16dpiui, PCOS, no AF

vnegron87 · September 2015

Hi everyone, I'm new to these discussion boards and also to IUI. My partner and I have talked for years about TTC and with PCOS I would go months without AF. I was on Metformin for about 1.5 years and stopped about 1.5 yrs ago. Since then I have semi regulated (30-36 CDs). I've been on 28 CD for the past 4 months and we finally decided that now must be a good time to try. Being we are a same sex couple, we jumped straight into IUI (8/17, 2 cycles 9 hrs apart, 36 hrs after LH Surge). IUIs were at home, with no additional meds or Dr. assistance. Realistically I know my chances are slimmer just with PCOS. But here we are, CD 31, 16dpiui, multiple BFNs (12, 13, and 14dpiui), AF should have arrived on 8/31, was convinced on 8/28-30 that she would come b/c of typical symptoms but to no avail she hasn't. Trying not to get my hopes up because it can just be my cycle changing again, but plan on taking another HPT on Friday if AF doesn't show. What do you all think?

bsckgb7 · September 2015

Are you temping to confirm ovulation? An LH surge doesn't mean you O'd.

vnegron87 · September 2015

OPK confirmed but i have not started temping. We sorta just jumped in and thought we had done a lot of research but have been learning so much more from these forums. Do u recommend any thermometers?

HBamama2B · September 2015

With PCOS you are likely to get false positives on OPKs because your LH can be high without a corresponding egg release. If you had +OPK more than one day in a row, it was high LH without ovulation. For PCOS, you will need to do BBT and/or US and BW to confirm ovulation. If your insurance covers it, and most do, a monitored un-medicated IUI or slightly medicated IUI (5 days on oral letrozol) would be better for you. Also, not to give false hope, but PCOS patients often test negative on HPTs; if you can, go in for BW to be sure before planning next steps of AF doesn't show soon.

HBamama2B · September 2015

Also, I use a regular thermometer and test 2x. If the numbers are more than 2/10s apart I test a third time to find the actual. BBT run around 70-100 for anything decent which is great, but pricey. I track my temps using an ap and take them at the same time 06:20am every day (very important) GL!!

Drove2u · September 2015

How do you Iui at home?

vnegron87 · September 2015

Thanks so much for all of that info Habamama2B :-D (remaining hopeful, but realistic). Definately will see my doc if things stay the same and am going to start temping and find an RE for the future.

vnegron87 · September 2015

Drove2u...very carefully! sterilizing environment as much as possible, my partner wore sterile gloves and with a speculum and flashlight found the cervix opening and used 6in catheter with the syringe. Spoke with my doctor first, made sure my partner understood what she had to do and watched several online videos and diagrams of the procedure. It is relatively simple as long as your clean and careful.

vnegron87 · September 2015

Drove2u....also, especially important, we used thawed washed sperm that we got from a cryobank a couple of days before and was stored in a liquid nitrogen tank until right before we did the IUI. Never use unwashed sperm for an IUI.

Drove2u · September 2015

Wow wow wow!! I have never heard of that. What made you do it at home instead of at the docs? And who gives you all that--the needle, speculum etc? The doctor?

vnegron87 · September 2015

Drove2u, bought most of it online, the syringe and catheters are also available at most (if not all) cryobanks for purchase. We wanted a more personal experience. Being a same sex couple we can't just try regularly at home and thought it would be very personal if we were able to actually say that my wife got me pregnant....depending on the results from this iui we may begin our next IUI with an RE. But we wanted it somewhat special for the first time, kinda symbolic for us.

Drove2u · September 2015

I get it. When I was talking finances at my RE's office we realized that my insurance requires we try naturally for a year and then we need to do 6 IUIs before moving on to IVF. So I asked her "how about same sex couples?" and they are also required to try naturally for a year. which I don''t really understand how that's possible. Nor did I ask the Re finance person. but how is that possible?

bsckgb7 · September 2015

HBamama2B said:

Also, I use a regular thermometer and test 2x. If the numbers are more than 2/10s apart I test a third time to find the actual. BBT run around 70-100 for anything decent which is great, but pricey. I track my temps using an ap and take them at the same time 06:20am every day (very important) GL!!

You can order a BBT thermometer on Amazon for 10 bucks. Most ladies on TTGP recommend Mabis brand.

bsckgb7 · September 2015

vnegron87 - I would suggest downloaded FF app, getting TCOYF and a Mabis BBT thermometer. Temping is the ONLY way to confirm ovulation at home. You can also check CP and CM to look for signs that O is coming. I would recommend lurking on the TTGP board and doing more research to pinpoint O.

vnegron87 · September 2015

@Drove2u lol it's not. Fortunately (and unfortunately) I have PCOS and that categories me as infertile and am able to get the IUIs at the doctor's office fully covered from day 1. We'd still have to pay for the specimen out of pocket though. As for fertile same sex couples, I don't exactly know what needs to be done for coverage to go into effect (or how to "prove" that they have been trying, maybe receipts for specimen purchase, but then if not going through banks but through a friend...then I'm stumped). I do know that to qualify for IVF coverage (after already being considered infertile) we also need to have at least 6 IUIs on record that were done in a doctor's office. Sorry I don't have more info...still trying to figure this out on my end too :-D

bsckgb7 · September 2015

vnegron87 - side note, I have heard of REs letting the partner "inject" the sperm so maybe that's an option? Like you both go into the room, the doc does his part feeding the catheter and the partner actually squeezes the syringe to inseminate.

If you have fertility coverage I would get thee to an RE stat. Most people would kill for good IF coverage.

vnegron87 · September 2015

Thanks @kgbbsc7 so much for the recommendations! i do have good coverage and that is what we are planning to do if/when AF decides to come around.

Drove2u · September 2015

Ok so...lol...sorry I'm intrigued. If you get the sperm from a friend how do you put it into your partner? The iui way or is there an easier way?

bsckgb7 · September 2015

Drove2u - she said above the process - the size catheter, where she got the equipment from, all that.

vnegron87 · September 2015

Lol its ok @kgbbsc7 (better to be intrigued then not). @Drove2u with a friend's sperm always only ivi (intra vaginal/ "turkey baster style") or ici (intra cervical/place on the outside of the cervix instead of inside the uterus as in iui). The only time you can use a friend's sperm iui is if you take them to a facility or drs office to wash the specimen (remove all seamen and have a vial of only sperm) same as you would do with DH for iui.

bsckgb7 · September 2015

Oh I wasn't being ugly, I just didn't know if she saw that. It's pretty interesting you were able to get all the normal medical equipment!!

Colleen0516 · September 2015

@vnegron87 sorry if this is a repeat question, I read through most of the comments-
Do you have a beta test scheduled? I see that you're 16dpiui with no AF.. That sounds promising! Blood test would confirm the unknown...
It would be amazing if your home IUI worked the first time! Such a cool story to be able to share one day with your kids.

vnegron87 · September 2015

@kgbbsc7 oh I'm so sorry for reading that incorrectly. But it's true, you can get just about anything online now...I haven't quite decided if that's a good or bad thing yet :-/

vnegron87 · September 2015

@Colleen0516 no not yet. I'm trying to find a GP/OBGYN or RE closer to my home, currently all of my doctors are over 90 mins from home and are close to work. Might just visit my OB just to get the test done and continue thereafter closer to home. Aiming to schedule test for Monday. We'll see, fingers crossed :-)

Colleen0516 · September 2015

@vnegron87 Depending on whether your OB does bloodwork in office, they may send you to a lab. My RE does it in office-- but offers lab services if I'm away on vacation.
Is there a lab closer to your home? They can draw the blood, test it,and send the results to your doctor.

vnegron87 · September 2015

@Colleen0516 Yes there are labs close to home but I'm at work when they are open. There are labs close to work too, i guess I'll ask if OB does them there or if she could recommend me to a lab to get it done. So much to think about lol. If I can find an RE or GP close to home open on Saturdays i may try scheduling it for Saturday....i have a lot of searching to do tonight :-) thanks for the suggestions!

Drove2u · September 2015

Oh yes. I read her response about how the iui is done. But I was asking what the "natural" way was using her friends sperm.

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16dpiui, PCOS, no AF

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