IF Testing & Treatment w/o June 19

britters314

This is a place for those of us who have already started TTC, but have started infertility testing and/or treatments. You can express your thoughts, feelings, and frustrations on infertility. TTC can be a long journey naturally, then add in the difficulties associated with infertility, and it becomes a whole new ballgame. The road to infertility can be lonely, frustrating, and complicated, so let's make this a place where we can vent, ask questions, and support one another. Feel free to resurrect this thread at any point in the week if you have something to say. Treat this as an ongoing conversation.

Diagnosis (if you've been):

Status (TI/ICI/IUI/IVF/FET/benched):

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

How are things going?:

Any questions?:

GTKY: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

tangiblycool

Diagnosis (if you've been): N/A

Status (TI/ICI/IUI/IVF/FET/benched): IVF

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): I go in for my baseline tomorrow and start stims. I just started a new position and work mostly evenings so it will work out for me to go to appointments in the morning. I’m very nervous for taking injections but I tried the hcg diet before this so I’m used to injecting myself lol

How are things going?: just nerves are killing me.

Any questions?: I’m scared for the egg retrieval, did any of you guys have to go back to work the next day? Im kind of thinking i will come up with a tiny lie and say it’s a dental appointment and need to take a day or two off.

GTKY: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A therapist. But I actually became a massage therapist instead

britters314

@tangiblycool I had never heard of the hcg diet before. I just googled it and got very conflicting information about the safety and effectiveness lol. Did it work for you?

Diagnosis (if you've been): Unexplained

Status (TI/ICI/IUI/IVF/FET/benched): Natural cycle plus acupuncture 

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): Acupuncture. I’m in my LP right now so the focus with acupuncture is keeping my uterus warm and my BBT elevated.

How are things going?: Normally I’m fine during my TWW, but now that I’m doing something that may actually make a difference, I’m going a little crazy just waiting lol

Any questions?: Nope

GTKY: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A copyeditor. But then I ended up majoring in Physics instead of English and then became a teacher (which funnily is the one thing I had always said when I was younger that I didn’t want to do).

tangiblycool

@britters314 yeah it’s definitely not something I would recommend. I did it with a medical spa but I quit half way through because I wanted to start my IVF cycle. It did work, but honestly I was miserable with the lack of food. I just love food!

babylonghorn16

Hello!!

@tangiblycool I did my egg retrieval on a Thursday because we were allowed to WFH on Friday. That way I only had to take one day off instead of two… but I can’t remember if I actually needed that WFH day or not. I wanna say I was a little crampy the next day and laid with a heating pad most of the day. Might be smart to ask off!

Diagnosis (if you've been): PCOS

Status (TI/ICI/IUI/IVF/FET/benched): FET

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): Continuing estradiol injections this week. They are easy peasy! Will start the dreaded PIO next week 😕

How are things going?: feeling good!

Any questions?: what superstitions or practices did you follow before FET? I’ve heard pineapple, pomegranate juice, and friend fries lol. Might look into acupuncture… but a little wary of cost. 

GTKY: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Optometrist or a marine biologist (dolphin phase in the 90s 😆)

britters314

@babylonghorn16 I’d suggest actually looking into the cost of acupuncture and if your insurance covers it. I was surprised to find my insurance covers acupuncture, but even out of pocket it’s not too bad.

inthewoods23

@tangiblycool my ER was back in 2019 so work from home was not a thing for us at the time. I called in "sick" for that day and was blessed with very little pain after the procedure and went to work the next day like nothing had happened. I know if you have complications or OHSS you might need an extra day or two to recover at home. If you don't handle anesthesia well you may want an extra day off too.

halfanewt

Diagnosis (if you've been): unexplained 

Status (TI/ICI/IUI/IVF/FET/benched): on our own

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): have my follow up with the Re next week

How are things going?: they’re going. Not sure how far we want to pursue this. My GP is willing to do a few rounds of Letrozole for us if we want before going back to full Re and or IVF. No plans to, yet, but nice to know it’s an option! 

Any questions?: any strategies for lengthening LP? Mine has always been on the short side, and the answer I always get is “well, that’s what the progesterone supplement will fix” but I can’t help but wonder if that’s been a contributing factor. Saw a few more recent studies about vitamin C supplementation being effective. Curious about y’all’s thoughts. 

GTKY: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A ballerina or a veterinarian  

halfanewt

@tangiblycool I went back to work the day after mine. Minimal pain, but energy levels were definitely lower. I was feeling pretty good in the morning but was wiped by the end of the day. If you do, bring some heat packs and sit as much as you can! 

acleverusername

*lurking*

@halfanewt you can look into seed cycling which can help expend the LP. It’s a hassle but it does work although it may take several cycles to kick in. 

britters314

@halfanewt I forget - have you looked into acupuncture? I was reading today about how progesterone doesn’t always fix LP defects, but acupuncture and herbs can when progesterone doesn’t.

halfanewt

@acleverusername thanks! Hadn’t heard of this before, but seems doable. Thoughts on the 14 days rule? I generally O on day 16/17. 

@britters314 kinda? I did try it back at the beginning of our TTC - pre IVF. Didn’t do anything for me for cycle length. That said,  don’t like needles and what feels like forced downtime isn’t a relaxing thing for me, so not sure I have the right mindset for it 🤷‍♀️ if they could somehow do the same thing but through massage, I’d be all in! 

britters314

@halfanewt There are some needle-free treatments such as acupressure and cupping though I don’t know as much about those. Any my acupuncturist did tell me that 80% of the effects are from the needles being put in and only 20% from them staying in. So even if they take the needles out right away it still helps. But if it didn’t work for you before, I guess it probably wouldn’t now.