IF Testing and Treatment Week of 01/06-01/12

littlebug2010 · January 2020

I am going to come back for tags later, but Im at my RE appointment now, and wanted to start my post. Just waiting.

Diagnosis (if you've been): Secondary infertility and RPL. I might have more later.

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): CD3

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): Not sure at the moment.

How are things going?: Im sitting waiting for my appointment now. I am also getting CD3 testing and US done today. Im really hoping something comes of this, but I have no idea what to expect.

Any questions?: none now, but I might later.

GTKY: What was your favorite memory from 2019? 2019 was really awful for me, but My little sister got married and her wedding was beautiful. I baked the wedding cake and it was such an amazing accomplishment as a self taught baker. I really have tried to focus on that, because it happened before all the losses. Photo below.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/u4/1lvc2nn3f6ic.jpeg

bluetickgal · January 2020

@kpearse99 oh friend, I’m so sorry! Sending you all the hugs! 💜 But yes, it just hasn’t happened YET...I have a good feeling that it will soon!

kpearse99 · January 2020

@littlebug2010 I hope your RE comes up with a plan you feel happy and comfortable with. Please keep us posted. That cake is beautiful!!! You did an amazing job!

@shoogapoff and @bluetickgal love you ladies!!!

babyodo · January 2020

Hi, ladies! I hope it's okay if I jump in this thread, since it's looking like we will be starting IF testing after next cycle. The doc who performed my recent D&C recommended that we get a jump on testing sooner rather than later given our ages, that we've been TTC for over 6 months, and have had one unsuccessful pregnancy. I know what to expect on my end as far as labs go, but MH is kinda freaking out about the whole process for his SA. Any advice/tips/lived experiences? I'm active duty and MH is my dependent, so I'm thinking it'll be conducted at the lab at our military treatment facility by his PCM, and then the results will be reported to the RE that they will refer us to once the labs have been completed (at least, that's what my doc told me yesterday).

flowntheloop · January 2020

@kpearse99 *big hugs* How have you been doing?! This whole year has wrecked me! Add multiple deaths in the family on top of my normal stress and TTC stress, and I'm just a mess! I do hope that our testing comes back with some good news for us!
Just reading your post below, and I hope this cycle works out for you!

@inthewoods23 So good to hear from you again. Thanks for the warm welcome back. How have you been?
@bluetickgal Hey there! I was terrified to go to the RE, but it turns out mine is actually a pretty cool guy!
@mvt2003 I really hope so! I just want some answers at this point!
@shoogapoff Definitely one of the highlights of my year!

kpearse99 · January 2020

@ttcbabyodo Friend, you are always welcome here (although, I wish you weren't finding yourself on this thread). MH didn't really want to do the SA either. I mean, he knew he had to and he was willing to do it, but he wasn't looking forward to it. We had the option for him to produce the sample at home, rather than needing to do it in the office, which I think really helps with comfort level. Would YH have an option to do that? Produce at home and then bring the sample to the office within an hour of producing it? We had his results in a few days, I believe.

flowntheloop · January 2020

ttcbabyodo said:

Hi, ladies! I hope it's okay if I jump in this thread, since it's looking like we will be starting IF testing after next cycle. The doc who performed my recent D&C recommended that we get a jump on testing sooner rather than later given our ages, that we've been TTC for over 6 months, and have had one unsuccessful pregnancy. I know what to expect on my end as far as labs go, but MH is kinda freaking out about the whole process for his SA. Any advice/tips/lived experiences? I'm active duty and MH is my dependent, so I'm thinking it'll be conducted at the lab at our military treatment facility by his PCM, and then the results will be reported to the RE that they will refer us to once the labs have been completed (at least, that's what my doc told me yesterday).

Oh, no. I hate to see you back here. *soft hugs* I wish I could offer advice! I'm just making my way back to the TTGP forums as I just had my first RE appointment yesterday.

babyodo · January 2020

@kpearse99 - Oh that's a good idea. I'm sure he'd be much more comfortable producing the sample at home. We don't live too far from the base where his PCM is located (less than 10 minutes), so I can see them approving that. I'll mention it to him to have him ask his doctor when he sets it up.

inthewoods23 · January 2020

@flowntheloop depends on when you ask me 😆 3 failed IUIs, an egg retrieval, a failed FET, and more testing I am still here 😢 but I am in incredibly good spirits 😃 just enjoying life how I can even though there's a void in my ute and everyone else getting pregnant AND having their babies before I even get KU.

Omg you guys, I CAN'T BELIEVE I didn't put getting Basalt and Glacier as part of my favorite memories from 2019! I just realized this. I'm a horrible hedgehog mom.

emeraldduchess · January 2020

@kpearse99 @feather_heather I am so, so sorry, ladies. So many hugs to you both. 💚

NYTino24 · January 2020

@kpearse99 @feather_heather

thinking of you ladies!

mvt2003 · January 2020

@ttcbabyodo I’m so sorry you find yourself here, friend. The SA is probably the easiest part - MH provides it at home and I run it to the lab - it has to be there within about an hour. My OB wrote the order just due to miscommunications with our primary care practice, and the results went to her as well. They should give you a sample cup and I bring it inside a sock in my bra. I do have a dedicated sock for this purpose. 😂 My inbox is always open for questions about this stuff! 💕

kpearse99 · January 2020

@mvt2003 I have a dedicated sock too! It's a lobster sock... because DH is my lobster!

bows22 · January 2020

On our way home from the hospital. As always, I have limited details. The doctor came and got DH and took him to a consultation room so he panicked thinking something went wrong and doesn’t remember everything. But all went well and from what the RE could tell from looking he expects everything to be totally benign. DH thinks he might have said he thinned my lining but he isn’t totally sure. I’ll make sure to get the full story when I go for post-op next Friday, but for now I’ll just be waiting for the biopsy results!

kpearse99 · January 2020

@bows22 I'm so glad everything went well and smoothly!! I hope you get to rest a lot tonight

littlebug2010 · January 2020

Update and tags.

Update: I just got back from the RE and it looks like we are starting IVF next month. Im not really sure what to think of it all. My testing came back completely normal, and my RE basically said that because IVF is such a controlled environment, she feels like it might be my best option. We dont have any issue actually getting pregnant, so she said that it is most likely with the genetics, but just possibly something that isnt showing up in our testing, so ICSI and genetic testing of the embryos will help to rule some of that out, giving us our best chances. Its so hard, and Im scared, but I think I know that deep down this is the right move.

@kpearse99 Im sorry about the BFN, but you have such a positive outlook, and thats awesome!

@feather_heather Im so sorry about the BFN.

@shoogapoff Im glad your next IUI is a go! Sorry about the meds feeling like high doses. I dont have a lot of advice on that, but make sure you advocate for yourself if you feel like something isnt right. I have everything crossed for you!

@bows22 I hope everything went well today

mokay19 · January 2020

@ttcbabyodo my DH was active duty when we started fertility treatments and I believe he had to do it on base at the medical facility. That might be different place-to-place, but it wasn’t an option for him to collect at home. Also, the base didn’t test everything that the RE ideally wanted to see. We were fortunate that his numbers of what they checked were good and the RE was content to move forward with our understanding that we might have to do it again (which we were fine with) but it might be worth asking what they check ahead of time in case your doctor would want to see more. (Wow, that sentence was horrific grammar)

Sorry that you have to get started on treatment, but good luck with it!

emeraldduchess · January 2020

@flowntheloop welcome back! I was just thinking about you the other day and wondering how you were. I'm sorry things have been so difficult. 💚

@ttcbabyodo I'm sorry you find yourself here. *hugs* I am glad that your doc is urging you to start testing asap, though. My DH had to do the sample at home because the lab our RE uses doesn't have the facilities for the men to collect their sample there. DH really dragged his feet on getting it done. He was really nervous the first time (as in, he forgot to take the lid off the cup) but had no problem after that.

@littlebug2010 that cake is beautiful!

bluetickgal · January 2020

@littlebug2010 that cake is beautiful, you should be so proud of it! 👏🏻 I’m glad your RE appt went well and you have a plan going forward, even though I’m sure that was super overwhelming!

@ttcbabyodo so sorry you found yourself over here, but welcome!! 💜 I hope all your testing goes smoothly, and you get some answers and a good plan going forward!
@bows22 I’m so glad everything went well!! I hope you have eaten whatever you want and can take it easy now!

flowntheloop · January 2020

@emeraldduchess Good to hear from you!

This journey is definitely not for the faint of heart!

NYTino24 · January 2020

Heeeyyy @mokay19! Hope you guys are doing okay with all of this Middle East stuff going on. How are you doing?!
@littlebug2010 Unexplained losses and IF are so hard mentally. I hope they come up with a plan that works right away.
@mvt2003 @inthewoods23 The sock thing is hilarious! I keep thinking about the one in American Pie...

mvt2003 · January 2020

@NYTino24 it actually looks pretty similar - I deliberately chose a long and thick sock to try to keep it as warm as possible 😂😂😂

emeraldduchess · January 2020

@mvt2003 is it really love unless you put your DH's semen sample between your boobs for a car ride to the lab? No. That's true romance. 🤣

mvt2003 · January 2020

@emeraldduchess TRUTH!!!!

Image: https://media.giphy.com/media/MuyRDf6pNhgqxAmLEz/giphy.gif

mvt2003 · January 2020

I'm so sorry for an insurance/clinic rant (even I'm sick of it tbh so putting it in a spoiler) but here goes:

Insurance has denied/is denying my injectables because my clinic didn't submit for prior authorization. I have not received a plan document telling me that I needed to have my clinic request prior authorization for these medications. I'm also irritated at my clinic for this - we're going to a big clinic by us, they have a ton of locations throughout the northeast, and they have a reputation for being kind of a factory (if you look them up in Fertility IQ, that's literally the review). We knew the factory thing going in, and chose it because it's the closest RE to our house which matters to us because I'm doing this cycle during a New England winter. And honestly if I live 7 minutes away from their main office/surgical center it's kind of a no-brainer. But WT actual F - how do they not know to submit for prior authorization for insurance? They had been submitting the RX to the wrong place, and were telling me that my insurance system must be down and they would just send the RX to a pharmacy and see what happens. I told them that my insurance just changed over to a new RX system so they submitted to that without prior authorization. I feel like I need to micromanage every piece of this now. Thank god I have 8 more days before BCP starts, then 10 days of BCP after that before I need these meds! /rant

inthewoods23 · January 2020

@mvt2003 all I have to say is thank God for next day shipping!! Hope everything gets sorted out. Issues with insurance and the meds drive me nuts! Last thing I ever want to have to worry about is if I'll get my meds on time.

kpearse99 · January 2020

Uuuuuuugh @mvt2003 that is extremely frustrating!!! Are they able to resubmit?? On top of everything else one goes through during the IF journey now you have to deal with this too. I'm so sorry, friend.

mvt2003 · January 2020

@kpearse99 I believe so, I'm still nervous that they'll deny the prior authorization now though! We'll pay for it out of pocket if we absolutely have to, but hoping that the clinic will get their $hit together on this!

shoogapoff · January 2020

@mvt2003 I'm so sorry, friend. A similar thing happened to me. Unfortunately, my insurance doesn't cover fertility meds at all, but we jumped through so many hoops to find that out. Like, why can't the dr's office find that out up front?! I work in healthcare, so I have a very low tolerance for these kinds of issues. I know what's possible, and that's definitely not too much to ask.

AFM: Ladies, I feel crazy. Like, legitimately crazy. I'm super anxious, crying at everything, having really negative thoughts (that no one likes me, that people are talking about me, etc). Has anyone else had a strong reaction to gonal-f, or am I legitimately crazy?

bluetickgal · January 2020

@mvt2003 they better get it together before you need those meds!!

@shoogapoff I don’t have any insight, but I’m so sorry you are feeling that way!! I’m sure you are NOT crazy!! How much longer do you have to do the gonal-f injections? Did you have any feelings like this with the lower dose cycle? I hope you start feeling more normal soon!!

*Edited to fix typos...I’m struggling today!

mvt2003 · January 2020

@shoogapoff I'm so sorry, hopefully things even out soon! I'll (hopefully!) be able to answer your question in a few weeks because that's on my med list too!

shoogapoff · January 2020

@bluetickgal I have 1 more injection tonight. I feel like I've definitely noticed increased anxiety in the past, but this is much worse than anything I've had before.

@mvt2003 FX this isn't your experience too!

emeraldduchess · January 2020

@shoogapoff you are definitely not crazy! I get that way too sometimes. I think the extra hormones can definitely throw our feelings out of whack. So many hugs, lady.

@mvt2003 that pisses me off SO much about your insurance not covering meds. There are a lot of pharmacies that can do next day shipping(CVS Specialty Care, Village Pharmacy). I have had much better luck with Village than with CVS. CVS, their IF meds department isn't open on weekends.

bows22 · January 2020

I’ve been exhausted for the past 2 days so have been mostly reading and not posting. The fact that I’m now in bed and don’t have to use any more energy tonight is making me so incredibly happy

@flowntheloop I’m so sorry for everything you have been going through but I’m glad you found your way back here ❤️

@feather_heather ❤️ Reading the part about the 7 embryos made me want to give you a big hug. I do not want that for you and I hope your RE can help you make a plan that you are comfortable with. When will you get to talk to him/her?

@shoogapoff it’s funny the random things that stand out to us but I think we were cycle buddies for like 3 months straight when we were both in the dailies 😂. I do miss that about the dailies, getting to know the details of each other’s daily lives outside of TTC. I may jump back in if/when I’m off the bench. I just read your next update and that’s exactly how I get around AF and it’s terrible. I’ll suddenly start reading into something someone said that I’d totally forgotten about. I know that doesn’t really answer your question but it makes total sense to me that it could be hormonal. I hope that being able to blame it on the meds will help you feel better.

@ttcbabyodo I’m sorry that you have found yourself here but you are more than welcome! if doing the SA at home isn’t an option, we found out after the fact that I could have gone along to help things along. I’m glad that wasn’t necessary but I can see how that might make things easier. Even just to laugh about how awkward it is might take the pressure off.

@littlebug2010 that’s a lot to process all at once but I know you were worried about not getting answers so I’m glad you have a plan.

@bluetickgal we got McDonald’s French fries (my favorite) on the way home and my mom brought my favorite dinner over! Safe to say I made up for the fasting I had to do 😂. We have been doing pretty well with healthy eating but I thought I deserved a break (that is part of the problem though, I always can find a reason that i need a treat).

@mvt2003 I hope your clinic can resolve this ASAP, it’s so absurd. I don’t blame you one bit for ranting!

shoogapoff · January 2020

@bows22 I totally remember being cycle buddies with you! I agree that the dailies were a nice way you get to know people. I just don't have time to post there, though I wish I did. Thanks for the insight. I get like that a little bit around AF too, so I'm hoping that my symptoms will get better soon.

mokay19 · January 2020

@NYTino24 I’m very thankful that DH got out!! His career field was small though so we always know people deployed and try to get regular check-ins during times like this. ❤️

kiki047 · January 2020

@flowntheloop sorry to see you back here, but welcome nonetheless.
@feather_heather @kpearse99 sending you so many hugs. I'm so sorry.
@littlebug2010 wowwww that cake! That is definitely something to be mega proud of. I'm sorry that it's looking like IVF is inevitable for you, I felt the same way when we started. You're in the right place to find support as you navigate these next steps!
@emeraldduchess I lol'ed at the idea of YH forgetting to take the lid off his cup. That is so something MH would do. He got all shy when he had to do it at home and shut me out of the room and I felt SO creepy just lurking in the hall waiting for him to pass it out to me (well, except for the times I made him run it down the stairs and he came barreling down butt naked). I can imagine he felt super awkward too. We could probably write a book about ridiculous things we've had to do because of IF. Where's @elle-0409 when you need her? She had the best book titles (I saved a few of them in a doc!).
@bows22 So glad to hear everything went well, and that you're getting some much-needed rest.
@mvt2003 huge uuggghh to the insurance crap. My clinic dispenses the meds themselves "for convenience" but that also means that I have to pay OOP and then submit for insurance approval, and if it's denied then I'm SOL. The HCG requires prior approval so 4 times now I've had it denied because my clinic won't sign the damn forms before giving me the meds.

@shoogapoff *hugs* friend. My anxiety was high in general with the injectibles so I couldn't chalk it up to one over the other. It's a stressful time. I have no medical basis for this but I would imagine that with all the stims it messes with your hormones, which puts additional pressure on your adrenal system, which could trigger your anxiety. You're not crazy, you're a warrior. You are strong and brave for putting yourself through this.

AFM, we got the results of our PGT back and by some miracle all 3 came back normal. I don't think it has really sunk in yet that we made it this far, but we go for our last info session on Thursday to pick up our meds for our first FET next cycle.

Question for anyone that has had ERs in the past, did your cycles go back to normal afterwards or were they a little off? AF arrived 7 days after my ER which I expected, but then my LP was only 9 days this time too (normally 13-14). My RE was not concerned whatsoever because he said the estrace and PIO will fix any LP defects and even it all out for my FET but my cycles were so predictable going into this so it's really throwing me off. Paging the lurkers too... @emmasemm @celticknotfire I could wander over to the IF board and ask in the ER thread but tbh most of those people are strangers and I would rather hang here with you guys if that's ok.

kpearse99 · January 2020

@kiki047 that is AMAZING news, friend!!!! So freaking wonderful

AFM - AF arrived this morning so today so we can move on to the next IUI cycle! My baseline appointment is on Monday and then I'll start clomid that night (days 4-8). I gotta say, I'm honestly excited to jump back in. I feel like I have the same level of excitement as I did for our first IUI. These last two cycles I've just been going through the motions so It's really nice to feel this way again about it.

The financial dept. from the RE's office called me about IVF, so that we could have all of the information, and my insurance doesn't cover ANY of it! It would be like $16,000!!!!!! We just aren't going to do that. On the flip side, my insurance covers 100% of unlimited IUI's. So she said that what she would do, if she was in our shoes, is to just continue with the IUI's for as long as we are comfortable doing them. Which is exactly our plan! As long as the doctor will let us do them, we will!

inthewoods23 · January 2020

@kiki047 yay!! Yeah the call about the PGT results is a massive weight off the shoulders!

@kpearse99 no coverage blows!! Unlimited IUIs is not a bad deal though. Hope this next one works!

bluetickgal · January 2020

@bows22 I hope you have a restful weekend ahead! That sounds like a wonderful treat! Friend, you definitely deserved it after fasting for most of the day!! I feel ya there, we are really good at finding excuses/reasons to cheat a bit on our healthy eating too! Hopefully you can get back on track soon though and not let a treat here or there derail you! It’s so dang hard though, all the “bad” stuff tastes so good!

@kiki047 that is such wonderful news!! So very happy for you, friend!! 💜

@kpearse99 I’m so glad you feel that excitement again!! Sounds like you have a great plan going forward, but hopefully this next IUI is it for you!

AFM - CD1 over here too! I pretty much knew I was out mid-week, so I’m just ready to get this next cycle going!

IF Testing and Treatment Week of 01/06-01/12

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