TTC'rs ,Charters and Chart Cheerleaders! 2010~

Oh crap. I hadn't checked your chart before I posted. So sorry. Damn. ((((HUGS))))

No worries Beth - it is what it is. I am off to get my CD 3 blood work done right away here and go pick up my Clomid. Hoping to maybe sneak in one more IUI before the clinic closes for Christmas - but doubtful.....we'll see. Good luck with the sinus surgery!!

Hey Lindzee (and the lurkers!),

I posted this on AWH and am editing it.....so I apologize for not seeming as personal and usual.

Today I had a much overdue annual exam and pap test. I think I had avoided it because I just didn't want to revisit the whole thing again. For the past year I had had moving away from it, weaning myself so to speak. But an older friend's best friend was diagnosed with cervical cancer, I don't think it's stage 4, but it's not good, so all that prompted me to finally schedule it.....in between my now irregular and wonky cycles.

So my nurse practioner there is gone (bummed) so I was seeing her replacement, and she was quite nice actually. In reviewing my history and my record, she asks about . Ok, I've been depressed lately because of several things going on, this included. So of course when she brings it up, I start tearing up.

But she reviews what I've done and what I haven't done. I tell her that their visiting RE told me it would never happen. Later she asked another nurse practioner some questions and reported to me that other staff members are hearing complaints about him as well. That at least made me feel better that I'm not the only one with a negative experience about that doctor. She also gives me the name of another RE about 2hrs from here who she recommends. I knew I was going to have to go out-of-town for help and that was part of the reason to give up.

She tells me they do IUIs in here in the office. What? NO ONE ever told me that before.....why not? Well, that doesn't really matter. But they don't do injectible drugs, and I point out that I have not been a good responder to Clomid or Femara. Better on Femara if it's at the higher dose. I did have a decent post-O progesterone test that month. She kept telling me but it DID work once.

But she also said that IUIs were usually done where there was more of a sperm problem. She was able to find my hubby's record of his SA. His sperm count and volume make him a baby-making machine with anyone else! For the first time I saw his test listed as Grade: 4+ (don't know what that means) and Motility was listed as 50-60% and I think she says anything over 40% is good. Of course his SA is over 2years old now, but I'm hoping nothing has changed.

So.....I don't know. I'm not particularly hopeful that it'll work, but I suppose we need to at least try. I have a script for Femara but at the lower dose. So if I take it next cycle, it's just a test month. I don't expect the lower dose to do much, if anything. I have a lab order for a 7DPO progesterone test with the diagnosis code of "irregular menses." Hopefully that'll get past my insurance. Also, I'm having some surgery on the 29th and don't really want to think about a concentrated effort for the next cycle anyway. Kinda scary thinking about all this stuff again. Once I take the higher dose and it works, we can do IUI. So maybe I'd have at least 2 cycles before we even try? Hmmmmm, that might put me in Florida on vacation. Ack, I don't know.

I wish I had taken soy this month. It does seem to help me produce some sort of ovulation....at least makes my cycle more regular. Maybe it would have been a good way to "ready" my ovaries. But, eh, too late now. I think I'm CD10.

I know if I do Femara I need to start charting again.....just when I was getting used to not doing it! lol. I just don't know. I realized once I started moving away from stuff, just how much it was affecting my life, my emotions, my mental health, stress levels, etc. But as I'm trying not to cry in the dr's office, she's tell me, "but obviously this is still important to you." Yep, it is. just scared to try again though.

I think this is all good news Beth! I remember you responding to femara well and the chance for you to O and with a good egg and do IUI is rally exciting. This is a great opportunity that came out of seemingly nowhere, so I would take it and run with it and see what happens. You want to give it another chance and then you can say you have tried again because you are right, this is still important to you and as much as you shrug it off...this just might be the thing. Thinking of you. Keep me posted!!

But I'm scared! Why all this NOW? That RE certainly didn't think IUI would work so what makes me think it could now? I'm just full of self-doubt about this. I did some googling about semen analysis. Evidently Grade 4 is the best there is and my husband was listed as 4+. Like I said, he'd be a baby making machine with a fertile woman! So if his swimmers are good, what benefit is IUI going to have on my aging eggs? But I know doing things the natural way is obviously not giving us any result at all. I suppose to have to try, but geesh, I'm just so freakin' emotional about it. I haven't even told hubby about it yet.

Hey I was thinking of you earlier today: on another board I was reading there is a lady who is having egg troubles and she took CoQ10 - i have heard lots of good things about this one!

Here was her post:
"Yes, this was a natural cycle, our last actually! We have been trying for 4.5 years, I've done iui's, clomid, gonal, 2 ivf's and had 3 surgeries. The only thing that was different this time was that I did acupuncture during ovulation, the week after, and yesterday and I am taking CoQ10 which apparently strengthens your eggs. . I had my sugar levels checked and they put me on glumetza (a type of metformin) for my insulin problem and I did a mineral test at my naturopath that revealed a deficiency in chromium which is also linked to insulin problems and loss so I take a chromium supplement too. that's it! I was told I have a low ovarian reserve just recently due to my endometriosis but so far, it looks like I've passed on my stubborness gene!"

Worth a shot - esp before IUI!!! How inspiring hey???

p.s. Thinking out loud here.....I want your input. So I have IUIs booked for all next week - Monday to Thursday. The last day the clinic is open is Thursday for the holidays and they don't reopen til Jan. 3. Thursday will be cycle day 15 for me...... IF i don't get a + OPK before that day, do you think I should get IUI anyways?? Here's some past O days and the day I got a + OPK.

+ OPK (CD) O (CD & month)
Day 18 march
16 day 18 april
16 day 17 may
18 day 19 june
15 day 16 july
13 day 15 aug
Day 19 sept

What is your honest opinion? I can take it! LOL!!! Or should I just let it go this month and do IUI again in Jan?

Beth, I am so glad you have this chance at ttc but annoyed that the fertility specialist you saw has effectively wasted your precious time. I hope you can come to a decision as to what to do.

Lindzee, go for the IUI, you only have the $$$$ to lose. If you don't have the IUI, you may lose your chance to get preggers this month! Hope that make sense. Thinking of you and Beth xxx

ok, officially pissed because I just lost my post!

Lindzee, sorry I didn't get a chance to respond yesterday.....my initial gut instinct says to wait. YOU have time on your side (at least more than I do). Analyzing the dates, you appear to ovulate 1-2 days after your +OPK, as expected. And conception is optimum at 1-2 days before. So, if you don't get a +OPK by Thursday, you're at least 3 days away from ovulating, and the chances drop considerably for conception. Now, if you get a + before that (or on that Thursday) and get in, yeah, go for it! But if you don't, I feel you're just wasting $ on it. Based on prior history, I'd say the timing is a bit iffy.....c'mon ovaries and cooperate!

I spoke with my husband on Thursday and he wasn't much help. When I asked him what we should do, he said, "I dunno know." I really could use a more supportive husband.

I bought some DHEA and some CoQ10 (that stuff is expensive and it stinks!) to try. Hey, why not, huh? I suppose I need to buy some OPKs as well. We say the pink dye ones work better, right? I've forgotten all the stuff I used to recommend! That's the part that scares me too (OPKs) because I used to have such more results with them (weak ovulation??), and now I'm going to have to depend on them to help (maybe) schedule a (maybe) IUI? Ugh.

I have tried to respond to this thread so many times and always get interupted. Fingers crossed I will finally get to post this time! lol!

Beth, of course you are going to be scared! Fertility treatment is scary, Period. Let alone when you feel you don't have time on your side and so much time has been wasted due to some incompetant RE who was completely useless! You have to try it though hun, I know you have very little faith it will work but you still have to try! I take it you are not going to be monitored by U/S to determine ovulation? If I were you I think I would still push to try and find out if you do have a blocked tube, even if it means another HSG. I know your experience was bad but you never know, that *could* be what is causing the problem! It definately looks like that was my main problem after the endo was removed. It was only due to doing IVF that we saw that my left ovary was the dominant one, it produced nearly double the amount of eggs to the right side and obviously all those months when I ovulated from that side pregnancy was impossible! Theres no rush for you to make a decision, you have to do what is right for you at the end of the day, but I think deep down you do want to give this a try, no matter how scary it is!

Lindzee I agree with Beth, if going by past cycles it doesnt look like O will happen next week then I wouldn't waste the money on the IUI. Of course sods law says that if you don't your ovaries will suddenly decide to pop an egg on time this month, isn't that the way it always goes!

Emma....nice to see you! Mel....thanks for your response!

To tell the truth, I hadn't even thought of u/s to monitor ovulation. Since it wasn't mentioned, I'm guessing they don't do it. Seems like that ob/gyn office is only starting to get into the fertility stuff. They started by getting that visiting RE. Now they've had a name change and reorganization....and I'm thinking that's when all this may have started, and perhaps it started after my NP left, which is why she never mentioned it to me.

Ok, I'm gonna go through my charts and see just how good or bad my ovulation as been, consistent-wise. How hard is this timing going to be?

Jan 2010: CD10
Feb: CD13
March: unknown but it was a 31-day cycle
April: CD22
May: CD11
June: CD14
June/July: anovulatory 55 day cycle
Aug: CD19
Sept: CD14
Oct: CD18
Nov: CD24
Dec: TBA, already CD14

Wow, it's kinda worse than I thought. It's all over the place and some of those charts were not very impressive and had dotted lines.

b.

Beth,

Your O should be more consistent when you are on drugs though too remember? And then i think you should just start testing with OPKs around say CD 10 or 11. I would order some dip in a cup ones off the internet. My clinic likes us to use the clearblue ones, but really, i don't get why they are any better and I have used both types. And the Clearblue ones are more $$$. I don't get monitored by u/s either....until I get moved to injectables that it is.

I kind of wish they did monitor around CD 10 or 11 to see what is going on and if I am close to O and how many follicles I have, etc. But oh well, what can you do?

Thanks Emma, Mel and Beth for your advice about IUI. I think that my O dates are too sketchy to go by.... if I O on CD 19 this cycle and get IUI on CD 15, then that is a waste because 4 days is way too big of a gap. But you're right, Mel... watch, I won't go and then I will O on CD 16 or 17. sod's law totally. But I was talking to another friend about this yesterday and I said, really, what's another month in the grand scheme of things...when it has already been two years? I just hate to "waste" the clomid since it doesn't appear just taking clomid will do the trick for me. Oh well, it is what it is.

got some watery CM last night, maybe that is a sign of things starting to happen??

Lindzee, if you get any more signs of ovulation are you still able to have the IUI before Christmas?

Emma,

Yes, if I get more O signs or a +OPK I can go in for IUI tomorrow or Thursday, but that is the last day they are open until Jan 3. I am thinking it is not going to happen...but really, like I said earlier, what's one more month in the grand scheme of things?

hope things are going well for you!!

Glad to hear you are being positive about things. It's really good that things are moving forward now anyway. I'm good thanks, back at work in the OR and really enjoying it, thanks for asking x

I got a bit of a temp rise today, CD15, so I suppose that's a good sign. We'll see tomorrow. Unfortunately MrG has not given it up in TWO FREAKIN' WEEKS and while it bothers me from a maybe-we're- aspect, it bothers me more from a I-want-sex! aspect! LOL! Give it up already, man!

Hello Girls! I hope you're ok.I know it's been forever since I posted.

Lindzee,I am watching your journey and rooting for you as always.!

Beth,I saw the post about the new nurse ,it's nice to have someone who's positive and also who can confirm that the other DR was a negative douche.Miracle babies happen all the time and I always felt it was wrong of him to dash your hopes like that.Coming from a 'professional' we often feel their opinion is the be all end all.I hope you manage to go and see the other dr that the nurse recommended and hopefully they have much more positive things to tell you!I have never given up hope for you and althogh I don't post here,I think about you ALL the time and feel for you with every cycle that goes by.Every ovulation and ever painful and confusing shitty cycle!I am for all you girls until the day you get your "s and have your own babies! Just wanted to say that before christmas comes.I love you all and wish you 2011 babies! Much love! Me!

Hey Beth,

Looks like O for sure for you! And good for you for getting Mr. G to finally give it up! LOL!!

Holli, thanks for checking in and thinking of me, I really appreciate it. Merry Christmas!!

Still no +OPK for me and no other O signs either. IUI is a no go this month - like I though. I am sure I will O around CD 19 or so.... we will give it the good ol' fashioned try and hope for a Christmas miracle. Wouldn't that be nice?

Lindzee, sorry you didn't get the positive OPK, but I really do think it's best to wait.

I got my crosshairs today and our one BDing was the day after. I thinking this bodes well for next month though (trying to think positively!) because I got my crosshairs on CD15. Very normal!

I ordered a pack of 20 First Response OPKs from eBay for $20. I think that's a pretty good deal.

On Wed. I had a call from the RN at the gyno office and she told me that my pap was normal. I thought this was a bit odd because normally they just send a postcard. Oh, here's the real reason, she said I had a trace of an infection, Bacterial Vaginosis. She said they normally don't treat it unless there's symptoms. Hmmmmm. I have noticed an "off" slight odor once or twice but it went away. Then I googled it, and the most effective antiboitic is called Flagyl (in the States anyway), but I've had a very bad experience with that drug before and would absolutely refuse to take it if prescribed to me anyway. My main concern is if I do IUI and there's still infection present, am I at risk for a uterine infection? Probably should ask. Some people say increased folic acid helps (which I started up again). Others say taking the probiotic acidophilus helps, and others say using the vaginal moisturizer Replens (helps restore proper ph balance). So I've decided to try all that. I hate yogurt but do have two Yoplait Whips (chocolate!) for after my surgery. I know anestesia can kill the good bacteria in your digestive system so that's why I bought those. The probiotic will just help further, maybe for two reasons now.

There's the news for me!

FF took away my cross-hairs today. Bleh.

I bought some probiotics yesterday. Figured it can't hurt for the BV situation and for overall health. I also bought this vaginal gel called RepHresh. It's supposed to help restore the proper pH balance, and help BV. Once applicator is supposed to last 3 days and I think it'll slough off old cells (which is kinda gross!). Figured I give it a shot. Like I said, I don't have any present symptoms and my body is probably healing itself anyway, but the thought (combined with IUI) is freaking me out a bit.

Ok, like the IUI possibility didn't shock me, but now another possible possibility has come up. My husband told me yesterday that he found us a baby and that I'd really want this one. Long story short, a 15 year old girl is pregnant and she's the daughter of friends of friends. Her mom is stunning (her dad's not bad either!), and she and her older sister are nearly identical to their mom. Now the girl says she's keeping the baby, but I'm sorry, at 15 that is a really rough road. My husband is not convinced the family has health insurance either. This is the situation my husband has been hoping for. So our friend is going to mention something to the dad (of the pregnant girl) and I guess we'll see. But he's right, I really want that baby! And so does he.

Hey Beth,

That sucks about your chart! I was convinced it looked like O?! Ugh.....what can you do??

Wow! That sounds really good and exciting about that girl being pregnant. Honestly, how perfect would that be for you guys?? I REALLY hope that will work out. I will be crossing my fingers for you on that one. And I am glad DH is so on board about it to. I amver hopeful for you Beth!

Hope the BV works itself out soon. That can't be much fun. I think the things you bought to try sound like they will do the trick. I hope it goes away soon. And I am still hopeful for your IUI. I know the Co10 whatever it was is going to help. I was considering getting myself some to try since I am so discouraged. CD 16 and no O signs at all. Who knows....

Anyways, hope you have a very merry Christmas!!

What's up with your chart Beth? Looks kind of confusing? Not convinced about the CH??

any other word about that young girl?

Neg OPK yesterday still....don't really know what it is going on. No real O signs still. Maybe O will hold off til next week when the clinic opens?? Wishful thinking.

How was your Christmas? Was Santa good to you??

Lindzee, sorry you didn't get a +OPK yet. Maybe the stress of the holidays?

yeah, my chart is ugly. FF gave me crosshairs, took them away the day after, and then gave them back the very next day. Possibly that 2nd dip was it, but I don't know. No BDing so it doesn't matter anyway.

My husband says the mother of the pregnant girl is Vietnamese. I said maybe half Vietnamese because she just doesn't look like to me, and that maybe her dad was an American serviceman. He insists she is all Vietnamese, and she was one of the those babies that were practically thrown on to US planes before the country closed. But that got me thinking, so that means the Mom is adopted herself. Maybe that means she has a more favorable view of putting a baby up for adoption than the average person. I still think the way to the pregnant girl is through her parents, and obviously at least initially the girl's dad was furious about it. i suspect MrG will go see his friend tomorrow and will probably mention it.....and will certainly tell his friend to try to bring up the subject with the Dad of the pregnant girl. We'll see. I sure keep thinking about it though.

Well, FF took away my crosshairs....AGAIN!

I saw that Beth! Grrr....who knows what is going on? Like my chart too! i had some cramping last night and this morning, so maybe something is happening and today or tomorrow will be O day? Or hold out for next week for IUI - I still like that idea. I am really glad I have a follow up appt with my RE on Jan 14. I think we need to go over some things. I still feel like I am in the same place I was when I first went to her in October. Frustrating.

Keep me posted about the girl....rally hoping that will work out for you, especially regarding the mom being adopted too!

Here is a video a friend sent me: http://www.tearsandhope.com/emptyarms_video.html

It really touched me and is so true. PArt of me wishes I could send it to all my friends so they could know how painful this really is, but then then other part of me doesn't want to let on how hard this all is because I do put on a pretty good act.