Oldie Re-Intros June 2021

acleverusername · June 2021

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/vc/ak935w91uevb.gif

Hey, so I've floated this idea a while back and got mixed results, but no one was super against it. I think the biggest "con" was that many of us have our histories in our signatures. However, I also know that some ppl disable viewing spoilers, and others just don't bother to look so... here we are!

If you've been on TTGP for 6+ months, and haven't intro'ed/re-intro'ed yourself on the Newbie Intro thread, please re-introduce yourself so that our newest members can get to know you.

***General TW: this thread can / will mention LCs, losses, and other reproductively pertinent facts.***

Ages (you and SO):

How many months have you been TTC?

How many months on TTGP?:

What have you been doing / have tried to get knocked up (a spin on WAYDTGKU):

Vitamins you're taking / have they helped?:

Vitamins your partner is taking / have they helped?:

If you've been diagnosed with IF, what's your diagnosis?

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.)

GTKY: what do you do to stay motivated in your fertility journey?

Edited: changed the GTKY because I thought of a much better one while showering! #showerthoughts
Edited #2: specified whom I had in mind when creating this thread.

acleverusername · June 2021

Ages (you and SO): me - 37 (I think); SO - 36 (he's into OLDER ladies)

How many months have you been TTC? 17 months/cycles

How many months on TTGP?: you guys... it's my 1yr anniversary today. I first posted in the WTO thread this weekend one year ago.

What have you been doing / have tried to get knocked up (a spin on WAYDTGKU): ah, let's see:

7 + 2 months of trying naturally
2 months of medicated cycles + TI
4 months of IUIs (including 1 IUI cycle where I O'ed 4 eggs and we did double-insemination; still didn't take)
1 month of IVF prep (current)

Also taking Synthroid + LDN for Hashimoto's

Vitamins you're taking / have they helped?: Prenatal (Modern Fertility), Added Methylfolate (3200mcg for MHTFR heterozygosity), Selenium 200mcg, Vitamin E 800IU, Vitamin D3 4000IU, Tru Niagen NAD 300mg, Fish Oil 2400mg, Pterostilbene 150mg, Vitamin C 3000mg, NeoQ10 2 capsules, Iron Bisglycinate 25mg; Melatonin 3 + 3mg. Have they helped? I guess I'll know when I do my first egg retrieval in ~3 weeks. Otherwise, my hair is really nice!

Vitamins your partner is taking / have they helped?: Selenium 200mcg, Vitamin D3 2000IU, Methylfolate 800mcg, Zinc 50mg, L-Carnitine 1000mg, Vitamin E 400IU, Fish Oil 2400mg, Tru Niagen NAD 300mg, Vitamin C 1000mg, NeoQ10 (1 capsule). Have they helped? YES! At our fist IUI, our pre-wash total motal count was 6.3M; more recent IUIs, SA varied between 11M to 54M. Motility and concentration have improved. Morphology hasn't really been measured since October, so I don't know.

If you've been diagnosed with IF, what's your diagnosis? sperm-driven fertilization issues thought to be of genetic origin. MH had a genetic cancer screen done which revealed that he has a mutation on the SDHA gene. There is very limited research that hints that it could impact spermatogenesis. Our previous RE (the famous Egg Whisperer) thinks genetics are the root cause because we've eliminated other medical reasons (i.e. hormones are OK, no tumor or varicocele) and weight/lifestyle is a non-issue (limited drinking, no smoking, eating lots of whole grains/veggies).

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.) We're trying for our first and recently became dog parents to a 15 month old corgi. She's amazing. MH and I are both originally from Canada and moved to beautiful San Francisco ~ 3 years ago for work (we both work in tech). MH and I met in 2009, dated (erm... well engaged in some aspects of dating 😈) very briefly -- what we called back then "expirational dating" i.e. when you to start dating someone and you know it's not gonna last because of some logistical issue. We remained friends but lived in separate countries, so not very close. Then in 2017 he moved back to Canada and we reconnected and the rest is history.

For hobbies, I'm learning to play the piano, take my dog out to dog parks, read occasionally, and make my way through various TV shows. We're currently watching Westworld. MH has already seen it once, but it's my first go at it. Let me tell you... that show requires concentration.

GTKY: what do you do to stay motivated in your fertility journey? As you can imagine, motivation has ebbed and flowed over the course of the last 17 months, and the techniques have varied. First of all, I started taking anti-anxiety medications again last October. I've started seeing a fertility therapist (initially I saw her every week, now it's on an as-needed basis). I've also been committed to getting to know the ladies of TB and both learning from them, and sharing my knowledge with them. It is extremely rewarding to be able to help others on their journey either through tip/tricks, or just casual chatter. I've also made friends with a local group of IF warriors and seeing them go on to be successful has kept me motivated. Daily silent meditation has been a great tool in my toolbox, and finally - listening to / learning from - The Egg Whisper is calming/soothing and motivating. I've really come to embrace her # 1 mantra which is: "I'm going to be a mother, one way or another." There is so much strength in that statement.

boymama2018 · June 2021

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boymama2018 · June 2021

@acleverusername Happy anniversary! Amazing how much the vitamins have positively effected your husbands results.

acleverusername · June 2021

@boymama2018 thanks. Yeah, we've been pleasantly surprised as well.

Btw, I don't usually admonish ppl on this thread (and please don't take this the wrong way), but you had re-intro'ed yourself in the Newbie Intros thread on April 8. The audience that I had in mind when creating this thread are people who have been around / actively posting for 6+ months, who had intro'ed months/years ago. I've clarified the instructions. I'll leave it up to you if you want to keep your re-intro / or remove.

boymama2018 · June 2021

oh, I actually didn't realize I did that on April 8th, lol. My situation has changed since then. Sure, I can delete it.

bows22 · June 2021

Figured I’d post this before I have to advance my age another year 😉

Ages (you and SO): 37 and 34

How many months have you been TTC? Since December 2018

How many months on TTGP?: Since March 2019

What have you been doing / have tried to get knocked up (a spin on WAYDTGKU): Just trying on our own so far, with every possible combination of timing. For the first few months we just did straight EOD (I always have noticeable CM so the beginning of FW is always obvious) and then I added in OPKs. I’ve also temped off and on. Waiting for a hysteroscopy now and then will start IUIs

Vitamins you're taking / have they helped?: Just your basic PNV (I alternate a gummy and one with iron) and then I started extra Vitamin D when some recent bloodwork showed that it was low.

Vitamins your partner is taking / have they helped?: He just takes a multivitamin.

If you've been diagnosed with IF, what's your diagnosis? my uterine lining is thick and messed up and gets polyps, but I had surgery before to get it all cleaned up and still didn’t get pregnant so I have a secondary unexplained diagnosis as well.

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.) I try to bring it up as little as possible but I’m sure everyone knows by now that I have a DD. She’s 3.5 and I am just so grateful for her, especially now knowing what my lining is like and the possibility that it was the same back then. We also rescued a mixed breed dog last year who is 1.5 now and is the Best Boy 🐶❤️ I’m a CPA (audit) which can be intense but it’s also very flexible which is why I stay with it. Between all of that I don’t have a lot of hobbies but I do like to read and try to do a little bit every night!

GTKY: what do you do to stay motivated in your fertility journey? It sounds cheesy but you ladies help to keep me going. Just knowing that there are other people on this path, putting one foot in front of the other, helps me to stay the course too❤️

bows22 · June 2021

@acleverusername I’m very confused about your (I think) age and the younger ladies comment 😂

fantasyflyte · June 2021

Ages (you and SO): 33 (me), 37 (him)

How many months have you been TTC? 8

How many months on TTGP?: 7

What have you been doing / have tried to get knocked up (a spin on WAYDTGKU): BBT, OPKS, CM

Vitamins you're taking / have they helped?: In general, a prenatal, Vitamin D (yay deficiency!), vitamin B, magnesium (for migraines). TTC specific, cinnamon supplements (my obgyn wanted me to drink cinnamon tea to help regulate ovulation in PCOS). Hard to say if they've done anything but they certainly don't hurt.

Vitamins your partner is taking / have they helped?: just the usual multivitamin and such, nothing TTC specific

If you've been diagnosed with IF, what's your diagnosis? N/A

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.) I'm a nontraditional student back in school for a second degree, this time in meteorology. My husband and I just celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. We have one dog, a terrier chihuahua mix that keeps up on our toes. I do a lot of crafts, currently into cross stitch and sewing.

GTKY: what do you do to stay motivated in your fertility journey? Nothing special, but we haven't been trying for that long in the grand scheme of things.

acleverusername · June 2021

@bows22 Happy Birthday! 🥳

Re the “I think” comment… 🤣😝 it just feels like I’ve been 37 for so long that I sometimes question if I haven’t missed a birthday, ya know? I think it’s the monotony of being home for 1+ year and having to put your age on so many medical forms / say it in so many conversions related to fertility… Basically I think it’s the fact that I’ve mentioned my age in conversations so much more frequently than ever before. Anyone else feel that way?

As for the younger ladies comment… yeah that makes no sense. I meant he’s into OLDER ladies. Let me see if I can change it.

@fantasyflyte I was actually sure that you’re pursuing a degree in a pharmaceutical related field! And that you were 28 🤦🏼‍♀️. Re-intros was a good idea.

inthewoods23 · June 2021

@acleverusername FWIW, there doesn't seem to be any definitive proof that certain supplements will improve morphology. DH's first SA had 1% morphology and his second one 2 years later was essentially the same. But his count was a bit higher so you're still talking a larger number of normal sperm in the grand scheme of things. Morphology doesn't matter anyway if you're doing ICSI.

Ages (you and SO): 32 (me), 33 (DH)

How many months have you been TTC? 48 months, aka 4 years.... For 1 baby 😫

How many months on TTGP?: since September 2018 so almost 3 years, minus the 1 month being KU that ended in MC

What have you been doing / have tried to get knocked up (a spin on WAYDTGKU): we did the whole year of trying naturally. Around month 10 I actually had my annual with my OB and expressed my TTC concern so we did 2 months of checking my progesterone to confirm I ovulate. Thankfully that was never a problem because he would only check it on CD21 or 22 which was way too early for someone who typically ovulated around CD17-19 at the time. That was normal so we did the HSG and SA which then got us a referral to a urologist due to DH's count being on the lower end of normal. No varicocele so on to the RE we went. 3 IUIs, 1 ER, and 1 FET later we still hadn't found success but all additional testing came back normal. Went gluten and dairy free in prep for another FET. Cue pandemic and took a break from the RE. Got a second opinion and was told to just try a FET again. Cue surprise BFP then MC. Back to naturally trying to give it a chance to work before we go back for the second FET.

Vitamins you're taking / have they helped?: I'm just on a prenatal, probiotic, CoQ10, and DHA. I have no idea if they have helped but I like to think so

Vitamins your partner is taking / have they helped?: he's just on a men's multivitamin and CoQ10. I know the vitamin alone has helped his numbers and motility based on the sperm wash reports from our IUIs and the second SA.

If you've been diagnosed with IF, what's your diagnosis? Unexplained, but 1% morph is sort of a diagnosed issue. Based on the effects of the diet pesky inflammation seems to also be a problem

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.) No kids yet. Just a red eared slider turtle, some sunfish, 2 hedgehogs, and a cat (who turns 9 today!). DH and I are both engineers and help mentor a high school robotics team, although I took a backseat to that with the pandemic so my future involvement will likely stay minimal.

GTKY: what do you do to stay motivated in your fertility journey? Humor. Hold my cat like a baby and think about our future with kids. Maybe that's not healthy? 😬

laura-kay · June 2021

Well, I guess I count as an oldie now!

Ages (you and SO): 37, 43

How many months have you been TTC? Actively trying since early 2017 and not preventing since 2016. Wow, that is depressing seeing that!

How many months on TTGP?: 8

What have you been doing / have tried to get knocked up (a spin on WAYDTGKU): We tried naturally for a long time, BBT temping, etc. We just got through several rounds of superovulation IUI and are now exploring next steps.

Vitamins you're taking / have they helped?: n/a

Vitamins your partner is taking / have they helped?: n/a

If you've been diagnosed with IF, what's your diagnosis? Unexplained infertility

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.) IT Specialist technical lead / PM. No kids (still trying for our first) but we are Godparents to some beautiful kids! We have a sweet lab named Hunter. I love baking, reading and the outdoors.

GTKY: what do you do to stay motivated in your fertility journey? Still working that out.

Maybe posting here?

kiki047 · June 2021

Ages (you and SO): 34 (a few months from 35 and officially "AMA") and 38 (and he's devastated that our chances of having a baby in our arms before he turns 40 are dwindling away)

How many months have you been TTC?: Since Dec 2017

How many months on TTGP?: Since May 2018

What have you been doing / have tried to get knocked up (a spin on WAYDTGKU):
- 6 months of trying on our own but based on my temps I wasn't ovulating and my cycles were irregular
- officially dx with PCOS after 8mos of trying, referred to RE
- 8 rounds of letrozole w/monitoring & TI
- 2 IUIs
- 2 ERs w/ 50/50 IVF and ICSI (results in siggy if you need more detail than that)
- 1st FET did not implant, 2nd FET resulted in a MMC at 11w, 3rd FET resulted in a MC at 5w3d, 1 fresh transfer did not implant

Vitamins you're taking / have they helped?: I think I've taken everything under the sun at this point. My ND initially prescribed vitex and seed cycling to help regulate my cycles, which it did. Currently on PNV, Vit C 2,000mg, Vit D 4,000iu, CoQ10 400mg, Omega3 EPA/DHA 900mg, Zinc 20mg, Vit E 400iu, Magnesium Bisglycinate 100mg, Calcium 1,200mg, n-acetyl-cysteine 600mg, ovasitol (4,000mg myo-inositol and 100mg d-chiro), Vit B12 (I forget dosage but metformin is known to cause B12 deficiency). Before retrievals I also take 3mg melatonin. During transfer cycles I take L-arginine 6,000mg and an herbal supplement to help build my lining and increase blood flow to my uterus. The L-arginine definitely helped, my lining was over 11mm that cycle and has never been over 7mm in any of my other transfer cycles, however that FET still resulted in a MC.

Vitamins your partner is taking / have they helped?: I'm annoyed that some of the vitamins we were using for MH aren't available in Canada right now, probably due to Covid supply disruptions, etc. Right now he is on Vit C 1,000mg, Vit D 3,000iu, CoQ10 400mg, Omega3 EPA/DHA 900mg, Zinc 20mg, Vit E 400iu, Magnesium Bisglycinate 200mg. I ordered him a new multi-vit that should arrive this week. Hard to say if the supplements have helped because his count fluctuates between 11mil and 27mil, but he is also on Zoloft and Wellbutrin for anxiety/depression so I'd like to think the vitamins and supplements only help counteract the damage caused by his meds. Both of them affect his libido/performance, to the point where he intentionally skips days when he knows he has to perform (i.e. around ovulation, before IUI/IVF/SA). I hate that he does it but he doesn't feel like he can get the job done otherwise.

If you've been diagnosed with IF, what's your diagnosis?: PCOS, RPL, RIF, and mild MFI

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.): No LC yet, 2 hilarious cats and a weird dog that we share custody of with MH's ex wife. Anyone that has been here a while might remember the stories of "Humpy" who was bestowed that nickname by one of the grads from TTGP because of his habit of "participating" in HIO. 3.5 years later and he's a little better but not really. I'm an investment advisor, MH is an accountant. I love to garden, cook/bake, golf, and in better times, travel. MH is really handy so we've also been enjoying refurbishing some old/broken furniture or building stuff for our house.

GTKY: what do you do to stay motivated in your fertility journey? Like @bows22, honestly my friends I've met on TTGP have been my lifelines and without them I would be utterly and completely lost. We are driven by our desire for a baby, but TTGP has carried/dragged me almost the whole way.

ETA: forgot some more supplements.

acleverusername · June 2021

@keikilove waiting for you!!!

keikilove · June 2021

@acleverusername Thanks for thinking of me hahaha. But I’m having an INSANE workday (checking TB while getting a blood draw now😆), will check in when things slow down tonight...

keikilove · June 2021

Ages (you and SO): We old! 👵+👴 TTC-land is a brutal place when you’ve made a commitment to be “33 forever more” but your doctors are like “Soooo, at this age your fertility starts to plummet off a cliff....”

How many months have you been TTC? 37

How many months on TTGP?: June 2018 I joined TTGP in our 2nd month of trying, which became our first month of really trying when I learned how to track & do all the things here, then got lucky in our 2nd month on TB in July 2018. (I had no idea how annoying that could be or that things don’t always go to plan.) I naïvely skipped off to my BMB, only to return here in November 2018 after losing our baby with no explanation at the very end of her 17th week. Was told it was a fluke. Had another 6-week loss in January 2019, followed by numerous chemical pregnancies since then. It wasn’t a fluke, it was a warning of things to come.

What have you been doing / have tried to get knocked up (a spin on WAYDTGKU): Geesus, what haven’t we tried?😬 I work with a Reproductive Immunologist due to the history I just shared. She has prescribed many medicines to quiet my hyper-vigilant immune system and try to stop it from attacking my embryos. I’ve done LIT, Intralipids, IVIG, and recently added Neupogen.

Vitamins you're taking / have they helped?: Like many have listed, I’m on the typical advanced plan from It Starts With The Egg, plus a few more recommended by The Egg Whisperer. The list: PNV w/Folate, Vit D3 5000 daily, Vit E 500 daily, Liposomal Vit C 500 daily, liquid Iron, Fish Oil/DHA, NAC 1200 daily, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Ubiquinol 600 daily, DHEA 25 daily, NAD+, Pterostilbene, Resveratrol, PQQ, Baby Aspirin, Ovasitol. I add Melatonin in egg retrieval cycles, as others have mentioned. Horrmones/Meds include Human Growth Hormone daily before ovulation, Lovenox, Plaquenil, Prednisone, Neupogen, adding Tacrolimus soon, and a Probiotic for good measure! Lovenox, Estradiol supplementation & Progesterone injections after ovulation. I think the vitamins are helping because my AMH has been dropping for the past two years but recently it started increasing.

Vitamins your partner is taking / have they helped?: He started out on Fertilaid and we’ve recently added a bunch more stuff to get his sperm up to snuff: Folate, Vit C 2000 a day, Vit D 5000 a day, Vit E 500 a day, so many other things. Not sure if it’s helped because he recently had a drastic sperm count drop due to some things he shouldn’t have been taking. So we are trying to build his supply and quality back up. Another month and we will have clearer answers as to whether all this stuff is helping.

If you've been diagnosed with IF, what's your diagnosis? Repeat Pregnancy Loss, Repeat Implantation Failure, Elevated Natural Killer cells, a few blood-clotting disorders, and the dreaded AMA & DOR.

Tell us about yourself! (Kids, pets, job, hobbies, etc.) I rarely mention her here: my husband and I have a 5.5-yr-old, conceived naturally and quickly. We tried for her sibling a couple years later and have had all these issues instead. We never could’ve foreseen what TTC would become. It’s an all-consuming full-time job.

GTKY: what do you do to stay motivated in your fertility journey? As these lovelies have said, the 💕friends💕 I’ve made in TTGP have pulled me up when I was so down I wanted to throw in the towel.The way we are also able to laugh in the midst of a lot of sadness and disappointment has been invaluable to me. I’m also part of a very knowledgeable Reproductive Immunology Support group online which has helped me learn vast amounts of information about my situation. This is strange, but I’m also motivated by the many others in that group who have similar histories to mine. Surprisingly, even after years & years of losses or never getting pregnant, many of them go on to have success once they find the right treatment protocol. So that gives me hope and pushes me to try every avenue. I’ve also found value and meaning in helping others along this difficult road.❤️

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