keyahopes
Finally...after 18 cycles
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2010
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- 1,064
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Hi everyone, I have been on BnB since Feb of 2010. We started trying for our first baby in Oct 2009. I have very regular cycles, and both of us are generally healthy - exercise regularly, eat well etc, so I always assumed that it would be really easy for us. For the first few months we took it easy - BDing close to Ov time and not tracking Ov very closely.
The first month was a huuge disappointment because most of my close friends fell pregnant the first month. That's when I began reading more and realized it could take a few months.
Each month passed with AF showing up right on time. With each passing month, I would get more and more depressed. We had been married for more than 6 yrs, and parents and friends had begun asking questions. It didn't help that a lot of my friends were pregnant, or just had babies. Facebook and email because the bane of my life.
That's when I discovered all the lovely support on BnB. It was so reassuring to know that I was not alone in this suffering.
Meanwhile, I tried everything from preseed, to softcups, to herbal medicines. None of it appeared to help. I tried ov strips one cycle, but it left me more confused that ever.
Every waking minute of the day, this was all I thought about. We withdrew a bit from social interactions, because I couldn't stand peoples' questions, or their pregnancies.
In sept '10, a year after we started trying, we began testing. We went through the usual - blood tests, HSG, sperm analysis, and everything came back normal. So it was unexplained IF We then visited an RE in Nov, who gave us options including IUI and IVF. He didn't think clomid alone was a great idea, since i was already ovulating, so he suggested clomid with IUI.
Meanwhile, additional testing showed that my prolactin was slightly elevated, as was my FSH (only marginally). RE didn't think we needed to do anything about it.
Since DH and I were reluctant to begin medications, we decided to do IUI without medication. The IUI itself was a very simple procedure. DH's sperm counts looked excellent. But the first month of IUI, I had a particularly long cycle where I ovulated around day 18. So it was a long wait, and AF showed up right on time. I was devastated, to say the least.
I had also begun blogging during that time, which was also a huge outlet. We decided to try one more cycle of natural IUI, before proceeding to clomid+IUI.
During the time, I researched and found that it is best for DH to abstain for 2 days or less before the IUI, since that was when the sperm are fresher. I had been asked to call the clinic when I got a positive OPK. My clinic is open in the mornings on weekends. Unfortunately, I got my positive OPK on saturday noon, and by the time I called the clinic to schedule IUI the next day, they were closed.
We decided to try the clinic the next morning. But also decided to BD, just in case we couldn't do the IUI. That evening I could feel strong Ov pains.
The next day we got to do the IUI fortunately. Two weeks later, I was all set for AF to show up, because I had normal AF like cramps. I had a glass of sangria to show disdain for AF and waited. On the day of AF, she didn't show up, but I knew I could be just a day late. The next day, I woke and felt my nipples become very sore. DH had gone to work, and I decided to try a cheapie test, just for the heck of it. I was all set to see a BFN, when clear as day, the next line showed up!
I began weeping and shaking - happy scared and terrified all at once. Once DH got back, I showed him the test. He wasn't convinced so we called up the clinic to get beta levels. The beta came back with good numbers!
However, then I began spotting. I spotted on and off till 7.5 weeks. I expected to lose the baby any minute. Once I saw heavy clots and thought it was all over.
Fortunately, we went for an early scan and saw our lil bean's heartbeat. So on our 18th cycle, we had done it!
Today I am 13 wks and 3 days along. The first trimester was a scary place to be, because I was always expecting the worst. I realized that pregnancy after infertility was not at all easy. Your fears are much worse than for someone who can get pregnant easily. You read and know too much, which doesn't help either.
I had the courage to post this only now, because I wanted to get past the first Tri. I had no symptoms whatsoever, and had an easy first tri (healthwise at least, not mentally).
I wanted to wish you all the very best. Ignore people who ask you to relax. Do your research, and consult a good doctor whom you feel comfortable with. Support your partner and lean on him in times of distress, because no one will understand you better.
Keep hoping and believing!
The first month was a huuge disappointment because most of my close friends fell pregnant the first month. That's when I began reading more and realized it could take a few months.
Each month passed with AF showing up right on time. With each passing month, I would get more and more depressed. We had been married for more than 6 yrs, and parents and friends had begun asking questions. It didn't help that a lot of my friends were pregnant, or just had babies. Facebook and email because the bane of my life.
That's when I discovered all the lovely support on BnB. It was so reassuring to know that I was not alone in this suffering.
Meanwhile, I tried everything from preseed, to softcups, to herbal medicines. None of it appeared to help. I tried ov strips one cycle, but it left me more confused that ever.
Every waking minute of the day, this was all I thought about. We withdrew a bit from social interactions, because I couldn't stand peoples' questions, or their pregnancies.
In sept '10, a year after we started trying, we began testing. We went through the usual - blood tests, HSG, sperm analysis, and everything came back normal. So it was unexplained IF We then visited an RE in Nov, who gave us options including IUI and IVF. He didn't think clomid alone was a great idea, since i was already ovulating, so he suggested clomid with IUI.
Meanwhile, additional testing showed that my prolactin was slightly elevated, as was my FSH (only marginally). RE didn't think we needed to do anything about it.
Since DH and I were reluctant to begin medications, we decided to do IUI without medication. The IUI itself was a very simple procedure. DH's sperm counts looked excellent. But the first month of IUI, I had a particularly long cycle where I ovulated around day 18. So it was a long wait, and AF showed up right on time. I was devastated, to say the least.
I had also begun blogging during that time, which was also a huge outlet. We decided to try one more cycle of natural IUI, before proceeding to clomid+IUI.
During the time, I researched and found that it is best for DH to abstain for 2 days or less before the IUI, since that was when the sperm are fresher. I had been asked to call the clinic when I got a positive OPK. My clinic is open in the mornings on weekends. Unfortunately, I got my positive OPK on saturday noon, and by the time I called the clinic to schedule IUI the next day, they were closed.
We decided to try the clinic the next morning. But also decided to BD, just in case we couldn't do the IUI. That evening I could feel strong Ov pains.
The next day we got to do the IUI fortunately. Two weeks later, I was all set for AF to show up, because I had normal AF like cramps. I had a glass of sangria to show disdain for AF and waited. On the day of AF, she didn't show up, but I knew I could be just a day late. The next day, I woke and felt my nipples become very sore. DH had gone to work, and I decided to try a cheapie test, just for the heck of it. I was all set to see a BFN, when clear as day, the next line showed up!
I began weeping and shaking - happy scared and terrified all at once. Once DH got back, I showed him the test. He wasn't convinced so we called up the clinic to get beta levels. The beta came back with good numbers!
However, then I began spotting. I spotted on and off till 7.5 weeks. I expected to lose the baby any minute. Once I saw heavy clots and thought it was all over.
Fortunately, we went for an early scan and saw our lil bean's heartbeat. So on our 18th cycle, we had done it!
Today I am 13 wks and 3 days along. The first trimester was a scary place to be, because I was always expecting the worst. I realized that pregnancy after infertility was not at all easy. Your fears are much worse than for someone who can get pregnant easily. You read and know too much, which doesn't help either.
I had the courage to post this only now, because I wanted to get past the first Tri. I had no symptoms whatsoever, and had an easy first tri (healthwise at least, not mentally).
I wanted to wish you all the very best. Ignore people who ask you to relax. Do your research, and consult a good doctor whom you feel comfortable with. Support your partner and lean on him in times of distress, because no one will understand you better.
Keep hoping and believing!
I have a dear friend with the same name.
. 
