Softcup Users: The Official 2010 Testing Thread!!

[lisaf]

I posted a rather graphic description of how to save some sperm when you put the cup in a few posts back... but this cycle I took the lip of the softcup and sort of scraped the excess back in (just the stuff that had dripped to the outside of me). There was quite a BIT of it too! Made me feel better when putting it in, knowing for sure there was semen in there.

luckyme - As long as you catch your cervix inside the softcup, its pretty much where it needs to be! You can try and feel your cervix through the cup if you're worried you missed it!

honeybee - this was my 2nd softcup cycle, but my first cycle where I had good progesterone (due to a higher dose of clomid). This was our 11month of trying. It makes me laugh because its JUST under the wire for that official 'infertile' label, and that it was right after every single deadline I set myself!

Updated my journal with my latest blood results for those who are interested.

 

[sarlar]

called obgyn this am and they first thought i was pregnant because of all the spotting and the fact it had stopped yesterday morning and wanted me to go for a beta, but i said i am due today so i would wait till wednesday. of course, af showed up around noon. needless to say i am a total wreck along with in severe pain/cramps. i asked if they would up my dose since this has been three months at 50 mg wiht no results and my progesterones have been borderline at 10, 13, and now 11. but, my md is on vacation and no one is willing to overstep his boundaries so looks like i am back on 50 again. feel like there is no hope and dont even know if i want to take it. plus, his nurse told me the closest fs is over 2 hours away.

 

[lisaf]

called obgyn this am and they first thought i was pregnant because of all the spotting and the fact it had stopped yesterday morning and wanted me to go for a beta, but i said i am due today so i would wait till wednesday. of course, af showed up around noon. needless to say i am a total wreck along with in severe pain/cramps. i asked if they would up my dose since this has been three months at 50 mg wiht no results and my progesterones have been borderline at 10, 13, and now 11. but, my md is on vacation and no one is willing to overstep his boundaries so looks like i am back on 50 again. feel like there is no hope and dont even know if i want to take it. plus, his nurse told me the closest fs is over 2 hours away.

UGH that really stinks!! Every bit of it!! When is GP back?
My GYN wouldn't up my dose as he said that clomid makes you ovulate and as long as I was ovulating, that I didn't need more... first cycle I got it upped it finally worked.. coincidence? Think not! Can't wait to go see him and tell him how wrong he was. I did 4 rounds of 50mg with him. Good news is my FS didn't count those against me as they weren't doing much for me, so he was going to give me 6 more tries.

I know you can't force them to up the dose, but schedule an appointment to see your doc the instant they are back and hound him! If he won't up it... go try the FS.. maybe you can get the bloodwork done locally and reduce the amount of times you have to drive there?

 

[sarlar]

thanks lisa. hey i know you did some acupuncture and was looking into that option to help things along. how often did you have to go and how much did it cost?? i am gonna make some calls this week. i also started b-complex along with my regular prenatals. do you have any other advice ideas?? do you think my progesterone numbers are high enough?? were you on progesterone supplements? have you ever used progesterone cream? lol sorry for all the question. now that you are a success story and i seem to be similar to you i gotta get all the dish!!

 

[mushypea]

Sarlar

 

[lisaf]

thanks lisa. hey i know you did some acupuncture and was looking into that option to help things along. how often did you have to go and how much did it cost?? i am gonna make some calls this week. i also started b-complex along with my regular prenatals. do you have any other advice ideas?? do you think my progesterone numbers are high enough?? were you on progesterone supplements? have you ever used progesterone cream? lol sorry for all the question. now that you are a success story and i seem to be similar to you i gotta get all the dish!!

If your progesterone was over 10 (US figures) then it should be enough. 15 is better for a clomid round, but I only got up past 10 this last cycle. I have progesterone suppositories but only started them once I got my BFP as my 'day 21' bloods were spot on. (never used the cream)
I went weekly for the acupuncture. I don't know that it helped much with my cycle to be very honest, progesterone didn't go up etc... but it helped SOOOO much with stress... I like to say it was weekly therapy with acupuncture and a foot massage thrown in!

I take the B-complex, daily mutlivitamin (prenatals made me sick) and added omega 3 oil capsules especially since I don't eat any fish.
My acupuncture cost me $85 a week.. insurance is supposed to pay me $20 per session as its being billed as a non-fertility diagnosis. Never tried to file the claims though. I may try now.. can't hurt.
I was seriously getting highly strung and on edge every single day about TTC before acupuncture, feeling desperate etc and she calmed me down and helped me feel like it will happen and its just a process etc.
She also ordered some tests for me when I was between my GYN and my FS so I went to the FS with more data. It was nice to have someone involved with my cycles every single week.. helped me not feel so alone. I think I did it for 4-5 cycles (still going right now for the next week or so).

 

[lisaf]

Still can't figure out how we afforded the acupuncture..... figure its the same cost as therapy though, lol.

 

[sarlar]

ha funny. i think i need that though as i tend to obsess! it is almost to the point where my dh is thinking we need a break soon because i put so much pressure on myself and am so upset when it doesnt work. never failed at anything i set my mind to so this is driving my up the wall!! starting to not feel so sad tonight.... trying to look forward to another cycle. ordered more preseed and soft cups!!!

 

[lisaf]

Its almost easier when AF comes and you can move on!
Yeah, acupuncture was a huge help to me emotionally... I would recommend it to anyone based on that alone!
Try my scoop method with the softcups too! Thats something I did different with this cycle. I really hope it happens for you soon!

 

[honeybee28]

awwww im sorry sarlar, stupid witch.

yey lisaf that's great, you give me hope!! im on cycle 9 at the moment, so maybe i'll get it in the next few months. would you recommend acupuncture?

 

[sarlar]

thanks honey

sweet pea, you tested yet??? where you at?

 

[sarlar]

lisa=which days did you take the clomid? was thinking of adjusting days as i have been taking days 5-9. i know they make the best follies but not as many right??

 

[sarlar]

september 22 for my new test date i believe

 

[lisaf]

I took clomid days 3-7, I know we have our theories as to why its taken at certain times vs. others. I asked my FS and he said it doesn't really matter I was always too scared to go against their instructions though!

 

[HappyLady]

September 22nd is my birthday...I WISH YOU LUCK!! When you took clomid lisaf did it not make you crazy?!? When I took it the 1st month I was soooooo onary, and the 2nd month I cried over everything!! Well lucky for you, you don't have to take anything anymore for awhile

 

[lisaf]

September 22nd is my birthday...I WISH YOU LUCK!! When you took clomid lisaf did it not make you crazy?!? When I took it the 1st month I was soooooo onary, and the 2nd month I cried over everything!! Well lucky for you, you don't have to take anything anymore for awhile

Thanks! I didn't have any real side effects on the 50mg.. just a bit depressed during week 2 of my cycle. On the 100mg I had one 'moment' where I was freaking out because I couldn't find the dog's bone before bed. I got all worked up, spent half an hour on my hands and knees (it was also my birthday so I was mad that I was picking up DH's dirty kleenexes on my B-day)... and ended up in tears because DH told me to 'let it go' that the dog didn't really need his bone! It took a total of 45 minutes but I found it, and the dog went to town on it, so I was totally justified, right?

 

[fluterby429]

can you please put me down for testing Sept. 5? I used the soft cups all thru my fertile period this cycle. I'm currently about 2DPO...my ticker is off

 

[DaretoDream]

can you put me down for September 19th?

 

[stay.positive]

I will be testing around the 5th too, unless AF shows up before that. I am really trying not to poas too early.

 

[sarlar]

lisa- totally justified..lol... well i am thinking of being bold and changing things up from days 5-9 to 2 or 3 -5or6. i think i deserve to go against mds instructions since he is enjoying a nice vacation and totally left me to the wind!! haha....