Hi everyone,
I wandered upon this thread and wanted to say hi, and to join in. I'm about to begin my second IUI cycle (CD2 today), I had my Day 21 ultrasound last month and all was good, and my BT today was fine so I'm doing a natural cycle (with trigger and luteal support).
My partner and I are a same sex couple with an unknown donor, I'm 32 years old, live in Perth and I have PCOS but that doesn't seem to be too big an issue these days.
Hi Babysteps and Welcome. We'v we all found great support through this thread. There's a couple of PCOS girls on here, so you're in good company. And I don't think PCOS is a barrier. Mindset is everything!
Thanks for your kind words Toby. Each day I feel a little better. I think actually having to put your dog down is the worst thing on the planet when you love your dog like he was your child. I've struggled so hard with the guilt, even though I know I did the right thing. I just miss him so much.
Welcome babysteps - best of luck to you and your partner. i hope you find this site and this forum as supportive na dinformative as i do!
Wow OP - 8weeks - have you told family yet?
Toby - how are the injections going hun? I did x1 antag IUI cycle which was cancelled and i just finished my first down reg but got BFN. GL xx
WBM - hOW ARE YOU - HOPE YOU GOT THROUGH cHRISTMAS AND nEW yEAR (damn caps lock!) When are you starting again?
Hi to shades, WLAB, diamond and anyone i have missed.
AFM - well i'm feeling good about moving forward in 2009. I have a naturopath appointment on the 8th and a follow up appointment with my FS on the 19th, plus i will be making an appointment with another recommended FS at MIVF for a second opinion. So this month is natural and probably next depending on the advice from all my appointments. DH and i are going to go to Tassie end of Feb and i'm going to take most of March off work - to relax and de-stress!
By the way everyone- a friend (actually from BB) recommended me a book "Getting Pregnant" by Prof Robert Jansen and i finally got it a few days back and it's absolutly fantastic resource and DH has loved it also - i would highly recommend it.
OP - hope you are feeling a little better. Yes I agree, it is terrible. Mine was 2 yrs ago and I still miss him very much and cry at times, even though I have 2 other dogs now.
How are you feeling with the preg? any morning sickness? hope not!
Bella - Enjoy your break! I bet you are looking forward to it! Must check that book out - ta!
AFM - 3rd day of injections and still sniffing. BT on Monday.
Welcome Toby and Babysteps! Good to have new people - I'm constantly amazed at all the different types of cycles we can all go through.
Babysteps, I also have PCOS, and never thought it gave me any problems until it came to conception. Oh well, it's a spectrum thing - hope yours continues to cause no problems!
Toby, good luck for BT tomorrow.
OP - I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. I have an 18-year old dog (got her when I was all of 12) and it really scares me that I'll lose her one day. Remember that they certainly are members of the gamily and you are definitely allowed to grieve.
Bella - sounds like a good, positive start to 2009. I'm jealous of your upcoming holidays - sounds like they'll be fun!
AFM: I'm back to work tomorrow after a great holiday. Am still with the naturopath and BBT charting away. I'll be starting my IUI cycle when AF arrives (hopefully around 20 Jan). Although I did ovulate naturally last cycle and the charting is looking positive for this cycle also. So my hopes are still there that we'll have a natural miracle. I'm off to the GP this week for something else, so I'm going to get a BT there (P4 and thyroid). I have a low BBT (35.9) that the naturopath thinks may be thyroid related (even though I've always need normal). She wants to have a look so what the hey, I'll get the bloods done!
That's me for now - more people in my life are getting married and getting pregnant. It's hard not to feel jealous some times (for the pregnancy thing anyway - already got the ring) but I try to just be happy for people.
So - happier things - anyone made a new years resolution? I know I shouldn't be drinking anyway, so I've decided to not drink until we have a baby. Unless we're not pregnant by my 30th, then that night will be the exception. Also putting my health first in 2009.
Thanks for the welcome WBM! I know what you mean! most of my friends have children and cant stand it when they talk non stop about them. I usually get up and go to the loo or change the subject. I find it not only uncompfortable but rude as well as myself and 2 others dont have children. Even if i wasnt ttc i wouldnt be interested. Some people really do change when they have children. aaahhhhhh! do other people feel the same as me? I've been invited to a friends house next week, she lives near a beach so everyone is taking their kids, I wont be going, even though I love my friends I dont think I can handle it atm.
Only 5 or 6 ppl know what DH and I are going through, as I dont want the world to know and looks like we will have to tell my bigmouth SIL as she is expecting us to go to brissy next week and we are waiting to find out when insemination is so we can go after that. She is complaining that we dont want to see her and her kids. so told DH he might have to call her tonite and explain the reason for the delay.
how do other people deal with telling ppl or not telling people about whats going on?
Sorry for the vent. I do get stressed about this at times. Which I know is silly.
Hope everyone is well and being positive! And right on OP- sometimes you need to look after yourself ! hope you are ok!! no real resolutions - only not to eat as much!
Back from hols, and happy to hear everyone is going well..
OP - a bitter/sweet few weeks for you, sorry to hear about your beloved dog :-( , but very happy to hear everything is going well with bubbs ..
Look forward to reading the posts and seeing how everyone is ..
AFM: AF arrived today, just as I returned home from hols, so I am about to ring the clinic and start day 1 tommorow, (Flare IVF) .. but I will still be popping in to see how you all are ..
OP - you know how much I love your guidence and advice .. so stay close for me, won't you ..
Dealing with family and friends as you travel on this journey is very challenging. I could hardly believe it when I colleague told me she'd lost friends during her 3 year TTC journey. Yet last year I had a feud with a very non-sympathetic aunt who turned destructive and I've refused to speak to her since. It breaks my heart, but she was so nasty that I had to cut her off to protect myself.
At the same time, I do think it's important to tell family, because it's surprising how much support they can offer. My mother-in-law came to visit right at a time when my husband needed her most. We just poured our hearts out to her and she was so understanding and supportive, especially since our challenge was male factor. She helped us decide not to tell DH's father we were doing DI, because he just wouldn't understand.
I feel it's best to decide on a case by case basis what social activities you attend. I always accepted baby shower and naming day invites, but was a no show on the day because I couldn't cope. Very rude, I know, but I honestly wouldn't have been a good guest. I was telling Diamond the story of the new baby I knew was in my neighbourhood - I could hear it crying every day. When I realised it was my immediate next door neighbour I was floored - she'd just had a 2nd baby 12 months ago. She took to playing with her THREE kids in her backyard every day when I got home from work. I had to shut the French doors and put the stereo on to block the sound because it was just too painful for me.
There is no formula to dealing with the social impacts of this journey. Always do what's best for you - don't ever put yourself in a setting that's going to be counter productive. When you do feel bad, here's my tip: put on an empowering song really loud and sing your guts out. Don't worry about feeling silly - no one will see you. "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera is a good one. Although for some reason "It's Raining Men" was equally as cheerful for me.
Heya WLAB - good luck for the next round! Can you fill me in on what a flare IVF cycle is. Interested to know how it's different to the down reg cycle.
And of course I'll be here - as long as nobody is disturbed by having a preggers girl around. Hopefully I'm a symbol of hope, not disappointment.
Hi Bella, who are you seeing at MIVF for your second op ?
OP - Flare: it's a cycle without "the pill" - but with the Nasal Spray, then injections of gonal f, my last cycle was straight into "jabbing" at day 3, which is antagonist... How are you going with everything, are you going to move in to the preg thread? as well as keep everyone company here. You are so much help OP - the girls would be rapt to have your advice ...
Wow OP thanks so much for your advice. It's good to know I'm not the only one that feels that way! You MUST stick around, as wouldluvva said you really do have fantastic advice! You are also an inspiration, as many of the websites i ve looked at dont really give IUI a chance at getting UTD! It's good for me to see a success story like you. I'm getting emotional now! Ha! betta go! Thanks.
BTW DH is going to call SIL tonite and just brief her on whats going on. He said he's not going into detail. I said fair enough! you see, he hasn't told his mum, not sure if he will! I'm sure SIL will tell her - hmm!
Oddly enough, I don't feel inclined to go to another thread - not when all my friends are in this one. That's really made me think!
So let see what each of these cycles is...
Down reg - a medication is started in the luteal phase, these meds aim to lower the levels of a woman's hormones, particulaty LH and Progesterone. The other hormones are introduced after an u/s shows suppressed ovarian activity. A long protocol
Antagonist - FSH injections (or could it be clomid too) from day 3 with no supression of natural hormones
Flare - commencement of synthetic hormone meds a few days into your period, a day after you start injecting Gonal F - it is known as a short protocol
ANy other cycle styles we should note?
:-)
P.
Last edited by OriginalP; January 7th, 2009 at 09:32 AM.
: Updated details
Hey all,
Just a quickie, I'll try to get on tonight. Just wanted to weigh in on the "who do you tell" business. My best friend knows (she's got a 1-year old) and is great, my cousin knows (also a good friend), my mum knows and apart from that I have the naturopath and the FS nurses. My brothers don't know because there's constant nagging as to when we're going to have kids. In a funny way I know they'd stop this if they knew, but it's nice to know they want us to have kids. So I'm happy for them to keep bugging me. The inlaws don't know but we don't see them very often so I'm not fussed about that (neither is DH). I think if DH was more comfortable with it, more people would know, but he feels it's our business. I try to stay happy with my friends getting pregnant so easily and big bellies around work but it's hard some days. It'll happen for us too one day though, so I look forward to my babies having lots of good friends around.
Glad you're going to stick around OP - you're right, you're the beacon of hope! My BBT charting was looking so positive for ovulation this cycle until I re-read my info that said CM changes may be due to antihistamines (was taking these between Christmas/New Year). So maybe not ovulating yet. Still, I went to the doctor yesterday and have my slip for day 21 bloods so I'll see what's happening then.
toby, I hope your SIL doesn't tell your MIL. Maybe if your DH asks her not to? It's a pretty personal thing to go sharing for someone else!
Oh - my engaged cousin (engaged at NY) has asked me to be a bridesmaid - in 2010 - hopefully I can fit back into a dress after giving birth (thinking positive).
Flare is commencing synthetic hormone meds a few days into your period, a day after you start injecting Gonal F - it is known as a short protocol
Down Reg - a medication is started in the luteal phase, these meds aim to lower the levels of a womans hormones, particulaty lh and Prog. The other hormones are introduced after an u/s shows suppressed ovarian activity. A long protocol
Thanks WLAB! So I did what's called the White Protocol with my clinic.
You basically commence FSH injections on day 4 of your cycle and continue for 9-11 days, with monitoring of follicle development. This is in conjunction with your normal hormones. An hCG trigger injection is used and IUI takes place approximately 24 hours later. White protocol may include luteal suport as well - Pregnyl injections three times a week. The intention of this approach is to increase the number of ocytes released to increase the chances of obtaining a fertilisation and subsequent pregnancy. Multiples are the key risk with a White Protocol - odds go from 1 in 80 to 1 in 10.
Well luvvabubba, my DH called her last nite and she had already guessed what was going on with us HA! i'm 100% sure that she would have told her Mum as she was there when DH called, too bad he didnt speak to her as well.
Wannabe - thats pretty much the same ppl i've told inc. a person in admin at work ( so i could get time off) and 2 close friends at work. I'm guessing many others at work have an idea about whats going on as they have to take my classes etc and absences are on the notice board daily. oh well!
OP - hows things with you??
AFM - as I'm typing am a little excited had BT and scan this morning and insemination is on Friday. Gee my emotions are all overthe place, last nite I very neg about it all, now a little excited, who knows how i will feel in 10 mins time! lol
Anyone want to share their coping strategies with the insemination? I cant stand the thingy going in that opens you up to the world (ykwim?) sorry if 2 much info) Even today i felt like i was going to throw up with the scan. last iui i was in a state! I'm being a wimp, I know. As it is only 5-10mins max.
Toby: How exciting .. Friday will be here before you know it ...
I have had two "transfers" , and the biggest hurdle I had, was how long to lay for after transfers had taken place. After TTC naturally for so long, and virtually laying still for as long as physically possible ha !! - it felt so strange getting up ... virtually straight away ... I kept thinking everything was going to fall out .. It is something I will find hard with my next cycle as well...
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