Gonal Girls

[Chiles]

Yay!!!! Congrats Daydream!!!! I am on 150 iu as well!!! I started on cd 3 and until my follies grow big enough. Hope u have H&H 9 months!!!!

@curliegirl- I am so sorry about your bfn! I know how disappointing those are. I have not told anyone about our infertility issue either so I know the burden you are carrying is a big one. I have only told a few ppl that are very close to me. I just don't want anyone feeling sorry for me etc. if u did the trigger then u probably won't end up with cysts. Goodluck in the near future!

 

[Cridge]

Congrats Daydream!!! So happy for you!! My hcg was 61 (or 69??) on 12dpo as well! I'm so glad gonal-f did the trick for you!

Curliegirl - so sorry about the bfn!

Norah - What cd are you on? If you can hold out with this cycle, I believe your follies may continue to grow on their own! I was a slow gonal-f responder as well (and hardly responded to femara - only on very high doses, and then only once). Sometimes you just need more time for those follies to kick into gear. As my doctor called it "we needed to slap those ovaries around". It's so hard, but try to keep your chin up!

 

[Chiles]

So my nurse called back with my blood work results and CD 4 E2 levels was at 53, which she say is good. I am to continue the 150iu Gonal F and come back in Friday for another ultrasound and more bloodwork. I hope I am as lucky as DayDream and Cridge this cycle

Good Luck to everyone else !!!

 

[Curliegirlie]

So my nurse called back with my blood work results and CD 4 E2 levels was at 53, which she say is good. I am to continue the 150iu Gonal F and come back in Friday for another ultrasound and more bloodwork. I hope I am as lucky as DayDream and Cridge this cycle

Good Luck to everyone else !!!

FX for you, Chiles!

 

[Chiles]

Thanks!!! Same to you!!!

 

[norahbattie]

daydream - big congrats, here is to a happy and healthy 9 months for you, you and Cridge really give me hope that one day this gonal F drug will eventually work

Curliegirlie - I know how you feel not being able to tell anyone about your infertility issues, I really struggle with it as I like to talk to others and feel a problem shared is a problem halved. This forum really helps actually and the journal really helps me write out my emotions even if noone reads it though I do know phoenixrose reads it - thanks

Please do not be disappointed by the BFN, it will happen when the timing is right, I believe this. "Sometimes life doesn't give you what you want, not because you don't deserve it, because you deserve so much more"

Cridge - I am currently day 13 today, my obgyn consultant asked me to finish off the last dose of injection so took my 12th injection of 75iu this morning. I had a scan on day 5, 7 and 12 (took my 11th injection about a half hour before the scan) so technically she was looking at 10 days worth of injections, unfortunately that hadn't been any change on the scan since day 5. I wish I could slap around my ovaries a bit and kick them into gear, wouldn't that be great, I might move around in bed a bit more tonight before a repeat scan tomorrow morning to double check it is indeed a failed cycle though before I left my consultant told me realistically it is a failed cycle.

Apparently gonal F works on recruitment and its better to have higher doses first and then go slower, I guess this is the way she is going to do for the next cycle.

As for me, I am feeling 100% times better today after the tears have all dried up, I have focussed all my energy into studying for my exam on Saturday.

A positive thought for today:
" Rather than making all his goals be about achieving happiness, the wiser man uses happiness to achieve his meaningful goals."

 

[norahbattie]

sorry don't know why its posted twice..whoops, so deleting the contents of this one

 

[Cridge]

I like that quote Norah! I need to go back and look at my notes, because I'm starting to get all my cycles confused, but I think it was my gonal-f cycle that on CD12 I had nothing going on - my u/s tech said I looked like I was at CD6. But I ended up ovulating on CD18. (And in case I'm thinking of a different cycle than my gonal-f cycle, I still ended up ovulating.... hmmmm.... now I'm remembering something about 9 days after that u/s). Anyway - point is, it's still early - your follies might catch up! Mine did!!

 

[phoenixrose]

Curliegirlie - I know how you feel not being able to tell anyone about your infertility issues, I really struggle with it as I like to talk to others and feel a problem shared is a problem halved. This forum really helps actually and the journal really helps me write out my emotions even if noone reads it though I do know phoenixrose reads it - thanks

A positive thought for today:
" Rather than making all his goals be about achieving happiness, the wiser man uses happiness to achieve his meaningful goals."

Aww I love your quote! I'm going to add it to my book of photography and positive quotes. I have to admit, I have fallen off the pma bandwagon recently, but I'm trying to find my way back.

 

[norahbattie]

Thanks Cridge, the problem is after tomorrow's scan I think my consultant is going to call it a day and so not rescan me again until the next cycle. I am having my treatment under the NHS in England so they go according to protocol, I was under the care of the consultant but had the registrar scanning me before when I was clomid. He was so unbelievably rude and not decisive about my gonal F treatment that I decided to go to the consultant who has now taken over the scanning. She specialises in fertility and nothing else so I know she knows what she is talking about but I wish she could just fastforward and tell me what the outcome is going to be.

Fingers crossed for all of us ladies, we do deserve it
N
x

 

[Cridge]

Norah - will the consultant bring on af after your next scan? If it were me, I'd wait another couple of weeks just to see if you ovulate on your own - but I know that's a hard decision to make when you want to get a move on things. It'll all work out!

 

[norahbattie]

No, she always advises to wait it out just in case, as you say you never know what happens. A few weeks to me doesn't make a difference, it was one of the hardest decision to make when I had a failed clomid cycle and I had to wait some 46 days before the next AF came to visit but I know it is better to wait it out and be as natural as possible, there is already so many hormones going through my body I don't want add in another just because I am impatient.

 

[Cridge]

Oh good! I'm happy to hear that! I think that's the best way to roll.

 

[norahbattie]

Forgot to ask you Cridge, I see from your journal that you have battled with your weight as well though looking at your little photo, it seems you have a normal BMI, I have a large than normal BMI and am working on losing weight and hope that I can lose a stone though at the moment I am pretty stagnant. I am trying to go to the gym for at least an hour three times a week and cut down my intake, does anyone else have any tips?

Any foods to improve fertility? heard whole milk so I have changed to that...lol

 

[drsquid]

i found that despite working out i didnt lose weight until i started tracking calories. it kept me honest and kept me from thinking i really didnt eat that much etc. there are lots of great phone aps that are free and have scanning capabilities etc. i ate a lot of prepack salads (which i love) so i knew exactly what calorie count i was getting and a reasonable portion size. you may also want to invest in a hr monitor so that you get a better idea of how much of a workout you are getting. i see a lot of people at the gym who really arent working hard enough to get the cardio and fat burning effects they are looknig for.. in addition adding muscle (via weight lifting) is far more effective than trying to burn fat via cardio. i do both but the lifting really is more importnat (and you wont get big).

 

[Cridge]

Oh thanks Norah - although the only reason I use that pic is because it hides my fat well. I don't really have any tips. My problem is that I don't eat enough calories, so I'm always in starvation mode. When I'm able to eat near 2000 calories a day, I start to lose weight, but that's extremely difficult for me. I've tried diets before and I've sworn them off completely because I might lose 5 or so pounds, only to gain it all back and more. I exercise pretty regularly (well, I did before I got pregnant), and exercise does absolutely nothing for my weight - but I believe it's still necessary.

I had lost about 10 pounds over the last 2.5 years, I think because of my high dose of metformin and maybe upping my exercise... cause I didn't change my diet at all. I eat fairly well, with the exception of not eating enough. It's a battle I fear I'll have to fight for the rest of my life. Gotta love PCOS. Sorry for not being much help!

 

[norahbattie]

Thanks drsquid, I am actually doing 20 mins on the treadmill as a warmup - only a fast walk, not a run but then spend an hour or so doing circuit training and building up my weights every week, I didn't go whilst AF came to visit and became unfit with it. I really do need to stop eating, that's my downfall, i just love fast food!!

 

[Chiles]

Similar to what drsquid said, I watch what I eat, and I also dont eat anything after 8pm when I can. And I cut back on sodas, and high fructose sugar juices.

Well Ladies I did a very naughty thing...I went to an outlet store, and went to the baby section. I picked up many items but put them back....lol!!!! I did end up with this one thing...this would be my 2nd baby item I have in the guest room. I am not buying anything else!!!! However they had carters baby sets for $8-10. And some was 30-50% off. Hi, My name is Chiles and I am shopaholic!!!!!

Anywho I go in Friday to get my 2nd E2 bloodwork. I am very anxious.

 

[norahbattie]

Heehee Chiles, I am always tempted to buy things from the baby stores and try avoid the sections like the plague, I did end up bawling my eyes out in Zara one day as I saw the cutest little outfit and wanted to get it. I do feel everyone has seen me cry at one point and wonder what on earth is going on. Good luck for your latest bloodwork I hope it goes swimmingly for you.

As for me, I had another repeat scan this morning and no change in anything, no big cysts apart from my lining is improving, which is a good thing obviously. I discussed about ovarian drilling with my consultant and she wants to do this before another cycle of gonal F, my dear OH wants me to increase the dose of gonal F first before going ahead with an invasive procedure that can carry risks, I agree with him in a way. I just want a positive outcome whichever way it is.

Positive thought for today:
" Don't let your emotions ruin your plans and vision."

 

[Curliegirlie]

Norahbattie - thanks for the kind words... This group does help a lot! It's so helpful to know that others are in the same boat. I might start a journal too, just to get the emotions out.