Infertility Testing & Treatment w/o 03.08

optimistgardener · March 2021

Thanks for the welcome @acleverusername, @photographerwife, and @keikilove! I've always lurked on boards before and never posted, but it feels like a nice way to have a little community through this process, especially since I don't have a partner to annoy/lean on through all this.
@deaf_girl I don't have an answer for you although I would echo the others about finding a high risk OB who might be able to think through your situation. I have learned that doctors are (not always, but often) surprisingly narrow in their range of knowledge or willingness to think through less-common scenarios. Hopefully you'll find someone who is able to think outside the box a bit and help you game out any particular concerns you ought to have on your radar. I'm optimistic though that things are going to be just fine! I would add that I think it's great news that your cycle has evened out as you describe since getting the foley. The body works in mysterious ways but I think a more regular rhythm is a sign that your systems are able to kinda relax into things a bit more. I hate the blood draws (and expense) too, but another hormone panel might be worth doing, if it hasn't happened in a while.

@acleverusername I love your scientific bent, and see in it some of my own habits. I haven't gone so far as to make graphs, but I do make of myself a science experiment as the cycles wear on. It helps me feel like I have some control. I also read a lot of scientific articles, and long for the days when (as a phd student) I had full access to all the new literature. Regarding your questions, I have not done genetic testing w/ the donor because, honestly, I have used so many different donors through this process (I buy through a sperm bank) that it's just not worth it. The bank is always running short on one guy's sperm or another. I used to be really thoughtful about which donor I chose, putting all kinds of energy into imagining what kind of genetics the donor might pass along, and how he answered his questions about his childhood and such, but eventually I was just like "hmm, this guy doesn't read like a total asshole in his bio, and he's had other pregnancies, cool, fine." I'm at the crazed one-night-stand phase of donor selection methodology. Hopefully the mixing-up of the donors has been its own kind of protection against any sort of genetic mismatch through this process. Also, because I do buy my sperm every month, I've been just doing 1 iui per cycle. My reading of the scholarship seems to suggest that the difference in success rates is pretty low, and these days I feel pretty confident that I'm catching ovulation pretty much dead on. I think I'd feel differently if I couldn't feel my ovulation, but there's no missing mine. My cycle meds this time and last are menopur for the stimulation, novarel for trigger, and progesterone suppositories afterwards. The doc didn't have a lot of thoughts on the quick stim, but seemed to think it was a good thing and a sign that they would be able to work pretty readily with what my body has to offer. I like to tell myself that it's because my ovary still has a little life left in it.

Cycle day 6 here and what will be my 4th day of stims, and I can definitely feel things happening in there! Fingers crossed.

[Deleted User] · March 2021

@optimistgardener wow, your attitude towards the donor selection process is hilarious and awesome lol I agree, that's a good way to look at it that at least you are eliminating and specific male factor from using the same donor each time. I never got to do iuis, and we knew donor sperm wasn't for us, but I agree that this is an amazing community to lean on throughout this whole crazy process. Glad things seem to be going well so far this cycle! Fx

bumblebee0210 · March 2021

@keikilove. Oh man, I am so sorry. It's been such a long journey for you I know, and it's really not fair. I don't know when the right time to change course will be for you, but I do know that there are a lot of paths to parenthood, and that there is also just a lot of randomness in all of these processes. MH likes to say that when you study embryology in med school the thing that strikes you is that it's sort of amazing that it *ever* works because everything has to go exactly right. But whatever you choose, and even in the time you are still resting/deciding, you are welcome here.

acleverusername · March 2021

@fitzfizz hiiiiii! So nice to see you lurking and dishing out such stellar advice!

@BusinessWife thanks for Intro'ing yourself in the Newbies thread! It's really helped me better understand your journey. 🙏🏻and yes, crapshoot is a very scientific word! Oh and thanks for sharing your experience with Creighton. I tried going to a NaPRo, but it was already after we've been trying for 6 months and she wanted me to start Creighton / referred me to a consultant who had an 8-week course I needed to do and I'm like "no way am going to delay this to check some boxes" (I already felt pretty good about tracking my CM, etc.)

@bumblebee0210 🤓🤓🤓 thanks for your thoughts. I exchanged another email with TEW last night proposing which of the symptoms listed in that ASRM article could be the cause (1) thyroid dysfunction, 2) age/egg quality, 3) endo) and she said that it's likely a combination of them. Given that age has been floated around by my previous RE in relation to how quickly I respond to stims, I'm pretty sure that's a main RC. I also happen to be one of those ppl whose AMH doesn't line up with their AFC, so that adds more mindf*ckery. (My latest AMH reading was 2.67, with an AFC of 10.)

@keikilove First of all...

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/iq/sgruqg0tp72s.gif

Girl, first of all, like @BusinessWife and @bumblebee0210 said... you're welcome here always, for as long as you want / need to be here. This is a judgement free zone; you don't need to be in any particular part of your journey to post here. In terms of throwing in the towel... that is a personal decision of course but it helps to tease out what exactly you're throwing the towel on... being a mother? Or having a child that's genetically yours/YHs? Or carrying a baby inside of you? Others have said it already but I'll repeat it: there are so many ways to be a mother. TEW has this mantra (she posted it to IG a few weeks back) and that is: I'm going to be a mother, one way or another. You don't need to make any decisions now. Just sit with your current situation, talk to your RE (whom I know you trust and respect) and the head RI wizard (I want to know more!) and see what feels right next. One other thing that TEW says that really resonates with me (and she does that mostly in context of ppl who are thinking of moving on to donation, but I think it applies in many other situations), and that is: imagine in ~2 years, you're holding/snuggling with a healthy baby (however s/he came to be), would you think "I wish I had kept on trying naturally"? If yes, then you have your answer. Or maybe you don't have an answer yet, and that's fine too. Either way, we're here for you.

PS Thanks for sharing your thoughts on progesterone. I'm curious: why do you recommend Crinone / PIO over Endometrin?

@optimistgardener LOL at "the crazed one-night-stand phase of donor selection methodology". I'm glad that your sense of humor has remained strong through your long journey! In terms of double-IUI, if you're catching your O bang on, perhaps it would be a waste of time/money for you. It sounds like you have a good handle on the process and I love that you're also a science/data nerd.

Btw, have you found other women who are on a similar journey (i.e. single parent by choice)? If not, and if you're interested, I can recommend another fertility form that has a pretty solid group of those on that journey. This place has been instrumental for my good mental health, but I do find that TB doesn't offer everything I need for my journey. So I frequent other communities to get what I need.

[Deleted User] · March 2021

@acleverusername No prob. 👍 I actually have a huge amount of respect for the Napro process. It's all about finding the underlying causes of infertility and treating those systemic issues first and foremost, so that the body can support a natural pregnancy. It can greatly benefit (and work!) for people suffering from a lot of different issues such as PCOS, lp defect, autoimmune disorders etc. Unfortunately for us, zero sperm is not one of those things that it does well. 🤷

At the time, we were hoping the surgeon would be able to go in and see what was going on with his tubes first, if any reconstruction of the vas were a possibility, and thereby restore natural fertility. I have a feeling though ultimately he was in there to retrieve sperm for IVF first and foremost, (which by stroke of luck, there were), and any anatomic questions we may have had took a backseat. We would have much preferred if they had been able to restore our natural fertility as a couple, rather than have ivf be our only option. Lucky and grateful it worked, and what's done is done now, but this is why I say we don't take it lightly.

acleverusername · March 2021

@BusinessWife Right, I realized I didn't explain myself really well. I also liked the NaPro process, but at almost 37, having been trying for 7 moths when I first saw one, I didn't feel like I had time to do that. And she was mandating that I see a Creighton instructor and go through the 8 week training (2 more month of delay!) which led me to discontinue seeing her. Had I been 2-3 years younger, or even earlier in our journey, I would have felt different about it. At the end of the day, natural fertility decreases naturally over time and cannot be "restored". 🤷‍♀️There was also the issue that she said she saw polycystic ovaries in me when no one else had (and I've had what feels like a million u/s by now; surely someone would have noticed), but when I had requested a copy of my ultrasound, she said that the images weren't clear and that she could really see it only on the screen during our appointment.

bumblebee0210 · March 2021

@acleverusername. i think we have figured out before that we are on opposite ends of this, but I have the same AFC (10) and an AMH of 0.42. That's such a stark difference! My FSH was 9.2 one month and 7.2 another, and estradiol has always been fine, so I have sort of interpreted this as "the last possible moment I can stim my ovaries", but my doctor emphasized that these things are just pretty noisy, and they have done studies in the general (non-infertility) population, and women with low AMH conceive easily all the time. So 🤷‍♀️

laura-kay · March 2021

@keikilove :hug: So sorry to hear that! I get what you are saying about thinking about whether to stop TTGP treatments. It’s emotionally tough...seriously a roller coaster. Honestly, we have been thinking some similar things. I don’t have great advice - but we are here for you!

[Deleted User] · March 2021

Welp, I am spotting a little.... CD1 will likely either be tomorrow or Sunday. Time to get this show on the road!

I'll call with CD1, and CD3 blood work will most likely be Monday or Tuesday morning... Eep!

keikilove · March 2021

@BusinessWife Eeep! That didn’t take long at all.

@laura-kay @acleverusername @BusinessWife @bumblebee0210 Thank you all for the virtual hugs and words of comfort.💗 I definitely feel comfortable here in the IF thread, but more frequently lately have wondered how many years others have hung out in TTGP/IF before moving on... Thanks for the love & support about always being welcome. As far as weighing all the routes to motherhood, I’ve definitely looked into fostering to adopt and have begun to explore surrogacy. MH even said he’d be willing to do donor sperm, which shocked me and I haven’t quite wrapped my head around or deeply considered it yet. A couple other things are playing into all of this. TW for LC & Loss & Others’ LCs

I realize it’s not common knowledge here because I almost never mention it, but MH & I actually already have one child together. Conceived very easily. I was very meticulous about planning that we’d have the next one so they’d be exactly 2.5 years apart. Then, with some delays due to job promotions, that became 3.5 years apart. Everything appeared to be perfectly on track until our first loss—the late loss that triggered all of this secondary infertility mystery stuff and trying relentlessly to give our little one the sibling she’s been asking for since she could talk. Now, if we get lucky in the next few months, they will be more than 6 years apart. I know people lament the age gap—I did too for awhile—but at this point we will take anything.

I don’t feel compelled to do donor eggs because, despite my age, I see that my body is doing everything it should: regular cycles, ovulation like clockwork, etc. It’s just this implantation issue that we’re still trying to figure out. I feel more drawn to fostering to adopt than to ever go the donor egg route, as pregnancy has always been a miserably sick and physically debilitating experience for me and I don’t actually have a deep desire to experience it again. (Only the baby moving is fun.) Lately I’m feeling more and more that the issue is with MH’s sperm: our RE basically said that our embryos look excellent on Day 3. But she said that, in general, when embryos stop developing after Day 3 it’s usually a sperm issue. So who knows? Maybe we will look into donor sperm. I have no idea at this point.

I have a couple of girlfriends who are older than me but look quite young: they have both confided to me that they did their last rounds of IVF at 45. One did it with her own eggs collected from several years prior, and the other has gorgeous twins with donor eggs and her hubby’s sperm. So I know this is all possible, I just don’t know what our next steps will be. And of course, like all of us here, I never thought I’d be watching the time fly by like this without a THB to show for it.

keikilove · March 2021

@acleverusername Re: the head wizard of RI😂 I just meant that I’m requesting to meet with Dr. Kwak-Kim directly for my next appointment. The way her office works is that she does the initial meeting, bloodwork assessments, and follow-up with the patient after test results are in. Then the patient usually gets handed off to one of her (excellent) nurse practitioners or doctors-in-RI-training, since her office is so busy with new clients. My nurse always runs all my difficult questions by Dr. KK and then gets back to me immediately. But this time, after a second failed transfer, I want to speak directly to the doctor since she has decades of experience with all this immune stuff and has seen so many difficult cases. I am super happy that they got me an appointment with her within one week! So hopefully I will know more and have a clearer plan before the next fertile week.

optimistgardener · March 2021

@keikilove I hear you in your struggles to know what the right path is or when it is the right moment to make a decision. I struggle with this as well. I don't listen very well to this myself, but I do think it is true that there is no wrong answer. Life will continue to unfold in front of you no matter what path you choose, and offer you unexpected opportunities and love and sorrow and all the rest of it. I have my fingers firmly crossed for you and hope your meeting with the head wizard goes well and you gain some clarity from the meeting.

deaf_girl · March 2021

Well I looked into BBT again, thinking I might give it another try. However the house I live in, is very warm, all the time. How do I account for that??

keikilove · March 2021

@optimistgardener Your words couldn’t be more true: “Life will...offer you unexpected opportunities and love and sorrow and all the rest of it”. Thank you for the good energy. Crossing fingers for you as well. It sounds like you’ve been through a lot as well. We all just want our happy endings already!

@deaf_girl Taking your BBT is fairly simple (although a bit annoying/stressful to some people). The first thing is to get a thermometer that will give you a temp into the hundredths, not just the tenths. 97.63 gives way more specific info than 97.6. You want to take your temp when you first wake up, before you even get out of bed or start moving around. You should take it within the same 30-minute window each day. It shouldn’t matter if your house is always warm, as long as the temperature is consistent. Then your own body temp should also be fairly consistent. Many of us chart it in FertilityFriend app, although you will see others using different apps. Let us know if you have any questions about it as you get started. Good luck!

@quiltandknit There is someone online who has posted a ton of her TTC files for everyone to access. This is her Spotify playlist of guided meditations, affirmations, & chill music to help with mindset & stress while TTC. You may like something here. She includes some of the ones I listed last week.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2XY9h3Foxs9q1eaENMUy7h?si=B-Df4jVFTZKT-LcbzhK9xw

[Deleted User] · March 2021

@keikilove I do think time will tell and a path will have its way of unfolding before you. ❤️

I realize my perspective is a little different than a lot of people here, but it's also just my two cents, so for what that's worth! 😂

Adoption and foster-adopt has always been on our radar too. Noting that these paths are not without their share of heartache and strife as well, and when it all works out it's amazing! But FD, of course it often takes a lot to get there, and it doesn't work out for everyone - not unlike treatment. The hands down benefit from my perspective is that these children are already here. Just waiting for a family to love on them.

We had donor sperm on our buffet of options as well. One advantage in our case would have been we could just do iuis, or start with anyway, and potentially not need to create embryos. However the donor route as you know, means having some tough conversations at some point with the kid(s) so they do understand their genetic parentage. Even if that's just at 18, or when they are about to get married, idk. But for us, DH is adamant that he doesn't want the kids to know we did ivf. (That's his own stuff, so not to project that onto anyone else here.) At any rate, as a Catholic (who wasn't "supposed" to have done ivf in the first place), one of the big ethical concerns is also the "identity crisis," for lack of a better term, that's created when your offspring are not quite simply, genetically your own. People have laid with the lady servants and whatnot since Biblical times, but it was not without consequence, even then! All that to say, we personally felt 1000x less qualms from an ethical standpoint using our own egg and sperm. If we had found none at his retrieval, I really don't know what we would have done next, after all the crying's done.

Another option I have given serious consideration to is snowflake adoption. I don't know if this works as a viable path for you, *****TW***** pg related
<div class="Spoiler">Being that perhaps the prospect of carrying the actual pregnancy is maybe not something you would be arriving for</div><div>Benefits being, while not genetically yours, the child would also not be either of yours, so it's more "fair" in a sense? These children already exist in embryonic form, they just need someone to bring them home. It would require open and honest conversation from the start, and I believe it could potentially literally be an Open Adoption, but I do think it's a different conversation in the spirit of adoption, rather than this is how you were created and your father is not genetically your father, but he's still your daddy and love makes a family yadda yadda. As long as you are comfortable having the ART conversation, then I think it's incredible. And I would love to do it. But I don't think we can do it (open adoptions aside) ethically without telling all the children where they came from and if that is not a Pandora's box my own H is willing to open at this time, then I have to respect that. And that may mean it's not really a viable option for us, no matter how beautiful I think it is. Protecting truly the most vulnerable who might otherwise never have a chance at life.

Then I suppose there is trying again at another ivf with your own genetics, with whatever tweaks your doctor may have up her sleeve, and... Possibly surrogacy? That is another tough one I feel that you would obv have to talk to your doctor and search your hearts on.

Personally, if I were you, (which I'm not lol), after we were done having our own biological children, I would probably be leaning towards snowflake adoption first, (which I mean, technically I suppose you could do with a surrogate as well.) It's surprisingly affordable compared to doing your own ivf or adoption, because the "hard part" is already done. The embryos are right there ready and waiting! ...While still learning more about conventional or foster adoption and maybe see what doors start to open for you? It's a lot to consider and the good news is, you don't have to have it all figured out overnight. ((((Hugs))))

<div><img alt="" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/w7/fm3q838canb9.gif">

ETA open parentheses

</div></div>

deaf_girl · March 2021

@keikilove I have the thermometer already from the last time I attempted it. I also have FF to track my cycles. The hard part will be to get up on time everyday, as I can't set an alarm. Right now I'm waking up between 6 and 7 on my own, but I never know what time that will be...and I can't ask my husband, because he will have to shake me awake, which would defeat the whole purpose, I think.

[Deleted User] · March 2021

@deaf_girl What about an alarm set to vibrate? I don't have one but I think a lot of people with those fitbit watches use them for an alarm as well?

ETA Otherwise honestly if you wake up regularly within the same hour window, I would think that's totally close enough. You just don't want your schedule to be all over the place if you can help it, and then log the exact time along with the temp. I think it only goes down to 5 min in FF anyway.

deaf_girl · March 2021

@BusinessWife I will definitely try again next cycle. I also have OPKs coming in the mail

optimistgardener · March 2021

@deaf_girl I've been keeping track of my temps on and off since 2018 (and still do even though there seems to be little point while using injectable meds). Everyone is different, but in my experience, it doesn't really matter if you temp one morning at 6 and the next at 6:30. The biggest thing is temping as soon as you wake up. It may take a couple of cycles (or more!) to get a handle on your own body's patterns. Whatever happens, I think it is important not to let it stress you out. If you miss a day, so be it. If your temperature spikes or drops for a day and you can't explain it, no bigs. It's the larger pattern that is most useful. I break the rules on FF all the time. I lie to the app and tell it I woke up at 6:30 every day (even though I wake up anywhere between 5:30 and 6:30 most days), my room is sometimes warm and sometimes cold, and I never even bothered purchasing a proper bbt temping thermometer, but my cyclical patterns are still perfectly clear. Temping definitely won't tell you everything (which is why fertility forums are adrift in posts by women who think they probably already ovulated, but their BBT still hasn't risen, and why lots of doctors will tell you not to even bother), but it is a really useful piece of the puzzle in combination with using opks and keeping an eye on your body's production of fertile mucous. You may turn out to be one of those women whose body temperature rises a perfect .8 degrees 12 hours after ovulation, or you may be someone whose temp slowly rises over 48-72 hours, or you may even start to see a spike before you've actually ovulated.

optimistgardener · March 2021

@deaf_girl - sorry if i've said a bunch of stuff you already know. i think mostly it's because i let temperature tracking really stress me out for a while, trying to get things exactly right and worrying about all the dips and spikes and what they meant. and i just really want to emphasize how very not worth stressing about or changing up your sleeping patterns it is.

deaf_girl · March 2021

@optimistgardener you actually said things I didn't know lol

coldlife2 · March 2021

@deaf_girl (dirty lurker)

I completely agree with @optimistgardener. I have NEVER been able to reliably temp at the same time of day. That’s because I wake up randomly in the middle of the night. Sometimes, I go to sleep at 11:30, wake up at 1 am and then wake up at 6:30 for the day. The next night, I might go to sleep at 11:30, wake up at 4:30 and then wake up at 6:30 for the day. I check the time and temp anytime I have a solid four hours or so of sleep, and I chart that. Sometimes I wake up cold with no covers. Sometimes I wake up overheated. Our bedroom generally (annoyingly) runs hot compared to the rest of the house. And I live where it gets cold, and our bed is right below a window, so it can be cold when it drops well below freezing. I can always see a pattern in hindsight.

Fertility Friend actually addresses this. They say, in answering a shift work question, to temp at the time you wake up when you are most likely to have had the most sleep. They also say to avoid taking it in the middle of the night, even if you consistently wake up the same time, but I ignore that.

They also say you’ll learn your cycles over time and how your BBT does or does not respond to shifts in time.

https://www.fertilityfriend.com/Faqs/BBT-and-shift-work.html

https://www.fertilityfriend.com/Faqs/Multiple-temperature-readings.html

acleverusername · March 2021

@optimistgardener excellent advice there!

@deaf_girl another option, if it’s financially available to you, is to get a wearable thermometer such as TempDrop. That’s what I use and it’s headache free.

acleverusername · March 2021

@BusinessWife exciting re: CD1! Woot!!! How long are your cycles normally? What are the approximate transfer dates?

deaf_girl · March 2021

@acleverusername where would I find that thermometer??

[Deleted User] · March 2021

@acleverusername My cycles are pretty short, like about 27ish days. I'm taking it one step at a time, but if everything goes without a hitch, I'm guessing around late April?

So far I was able to talk with SIL just to arrange logistics for "CD3" (which can be done CD2-CD4) bloodwork and SHG. As long as AF holds off till tomorrow (so far so good, but FF predicted Monday), either way with SIL, I can go for labs on Monday or Wednesday. Just have to keep fingers crossed my doctor can see me for the SHG next Tuesday afternoon. 😬 Otherwise 🤷 hoping for the best and trying to trust that all the pieces will fall into place... ☺️

*ETA autocorrect fail

acleverusername · March 2021

@deaf_girl you can order it here: https://www.tempdrop.com/pages/product-plan And looks like it's $30 off for International Women's Day, so if you're interested, now is a good time to get it.

@BusinessWife oh, I missed that you're having to do a SHG! Good luck with that. And hopefully you can get your baselines workup done on days when SIL can assist (I imagines with LOs).

AFM, started spotting today, so expecting AF any day now. I'm excited because I'll get to meet TEW in person for baselines labs (even though we won't do any treatment this coming cycle.)

acleverusername · March 2021

@keikilove forgot to tag you: it's so great that YH might be open to donor sperm! Also interesting that RE says that if embryos get arrested 3+ days, it's likely a sperm issue! I'm learning so much from you! Whatever the path you choose to follow, I can't wait to go along for the ride.

deaf_girl · March 2021

@acleverusername thank you...I'll look into it.

optimistgardener · March 2021

I'm headed to the clinic today for them to check in on how my follicles are growing. I just started going to this clinic, the nearest real fertility specialist in my area, last cycle. For some stuff they let me do ultrasounds at a clinic nearby, but once I start progressing towards a trigger date they want to see me in person. It's a long 3-hour and change drive to get there, and my appointment today is at 10am. And I forgot this weekend we return to daylight saving's time! 😭

[Deleted User] · March 2021

@optimistgardener omg we forgot about daylight savings time too. 😫 Safe drive!

[Deleted User] · March 2021

...and we are on day 3 of spotting.... So weird.
<img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/yz/0p0wo30u9sl7.gif" alt="">
Maybe FF will turn out to be right and AF will be Monday afterall? Either way, don't mind me, I'll just be over here ordering copious HPTs in anticipation of our next cycle...
<img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/7u/5cq0ufe25fp5.gif" alt="">

acleverusername · March 2021

@optimistgardener oh no! Was your clinic able to accommodate you? +1 for forgetting it's Daylight Savings until my sister reminded me yesterday evening!

acleverusername · March 2021

@BusinessWife weird about your spotting! Hopefully AF shows up soon.

optimistgardener · March 2021

@BusinessWife dang about the spotting. the body is so weird. I hope you get something a little more convincing on that front soon.

I got bad news today. Apparently only one of my follicles decided to hog all the juice this cycle and so here it is day 8 and i have one 21mm follicle and everything else is trailing waaaay behind. The doctor basically told me, "you have to decide if this is a bet you think is worth taking," but it seemed obvious he didn't think it was. Since the sperm is so expensive, and I've already done a lot of cycles with one egg that have gotten me nowhere, I'm opting against doing an iui this cycle. On the other hand (and this is where I guess it gets weird that I am sharing all my most personal details on an online forum), I do have a friend who has been willing to donate in the past, and who, upon my frantic text messaged request from the examination room, told me he is ready to step up to the plate again this time. Fortunately, my doctor was very non-judgey about my unconventional choices/path and sent me home with a collection kit, syringe, and a bit of professional advice on methods. I've done things this way before, but it's always appreciated to have the medical thumbs up. So, trigger shot this evening and we'll see what happens.

Next cycle, if this one fails, will be IVF. the doc tells me i'll start with a birth control cycle to try to grasp hold of the reins a little better.

optimistgardener · March 2021

Oh! But the doctor did give me some interesting insight on my weirdly painful ovulation and post-ovulation! I've not encountered this info elsewhere so putting it here in case anyone else experiences it. The day after I ovulate, which is always a series of sharp stabbing sensations in the ovary itself, I get a dull, full-pelvic ache that is not like cramping but is extremely uncomfortable. He says this sounds like the ovulation process is causing my ovary to bleed (not abnormal) and that the resulting blood in the pelvic cavity is producing an inflammatory response. He says this has NOT been shown to be associated with infertility and basically not to worry about it. I have been, of course, Very Worried About It. So I suppose that's a minor bit of compensation in an otherwise disappointing day.

[Deleted User] · March 2021

@optimistgardener that is so weird about the lead follicle. I guess I don't know that much about what they want to see with stimming for iui, I mean it's not like you want to have *too many* maturing all at once!? Either way, I hope your "turkey baster" experiment goes well. I think that would be so nice to have your friend be the papa. ;). GL!!!

optimistgardener · March 2021

@BusinessWife i guess the doctor has decided that my egg quality is probably super crappy. last time around i had 2 follicles that were definitely mature and a couple more that were 16mm-ish and close, and they were happy with that. they told me another woman with that number of mature follicles they'd be worried about multiples, but not me. yay me!
thanks for the good luck wishes.

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