Infertility Veterans

wifeinraleigh28 · October 2016

I've noticed from browsing the boards that there are quite a few ladies here who have struggled with infertility, like myself. I thought I would create a space for us all to get to know each other, since most of you I do not recognize from the IF board. I feel like what we go through is unique, and once pregnant our experience can be a bit different from other ladies'.

Here are some questions to get us started:

1. How long did it take you to get your BFP?
2. What is your diagnosis?
3. What is your treatment/history?
4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB?
5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears:
6. Anything else you would like to share?

wifeinraleigh28 · October 2016

1. How long did it take you to get your BFP? 13 months, and I consider myself so lucky that it didn't take longer!

2. What is your diagnosis? Male factor... SA's have been all over the map over the course of the last year. They started off with very low counts, then after DH started seeing a urologist and took clomid for awhile, the count improved but motility is still quite low.

3. What is your treatment/history? 3 failed IUIs (all with injectables- follistim). Then we did an IVF cycle (retrieval only with freeze all), PGS testing, and finally a FET. I'm still shocked that our first FET resulted in BFP!

4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB? I'm really not even sure about this. All they told me was that they would see me for a 7 week ultrasound and that I need to continue all my meds (PIO, estrace, low dose aspirin) until my ultrasound. I've heard that a lot of doctors keep you on PIO until 10 weeks though so I'm anticipating it may be the same for me as well.

5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears: My biggest fear is that this pregnancy isn't going to work out. That would not only crush me, but it would also be a huge financial hit. It cost us $20k+ for the IVF and FET cycle, and each additional FET is around $4k. We don't have any insurance coverage for IVF.

6. Anything else you would like to share? Being that this is our first BFP ever, it has been so cute watching DH's excitement over the last couple weeks. He has been ordering books for expectant fathers, and helping me take care of myself as much as possible. Like for example, it's important to him that I get enough calcium, so he brings me a glass of milk every night after dinner. He also kisses my tummy (the baby) every day. It is just so sweet and all so new to me!

shsmart13-2 · October 2016

1. How long did it take you to get your BFP?

It took us 13 months. I have been temping, checking CM, and timing intercourse from the beginning. I never thought it was going to take this long but believe everything happens when it's supposed to.

2. What is your diagnosis?

Unexplained infertility. DH checked out fine and my OB had no explanation for why we weren't pregnant at the 1 year mark.
3. What is your treatment/history?

I was given clomid. The plan was to do up to 4 rounds with my OB monitoring and if that didn't work, he would send me to an RE. Luckily, one round of clomid is all I needed.

4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB?

My OB felt comfortable prescribing the clomid for up to 4 rounds and monitoring it with blood work and ultrasounds so I did not have to see a specialist yet.

5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears:

This is my first pregnancy. I have read so many sad posts about miscarrying and pray that DH and I will not have to endure that type of loss. The nausea has been worse this week (week 6) but I am also grateful for the symptom as it reminds me that I really am pregnant.

6. Anything else you would like to share?

Only my two best friends knew about us TTC and using clomid. We didn't even tell our families due to the overwhelming questions we knew we would have to answer week after week. I feel bad not telling my parents the truth but considering my mother is texting me every day asking how I am feeling and being slightly overbearing, I am also glad we kept our fertility issues to ourselves.

beckij34 · October 2016

1. How long did it take you to get your BFP? Three IUI's over a years time. I did two last fall that didn't take and just did my third that resulted in a bfp.

2. What is your diagnosis? PCOS, Hypothyroid, Pre-Diabetes......yay me

3. What is your treatment/history? Femara, naltrexone, progesterone, ovidrel

4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB? I'll be with the fertility clinic until I hit 12 wks and at that time I'll transition over to my OB who is my current Gyno. I have my third beta this friday and my first ultrasound a week later and I believe they do the ultrasounds weekly until I transfer.

5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears: I'm estatic to finally be pregnant for the first time ever. I cannot wait to meet my baby in person next summer. I don't care if it's a boy or girl as long as the baby is healthy. I do worry about miscarriages and such but I don't let it consume me. I'm staying positive.

6. Anything else you would like to share? I was diagnosed with PCOS at 24 yrs old. I did try to conceive when I was married (on clomid) but it didn't happen. We never pursued other treatments because I divorced him due to his lack of sobriety. I tried to adopt via my county a couple of years ago where I live but it didn't happen (never came across a good match & my caseworker was the least helpful person I've ever met). I decided to try IUI after some friends asked why I still didn't have any kids and well here I am now.

mrlight · October 2016

1. How long did it take you to get your BFP? I got my first BFP in March at 16 months TTC (resulted in MC). This is my second BFP and I am at 23 months TTC.

2. What is your diagnosis? PCOS

3. What is your treatment/history? Everything, I feel like! Of course charting and timed intercourse. With my RE, I started with Femara with no results. I was also put on Metformin. I have taken Cclomid several cycles, most of them with results; however, I had one cycle that I had to do follistem. I also had a laproscopy done last November to rule out endometriosis. This cycle, I did IUI for the first time. (My RE had told us we could do IUI a few months ago whenever we were ready, but I’ve been pushing it back. I was also fully prepared for the IUI to not work this time because my RE had warned us that it usually does not work the first time.) I told DH that we didn’t get pregnant from IUI, it was because I was eating pineapple this cycle!

4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB? After my first successful ultrasound at my RE, I transition back to my OB.

5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears: If you are following the TTCAL thread, you saw where I had a really great doctor’s visit yesterday. I am still just so happy! I am still really nervous right now, though. I feel like if I can just get through the next few weeks I will be fine. I’m so scared about another loss.

6. Anything else you would like to share? Last night, I was cramping really bad so I got a hot pad and put it on for about 15 minutes. Well, I started reading online about pregnancy cramps and saw where it said “Do not use a hot pad for cramps so your internal temperatures do not rise.” I immediately took it off and now I’m freaking out a little bit because I really did not know that I couldn’t use a hot pad. I am calming myself down by remembering it wasn’t too hot and it was over my clothes.

mrlight · October 2016

@wifeinraleigh28 It’s so sweet that your DH is so excited!

@NurseSHS13 We did not tell our families about that we were TTC until almost the one year mark. We started seeing our RE 9 months TTC, and once we got our diagnosis, we decided to tell our families. (They had both been pressuring us about when we were going to have a baby, and once we had a clear diagnosis of why we didn’t have a baby, we told them.) It was really great to finally tell them though because it was just a ton of support and prayers.

@beckij34 I am the same about not caring if it is a boy or girl! I feel like that after everything we have gone through and the amount of time it has taken to get that BFP, all that matters is that we have a healthy take-home baby!

Elyse1384 · October 2016

Thanks for starting this @wifeinraleigh28. So funny I was just thinking the other day we should have a IF check-in.

1. How long did it take you to get your BFP? First FET! We are beyond excited, but I have to say I almost feel guilty for my success. It took us 3 years for our first BFP, but then we had luck on the first try for #2 (FET) and the first try for this LO (FET). We still have 4 embryos left too and we're hoping for continued success as we would LOVE big family. Crazy how just 3 years ago we were afraid we would never have one baby and now here we are pregnant with #3
2. What is your diagnosis? Me - PCOS; DH - MFI (Mosaic Klinefelter Syndrome; using donor sperm).
3. What is your treatment/history? Too many IUIs to count with a variety of protocols (no meds, clomid, injections). We finally had success with IVF #1.
4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB? We usually have a 6w ultrasound, but for some reason they aren't bringing me in until 7+2. Ugh! FX everything looks good and then I "graduate" to my OB. I see my OB for an 8w ultrasound the following week.
5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears: After 3 years of IF treatment before success (which included some heartbreak along the way), my mental outlook on pregnancy seems forever tainted. I just can never seem to feel relaxed despite having birthed two healthy, amazing kids.
6. Anything else you would like to share? I'm really on edge emotionally this month. We were lucky to get some great news at the beginning of Oct regarding DD. She had to be seen by a neurosurgeon for suspected seizures, but luckily they are non-epileptic and should be outgrown with infancy. We then got word we need a MRI for DS. He has a cyst that has developed between the nose and eye. They'll most likely need to do surgery to remove it, but they need a MRI first to see what it might be and what it is made up of. I feel so terrible about the timing of all of this. Here we were pushing for #3 only to find out after news about out kiddos that has us on edge and wanting to put 100% into ensuring they're OK.

NamelessAria · October 2016

1. How long did it take you to get your BFP? 21 months

2. What is your diagnosis? Recurrent pregnancy loss. Elevated ANA, low progesterone after ovulation, homozygous C677T MTHFR, high TSH (4.485)

3. What is your treatment/history? I've had 6 losses (1 early MC and 5 chemical pregnancies) and started Clomid 50mg with baby aspirin.

4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB? The plan as of now is to transfer at 9 weeks.

5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears: This doesn't feel completely real yet. I don't feel as "connected" or "bonded" with baby as I did the first time around at this stage. It's like I don't really believe there is a baby developing in my uterus or that I'll actually finally have my baby in my arms this time next year. I'm terrified this will be another loss. I feel like now that I'm nearing 6 weeks I'm waking up everyday like "is today the day I'll start spotting and everything will go wrong?" I've never had a pregnancy make it to 7 weeks. And I think the period of time between now and 7 weeks is going to be the worst. And honestly, between now and the ultrasound is probably the worst of it assuming everything looks good at the ultrasound.

6. Anything else you would like to share? I realize that in some ways I don't quite "belong" in the infertility thread. And that's a lot of why I never started to participate on the infertility board while I was TTC. I know that the kind of infertility I have is different and less common. I can't relate to having to go through IUIs and IVF. I'm not familiar with the physical, emotional and financial hardships that go with those types of infertility treatments. And because of that I feel like a bit of a fraud posting on an infertility board or in an infertility thread. I have so much respect for the ladies who went through all that to get their positive test. I'll probably mostly stick to the PGAL thread but I wanted to introduce myself as another lady who struggled with a form of infertility before finally getting here.

mrlight · October 2016

@NamelessAria I absolutely think you belong here! Whether or not someone was able to get KU easily doesn't matter. What matters is that you have been TTC for 21 months with no take-home-baby, and no one understands that better than other people that have been actively TTC for a long period of time with no take-home-baby.

Elyse1384 · October 2016

mrlight said:

@NamelessAria I absolutely think you belong here! Whether or not someone was able to get KU easily doesn't matter. What matters is that you have been TTC for 21 months with no take-home-baby, and no one understands that better than other people that have been actively TTC for a long period of time with no take-home-baby.

I second this! 21 months is more time than many who go through IUI and IVF to get their BFP! The clinical definition of IF is trying for more than 12 months under 35 or trying for 6 months 35+. Plus you were put through clomid which IMO was worse than injections for IUI. I HATED clomid. That is one hell of a wait for a bundle of joy. You certainly belong here and major congrats on your BFP.

Cythe · October 2016

Great idea @wifeinraleigh28 , thank you

1. How long did it take you to get your BFP? 2.5 years and 1 deployment

2. What is your diagnosis? The best dx, unexplained

3. What is your treatment/history? 12 months TTC, 3 failed IUIs, 1 failed IVF cycle. Thats the good stuff anyway.

4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB? I will be seen next week at 7w5d and then I graduate!

5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears: I'm just having a lot of anxiety about the first u/s. While not finding a HB is devastating for anyone, for IF (particularly IVF ladies) its not only the pain of losing a pregnancy but the financial fuckery and the loss of precious embryos. My betas were strong though, so I'm trying to have the faith!

6. Anything else you would like to share? Not feeling any symptoms is making me a crazy lady. Of course if everything is good at my appt next week, then I'm a very lucky pregnant lady. Until then, crazy pants.

mrlight · October 2016

@Cythe FX that your appointment goes well next week! I couldn't imagine the heartbreak of a loss on top of the cost of IVF.

wifeinraleigh28 · October 2016

@NurseSHS13 Congrats on conceiving with your first round of clomid! It's always nice to hear a success story like that. I share your fear about miscarriage, and I sure hope that no one here has to endure a loss like that.

@beckij34 Congrats on taking matters into your own hands and doing IUIs! I liked what you said about staying positive... I am doing my best to do the same.

@mrlight I would love to hear about your wonderful doctor's visit yesterday, as I am super nervous for my first one! You are probably fine even though you used a heating pad briefly. I've heard to avoid as well... but honestly, I keep learning about MORE things that I need to avoid that I wouldn't have even thought twice about, so I feel like we are all bound to make mistakes at one point or another. Obviously babies do survive in the world!

@Elyse1384 Please do not feel guilty about your success!! In my opinion, EVERY FET should work, with all that we go through and all the money we spend on them!! Haha. I'm so sorry about the health issues with your kiddos! Hopefully it will be an easy surgery for your son. I can't imagine the stress this must be causing you.

@NamelessAria I personally would love for you to continue participating in the IF thread here. You have struggled with RPL, which means you have struggled with infertility. Just because you haven't done IUI or IVF doesn't mean you haven't needed to seek treatment to have a baby. Getting pregnant and remaining pregnant are both important hurdles and neither one is more difficult or special than the other, in my opinion. I hope you will finally get your take home baby this time!

@Cythe Ugh... "financial fuckery" is probably the best I've ever heard it explained. A loss is always hard, but for us it means so much more. I feel like I have to will my body to do the right thing just so that DH and I don't go completely broke! When trying again means $4k minimum for the next FET, there is a lot riding on this right now. Good luck at that ultrasound next week! Mine is next week as well (on the 18th) and all I can think about right now is hearing that little heart beat...

Thank you all for jumping into my little thread here! I'm happy to keep this one going, or we can do a weekly check-in if you ladies prefer! I'm open to suggestions!

Cythe · October 2016

@wifeinraleigh28 yes! You're the day after me, so thankfully thats coming up. I'll be thinking of you on Tuesday

abelandrocio · October 2016

1. How long did it take you to get your BFP?
We've been married for 5 yrs (at age 30) and started right away, but technically 30 months since we began to see a fertility specialist.

2. What is your diagnosis? In 2014 shortly after we first saw someone about my PCOS, I had to have a fallopian tube removed and found out I have poor quality eggs.

3. What is your treatment/history?
We did IVF in March 2015 and weren't able to retrive anything. Tried again in June retrieved 5 (4 survived) and the transfer of 1 didn't work, did 2 FET Sept. 13th and one embryo successfully implanted.

4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB? Had an ultrasound at week 5 and another planned next week the 18th where I'll be close to 8 (Godwilling). I was told after I will go to OB and meanwhile continue PIO/estradiol/ endometrium inserts through week 8.

5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears: My biggest fear is the obvious- losing this pregnancy. I have never been pregnant before and since I met my husband 11 years ago we talked aboUT being parents. Now we discuss our hopes and dreams and knowing we still have 7 weeks to go before we are out of the "danger zone" scares me beyond words. I just lost my dad 2 weeks ago and this has been what has allowed me to keep going, I can't bare to have another loss. I just hope to have a healthy baby in my arms in June and to finally be a mom and for my DH to be a dad.

6. Anything else you would like to share? I heard some people are going to stay on the PIO shots through week 10. I recently told my DH I would gladly stay on all 40 weeks if it meant having a baby. My doctor mentioned staying on through week 8, but I want to know what everyone thinks about this.

Good luck to all. Wishing and hoping for us all!

mrlight · October 2016

@wifeinraleigh28 I’ve been going to my RE for over a year now, and was there when I experienced a loss. So, they are all pretty familiar with my situation. There are 4 nurses that work there, and 3 out of the 4 stopped to congratulate and hug me while I was getting my blood drawn. One of them told me that when they found out I was coming in that morning, people would have thought a tornado was going through the building because they all started screaming and cheering. She said they had to contain themselves before I actually arrived. It made me feel so good and like a celebrity! It helped reassure me to not be nervous, and that my RE’s entire office really cares about me.

I think a weekly check-in is a great idea!

@abelandrocio I’m so sorry about your father.

wifeinraleigh28 · October 2016

@abelandrocio I'm so sorry about your dad

You have amazing strength to be going through this right now, and all that you've been through to get to this point as well. Congratulations on your successful FET and FX that the next 7 weeks won't be too laced with worry and fear! As for your question about PIO, I feel the same way. I will gladly stay on it for the entire pregnancy if it means success. I honestly have no clue how long my RE plans to keep me on it, but I will be asking that at my ultrasound next week. I'm afraid to stop taking any meds that could be maintaining this pregnancy...

@mrlight Wow, your clinic sounds wonderfully supportive! My clinic is so big that sometimes I wonder if I'm just a number to them, but I do like that my RE responds to my emails personally and that the 2 nurses I've been mostly working with do remember me.

AFM, DH and I are on vacay in Asheville, NC right now and we're staying at the Grove Park Inn. It is absolutely beautiful here! Unfortunately though this morning I could hardly participate in the amazing breakfast buffet because the nausea hit me like a ton of bricks. As soon as I stepped outside though it all went away. The crisp mountain air is the perfect nausea cure! Today we're visiting the Biltmore. I've never been so I'm excited!

I think I will start a weekly IF check-in to keep things current for us, and I think that will also be more inviting to new people so they don't have to scroll through a long thread that was started in the very beginning!

Elyse1384 · October 2016

I'm game for weekly check-ins too. Ugh I wish I could be ignorant to all the IF things. I just always feel so worried and it is in full force today with a loooong 2w2d wait still in front of me before my U/S. It doesn't help that I had a terrible pregnancy related dream last night (I'm certain you can guess) and I've been paranoid all day.

mrlight · October 2016

@wifeinraleigh28 It really does make a difference if your nurses remember you or not! I've only actually seen my RE 4 or 5 times in the entire year that I've been going, but I see the nurses every time, so their attitude is pretty important. It's a really great staff. I hope you have fun on your vacation! I would like to visit NC at some point! I love the mountains in the fall!

erkie · October 2016

Maybe I don't belong here anymore, feel free to tell me to hit the road.
1. How long did it take you to get your BFP? DD1 - 1 year on our own and 3 cycles with tx, DD2- 6 cycles with tx
Surprise pregnancy #3- no time (we weren't trying)

2. What is your diagnosis? PCOS and endometriosis

3. What is your treatment/history? Clomid, see above

4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB? N/A this time around and it feels very weird

5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears: I don't know how to do pregnancy without the early monitoring! It's so different.

6. Anything else you would like to share? After all our difficulties with the first 2, I was always so jealous of people who got a surprise BFP. I never ever in my wildest dreams thought it would happen to us! And I thought, if it ever somehow did, I would be bouncing off the walls with joy. In reality, I was so in shock, my husband thought somebody died when he saw my face and it took me days to come to terms with this.

wifeinraleigh28 · October 2016

@erkie welcome! I love when a fellow IF warrior gets a surprise BFP!

cateyes543 · October 2016

1. How long did it take you to get your BFP? 3 years almost to the day

2. What is your diagnosis? Tubal issues and MFI-Low Morph

3. What is your treatment/history? 12 months HIO, 11 failed IUIs (8 prior to surgery, 3 after), FET with donor embryos.

4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB? Our RE is out of state (we went to the embies) and so I started working with an OB right away. The RE is giving recommendations and my OB has been great following them.

5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears: That this won't work, that it won't stick, that this can't be real

6. Anything else you would like to share? I think the lack of symptoms makes me crazy, but I also know I have lower HCG numbers than average which doesn't help ether, no matter how many times the OB reassures me!

kdanjou · October 2016

How long did it take to get BFP? It took us 27 months.
What is your diagnosis? I have low AMH but that's the only thing the RE found. So - possible LOR.
What is your treatment/history? We were TTC using OPKs and TI for 26 months, then we did an IUI with clomid and trigger shot and got pregnant!
What is protocol for transition to OB? I believe after our first u/s around 7 weeks we will switch to my regular doc.
Rants/raves/hopes/fears: I had a MMC during my first pregnancy so I am nervous again this time around, even though I have a beautiful DD and had a normal pregnancy with her. I am just wishing for more symptoms. I have a tiny bit of nipple soreness and a little nausea in the mornings and bloating but that's it. I have no idea how I'm going to stay sane waiting for my u/s on Nov 3.
Anything else? Wondering when I should have the talk with DD (she is 4). I want to wait until after the u/s but my husband wants to tell his mom and I don't want her to hear it from grandma first by mistake.

brij2006 · October 2016

1. How long did it take you to get your BFP?
16 months with this one. 17 months with DD.
2. What is your diagnosis?
PCOS, repeat losses
3. What is your treatment/history?
1st time around we did a round of Clomid that resulted in a miscarriage. Then I started the PCOS diet and my cycles regulated from it. We had 1 chemical pregnancy then DD.
This time Metformin after 1 year TTC, 2 chemical pregnancies. Added in baby aspirin and B-complex.
4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB?
We actually had our first appointment with the RE scheduled for October 25th. Due to my repeat losses we've kept the appointment for now just in case, but our first ultrasound is on the 20th. If everything is fine then we'll cancel. If not then we'll have the appointment with the RE to discuss where to go from there.
5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears:
This pregnancy is already drastically different than DD's. Threw up before even getting a positive test, have lost 6 pounds in 2.5 weeks. Biggest plus is it's constantly reminding me I'm pregnant and that's giving me hope.
It's also drastically different in that I'm less nervous about loss this time around. With DD's pregnancy I had a very hard time getting connected to her because I was waiting to lose her. This time I am allowing/forcing myself to get connected and just enjoy it. Whether I stay pregnant for 8 weeks or 9 months.
6. Anything else you would like to share?
Not sure if I'm okay checking in on this or not since we did end up getting pregnant with very minimal help, but I know many of you understand the fears and worries that are there.

wifeinraleigh28 · October 2016

@cateyes543 I wouldn't worry too much about lower HCG numbers, since there is such a wide range that is considered normal! What were your numbers?

@kdanjou Wow Nov 3 is such a long time to wait for ultrasound! I have to wait until I'm 7 weeks too though, so I guess that's pretty common. That wait for ultrasound is so much harder than the TWW in my opinion!

@brij2006 Minimal help or not, it still took you over a year, and multiple losses, to conceive both your kiddos! Welcome! I love that you're allowing yourself to get connected to your pregnancy this time and to just enjoy it. I think the best thing we can do right now is just live in the moment, when there is so much that is unknown about the future.

Elyse1384 · October 2016

Great to see everyone here. For those of you on progesterone and/or other meds (eg estradoil) per your cycle's protocol, how long is your doctor wanting you to stay on them?

wifeinraleigh28 · October 2016

@Elyse1384 Ugh, that is a good question. I am still doing daily PIO injections and taking 2mg estrace 3 times daily. My clinic pretty much told me continue taking everything until they tell me to stop. I'm hoping to find out more info about that next week at my ultrasound. I would love to be done with meds and just be a normal preggo!

Elyse1384 · October 2016

@wifeinraleigh28 i hear you on that! I would LOVE to stop all this nonsense. I'm on crinone 2x daily (I got wicked lucky and avoided PIO), the vivelle patch every 3 days and estradiol tablets 2x daily. I have to stay on them until I'm released to my OB. Seems a bit early though. I kind of remember having to stay on things longer the last time around.

Cythe · October 2016

wifeinraleigh28 said:

@Elyse1384 Ugh, that is a good question. I am still doing daily PIO injections and taking 2mg estrace 3 times daily. My clinic pretty much told me continue taking everything until they tell me to stop. I'm hoping to find out more info about that next week at my ultrasound. I would love to be done with meds and just be a normal preggo!

My clinic said I could stop on 11/3 which puts me at 10w1d, my backside would love nothing more than being allowed to stop early.

Andplusalso... im out of PIO lol

lukafoo74 · October 2016

This is a lot of questions for after work! Funny story, we spent the better part of about 2 1/2 years doing IF treatments. Unexplained infertility. Three IUIs and three IVF cycles. All either negative or very early misscarriages. In between IVF number 2 and 3, dr removed some fibroids that shouldn't have been causing any problems, but decided it was a good step to take. Cycle #3 was a very early miscarriage. We were planning to do our final and fourth cycle and were looking into egg donation and adoption when I got pregnant out of the blue. Baby boy #1. Nine months later pregnant with baby girl #2. Now about 3 years later preggo with baby #3! You never know what life is going to throw at you! So glad that you ladies got your BFP! The one thing I do miss with this pregnancy so far is I don't have access to early an ultrasound and HCG monitoring. That was a huge source of comfort for me the first two times early on. This time I am flying blind and hoping for the best.

wifeinraleigh28 · October 2016

@lukafoo74 Your story is amazing! To go from so many failed cycles to 3 natural pregnancies is fantastic. Congrats lady!!

lukafoo74 · October 2016

It honestly blows my mind. Life is crazy! I really, really thought I wouldn't have children and I am all too familiar with the emotional and physical journey of it all. The pain and sadness. I will say it makes you really appreciate what you have even when your life is sucking but, it creates this cycle of worry and fear of loss that is really hard for a lot of people to relate to. Someone is looking out for me

shsmart13-2 · October 2016

@brij2006 Your words just hit me and fit perfectly into what I have been trying to explain to my husband. You stated you had a hard time connecting with your DD pregnancy because you were just waiting to lose her. I feel the same way about this pregnancy. I have symptoms like sore breasts and nausea but other than that, I don’t know what people mean when they say they “feel pregnant” because other than those symptoms, I don’t feel pregnant. I have never been pregnant but I have this awful fear about miscarrying and I think that is keeping me from connecting with the pregnancy right now.

Elyse1384 · October 2016

@NurseSHS13 I feel you! I don't feel pregnant at all and am petrified of a MC. I mean yes, I'm exhausted and bloated, but i know the bloat is my meds since I was bloated before my transfer. Other than that... nothing. I try to remind myself with that in prior pregnancies I didn't "feel" pregnant until 6-7 weeks since I started to get morning sickness, but that doesn't seem to be helping this week.

JessErinF · October 2016

1. How long did it take you to get your BFP? only 14 months, which felt like a lifetime to me because I've been ready for years but waited so I could finish grad school
2. What is your diagnosis? unexplained...
3. What is your treatment/history? Due to moving and switching clinics and doctors we never actually did anything other than testing. I got a script for clomid to begin IUI and got pregnant on our own before the script was filled!!!
4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB? same person
5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears: I'm afraid its a chemical pregnancy. i'm afraid we will lose it.
6. Anything else you would like to share? i had a breast reduction in college and i'm scared i won't be able to nurse

helloaustin123 · October 2016

How long did it take you to get your BFP? 2 years
2. What is your diagnosis? low ovarian reserve (very low AMH, FSH)
3. What is your treatment/history? 1 failed IUI, 1 IVF up to egg retrieval (froze two embryos - 1 graded great, 1 graded not so great (they say it probably won't make it through defrosting).
4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB? n/a
5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears:
6. Anything else you would like to share? Thought I would share our story about this journey ..

We tried to conceive on our own for a year and then were eventually referred to a fertility specialist. The first doctor suggested an IUI - didn't work. My friend told me about her fertility doctor (I wasn't really pleased with the first one - bad bedside manner), so we switched to their clinic. Both doctors told me that I had low ovarian reserve and the chances of me getting pregnant on my own were nearly impossible. He recommended we do an IVF cycle. I had something for work coming up in Jan 2015, so we decided we would go through the egg retrieval process and freeze whatever embryos we were able to get. They retrieved 4, and only 2 made it. We froze the two and moved on with our life, thinking and planning for an April 2016 FET.

In February 2015, I was surprised with my first ever natural BFP. My daughter was born in November. She is our miracle baby. A baby that doctors said would never happen on our own.

We were talking about having siblings close together so we planned for a January 2017 FET of the embryos we have. My fertility doctor requested that I have a fluid ultrasound in August to prep for cycle. It must have helped clear out my tubes because we conceived naturally again, and in September we got a second BFP for our next miracle baby, due June 1st.

One day we will use our frozen embryos. We are thankful and grateful for this miracle journey God has blessed us with.

wifeinraleigh28 · October 2016

Wow, these stories are just incredible! DH and I sometimes joke that maybe our next kid can be conceived naturally... even if we never get that lucky it's so good to hear that others do, and so many in this group no less!

kahlan82 · October 2016

1. How long did it take you to get your BFP? It took us two year with DS (using only metformin). This time 6 months. (We have a much more proactive fertitily doctor this time.)

2. What is your diagnosis? PCOS and a blocked tube, which this RE easily fixed, our other wouldn't

3. What is your treatment/history? metformin, 3 cycles of femara, trigger, and timed intercource, 1 IUI with femara, follistim, and trigger- shocked it worked on the first try.

4. If working with an RE, what is your doctor's protocol for transitioning to OB? We will do an u/s on 10/20 (6w5d) and another two weeks later, then I will be released

5. Rants/raves/hopes/fears: Scared of mutliples, which I knew was an increase chance when we started this but now that I am pregnant it is really starting to sink in. Right now I am just trying to concentrate on healthy baby but it is hard. I think mutliples would be very hard financially and emotionally (I developed PTSD and post partum depression after DS was born). I am also scared about lose. Since we had DS, many of our close realtives had miscarriages and a stillbirth, which made the potential of loss seem more real. I think I will feel much better in a week when I see that heartbeat, preferrable just one, but in the end I just want healthy however many.

6. Anything else you would like to share? It's nice to find other ladies who understand how it feels when it is hard o get pregnant. My two best friends just have to look at their husbands and they got pregnant. It was always a little annoying.

wifeinraleigh28 · October 2016

@kahlan82 I feel like all my friends just look at their husbands and become pregnant. I have a friend who recently got pregnant while on birth control even. It's so hard to be surrounded by that all the time! I understand your concern about multiples... how many mature follicles did you have going into your IUI? FX for you that whoever is in there is strong and healthy!

kahlan82 · October 2016

@wifeinraleigh28 We had 3 mature folicles but there were 7 other that were smaller. My RE wasn't that concerned. He said my chance of twins wasn't that increased with 3 and my chance of triplets was less than 1%. He was very calm about it. Of course, my brain refuses to follow logic. Thursday is my u/s, so I just have to control the crazy for a couple more days.

My best friend and I started trying the same month the first time around. She had a baby and was pregnant with her second before I even got pregnant with my first. For her third, it took her a few months because of their work schedule. She finally just scheduled a day off on the exact day she knew she would get pregnant, had sex, and called me the next day to say, "Yup I am probably pregnant now." and she was. I finally told her to just start having babies for me. I think that 3% chance of pregnancy stems from combining people who get pregnant instantanously and all of us that take awhile.

LLyn86 · October 2016

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