IF Weekly Testing/Treatment week of 2/21

gingermama29 · February 2022

This is a place for those of us who have already started TTC, but have started infertility testing and/or treatments. You can express your thoughts, feelings, and frustrations on infertility. TTC can be a long journey naturally, then add in the difficulties associated with infertility, and it becomes a whole new ball game. The road to infertility can be lonely, frustrating, and complicated, so let's make this a place where we can vent, ask questions, and support one another. Feel free to resurrect this thread at any point in the week if you have something to say. Treat this as an ongoing conversation.

Diagnosis (if you've been):

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA):

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?):

How are things going?:

Any questions?:

GTKY: if you had a warning label, that would it say?

acleverusername · February 2022

Diagnosis (if you've been): AMA, Hashimito's, overprotective immune system, with a dose of wandering sperm. But also, "officially" unexplained because why not, right?

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): WTO

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): Mock Transfer!

How are things going?: Well, they're going pretty great because we've officially started our mock transfer cycle and I'm feeling pretty good about the protocol. I put on my first estrogen patch on Saturday, and had my baseline ultrasound yesterday and after no cysts were found, we were officially given the go ahead! If my body doesn't do anything weird like ovulate through the progesterone, my lining check will be on 3/6 and biopsy on 3/14. Weee! A separate "Weee!" is that TEW so quite a few follicles; she said the most she's ever seen for me. While that's not relevant to the mock cycle, it's certainly promising.

Now I wanted to get back to saga of last week which was trying to work through the Pregume report. I did in fact get a call from Dr. Vidali himself on Wednesday afternoon and we walked through the report together. It was wonderful. He was so helpful. At the end of the call he was like... "you have my cell phone number in case you have any questions." He also expounded about how much he liked/respected TEW. I'm gonna spoiler what we chatted about since it'll likely be a ramble.

So, he told me the only thing that I really need to be treated for is the PAI-1 genotype and he suggested 40cc of Lovenox + BA. TEW was already planning this for me.

We then talked about the bit that says that "based on the presence of HY restricting alele in addition to high concentration of anti HLA-antibodies, the patient may benefit from using IVIG as a second line of therapy." I asked him what the first line of therapy would be, and he said "nothing". He went on to say that IVIG is the most researched treatment out their, but that if I were his patient, he's probably start me out on something like Prednisone. He also said that the Anti-HY immunity shouldn't affect the choice of whether we transfer a boy or a girl embryo, but I'm like... yeah, no. I think I'll just transfer a girl embryo first.

We also talked about the NK activity and how the ReproSource report actually shows that my lever – 30.4 – is much higher than an RI would like to see (below 10). He said that he doesn't look at / do anything about NK because research shows that NK activity is high equally in ppl who have miscarriages and who don't have miscarriages. I need to double check this will our resident RI experts.

He also said he likes to see TSH closer to 1.0 but that mine – at 1.52 – didn't need more optimizing at the risk of overcorrecting.

He said high leptin is no an issue. And he doesn't think I have PCOS since I told I had been taking DHEA at the time the blood tests were run.

I also asked him why in this result I was in the "yellow" region, when the overall risk of that section (entitled Fetal HLA-C and Maternal KIR (Uterine NK Cell) Interaction) is Lower Risk, and he said it's because I am KIR AB and not AA. If I were KIR AA, that would be an issues. Full disclosure... I know nothing about this area of IF so I've been digging into lectures on RI for the past week.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/4a/c10e9etr187y.png

Ultimately, I chatted with TEW and she's comfortable having me take Prednisone (10mg) to make sure my immune system doesn't get too overprotective. I would start that a few days before transfer.

I also tried to get an appointment with Dr. Jubiz but he's all booked up until end of March and not taking any new patients. I was told to call back mid to late March to see what's up. So right now, I'm planning on proceeding with the transfer and should it not work, hopefully things will line up such that I can have a consult with Dr. Jubiz shortly thereafter.

Any questions?: I hate to keep summoning you @inthewoods23, but would love your take on what Dr. Vidali said in my consults. Also, @keikilove... whenever you get a chance, please let me know what you think.

GTKY: if you had a warning label, that would it say? Oooh, I like this one @gingermama29!!! I think I would have 2:
1) WARNING! EXTREMELY ENERGETIC IN THE MORNINGS!
2) WARNING! HOLDS GRUDGES! (I like to nurse them grudges if you cross me.)

inthewoods23 · February 2022

*lurking in*
@acleverusername what's your PAI-1 genotype again? I think mine was 4G/5G and should have gone on lovenox but maybe I wasn't put on it because I was already PG by the time we got that result. Maybe BA is enough for my situation. My understanding with NK cells is that what is detected in your blood can be different from what is detected in your lining. My BW NK cells was higher than what Dr. Jubiz likes (below 18) whereas I was just over 20. Yet I require an endo scratch which I take to mean my lining doesn't have enough NK cell activity to allow implantation to occur. Prednisone is usually the starting point to lower NK cells but is possibly not as effective as IVIG. And back to Dr. Jubiz - he's not taking new patients because he's not staying with the clinic he's currently at. His current contract only goes until March. That's really all we know so far from those that have discussed it in the FB group for his patients.

acleverusername · February 2022

Thank you @inthewoods23! My PAI-1 genotype is 4G/4G. The worst kind apparently. Also thanks for info re: Dr. J. I'm in his patient FB group now so I'll continue to lurk there to see where he ends up. As for endometrial scratch, I don't know if I'll technically need it, but since I'm having a biopsy for ERA/ReceptivaDx/EMMA&ALICE, hopefully it will be a good thing. You didn't end up having IVIG, right? What was the MXT shot for?

keikilove · February 2022

@acleverusername Sorry, I skimmed your saga from last week but wasn’t able to interact here last week. Anyway, I get what Dr. Vidali was saying in your consult. Basically, the PAI-1 mutation makes it obvious you need Lovenox and baby aspirin. Everything else…he doesn’t want to over-treat based on your history, since there’s no real “proof” yet that anything else will cause an issue for you.

I agree with @inthewoods23 about your NK cells: Dr. Kwak-Kim wants to see normal NKs around 17 or below. You being at 20 is just barely over normal—and that’s only if that lab uses the same measurement system as Dr. KK’s lab. My NKs are usually around 24–too high, so I take prednisone and Plaquenil for that—and I’ve heard that many others whose NKs are around 30 take more prednisone than I do.

As far as what Vidali said about KIR AB vs AA: that’s good to know what type yours is. The AA would warrant the use of Neupogen according to those RIs who use it. (Many won’t use it.)
But all this should be taken with a grain of salt. I recently took myself off all immune meds when I was taking the month off for the endometrial biopsy because I wanted to see how my body would respond. My NK cells went into normal range for the first time in years. So sometimes these immune meds are the answer, but sometimes they cause immune numbers to increase. All you can do is try them, get retested, and see how your body responds.
Just curious: why do you want to start working with Dr. Jubiz? Dr. Vidali is a very experienced RI, so I’m just wondering why you want to work with another one. Are you thinking you want to be followed by an RI during pregnancy?

gingermama29 · February 2022

@acleverusername yay!! So excited you’re cleared to go ahead and everything looked great at your lining check!! Love your warning labels 😂. I’ve definitely been known to hold a grudge or two.

Diagnosis (if you've been): PCOS

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): TWW

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): Letrozole, metformin, myo-inositol, baby aspirin, PNV, and TI

How are things going? Well I ended up not triggering this cycle because I ovulated already and I haven’t gotten my medication yet. So I’ll have it for next cycle of this one is unsuccessful. The fertility pharmacy that my doctor ordered the ovidrel through hasn’t particularly impressed me so far. When I called back on Wednesday last week, I was -no exaggeration- on hold for an hour and a half before someone talked to me. I ended up calling my insurance company to see what my coverage was so that when the pharmacy told me an amount for my copay, I would know for sure what it was supposed to be. My fear was being charged hundreds of dollars on a medication that is actually a $70 copay. Anyway, it’s shipping today and will be delivered tomorrow. In the meantime, I saw my primary today for a check in to continue my anxiety meds and discuss doing a sleep study since I’m pretty sure both DH and I have sleep apnea. She’s contacting the sleep and wellness center to get things started with my insurance to get us a sleep study.

Any questions?: nada

GTKY: If you had a warning label, what would it say? Either “bursts into song frequently” or “can turn anything you say into an innuendo.”

inthewoods23 · February 2022

*lurk*
@acleverusername I did have 1 round of IVIG done at the end of the december - *tw* spoilering the PG specific stuff

half because they found an SCH in my ultrasounds and half because of getting covid back when I was about 5 weeks. There's an antibody infusion they offer people who are recovering from covid and I guess IVIG is a similar infusion that can also provide some of the same benefits as this other antibody infusion *shrug*. My recovery from covid was super fast so I don't know if it was really necessary but it was completely covered (miraculously!). I never had any bleeding from my SCH back then either so maybe I did it and got no benefit from it.

*end tw*

The MTX is a tablet. I think its actual purpose is for those taking methotrexate as part of a cancer treatment. All it contains is folate and a shit ton of B12 (like wayyy more than those 5 hour energy shots have). For me this is to help with the histone antibodies I have (or anti-histone antibodies?). It's one of the anti-nuclear antibodies they can test for.

I'm not familiar with what the EMMA or ALICE biopsy tests look for so I'm interested to hear what you find out from those.

acleverusername · February 2022

@keikilove HEEEEEEEY! So, it turns out that when I looked on my ReproSource report, I found that my 50:1 Native State result was actually 30.2. As for Dr. Jubiz vs. Dr. Vidali... I don't feel like I'm actually working with Dr. Vidali, you know what I mean? I think he just did TEW a favor by calling me and going over the report with me. I suppose it would probably be easy to become a patient of BRI now that I've done Pregmune testing. And yes, I'm wondering if I'll need to be monitored in pregnancy. Like one thing I'm worried about is that I have low platelets and WBC. With Lovenox, I'll probably need to be getting regular blood tests to make sure I'm not putting myself at risk. But I'm over thinking it, and I know that, and I'll just go forward with my current plan of Lovenox, BA and Prednisone, and hope/pray is works out 🤞🏻.

@inthewoods23 will def keep you posted on what I learn about with EMMA/ALICE test! Thanks again for sharing your wisdom and experience.

@gingermama29 argh, I'm sorry you had such rotten luck with the pharmacy. Which one does your doctor use? Hopefully your natural "ovulation trigger" will do the trick and you'll have some meds you can donate. *Fingers crossed!*

gingermama29 · February 2022

@acleverusername Freedom Fertility Pharmacy. I think they’re based out of MA.

fantasyflyte · February 2022

@acleverusername sounds like you have a good plan, and I'm glad your providers are on the same page!

@gingermama29 sorry the trigger didn't work out this time, but I hope it's a case of "if you bring an umbrella it won't rain" and you end up not needing it at all! Sorry getting it has been an ordeal.

Diagnosis (if you've been): PCOS and MFI

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): WTO

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): monitoring right now, trigger and IUI hopefully this weekend

How are things going?: good! Had my first monitoring ultrasound/bloodwork yesterday. Going back tomorrow morning, not sure if it'll stay EOD or daily, I imagine it'll depend on what things look like tomorrow. I don't know what my follicle size was yesterday, the tech seemed in a rush so I didn't want to ask, but I'll be asking tomorrow.

Any questions?: not really. I'm happy to actually just have a real plan that's actually happening this time, and very hopeful which may be dangerous but hey.

GTKY: if you had a warning label, that would it say?

WARNING: WILL SNAP IF YOU DON'T CLEAN THE 'RIGHT' WAY WHEN SHE'S IN A CLEANING MOOD

WARNING: EXCESSIVE TALKING IN HER DIRECTION RIGHT AFTER WAKING UP WILL CAUSE CRITICAL MOOD MALFUNCTION, PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

acleverusername · February 2022

@fantasyflyte I’m super excited for you cycle! It feels like it took forever to get here first with Covid and then with the blizzard. Hopefully this is the one where you say goodbye to us and head on over to a BMB.

mambo5-2 · February 2022

Ooo I feel like I just got a science lesson teach me more oh wise ones!

Diagnosis (if you've been): RPL and post vasectomy

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): Chillin.. moving forward with IVF

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): Testing cycle, moving money around, waiting for insurance auth. The fun stuff obviously

How are things going?: Things are good. I have a beautiful uterus, all my blood work has been normal so far, all of Hs was normal. My ultrasound was good, I had lots of follicles for someone doing nothing 🤣. Now just waiting for the insurance company to catch up for the next set of testing.

Any questions?: not today

GTKY: if you had a warning label, that would it say?

Takes everything personally.

Will try to be your best friend 😑

fantasyflyte · February 2022

@acleverusername seriously! Part of me is afraid to be hopeful because it is still New England in winter, but I'm going to assume we'll be good. Hopefully the same for you now that those test results are both in and explained.

@mambo5-2 insurance and prior auths are the worst and I hate them. Hope yours comes through quickly. That's great on the preliminary tests looking good, hopefully it'll be smooth sailing for you guys.

acleverusername · February 2022

@gingermama29 I just happened to see a post on the local IVF Facebook group about someone complaining how awful Freedom is (and lots of others chiming in in agreement). The recommendations for other pharmacies in the comments were as follows:

APRI FERTILITY PHARMACYhttps://www.mdrusa.com/https://www.avella.com/
@mambo5-2 lots of follicles is a great sign! Hopefully your IVF journey won't stretch out for too long. Will you be able to start stims next cycle?

optimistgardener · February 2022

Diagnosis (if you've been): decrepit ovary and the like
Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): benched for all practical purposes
What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): chomping down supplements and waiting
How are things going?: not great. i mean, i dunno. things are fine. *tw cp aftermath*

i'm on day 2 of some very dramatic bleeding and i'm hating it. plus because i've been on transfer prep since early january, it's been a very long time since i checked in on my period supplies and it turns out that i have basically none left, i think because i'd been trying to be hopeful i wouldn't need any for a while. so this morning there will be an emergency trip to the store.

I'm in for the long wait, here, and there's not much i can do about it. i have an appointment scheduled for late march to talk about the failed transfer with my RE, and i've asked the nurse coordinator to pencil me in for the first open retrieval calendar, which turns out to be in may. even if i wanted to, and even if there were magically another clinic a bit further afield with time in their calendar for me, i couldn't switch clinics because my teaching schedule is still too insane. i know a couple of months is not a big deal in the big picture, but at 39 it feels like a big deal.
beyond that, there's a voice in my brain this time around that is way louder than it was last time around that's just like "what is the point, why are you even bothering to try, you know this is impossible and won't work." i don't have the headspace right now to sit down and actually think about it so that is just getting set to the side until after my job interview/end of term.

Any questions?: nah.

GTKY: if you had a warning label, that would it say? Late bedtime may result in irregular function.

mambo5-2 · February 2022

@acleverusername I'm not sure, probably depends on if that last blood work has gotten done and what it shows. They told is 2-4 months from start to transfer depending on timing and things like that. I got lucky on my period starting literally right away

gingermama29 · February 2022

@fantasyflyte hope everything goes well this morning at your lining check!

@mambo5-2 I hope the insurance company moves quickly so you can get to the next round of testing. I’m cracking up because my US tech tells me I have a beautiful uterus at each lining check 😂.

@acleverusername yeah I wasn’t particularly excited about using them for my pharmacy. They have a 1 star rating with the BBB. But they’re the specialty pharmacy that my insurance uses so I don’t know that I have a better option. 🤷‍♀️ My RE’s office set things up with them so my guess is they use them frequently? Either that or they knew that one was in network for my insurance.

@optimistgardener I’m sorry for all you’re going through right now. It’s so hard to try and stay positive when it feels like everything is stacked against you. This whole process is such a mind f*ck, especially after a loss. Sending hugs and holding out hope that you’ll be able to get another transfer sooner.

fantasyflyte · February 2022

@optimistgardener I'm sorry things are feeling gloomy and that schedules aren't great right now. ((Hugs))

AFM, I had my second monitoring ultrasound and bloodwork this morning. Since there was a medical student watching, I learned several things from overhearing the tech explaining to the student. I learned that I have a retroverted uterus apparently. And my lining is tri-laminar and looks great. And I think she said I have a 21 follicle. When I asked her directly at the end what I had for follicles she said "just the one" so hopefully I learn more when they call. If I have a 21mm follicle already, I'm wondering if they'll have me trigger tonight.

optimistgardener · February 2022

woops. sorry everyone, i'll do my tags later today when i get a few minutes! sorry to post and run!

anniemarie887 · February 2022

i feel like i poked my head over here yesterday morning and it was quiet like a weekend with the fed holiday and then it was like everyone showed up! i wound up going on the bach party... so i was driving for 3 hours then unpacking/sorting my life out.

@acleverusername this all is such good news, can you explain for the IVF illiterate aka me what is the timing diff between a mock xfer and the actual xfer? also, i hold grudges, i can def forgive but i surely will never forget.
@fantasyflyte i'm so excited for you! ALL of the fingers and toes crossed!!
@mambo5-2 i hope your auths come in quickly!
@optimistgardener that physical reminder of the CP is cruel, and i so know how you feel. big hug.

Diagnosis (if you've been): uncooperative uterus? (TBD - trying 14 mos and 2 losses.)

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): WTO, i think see question below...

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): Well, i think i'm off the bench? i am not sure if we will TTA waiting for the fertility appt 3/14 or not. either way i plan on getting OPKs so i can start to gauge if my body is cooperating.

How are things going?: well, i had therapy thurs and my therapist was of the "you should go on the bach party mindset, don't just retreat and isolate" MH also agreed with this, and i was able to reach out to the MOH and got my own room so that if i needed a place to check out i had privacy, i reached out to the two other girls i know well about being my "safety net" and explained to the bride my worries about being a crying, blubbering, mess that other ppl had to help handle... well let me spoiler this shit show for ya'll... TW for d&c/miscarriage talk.. it's long, brevity is not my strength right now...

so, we all know i was worried re the other pregnant girl and how intrusive she had been. she knew i lost the baby and had to get a d&c and never once checked in on me in the last month. she drives separately and get's there friday night a couple of hours after the bulk of the women. we just do a low key dinner at the house, all the polite niceties, ask how i am, i just say "ok". and i'm like phew. ok. dinner wraps up and we're cleaning up/putting left overs in the kitchen and this dumb effing psychopath (sorry, lots of shock and rage) says in front of a room of other women (like a lot, 10 strangers) who i had literally just met "so how was your procedure?" to which i say "awful" and like any normal human i think would take that as a hint to STFU but this asshole (who is a NURSE!) goes "oh was it painful?" and i am just like frozen, i feel like i got hit by a mac truck and reply "no i was put under" and she CONTINUES and says "oh i don't know exactly what it entails?" so which i finally have a semi functioning brain again and say "i really don't want to talk to about this" and legit run away to my room and start hysterically crying and texting my husband and best friend. i text one of my good friends who is on the trip (the more blunt one) and explain what this woman just did and that i need her help and to tell her she cannot in any way, shape or form talk to me about my miscarriage and d&c. and i'm like you need to tell her i don't want an apology, i will lose my shit and sob, she doesn't get to make herself feel better for being a callous moron. this woman keeps trying to interject with my friend and be like i just wanted to know how she was and my friend is like NOT ANOTHER WORD. she has to explain to her 2-3x like no, don't apologize, don't bring it up, she (being me) is here to try and have a nice weekend and escape thinking about it. it's like doubly insulting bc literally she could've called/texted at any time in the last month, and didn't. i was just stunned, then hysterical. and then i got very, very angry. the next day and half went fine, she actually had to leave the weekend early for work and def kept a little distance. i did wind up having some fun, but man oh man, i was freaking out friday night like i literally hadn't even been there 3 hours and i'm sobbing in my room alone.

Any questions?: at what point is a period so light it doesn't count? is that a thing? never thought i would be 34yo and googling this stuff.

GTKY: if you had a warning label, that would it say? can explode in a fit of rage in 60 seconds or less.

optimistgardener · February 2022

@anniemarie887 omfg i might have murdered her. i am so so sorry you had to deal with that.

anniemarie887 · February 2022

@optimistgardener thanks, i mean there are a lot of ways i play the scenario out in my head now... but i literally was like a deer in headlights. i am surprised i didn't utterly explode on her.

fantasyflyte · February 2022

I'm triggering toniiiight! IUI Thursday! Just in time to NOT be ruined by the snow coming Friday! I'm so excited!

acleverusername · February 2022

@optimistgardener girl, you are in my thoughts, and in my prayers. It sounds like you're feeling like you're stuck between a rock and a hard place. And I know that prime breeding ground for doubts. But don't you give up just yet! You managed to get 1 mosaic embryo so your body still can do this. Anyways, it's OK to feel sad, to feel sorry for yourself, and to just feel all the feels. I am sorry that your heavy flow is yet another reminder of the loss. Sending you all the hugs in the world.

@anniemarie887 OMG What in the actual f*ck?! I can't believe that someone could be so callous as to do prompt you to discuss such torturously private affair? How can the bride be friends with this freak?! OMG, thank the lord that you had the blunt friend there with you who could put her in her place... a bit. Argh, I'm enraged for you. Well, at least the latter half of the weekend was tolerable.

To answer your question re: mock cycle, it's essentially a transfer "dress rehearsal". I take the estrogen and the progesterone to grow the lining / trigger a rise in progesterone. But, instead of putting an embryo inside of me, they take a piece of my endometrial lining and send it for a bunch of tests. They'll test for silent endometriosis, they will check for receptivity (sometimes I would require fewer or more days on progesterone pre/post transfer), and also the state of the uterine microbiome, in case there's a bacterial imbalance. I'm happy to share any/all information so don't hesitate to ask.

@fantasyflyte Sounds like 3rd time might be the charm!!! I sure hope so. Woooooo!

optimistgardener · February 2022

@acleverusername that's exciting that you're doing your mock transfer already!

@gingermama29 i'm sorry you're having a frustrating time with freedom fertility. my clinic uses them for some of the medications i have used and i've never had a hard time with them but it sounds like your experience has been awful. The other domestic pharmacy that my clinic uses (for my top-shelf PIO) is New Era pharmacy. They have also been easy (at least for me) to work with. Not sure what their pricing is for most things but am guessing it could be more expensive since my clinic seems to make choices about pharmacies specifically with its uninsured patients in mind.

@fantasyflyte i'm so glad you're finally on track for an IUI without covid or blizzards to derail you! fx! how did the trigger shot go?

@anniemarie887 i know this is not the point of your story at all and i already got hella angry on your behalf about the rest of it, but can you remind me what is a bach party? i imagine you all sitting around listening to Bach, which sounds relaxing but also ?.

fantasyflyte · February 2022

@optimistgardener my nurse sister gave it to me so it was fine

anniemarie887 · February 2022

@acleverusername thanks, tbh i don't think the bride is aware unless our other friend told her later. i certainly didn't want to put a damper on her weekend. as for your mock xfer, so then does that mean if all reacts well you'll do your actual xfer the next month? that's so exciting! thanks for explaining.
@optimistgardener lol i am laughing so hard and i love that. i tend to abbreviate things not realizing that it may not translate over - bachelorette party - and it's quite the norm among my social circles for them to be a long weekend and involve getting on a plane, this one thankfully was just a 3 hr drive to a ski resort town and probably the most low key/relaxing one i've been on. once upon a time they involved things like clubbing until 5am in miami. 34 yo me's liver hurts for 24 yo me.

acleverusername · February 2022

@anniemarie887 yes, if there are no issues found with the biopsy, then we move on to transfer. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻I have also done the occasional bachelorette in Miami and I, too, weep for my younger self. Lol.

@optimistgardener it's both exciting and scary! Not looking forward to those PIO shots. Although, it turns out that MH is going to man up and give me the shot. I have visions of him passing out on top of needle, on top of me, when he does the vein check.

Question: what's the best strategy to get the estrogen patch adhesive off? Save me before I break out the Goo Gone.

bbrahmbhatt · February 2022

@acleverusername A little bit of rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad, or a little alcohol prep pad if you have one, typically works pretty well in my experience

ETA to add tag

mambo5-2 · February 2022

Where is my authorization... I am not bring patient

fantasyflyte · February 2022

I thought I got off easy on ovidrel side effects. Now tonight I'm standing here at work and have the worst nausea out of nowhere. Ugh.

mambo5-2 · February 2022

Hahaha oh the errors in my post 🤣.

I came home to a letter from my insurance company asking me to call them. Hopefully everything is fixed and can get approved now.

acleverusername · February 2022

@bbrahmbhatt thanks! That did the trick although I had to rub very hard.

@fantasyflyte good luck tomorrow! May the sperm be with you!

Next question: has anyone else experienced stomach upset on E2 patches? I've had like diarrhea for the past 3 days (sorry for the TMI). Yesterday I went to my acupuncturist and she right away asked me if my stomach was upset. I thought that it might be because I drank/ate a bunch of almond products over the weekend, and I suspect a sensitivity to almonds, but the start of the issues definitely corresponds with estrogen patches.

mambo5-2 · February 2022

@fantasyflyte thinking of you today!

anniemarie887 · February 2022

@fantasyflyte all of the fingers and toes crossed over here!!!!

fantasyflyte · February 2022

Thanks guys! IUI is done! The actual procedure was less painful than I worried about, but the post-IUI cramps hurt like hell lol, I'm lamenting not having the foresight to bring tylenol so I didn't have to wait the half hour drive home to take some. It was awesome though because our clinic lifted the stricter covid protocols just last week, so my husband was able to be in the room with me and hold my hand the whole time.
We were also very happy because his numbers were great and the nurse said it was a great sample, so the pricy supplements are doing their job. And the nurse had the same birthday as me so we decided it was a good sign lol. Now to wait.

kiki047 · February 2022

Sorry I've been MIA this week, things have been crazy here. I realize it's at the very end of the week but I'll try to get caught up.

@fantasyflyte glad everything went well yesterday, and especially that YH was allowed to be there with you!
@acleverusername I am on particularly high doses of estrace and patches but so far no notable stomach upset. It's a known side effect though so it's entirely possible. Any loose stools I have on E2 tend to be offset by the constipation I get from progesterone. Oh joy.
@anniemarie887 umm WTAF to that girl at the bachelorette. Good for you for not completely losing your shit on her. I'm ready to go defend your honour and I don't even know this chick. Wow. I'm so sorry she did that, especially in that way. As for your Q about light periods, I've been asking myself that a lot over the last 4 years and I still don't have a good answer. My RE always seemed to think that even a light period should be counted, but I still question it. Unfortunately without BW or US to determine where you're at in your cycle, often times it's just a crapshoot. *TW* my periods were really hit or miss for several months post-MC and after IVF cycles too. *end TW*
@optimistgardener I'm so sorry you're back in this holding pattern while you wait for next steps. It's hard to explain to non-IF people why that in and of itself is both triggering and traumatic, especially at your age and after everything you've been through. I hope this next month goes by quickly so you can get to your WTF appt and set a plan in place. And that post-FET period is a doozy, eh? Hugs.
@gingermama29 ugghh I saw your saga about FedEx and the ovidrel delivery, wwtf. Glad you have it now so you're ready to go for next cycle.
@mambo5-2 lol +1 for "takes everything personally". I have an overwhelming need for validation, even though I tell myself I don't care. I do, I really really do.

Diagnosis (if you've been): PCOS, RIF/RPL, mild MFI

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA): TWW, 2dp5dt

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): FET # 6

How are things going?: Better now. My FET was on Wednesday. The procedure itself went well, it was pretty textbook. We transferred a beautiful little embryo that was already hatching. My beta is Monday March 7th, and in the meantime I'll just be over here SS'ing like a crazy person.

Full recap of my day in spoiler; TLDR - the clinic is just too big and they don't communicate well but the wonderful nurses make up for it being an unnecessarily complicated shit show.

Day started off a little hectic, we slept in (which was nice) but then that set us back with everything that had to get done before we could head down to the clinic. Work is crazy, one of our busiest weeks of the year, and the weather has been wild here this week. We went for lunch nearby so that we'd already be downtown for my appt. They wanted me there 15 mins early but I ended up being about 10 mins late, which is just fine because my RE is always hours late and I had to sit there with a very full bladder for almost 3 hours.
I got into my gown, cap, booties, etc, and settled into my "room", which turns out to just be the hallway leading to their staff lounge. They have about 7-8 curtained off cubbies in the OR with massage chairs and a locker for your stuff but I guess they needed one more so they threw a curtain across the hallway leading to the staff lounge, which meant people would occasionally like waltz through there while I was sitting in there in my gown. It was weird and slightly uncomfortable and I was on edge the whole time.
Then I thought while I was waiting I'd ask them to organize my extra meds that I needed to pick up because they only dispense just enough to get me from one appt to the next (partly due to supply issues, partly just to discourage waste). I had not one, not two, but THREE nurses reassure me that I could pick it all up after my appt because some of it needs to be refrigerated so no sense in giving it to me too early. WELL, by the time my RE finally got around to me, it was after 5pm and guess what? The nurses on the clinic side (not the ER) go home at 5pm so everything was locked/closed. Which meant that I had to drive back downtown the next day to pick up the rest of the meds after having spent 3-4 hours there already on Wednesday. I was pissed. They knew I was pissed. The OR nurses were apologetic but also kind of shamed me for "not asking sooner". I DID. I ASKED SEVERAL TIMES.
But anyway, I did ask the clinic nurses if they could rush courier everything to me but they were concerned that it still wouldn't arrive on time, and since it needs to be refrigerated I just didn't want to take the chance shipping $1000 worth of medication for it not to show up. I asked them to have it ready for me so I wouldn't have to wait in the queue and sure enough as soon as I got there the head nurse saw me and called me right in, and I was in/out in under 10 mins which is a goddamn record. I also managed to find parking that wasn't $20+, and all in all it was only about a 2hour round trip. I still wish I didn't have to go back down there but I'm grateful for the sympathetic nurses who apologized profusely and we commiserated together about my RE screwing everything up when he's just chronically late for absolutely every one of his appointments.

Any questions?: NATM.

GTKY: if you had a warning label, that would it say?
"Likes attention, but only the right kind of attention, and only when I want it."

anniemarie887 · February 2022

@kiki047 it so reads likes bad reality show scene. thanks all the comments - I def expected AF to be a little wonky. Anywho - good luck to that little embryo snuggling in!!! That’s an exhausting 36 hours you had them and having to go back!!

optimistgardener · February 2022

@kiki047 oh man, i have my fingers crossed really hard for you. thanks for your thoughtfulness re: The Long Wait and also The Big Bleed. both of them are hell. i keep thinking like, ok last year at this time i was getting bfns from my first injectables IUI. and i was starting to gear up for my first round of IVF, which i thought was going to happen in may, but then i had a cyst so it was july... ugh.

@acleverusername are you still feeling nauseated? i hope yh turns out to be good at the pio shots. i often wished i had someone else to deliver the shots, but i also think there's an argument to be made for doing them yourself. the instructions are always like "inject the needle quickly, like a dart" but i found that i could kind of tell as the needle was like a quarter inch in whether it was going to be an ok spot or not, and (except for one super gnarly spot) save myself some nasty bruising. like maybe there are surface-level veins that i could feel i was hitting. anyway, looking forward to learning what works for you guys.

acleverusername · February 2022

@kiki047 oooph! What a story! Gah! I hate being admonished by nurses when it’s completely their fault. I hope you told her exactly what you thought.

Back in Dec when my clinic botched up my retrieval because the nurse was convinced that I count possibly ovulate so soon given my low E2 numbers I told them to write it into my file that my body does whatever it wants whenever it wants, irrespective of what it should do.

@optimistgardener nausea hasn’t been a problem…. YET! It’s been mostly diarrhea. But I think my body got used to the exogenous estrogen now. I’ve now discovered yet another “fun” side effect of E2: “cold like symptoms.” You know when cold-like symptoms aren’t cool? When it’s Covid-time and you’re due to fly out the next day to visit your geriatric “other parents” (you know, the parents I chose) and then go to Disney World with your sister and nibblings. Yeah! That’s me. Anyways, I had some USPS-provided Covid tests at home so I took that last night and it was negative. But then, out of abundance of precaution, I also got a rapid PCR test at MCO when I landed. $175 is a lot, but getting other ppl Covid-sick is a lot more expensive. Especially ppl who have underlying conditions.

IF Weekly Testing/Treatment week of 2/21

Re: IF Weekly Testing/Treatment week of 2/21

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