any other lesbians going through fertility treatments?

[gingmg]

Hi-
I know there are many lesbian threads on here, but I feel like I am the only one going through IUIs with frozen sperm versus AI at home with a known donor. Anyone else going to a clinic for IUIs or have even moved onto IVF that want to share this journey?

 

[cranberry]

hi gingmg, yes i did this but not doing it right now. hope someone comes along to join you.

i used a known donor and did 3 rounds of iui which failed (don't lose hope, my friend got her baby on the first iui!). i did a successful round of ivf and have an almost 2 yr old boy. now i am doing FET to give him a sibling.

good luck!

 

[ashley2501]

Hello,
My wife and I just completed our first IUI. I was the one inseminated because she has two children already. She conceived one years ago before she came out, on accident. Then after she was out she wanted another child so she did IUI with donor sperm on her own. She had a DD the first time, and a DS with the donor sperm. I am using the same DS as she did to get her son. I am in the awful TWW now! It is the longest TWW of my life lol. I am 28 yrs old and she is 37. I took Clomid cd 3-7, had my cd 10 u/s follicles weren't big enough, cd 12 u/s 4 follicles 2 of which were dominant size over 20, so instructed to do my Ovidrel shot that night at 9pm, came back cd 14 9am for the IUI. On dpo 3 I was instructed to start Clomid 8% gel every morning until either BFP or AF. I am now dpo 4....I haven't posted on any other threads as I am afraid I will jinx something or get my hopes too high! I have been reading on here every day though and trying to stay positive. I did all the fertility testing prior to starting the IUI and everything checks out I am fine and fertile I just hope the odds are in my favor! Our SA was 75 mil post wash but only 45% motility. That's not bad, but not great. Seeings how this donor got my wife pregnant and countless others from what we know, I think its pretty good sperm though. I appreciate being able to share all of this with someone! How is your TTC journey going?

 

[gingmg]

Thanks for writing! Looks like you had a great response to clomid. I hope you are one and done! Your chances are outstanding! We've been at this for a long time. Getting closer to Ivf, but are going to do a couple more IUIs first. It's been a long road for us. I know the 2ww is maddening! How old are the other children?

 

[ashley2501]

The DD is 12 and DS is 3 but closer to 4. She realized a little late she didn't want DD to be an only child and she was single then so she just decided she had to do it on her own. I give her tons of credit for this. She was 33 at the time and it took her 6 IUIs. Her first RS (reproductive specialist) wouldn't put her on clomid so she tried 4 unmedicated IUIs and then changed doctors. I am using the same doctor now. He put her on clomid and it worked the second time. I am excited and did hear my body reaponded well, however I can't help but be nervous and anxious because there are so many women like me with unexplained infertility who respond right each cycle and still it doesn't work. I have my fingers crossed and really hope I am one in done but I know there are only a few lucky people that get that lol!

 

[gingmg]

Cranberry- are you doing your transfer soon? So exciting!

Ashley- I am one of those women. This is our 9th IUI, and considering moving onto IVF soon. It's frustrating because everything checks out ok. Our clinic is similar to your wife's first clinic. We did the first 6 unmedicated, clomid twice, and now injectables. We wanted to mimic what people do at home before we moved along, but it's been a frustrating journey to say the least!!!
Don't be discouraged by my story. I'm 35 and have been a smoker for a very long time, I'm convinced that both of those things have something to do with it. I kept saying I'd quit when I found out I was pregnant, but that clearly hasn't happened yet. I quit for a little while, but this last negative test pushed me right back to smoke. I have another quit date for Saturday, so hoping that will help this along.
I'm sure this is going to happen very soon for you. Most people get pregnant within the first 3 cycles of clomid.

 

[ashley2501]

Thank you for the positive thoughts! I sure hope so! My wife is a smoker, and she was smoking when doing her IUIs. She quit when she got pregnant though but it was easy then because it made her sick. She went back to it and still smokes now. However she promised she would stop when I got pregnant too I don't know if that helps or not, but I think it will help medicated for you. I have heard a ton of people try h medicated and it doesn't work but then medicated does. I also hear that injectables work really well also. The hot flashes and teariness is killing me lol and my wife I am sure! These are my only side effects so it's not too bad. Today I am 5dpo... So slow!

 

[gingmg]

I'm not glad to hear that your wife smokes, but glad that she got pregnant despite the smoking. I know smoking isn't birth control, but I can't help but wonder if its causing some kind of problem. There were a few times actually I really thought I was pregnant. I've wondered if I've conceived but can't implant because of the vasocontriction that the nicotine causes? My gyn mentioned this. Anyway, time to take it off the table especially since I've just moved into full blown fertility help. I hope your wife is able to quit again.
Oh, I was a mess on clomid!!! Injectables are so much better for me, no side effects. I was a teary mess on clomid.
The time drags on after insemination doesn't it? I go on sun and then back to waiting.

 

[cranberry]

Ginmg my transfer is in 19 days

 

[PregoMyEggo]

Hi Gingmg and all! My wife jut finished trying after almost two years and now it's my turn. I'm doing clomid and IUIs with frozen unknown donor sperm. My amazing wife actually figured out how to successfully perform IUIs at home (as opposed to vaginal insemination), which is so much more comfortable (and free). I'm on my second cycle and my period's 4 days late.... Fingers are soooo crossed!!! GOOD LUCK to you in making a little one of your own!! Keep us posted and maybe we can buddy up if there's a next time!

 

[gingmg]

Cranberry- I saw your other post. I've wanted to try baby aspirin for awhile now, but haven't. Wonder if it will help even though its not a transfer I'm doing?

 

[gingmg]

Preggo- I hope you get very lucky soon!! Sounds promising.

 

[cranberry]

gingmg, yes it is beneficial no matter how you are trying. i guess the reason is that you want to promote good blood flow in your uterus so it is healthy and support implantation. i took it for my ivf too.

prego, good luck. i'm curious, how do you perform an iui at home? are you using a catheter?

 

[PregoMyEggo]

Cranberry, yes, we were able to procure the exact same catheters that our doc was using and she actually told us exactly how she does it (sort of an offhand patient education moment actually as she finished up my last iui, but my wife happened to be paying close attention and took note). It's so easy and now feels silly that we've been paying someone else for the procedures. But I'm also not doing the rest of the assisted stuff either (yet)-- o ultrasounds etc.

 

[gingmg]

Back in the tww. And quit smoking (again) yesterday.

 

[Lovelymo79]

Hi all!

So, confession: I'm not a lesbian but I feel like I have more in common with you ladies than most on this forum. I'm a 34 y/o single woman ttc with frozen donor sperm. The sperm is on it's way to the doc's office as we speak and I'm in CD 12 so hopefully, I'll be going for my first IUI on Wednesday or Thursday.

I'm so nervous, yet excited. I'm trying not to have my hopes up because I know it will probably take longer but I'm hoping I'm one and done!

I wish I could get someone to do my IUI at home! Would be so much easier...and cheaper!

 

[gingmg]

Lovelymo- so exciting, and so incredibly brave! I admire you for going after what you want, takes a strong person to do what you are doing. I hope it happens very quickly for you.

 

[Lovelymo79]

Thanks! I wish the same for you as well!

 

[ashley2501]

Good luck Lovely! I was so excited for my first IUI which was 8 days ago lol. I am now 8dpo. Time feels like it is standing still! I cant wait till this weekend. Although I now have to admit I am really nervous that testing is only days away and not weeks! I will be testing this Sunday. Actually that's when my DR told me to test, but I feel like that is 14 dpo and AF shows up 15dpo routinely! I feel like I should wait the extra day but she said to test 14dpo! I don't want to see that BFN I will cry. Truth be known last night I had a melt down. I cried while DW was at work last night because I just done FEEL PG I want so badly to be one and done also, but I know the odds are not in my favor! I have two friends (a married lesbian couple) who had been trying for a year with one lady. They did 5 or 6 IUIs in that year. The one couldn't get preg. Honestly I don't know what her infertility diangnosis was if she had one at all. She is pretty overweight and on medication from being in the army and she has severe headaches from it. I don't know if this is a concern or not, but they switched to the other wife and she went of an HSG, had a cyst or polyp or something removed and then their first IUI she fell pregnant. She is due in Feb. I am so excited for them, they deserve a baby so much and after all that money and a year trying I was extatic for them! However, I feel bad for the other wife. They plan on going back to her and trying for baby #2 though! Anyway, She got lucky on number 1! What are the odds that I will lol. Anyway, I am glad I have a place to vent. I have been keeping to myself and if feels good to release it somewhere! GL ladies! I guess it just baffles me that when everything is perfectly lined up, we spend all this money for doctors to get it right each time, still the odds are slim! Its like, why cant it just work every time with perfect timing etc lol!

 

[Lovelymo79]

I know!! But even though our timing might not be what we get, when we do, it will be the PERFECT timing!!
I'm waiting for the solid smiley face on my clear blue easy advanced digital opk. I'm going to the state fair tomorrow to take things off my mind but I will be carrying my OPKs with me and secretly testing!