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Well girls AF found me at 3am. Aspen, I'm not real sure what I am going to do I might have a drink and I know I am going to take a long hot shower when I get home because I am having the worse cramps of my life. Krissy68

I had the worst cramps today, accompanied by you know who--too! She wasn't due til next Wed...not sure if this implant bleeding or the real thing because it's dark red and mucousy...(tmi sorry)...do I count tomorrow as cd2 and start over by seeing dr., or do I wait til Sunday to hpt to get the negative? The thing is that every once in a while I get pds every 21 days...that's what happened last month before we restarted fertility meds..Could this be from me not getting my progesterone up? Or, the caffeine that I had to take for my migraine? hmmm... I wish I could enjoy my girl pamper week, but I don't know if it's really girl pamper week at all. Thoughts? I'm a little sad too. Too much unexplained for it all to make any sense.

RUNNERSHIRL - How frustrating. How heavy is the bleeding? If it's anything like a normal period, I have a feeling you should consider today cd2 and start over, otherwise you may need to skip a whole cycle as far as meds go. Maybe ask your doctor to do an HCG Beta test if you aren't sure, just to make sure that there's no pregnancy.

It could be related to your progesterone. My RE told me that short luteal phases are a very common problem with cycles that involve FSH shots....so much so that he has people take an hcg booster shot a week after the trigger to keep the corpus luteum thinking you're pregnant so it will keep making progesterone. In any event, I would definitely bring that up with your doctor. Did you ever call and ask them about it? As I said in my earlier post, your number did seem low to me, ESPECIALLY if that cycle counted as a "medicated" cycle to the extent that they'd want to see a progesterone level of at least 15 on cd21.

Keep us posted!

KRISSY - Darn. Looks like we're all out for this cycle. I hope your nasty cramps go away soon so you can at least make the most of the next few days. :-(

MY UPDATE - I decided to take Femara this month. I started yesterday. I don't think we're even going to do an IUI this time but we'll see. I could change my mind about that one. I'm on cd5. Nothing much to talk about. Happy Friday.

Thanks Aspen for the info. I will ask RE about HcG shot. It seems they only answer q's I ask--and yet, they came highly recommended? I'm waiting for a returned call. The nurse did say that 9.75 is lower than their preferred 10, but she wasn't overly concerned about it. Strangely, I'm still cramping, which never happens after the fact for me. It's not a heavy flow, but it's there. I have a list of q's so, I'm ready.

Krissy~ I'm sorry that you too are going thru this. I appreciate you and all the others being here for me this month. Thx Gals!

runnershirl - How are you doing? Did she really show up? I'm so sorry. Did you give your doctor a call. Well I hope they hurry up and call back so you can know what the next step will be.

Aspen8 - How are you doing? Good Luck with you on this cycle. I am just so ready to go home and climb in bed. I am bleeding real heavy and having cramps that just won't stop. I am not going to complain and I am going to try and stay positive.

Hey girls here is my little update. I am currently on cd 2. I do have a question have you all heard of the Vitex/B6 Fertility Recipe? I found it yesterday when I was doing a search on Vitex so I am going to try it this cycle and keep you all updated. You take for the whole cycle: 1 prenat vits daily, 1 baby aspirin daily, 1 50mg B6 vit in the morning and B50 complex in the evening. cd 1 to ouvluation: 2 Vitex 500mg in the morning and 2 Vitex 500mg in the evening (I could only find 400mg in the health food store so I will use that) and the last step end of AF until ovulation: Take 2-4 teaspoon of robintussin every 4 hours but not to exceed 6 doses in a 24hour period. I will let you know what happens. I know I have to get some more opk from the $store but I think i will start using them the next day after AF stop so I don't miss my ovulation. I will let you know how it is working. I hope you all have a very good weekend. Krissy68

KRISSY - I'm not familiar with the supplement recipe you mentioned. I've always been a little nervous about Vitex because I've read it can shorten the luteal phase for some people. I also read - in "The Infertility Cure" by Randine Lewis - that the dosage of pure vitex should only be 300 mg a day in tablet or capsule form. Have you tried 2000 mg a day before or is that new for you? Also, about the Robitussin, you're just taking the plain kind right? With only one active ingredient?

[Oh! and I also just read that people who have insulin resistance should limit expectorant cough medicines because they somehow make insulin resistance worse...which is bad for fertility. So if anyone reading this has type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome or any reason to think they could be insulin resistant (lots of belly fat, etc..), you might want to skip the Robitussin, or at least just take it a few days before ovulation.]

Keep us posted on how you do with the new "recipe."

RUNNERSHIRL - It's completely normal for your RE's office to only answer questions you specifically ask. Lots of people aren't interested in the details and don't want too much information. Besides that though, they're just swamped...they all are...and it's easier to wait until someone asks a question to take the time to provide information. Almost everyone I know who's been through this says the same thing about the clinic they go to. Drives me nuts.

Did you specifically ask them about the preferred progesterone level(s) for medicated vs. unmedicated cycles and what their definition of each is?

About the hcg shot - what my RE does is this: I pick up a 10,000 unit vial of hcg from the pharmacy. When I trigger, I use 3/4 of it. I use 2cc of diluant and mix it with the entire vial of hcg but I only take 1 1/2 cc back out of the vial, leaving 1/2 cc to refrigerate for a week later. So I end up giving myself a shot of 7500 units of hcg as the trigger and then, a week later, I give myself a booster shot of 2500 units. The possibly bad thing about that for some people - didn't bother me - is that there's no point in testing early because the test will be positive. You have to wait for at least 8 days after the booster, which should be 13 days after the trigger, to test. Just thought I'd explain about that more so you'd know if you definitely aren't interested in doing it...it does mean an extra shot in the tush!

MY UPDATE - Nuthin' new. Just taking my Femara and having the hot flashes that come with it. Lol. Poor hubby. Have a great weekend everyone. I probably won't stop in again until Monday. I'm taking a bunch of high school kids on a field trip tomorrow. Gotta love it! :-)

Hi Ladies, Just wanted to check in to say hello. I am still alive. Not feeling as energetic lately. Did get the rooms painted on the second floor of the house..but now it's mission organization and purging for me. It just seems there is never enough space.
I had my OB appointment last Weds. My tummy was measuring normal and my bp was good. I have my gestational diabetes blood test and my gluclose screening next week. I also have my rhogam shot on the 25th. I am still in disbelief that I have only 12 weeks left...that's scary.
I am still having problems with the dh. He has really been dragging me down. He is totally uncooperative and non communicative. I need his help and he is being a real pain or a-hole to put it more bluntly. But I am just plugging away trying to remain seemingly happy for my lo.
Aspen I am sorry things did not work out for your IUI's But it is evident that you are still fertile..if only your dh's swimmers could do their dirty work. I truly wish you all the best..I know it will happen for you.
Krissy~I am happy you are still trying. You have been through alot and you always seem to come out with a pos attitude..I think things will happen for you before you know it.
To everyone else ttc..there are a few of us that still come here now and then. Do not give up hope.
I am sometimes reluctant to log in although I still read the posts. I just do not have that much to say right now with my home issues being so iffy..it brings me down.
And..I don't want to rub my pregnancy in anyones face..I do however want you all to know again..I had 3 losses in just over 1 year and this pregnancy is my 4th..It took me almost 6 months to conceive after my hsg..and that pregnancy was a bust. I then went on to have a missed miscarriage and a chemcical after having had an ectopic when my daughter was 9 months.
After lots of bloodwork and fsh test etc..I knew one of my older eggs still had to be viable. I am so blessed..I just don't want anyone of you to give up hope. I could have easily thrown in the towel.
Talk to you all soon..and best of luck.

Aspen8 - Hey girlie how are you doing? How was the field trip? I know you had fun. To be honest I'm not real sure about my lp I think it has a mind of it's own. I will just have to see what happens and keep you posted. I am only taking 1600mg I take 2 400mg in the morning and 2 400mg in the evening and I will stop this as soon as I ovulate. I did buy me some opk but I only brought 5 again but I might get some more just to be on the safe side and I will start testing again on cd 10. I only take the plain robitussin. I will keep you posted.

Kristin72 - How are you doing? Wow I can't believe you only have 12 weeks left. I'm glad everything is going good with you and the baby. Rub your belly for me. I want you to know that I am very happy for you. If you ever want to talk just email me at kris dot neely at march dot af dot mil. Talk to you soon and take care. Krissy68

Hey Girls...I'm baaaacck!
Krissy68, Aspen, Nov7, Kristin72, how are you guys?

Sorry I've been MIA for several months, DH and I took a hiatus and now we've decided again to try one last time.

I got lots of reading to catch up on...wow I see there alot of "busy" ladies here.

Missed you all and will touch base soon.

HUGS!

Kristin~ Thanks for the peptalk and reminders that it can happen. I was just wondering yesterday if any of my older eggs are any good any more. I guess all those drinking days of smoking cigs killed em? (According to my RE, smoking kills eggs.) It's good to feel that someone else knows this drill and that you were able to recover a healthy one out of the mix. That's hopeful for me. congrats on the pregnancy.

Aspen~thanks for the tips on FSH...Is that Ovidrel? My RE is on vaca for another week (of course, the important week), so the nurses want to follow the same protocol as last month, and mentioned not wanting to stimulate too many eggs since I have low egg reserve...Last mo, I had 3 follies. 2 healthy and 1 not. (prior to trigger). Oh, those wonderful hot flashes!

I'm learning that I really really need to find a way to minimize my stress. When I'm at home, I'm always on the go...tired or not. DH had spinal surgery last year and just isn't the same and I'm trying to give back many of the duties. I'm hoping that this doesn't interfere with my peace of mind needed.

On the positive side of things....we're all one day closer today to an answer. :)

KRISTIN - I'm sorry to hear that your dh is still causing so much strife. Now of all times I know you need him to be different. If you're not logging in/posting is because that's what's best for YOU - great. We want you to do what's best for you. But don't stay away out of fear of your pregnancy bringing anyone else down because that's not going to happen. I love the reminder that "old ladies" can get pregnant and have healthy pregnancies. It doesn't bother me AT ALL to hear about yours and I'm sure everyone else here feels the same way. Besides - we love ya and want to know how you're doing....as long as you want to tell us, that is. :-)

KRISSY - LOL! I so can't count. 400 times 4 IS 1600. LOL! Sorry....how embarrassing...and I'm providing educational experiences for middle school and high school kids?!??!?! ;-) Oh well. The field trip was fun. Thanks for asking. Keep us posted.

MAMIX4- HI! It's great to see you! I'm glad you're back. This will be the lucky one for you, I'm sure.

RUNNERSHIRL - The Ovidrel is the hCG...the pregnancy hormone trigger shot. The FSH is all the other shots...Bravelle, Menopur, Gonal-F, Follistim...all that stuff. Some have leutenizing hormone in addition to the follicle stimulating hormone and some don't...and they come from different sources (some from the urine of menopausal women and some are synthetic, etc.). You took Femara and just a little...uh...Gonal F was it?

"Not wanting to stimulate too many eggs since I have a low egg reserve"? Uh...yeah. Okay. Lol. You're doing the shots BECAUSE of age-related low egg reserve! And you don't want to stimulate toooooo many so that 1) you don't end up with hyperstimulated ovaries and 2) you don't end up with sextuplets. :-)

My RE says that he doesnt' mind seeing "basketball teams" but he doesn't want to see "baseball teams". In other words, anything up to 5 mature follicles is okay with him for someone in their 40s, but more than that and he gets nervous. And he'd say that you might at well get as many as possible each month because what would we be saving them for? Our ovaries are gonna poop out when they poop out...which isnt' necessarily when they're empty. Might as well get as many eggs out of there as possible before it happens, right? (In a study w/ rats, the researchers took old ovaries out of menopausal rats and transplanted them into hormonally young rats...and they started ovulating again. The ovaries were NOT "empty"...they were just hormonally old and not responsive to FSH, etc. any more. Many of those rats went on to have litters of normal babies...meaning that the old eggs weren't genetically damaged either.)

I hear you about the smoking. I'm a former smoker myself and have had that concern. Of course, my mother, who was at least a two-pack-a-dayer forever had me at 38 and several women in my family have had babies in their 40s despite being active smokers. So....yeah...whatever. I wish REs would just shut up sometimes and quit telling us all the reasons why we can't possibly end up with a take-home baby. I guarantee I can find success stories for any doom-and-gloom statistic they want to spit out at us. I'm not saying everyone over 40 is guaranteed to get pregnant. I'm just saying that since there ARE so many exceptions, people should be more careful about what they say, since our minds can affect our bodies so profoundly!

Which brings me to your point about stress. I hear ya. Question is WHAT are you gonna do about it? Have you actually tried formulating a plan yet? That's one area that I've failed at so far. I keep telling myself I have to do something about it and I do okay for a few days and then all hell breaks loose again and....so much for that. We'll have to try harder. Lol. "Try harder". To reduce stress. Where's that eye-rolling smiley when I need it?

MY UPDATE - Getting ready to go to rehearsal at the school tonight and the first thing I'm going to do is find out who has a cold so I know who I have to beat. I have a sore throat and I'm betting that I got it from one of the evil children during the field trip. Lol.

I'm on cd9. I should have started w/ the OPKs today but I forgot. I'm out of the habit after all the three injects cycles when they weren't necessary. I'll try again tomorrow.

Have a good night everyone.

Aspen, thanks for the detailed answers...Good points and answers. Although i've been trying for a couple years, this is only our second cycle on meds and injectibles and after just learning the egg reserve was low, we're trying to be proactive. BUT, there's sooooo much I need to learn. I know I'm in good hands here.

Stress--I've been debating joing a local gym...I have many of those things at home, but at home is where much of the stress is...so much to do, so little time to rest. I also have an appt to go back to my acupuncturist this Thurs., and they previously gave me herbal tea for balance my hormones, which I'm taking again. (I need to research that more to make sure it's okay). The gym thing is holding me up because it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me if I soon can't do a bunhc of it, but I think without the destress effects, I may never conceive anyway, so I might as well just go ahead and start withthe classes/aerobic activity, whatever. I do understnad there is balance in not "stressing" out your body physically by too much activity either. (I guess laying on the couch isn't sufficient enough exercise.) So, that's the plan so far.

Thanks for the peptalk about the rat egg study...they've made me feel so guilty for smoking in the past that I was wondering what I had done to myself. Smoking for me was mostly with drinking socially and while I was single, what else was there for em to do? (hehe)...But, now, I want to be healthy. Sometimes I wonder if they make stuff up as they go. Question...will baby aspirin do the same effects as progesterone? one nurse prescribed P since I have a tumor that may not produce enough progesterone and another said not to take it and to take aspirin...Before I make yet oen more call to them, I thought I'd inquire here.

mamix4 - Welcome back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How have you been? I'm giving it another shot as well.

Aspen8 - You are tooo funny. I'm a few days behind you I'm on cd 6 and my cycle was on for 5 days again. What's up with that. I wonder if I am going through the change. I will start using the opk test strip on either cd 10 or 11 I only have 5 and I know with last cycle I started testing on cd 10 and it was negative and on cd 11 it was negative again then on cd 12&13 it was positive then on cd 14 it was negative. I will keep you posted. I hope you don't catch a cold and get over your sore throat. Krissy68

RUNNERSHIRL - Oh, if ONLY laying on the couch were sufficient exercise! Lol. I know what you mean about feeling silly about joining a gym when hopefully you'll be pretty limited in your workout choices soon. But like you said, maybe you need something like that in order to conceive in the first place. Besides, I'm sure they have some pregnant-belly-friendly yoga or pilates classes or something for after you get your bfp. I think your plan so far - acupuncture, exercise, etc. sounds like a good one.

Now I have all kinds of questions. You have a tumor that someone thinks is messing with your progesterone production?!?!?!?!?! Like...a fibroid tumor or something else? Also, the nurses who are telling what to take and what not to take...are they nurse practicioners or just nurses in the office you go to? It's a problem that they're giving you conflicting advice for sure. What does the DOCTOR want you to do?

As far as I know, baby aspirin is mostly used to improve blood flow since it's a mild blood thinner. Some people are told to take it to attempt to improve blood flow to the ovaries and uterus. Some are told to take it if they have clotting problems (though often people with diagnosed clotting disorders are also put on more heavy duty blood thinning drugs). The idea is that more blood flow to the ovaries means better egg development, which means a better follicle, which means a stronger ovulation, which means better progesterone development AFTER ovulation when the empty follicle becomes the progesterone-producing corpus luteum. Not everyone agrees that baby aspirin can do that but lots of people think so. And then, of course, where the clotting issues are concerned, baby aspirin is supposed to help with implantation.

Also, people with inflammatory problems and/or autoimmune problems are sometimes told to take baby aspirin to deal with those issues. I don't know if you fit into that category or not. There could also be other reasons for using that I haven't learned about yet. I'm far from an authority on this stuff.

I don't know why the nurse suggested that you take baby aspirin, but I'm not sure I'd use it as a substitute for progesterone supplementation without a doctor's say so. I totally get (and like) the idea of trying to get the follicle to work better so that supplementation isn't necessary in the first place, but Kristin is living proof of how important progesterone supplementation can be. Maybe it's not an either/or thing for you....maybe you could do both. I guess that was my very long-winded way of NOT saving you a phone call to your RE's office. I don't understand the conflicting advice and if it were me, I think I'd want the doc himself to be the tie-breaking vote.

(To be honest, my RE has me on baby aspirin but I was doing it before he told me to...which is very naughty.)

KRISSY - I think I'm going to narrowly escape that cold. I was incredibly dizzy last night and I thought I was screwed but I feel fine this morning other than being a little more tired than usual. Of course, I wasn't able to beat the appropriate child last night...she was home sick! Lol. (She's a good kid. Love her to death.)

I doubt you're going through the change yet, especially with a strong five-day period. I mean....I don't think I've ever had a five-day AF ever in my whole life. My normal is 3 days. My RE and OB/GYN says that's fine. Before I started ttc'ing I felt lucky but the last year or so I've sort of wished for a longer AF....sort of feels like maybe I'd feel more fertile or something. I don't know...it's weird. When you were in your 20s, were you always 7 days then too?

MY UPDATE - Started w/ my OPKs. Negative so far. I have my monitoring appointment on Friday, which will be cd12. If I get through today without a positive OPK it look like I'll make it until that appointment before I actually ovulate. I ovulated early both times I took Femara before...cd10 and cd12. It'll be interesting to see what happens this time. It's been SO nice not to have to go for ultrasounds every few days this cycle! I'm loving it.

Happy hump day everyone.

Aspen8 - I'm glad you will miss getting a cold. How are you feeling? How was your kids program at school? Girlfriend I have always been 7 days and so does my 3 girls so I already know the 4th one will as well. This cycle and last cycle was only 5 days. When should I start using the opk test? Last cycle I started on cd 10 and it was negative on cd 10,11 & 14 and I got my positive on cd 12&13 and I guess I ovulated on cd 14 well that is what fertility friend said anyway. I also started AF 4 days early for this current cycle. Good Luck with your upcomming appointment and I can't wait to hear your update. I will talk to you later take care. Krissy68

KRISSY - The OPK thing always confuses me too. On a cycle where I ovulate naturally, I usually ovulate on cd13. BUT - it's been as early as day 10 and as late as day 14. So I usually start doing OPKs on day 9...and more than once a day. So I go through ALOT of them and whine about how expensive they are. Lol. I'm on cd11 today and so far they've been negative.

Wow. Seven days. And it's reasonably decent flow the whole time? I just can't imagine that. Does it drive you nuts? How long was your luteal phase if it started 4 days early?

MY UPDATE - My ultrasound appointment is tomorrow morning. It's a formality only. The last time I took Femara I had two follicles, one 27mm and one 15mm. I don't think anything like that is going on this time, but that's okay. I'm happy with one good follicle this cycle.

Since hubby has sperm issues, we're supposed to make sure his "pipes are cleaned" every other day in the beginning of my cycle and then stop around cd8 or so, in case I ovulate early again. That way, we can abstain for at least two days and give his numbers time to build up. Of course, now I'm getting nervous about NOT ovulating early. If we get our positive OPK tomorrow, it'll be cd12 and he'll have abstained for 4 days...and I know there's a point of diminishing returns where motility suffers if they've been in the "holding tank" for too long. Lol. I guess the moral of that story is that I'm going to worry no matter what we do, huh? :-)