LTTTC #1 - Support Group *Please share your story

[ces2008]

I've been watching this thread, but just finally got on a computer to add myself. I love this btw!

I'm Carrie. I'm 26 from Duluth, MN, USA. DH is Josh. He is 27. We have been together 11 years. High school Sweethearts! We go married June 13, 2008, after being together for 6 years. In our entire relationship, we have never really used any for of Birth Control. I was on the pill for all of, maybe, 2 months. Should have known that it would take us so long.
I've wanted a baby since I was a teen. Obviously I didn't have one. We finally decided to officially TTC on June 1, 2011. We hoped it would happen in a few months. Now we hit the 2 year mark, with no hint of a BFP. I've had a Diagnostic Lap looking for Endo before we started actively TTC. Since starting, I have had bloodwork, HSG, Ultrasounds and DH had a SA. Everything came back normal. So we are labeld with "Unexplained Female Infertility"
I ovulate on my own, but my OBGYN put me on Clomid to help strengthen it. I did 6 failed cycles, doses 50-150mg. Then, he sent me to see a Nurse Practitioner who runs the Fertillity Clinic.
I was instructed to take this cycle off of treatments to let my body relax from the Clomid. Then, at the beginning of next cycle, I will start my first Letrozole cycle. I'm so hopeful that I get my BFP soon!
During all of this, my sister had her 4th baby. All "accidents." Also, DH's stepsister got pregnant at 13, and gave birth exactly 13 days after she turned 14. Nobody in my family has ever had fertility issues. Except me.
I also have diagnosed Major Depressive Disorder and Major Anxiety Disorder. This struggle hasn't helped that. My family all know everything that's been happening. I have to tell them, cuz I need my entire support system in my corner. To help me handle all the ups and downs. Also included in my support system is my PsychoTherapist Mark. He is amazing. I've seen 3 different therapists, including him. He is the only one who has actually helped me at all. I see him every 2-3 weeks, and it's amazing how much it helps.
Thank you for starting this thread! And thanks to anyone who takes the time to read it.

 

[Ella_Hopeful]

Hi,

I'm on one of the other LTTTC threads, but it's dying slowly now with lots of BFPs (there is hope!)... so I thought I'd join this one.

My name is Ella and my DH is called Jack. We're both in our 20s. We got married in Septmember 2011 and started TTC right away. I had a chemical pregnancy in March 2012, which was devastating... but apart from that, nothing doing. We went for tests at a year, and everything came back 'almost' fine. As in, DH is perfectly fertile, I ovulate, but I'm slightly irregular and hormones are always just a little bit off... but the doctors don't seem to mind that...

I had an HSG earlier in the year and showed one blocked tube, but when they repeated the HSG they were both clear.

I'm scheduled for a lap. in July to see if I have endometriosis, because I have very painful periods...

Meanwhile, my DH's brother is having a baby with his 19yr old gf, only been together a year and she's already 6 months pg. The family has gone babycentric, so I'm staying away from everyone, keeping to my quiet corner

I'm onto my 4th month of clomid now, and cycle 21 since we started TTC. I don't think the clomid doing anything for me, as I already ovulate anyway and I haven't had multiple follicles or anything. After this, a break for the lap., and then depending on results we'll see what's next!

Nice to meet you all, and thanks for reading if you did! I enjoyed reading all your stories too and I look forward to having a safe place to vent, complain and make friends!

 

[Myshelsong]

Pipi - Remember the supplements do take a month or two to make an impact on semen, so dont give up after a month keep making him take them. I bought my DH and me matching pill boxes and we take them at the same time, like an old married couple.

Hi Ces - Depression is the worst. I have always been an emotional person but this has really taken a toll, I feel like I am not even a real person some days and that if I just got pg everything would be fine again. Glad that you are seeking help and that you are having success in battling it.
I cannot believe pregnant at 13 that is so crazy young! WTF? My sister has 10 year old boys so for some reason the idea of them procreating in 3 years just freaks me right out.

Ella - Glad you could join our group and what you said about the other group makes me smile. It can happen! For some reason I have it in my head that after a certain amount of time that it is impossible and I am only humouring myself

At work now trying to avoid clients. Hope everyone has a great week!

 

[TLB1986]

I feel your pain!! It is so hard sometimes. I thought after having the lap everything would be good... that was in January and still nothing. Hope your surgery goes well.

 

[bunni4688]

Hello ladies! Mind if I join?

I'm fairly new to ltttc and haven't really felt like I fit anywhere else. I knew we were going to have problems from the start. I have always had irregular cycles (27-80 days). I just knew there was something wrong with me, but I had hope that we would conceive naturally. The first year was the hardest year of my life. I had no idea how painful it would be to experience month after month of disappointment. A year came and went without a hint of a bfp. I decided to see a reproductive endocrinologist in March. After testing I was diagnosed with lean pcos and possible endometriosis. I had a very large cyst on my left ovary so he put me on bcp for a month. After the bcp the cyst was gone and hsg was clear. Then I did three rounds of clomid (50mg, 100mg, 150mg) with absolutely no response. I am going to try one round of femara (start friday) before moving on to lap for ovarian drilling and to look for endo.

Good luck to everyone and hopefully we'll see some bfp's soon!

 

[Myshelsong]

Hey bunny, good luck with femara, hopefully it will help you O!

A couple of us have a lap scheduled in two weeks ... A am cautiously optimistic although feel we will need iui our ivf if this doesn't work.

 

[Myshelsong]

I feel your pain!! It is so hard sometimes. I thought after having the lap everything would be good... that was in January and still nothing. Hope your surgery goes well.

Did they find anything on your lap? How was recovery, date is getting closer and starting to get nervous ...

I have three fur babies as well! Two cats Lelu and Corbin, and our newest addition our dog Calla who we adopted when she was 9 months.

 

[dovkav123]

Hello ladies. Thank you for sharing your stories. Me and DH were married 2008 but didnt start trying until 2010. I knew something was wrong when I was younger, around 25, but i didnt know what. I had never been pregnant, never even had a scare. Come to find out i have BOTH tubes blocked. I was on BC for 2 years for no reason!!A lap in november confirmed the blockages and my doc couldn't remove them. They told us we would only conceive with IVF, which costs 15,000. We dont have that kinda money. I was devastated. Hurt, annoyed, broken. I decided that I wanted to try and unblock myself and took an enzyme and did castor oil packs for 4 months. In April I had an hsg that showed my right tube open!!!!! Elation! We have a chance to do it naturally. In may i did 100mg clomid but it didnt work. I just met with my doc who advised me that iui may not work (its much cheaper, only 1500) because the cilia in my tubes may not push the egg to the uterus. It may be damaged because of the blockages. Heartbroken. Again. So here I am. Not pregnant. With a younger sister that has two beautiful kids and a brother who may get married soon. I am terrified she will be preggo before me.

Congrats on your good results! You opened your tube with patients and hard work! Don't beleave what doctor says about cillia, you'll see you'll get preggo on your own.
I am 33, and DH is 50.We are trying for 18 months now and all the tests are great. On May we did ultrasound and we saw amazing 2 cm egg. That evening I felt pain and I ovulated. I have period now.I was so upset,,, This egg is in my head every day! Why sperm and egg can not meet! My dr. suspects endo and adhesions from ruptured appendix. She wants to do Lap, but I am very scared. I want to do saline ultrasound (maybe 3D) first.
Also I will put castor oil packs ON MY PELVIS and take serrapeptase enzyme. ILOVEGOOB Please TELL ME WHEN AND HOW OFTEN DID YOU USE CASTOR OIL AND HOW MANY UNITS DID YOU TAKE AN ENZYME.
All 3 cousins we are trying to conceive and one already went for a blood test to confirm her preggo and another cousin just starting to conceive. My girlfriend just anounced with a photo on facebook that she is expecting second child. I am happy for them but it hurts me...
Ladies, who are doing lap this month. I want to know the details.
Baby dust and stay hopeful!

 

[pbl_ge]

This thread is great--so many lovely ladies sharing their stories.

CES, welcome! Sorry you're got such extra struggles to deal with. It's lovely that you married your high school sweetheart, though! I hope the Letrazole works for you. My doc told me that there was no need to chart anymore, but I don't really want to stop. At the very least I want to make sure I confirm O each month, so that I know exactly when it happened. I decided I'll even do that next month (lap month), so that I'll know when AF will show. It's the only thing that makes me feel like I have any kind of handle on what's happening with my body parts these days. Sending you lots of !

I'd call a pregnancy at 13 potential child abuse, but that's just me.

Welcome, Ella! Hope this month works for you so that you don't need to have the lap!

TLB! Yay for fur babies! We have two: 12 year old cat, Guido Benini, and a retired racing greyhound, Duke. Duke is the best thing EVER. I just love him to pieces. I'm with Myshel--would love to hear more about your lap!

Hi, Bunni! Hope the Femara works for you--I did some reading (I'm a researcher, so I occasionally look up scientific articles on I/F), and it seems like Femara is a MUCH better drug for PCOS. The docs thought I had "lean PCOS," too, but I don't. Just weirdly high AMH. Glad the cyst went away!

Dovkav! The lap is scary, but all the ladies who have had it say it's very easy. Many get quick bfps, too! So I'm optimistic!

to everyone else!

AFM, we're headed on a short vacation tomorrow. I'm going to try and stay away from BnB while I'm gone, just as a little break, although I'll likely stalk for news. I'll come back right before the lap. In the meantime, really hoping AF will come soon so that the worst is over before we head out, although it might already be too late.

Sending everyone lots of dust!!!

 

[Praying4bump]

Hi Ladies!
I'm 29, DH is 33. We have been ttc offically for 2 years this month. I've always had painful AF's but the month we started ttc I started have bad pain in my ovaries almost everyday and even went to the ER for a rupture. 8 painful months later and a series of test with my kidneys and ultrasound with my old OB and my new new OB, I was told I might have endo. My new OB performed a lap and confirmed that it was severe endo. He perfomed an ablation. We though we were good to go since the paing got a lot better but never left. 8 months later no baby and the pain was starting to increas again we decided it was time for a FS. Both hubby and I did the work up, he has Super Sperm except sometimes it can be watery (remedy is for me to lay down after BDing). AFM, another lap for endo was performed with excision (said to have better results) and he cleared the scar tissue from my tubes and opened them, and removed a couple smaill fibroids. Dx with Stage 4 endo (everything was stuck together). RE cleared us 8 weeks later to ttc.

I was in BC for a few weeks because I was going to start femara but it was post poned because test showed I also have mild pcos. Now Im on metformin and I was also given synthroid because my thyroid levels were 2.8 as compared to under 2 like they like to see it. After a horrible period last week, I will be trying femara in 3 weeks.

 

[dovkav123]

Hi Ladies!
I'm 29, DH is 33. We have been ttc offically for 2 years this month. I've always had painful AF's but the month we started ttc I started have bad pain in my ovaries almost everyday and even went to the ER for a rupture. 8 painful months later and a series of test with my kidneys and ultrasound with my old OB and my new new OB, I was told I might have endo. My new OB performed a lap and confirmed that it was severe endo. He perfomed an ablation. We though we were good to go since the paing got a lot better but never left. 8 months later no baby and the pain was starting to increas again we decided it was time for a FS. Both hubby and I did the work up, he has Super Sperm except sometimes it can be watery (remedy is for me to lay down after BDing). AFM, another lap for endo was performed with excision (said to have better results) and he cleared the scar tissue from my tubes and opened them, and removed a couple smaill fibroids. Dx with Stage 4 endo (everything was stuck together). RE cleared us 8 weeks later to ttc.

I was in BC for a few weeks because I was going to start femara but it was post poned because test showed I also have mild pcos. Now Im on metformin and I was also given synthroid because my thyroid levels were 2.8 as compared to under 2 like they like to see it. After a horrible period last week, I will be trying femara in 3 weeks.

I am sorry you feel sick today! I give you . I hope you'll feel better!
I took BC for 2 years. I finished the last pack and had period for 7-8 days, very heavy and very painful. That problem lasted for years. Since January I am on anti-infammatory diet. No fried foods, no sugar, no white bread, no pork or beef, no milk (only yogurt), no coffee. I eat fish, eggs, turkey, chicken, complex carbs, legumes, anti-inflammatory spices and herbs, cruciferous veggies and lots of berries. Also I make natural tea during my period, that helps to thin my blood, so i have less clots. I made a video, but now I have difficulties uploading. I really want to share my success! Now I have very mild, light periods that lasts 5-6 days. Now during my period I have ovaries pains. Ultrasound on May didn't show cysts.
to all

 

[Myshelsong]

Hi praying, that sounds like a crazy journey. Hopefully it will happen for you soon!
How was recovery time with your last lap?
Wish I could do an anti inflammatory diet, where do you find info on this?

Officially two years matured and two years trying today. Going to celebrate with my hubby and not get to upset.

What are you ladies up to?

 

[Praying4bump]

My recovery time for the ablation was faster maybe 3 days before I felt 95% normal. I had it on Friday morning and I went back to work on Tuesday, though I could have gone back on monday.

The excision lap was a good 3 weeks before I felt 80% normal. since everything was stuck together, they had to make a larger then usual excision to take it all out.

 

[aurorasaurus]

Hi all!

I'm fairly new to the site but hubs & I have been TTC for 2.5 years now. I had perused the site a little, but had a hard time relating to the regular TTC boards (don't feel like I fit in with 23 year olds TTC for 2 months and omg-so-bummed about it ) but wasn't sure I was ready to admit that I might fit into the LTTTC group but after reading through this thread I feel ya ladies!!! I do think that we should/could have started more than just calendar-based timing, part of my problem over the last 2-3 years is that I think I just thought that I could somehow out-smart it.

Hubs & I have lived in the same place for our whole lives, then I had to move last year (without him) and we only see each other once, maybe a few, times each month, which I'm sure you can imagine really messes with our timing! I know the risks of extended exposure to clomid and I don't want to start until we're formally living back together again .

In my mid 20's I did 4 cycles of egg donation for an anonymous infertile couple, and so I've gone through cycles of menopur, follastim, gonal-F, and egg retrieval procedure, and if that's the next step for us after clomid, I'm ready & have no fear! (well, except for the $ that is... )

Good luck to you all!

 

[Myshelsong]

Hi Auror ... Welcome.
Have you or your dh had any tests?

Also, why the medical disclaimer in your signature, never seen this before?

 

[aurorasaurus]

Hi Auror ... Welcome.
Have you or your dh had any tests?

Also, why the medical disclaimer in your signature, never seen this before?

Initial tests came back ok (his were perfect, I might not be ovulating some months though)

I'm a (after post edit, updating job title to "Chief Medical Officer of the Zombie Apocolypse Preparedness Team"), and our hospital has some really aggressive internet monitoring policies, so on facebook & any other online representation of ourselves or the hospital we have to state a disclaimer.

 

[pbl_ge]

Welcome, Aurora! Interesting about the disclaimer. When you say that you have had friends sued for less, dear lord what on earth were they sued for?? Bummer about being in a different place than your OH. Definitely makes things tricky! How long will that go on?

My recovery time for the ablation was faster maybe 3 days before I felt 95% normal. I had it on Friday morning and I went back to work on Tuesday, though I could have gone back on monday.

The excision lap was a good 3 weeks before I felt 80% normal. since everything was stuck together, they had to make a larger then usual excision to take it all out.

Thanks, Praying. I had to look up ablation versus excision. This is the clearest explanation I found, in case anyone else wants to see it. I guess you don't know which one you'll need until they're in there with the laparoscope.
https://www.diamondobgyn.com/Groups...ife_Services/Endometriosis/Endometriosis.aspx

 

[Myshelsong]

Auroro ... That is nuts but better to be safe than sorry, especially in the states. I am in Canada and although is bad is not as bad for personal lawsuits.

That does suck with your dh, how far away is he?

Thanks got the info pebble!

 

[aurorasaurus]

Welcome, Aurora! Interesting about the disclaimer. When you say that you have had friends sued for less, dear lord what on earth were they sued for?? Bummer about being in a different place than your OH. Definitely makes things tricky! How long will that go on?

Hubs will be formally moving here in August. We're 6 hours apart now. If we each drive 3, we're in the middle of nowhere, not even pretty-nowhere, like strip malls and interstate nowhere :/ We still manage to see each other 2-3 times/month at best, sometimes just once, but we're taking a nice long 10 day vaca coming up soon So I'm hoping for a long cycle this month (mine range 26-38! We'll see!

 

[Myshelsong]

People are crazy that is the Dumbest thing I have ever heard! What people think they are owed for just being alive and in our way, it disgusts me.
Totally understand the signature now!

Edit ** Sorry if that is harsh but it is true.