TTC Check In

ball.and.chain · January 2013

What's up, lovelies? Anyone got a good QOTD?

Manada · January 2013

How are you doing BC?

I am fine. We are on CD 8 of Femara so we are looking at next week for our IUI. Things are less crazy this cycle, which is really nice... Though we are still waiting for my genetic testing results and a few referrals, so hopefully we only get good news!

QOTD suggestion: how do you and your partner share some of the TTC experience/burden?

I consider myself so lucky that H. comes to pretty much every clinic visit with me and I go with her for all hers too!. She also is, by virtue of our household talents, the one who makes sure we get good food in us which is huge for me because she also gets my TTC vitamins and supplements all ready for me.
Sometimes I feel like I get off a bit easy because we have both done the hsg and go to the clinic, but by virtue of having the body, all I really need to do so far is show up! We share pretty much every other demand so far, or she just takes care of it in the background...

healz413 · January 2013

Here's one. I don't know if it is good, but it's what came to mind. (Since we are clinic-goers, I'm not sure if the second part for non-clinicers works).

QOTD: If you inseminate and/or cycle monitor at a clinic, what do you do to pass the time in the waiting room?

If you inseminate and/or cycle monitor at home, do you have any particular routines, practices, etc. to either make the experience more fun or run more smoothly?

My part of our TTC update:
M is on day 8 of her cycle so we go back in on Saturday for the next cycle monitoring appointment. Tonight will be her last night of Femara. As far as I can tell she hasn't had any side effects from it. If anything, I've been the one who has been PMSy.
I'm looking forward to our second IUI some time next week, but I'm nervous about Saturday. We had such good follicle growth last month and I'm worried that we won't be as luck this month . . .

Last night I had a bit (haha, understatement there) of a breakdown. There were a whole lot of contributing factors, but the one that stood out the most clearly is that I am struggling to figure out my role in this process. I didn't anticipate feeling this way (I've read the books, I've got my feminist and queer politics in order, we talked about all of this before starting, etc. etc. etc.) , but I do. M was the first one on all of the boards (and this is the only board I actually do, whereas she does several), she is the one figuring out what diapers and bottles and strollers we will need, and she is the one whose body is going through all of this. I could start researching diapers but I'd been several steps behind her (and it wouldn't be value-added since she's got that under control). I know that I'm supporting her--going to the clinic for every appointment, making dinner, organizing her vitamins, agreeing to the purchases of cloth diapers (although we're putting a hold on that now), etc. And I know that when the baby comes I will have a role that I'm not worried about. But right now? I feel like a bit of a bystander. Combine that with the fact that I'm barely getting anything done on my dissertation and the fact that I've fallen behind on a bunch of to-do-list items and you can begin to see what my breakdown was all about last night.

So, while I continue to struggle with this, I will also look forward to our next insemination, because then I have two weeks of a job that is specific to our future baby (not that supporting M isn't, but I do that anyway)--singing to the egg and sperm, singing to the fertilized egg, singing to the zygote. (Last time I stopped after a few days because M was convinced we inseminated too early and wouldn't get pregnant--which was true).

(By the way, it is weird to say "M" since Manada isn't my partner's real name and her name doesn't start with "M", but I was calling her "Manada" on the board for so long and she is here under that name, it seems weird to use her actual initial, as well.)

My answer to my proposed QOTD: We play "Ticket to Ride" on our iphones. We can play against each other using bluetooth. We just bought "Ticket to Ride: Europe" which is our clinic-only game (we aren't allowed to play it elsewhere). I also bought us each a copy of the same novel for the clinic, but in general we are too anxious, distracted, or hungry to read.

mollykelley · January 2013

Hi ladies!

I'm going for IUI 6 next week so, Manada, we will be cycle buddies again! I'm a bit behind you though because Femara changed my cycles from 28 days to 31 days. The doctor said this is common. But it sure was annoying waiting for my period to start when I already knew it was a BFN. Here's to hoping for a BFP this cycle! What's different about this cycle? Nothing still doing Femara, progesterone, acupuncture, yoga for fertility DVD which my wife finds hilarious. A lot of breathing into the uterus! Lol. She is suggesting we go for colonics this weekend because she read somewhere that that can help. Im not so sure.

QOTD: K is my champion and my cheerleader right now. She makes my protein shakes and gets my vitamins each morning and sends me to work with fresh juice. She urges me to excercise when I don't feel like it, and takes me on beautiful and challenging hikes every weekend. Basically, she tries to keep my spirits up while TTC because she knows I'm discouraged. She comes to every appointment, even if it is just to have my blood drawn. She prepares jokes beforehand to tell me during the draw because I hate it. And she always reads the HPT for me because I'd rather hear her sigh, see her reassuring face and have her give me a hug see than a negative test. I cant imagine doing this without her.

Manada · January 2013

Haha - you can tell H. and I both get on with our days around the same time from our respective work environments!

AmyRehs · January 2013

Well we are 2 weeks away from our 1st IUI...I am getting so nervous and stressed! I can't believe it's finally happening! Any other TTCers have any pointers or tips for these next few weeks leading up???

mollykelley · January 2013

AmyRehs:
Well we are 2 weeks away from our 1st IUI...I am getting so nervous and stressed! I can't believe it's finally happening! Any other TTCers have any pointers or tips for these next few weeks leading up???

Yes, get your self care plan in order now. Eat well, get plenty of rest, maybe try yoga, meditation, massage, anything to help you not stress. I'm doing acupuncture and trying to do fun things that make me excited about life in general, not just TTC. Good luck!

songbird31 · January 2013

I'm currently 6dpiui and still feeling nothing. Which is strange and different from the other cycles. I am wondering if it is due to the change to Femera, but who knows. Since we're getting ready to put the house on the market I have been pretty preoccupied with cleaning out cabinets and cleaning places I haven't seen in 5 years etc, that I haven't stayed too focused on it (which is not to say I haven't done a little bit of googling....)

I'm anxious to test next week partially because I have prepared to take a mini break if it doesn't work. We'll do an HSG and we've already tested my egg level and it's fine.

S, my DP, is amazing and she comes to all appointments and usually tries very hard to schedule any out of town work trips around my cycle. This time she even rated my follicles with the u/s person. It was hilarious. She also does all the research for any baby items, checks the baby app to let me know that if I'm pregnant what is happening that day. She also reminds me all the time that not conceiving isn't bad, that the universe is waiting to send us the right child. She also definitely works hard to not let me get so overwhelmed with the amount of money we're spending on the process. She's actually completely giving, completely supportive and I also couldn't imagine doing this without her.

AmyRehs · January 2013

mollykelley:
AmyRehs:
Well we are 2 weeks away from our 1st IUI...I am getting so nervous and stressed! I can't believe it's finally happening! Any other TTCers have any pointers or tips for these next few weeks leading up???
Yes, get your self care plan in order now. Eat well, get plenty of rest, maybe try yoga, meditation, massage, anything to help you not stress. I'm doing acupuncture and trying to do fun things that make me excited about life in general, not just TTC. Good luck!

Thanks we have been hearing that from a lot of people. I am going to start meditation in the evenings and I have a massage appointment for next week. I have never tried acupuncture but I will look into that. Thanks for the tips! Good luck to you as well!

hlke · January 2013

ball.and.chain, how are you doing?

We are trying to get everything lined up to do IUI with a known donor, and it is not an easy process. We have to bank his sperm, which requires lots of doctors visits, tests, paperwork, timing, FedEx, psychologists, lawyers, and a partridge in a pear tree. We won't be able to get our vials released until March as of now.

Also to do IUI, we have to jump through a lot of hoops set up by the fertility clinic. We already did our psychologist appointment and were deemed fit to be donor sperm parents. The woman was actually very nice and let us know the purpose was not to evaluate us, but to support us, so it wasn't as bad as I expected. Now I need to get infectious disease testing, which strikes me as ridiculous as the one not getting inseminated, but they said their policy is the same for all IUI patients and would be the same if we were a hetero couple using donor sperm.

In the meantime, we leave Sunday to do a fresh insem with our donor. We're doing an at home ICI instead of IVI to see if that makes a difference.

QOTD: I'm in some ways the one more motivated to get the process steps done, and so I take on a lot of responsibility for the logistics of TTC. I found our first clinic, I make most of the appointments, I've handled sperm shipping and travel arrangements, etc. And yes, I talk to the sperm and the egg during the TWW.

I think figuring out a role for me was easier for us because I am baby-crazy in a way C is not. I think it would have been harder if I had carried first, because I can see C feeling left out.

That said, don't get too far ahead of yourselves. If/when M gets pregnant, you can take a very active role in supporting the pregnancy. TTC is stressful, but it is just the first step in the process of becoming a parent, and you will have a big role in being a parent. And you are already attending the appointments, figuring out your own fertility (which is part of the process too), and wishing and hoping for a baby just as much as M.

ball.and.chain · January 2013

I had a kind of awesome day. I went back to WW weight-loss mode a week ago, and when I weighed myself this morning, I had lost 7 lbs! In a week!! I'm 35 -- scratch that, 28! -- over my goal weight and gained 15 since starting IVF, so I really want to drop some weight before the FET. This is a really huge step in the right direction and a big morale boost for me when I really, really needed one.

I did go to the gym 3x in this last week but only walked on the treadmill because a) I am super out of shape (haven't exercised since IVF started) and b) for a long time I wasn't allowed to run due to enlarged ovaries from IVF. But I called my RE's office this morning to ask about running and the nurse said it was fine! I am going to start tomorrow. I don't really like running but it's the only exercise that gives me that endorphin boost/stress relief which I extra-special need these days, and I drop weight much faster when I'm running.

All of which is and isn't TTC-related. It is because I think it's better for my FET and hopefully pregnancy if I get closer to what I weighed before and if I'm eating healthy and exercising. And it is because taking back control of my life, instead of lying around in pajamas crying and eating cookies, is part of healing after the m/c. Since I can't actually "try" right now, this is what I'm doing to make the best of our break.

Manada's QOTD: This has been kind of hard for us. My wife works a demanding retail management job, and it is not easy for her to take time off on short notice, take sick days or take time off for doctor's appointments, so we decided before we started TTC that since she was not physically needed at appointments, I would go to them by myself unless it happened to be one of her days or mornings off. She went to all the consults and to the important IVF appointments (ER and ET), but only made it to one IUI and none of my monitoring appointments. She's not really a researcher and I am (literally, by trade) so I'm the one who has read all the books and articles and websites on everything. I've definitely carried the burden, and we struggled with that for a while. But she also took amazing care of me during IVF, while I was pregnant, and during and after m/c. She very adeptly gave me shots in the ass every night for 2 weeks. She has waited on me hand and foot, cooked me whatever I wanted, and was incredibly supportive. She's been optimistic throughout this entire process when I've been sure we would fail. I've seen her with kids and I know she'll be an awesome, hands-on parent. So we just haven't gotten to her part yet.

Healz's QOTD: I never have to wait very long at the clinic. Usually by the time I check TB and/or FB on my phone, it's my turn. If not, I always have a book with me.

I MISSED YOU, HLKE!

Good luck, everyone.

PrincessLeash · January 2013

We just got our 2nd BFN on Friday We're waiting for AF and will be on to try #3.

*~*~*~Baby Dust to all~*~*~*

Want a personalized experience?

TTC Check In

Re: TTC Check In

Choose Another Board

Search Boards