Getting Fit Before Baby

[ireadyermind]

Good grief, you guys. I am EXHAUSTED these past few days. Sometimes unable to keep my eyes open while sitting in my chair! I'm trying to avoid drinking more caffeine (limiting myself to the 1 cup I have with breakfast), but it's hard. Sheesh!

I'm not really considering it as a BFP symptom though. Sometimes it's just part of the PMS process. And with how high my TWW temps are, I'm sure it's just because I'm making more Progesterone than normal. I've heard that Progesterone causes fatigue.

But wouldn't it be nice if my lovely-looking post-O temps this month were actually because of a BFP?

I'm debating testing tomorrow at 10dpo.. what do you gals think? Yes, or no?

 

[BronteForever]

Ooh...I hope it's a sign. Good luck. As far as testing, it's such a personal choice. 10 DPO is still pretty early but it should show up on a lot of tests if it's a positive. I had to give up testing since it was making the process worse but I know this time around I'll probably be super hopeful and pretty much test as soon as I can.

 

[swimmyj1]

Bronte - IVF cycle!! yay!!! what meds are they starting you on for it?

IRYM - I am a test junky so I probably would be testing, but it does add extra stress to the tww. However being on progesterone I wouldn't start bleeding until I stopped taking it (my doc had me taking the pills vaginally), so I had to test on 12DPO anyway. Also it can make you super sleepy and give you some of the early pregnancy signs, sense it is the hormone your body would make a ton of if you were pregnant. I still love the way your chart looks lol, fingers are crossed!!

AFM - sugars were worse today ugh after lunch i went up to 177! so im sure insulin is totally gonna happen next week darn. It was my fault I was craving a Boston cooler and even though its no sugar added ice cream it still has sugar and then i also had some soup. I need to keep watching these darn carbs!

 

[BronteForever]

Swimmy - oh no. Even though the insulin is not ideal. Sounds like it's probably going to be a good option. Carbs are super hard for me to resist as well and I'm sure the fact they are "off-limits" only heightens the allure. However, you can totally do this and get it under control. Good luck.

I'm on Menopur and Gonal-F to start with. I then add in Ganirelix about half way through to make sure I don't ovulate early. Hope they work!

IRYM - anxiously awaiting what you decided and what your results were. Good luck!

 

[ireadyermind]

Swimmy - I am a test junkie too! I don't know how I've resisted this long...! lol

As for the carbs: maybe look into low GI foods? They are foods that still contain carbs, but don't affect your blood sugar the same as, say, an iced cinnamon roll would. Strawberries, apples, peas, brown rice, and some other things like that are on the list. Just google "Low GI foods" and you'll find a lot of good information.

It might help you make the transition to a lower carb diet, or sticking to those foods might lower your blood sugar enough that you don't need the insulin? Who knows!


Bronte - I chickened out and decided not to test, because my BBT dropped a little this morning instead of staying high!

So I guess I'm going to try and wait for my original test date goal of Monday the 27th and see what happens. Since DH is home over the weekends and I want to surprise him with a BFP instead of having him be here for it (silly, I know!), it will probably be easy for me to wait! lol

 

[BronteForever]

IRYM - way to be strong. I think it's better if you can wait since if it's positive it's much stronger and easier to read. Good luck.

 

[ireadyermind]

Right, it'd be darker AND there's less chance I pick up a chemical pregnancy early on, right? If I got a faint BFP today it might still turn into AF! So waiting is good.

 

[Ursaula]

Hello everyone!

Yay Bronte for IVF finally! Fx'd IRYM! 55days Swimmy!

Long story short I am putting off TTC for a while (probably a year or so). I'm a little bummed but I have three surgeries to plan for! I am planning on getting weight loss surgery (vertical sleeve). I had a long talk with my psychiatrist and it's time something is done to help me with it. Any who, I'm planning on getting it done August 15 in Tijuana, Mexico...if any of you have stories above friends who have had it done (especially in Mexico) please share! [Manitoba doesn't offer it and will only pay to have it done in Quebec which is a 15 year wait list. Or I can pay myself in Saskatchewan with a 3 year wait list and $19,000. OR Mexico. Which has no wait list and costs roughly $6,000 (all prices in Canadian dollars).]

Any who, so I'm super nervous for it but excited! I'm also planning on getting my tonsils removed and seeing how that goes afterwards before deciding on my third surgery, which would be tubes in my ears.

I also decided to put off TTC because I want to be more mentally stable and have a job, etc. My s/o met with their doctor and they still do not qualify for hormonal treatment, so we have more time.

Sorry for a long post! I just wanted to update you gals.

 

[ireadyermind]

Good to hear from you, Urs! I'm so envious you're getting the weight loss surgery! I'd love to have that done. DH and I were considering it, actually! But then I finally got this PCOS diagnosis, so I'm giving the Met a chance first.

I'm glad you're taking steps to get yourself into a better place, physically and mentally. That is a definitely step up regardless of TTC! You'll feel so much better! And August 15th is right around the corner! What do they have you doing to prepare for that surgery? One of my sister's friends just had it done here in California and she had to be put on an all liquid diet for weeks ahead of time.

 

[BronteForever]

Urs - thanks for the update. Even if you are putting TTC on hold, hopefully you will stick around and keep us update. The weight loss surgery sounds like a great option for you and I really hope it goes well and helps you get healthier. Hope the other surgeries go well also. That's a lot to go through in s short time. Good luck.

 

[Mrs. Tigger]

Hello Ladies

I'm back from vacation now, and trying to catch up. We had 2 weeks vacation up in Scotland and it was just amazing! We did a road-trip staying in several areas for a couple of days, sight-seeing castles, touring whisky distilleries, and just spending time together. Definitely what we needed!

BronteForever: Good luck with your IFV! You must be soooo excited!

ireadyermind: I am always peeing on sticks around O to verify that I am O'ing and that we time right. But when it comes to pregnancy, I've now defaulted to only testing if is late (I have a consistent 14-day luteal phase, so I know when she is due). Somehow seeing is easier to handle then seeing only one line on a pregnancy test . . . again. Hopefully you'll be forced to test, though, due to no AF, and get that ! You've definitely waited long enough! I'm glad the Metformin is working for you (or at least I hope it is!) The only issue I had side effect wise was nausea -- it was actually pretty bad the first 2 or so months of taking it, but it doesn't happen much now.

Ursaula: Glad to hear from you! Please keep us informed of how your preparation for surgery, and surgery go. This was originally a weight-loss thread, after all, so no better place!

swimmyj1: You're so close to the end, just hang in there! Really, anyone can get GD. Even if your BMI had been low enough, you may still have gotten it. Just ignore that nurse, and stay strong.

AFM: So, as I mentioned when I was on vacation, got me and I was pretty depressed. DH and I actually had a fight about it, because I felt like he wasn't being supportive and he responded by telling me I need to be realistic I know he's actually right (since we spent 2 years TTC while treating my PCOS and I wasn't properly ovulating, this cycle was actually only my 2nd cycle of "real" TTC, and the doctor said we shouldn't worry until it's been 6 cycles), but that is NOT what you tell an infertile woman who just got her period again! But, we talked about it (we actually both got a bit tipsy one of the nights on vacation and we both opened up to each other a lot about TTC and how we feel and are dealing with it) and I think we see things better from each other's perspective. He also promised he'll do his SA, which is something we've been fighting about.

I'm currently on CD13 and I'll be entering my fertile window tomorrow (I usually ovulate on CD18).

But I've decided that it's time to really get focused. For awhile, I got so burned out with TTC and the stress of it all, and then my weight loss stalled and I decided to let other things distract me so I wouldn't be so depressed. That was probably what I needed mentally, but now it's time to get back in the game. I had a few months of basically non-stop work travel and a couple of long vacations where I've been eating badly and not exercising. So I'm sure I've gained some kilos (though I haven't weighed yet to know how bad the damage is; my "gut feel" is that I'm probably back to needing to lose 13-15 kilos or so to get my BMI low enough).

And, I have an appointment on November 22nd with my specialist. If I'm not pregnant by then, and my weight is low enough, they'll start fertility treatments. I don't feel like I can stand to be told that I need to make another appointment to see if I've lost enough weight. So November 22nd is my deadline.

So, that means I have 148 days to get my crap together and get ready for this. To finish losing the weight I need to lose, to get as strong and healthy as I can be. I'm an engineer, so I solve problems for a living. I just need a plan, right?

Well, here's Mrs. Tigger's plan:

• Calorie Counting (I did this for a year to lose the 45 or so kilos I already lost, and it worked fine for me; I may need to up my calorie limit a little due the fact that my metabolism is higher now than it used to be due to Metformin and thyroid meds, but I'll play it by ear.)
• Metformin, Thyroid Meds, and Vitamins Daily (I'm already good about this)
• 1,5 Liters Water Daily (I'm really bad about drinking water)
• Low-GI Diet (had great luck with this in the past with my PCOS)
• Exercise 30 Minutes per Day, 4 Days per Week (This is where I'll struggle the most -- I'm lazy and I'm busy, lol!)

The biggest challenge is probably that the calorie counting has such a severe impact on my life -- it makes eating out basically impossible, which is challenging when work stuff comes up and there is a work lunch or work dinner, etc. But I did this for a year and I lost 45 kilos -- I know I can do it!

Meanwhile, of course I'll still keep tracking and doing everything we can to try and get pregnant naturally in the meantime. But this gives me something to do other than just "wait". TTC actually kind of sucks. It's waiting. Waiting for AF to end. Waiting to ovulate. Waiting for AF again. Waiting, waiting, waiting.

Phew, that was long! Anyway, it's time for bed now, but I should be around much more often now!

 

[swimmyj1]

Urs - so great to hear from you! Congrats on your weight loss surgery, a friend of mine had the sleeve done a few weeks ago and is already down 30 some lbs. she is just moving on to solid foods from the protien shakes. I asked her for any tips and she said that you have to remember your going to love losing all this weight but you will be a lot more tired than you think you will sense you are technically starving yourself (you just won't feel like it lol) she says don't forget to drink the protien drinks even if you aren't hungry. I hope you keep us all updated on how it goes!!

Irym - it's so weird I love eating fruits epically in this heat, but that's when my sugar is highest, even when I'm very good about portion control. I'm sure it will just take me sometime to figure out what messes with me the most. Yesterday my bs were as best as they have been all week and I even had a small serving of ice cream on the beach haha. Ps must remember sun screen next time! Ouch!

Tiger - your trip sounds amazing! And I'm so glad that you and your DH really got to talk about how ttc is effecting both of you. And so glad he is going to do the SA I love your weight loss plan, it's nothing insane radical, and seems like you will really be able to stick to it! As for water I have to drink around 4L a day and the plant nanny app on my phone really has helped me stick with that. I bought a water bottle that holds 1L and just have times during the day it needs to be gone by. Be a rock star girl you've got this! And are going to rock your appointment in a few months!!!

 

[drjo718]

Urs- I have several co-workers who have done the weight loss surgery, and one who did it in Mexico because she did not weigh enough to qualify to have it done in the states (body image issues.) I don't mean to scare you, but it is a major surgery and has risks. The girl who had hers done in Mexico ended up with an infection and had to spend an extra week down there in a foreign hospital. Another co-worker who had hers done here had many complications, got very sick, and spent a lot of time in the hospital trying to recover. I do know people who have been fine with it though and done well. You have to stick to your diet instructions forever after the surgery or you will gain the weight back or not lose very much in the first place. That has happened to two coworkers who had the surgery. Whatever you decide to do, take care of yourself.

 

[ireadyermind]

MrsTigger - Now that I'm at the full 2000mg dose, I hope to start seeing good things soon! My physician said 2000mg was the minimum dose for weight loss and PCOS? I don't know if that's true, but I hope it is. My weight has been all over the place, and just when I think it's about to settle, my dose gets increased! lol. But I won't be going any higher than 2000mg now, so hopefully things level out!

Swimmy - Low GI isn't all fruits, just some of them. No peaches, nectarines, watermelon, or bananas, to name a few. I think it's mostly berries that make the 'safe' list. I love peaches so it's hard for me to skip out on those this summer!

DrJo - I also know a few people who've had the surgery done just fine, but some who also had complications. My mother's friend had severe issues with hers and then ended up addicted to morphine as a result... erf.

Urs - Any surgery is full of risks! But I'm sure they've gone over everything with you, Urs. Or at least, they should do. Make sure to write down any questions you have about it and bring that list with you when you do a consultation.

 

[Ursaula]

Mrs. T: I plan on staying on bnb for a while, as I do still want to have a baby as well, I'll just WTT for a little while longer. I'll just be more weight loss focused now but will still cheer you all on!

I find guys just want nothing to do with TTC, but I still agree he shouldn't have said something so negative. I'm glad he's doing the SA! Also, yay fertile window and weight loss focus!

Swimmy: Thanks for the information! I'm getting super excited for it but my friend backed out as my "caretaker". I am now scrambling to find someone to go with me.

Drjo: I don't think anything can scare me right now, so don't worry! I appreciate all feedback, the good and the ugly. I'm at the point in my life where I would refer to this as a win-win situation. If I live through it, I get to lose weight easier. If I die, I don't have to live this fat. I have taken into account all possibilities of what could happen. Again, thanks for the feedback!

IRYM: I was similar, I wanted to do pregnancy first and then lose all the weight at once, baby fat and all. It's just gotten to the point where I'm uncomfortable walking because of all the strain. I'm still trying to find someone to go with me (as my friend backed-out since she doesn't have an up-to-date passport). I believe I will be on the liquid diet for 2-4weeks prior and then the two days prior will be a clear liquid diet. I'll update you all once I know!

I was only put on 1000mg dose of metformin and I'm pretty sure it has done nothing for me. By looking up online it looks like 1500mg-2000mg is where you need to be to have full potential. Good luck!

Bronte: Thank you! I'm so excited that you're in your IVF process!

 

[Mrs. Tigger]

MrsTigger - Now that I'm at the full 2000mg dose, I hope to start seeing good things soon! My physician said 2000mg was the minimum dose for weight loss and PCOS? I don't know if that's true, but I hope it is. My weight has been all over the place, and just when I think it's about to settle, my dose gets increased! lol. But I won't be going any higher than 2000mg now, so hopefully things level out!

Swimmy - Low GI isn't all fruits, just some of them. No peaches, nectarines, watermelon, or bananas, to name a few. I think it's mostly berries that make the 'safe' list. I love peaches so it's hard for me to skip out on those this summer!

DrJo - I also know a few people who've had the surgery done just fine, but some who also had complications. My mother's friend had severe issues with hers and then ended up addicted to morphine as a result... erf.

Urs - Any surgery is full of risks! But I'm sure they've gone over everything with you, Urs. Or at least, they should do. Make sure to write down any questions you have about it and bring that list with you when you do a consultation.

The dose seems to depend on the person. I only take 1.000 mg and it works for me.

 

[Mrs. Tigger]

Hi Ladies

I'm not doing so great today. I've done great with eating yesterday (and so far today as well), but today I'm feeling really badly. Basically just insane levels of nausea. I assume it must be my Metformin, but I've been on it for months and not really had problems with it in the past couple of months. Frustrating.

In other news, I was expecting a "high" on my Clearblue Fertility Monitor starting yesterday, but so far it's still saying "Low" (yesterday and today). And no fertile CM, either. I am afraid this might be one of those cycles where I don't ovulate (my gyno said all healthy women have 1 or 2 of those cycles per year; something about the egg just dies off instead of ovulating; they don't know why). Or maybe I'll O late. Not sure yet. But so far nothing.

How are the rest of you ladies doing?

 

[ireadyermind]

MrsTigger - Sorry to hear you're feeling so poorly. I hope you can kick that nausea! Sips of cool water and eating one or two antacid tablets helps me get through that without actually vomiting. It drastically reduces the amount of bloat I feel, too. But then I end up burping all day long.

And hopefully it's just a delayed ovulation instead of an annovulatory cycle!


AFM - Got a crazy temp spike this morning! I was expecting another dip today, down to maybe 98.2ish, and then the following day to hit 98.0, which would mean AF would arrive. Instead, I got this crazy spike!

I didn't drink at all, I got the same amount of sleep I do just about every other night... The room was warm when I woke up, but not so warm that my core temperature should have shot up like that.

I did get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, but that's nothing that's glaringly unusual. The night before last, the dog who refused to pee before bed woke me up demanding to be let out at like 1am, so I had to do that.. and my temperature was very low yesterday morning! So I don't think a trip to the bathroom this time around would cause a spike. Hmmmmm!

I'm feeling kinda hopeful!

 

[BronteForever]

IRYM - ooh, that is really promising. Fingers crossed for you that it's good news!

Mrs. Tigger - so sorry you are not feeling well. That's weird if your meds can randomly bring on nausia when they haven't in the past, but anything is possible. Or it could be any number of other causes. Hope you still ovulate this cycle though. Good luck! Also, your weight loss plan sounds great and should really help to have your goals outlined. I always feel it's easier to stick to them.

Urs - sounds like you have definitely considered every outcome. I really hope the surgery goes well and you have an easy recovery and it helps you lose the weight. Really pulling for you!

AFM - not doing great with my food either right now, but I'm not going to dwell on it. I need to go to the grocery, which has been part of my issue since I've stopped for breakfast a few times this week or dinner. And I always eat worse when eating out.

 

[swimmyj1]

urs - I bet with weight loss you will really increase your chance of pregnancy. But for sure make sure you stick with the diet plans after. My mom's friend has gained everything back and then an extra 50lbs its so hard to watch her struggle. On the better hand I also know many that have kept the weight off and enjoy life so much more now. I can't wait to hear how everything turns out! Hope you get a new support to go with you soon!

IRYM - hahah of course I was eating watermelon and pineapple haha not GI foods hehe but sooo hard in the summer, when they are so yummy. I will try using berries instead (love those too). Really have been sticking with eating a lot of chicken and eggs, so my BS have been way better the last 2 days (not 1 over 130 yay!). Trying to remember to log everything on my food planner sometimes im not as good as I should be. Also loving your temps! have you tested at all, to know if you should continue the progesterone? My fingers are super crossed!!!!

Tigger - what cd are you? I hated waiting on the monitors. Sometimes they can be so weird. I had a few cycles that never gave me a high but then randomly jumped to peak. I was glad we were bedding and I had gone in for a follicle scan the day before or we totally would have missed our window. Hoping yours is just a little late this time

Bronte - hang in there, I know eating out is hard when trying to stay healthy. My tip lately has been to ask for a to-go box to be brought out with my meal then I put 1/2 the food in the box and leave it so I don't just sit and eat everything.

AFM - Nervous I've put on a lot of weight the last 3 weeks, I haven't weighed myself my scale broke ugh! but going to see my doc on thursday and we will see then Fingers crossed gals Hope everyone in the US has something fun to do for the 4th coming up