Trying to Get Pregnant

WTO Thursday 8/12

**This is a thread that welcomes all regardless of where they are at in their TTC journeys. Please be mindful of topics that are discussed that could be hurtful to those going through tough times. Mention of children or pregnancies of others should have a TW (trigger warning) and be in a spoiler if possible, and only be mentioned if it is extremely pertinent to the conversation. Thanks for keeping this a safe place for us all to engage!**

Month/Cycle: 

CD: 

WAYDTGKU: 

R/R: 

CS/Q:


Re: WTO Thursday 8/12

  • Month/Cycle: 10/10

    CD: 2

    WAYDTGKU: bbt, cm, opks, cinnamon supplements, metformin for me, vit e and c for him

    R/R: I know I rave about this every time I have my period, but holy crap guys if you normally use pads, the Thinx period panties are amazing and I'm in love with them. Other than that, it's HOT today, super humid grossness. At least I only work a 4-hour shift today and am off tomorrow. I do need to bake cupcakes this evening because my parents are coming over for my birthday dinner part one tomorrow and I'm going to use it as an excuse to practice the cupcakes I'm doing for an upcoming party where I'll be doing filled cupcakes.

    CS/Q: too soon

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  • @fantasyflyte I keep going back and forth on using period undies. I've recently been using more pads, because I've noticed, and this is going to sound really weird, but it's like my vagina muscles are sore/achy when I use tampons, particularly the more absorbant ones I need to use on day 1, and they don't hurt at all if I use pads. 🤷‍♀️ The only thing that's really stopping me is that the "5 regular tampons" worth of absorbancy that is frequently quoted is nowhere near enough for me, that would  maybe last half a day at best on my heavy days. Do you (or anyone else) know of any brands that are good for very heavy flow?? (This is also my same hang up on using a cup...if it can't last the whole day, why bother?)

    What flavor cupcakes are you making?? 


    Month/Cycle: 3 AL
    CD: 4

    WAYDTGKU: BBT, cm, OPKs

    R/R: day 1 of decontamination begins (see yesterday's daily for the gory details, but the tl;dr is we *may* have picked up hitch hikers from the air bnb bed🤢 ) Definitely should have saved the beach towels and swimsuits for last, because now my washer is full of sand 🤦‍♀️ I'm also hoping the rain holds off today because I'm trying to bake my car in the sun (because I'm ultra paranoid) and see if it really does get up to 130F in there like I've read. 

    CS/Q: nope
  • @fantasyflyte Good recommendation on the Thinx! Thanks for thinx lol!

    @pajamstagrams Oh no for this washer full of sand! You're really going through it!

    Month/Cycle: 3/2

    CD: 11

    WAYDTGKU: OPKs, Temping

    R/R: Such a good yoga class last night.  Love the 10 minute ones on Apple Fitness, as they're great for a reset.

    CS/Q: On second day of peak for CBAD and had a definite positive on my cheapie OPK today (after a borderline high / positive yesterday), so I think.... I might be ovulating early!  Hope to confirm with temping.

  • @fantasyflyte now I'm hungry and want cupcakes! It's hard to get a decent cupcake/cake in China!

    @pajamstagrams oh my, I would probably never go home again! Let me know if the car really gets that hot! I've heard things can explode like hand sanitizer.

    @agesandstages so do you do the yoga class just at home on the app, then? I dance for fun but everythung shut down here (in China) and I'm trying to find a way to still dance.

    Month/Cycle: 11/10

    CD: 11

    WAYDTGKU: ntnp (I guess that's what I'll say for now)

    R/R: I've basically stopped checking everything, so I'll just follow the predictions from the app based on previous cycles. It's been nice not thinking about it and I think my and MH are connecting better recently
    Not sure if this needs a spoiler, but better safe than sorry!
    Tonight MH and I went out to eat with his parents and his mom kept talking to me about having a baby. We told them last August that we wanted to try and they are probably confused as to why we don't have one yet. I know his mom doesn't understand because she talked before about how easy it was for her. It's just a little frustrating and upsetting for me. We basically pretend like we haven't been trying around them now so that we don't worry them. 

    CS/Q: nope


  • @mokamonster yes on the app from home! They have dance workouts too! May be worth exploring!
  • lurking…
    @fantasyflyte I switched to Thinx some time last year and have been singing their praises since. I still have to use tampons for the first day or two (on day 1 I can go through the largest size tampon in an hour or two) but after that my single use feminine products usage is down to nothing.
    @pajamstagrams I do have to use two a day on my medium flow days but I got used to it pretty quickly. I just change them when I get home from work. I haven’t looked around at other brands to see if there’s something more absorbent out there, but the max absorbency ones are pretty bulky so I’d be surprised if something larger existed. 
  • @pajamstagrams maybe period TMI so spoiler 

    I have a pretty hravy flow especially overnight, to the point where I have to sleep on a towel even with an overnight pad on. I have the super absorbent undies and have had no leaks overnight. I'm wearing them during the day, and just keeping an eye on flow and changing them every few hours. The only thing I don't love is that the pad part of them is black so I can't see how "full" they are.

    I'll do the rest of tags later because I took too long typing and my break is over lol
  • pajamstagramspajamstagrams member
    edited August 2021
    @agesandstages whoop whoop! Have fun tonight 😜

    @mokamonster that can be frustrating when people wonder why you're not pregnant yet when you've been trying so long. I'm sorry you're dealing with that. ❤️

    @pinkkillersheep your flow sounds like mine...I can fill an ultra really quick some days. I suppose on my light days it would be nice to not worry about needing to change pads!



    Update: after a couple hours in the sun, the thermometer in the back seat, relatively in the shade, read 122F. The one one the dash, in the sun, broke i suppose, or pegged out at 157.8 F. 🤯  (Obviously they dropped once I brought inside, but you can can still see the highest temps). It's only in the low 90s here today, so it's not like it's super hot here today. 


    Eta: oops, didn't realize the one thermometer only reads to 122. 😂 I just put the other in the backseat to see if it gets as hot. 


  • *still lurking*
    @pajamstagrams noooooooooo. kill them all with fire!
    Also, to @pajamstagrams, @fantasyflyte, and @pinkkillersheep please excuse my unsolicited period opinions (so putting it in a spoiler):
    but have your periods always been heavy or is it a recent change? I think there is a cut-off of some sort around the "mega tampon filled in less than 2 hours" mark where they say check in with your doctor about it. fwiw my periods went from light most of my life to hella heavy in my early-mid 30s along the lines of filling an ultra tampon in a couple of hours. I didn't think much about it (I just thought I was getting older and that's how things work) until I struggled to conceive, and was eventually diagnosed with large fibroids. the diagnosis sucked but since having them removed my flow is less than half of what it was at its worst. so far it obviously hasn't helped with conceiving but it certainly hasn't hurt, and I'm also no longer anemic! I know @pajamstagrams had an u/s sometime in recent months, but could still be worth chatting with your doctor about what a heavy flow might mean, especially if it's different from earlier bleeding patterns.


    History
    I am doing this on my own. Left ovary and fallopian tube removed due to cyst/necrosis just after birth. Right ovary and tube still purport to function.
    Began TTC in Aug '18 @ age 35
    5 or 6 (or 7?!) cycles using frozen donor sperm, ICI. All BFN
    Mar-Jun '19 IUIs, all BFN
    Began process of referral for RE in spring of '19, blood tests confirm low AMH (.54) but all else is good.
    May '19 HSG shows open tube, but ultrasound suggests fibroids
    MRI in June '19 confirms two large fibroids, one growing through wall of uterus
    In June '19 I move from California to Oregon, disrupting my insurance, referrals, etc. 5 months spent piecing it all back together.
    Nov. '19 attempted myomectomy (vaginal approach) failed. 2nd surgery using laparoscopic method in Jan '20 is successful.
    April '20 --> June '20, natural IUIs, all BFN.
    July? saline ultrasound and bubble test demonstrate open tube
    July '20 clomid cycle cancelled for thin lining
    Aug-Oct, 3 femara cycles, all BFN
    RE referral. While waiting to set up an appointment Nov-Jan,I continue with natural cycles and ICI, using a known donor, BFN...
    Jan '21 more bloodwork, AMH is worse (.30), FSH high albeit not catastrophic at 13.2. hysteroscopy all good. "looks cozy!" says the RE.
    Feb '21, injectables (menopur, novarel), iui, BFN (doc said the frozen donor sperm sample had the "best numbers she'd ever seen!")
    Mar '21, injectables, iui cancelled due to lack of follicles, converted to at home-insem. BFN
    May '21, first IVF round cancelled due to cyst.
    July '21 IVF: standard antagonist. 225menupur/225gonal-f/cetrotide/5000u trigger, AFC 7; 6 days of stims. 8 eggs retrieved, 7 mature, 5 fertilize, 4 made it to blast. 3 are 4AB, 1 is 4BB. PGT-A results all abnormal.
    Oct '21 somewhat improved AMH (.51) and significantly improved FSH (8.9). Maybe it's all the pills I swallow.
    Dec -21, standard antagonist. 225menupur/225gonal-f/cetrotide/5000u trigger, AFC 5; 11 days of stims. retrieval yields 5, 4M, 2 reach day-6 blast (4AB & 4BB). 1 low-level mosaic (chr. 3 deletion), 1 complex abnormal.
    Feb '22 FET (low-level mosaic): CP.
    May '22 egg retrieval, lupron flare protocol. HGH priming for 1 month before stims; md lupron 20/20u daily; menopur 225, follistim 225, 10k trigger after 8 days of stims; AFC 10; 13 retrieved; 10 mature; 8 fertilized. All frozen at 2PN for later thaw, grow, and biopsy.
    July '22 egg retrieval same protocol: 9 days of stims; AFC 8; 10 retrieved, 8 mature, 4 fertilized and frozen.
    Sept '22 ER same protocol: AFC 10; 12 retrieved, 11 mature, 11 fertilized.
    From the 3 retrievals, 7 survived to day 5-6 blastocyst, from which I have 2 normal embryos!
    Jan 20, Fully medicated FET, baby aspirin, dexamethasone, acupuncture, and as much woo as I can stand (which isn't very much). BFN.
    July 23, Natural FET + baby aspirin. BFN.
  • @optimistgardener yeah I know heavy periods aren't usually a "normal" thing. I suppose it never hurts to bring it up with my gyno, but besides the heavy periods, I don't seem to have any other issues. I might have actually had an U/S years ago for heavy periods, but I don't remember what the outcome was other than I had a slightly larger uterus than normal or something like that. 

    LC and loss mentioned
    So I've always had pretty heavy flow since I was a teen, and when I got the copper IUD in 2015 it was even heavier. Pretty much since then, it's like all my flow comes in the first 2 days, and then I spot for a while. 

    After my daughter was born a couple years ago, same kinda pattern, but definitely heavier than it used to be, even with the IUD. My flow was/is actually starting to taper down about 2 years PP to where I didnt have to worry about changing an ultra tampon at 2 am overnight, so that was really nice. 

    After my recent MC, it's just more clotty, but not really much heavier than I've previously had.


  • @optimistgardener Your opinion is always welcome!
    I’ve always had heavy periods the first couple days, though it has seemed like a step change since I turned 30. I am certain something isn’t right because of all the other symptoms that come with my periods (and always have): cramps so painful on day 1 it hurts to move and occasionally can’t sleep, fatigue that rivals when I had the flu where you get tunnel vision because you can’t focus, bleeding that looks like large clots, severe nausea, back pain, constipation, and a plethora of mental health impacts.
    My two sisters have all this but worse, so my reference point in my teens and early twenties was to them and I thought I was being dramatic. I also didn’t realize that for as bad as theirs are, they’re at least regular whereas I fluctuate by up to two weeks.
    I have no good reason for not addressing it sooner. I’ve seen OBGYNs regularly and I’m sure I’ve mentioned these things but since no one seemed particularly interested in it and I wasn’t advocating for myself it’s just gone on. I also just generally don’t trust the health care industry because I very, very often have said “I have such and such going on,” and the response is “It’s caused by your depression”.
    Anyway, that’s probably WAY more detail than you needed. But I do have an appointment with me a new OBGYN next month (my last one had some awful body shaming signs in their office…) and plan to discuss all this with them. But I fully expect them to only hear “4 months into TTC” and blow me off. 

  • @pinkkillersheep thanks for sharing all of that! I'm so so sorry you've had medical professionals blow you off when you've tried to bring these things up. i get really angry when i hear things like this. to my mind it just reflects the continued ingrained misogyny even of medical care oriented specifically around treating women's bodies, a medical practice that still assumes that we are just making things up or "emotional." BS!
    I hope your new obgyn will listen to your experience and help you get to the bottom of what is going on with your body and your cycle. I always find it helpful to go in with an organized list of concerns and questions, which will help you to stand your ground and not be sent away without some plan of action. You may have been "only" TTC for 4 months, but you've been experiencing these symptoms for years, and if you find that you're struggling to manage pain associated with your period, that is something a doctor absolutely should be expected to address. Menses can be painful but it should not be disabling, and there are a number of possible causes for what you're experiencing, amongst them endometriosis (which can be hard to diagnosis, but which you'll want to know about since you're TTC). Additionally, heavy periods can take a hit on your physical health beyond your bleeding days, since (as I experienced) a super heavy flow can lead to anemia.
    I am sure there are other folks on this board who may be able to offer other strategies, experiences, and ideas on how to advocate for yourself at your appointment with your new doc.
    History
    I am doing this on my own. Left ovary and fallopian tube removed due to cyst/necrosis just after birth. Right ovary and tube still purport to function.
    Began TTC in Aug '18 @ age 35
    5 or 6 (or 7?!) cycles using frozen donor sperm, ICI. All BFN
    Mar-Jun '19 IUIs, all BFN
    Began process of referral for RE in spring of '19, blood tests confirm low AMH (.54) but all else is good.
    May '19 HSG shows open tube, but ultrasound suggests fibroids
    MRI in June '19 confirms two large fibroids, one growing through wall of uterus
    In June '19 I move from California to Oregon, disrupting my insurance, referrals, etc. 5 months spent piecing it all back together.
    Nov. '19 attempted myomectomy (vaginal approach) failed. 2nd surgery using laparoscopic method in Jan '20 is successful.
    April '20 --> June '20, natural IUIs, all BFN.
    July? saline ultrasound and bubble test demonstrate open tube
    July '20 clomid cycle cancelled for thin lining
    Aug-Oct, 3 femara cycles, all BFN
    RE referral. While waiting to set up an appointment Nov-Jan,I continue with natural cycles and ICI, using a known donor, BFN...
    Jan '21 more bloodwork, AMH is worse (.30), FSH high albeit not catastrophic at 13.2. hysteroscopy all good. "looks cozy!" says the RE.
    Feb '21, injectables (menopur, novarel), iui, BFN (doc said the frozen donor sperm sample had the "best numbers she'd ever seen!")
    Mar '21, injectables, iui cancelled due to lack of follicles, converted to at home-insem. BFN
    May '21, first IVF round cancelled due to cyst.
    July '21 IVF: standard antagonist. 225menupur/225gonal-f/cetrotide/5000u trigger, AFC 7; 6 days of stims. 8 eggs retrieved, 7 mature, 5 fertilize, 4 made it to blast. 3 are 4AB, 1 is 4BB. PGT-A results all abnormal.
    Oct '21 somewhat improved AMH (.51) and significantly improved FSH (8.9). Maybe it's all the pills I swallow.
    Dec -21, standard antagonist. 225menupur/225gonal-f/cetrotide/5000u trigger, AFC 5; 11 days of stims. retrieval yields 5, 4M, 2 reach day-6 blast (4AB & 4BB). 1 low-level mosaic (chr. 3 deletion), 1 complex abnormal.
    Feb '22 FET (low-level mosaic): CP.
    May '22 egg retrieval, lupron flare protocol. HGH priming for 1 month before stims; md lupron 20/20u daily; menopur 225, follistim 225, 10k trigger after 8 days of stims; AFC 10; 13 retrieved; 10 mature; 8 fertilized. All frozen at 2PN for later thaw, grow, and biopsy.
    July '22 egg retrieval same protocol: 9 days of stims; AFC 8; 10 retrieved, 8 mature, 4 fertilized and frozen.
    Sept '22 ER same protocol: AFC 10; 12 retrieved, 11 mature, 11 fertilized.
    From the 3 retrievals, 7 survived to day 5-6 blastocyst, from which I have 2 normal embryos!
    Jan 20, Fully medicated FET, baby aspirin, dexamethasone, acupuncture, and as much woo as I can stand (which isn't very much). BFN.
    July 23, Natural FET + baby aspirin. BFN.
  • @pinkkillersheep

    I'm frustrated for you, that your doctors are brushing you off! You definitely shouldn't be in that much pain, that sounds awful. I hope your new OBGYN listens to your concerns!
  • @fantasyflyte I keep forgetting to try those undies out. One of these days!

    @pajamstagrams GL with the bed bugs!
    Kill It GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY

    @agesandstages my favorite yoga practices are around 20 minutes or less. Under 10 and I feel like I didn't even do yoga ha.

    Month/Cycle: 50/10 AL bleh double digits

    CD: 2

    Patrick Star Boo GIFs  Tenor

    WAYDTGKU: covid vaccine dose 2, starting the process of scheduling an appointment with an RI

    R/R: Tuesday evening we had a nasty storm. Not nasty enough (/s) to not grill so we had steaks :D. Somehow we didn't lose power even though it was heckin' windy. Apparently I'm doing lolcat speak now haha. Lost at least 2 large branches in our backyard that were VERY close to our barn shed. People are still without power 2 days later (including my ILs who are a mile down the street). The forecast is finally not calling for storms for at least 10 days! Been in a mopey mood this week. PMS I guess? I've been working for the weekend for the last 2 weeks. Oh well. I can't wait to make italian beef in the slow cooker tomorrow!!!

    CS/Q: add me to the growing list of people who had their cycles screwed up by the vaccine. 10 day LP! Boooooo

    *TW* History
    TTC #1 since 7.2017
    Dx: low morph (1%), ANA positive, low decidualization score, high TSH and testosterone, histone antibodies

    IUI #1-3 all BFN
    IVF #1 | 6.11.19 | 24R, 17M, 15F, 6B, PGT-A tested - 5 normal, 3 girls & 2 boys
    FET #1 | 9.10.19 | BFN "I know you, but we've never met. I'm with you, but I don't know your name"
    RPL, Receptiva, & ERA testing | all normal/negative, recommended going on gluten and dairy free diet for next FET
    FET #2 | 3.31.20 | Opted to cancelled due to pandemic, continued diet and tried naturally over the summer
    2nd Opinion with another RE | 8.20.20 | Not immune to measles (received 1 dose); SA results similar to 2 years ago; decided to move forward with FET #2 redo at start of next cycle
    Surprise natural BFP! | 9.22.20 | MC 10.23.20 at 8 weeks
    TTCAL naturally | starting 11.22.20

    Initial consultation with Reproductive Immunologist | 9.14.21
    Decidualization score biopsy | 10.1.21 | abnormal - low score of 1; endometrial scratch recommended and progesterone supplementation
    Saline sono | 10.15.21 | normal
    Bloodwork | 10.21.21 high TSH, high testosterone, positive for anti-nuclear antibodies and histone antibodies, high protein S, multiple genetic mutations
    BFP! | 11.3.21 | EDD 7.14.22 B) | biopsy provided same effect as endometrial scratch; added supplemental progesterone and estrogen, prednisone, levothyroxine, and MTX Support to maintain pregnancy
    DS born 7.19.22 after induction


    TTC #2 begins 6.2023
    Consultation with RI | 6.6.23
    Saline sono, endometritis biopsy, skin & eye check | all normal
    Labs | high TSH, Factor XIII mutation, high %CD56
    Follow up | 8.8.23 | prescribed metformin, prednisone, plaquenil, and levothyroxine
    Repeat labs after 3 weeks on meds
    Follow up | 11.9.23 | Green light!, increase in prednisone, added lovenox
    Repeat labs in 8 weeks
    Follow up | 1.16.24 | Green light continues
    TTC ended due to filing divorce

    **New relationship starting May 2024**

    Surprise BFP!! | 9.7.25 | EDD 5.11.26
    Its Gonna Be May GIFs  Tenor
  • @inthewoods23 my last 2 cycles (each with a covid vax during the LP) had a 13 day LP, (my normal, pre-MC was 14) but I started spotting a full day ahead of time at 12dpo, which was weird. I have no idea if that was due to the vax, or just general post-MC weirdness. I'm on progesterone too, so there was no reason for me to be spotting 12 DPO when I stop PG after 13 DPO.
  • @agesandstages I really love them. Target sells them for $17/pair, half the price of amazon.
    @mokamonster sorry your MIL isn't understanding.
    @optimistgardener yeah, when I say relatively heavy, I mean my heaviest flow. I usually mark it as M in FF because it's only actually heavy for like a 6 hour period. Unfortunately my natural periods have always sucked like that. Most of my leakage issues are more a placement issue than overflow.
    @inthewoods23 CD twin fistbump! Sorry you're also on another cycle. Confession: my husband and I lolspeak ALL THE TIME, mainly in reference to or as the "voice" of our dog. No shame here.
    He's such a heckin' cutie!



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