IF Testing & Treatment w/o Oct 30

britters314 · October 2023

**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 ballgame. 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 (TI/ICI/IUI/IVF/FET/benched):

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

How are things going?:

Any questions?:

GTKY: If you could have any superpower, what would you pick?

sunshine134 · October 2023

I'll start if off this week. Just had my first RE Appointment today...

Diagnosis (if you've been): Low AMH, Endo, AMA

Status (TI/ICI/IUI/IVF/FET/benched): Testing- working towards IUI

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): Testing- Hormones, TSH, Ultrasound, and exam

How are things going?: Meh.

Any questions?: Nope.

GTKY: If you could have any superpower, what would you pick? time travel (is that a superpower?)

britters314 · October 2023

@sunshine134 I’d say time travel is a super power. They do it in the Marvel movies, after all.

Diagnosis (if you've been): Unexplained

Status (TI/ICI/IUI/IVF/FET/benched): TI

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): Herbs and still talking about embryo adoption

How are things going?: Good. It turns out what I said in last week’s thread about why H is hesitant to do embryo adoption was wrong. It doesn’t have anything to do with not sharing DNA. It’s just plain old anxiety. I have some ideas to help him with that so we’ll see how it goes.

Any questions?: Nope

GTKY: If you could have any superpower, what would you pick? Teleportation

winterecho · November 2023

Diagnosis (if you've been): PCOS

Status (TI/ICI/IUI/IVF/FET/benched): IUI and TI

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): went in earlier this week for my 3rd round of IUI

How are things going?: feeling nervous but optimistic about this round. I think we got things better with timing than I was worried about before. Now we wait

Any questions?: none

GTKY: If you could have any superpower, what would you pick? Being able to manipulate time so I can stop it when I want to squeeze in more sleep and not be late to work, or speed up when it's dragging so I can get off work 😆

@sunshine134 yes to the time travel! I would use it to solve all these cases on Unsolved Mysteries

@britters314 I hope he can get some reassurance. The whole process is so nerve wracking!

aisleofviewtwo · November 2023

@sunshine134 I think I’ve read too many novels involving involuntary time travel (e.g. The Time Traveler’s Wife, Oona Out of Order) for it to sound appealing to me 😅 great books, tho!

@britters314 Ah, anxiety, I know her well. I hope your strategies prove effective and he finds some reassurance and peace of mind.

@winterecho Yay for good timing! FX this is your round!! I’m sure it hasn’t felt that way to you, but from where I’m sitting it seems like your three IUIs have happened so quickly. Have I just lost track of time, or are the cycles for IUI shorter than the “typical” 28 days?

Diagnosis (if you've been): Unexplained

Status (TI/ICI/IUI/IVF/FET/benched): Benched

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): Waiting for PGT-M test to be developed

How are things going?: Made the decision to do all the testing we can. PGT-M, especially for the genetic condition we’re carriers for, comes with a whole development process that can take months. It often includes needing blood samples and/or cheek swabs from family members to help isolate the affected genes. Currently waiting to hear if the lab will accept our case, and then we’ll see what our process entails.

How am I feeling? Meh. Somewhat relieved I won’t be dealing with all the emotions and discomfort of retrieval during the holiday season. We’ve mostly kept our infertility to ourselves, so nervous about having to reveal where we’re at in the process if/when we need family help for PGT-M.

Any questions?:

GTKY: If you could have any superpower, what would you pick? Huh, this question makes me realize I have very little interest in fantasy. Not technically superpowers, but since they feel superhuman: I think it’d be really cool to be a super taster or have perfect pitch.

winterecho · November 2023

@aisleofviewtwo so many things! Oona Out of Order was so good! I was kinda lost for a bit (maybe since I was doing audio book, so I'll do physical or ebook when I reread it). It feels really fast for me to be on the 3rd round too because I have a very irregular cycle so I'm not used to getting AF on a monthly basis. And don't get me started on the awkward holiday chit chat on having a baby. We went to an engagement party last week and one of the guys kept asking all the couples when they're having a baby 😳 I eventually found out it's because he and his wife are starting TTC but that doesn't make it okay to ask especially in front of a crowd of others

virginiaham · November 2023

*lurking* @inthewoods23 I know you haven’t posted yet this week but came here to follow up on your question last week about TSH. I started on levothyroxine 6 months ago for a TSH of 6, with now my 3rd dose increase after bumping back up to 4. I’ve been on and off the bench as my TSH fluctuates. My endocrinologist wants it under 2.5, consistent with ACOG’s recommendation. He was OK with us trying when my TSH was in the 3s and assumed to be trending down (spoiler alert it actually went back up). All this to say, hopefully it’ll be a quick response for you. I’d always follow up maybe a month after your level is “good” just in case it may be a long-game thing and needs a little adjustment. If you were to get pregnant, they follow TSH super closely especially in early pregnancy.

inthewoods23 · November 2023

@britters314 anxiety and IF go hand in hand, that's for sure. I remember feeling extra anxious about moving forward with IVF. IUIs were so doable and relatively inexpensive, but IVF is on a whole different level. And embryo adoption is another level on top of that. Would it help to seek a therapist to have a conversation with to sort out all his feelings? I recall you said you have some time to make the decision. Maybe just plain time can help ease his anxiety.

@winterecho yes more sleep please!!!! Especially when we get further into fall. Can't wait for that extra hour of sleep from falling back for daylight saving ending. Woo! lol

@aisleofviewtwo I wonder if there's some way to phrase "hey we need your DNA for genetic testing reasons" that doesn't include the fact that you have embryos. That way they don't actually know you've already gone through IVF.

@virginiaham thanks for the reply! I just to Quest on Wednesday for those labs so I'll keep you posted on how much it changed. I should look back at my labs from the last time I was on levothyroxine and see how much it changed over time. I know it's possible to get well under 2 for me so I'm not worried about getting in range. I just don't know if he expects it to get below the 2.5 in 3 weeks. We'll see!

Diagnosis (if you've been): immune issues and some blood clotting stuff I think

Status (TI/ICI/IUI/IVF/FET/benched): still benched

What are you doing this cycle? (Testing? Treatment?): just got some labs done this week! waiting on my Quest results

How are things going?: I've been on meds for 3 weeks so it's test time eeek! I'm a little worried I won't get the green light based on my immunology labs looking worse.

Any questions?: ok so since sexy time might be counting soon, what are you favorite ways to make things fun and less "wham bam thank you ma'am"? haha

GTKY: If you could have any superpower, what would you pick? teleporting would be great although I do love a road trip. I like @aisleofviewtwo 's idea of being a super taster! That sounds fun.

aisleofviewtwo · November 2023

@inthewoods23 That’s a good thought! I’m sure you’re right that there’s a way to hedge on why we’re asking for their help. We actually don’t have embryos yet, so it could probably even be framed as “we learned this thing about our genetics, and want to learn more to best be aware for any future children.” At the same time, I have some family members who are on the more conservative side and may not be okay with participating in the testing process (I honestly don’t know where they stand on IVF, we’ve never talked about it). And while their opinions won’t affect my decisions to move forward with my doctors, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with using their DNA in this way without their consent.

@winterecho Ugh, how awkward! I think there’s a very human tendency to want to connect with others about the things we’re going through. But still: talk about yourself, people, and let others share if and when and how they choose. FWIW my go-to answer to that question has just become “when the time is right.”

inthewoods23 · November 2023

*never hit send on this one last week haha*
@virginiaham I already have an update for you! My TSH dropped from 4.47 to 1.7!

@aisleofviewtwo how many family members would you need to gather DNA from? Do you need more than immediate family? Hopefully you don't need too many so you don't have to clue in too many people

aisleofviewtwo · November 2023

@inthewoods23 HOLY MOLY that’s a massive change in just three weeks! Woot woot! Congrats! 🎉 (Can TSH go too low?)

My understanding is that test development is really a case by case basis: they start with the couple and then keep broadening out until they get the info they need. We’ll almost certainly need immediate family, but may need to extend out to cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. on the affected side of the gene pool as well.

virginiaham · November 2023

*lurking*

@inthewoods23 that’s a WIN 🙌

Hey ladies, at what dpo with a BFN do you stop progesterone suppositories?

winterecho · November 2023

@virginiaham my doc had me stop right after my BFN blood test, so I was at 14 or 15DPO and got AF about 3 days later

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