 5 fertilize, 4 made it to blast. 3 are 4AB, 1 is 4BB. PGT-A results all abnormal.
    Oct '21 somewhat improved AMH (.51) and significantly improved FSH (8.9). Maybe it's all the pills I swallow.
    Dec -21, standard antagonist. 225menupur/225gonal-f/cetrotide/5000u trigger, AFC 5; 11 days of stims. retrieval yields 5, 4M, 2 reach day-6 blast (4AB & 4BB). 1 low-level mosaic (chr. 3 deletion), 1 complex abnormal.
    Feb '22 FET (low-level mosaic): CP.
    May '22 egg retrieval, lupron flare protocol. HGH priming for 1 month before stims; md lupron 20/20u daily; menopur 225, follistim 225, 10k trigger after 8 days of stims; AFC 10; 13 retrieved; 10 mature; 8 fertilized. All frozen at 2PN for later thaw, grow, and biopsy.
    July '22 egg retrieval same protocol: 9 days of stims; AFC 8; 10 retrieved, 8 mature, 4 fertilized and frozen.
    Sept '22 ER same protocol: AFC 10; 12 retrieved, 11 mature, 11 fertilized.
    From the 3 retrievals, 7 survived to day 5-6 blastocyst, from which I have 2 normal embryos!
    Jan 20, Fully medicated FET, baby aspirin, dexamethasone, acupuncture, and as much woo as I can stand (which isn't very much). BFN.
    July 23, Natural FET + baby aspirin. BFN.
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  • anniemarie887anniemarie887 member
    @portentosa ok I did some googling, I have def seen the hissing cockroach (I think the Maryland zoo has them actually) and the zebra woodlice. The other ones are absolutely new to me. Do you know how many you have? Is it possible to keep track?
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  • portentosaportentosa member
    edited March 2022
    @optimistgardener Oh, it's nowhere near the level of composting a garden would need. I had just the hissers for 4 years and would have to completely replace the dirt in the tank twice a year to keep things clean. Their droppings are excellent food for plants and would be great for a garden. I added the smaller bugs almost a year ago and they now help by eating the food scraps but also eating the droppings from the roaches so everything is staying really clean. I'm sure when I do a soil change what's in there will be amazing for plants. I'll see if my husband wants to give my bug compost a try in our houseplants...he's the one with the green thumb in our family. I don't know why I've never thought to do that, thanks for the idea!

    @anniemarie887 I purchased 10 each of the zebras and orange powders. The zebras are as big as typical rolly pollies so I see them every now and then. The oranges are tiny, I put them in the tank and never saw them again. The springtails came to me in a '8oz colony' and are the size of fleas. I just emptied the entire dish of substrate into my tank and have no idea how many I have. The lot of the tiny bugs are doing great work though!
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  • caseys02caseys02 member
    @portentosa Welcome and your info is super cool and interesting!!!! 
    Me: 38 BF: 35
    TTC Journey
    TTC since 1/2020
    AMA and poor sperm motility/count/morp
    5% chance of IUI success
    10/26/2021 - MC#1

    Zoey Catherine
    10/17/2012 - 7/4/2018
    She fought DIPG (brain cancer) for 2 years
    #LETTHELIGHTSHINE
    http://zoeyslight.org/
    https://www.instagram.com/casey_steinv2.0/

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  • thankfullyamamathankfullyamama member
    edited March 2022
    @portentosa welcome!!! I went to a bug lab yesterday and totally thought of you while seeing the hissing cockroaches lol I can’t believe you have them as house pets that’s so cool!
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  • portentosaportentosa member
    @tryingktogku 😄 happy to already be making an impression. A bug lab sounds so cool!
    Report Reply
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