TTTC 9/29/18 Check-In

Bababatty · September 2018

A little late starting this week, but that's ok. Also sorry about all the line breaks. Not sure how to fix that.

QOTW: Are you a baker? What is your favorite thing to bake?

2018 BFP Hall of Fame

lablover78 dx: PCOS, Compound Heterozygous MTHFR Rx: IVF

Tops-2: dx: anovulatory PCOS Rx: Metformin, Letrozole & TI

halfanewt: possible PCOS, MTHFR gene, slight MFI Rx: IVF

seethosestars: dx: DOR Rx: IVF + FET #1

Kim41313: dx: unexplained Rx: IVF

soehlerk: dx: Unexplained Rx: Femara + IUI

Mlight28: dx Unexplained Rx: Clomid

SoonToBeMommaHowe: dx: Unexplained Rx: naturally until IVF

honeybeebub: dx:septate uterus, MTHFR Rx: septum resection surgery, baby aspirin & progesterone

be08ryan: dx: PCOS and AO Rx: Clomid

kiwielopingbride: Dx: Unexplained Rx: IUI

thothscribe81: dx: unexplained Rx: IVF

kristimh80: dx: unexplained Rx: Injectables + trigger + IUI

PAGING:

@BWhitta: dx: PCOS, low AMH and endo Rx: letrozole

@Bababatty: dx:Low Motility Rx: IVF

@ChristinaV2015: dx: blocked tubes, PCOS, endo + MFI Rx: lap, OPKs + TI

@ChristenMA83 : dx: MFI Rx: IVF w/ISCI

@emgem819 dx: PCOS, Rx: provera, femara + Bravelle

@hoffmanr7: dx: unexplained Rx: IVF

@jmr1515: dx: Mild MFI/morph, fibroid Rx: Surgery + TI

@mackenzie07 dx: PCOS and Endo Rx: metformin, letrozole, ovidrel

@mandasand: dx: low AMH Rx:IVF (Lupron, Menopur + Follistim)

@MrsM00re87: dx: DOR PCOS, low morph Rx: Femara + TI

@Mythril: dx: PCOS (anovulatory) Rx:levothyroxine, metformin and femara + TI

@rachlee2010: dx: DOR Rx: IUI

@Samanthaarielxo dx: anovulation Rx: still in testing

@sarah0985: dx: PCOS, possible blocked tubes Rx: Lap

@SM746830: dx: PCOS, blocked tubes Rx: Surgery, Clomid

@starlitfae dx: MFI & balanced translocation, thyroid Rx: ivf with pgd testing

@funkykey dx: unexplained Rx: IVF

@Worldtravler0522 dx: PCOS/Unexplained Rx: IVF

@notamyrtle: dx: unexplained Rx: IUI + injects

@Kate437: dx:anovulatory Rx:Letrozole + trigger

@SP128: in testing/unexplained

@eranvo27: dx: anovulatory PCOS Rx: metformin

@Charligirl28: dx: unexplained Rx: Clomid

@Brooke4131: dx: Secondary unexplained Rx: in testing

@fluffybookworm: dx: Anovulation + insulin resistance Rx: Metformin + prometrium + testing

@Asampson87: dx: unexplained + MFI Rx: metformin + testing

@hannahlce: dx: anovulatory PCOS Rx: metformin + letrozole

@emmasemm: dx: DOR & autoimmune Rx: IVF

@floridanursegirl: dx: unexplained anovulation Rx:Metformin, IUI+Femara+trigger

@aeb1116: dx: unexplained Rx: IUI

@Happyin14: dx: unexplained, RPL Rx: IVF

@amac2313: dx: unknown Rx: Clomid

@nurseerin2012: dx: unexplained Rx: letrozole + IUI

@Knottie1467155066: dx: unknown Rx: letrozole + trigger + TI

@BenJay: Dx: PCOS/unexplained Rx. Metformin + supplements

@MicahDahn: Dx: irregular cycles Rx: preparing for testing

@moloninge Dx:PCOS, hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, fibroids. Rx:Metformin,Synthroid,IUI w/letrozole, ovidrel, and progesterone.

@beec2421: dx: PCOS, hypothyroidism Rx: metformin, synthroid, clomid

@wishing-and-hoping: dx: unexplained rx: poss. IVF

@echocharlietango: dx: Unexplained Rx: trying naturally

@kgabhart: dx: Unexplained/PCOS Rx: letrozole + IUI

@linz36: dx: Low AFC, MFI Rx: testing/IUI

@jrm_14: dx: Adrenal/overian insufficiency, Borderline-low AMH, Low progesterone Rx: IUI w/ injectables.

@Bgreenfield10: dx: anovulatory PCOS, LPD Rx: Clomid + trigger

@serownarain: dx: in testing

@allisona66: dx: waiting for testing

@manhattanmama2: dx: unexplained Rx: IVF

@mirabelle33 dx: DOR, possible endo Rx: TBD

@meganttc3: dx: PCOS, unexplained Rx: waiting to test

@mrsjcrane: dx: unexplained Rx: femara + trigger + TI + 2nd HCG booster

@mighty-mouse: dx:pcos & HA Rx: provera/letrozole + trigger

@ladystout08: dx: unknown Rx: waiting for testing

@leafyarch: dx: MFI, no thyroid Rx: IVF

@oklahomak: dx: PCOS Rx: metformin/letrozole/estradiol/progesterone+ trigger

@drewsdarlin: dx: RPL, PCOS, Hashimotos, low vitamin D and Iron RX: ?

@rmarble23: dx: MFI Rx: IVF

@courtneyh2013: dx: MFI Rx: IUI + clomid

@sarahven dx:anovulation and PCOS. Rx: femara

@inthewoods23 - dx:MFI. Rx: pending.

@sincethelastday - dx: irregular cycles, low morphology. Rx: Femara

@sailorariel - dx: submucosal fibroids. Rx: potential surgery or medicated cycle

NEWCOMERS:To be added to the Weekly Checkin, please answer the following:

1. How long have you been TTC?

2. What is your diagnosis?

3. What is your current Rx plan?

Bababatty · September 2018

U/S and bloodwork on Friday went well, so I've finally abandoned the lupron (and hopefully my terrible hormonal attitude) and started PIO. Everything looks good for a FET on Thursday. I'm getting pretty nervous because of our history of loss and the fact that we haven't really changed much up other than knowing we have a PGS normal embryo and doing acupuncture (which I'm mostly doing as a Hail Mary, even though I know others swear by it). I did ask yesterday if adding something in like Lovenox or baby aspirin could help, and my RE said I could do the baby aspirin if I really wanted (which I totally predicted; he throws me a bone with things like vitamins that he doesn't think are going to have any impact but will probably make me feel better psychologically). On Monday I have to call my clinic because they want me to do one more round of bloodwork on Wednesday, which will be physically impossible as I'm out of town on business and my agenda does not allow time for bloodwork. Hopefully they don't give me a hard time about doing it on Tuesday because I am prepared to be a complete B if necessary.

sincethelastday · September 2018

@Bababatty Thursday is so soon!! I can imagine it must be exciting and nerve wracking in equal measures this waiting period. Major FX for you and your transfer!! Will be thinking of you! And it’s not being a B, it’s being a self-advocate

@mirabelle33 How did your appointments go with the RE and embryologist?

@funkykey Is there any additional testing or appointments before November or is just waiting now for when you can do the FET?

AFM: finished taking my first round of Femara. Only “side effect” I’ve had is a few days of spotting after AF ended which I’m hoping means it’s working. Now just TI and OPKs. Hoping I just get a positive OPK sooner than later. You’d think by now I would have learned some patience with this whole IF thing, but nope.

QOTW: I love to bake!! Some days I wish I could just quit my job and bake full time. I find it a major stress reliever. I don’t know if I have a favorite recipe; I really enjoy making these caramel apple cheesecake bars which are easy to make, but look more impressive than they really are lol

kls2016 · September 2018

Hi all! Newbie here. Sounds like everyone has some exciting things going on this week! My DH had his SA this week on Thursday. They were so backed up it took 2 months to get this appointment! Funny story that he was really nervous before hand and we go through our OB so have to pay there ahead of time and bring the order over for them to take the sample and run the analysis. I guess someone forgot to tell me this because we didn’t have any paperwork and had to call our OB and track someone down so we could pay over the phone because they wouldn’t see him. Poor DH had to sit in the waiting room for almost an hour..I was worried he would be too stressed to provide a sample! Luckily everything worked out and should be getting some word next week!
we are getting ready to go out of town for a wedding next week and I am looking forward to getting away..

QOTW: I’m a terrible baker because I hate measuring..great cook because I like tasting! I like doing it but in our almost ten years together my husband makes fun of me because I have only been able to make 2 batches of edible cookies!

inthewoods23 · October 2018

Morning everyone! Sorry I've been MIA for the last 2 weeks. I was traveling for work and last week I had a bit of a crazy week so I haven't had the chance to keep up with everyone.

QOTW: I like baking when I have the time for it. I'm mostly a brownie and cookie baker with the occasional banana bread or corn bread muffins thrown in there. Cakes are definitely not my thing! Most of my baking happens around the holidays.

AFM: got our information packet in the mail for the RE on Friday. Looks like the consultation fee is not covered by our insurance so I'm starting to go on an emotional roller coaster every time I think about how much this is going to cost us

plus it has me thinking about how I'm going to be over the holidays with other pregnant people around. At least when it's the holidays we will have met with the RE at least once so maybe we'll have a game plan that will keep my spirits up!

mirabelle33 · October 2018

Hi everyone, sorry I was mostly MIA last week. We had our two appointments on Thursday and Friday and in anticipation, my anxiety/insomnia kicked in around Tuesday and lasted until Saturday afternoon when I finally crashed. I also had a self-imposed deadline of Friday for turning in a topic proposal for my dissertation. Anyway, I'll give my update after a few tags ...

@Bababatty I'm glad everything is looking good this time and Thursday is so soon! You will be in my thoughts the whole week

I hope the call with your clinic goes well today and that they don't give you a hard time about the blood work. Haha I can totally relate to your doctor throwing you a bone by letting you take a baby aspirin. Last week my doctor told me to stop all supplements except for folic acid and I think I actually pouted for a second (I heard DH laugh). I did, however, convince her to let me continue taking the one that has been helping me sleep a little better and I'm pretty sure she only agreed because of the placebo effect. For what it's worth, TW a friend of mine had two MC and she and her husband were only going to try once more. Her OB told her to take a baby aspirin and it worked like a charm TW.

@sincethelastday that's great that you didn't have any major side effects from the Femara! GL with the OPKs and TI! Do you know what day you normally O'd on your own? If it was on the late side, the Femara might move it up a little, so be prepared with those OPKs. In any case, I don't think you'll have to wait too long to get a positive. FX this is your fix!

@kls2016 welcome! Sorry your husband had to go through that extra stress before his SA. I feel like there are probably hundreds of similar stories floating around these boards lol. I hope you get the results soon and that they are good! It may be too late if you've already started, but I would also recommend waiting to do Clomid with an RE or at least a doctor that will do some monitoring. GL and don't hesitate if you have other questions!

AFM, our appointments with the embryologist and RE went fairly well. The embryologist told us that even though DH's SA was normal, he will do ICSI to give us our best chance at fertilization. I know this is because of my low AMH and likely low quantity of eggs retrieved. I agree with him and I'm glad he's already thinking about how to improve our chances, but I left the appointment feeling a bit defeated before even getting started. Thankfully on Friday our RE was armed with a plan and it looks like we're going to try to do a retrieval this cycle. Our appointment was on CD 18, but because my cycles are so short, she wanted me to start Estradiol that evening! So I'm taking it two times a day now and just waiting for AF. I've thought it was coming every day for almost a week now so it will likely show in the next couple of days, although I'm also prepared for some last minute shenanigans ... once it starts I need to call the clinic and they'll have me come in for an US on day 2-6. I was surprised that she won't be doing blood work at this time. I asked her about checking if my FSH was too high, but she said "no, we have to try." Okay. So after the US, she will tell me when to start the injections. I'll be doing Menopur - I forget the dose and the prescription is at the pharmacy. We already have a tentative date for the retrieval on the 15th, but I know this will likely change. Ladies, I'm super nervous about getting cancelled or having a poor response. Any good vibes you can send to my ovaries would be much appreciated!

QOTW: Are you a baker? What is your favorite thing to bake? No, I'm not really a baker, although I greatly admire those who are! I used to bake simple things like cookies and banana bread, but when I moved to France our first oven was really old and you needed a match to light the pilot. This freaked me out and I never used it on my own lol. We have a new oven now, but I just haven't gotten back in the habit. Maybe this winter - I love the cozy feeling of a warm oven and the smell of freshly baked cookies!

sincethelastday · October 2018

@kls2016 oh, that sucks for YH with that wait! I know my DH stresses out about it a lot; the stories we all could tell! Lol. FX for good SA results and hope the wedding provides a nice distraction from the waiting!

@inthewoods23 welcome back! Yeah, the holidays can really suck sometimes. I’m pretty lucky that I don’t have any close, immediate family yet with kids, but even something as simple as a holiday TV commercial featuring a baby can p*ss me off! I hope you get a plan soon - is your initial RE appointment quite soon? I find just having a plan, even if it’s just one step closer to a bigger plan, can be reassuring.

@mirabelle33 what a lot you’ve got going on, not just in the IF realm of things!! Hope you get a chance to have a breather from some of the craziness of life! It sounds like once you’re on the rollar coaster of IVF it just starts right away with hardly any warning! And I guess like a rollar coaster it can be exciting and terrifying at the same time - or more than the other? Major FX for you during the upcoming weeks and sending only good, positive vibes your way!! Keep us updated!

And I really have no standard time of when I naturally O. Anywhere between CD 13-25 historically. I’ve already told DH that we’re going to be increasing the BD regardless of when I get the positive OPK and he sighed. Nothing takes sexy out of sex like ttc sex lol

mirabelle33 · October 2018

@inthewoods23 Sorry you're feeling overwhelmed about the RE and the upcoming holidays

We've all been there, so you're always welcome to vent here if needed. When is your appointment?

@sincethelastday Thank you

Right now I'm more terrified than anything else, but if we make it to transfer this first round, I may be able to relax a bit just knowing we cleared a major hurdle.

That's a fairly wide range for your typical O, but I still think there's a good chance the Femara will move it up to CD 13-15. I hear you on the sexy-less ttc sex

I hope you won't need to do it again for awhile after this round!

inthewoods23 · October 2018

Thanks ladies! The last 6 days or so have been pretty rough for me. Started with some unbearable back pain on Wednesday that I thought could be a kidney infection or something but Tylenol or Ibuprofen has been keeping the pain away so maybe I was just having some really horrible back pain *shrug*. Then like I said before I found out the consultation fee for the RE (appt is 10/16 so it's close!) so that was bumming me out all weekend. Today I keep thinking it's Wednesday and that's just one of my least favorite feelings.

AF is suppose to show up.. well like now or yesterday, but hasn't. Lately she shows up in the evening so I'm not holding my breath that some miracle has occurred since O was likely while I was traveling for work but we did BD before I left and after I came back so maybe... I'm hoping our RE appt is at a good time that we won't have to wait for a whole cycle to pass before starting anything. I must sound like a broken record, I keep saying how much I hate waiting!

courtneyh2013 · October 2018

Hi, we did a round of IUI after 5 days and a trigger shot. IUI was on CD16 and I’m now 16 days past IUI and no AF. I’m always right on time with AF coming around CD25 or CD26 the latest and I’m now CD32. I’m testing negative on Wondfo and the Clear Blue digital tests.

Could my cycle be this delayed? Are my tests junk?

wishing-and-hoping · October 2018

hey @courtneyh2013 are you on progesterone supplementation? that can delay or prevent your period (everyone is a little different with how their body responds to it). My clinic always said if you get a negative test 14dpIUI, stop progesterone supplements, but you could always call your office and ask what they recommend. Hoping the best for you!

AFM I do like to bake... I once got myself a job as a baker in a local cafe (with no experience), it wasn't as fun as I thought it would be!

but I do like to bake at home. Today I'm baking a brown butter cranberry banana bread.

courtneyh2013 · October 2018

@wishing-and-hoping no progesterone here 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’m at a loss.

wishing-and-hoping · October 2018

@courtneyh2013 well in that case I'd call my clinic, explain my situation and ask for a blood test. That way you'll know for sure. GL and I hope you get good news!

funkykey · October 2018

@Bababatty - Thanks for getting us started. Are you doing a transfer tomorrow? Keeping FX for you.

@sincethelastday - nope, we're just waiting. We're going on vacation for a couple of weeks. I planned it just in case all our embryos were abnormal. Luckily, that didn't happen.

@mirabelle33 - awesome news that you can finally get started! Sending your ovaries all my good vibes!

@courtneyh2013 - before we started clomid/IUIs, my cycles were all like 28-31 days. Once I started the IUIs, with clomid, my cycles were all over the place. Since the IVF drugs, it's been worse - I've had anywhere from 26-36 day cycles! Not sure if that's what's happening to you, but it's not unheard of for the drugs to mess up cycles.

I've actually always thought it was one of the crueler parts of IF. Like, by the time I get to day 34, even if my HPTs have been negative, part of me is like: "Well, maybe. Maybe they're wrong. Maybe this time I'm KUed". Only to see spotting like 2 hours later. Ugh.

mirabelle33 · October 2018

@Bababatty thinking of you today

sincethelastday · October 2018

@Bababatty ditto what @mirabelle33 said. Wishing you only the best luck today! ❤️

aukeev · October 2018

Hi everyone! I've been lurking for a while but hoping to jump in. Posting and going back to read through current posts now & respond

1. How long have you been TTC?

Feb 2016

2. What is your diagnosis?

PCOS, anovulatory

3. What is your current Rx plan?

From Feb 2016-May 2018 I was on Progesterone & Metformin while we casually tried. Never for a positive OPK. Added Femara (CDs 3-7) + Estradiol (CDs 10-12) with US CD 12 in June 2018. June & July - 2.5 mg Femara; August & September - 7.5 mg Femara; Still no positive OPKs with biggest follicle ever measuring 11mm; October - trying 10mg Femara if AF ever shows up. Currently CD 39 with no signs (and a trash can full of BFNs).

If AF doesn't show up next week, calling to see if I can try something different. Anyone else go through this?

QOTW: Only for charity auctions and other obligatory baking events Trying to stick to PCOS diet, so baking is out for me for now!

[edited because I said BFP instead of BFN... I wish!]

aukeev · October 2018

@bababatty - Have you started the acupuncture/what are your thoughts on it? I'm so interested in this! How did it end up going at the clinic?

@sincethelastday - Did you end up getting your positive OPK? I can't imagine what it is about all the IF talk that makes husbands feel like the BD is so clinical It's the same for us.

@kls2016 - Good news from your DH's SA? I know this is a newbie question, but how long had you been TTC before your OB/RE recommend a SA? Ours still hasn't asked for one since my issues are so obvious, but wondering how this works typically.

@inthewoods23 - Is this your first experience with an RE? Your appointment is getting closer! FX AF shows up soon (or just visited!) so you can start fresh at the consultation.

@mirabelle33 - Have you done the Menopur before? Sending you all the good vibes!

inthewoods23 · October 2018

@oklahomak yes AF showed up sometime in the middle of the night on Weds! I always hate day 1, my cramps make me feel miserable that day, but that's what Midol is for and I power through it.

RE consultation appt is on the 16th so about a week and a half away! Any tips y'all can give or any questions that would be good to ask? Never been to an RE before. What should I expect?

aukeev · October 2018

Hooray! Agreed, day 1 is always awful but at least it's a new start!

& I'm, in the same boat. I'd love to hear any thoughts about the initial consultation with an RE! My first appointment is the 29th. Finally decided it's time to leave my OBGYN, even though we love him.

kls2016 · October 2018

@oklahomak it’s been a little over a year now for us. She recommended to go with blood work for me and SA for DH first in the line of things to test.
< br>still waiting for AF to show up. What’s strange is I have always had cycles 25 to 27 days and last cycle was 31 days..today I’m on d 32 and still no AF yet. Took a HPT 2 days ago and BFN so I am now just waiting around for her to show up! Wonder what could be lengthening my cycle all the sudden? Waiting for d 1 so I can book my HSG! Also we are at a wedding this weekend in the mountain and I want to drink copious amounts of wine to drown my non KU sorrows. We we finally go a call about DH’s SA today. It appears all of his numbers were slightly lower than the recommended so my OB wants him to go to a urologist before we move forward with anything else. Will post the numbers when I get home..we are visiting family out of town this week and so I won’t get the results until then. Off the top of my head I remember morphology is 3 and total amount was 13.2 mil. Bummer. What is everyone’s experience with urologist if any?

also got my first appointment with the RE December 28. We will be getting a packet in the mail. I just feel like we aren’t getting enough monitoring or “priority” from our OB so want to try something else.

inthewoods23 · October 2018

@kls2016 with our urologist appt, he went over DH's SA from the month before. Our issue there is that his morphology is 1% but they don't see it as that big of an issue since what's considered a normal sperm shape is subjective. He also did a physical check to see if there were any vericoceles which he did not find.

He asked me a few questions about my cycle and what tracking I do, if any, and said we could possibly benefit from IUI. He didn't think we would need IVF which was nice to hear. He was the one that recommended trying for a few more months being less "mechanical" with our BDing or to see the RE if we wanted. Obviously I'm not willing to wait so we booked an RE appt as soon as possible.

sincethelastday · October 2018

@funkykey where are you going on vacation? I hope it provides a lovely distraction from the waiting for November!

@mirabelle33 how’s the Estradiol going so far - are there any common side effects with that drug? Also has AF showed up yet so you can continue the ball rolling? Still sending you good vibes!

@Bababatty thinking of you!

@kls2016 my DH’s urology app was pretty similar to @inthewoods23. He pretty much just recommended seeing a RE. Do you have an appointment with the urologist yet? That’s great that you already have your RE appointment all booked - one thing done! And sorry to hear about your BFN - it just sucks every time doesn’t it?!

@oklahomak Yes, I did get my positive OPK a few days ago (CD 15). I have a urine test on CD 24 to see if I ovulated, but I’m hoping/thinking I did going off of the positive OPK. I’m currently on 2.5 mg of Femara (this is my first round). My RE said there was probably a 11% chance each cycle that it would work for us, which seems low to me, but I’m really just trying to put both hope and worry out of my head for the TWW (we’ll see how successful I am with that). I really hope you find a dosage or medication that starts working for you - sounds like you’ve been on quite the frustrating trip so far with the meds!

@oklahomak @inthewoods23 regarding experience of initial RE appointment, I’m sure everyone’s experience is different, but I can share a little about our experience. The RE took down notes on our ttc journey, asked questions about our overall health, and then promptly ordered more tests lol. It was a full year since our referral went in to the RE by the time we were actually seen, so she wanted a bunch of the same blood work repeated, another SA, blood work for DH. And I had not yet had a HSG so I had to get that done (which took another 3 months before actually getting a spot for it to be done). It sounds like you both won’t have to wait as long to get seen, so hopefully you won’t have to repeat any tests and can go straight to discussing a treatment plan. Overall, it wasn’t as nerve wracking an experience as I was anticipating and I think that’s partly due to really liking our RE so far and just knowing that we’re getting more attention/help on this journey. I would recommend having a notebook with you when you go just to have any questions written down and so you can write down the answers you get. I’m really bad at remembering medical details/prescription dosages, etc, so writing it down can be helpful. And ask as many times for clarificafion or more details around something as you need - I’ve asked my RE the same question a few times in the same appointment because I wanted to be sure I was understanding. That’s part of their job is to answer questions so I say ask away!! Lots of good luck on your first appointments and keep us updated on how they go!

mirabelle33 · October 2018

@oklahomak I'm sorry you find yourself here, but welcome! We also did 6 months of treatment with my OB before making the switch to an RE. It's a big step, but I knew deep down that we needed a specialist and I'm so glad we didn't waste any more time with the OB. I hope you will feel the same. I'm not sure what testing you've already done, but be prepared for the RE to want to repeat a lot of it. Don't hesitate to ask questions as your appointment gets closer!

Thanks for the good vibes and this will be my first time doing Menopur!

@kls2016 Ugh so sorry you had to get that kind of news while out of town and at a wedding. Try not to worry too much until you see the actual results and talk to the urologist. In this case, I also think the RE will be more helpful than your OB.

@sincethelastday Thank you and so far so good with the Estradiol! Not too many side effects, except that I'm even more emotional than usual (poor DH). AF finally showed up with a vengeance in the wee hours of Friday morning. I have an US scheduled for 8:30 Monday morning ... fx we can get the go ahead to start stims.

Yay for a positive OPK! I hope you can find some fun things to distract you during the TWW. Fx for you!!!

sincethelastday · October 2018

@mirabelle33 how did the ultrasound go? Have you been given the go ahead?

Bababatty · October 2018

Hi all, sorry to be MIA! I was traveling for work last week, and had a big deadline, AND our FET was on Thursday, and then we flew out to see my family for the long weekend. And to top it off, I promptly got a bad cold right after the FET. Go, me! Like literally two hours after the FET I started getting symptoms and they hit full force on Saturday and Sunday. I am feeling a bit better today at least. In all our years of trying, I have never gotten such a poorly timed cold, although my clinic tried to assure me that as long as I didn't have a high fever, my embryo was probably not in danger. They're probably also tired of me asking if x OTC cold medication is ok. So far I've been allowed to take benadryl to help me sleep and ricola lozanges for my cough. My entire family was with us so they doted on my all weekend, which was nice. Unfortunately, we had to tell them about the FET because I was worried they would start guessing something was up when I kept refusing various typical cold remedies. (They know everything we've done, we're just trying to keep people in the dark about the dates of actual treatments.) My dad said he just assumed my refusal was part of all the other things I was trying to exclude from my diet, like alcohol and sugar (failing at the latter after my RE said my blood sugar was not an issue

). But my mom was totally onto us.

Otherwise, the FET went fine. The full bladder thing always stresses me out--like what if I fill it too much and then I'm so uncomfortable! We transferred a 5-day hatching blast; I don't know the grade but the RE said it looked good. Thank you all for the well wishes!!

@mirabelle33 OMG I am so excited that you're getting started!! HOORAY!!!! How is everything going so far?

@oklahomak Welcome! I'm sorry you find yourself here, but this is a great group. I haven't gone through the same situation as you, but I think you're right to call about changing your protocol. It's definitely not working, it sounds like! As for the acupuncture, so far all it's helped me relax and it may or may not be making my cramps lighter at the beginning of my cycle. It's so hard to tell if that's because of the acupuncture or because I was exercising/dieting too hard and f'd up my cycle (which I did the cycle before this one). This is the first FET I've done while doing acupuncture, so if I get a BFN or CP I'll say it was probably not worth it but I'll keep trying, and if I get a BFP, I'll be singing its praises from the mountain tops, lol.

Are you thinking about doing it?

@inthewoods23 and @oklahomak Good luck with your RE appointments! Ditto what others have said--write down all your questions in advance and try to take notes. It's really a run through of your TTC and medical history and then a set up of the tests your RE wants to run--or a review of any test results you've already done. I was nervous going in and it was actually a really relaxing experience because you get to talk so much about yourself and REs I've found are generally compassionate people.

@kls2016 We worked with a urologist who specialized in MFI (referred by our RE) for about a year. In fact, we have a follow up appointment with this week because we haven't seen him in a year and I'm concerned that our CPs may be related to DH's MFI (even though my RE says the literature doesn't support that theory). He doesn't know about any of our CPs. Anywhoddles, our urologist reviewed all of DH's SA's (I think there were 3 or 4 by that point because we'd done multiple as well as done some IUIs so there were counts from those). He also tested DH for varioceles, and then prescribed Clomid for six month to combat DH's low testosterone and motility. That helped with both issues but not so much the getting KU part and it gave DH heart palpitations, so we stopped that when we started IVF. If you can find one, I definitely recommend a urologist with a knowledge of IF. Ours was affiliated with another fertility clinic.

@sincethelastday Good luck with the TWW!!

kls2016 · October 2018

Ok so one last question y’all! I am currently 10 days late for AF. I have never been this late before (not sure what is going on). I wasn’t temping this month so not sure if I ovulated (guessing not). Took HPT on Friday and go a BFN. Currently on CD 36 and my OB said to take another HPT on Thursday and if negative they will prescribe medication to start AF. I have found some info about this by lurking but everyone says to wait until CD 60. Is it ok to get this medication earlier and if so will I expect to have a normal cycle after AF arrives? I am tired of waiting and slightly freaked out as This has not happened with my cycle before but I know your normal until your not. OB said it’s no big deal and nothing to worry about. Once I get AF I plan to schedule my HSG.

inthewoods23 · October 2018

@Bababatty this might be a silly question to ask since every couple is different, but what are some good questions to ask the RE?

mirabelle33 · October 2018

Hi everyone, sorry I disappeared again. It's another busy week around here.

@sincethelastday and @Bababatty thank you for asking! We had mixed news at our ultrasound ... even though I knew it was a possibility, I was not expecting the cyst on my left ovary to have grown from 12mm to about 45mm! I had been having occasional discomfort and twinges in that area over the summer, but nothing debilitating and I usually thought it was O pain since it mostly happened around the time I thought I was ovulating. Anyway, it is definitely an endometrioma and my RE actually seemed quite pleased to be able to confirm the diagnosis. She said she would rather know what we were dealing with than not. She also said that it is often the case that women with endometriomas will respond better to stims than women with DOR for other reasons. So we finally have an answer as to why my OB never suspected DOR and why she told me I was a "good responder." This brings us to the good news ... I had 6 follicles on my right ovary! I almost fell off the chair when I heard her count that high. My best case scenario was to have 6 total. Unfortunately, it looks like we won't be able to get anything from the left ovary this cycle, but she said we are moving forward with the stims. I took my final estrogen pill last night and will do my first injection of Menopur tonight! It's still very much "step by step" at this point, but I'm feeling a bit more optimistic that we will at least make it to retrieval on our first cycle. She said that if it doesn't work this time, we may have to discuss surgery to "burn" the cyst. I asked if she could drain it during the retrieval and she said there was "no interest" because it would just come back. So while on the one hand it's strange to know the cyst is there and we can't do anything about it for now, it's also a bit of a relief to know what's causing the DOR and to have the chance to move forward with the cycle.

@Bababatty girl, you were busy last week! I'm glad the FET went smoothly and that hatching 5-day blast seems really promising! So sorry to hear about the cold. Sounds like you were well taken care of by your family and I would trust the doctors when they say it shouldn't harm the embryo. DH came down with a nasty cold right before his SA last June - he's never sick and has only come home from work once because of illness in the 7 years we've lived together - and I was convinced that it was going to affect the results. But nope, they came back normal. Sending you all my best thoughts and keeping fx for you!!! When is your beta?

@kls2016 Did you test again today? If it's negative and you're concerned about taking something too early, you could ask your doctor for an ultrasound or blood test to confirm ovulation. If that comes back positive, then you would just wait for AF. But it does seem strange that you wouldn't ovulate or would ovulate really late when you normally have cycles on the shorter side. Keep us posted!

@sincethelastday how are you holding up?

Bababatty · October 2018

@kls2016 I had two anovulatory cycles the year before we started trying (I remember them clearly because we had already determined when we would start trying) for no discernible reason. I even saw my OB during one (for my annual exam) and she did an u/s but didn’t find anything and wasn’t concerned. All of which is to say it does sometimes just happen even with regular cycles. Depending on how rushed you feel with IF, I might wait it out. But patience is no longer my virtue so now I’d be like, “Give me the drugs!”

@inthewoods23 I’d ask about what their test and treatment plan might look like given the information they have on you, what prognosis might look like, how they prefer to communicate (my first clinic I could never reach my RE directly, my current clinic my RE handed me his business card—although I try not to bother him with emails and instead pester his nurse), does he or she have a dedicated nurse that you’ll be able to communicate with, what timing looks like on getting test results and a follow up appointment, etc. it’s an intro appointment so I’d focus on familiarizing yourself with the RE and how the practice works. If you have a suspected diagnosis, you could ask what his or her experience has been with said diagnosis.

@mirabelle33 Dear lord, 45mm?! On the plus side I am glad that you can still proceed with stims! So does this mean you don’t have DOR and the endometrioma was messing with your hormones? Not sure how this all works.... Good luck with your menopur! Everything crossed that your cycle is smooth and successful!!

*TW*

I took an HPT last night (6dp5dt) and got a BFP. I’m happy we made it past the first hurtle but we consistently fall over the second hurtle (a doubling beta) so I won’t know anything until next Tuesday (unless my first beta on Sunday comes back poorly). DH is cautiously optimistic. I’m just cautious. ;-) I hate that we can’t just be excited anymore.

mirabelle33 · October 2018

@Bababatty Aw, yay! I'm going to side with YH and be cautiously optimistic too

I will keep everything crossed for a great beta on Sunday and a doubling beta on Tuesday!!

I'm not really sure how all of this works either lol. I should have asked more questions, but I was already having a hard time processing it all and was mainly focused on whether we were getting canceled or not. I'll try to ask her at our next appointment. My guess is that I do have some degree of DOR, but it may not be as severe as the numbers suggest.

sincethelastday · October 2018

@Bababatty - Ahhh!! So hopeful for you and sending you a bunch of good, optimistic vibes your way!! I can’t help but be excited for you!! ❤️❤️

@mirabelle33 - what a crazy sounding US experience!! Sounds mainly good though, especially with getting some more definite answers and if the DOR isn’t as severe as initially thought! So happy that you can continue to move forward! Are they still estimating around Oct 15th for a retrieval?

AFM: It seems like I caught @Bababatty ‘s cold via online support board interaction lol (just kidding of course

). So that’s been crummy! I’m more worried about DH because he has caught it and is going to be leaving the country for 5 weeks for work on Saturday and I’m worried about him feeling really sick for this work placement. And I’m just not looking forward with him being gone that long - I hate living alone, even though the company of my dog helps lol. Anyways, have the urine test tomorrow and just continued waiting. I really haven’t been thinking about it much because it doesn’t feel that much different from all our regular times trying compared to the much more rigorous process of say IUI or IVF. So, yeah, not much to report - thanks for continuing to ask though

mirabelle33 · October 2018

@sincethelastday Yeah I feel like I should have been a lot more upset about the cyst after the appointment, but I was mostly relieved since we didn't get cancelled

The retrieval will definitely be later than the 15th. We have our first monitoring appointment on the morning of the 16th. I'm hoping we'll have a better idea of when the retrieval will be after that. Maybe by the end of next week? I would guess the following Monday at the latest.

5 weeks is a long time for YH to be away

I hope you have lots of fun things planned to fill the time. What is the urine test for today? Thinking of you!

Worldtravler0522 · October 2018

Sorry I’ve been MIA! I had to pop back in though... *TW* I’m in California on a conference and we were going to Disney for the evening and because my period had been strange (2 days all brown and then vanished) I decided to POAS to make sure I could go on rides. Yep, POAS and BFP. I’m in total shock! This is the only time since starting this process I got pregnant on my own. I called my RE to ask for advice on who to see and what to do and he said he would stay help me track up to 8 weeks. Praying so hard that this is it! Thank you as always for the love and support. ❤️

@Bababatty so excited for you but I understand the feeling all too well! Saying a prayer and crossing my fingers that we will both see our rainbow baby this time.

sincethelastday · October 2018

@mirabelle33 - so not too far off of when they were originally estimating. FX that everything continues to progress nicely!

As this is the first round of Femara for me, my RE wanted me to do a urine test on CD 24 to see if I ovulated or not. I’m pretty sure I did going off of the +OPK, but it’s just to determine really if they’ll need to up my dosage or not if I didn’t ovulate this time around. Considering how many OPKs I’ve used over the past years, I feel like an expert at peeing in a cup!

@Worldtravler0522 How incredibly exciting!! Major FX that this is the one!!

Bababatty · October 2018

@Worldtravler0522 !!!!!!!!! OMG OMG OMG !!!!!!!!! I am SO GLAD you came back and told us! That is really really great news! I have everything crossed so hard for you. I hope so badly this is finally your rainbow baby!!

When do you go in to see your RE??

And thank you, all! This weekend cannot pass soon enough—which I HATE to say because I LOVE my weekends!

Worldtravler0522 · October 2018

@Bababatty thank you so much! I go Tuesday for a beta draw to set a starting point. I am also just itching for the weekend to pass. We’re out in San Fransisco for the weekend with my sister and it’s killing me not to say anything haha.

mirabelle33 · October 2018

@Worldtravler0522 Wonderful news!!! I'm so happy for you

Keep us posted and fx crossed for a great beta and first ultrasound!

@Bababatty Thinking of you and hoping you got good news yesterday

@sincethelastday Did you get the results of your test? I always thought they did a blood test for progesterone - I didn't realize it could be a urine test! I hope it shows you ovulated

ChristenMA83 · October 2018

@bababatty Anxious to hear your beta results this week. I have everything crossed for you!
@Worldtravler0522 what a nice surprise! That is awesome news!

TTTC 9/29/18 Check-In

Re: TTTC 9/29/18 Check-In

Choose Another Board

Search Boards