38 and TTC first baby, anyone else?

[Dandi]

I'm so glad you're doing well Wish. It sounds like you're in a good place with things (as good as one can be in such a situation!). It's great that you have a plan and a time line of sorts. Now you can relax a couple of months, take the ttc pressure off of yourself, and be in a great place for your next round in September.

No hope to be had here. AF showed this morning. I'm so angry with my body! I don't know what's going on with it. I just remembered last night that my doctor told me he found a fibroid during my D&C back in March. It had completely slipped my mind with everything else going on at that time, but now I'm wondering if that's what's causing the weird cycles the past two months. This was only the 3rd cycle of trying again though, so nothing to do put move on and try again!

I'm so glad that I will be away at a conference for the week leading up to AF's due date this cycle though. I'm not going to take any tests with me so I won't be able to test early and drive myself insane again.

 

[Mdc]

Krasa, I had no idea antidepressants affected sperm like that and I am a pharmacist. Fertility is a whole other world....if I had to go back there is probably a big need for a fertility focused pharmacist. Good luck with Dh's sperm test...glad I was out of town when my DH needed to do it last time bc he did not have fun to say the least...but got to do what you got to do. Hopefully the baseline will not be bad the the little swimmers will only get better and turn into super sperm

Dandi, damn the witch! Not cool!!! I forget, did you say you were going to make and RE appt if this month did not work? Shitty news about the fibroid, during something like what you were going through they should really write stuff like that down for you.

Hi, sugar! Hope you are doing well!

Wish, you are doing so well after all this. Continue to take care of you (heart/mind/soul), and have some fun while you are at it Cannot wait to get you back on the saddle or DH or whatever (still my fav quote from you ).

Star, hope work is not too bad and wishing you the best of luck!

Hi, to everyone else!

Not much going on here, just waiting for tomorrow. As DH and I were talking last night the thought of really going through with this made me so nervous. Not sure why...maybe because it is the next step and it makes all our other efforts seem like a failure (did I mention I hate failing at anything...yup still type A ). I know it is really not a failure, but it still feels that way at times. Man who knew getting knocked up would be so freaking hard. On a better note I tried something new for dinner last night and even skeptical DH liked it. I know I am kind of behind the times, but I made cauliflower rice. I have done cauliflower Alfredo, but not rice. I used it as part of a faux-chipotle burrito bowl with cilantro lime 'rice', some left over steak and all the other accoutrements. OMG....so yummy!

to everyone and here is to hoping for some BFPs!!!

 

[Dandi]

A fertility pharmacist would be awesome! Totally not a failure, but I know exactly what you mean. That's kind of what has me nervous about next steps. It will be heart breaking if I find out the last year and a half of trying was for nothing. I was going to make an appt based on the fact that I didn't get a temp spike after my positive opk, but then I did eventually get a spike 5 days later, so now I think I may be jumping the gun. Looking back on it now though, I'm wondering if I even ovulated at all this month since my temps really just had one odd spike but stayed pretty low overall this cycle. Not normal. In my mind I have a loose plan of waiting until we've tried 6 cycles post mc before going back to the doctor. Since I did get pregnant in January, I feel like I need some solid proof that there's a problem or they won't take me seriously...even though it did take a year to get that bfp. Ugh, so frustrating. In reality though this was the first month that we would have been trying anyway if we'd followed doctors orders and waited, so I guess that's something to make me feel better. Hopefully this month is the month for my cycle to regulate again. In the meantime, I'm going to try to get DH to do the SA!

 

[jessiecat]

Wish: You're an incredibly strong and positive woman and I sometimes think it would be amazing to be friends with you offline! Too bad I'm all the way across the country. Everything will work out.

mdc: cauliflower rice is on my list of "to-make recipes" !! have you ever made cauliflower mash? (like a mashed potato consistency). Delish

I'm sorry about AF, Dandi.

I log on a few times a week hoping sooo much for good news from you all. We are packing the house up and getting ready for the movers on Monday.

Sugar: We're totally going to miss Texas. it's so inexpensive to live here compared to where we're going.

Hi to the rest of you ladies. Keep on at it!!!!

 

[Wish2BMom]

crap, dandi! I'm so sorry she came again and you had such a screwy cycle. I hope it's just working out all of the kinks since your D&C.

mdc - I forgot about that. Yeah, DH isn't going to know what hit him when i can get my hands on him. It's been a long while!

jessie - you're so sweet Of course it would be freakin AWESOME to be friends with me offline! just kidding - I feel that way too - I'd just love to meet you and the other girls out for coffee and gossip and complain about this TTC junk every now and then.

I hear you girls on feeling like a failure or that you've done EVERYTHING in your power and it's still not working out correctly - type A here too :wave:! You may feel a little relief when you go to the docs. It's weird to hand things over and honestly, weird that there's not SO much of a guessing game anymore, but it's ok. As long as you have a good doc, good nurses and as much communication as possible, I think it's worth it. You get a little extra care than you would conceiving naturally (more appointments to monitor everything), you know EXACTLY when you conceive if all works out, you get a heads up if things aren't developing right, you can have tests done to find out what happened when things didn't develop right (am I hitting on anyone's analytical needs here...?). A lot more answers than questions, I feel. My biggest hugs to those about to take that leap - it'll be ok!! We're all here to help you through it!

 

[Dandi]

Wish, you should be a counselor of some kind, you're so positive and encouraging all the time! Or maybe a spokesperson for assisted fertility methods, because I'm sold, lol! "(am I hitting on anyone's analytical needs here...?)"... Ding ding ding, right here!

 

[Wish2BMom]

HAHA! oddly enough, I was a Psych major b/c I wanted to go into counseling. But I'm too lazy to go through 8 yrs of schooling, at least, to make any kind of money at it. I'll just do it on the side now while being an analyst in my day job!! I'm glad it helped!!

and speaking of being nervous about new things - cauliflower rice?!? how does that even happen?
I just made a mango salsa to go with our lime mango salmon tonight, that I'm having with a glass of wine b/c I figured out how to do a query in Access all by myself. it's the small things!

 

[krasavitsa147]

Hi everyone!

Mdc: Yeah, I would love to have a fertility pharmacist! You're sure you don't want to do just a little bit more school? On the antidepressant research, to be honest, it is still a bit thin-not too many studies out there yet, but after talking with a urologist (I'm blessed to be in a location with a huge teaching hospital), my doc thought the possibility should be looked at. Most of the research specifically focusing on male fertility and antidepressants showed a correlation between specific flavors (Prozac, the research on Wellbutrin was also starting to be done, but not a lot out there yet) and reduced counts, increased abnormal morphology, and decreased motility. And wouldn't you know it, DH was on both of those. So, as of this second, we don't know for absolute certain if there is an effect on him, and if there is, how severe it may be. So, this would be the baseline read that Wish spoke of.

Dandi, I did not think to ask whether it was just those specific antidepressants, or the entirety of those classes of antidepressants in general. Maybe I can ask my doc that. At any rate, hopefully you can get DH to get the SA. I don't know if the PTSD in your house is combat-related like mine, but I see it as just one more unfair thing that folks that have already been hurt have to go through. The treatment feels worse than the disease at times. I was lucky in that hubs is willing to do whatever he can to help us get there. Also...GD the witch! Everything you described seemed promising. But, let there be wine over the holiday weekend for you!

Wish: September will be here before you know it. You have an incredible outlook and I don't know that I would do half as well in the same situation. I know I don't know you well yet, but

Hope everyone else is having a great week.

 

[Mdc]

Dandi, sounds like a great plan. You are so right you got pregnant before so just need to catch the next sticky egg!!!

Jessie, good luck with the movers. I despise moving, but I bet you are so excited to get settled. And yes I love cauliflower mash! I have also done a parsnip purée also yummy!

Wish, such a great way to think about making the next leap. My poor doc is going to be inundated with my own TTC version of 1000 questions. Ha! And my mouth is salivating about your mango salmon.

Krasa, sounds like you got everything in a row and have done your own research. Although there is not track for a fertility pharmacist I do have access to medical journals (and I am geeky about research) so if any of you ladies have questions I can look into it.

Hi to everyone else!

Afm, just sitting in the docs office waiting...waiting...waiting.

Ok, as I was getting ready to post the doc came in. So IUI all natural this month next week and then adding Femara next month. I am aiming for a double IUI and I heard it helps. So in all my nerdy research IUI success is crappy, but I really think it comes down to timing and there are so many factors. Warning getting very detailed here! So opks detect O usually 24-36/48 hours, if you only opk once a day you have a lot of hours to miss the peak, IUI washed sperm are super speedy and can move out of the Fallopian tubes in 6-12 hours, and the eggs live for 24 hours (doesn't this seem like a mathematical SAT question?). To top it off many docs only do IUI a certain time of day. So here is my plan...drum roll please...hopefully IUI in the doc first to make sure my cervical dilation worked #1 and #2 want to make sure nothing freaky happens and then have an at home IUI 12 hours later. I know it sounds granola/freaky a home IUI, but the more I think about it the timing is so crucial so it may just have to happen. Man the things we do! Unfortunately the one bad thing is I have a must be at meeting on Thursday morning for 5-6 hours and of course it would have to fall on the most likely day to O. UGH! Maybe me stressing about it will push a positive opk out at least 8 hours. Again, crazy much :ROFL:

Hope all the U.S. folks have a great long weekend. Hopefully headed to my last wine tasting trip for the next 9 months to Sonoma tomorrow because all my craziness will pay off.

Best of luck to everyone!

 

[Wish2BMom]

hi girls! I hope everyone had a great weekend! I certainly did - back to clean eating and drinking again.

mdc - you've got your plan down to the detail, that's incredible!! Wow, do I hope this works for you! So when is all of this going down? what cd are you now?
And most importantly, how was the wine tasting in Sonoma?? Sounds so fun!

I think we have some testers this week, right? Or soon? Star? Left? maui - how are you doing?

jessie - good luck with your move today and throughout this week! I hope everything goes smoothly. Soon you'll be a California girl!

 

[Mdc]

Hello TTC besties!

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Wish, I think sometime later this week. We had a little scare because the damn fancy CB advanced opks said I had a peak CD11. Say what?!?! Same damn thing as last month, with no temp rise. We could not have gotten anything done on Sat anyways so I just went with my gut it was an early surge. Sonoma, we HOT but very lovely.

Hi to everyone and cannot wait to hear about what you all did for the 4th and if anyone tested!

 

[Dandi]

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend (for those in the U.S.). We did absolutely nothing and it was glorious! We went to see a movie Friday and then avoided the crowds the rest of the weekend. It rained most of the time and we were utterly lazy. So relaxing!

I took the relaxed time to research what may be keeping me from getting pregnant and convince DH to go ahead with the SA, so yay for small victories! Hopefully we can get him an appt in the next couple of weeks. And I have an appt today to have my thyroid and hormone levels checked. I have a feeling I'm hypothyroid and have estrogen dominance. I have almost all of the signs, but I guess we shall see. It feels good to be taking some steps to help us figure out what's going on though. Fingers crossed that we hear good news or at least something that we can work on and improve.

Can't wait to hear what this week holds for everyone! Who's testing?

 

[Star2011]

How y'll doing?

Mdc- Hope you get the bestest news ever with your natural IUI. Glad you enjoyed Sonoma.

Wish- Thanks for cheering, September is just around the corner and we will all be cheering you. I love your attitude by the way

Dandi- Praying for good news with your lab results and DH SA. Yay to small victories!

AFM, DH and had a good 4th of July weekend. We drove to Chicago(its only 4 hrs from our place) and spent time with friends and did some sight seeing in the windy city. Just got back this morning and now back to work. 12/13 dpo and no out of the ordinary symptoms. I have the usual fullness of boobs. I have my appt next week and we will see whats next.

Hello to the rest of the Ladies!

 

[Star2011]

I havent tested yet. Waiting until AF is late.

 

[Mdc]

Sounds like Dandi and Star had a great 4th.

Dandi, glad you are taking the reigns and getting the SA for DH and some base labs for you.

Star, what day is AF due?

Hi to everyone else!

Just headed home myself on a long flight. No o yet, but a temp drop so any day. Trying to hold to POAS until inland for my connection 2 1/2 hr to go. Yikes. Never thought just POAs would take so planning. Not like I can do it on the plane and bring it out to watch for the smiley. My meeting on Thurs got cancelled on this week is wide open to get an IUI that morning if needed. No call from the granola at home IUI people yet...arrgh. Don't they know the time is ticking.

 

[Pothole]

Oh ladies I miss you this month! I am so ready to get to August so I can try again. I will say though, if I were pregnant, or even thought I could be this month, I couldn't be doing this trip. I teach Special Ed, but I also do respite. This week I am at the beach with a former student and her family. I am lifting, transfering, and wearing myself completely out. I am having a great time, and I'm so glad I am able to give her family this break. But come August...all baby making, all the time!

 

[sugargully]

Pothole we have the same career! Also, providing Respite is an amazing gift for the families you help. You've inspired me to look into it.

 

[Pothole]

Sugar, it is honestly the best job. I love teaching, but that one on one connection, the bonds you form with families, and I'll be honest, the lack of all that soul crushing paperwork, makes it such a joy for me. It reminds me of why I was drawn to this field and restores me when the drain of endless testing and meetings wear me out. I currently have 2 boys and a girl I work with individually, and they keep me hopping. Oh I love those kids!

 

[Wish2BMom]

wow, pothole and sugar - you guys are amazing! I don't know if I could work with kids, I really think it takes a special person to work with kids, geriatrics and special needs. You are angels on earth!
(for the record, I feel like I work with kids on the daily sometimes with these clients!!)

and pothole, we miss you too! August will be here sooner than we care for it to be, in the 'wishing away summer'-thinking. Football starts soon!! AHHHH!

mdc - so funny, stupid planes. They aren't conducive to a lot of things with our lives but I do feel the same way as Louis CK did in one of his acts - every time we sit on a plane and get ACROSS THE COUNTRY in hours, we should just celebrate its awesomeness and not act like the d*ck our left who didn't get enough bags of peanuts.
If I may, I'd like to ask MDC Pharmacist a question? first, are you a doctor? do I call you Dr. MDC? secondly, another very intelligent and knowledgeable lady on another thread posted this the other day and i found it fascinating: https://labdoor.com/rankings/prenatal-vitamins
do you know if this holds water? She said it probably does b/c our supplements aren't regulated. So if this is right, I've been taking prenatals with a C rating for over 2 yrs. I'm so happy about that.....not. i've been taking Vitafusion and it specifically says that they've overstated by 306% how much folate their vitamins have!!!
lastly - yay for your O and being home now!!! get to BD'ing!

 

[Dandi]

Oh jeez! I've been using a D+ prenatal. =/