40+ and Trying for 1st? Join in!!

[Jean40]

Hey everyone! Hope you are having a good weekend. We got hit with almost 10 inches of snow, so I've been shoveling and shoveling some more.

Wow, sore boobs, must've just ovulated (yeah, timing is right). I didn't even think about this until just now, but I have an Echocardiogram in the morning & that is going to hurt. I know this because last time I had it done, right after ovulation, it hurt terribly. This is an ultrasound of the heart, where they take a small wand & press it all over where your heart is, and for the ladies, it's all over your left boob as well as the area from the throat down to the upper part of your stomach (for viewing the aorta). I will take Tylenol & ibuprofen before I have it done this time.

I am going to call the RE's nurse in the morning & see if they got my latest blood test results and if they didn't, I can drop a copy of them off while I am there in town after my cardiology appointment. If I need to get the blood tests repeated, I can pick up the order on Wed when I go for my HSG. I am not ordering any of my meds until after we find out the HSG results and what the RE thinks about the elevated prolactin.

Edit: I found the money for this! I maxed out my FSA ($2500 this year, spent $1000 on testing from last year that was billed in January, so $1500 left) & still had a $1400 balance on my HSA. I went to look at my account & didn't realize that since it's the same company & same card that does both the FSA & HSA, they take from the FSA first until you use up the $2500, then it goes to the HSA, so even though I haven't put the $2500 in yet (only $95 every 2 weeks from my paycheck goes to it), they are taking it from the FSA and leaving a negative balance. I thought I might have to get a loan. Whew!

 

[Vonn]

Jean--great news about finding money for the HSG! Hope you get some answers soon about the prolactin. It sounds like high prolactin can be lowered pretty easily and that can make a big difference.

Lenise--we need an update!!!

Pussycat--how are things for you?

 

[Jean40]

I had a productive appointment with my cardiologist, who is all OK with me getting pregnant (and even having a vaginal birth, I thought I would only be able to do a C-section) but after I have an MRI of my head and chest to look for possible aneurisms, which is a potential complication of my particular type of heart defect. Earliest I can get that is April. Not sure if I can get that while being pregnant, it's not radiation, so looking into that. They were wanting to do the MRIs in 6 months, but I do NOT have that kind of time to wait, my eggs are going fast, so I pushed & April is the earliest. Not my fault that I had to wait over 4 months to get into see him and I got into the RE in just a month.

I dropped off my lab results at the RE office & they faxed a new order for a fasting prolactin that I will try to get done in the morning so I have results before my HSG on Wed morning. They said if it's still high, I have to discuss this further with the RE. I reserved a hotel room near their office for tomorrow night because that 2 hour drive there is a PITA, very stressful & exhausting.

 

[Pussycat1]

Jean40, you are one determined lady! Good luck with all this testing, fingers crossed you get all the right results.
AFM, still on the longest 2WW EVER! Test date is Thursday, but will probably test Wed evening after work as I'm not sure I can hang in much longer. I had a couple of cramp free days at the weekend and got hopeful but they were back yesterday and have woken with them this am, I'm tired but not the exhaustion that you hear ladies talk of. (.) (.) are a little sensitive but nothing I wouldn't expect from the cyclogest, pretty sure we've got another failed cycle. Is 8 the record in here?! xx

 

[terripeachy]

Pussycat-You're too close to be negative now...Maybe you should test tomorrow first thing. That way you don't have to wait until Wednesday night and then second guess your pee. hee hee. I don't think you get tired until much later and some people don't even get that tired ever. fxfx

Jean-Wow..you sure do have a lot going on. I hope it all works out for the best.

AFM-I talked to my nurse last night and she said that the genetic testing at the overnight place is about $2100 and the other place is about $1700. I guess they scare you and say $3-4K,so that when you hear the real price you think you're getting a deal/sale. That's a good sales trick that companies play all the time, but I'm much more relieved to hear that it will be $1700. It's still covered with my HSA, so who cares, really, but I'll have more money for other things. The nurse thought that a batch would be good especially because if we have several different sample sets we will know that there is definitely something wrong. On the other hand, with several different batches we may get lucky. We have to do a blood test, and the lab will be able to tell whose side the abnormality is on. Again, not that it matters, but it's good info as far as I'm concerned. That's the latest. I'm still on BCP until about March 13, I think. I have to move up my regular girl appt., so the sooner I can get that moved, the sooner I can get off this BCP I think. C'mon cancellation!

 

[Pussycat1]

Terri, good news on the costs, it's always good to feel one step closer. Though EVERYTHING involves too much waiting (grrr!).
If only you were right that it's too late to be negative 😊, EC was 9th, transfer 14th so in a regular cycle I should have had AF by now, however, this is not a regular cycle. The eggs weren't mine and the Estrogen and progesterone that I am on should stop AF until I stop taking them, so sadly it could still be a negative. My hormones are all in the hands of the chemical Gods! The reason for Wed PM testing is DH is planning on going back to university to study and has an entrance interview tomorrow. I don't want to test and get him on a downer and screw that up. Truth be told I'm scared to test. xx

 

[Vonn]

Jean--GL with the HSG! I hope it finds all clear. When I did it it only hurt for like a minute. It def hurt, for me at least, but it didn't last long. You are also have a higher chance of getting pg after an HSG. That happened for Jessiecat (38 yr old, on another thread) a few months ago. I'll be curious about the prolactin result, too.

Terri-Great news about the cost for the testing! Hurry up appt, hurry up BCPs, Terri's got to get a baby in her belly!

Pussycat--I'm hoping so hard for you! Sending you lots of baby dust vibes. I know a couple of the more recent ladies have said they thought they were having regular AF symptoms and then, voila, BFP. I soooo hope that is the case for you. I know you don't want to get your hopes up too high only to have them dashed, but I gotta say, I really hope you are wrong. I'll be def thinking of you the next couple days.

Hi bella, weezy, Lenise!

 

[terripeachy]

Pussycat-Oh yeah..don't test then (husband stuff). I understand false hopes with being on progesterone and keeping AF away, etc..So you can make it until Thursday. It's not far away. And besides, if you're pregnant now, you'll still be pregnant on Thursday afternoon when they call you with results. I am SO excited. I also understand being scared. It's like you want to know, but you don't want to know. hee hee. I know exactly what you mean. The agony of waiting!! hee hee. placing hand on forehead like a damsel in distress

Vonn-glad to hear you and hubs are on the mend..make it worth your while, chica!

 

[Jean40]

Hey everyone! I am sitting in my hotel room after a luxurious hot shower (my water heater is dying at home, no really hot water and less water pressure). HSG in less than 3 hours. I did the fasting prolactin yesterday morning and it was a 13.20, well within normal range! Such a huge relief! Now if my tubes are open, I can order my meds & ask about doing MRI while in a possible early pregnancy. I feel like I'm in "hurry up and wait" limbo.

 

[Pussycat1]

Enjoy the hot water Jean!! Hope all goes well for the HSG, it will be over before you know it. xx

 

[Jean40]

It's over and it's clear! Now waiting for MRIs and ready to begin.

 

[Pussycat1]

Great news Jean! Another thing ticked off your check list! x

 

[Jean40]

It didn't even hurt, just the horrible speculum part. The left side spilled out quickly, the right took a little bit longer but it did spill out. He thought he saw where the fibroid was (barely noticeable) and wanted to do a saline ultrasound, but I reminded him that we already done that and it looked fine. He wants a letter from my cardiologist to proceed to IUI, which is fine. The old RE wouldn't even consider working with me, no matter how many letters I got. Now I can order my drugs & talk to the cardiac nurse to schedule the MRIs. I drove 2 hours home, feel a bit of cramping & some leakage, but not too bad. I almost forgot to take my 600mg of ibuprofen, I was supposed to take it an hour before & took it only 20 minutes before. An hour later, I took 2 Tylenol. After I eat a late lunch, I'm off to work. One of the doctors volunteered me to help a high school student with a project. Not like I don't have enough work to do!

 

[terripeachy]

Great news Jean.

Pussycat-Just so you know, we're all rooting for you big time tomorrow for your beta. We love ya either way!!!

 

[Vonn]

Jean--So glad you didn't have pain, and even better that your tubes are clear! And good news that the prolactin came down on the second test. That made a big difference in my results, too. On to next steps, it does feel good to be proactive, doesn't it?

Pussycat--Ditto what Terri said. Still hoping and wishing for you!

Lenise--I'm a total harasser, but I am thinking of you, too! It is the 25th, after all.

Hi Terri! Bella and Weezy, hope you are both doing well.

 

[Weezy9]

Pussycat, just want to let you know, we're all here for you. I've got all my fingers and toes crossed for you for tomorrow

 

[Weezy9]

Jean great news on the HSG result, one less thing to worry about and one more step ahead towards IUI yippeeee

Terri, Vonn, hope you're both doing well

 

[Pussycat1]

Hi ladies, thank you for your kind words and unending support. I tested last night and as suspected I'm not pregnant, my nest is still empty. I'm obviously very sad, but I'm ok. Each time this happens it's like a little bit of me is chipped away and as this is my 8th failed cycle it doesn't feel like there's much left. I have two frosties but it's hard to see what else can be done to make a difference to the end result. In every cycle the day after transfer I start cramping like my body is rejecting from the start. I'll email the clinic and tell them and see what happens now. I guess a Skype consult with the doctor. I'm sorry not to bring you better news. xx

 

[terripeachy]

Oh crap..I was so excited to check in this morning, Pussycat. I'm sorry. Do they do any type of genetic testing on the embryos? I doubt it because it's already expensive and the assumption is that with younger eggs all will be well. Take time, reassess, and come back with guns blazing. We'll be here when you want to vent, try again, whatever. So sorry.

 

[Jean40]

Pussycat. Hopefully the doctors can give you some sort of direction on what to do next.

AFM, I got my MRI scheduled for April 6, which (if my cycles don't go all screwy), should be day 3 of that cycle, so I am hoping I can do the MRI at 9am, cardiologist 11am, then go across town to do my day 3 ultrasound. Then I'd only miss one cycle in March. It will give me time to rest up from all the driving to and from and I can work on losing a few more pounds since I've gained a few in the last couple months.