Welcome to 'Trying To Conceive Over 35'

[Grey Eyes]

AFM- just got back from the emergency room. T got stung by bee (or wasp ) and her hand started to swell massively. We gave her Benadryl and they put an ice pack on it. The swelling is normal but dh is severely allergic to bee stings so we worried it might be genetic Anyway this is her second sting total and they told us that the second sting should generally let us know if she is allergic. Apparently not so this was one of those, um, worried parent trips to the ER instead of a necessary trip... She is milking it for all she can though, trying to get chocolate chip cookies out of me and dis her chores I did do her chores for her (why me? ) though Now just gotta get them to bed and asleep and I can relax a minute before my own bedtime! YAY!

 

[Philomena]

I don't think it's ever a bad idea to go the Emergency room, when you aren't certain about allergies. ESPECIALLY since papa is deathly allergic himself.... better safe than sorry....
Still keep an eye on any further stings, because if she does have any sort of sensitivity reaction, it's very common for each subsequent sting to be worse than the one before.

I hope the Braxton-Hicks are settling down....

phil.

 

[Grey Eyes]

I don't think it's ever a bad idea to go the Emergency room, when you aren't certain about allergies. ESPECIALLY since papa is deathly allergic himself.... better safe than sorry....
Still keep an eye on any further stings, because if she does have any sort of sensitivity reaction, it's very common for each subsequent sting to be worse than the one before.

I hope the Braxton-Hicks are settling down....

phil.

Thanks! Yes, that is what they told us that each subsequent sting could get worse. Anyway the doctor chided us roughly and warned us of cost, bla bla...this is my child though!

How has your day been? Are you okay considering everything that has been going on? I hope you are, I know you are strong, and I can't wait to see bump pics! (HINT HINT) Many - Coy

 

[Grey Eyes]

Ali- how did your appointment go today? Did you have follies ready to pop? I can't wait for you to get this all done, we want to see your Got a good feeling for you this month How are you? Hope you're not stressing out too bad, I know you are though, life makes us do that wether we want to or not! In your situation I'd end up clobbering my co-worker--yes, he darn well should cover his own shift and quit expecting you to be there for hima ll the itme! I was like that at work too though, always covering for everyone. I liked the bigger pay checks But at this point you need your rest and if you can't schedule a different day with your doc then you have to take them off- this is far more important, try not to worry. I am glad your boss is so supportive!

Let us know how everything went, lotsa

P.s. and lots this too --

 

[alicatt]

Hi All,

WOW has today every been miserable!


Coy - yikes about your DD and the sting. Definitely take each sting as if it could be worse than the one before. Especially if the first was a bee sting and this was a wasp. You just never know, and with the DH's severe allergy, you don't want to risk it. I would even consider getting an Epi-Pen, better to be safe than sorry.

Hello to everyone else.. Phil, BabyWhisperer, FirstTry, Angel, Jess! Miss you guys, so sorry I haven't been around as much lately. Between working 10 hours, and the 1 hour commute, plus the 30-60 mins at the Dr's everyday, there just isn't much time to do anything else! That and my idiot co-worker (the new one) is impossible. I swear he cannot think on his own, and needs me or my boss to prod him forward with each step. I did not sign up to do his work and mine too! AHHHH.

So to make matters worse.. I get a call on my way to see my FS from my OBGYN. My pap smear came back less than stellar, and they want me to come in for a culposcopy (sp). At which point I said.. WAIT! you cannot be serious. I'm about to have my egg retrieval and transfer in the next few days. I'm not sure we can be doing anything up there in my cervix or it will probably cancel my IVF! So she said she would talk to my OBGYN Dr and see if he felt that the test was something that could be done during an IVF treatment. I then proceeded to my FS and told them about it, got a copy of the results faxed to them. My FS said (not to me but through their nurse) that the results were no biggie and we can continue with the plan. I'm going to ask him more about it tomorrow, but what do you guys think? When my FS's nurse talked to me about it she said that the results were not conclusive, and the abnormality was of undetermined significance. IDK what that means, so I want to understand why he isn't worried, and whether we will be doing any follow up when I get pregnant. See how I said when? :hehe: I mean I don't want to ignore the results, but I sure as heck don't want to stop my IVF either, IFKWIM?
So that on top of the strange infection in my bladder, and now the doxycycline that I'm taking, plus I swear my boobs have grown an entire cup size in 2 days, and the US tech was poking me and prodding me so badly I have been cramping all day. I'm just a walking disaster at this point.
The US tech did my US this morning and my follicles have barely grown they are in the 15-17mm range. They are growing and my estrogen is climbing at the proper rate of doubling every 2 days. To days ago it was 1900 now it is 3450 (well almost doubling). They are trying to slow it down now because they don't want it to go over 4000 or OHSS will be an issue. The target for my retrieval is indeed Friday, and my transfer will be Monday. I found out today that I will have to be on strict bed rest for 2 days after my transfer. I'm like, umm, I live in a 2 story house and have 2 doggies that require my attention. I am not able to stay in bed for 2 days without at least getting up to feed them water them and feed/bathe/water myself! Which will require me to get out of bed!!!

Sorry to rant, but today has NOT been a great day

With all that said, I am doing my best to stay positive and cannot wait for the transfer to be complete and be back to my normal self! Even if it means being on Progesterone and Estrogen and going during the 2WW.

QUESTION: So if the 2WW normally starts after ovulation, which for me should be happening around Thurs/Fri (if it were naturally to occur), and the ER is occurring Friday. The transfer is occurring on Monday, and they are placing the embryos directly into my uterus (saving the 4-6 day commute down the tubes). Don't you think that my symptoms would start sooner? That my would show sooner? It sounds to me like I'm shaving 3 days off my 2WW. What do you guys think?

 

[Grey Eyes]

Wow, Ali! What ahelluva day for you! Too much stress woman! Let's break it down:

K.

1) when I hear words like "not stellar" that means "not much to worry about".So I would put that in a bucket with a lid on it and set it out back somewhere and forget about it

2) when I hear words like "undetermined significance" then I seriously wouldn't worry. It means "not much to worry about" if anything, in my opinion. I think your IVF doc would know, and (s)he'll steer you straight. So drop those issues from your mind- if you can- and just focus on those follies! Can you use a hot pad again?

3) Bed rest. The definition of bed rest is : A person on strict bed rest must remain in bed at all times. Did your doc specify STRCT bed rest or do you get bathroom priveleges? If it's strict then here is what I woudl do:

Sleep downstairs ona cot or couch if you have to. Do you have a downstairs bathroom? Hm...the doggies...do you have a firend could let them out a couple times a day? I wonder...often hospitals will loan wheel chairs, then you could wheel yourself aorund if you had to. I would say just try to veg the 2 days away to best of your ability, including spongebaths when you need to. 2 days wouldn't be so bad, and all so worth it! Stock up on stuff you could use, like, batteries for your remote control! Chocolate, some ready made or easy food, delivery food maybe? Small cash for delivery if you need it...a garbage can by your couch/bed so you don't have to get up too often. Geeeeeeez, don't you know how to take it easy? JK! You are always so busy 2 days bedrest would be a nightmare for you! I am exhausted- tell your doc I'll take your bed rest anyday!

 

[Philomena]

Hi Ali,
what a horrible day for you!
I would't worry too much about your pap results. I had to have a colposcopy once which essentially means they didn't like the look of the cells on the surface of the cervix and so they scrape them off. Then they watch you a little more frequently for a year or two.... I had unusual cervical cells when I was pregnant with DD#1 but they didn't do anything because often the process of vaginal birth will slough off those cells as well as anything. Since your doc etc isn't freaking out, I imagine they will wait and see if this is your month for bfp and if so, then check you again after birth.... at which time they may or may not do a colposcopy. If your abnormal cells were hugely dysplastic and they were worried about cancer etc then your fertility specialist would have said so.
As for the rest of it.... I don't have first hand experience with IVF, but my good friend went through IVF and I imagine "bed rest" means taking it easy, no walks, no doggie baths, but letting them out and getting up to go to the loo yourself will probably be ok. My friend had to take it SO easy after her transfer, they couldn't even bd for ages as the 'shaking' was too much! *grin*
you are close! don't worry about the co-worker. Not your drama. Your boss knows what's going on, and must know that you can't choose this timing. Deep breathing and a good movie whilst you wait for babes to take hold will go a long way!
As for how to time your DPO.... you will keep track differently. Everyone refers to my dates as the day I had my IUI- So my actual Date of Conception became my *zero* day.... you will watch for DPIVF .... it's not an exact science - would you refer from DPEggRetrieval? I would probably just go from the transfer date. Since the zygote is placed directly into the uterus, I would imagine if it takes, that it would take around the day of transfer, give one or two days....
as for testing for BFP, you might not be able to test the way we usually do because of the meds you are on for the IVF. I imagine your docs will have that under control....

I'm so excited for you, Ali.... just hang in there.... you are SO close!!! SO CLOSE!!

 

[alicatt]

Hey Everyone!

Thanks Phil and Coy. I was pretty sad last night. I just felt like everything was coming apart at the seams. I feel better today. Still stressed, and still in a lot of pain, but determined to move forward and that determination will see me through

I do have something called low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or LSIL, my research says that the low grade kind says that it could be pre-cancerous, but that it will take years to develop. So I will have a culposcopy in a month or so, and they can take care of it then.

They have given me the go ahead to do the IVF and the retrieval has been set for 10:30 on Friday morning. YAY, so I trigger at exactly 10:30 tonight.

 

[tiatammy]

Hello ladies, havent been feeling to well, sorry I havent been on for awhile. I wanted to say hope all is well with all you wonderful ladies. I miss being on as much as I used to be, because i could keep up with everyone, Things just have not been going my way or as I exspected. I wanted to update all of you. I just recieved my first script for clomid this morning, I am on cd 2 as we speak, and I am to start the clomid from cd5-9, so I start saturday. I am excited,,but yet scared, I pray I dont have the horrible side effects that soime women have had. HUGS HUGS FRIENDS

 

[Grey Eyes]

Ali- here's how my logic works on the dpo issue...When we ovulate we only have from 6 hours to 12-some hours to fertilize. The day it pops out is considered Ov day with the next day being 1dpo. So here is what I think- even though they may do ER on Friday it wouldn't count as dpo as they will hold the eggs for a bit, crack them, etc, then do the ET days later. SO, I am thinking your 1dpo would be figured by counting back about 9 days after ET. Just because we are skipping the whole traveling up the tube bit and it is usually 9-12 dpo when we register enough hcg in our urine to get a bfp.

From what I have read it takes about 5-6 days to travel the tube, then another couple for implantation? Then another 4-5 to register hcg in your urine. But in your case I think you can only figure a mythical travel time- so I'd say if you do the ET this Monday then I'd count dpo1 as being last Saturday- say the 9th? Does that make sense? The more I think about it I'm not sure but I think so! But I think we can only go by when the egg hits the uterus in cases of IVF.

On another note- eeekk! You are getting triggered tonight? Yay! I am getting excited for you! lol, wow, the stress you must be under but I agree with Phil-- you are SO close! In the words of Peter Pan- tink happy tots! You'll be over this hump before you know it and on poas'ing like crazy! The tww, hmm...I am thinking that'd be like a 8-10wait. From what I have read anyway. So yeah, sort of a tww! You're still going to suffer the terribel wait LOL! I wouldn't start testing too early because of those false positives with the trigger. Have you asked your doc about that?

 

[Grey Eyes]

Tiatammy- yay, so glad to hear from you again!! As far as the Clomid- when I took it I didn't have any terrible side effects, but I was an overstressed over-worked employer too, so I could have been just naturally bitchy! You'll do awesome, I am sure, probably feel a little pms'ish? I look forward to keeping up with your prodress, why haven't you been feeling well? Were you ill?

 

[tiatammy]

Tiatammy- yay, so glad to hear from you again!! As far as the Clomid- when I took it I didn't have any terrible side effects, but I was an overstressed over-worked employer too, so I could have been just naturally bitchy! You'll do awesome, I am sure, probably feel a little pms'ish? I look forward to keeping up with your prodress, why haven't you been feeling well? Were you ill?

I was very stressed, and down, with the ttc, so I pretty much ran myself down, and was sick, but am feeling much better. How long were you on the clomid before you concieved?

 

[Grey Eyes]

Actually I used the clomid to try and get my AF back as it had stopped completely. I used it in conjunction with Black Cohosh (a natural supplement used for female ailments ). I'd say a a month or so later I got my AF back and within a month I was prego. But I think in my case I had stopped ov'ing completely. I have high hopes the clomid will help you out too! I am not sure if it was the clomid or Black Cohosh as I used both. But I have heard great things about clomid. Try not to stress too badly, I know as women we get fouces on something and we can obsess- I am that way also, I drive myself to the ede with it, maybe go ahead and do that (I did ) but find other things ot help you destress in the process??

 

[tiatammy]

Greyeyes you are soo funny you have all the right words to say, you are sooo great with words, and really know how to make someone feel so much better, THANKYOU I hope all is well with you and your family. If I do concieve this month the baby will be due either around my birthday which is june 27th or the month of june, I hope this is it, and it works the first time, because it would be great, my first pregnancy before my daughter I miscarried and that baby was due on my birthday, wouldnt that be something if that were to happen again, and god giving me back my baby, I know may sound corny, but I believe in that stuff, and that would be the way I would look at it, as him giving me my child back to me. HUGS HUGS FRIENDS

 

[Grey Eyes]

Greyeyes you are soo funny you have all the right words to say, you are sooo great with words, and really know how to make someone feel so much better, THANKYOU I hope all is well with you and your family. If I do concieve this month the baby will be due either around my birthday which is june 27th or the month of june, I hope this is it, and it works the first time, because it would be great, my first pregnancy before my daughter I miscarried and that baby was due on my birthday, wouldnt that be something if that were to happen again, and god giving me back my baby, I know may sound corny, but I believe in that stuff, and that would be the way I would look at it, as him giving me my child back to me. HUGS HUGS FRIENDS

You know, that is how I view this prenancy- as I had a mc in November and got prego justa couple months after I view it as God giving me my baby back It helps sometimes to view it that way

 

[tiatammy]

Greyeyes you are soo funny you have all the right words to say, you are sooo great with words, and really know how to make someone feel so much better, THANKYOU I hope all is well with you and your family. If I do concieve this month the baby will be due either around my birthday which is june 27th or the month of june, I hope this is it, and it works the first time, because it would be great, my first pregnancy before my daughter I miscarried and that baby was due on my birthday, wouldnt that be something if that were to happen again, and god giving me back my baby, I know may sound corny, but I believe in that stuff, and that would be the way I would look at it, as him giving me my child back to me. HUGS HUGS FRIENDS

You know, that is how I view this prenancy- as I had a mc in November and got prego justa couple months after I view it as God giving me my baby back It helps sometimes to view it that way

When is your due date? OOOH how I pray this clomid does it this month. HUGS HUGS FRIENDS

 

[Grey Eyes]

Greyeyes you are soo funny you have all the right words to say, you are sooo great with words, and really know how to make someone feel so much better, THANKYOU I hope all is well with you and your family. If I do concieve this month the baby will be due either around my birthday which is june 27th or the month of june, I hope this is it, and it works the first time, because it would be great, my first pregnancy before my daughter I miscarried and that baby was due on my birthday, wouldnt that be something if that were to happen again, and god giving me back my baby, I know may sound corny, but I believe in that stuff, and that would be the way I would look at it, as him giving me my child back to me. HUGS HUGS FRIENDS

You know, that is how I view this prenancy- as I had a mc in November and got prego justa couple months after I view it as God giving me my baby back It helps sometimes to view it that way

When is your due date? OOOH how I pray this clomid does it this month. HUGS HUGS FRIENDS

My due date is October 19th but in speaking with my doctor on the 10th he stated she could come anytime and that he would not be too concerned about it. She is in the head-down engaging positon with her hands in front of her face, her back is at my left side...and I feel this cervical pressure everytime I walk so gravity is helping Could be anyday I guess but not crossing my fingers anytime realllllly soon

I hope this is your month too! Sometimes it takes a repeat of clomid but it depends to on your reason for taking it-- was it decied that you were not ovulating or did you use clomid to regulate cycles? What did your doctor say about it?

 

[alicatt]

Coy - if we are taking dates on when you have your baby, I'm taking Oct 8th! Since that is my B-DAY. LOL.

Got some crazy news today..


My estrogen level jumped to 5133 overnight. They are ordering Albumin for me to take while they do the egg retrieval. This is supposed to help minimize the discomfort of the OHSS, cause with a number like that they are fairly sure I will get mild-moderate OHSS. I already feel like I have it and I haven't even done the trigger. I couldn't even wear pants to work this morning! I'm wearing exercise pants, they are nice ones but still! Crazy

They also mentioned that I better think about what to do with the extras as I will most likely have more than 3 that are good. LOL I would think so since we have like 33 follicles (maybe more)! EEK He was worried we wouldn't get enough! Boy was he wrong

Coy, I'm really not sure how to do the DPO after a transfer. I was looking at FF and the people that did transfer and got pregnant after IVF were more likely to have a positive 10-15 days past the egg retrieval. So it wasn't that different, plus they use the egg retrieval day as the ovulation day in FF. Thing is that the egg is skipping 3 days of travel down the tubes while it sits in the dish in the lab. So I bet I would have a true positive sooner than 10 days, but with the trigger it may not be accurate? I'm not sure. I'm triggering tonight, then we have the egg retrieval on Friday, and so 7 days past trigger will only be 5DPER? I don't know, all I know is that they will schedule a BETA when they feel it is appropriate.

My head is spinning that is for sure! I'm also very happy and very tired, and worried about my abnormal pap, and the OHSS, and what will I do with the extra embryos? Oh and how many do I implant? Dr said he would do up to 3. Do I do 3? IDK? AHHHHH..

 

[AngelSerenity]

Ali.... best of luck for tomorrow, I hope everything goes smoothly. Things may seem hectic now but it will all be worth it. Keep positive, relax and smile

Coy.... Oh my goodness not long now, I hope you have your hospital bag packed just in case?

Tiatammy.... great to hear from you. We all need to take a break sometimes, this journey can be so very trying. I hope the Clomid works for you. I tried it for 6 cycles. I didnt have any major side effects apart from a little moodiness. It didnt work for us, i super ovulated but no rainbow. To be honest I think I was on the 'baby train' and I didnt relax enough so my advice would be RELAX


Jess, Twotogo, Terri, Babywhisperer

xoxo

 

[Philomena]

Ali, Frost the extras (if you want another baby, or if it doesn't work first time round you have spares and don't have to go through this part of it all again) and implant 2-3..... don't worry about the rest of it all.... doesn't really matter about dpo or any of that, if you have to wait for the beta anyways, just take it right off your plate and breathe..... and don't worry about the cervical cells.... *any* cells which are abnormal have the possibility of being pre-cancerous.... but nothing drastic will happen with them in the next few months or your doctors wouldn't be going ahead with the IVF....
Breathe Girl!!! You are in the final stretch!!!
phil.