3 failed IUIs. How do you cope?

[SashimiMimi]

Oh summer that's wonderful!!!! I remember my first scan with my IVF baby and seeing the heartbeat. It was such an incredible moment after such a long journey.

Actually the worrying never stops even after you give birth!! I had no idea what to do with a newborn and was so nervous!!! I worried about everything! And I still worry and will continue to do so even when he's an adult! But this is what being a mom is all about, right?

I hope you save all your scan pics. I have an album of all my scans and often tell my son he used to be a little egg and now he is a little boy. I also tell him he was the only egg that survived and how special and important he is! It's crazy to think that peanut on the scan will grow into a real person very soon. Isn't it a miracle???

Just keep trusting in your baby and your body.... I actually bought a pregnancy meditation app that I listened to every day after doing IVF. It's called Joyful Pregnancy by Glenn Harrold. I bought it in the iTunes Store. It really helped and I've started listening to it again to help me relax with this surprise pregnancy!

 

[WillowGrace]

Congrats, Summer! That looks like a great ultrasound pic! so glad it went well!

 

[summer2011]

It truly is a miracle Sashimi! I will look into the app, it will come in handy on days when I get anxious. I have 2 weeks to wait until the next ultrasound, can't wait to see how he/she looks at 8 weeks. How do most women get by with their first ultrasound at 10/12 weeks! I'd go bonkers. Lol

 

[SashimiMimi]

I don't know!! I had to wait till 8 weeks and even that was tough. It's strange to not have the constant monitoring!

You'll get transferred to an OB at 12 or 13 weeks and just make sure you find someone who has good bedside manner. Mine was a good doctor but super sarcastic and not phased by anything. I worried constantly and felt I didn't have the support. I'm actually thinking of seeing a midwife this time around as they are very supportive and understanding!!!

 

[Dini]

Congrats Summer! How wonderful to see your baby at last!! I'm with you, how do people go until 12 weeks!!

Thank you to everyone for your advice, and Sashimi I will look into that app as well, I need it!!

Found out yesterday my progesterone is only 9.7, and it should be about 20, so the RE put me on progesterone 200mg twice a day and I have labs rechecked tomorrow morning. I was really upset when I found this out and to top it off I couldn't get my OB to prescribe anything because I haven't been to my first appt. Fortunately the RE called in a script for me. I wasn't going to have the RE manage me because I work for a rival hospital network and my stupid insurance doesn't cover things at that one, but also I conceived on my own (with DH's help hehe..) But now I guess we will have to pay out of pocket to get the care I need until I see my OB.

The RE said they'd follow my labs closely right now but wouldn't scan me for at least 2 more weeks since I conceived spontaneously so I might as well get that done at my first appt if they will do it. They also recalcuated how far along I am based on what I told them, so I guess I'm actually 5w4d, about 4d more than I figured.

Anyone else have a similar problem with their progesterone?? I'm so nervous because I just don't want to lose this baby! It's starting to feel real now.

I do feel better today. I went and got my hair done and the girl who did my hair is 9wks and she has PCOS like I do and she miscarried her first one earlier this year. She had low progesterone as well, but it was higher at 15 but she is taking what I am and so far she's fine, she's seen the heartbeat and it just made me feel better to talk to her.

Thanks again for all your support girls!!

 

[summer2011]

Did any of you NOT have morning sickness? I'm finding myself having short periods of mild nausea but definitely nothing I would consider morning sickness.

 

[Dini]

Summer I have the same, just short periods where I'm a little queasy and then it goes away. I'm trying not to think of it as a bad thing. I know lots of people never get it, about 20% I was told but it is also early for both of us!

 

[WillowGrace]

Dini I hope the progesterone supplements help get your levels up. It think it's only natural to worry.

I had my monitoring appointment today. I have two nice big mature follicles on the left 24mm and 21mm. So I will trigger tonight and I'm scheduled for IUI Sunday morning. We decided to save it up this time instead of baby dancing tonight. Did any of you wait? How long did you wait in between your last intercourse and IUI? Just curious.

 

[SashimiMimi]

Willow I remember our clinic saying there was a certain amount of time for sperm... Like it couldn't be too fresh or too old. I think it was something like 48 hours, but definitely not waiting more than 72. I think if you did BD tonight and did the iui Sunday that would be perfect!! But call your clinic just to make sure!

Summer I never had morning sickness. Not with my IVF pregnancy or this one. There are certain foods like chicken I just don't feel like eating but I've gotten off pretty easy on the MS front. I remember panicking and going in for a scan because I just didn't feel pregnant by 10 weeks! My doctor said it's normal to lose all symptoms by that point. Even now besides being really tired in the evening, I feel totally normal.

Dini sorry you felt upset about your progesterone levels but it doesn't sound like the doctors think you should worry. The great news is they are monitoring early and you can get on that script right away!!

 

[Dini]

Willow I would either follow your gut or call. I remember my RE saying 72 hours before IUI was okay, they even encouraged it, but they wanted a minimum of 48hrs before the IUI. Either way good luck to you! Those are good sized follicles!!

I got my results back from my bloodwork, OMG ladies I'm amazed. My progesterone was 40! Up from 9.7 in 2 days, to me that's crazy. And my HCG was 2310! So my labs are as follows :

18dpo HCG 405, Progesterone 9.7
22dpo HCG 2301, Progesterone 40

I feel like I can breathe a little bit now! I don't cringe now when I look at my pregnancy book, I think I'll read some more of it today lol. I still can't believe I'm pregnant!! Never ever thought it would really happen, I hoped it would but didn't think it would.

 

[summer2011]

Good luck with your iui willow! For ivf they wanted us to abstain for 3 days prior to retrieval, but I think 2-3 days would be perfect.

Sashimi, good to hear I'm not the only one with minimal symptoms. Don't want to complain as it could still kick in. I told my mom the exciting news today and she said she also never had morning sickness.

Dini, glad to hear you got your progesterone script. My clinic doesn't even test progesterone which I find very strange because most other people seem to get their numbers along with hcg.

 

[summer2011]

Awesome beta Dini! Congrats.

 

[WillowGrace]

Dini that's great!!!
I'm really happy they got your numbers up!

The last two IUIs we have done we have done the 48 hours. My doc. recommends 2-5 days, so we are going to try 5 this time and see what happens! We want to try something different this time just in case it helps.

 

[StayHopeful]

Dini, great second labs! I struggled with low progesterone so I was on progesterone supplements automatically with all of our IUIs and the IVF cycle we did. As long as I took the supplements, I was fine.

And I had awful morning sickness, but it didn't start getting really bad until week 7. Until then I was just a little queasy...

 

[Dini]

StayHopeful - I am the same way with the queasiness. That's really all I've had so far except the other day it was a little worse but I'm only 6wks so I know it can still show it's ugly face!!

Summer, Sashimi how are you girls doing?

How about the rest of you..Moni, Willow?

 

[moni77]

Great numbers Dini!!!

Good luck with the IUI Willow!!

AFM - So the retrieval went well - they got 10 eggs - waiting for the call to see how many fertilized (not sure how much work I will get done today!) I was crampy and had some bleeding yesterday but slept most of the day. They only gave me Tylenol, which is surprisingly helpful - I woke up from my nap pretty crampy and took another dose and it calmed down. Took my first progesterone shot this morning - not as bad as I thought, but we'll see how the day progresses.

I decided to come into work today - I had cancelled any meetings just in case I wanted to take off and so I am basically just sitting behind my desk all day. I have pretty much used up all my days and plan on calling out Friday for the transfer, so didn't want to also call out today.

 

[summer2011]

Yay Moni. Just sit back and relax now, the hardest part is over.

 

[WillowGrace]

Moni- rest up and think positive thoughts. I will be thinking of you!

The IUI was yesterday. I wanted to post yesterday, but I was just too upset...so here's what happened. I had to drive a long way to another office since mine is closed Sundays, which meant I got to see another doctor for the procedure. My drop off was 8:30 and IUI was scheduled for 10. I was called back around 10:30 a.m. The wait was forever, since I couldn't leave and go home. I watched part of Hook on Netflix, while I waited.

Anyway, I went to the exam room and the doc starts out by saying we have 3 million today I asked him to repeat himself because I didn't think I heard him right and then I burst into tears. I don't know if it was the hormones or the low sample, but I was a wreck. He looked over numbers from our last IUIs and said sometimes an unexplained diagnosis becomes explained and I need to meet with my doc as soon as possible to discuss next steps.

I don't have much hope for this cycle. I do think we have some answers now. Although, the doc said it *is* possible. You only need 1... I'm still just so disappointed and really not sure what to think. Have you heard of any success stories with low counts?

 

[Dini]

So sorry for what you are going through Willow. I can tell you I've heard lots of success stories with low counts, and was that post wash? Because that's not so bad post wash, I have heard so many success stories with people having 1mil post wash or even less.

 

[Luciola]

Girls! Woah so much going on! I am so happy for those who have gotten the BFP and am sending lots of baby dust to those who are not far from it...!

I m starting my 24th week, and start to buy some baby clothes, they are just too cute. The mister in my tummy is kicking away!