IF/Testing Check-In - Week of 10/24

britters314 · October 2016

**General TW that this thread can and will mention MC and loss.***

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 ball game. 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, and treat this like an ongoing conversation.

Diagnosis (If you've been):

Cycle/CD:

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA):

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

How are things going?

Any questions?

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget?

britters314 · October 2016

Diagnosis (If you've been): Subclinical Hypothyroidism

Cycle/CD: Cycle 15, CD 27

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): TWW

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?)
Finished up all the normal testing this cycle. I have my first appointment with an endocrinologist next week, so I'll hopefully start thyroid treatment then.

How are things going?
Decent. I actually think this will be the last week I post in this thread. Since I'm moving on to thyroid treatment, rather than IUI/IVF/etc, I don't really feel like I will contribute much. I know you all would be fine with me staying, but it just doesn't feel like the right spot for me anymore. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if my doctor benches me until we figure out medication and dosages, so I might not even be TTC for a while. I'll still post this week, but after that I'll maybe be hanging out in the benched thread and I'll definitely be hanging out over on the adoption board

Any questions?
None right now.

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget?
We've been aggressively paying off student loans since we got married, so right now it's basically putting in money for the absolute essentials (we live as if we hardly make anything) and then the rest goes to loans. If we get extra money, like from cash back on the credit cards, we split it and can spend it on whatever we want so that way we get a little bit of fun money, too.

wabash15 · October 2016

Diagnosis (If you've been): unexplained

Cycle/CD: 6/10

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): WTO

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?) Nothing this cycle, but I am super excited that we have a consult scheduled with a new RE at the end of December... 2 more months and we can make something happen!

How are things going? as well as they could be, but the reality is nothing is going to happen without help

Any questions? not now

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget? we sat down a few years ago with all of our bills and made an average of what we spend a month and what we earn.. we then tweaked areas where we thought we could cut back or spend more... DH enters all of our bills into a spread sheet every month so we can make sure we are on track. we also revisit our goals and spending at least once a year to see if any areas need to be tweaked. I think it has helped us be more aware of where we spend our money and make sure that we are not spending more than we earn.

@britters314 I hope that thyroid treatment does the trick for you. if not good luck with adoption, we have considered adoption as well.

Marley629 · October 2016

@britters314 -Can I ask you what your symptoms were for hypothyroidism? I'm having some issues (see below) and recently found out that my cousin and grandmother have hypothyroidism and my aunt has hyper.

Diagnosis (If you've been): Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Factor V Leiden & OH has MFI

Cycle/CD: Cycle 14, CD 18

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): TWW

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?) We did clomid 75mg (days 3-7) and triggered with Ovidrel on CD14...I have dotted CH's for CD14 and I had BW this a.m. to check my progesterone level - waiting on the call from the RE.

How are things going? TTC wise they are ok..just testing out my trigger -it was pretty white this morning (6 days post trigger). I have questionable bloodwork (4 times now) showing high rates of inflammation in my body..the infectious disease doctor believes I was misdiagnosed with lymes disease in August and that I have some sort of autoimmune disorder so am being referred to a rheumatologist and endocrinologist for further evaluation. I know this affects fertility as well if I do have an autoimmune disorder so I am desperately seeking answers before we move forward with IVF in January. My cousin and grandmother have Graves disease so I'm looking into that as being one potential answer.

Any questions?

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget? This is a big point of contention with us! We dont currently budget and we keep our finances separate. I actually just discussed this with him this morning because we definitely need a better plan so I'll be paying attention to everyone's answers.

britters314 · October 2016

@Marley629 It wasn't symptoms that lead to me being tested for thyroid issues - it was just a regular bloodwork test that my doctor does for infertility. I am subclinical, so I have fewer symptoms than usual. I have sensitivity to cold, mind fogginess, and fatigue/muscle weakness. However, I was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome when I first started getting all of those symptoms and my thyroid levels were in the normal range, so I'm not even sure if my thyroid is the reason for the symptoms. Did your doctor test your TSH levels when you did all of your bloodwork?

Marley629 · October 2016

@britters314 yes, they did the basic thyroid test and it came back within normal range but so did my cousin's apparently before her diagnosis. She gave me a list of further tests to request that are more in-depth. I have an appointment with endocrinologist tomorrow so I'm hoping to get some answers or to at least weed out a thyroid issue. My symptoms are extreme fatigue, excessive weight gain no matter what I do (70lbs in a year), dry skin, hair loss despite being on pnv's for 16 months, high inflammation rates, and bad headaches with ear pressure (i dont know how else to explain them lol)

mrsdaddario · October 2016

@Marley629 My RE actually is starting to think I may have an autoimmune issue. Aside from my MS that is. Their wondering if perhaps my immune system is causing inflammation so I'm on prednisone and LDN this cycle. Worth asking about them.

Diagnosis (If you've been): NIR PCOS

Cycle/CD: CD 8

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): WTO

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?) Prednisone, LND, Gonal f and Menopur

How are things going? Going well actually. We're now treating for possible immune system interference so I'm glad we're changing things up. I had a follicle check this morning and am showing around five follicles. Three of which she thinks are "in the lead". I was shocked because I've never had so many at once. I'm also a wee bit nervous because I don't want to cancel a cycle if all five mature. But otherwise I feel really great about this cycle, which is scary because I haven't had hope in quite a while.

Any questions?

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget?
We don't lol. So bad. But we don't share bills at all. So I pay my stuff and he pays his.

persnickity · October 2016

Diagnosis (If you've been): unexplained

Cycle/CD: 10 ttcal/ 18

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): TWW - 6dpo, 7dpiui

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?) Follistim, ovidrel trigger, IUI #1

How are things going? I hate waiting. Got my progesterone checked Sunday and they said it all looks good. Now it's twiddling my thumbs.

Any questions? How early can you actually test without a false positive? I was told 14dpiui, but waiting that long is going to kill me. I was told not to test out my trigger, so I have no idea.

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget? I love budgets and spreadsheets! I create an annual budget every December, then we adjust based on yearly goals. Every month we sit down and confirm we're on track. As for categories, it works better for us to be a little more flexible and have more inclusive buckets. Like one for miscellaneous that can include parking, dry cleaning, etc.

persnickity · October 2016

@britters314 Good luck getting everything under control! Hopefully you're able to find the right combo to normalize quickly.

@wabash15 hopefully the next 2 months fly by!

persnickity · October 2016

@Marley629 Glad you're able to help guide some of the testing with your family history. It can be hard to get more in depth testing when some results are normal.

@mrsdaddario YAY!! That's awesome to have so many follicles after the past few cycles. So glad the nurse looked into your chart further and made some recommendations.

mrsdee15 · October 2016

Diagnosis (If you've been): Unexplained

Cycle/CD: 14 or something/14

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): Today is O day from Ovidrel

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?) IUI today

How are things going? Fine. Can't decide if I'm hopeful or not, this is IUI 3, so if it doesn't work we are on to IVF.

Any questions? Not at the moment.

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget? We don't have structured budgeting, just try to save every month.

laurad75 · October 2016

Diagnosis (If you've been): DOR

Cycle/CD: 7/ 6

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): WTO

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?) I am away for work this week and get back Friday morning (CD 10). First thing Saturday morning I will go in for my monitoring and then to schedule ovidrel and IUI - I think. Is that how it works?

How are things going? I'm just hanging out in Vegas counting the days until I get home.

Any questions?

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget? This is a little 1950's but H does all the budgeting since his salary is significantly more than mine. Once we start a family we are definitely going to need to tighten things up.

ReesaAnne16 · October 2016

Diagnosis (If you've been): MFI High DNA fragmentation

Cycle/CD: 19 / CD13

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): TWW

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?)
IUI #3 yesterday (letrozole 7.5mg)

How are things going?
OK, feeling a little more optimistic this cycle since DH's motile count was much much better, so even though I only have 1 follicle, hopefully the extra sperm will make a difference.

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget?
We use Mint.com to keep track of all our bank accounts and spending, so we track everything in and everything out. We usually set up monthly budgets in January based on previous spending habits and goals for the year. We paid off my student loans this summer, so now that extra monthly budget line is going toward IUIs. If we weren't paying for treatment, we would be able to start saving for a house, which is so frustrating. It's hard not to get jealous of friends who have both a house and a baby and we have neither at this point because of student loans and infertility. Life isn't fair... I know.

daisy62103 · October 2016

@persnickity I tested out my ovidrel trigger the first time and it was still barely showing a faint line at 12dpt. So i'd say definitely wait until 14dpt or test it out yourself to see when it goes away and when you can trust a line.

@mrsdaddario what a great scan!

@mrsdee15 hope your iui goes smoothly today!

Diagnosis (If you've been): unexplained secondary infertility

Cycle/CD: 16/19

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): TWW; 8dpt, 6dpiui

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?) clomid 100mg days 3-7, ovidrel and iui

How are things going? they're going. i said before i wasn't hopeful (again, ugh) b/c I had barely any follicles on cd 9 when I was checked with ultrasound. but was told to trigger 2 days later. I have been cramping since iui and feel pretty bloated.

Any questions? nope

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget? we don't have a budget. but we're both careful with spending and aren't big spenders anyway, so it works for us.

wabash15 · October 2016

@mrsdaddario fx you stay with 3 lead follies and can continue this cycle
@persnickity I used to test 14dpIUI. My RE office wanted me to wait till 16-18dpIUI but I could never wait that long. **TW I never tested out my trigger, if I was out that cycle I had a BFN, the two cycles I did get KTFU I had a BFP. The first time they made me wait 2 days and test again, only on the second + home test did they bring me in for a BETA. The second time around I think they trusted me more and let me come in for a beta after the first +. End TW. I think @mrsdaddario has had experience with still having trigger in her system at 12dpIUI, so as much as the wait sucks try not to test too early.
@mrsdee15 GL with the IUI today
@ReesaAnne16 fx this was the IUI for you, you only need one follie. My dad loves MINT but I am a bit neurotic and I dont like apps accessing my financial information so I haven't tried it yet....

mrsdaddario · October 2016

@persnickity Yeah, I really think if you can try to hold off on testing your trigger then it's in your best interest. Everyone is different with how fast their metabolism rids their body of the trigger shot, but in my experience no cycle was the same. The last two cycles I took a trigger shot I tested around 12dpiui/13dpt and it was still faintly in my system. Leading me to believe I was KU. I wasn't. Stay strong! Otherwise my only advise is if you must test the trigger test it from day one DAILY. That way you can see some what of a progression..

gravcass · October 2016

@persnickity What previous posters have said. Normally it stays in your system 10-14 days. I'm being a bad girl and testing mine out

lol

Diagnosis (If you've been): MFI, Low count and morph

Cycle/CD: 18..19? I don't know. CD: 16. 1 dpo and 2dpiui

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): TWW

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?) 100mg clomid cd 5-9, ovidrel shot with IUI.

How are things going? Doing ok. It was my first IUI. The trigger shot made me feel so weird and I'm still a bit bloated from it.

Any questions? nah, not yet.

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget? He takes care of the house payments and i take care of everything else. It works out to be the same.We have discussed a joint savings account.

persnickity · October 2016

Thanks @mrsdaddario @Daisy621 @wabash15 and everyone else. I'll try to stay strong and wait until 14dp since I didn't start testing it out from the beginning.

persnickity · October 2016

@mrsdee15 Hopefully third time's the charm!

@ReesaAnne16 Glad you're feeling more hopeful about your chances today. Hopefully that extra sperm makes a difference.

britters314 · October 2016

@Marley629 Yeah, that definitely sounds like hypothyroid. Do you know what your TSH was at? From what I've read, some people get symptoms even when in the "normal range" but on the higher end. Labs consider the normal range up to 4 or 4.5, but you can start getting symptoms as low as 2.5.

Marley629 · October 2016

@britters314 lol I'm armed with pages of bloodwork for my appt so I checked it and my TSH is 2.67 and that made me check my bloodwork from Last year and my TSH in September 2015 was only .458. Thank you for pointing that out because I can draw attention to that at my appt this afternoon!

mokay19 · October 2016

Diagnosis (If you've been): PCOS

Cycle/CD: Month 14, CD24

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): WTO

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?) Letrozole, Pregnyl, TI, maybe Crinone

How are things going? GREAT! I had my meeting with the new RE this morning and she was super nice and understanding! Even though I'm on day 24, she agreed that as long as my hormones were the same as if I was at the beginning of my cycle, then there is no point in doing Provera. My blood work from this morning showed that nothing is happening. I also had that internal ultrasound on day 13 that showed a very thin lining and no developing follicles, so that helped her decision to not wait. I started Letrozole today! Then I will go for an ultrasound check next Saturday. Since I'm just started my new job Monday, I can't schedule appts for during the week yet. She said "worst case scenario, you have a lot of sex and we just don't have to trigger" ....then we walked out and DH goes "all I heard was that we have to have a lot of sex.... I like this doctor!" haha

Any questions? Not now!

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget? He just got minted for us but we haven't been following it yet with the move and everything! Starting next week we will be strictly using it!

pretzel2plus1 · October 2016

@britters314 Good luck with the thyroid treatment! Of course we would love for you to stay, but please do whatever is best for you at this time.

@mokay19 I'm glad you liked your new RE! And good luck with your move!

Diagnosis (If you've been): endometriosis

Cycle/CD: Month 15, Cycle 13, CD 16

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): WTO

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?) Monitoring by ultrasound and blood work

How are things going? Pretty good! I waited to post until today because of my appt with the RE. H and I both really liked her. I got a positive OPK this morning, so she wanted to go ahead with an ultrasound and blood work, and I had a 19 mm follicle on one side. I go back in a week to check progesterone, and then again if AF comes. We'll make a treatment plan for next cycle once she sees how the blood work turns out.

Any questions? not yet

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget?
I do something similar to @persnickity. We have a monthly spreadsheet that breaks down our spending categories and bills and I input everything we spend in the appropriate category. We do keep our categories fairly fluid, like I don't mind spending a little more in one area if we're not spending the budgeted amount in another. We then put whatever is left into savings which is also categorized by whatever goals we're working toward at the time.

courtney7784 · October 2016

Diagnosis (If you've been): Unexplained

Cycle/CD: 14/6

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): WTO

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?) 100mg Clomid CD 3-7 + IUI.

How are things going? Pretty good. This is our first official treatment cycle so I am feeling good about making progress. I was nervous about Clomid and any side effects but so far so good (*knock on wood*).

Any questions? Not at the moment!

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget?

DH & I sat down and went through what our take home pay is and then subtracted our all our monthly bills. From there we determined that we would put X amount of that leftover money away each month and the rest would be for fun spending. Its worked out pretty well so far. Though we may be shifting things around soon as DH has some credit card debt that I want to work towards paying down.

persnickity · October 2016

@mokay19 So glad you like your RE! That's awesome that you were able to move forward and not have to wait.

@pretzel2plus1 sounds like the appointment was perfect timing, since you got your positive opk that morning and they could do an ultrasound. Always nice to have extra data.

My anxiety is driving me nuts during this TWW. How do you guys stay positive or at least distracted when you have to wait to test? I have an appointment with my therapist in 2 weeks, but need something to get me through this week.

furbabymom2007 · October 2016

Diagnosis (If you've been): ovulation disorder

Cycle/CD: cycle 16, month 14, cd 6

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): WTO

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

Letrozole, trigger, IUI #3, progesterone

How are things going? Scan in Tuesday showed a 9ish mm follie in each side. I got back Monday for a the follicle scan.

I dont know if we will try one more IUI or not. Have a consult scheduled in a couple weeks to find out the docs path forward

Any questions?

GTKY: How do you and your SO budget?

we figured out how much we spend jointly for bills, food, gas, etc. we out enough to cover that into a joint account from our paychecks each week. Then we each put a certain amount into our joint savings. Anything leftover goes into our personal accounts to spend on whatever we want. We watch the balance in the joint account and if we dip too low then we re-evaluate our contributions, look at our spending, -!: adjust accordingly. Unfortunately infertility treatments have been wreaking havoc on our budget.

Everycol0r · October 2016

Diagnosis (If you've been): left sided hydrosalpinx

Cycle/CD: Cycle 30ish/CD7

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): Benched

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

Had laparoscopy surgery yesterday morning and hysteroscopy also at the same time. After the 2 most recent failed medicated cycles, I didn't want to continue without having this hydrosalpinx addressed. We ended up not having a saplingectomy (removal of the left tube) due to blood supply to the ovary and scar tissue, so the RE drained it (I think) and cauterized the ends so no my hydrosalpinx!

I follow up with him in about 2-3 weeks to go over everything again. He said our monthly odds increased from 1-2% to just under normal, 15% which is incredible.

How are things going?

Going good, just taking my pain meds and resting.

Any questions?

Nope, sorry I've been MIA. Things have been so busy.

wabash15 · October 2016

@Everycol0r Congrats, that is such great news!!

mokay19 · October 2016

Has anyone experienced bleeding during Femara/Letrozole? The first time I took it, I never bled. But this time, I've had spotting to light bleeding on day 5 of the meds.

furbabymom2007 · October 2016

mokay19 said:

Has anyone experienced bleeding during Femara/Letrozole? The first time I took it, I never bled. But this time, I've had spotting to light bleeding on day 5 of the meds.

Hm, I have had spotting on day 12-15. But that was the cycle they canceled and I think I had a small cyst that had ruptured.

If it continues more than a day or two I'd give your nurses a call.

ReesaAnne16 · October 2016

I've been on femara for 3 cycles now, and have never had any spotting

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