How is everyone this week?
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My most recent update was posted on the blog today.
http://www.hellobee.com/2014/09/04/the-different-ways-you-can-adopt-embryos/
I just emailed the last piece of paperwork for my home study to the adoption agency. DH and I are going to get fingerprinted next week on the 9th. After that I think our home visit will be scheduled.
November is going to be a full month for me. I hope September and October fly by.
Does anyone have any experience with Estrace? I've got a prescription for it to fill from my clinic. I'm supposed to start taking it around October 25th. I'm not sure what it is for.
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@Leialou: I think Estrace is just supplemental estrogen (used before a transfer) to help make your endometrial lining nice and thick (and I'd like to think "cushy") for your embryos.
I'm happy that you're getting so close! 
I'm just hanging out...hoping for more results soon and afterwards, more testing. I just got done planning DH's and my anniversary trip for next weekend-- a little cottage with a jacuzzi tub, spa services, etc.
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@Leialou: I
LOVE your embryo adoption/donation posts. I wish you so much luck, and I hope the waiting flies by for you.I'm doing well this week. I had a hysteroscopy this afternoon to remove a polyp that was found at my saline sono a couple of weeks ago. I start Lupron on Monday. Our first IVF cycle is moving full steam ahead!
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@FliegepilzHut: oh ok! Something to make me hormonal then.
@just_ju: that's so exciting! Hopefully it's your first and last.
and thank you!
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@just_ju: That's wonderfully exciting!
Come over onto the IVF boards any time!
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@Leialou: If you tolerate BCPs, I bet you'll be okay.
ETA: I'd love to know your experience, since I'll be put on that before my FET. (Speaking of which, did you do "natural cycle" FETs before?)
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@FliegepilzHut: I'll be sure to report back! My FETs were medicated. I started BCP the month prior, followed by two weeks of Lupron, then Vivelle estrogen patches and progesterone suppositories.
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@Leialou: I just got a chance to catch up on your 3 posts. What a journey. Good luck with the home visit and next steps!
@FliegepilzHut: That sounds like a wonderful little getaway!
I'm going in for another monitoring session tomorrow morning. My dosage was dropped from 225iu to 150iu after Weds appt since she said my estridol was pretty high already. Maybe a TMI, but did anyone else notice insane amounts of CM while on stims? I swear everytime I went to the bathroom (I have horrible bladder control so 1-1.5 hrs) there was just globs of CM when I wiped and that normally never happens.
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@Leialou: I see. Thank you! I'll have BCPs, then Estrace, Dexamethasone (steroid, because we did 1/2 ICSI), and IM PIO. But I'm up for anything that works. I'm ever so very excited for you!
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@PurplePumps: Much needed at this point.
I'm definitely looking forward! (Re: EWCM, absolutely, yes! Our clinic also encouraged us to DTD at least EOD up to the night of the trigger injection...I wonder if that's pretty standard between REs? 
) Have they acted like you might actually be triggering sooner?
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@FliegepilzHut: Maybe this weekend? She said yesterday that the retrieval may be Tuesday, but she would know better after tomorrows appointment. More TMI, we haven't DTD in almost 2 weeks now... cause our water heater broke and we just got a new one and will be installing it this weekend. But what does this have to do with DTD... haha, I can't stand not to shower after so I'm REALLLLLY hoping we get this thing installed Sat! lol.
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@PurplePumps: That sounds pretty rough. I hope you get one installed soon...otherwise that's going to be quite a "dry spell" for you both!
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@Leialou: Your posts on the blog are so good. Thank you for sharing your story. I'm so hopeful for you in this new IF journey you're on. // I took estrace during one of my IUI cycles. Apparently the Clomid had thinned my lining too much. So during my second IUI, after the actual IUI, I had to insert both the progesterone AND the estrace in my you know what. Progesterone was icky enough, but add the little blue estrace pill in the mix, and hello green panty liners!
@just_ju: I hope your hysteroscopy cleared the way for a cozy little home for your IVF baby on the way!
@FliegepilzHut: Have a wonderful time on your anniversary trip! It sounds dreamy!
@PurplePumps: I hope that water heater installation goes well this weekend and that you can shower as you please very soon
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I've made it through all of the testing and now we are headed towards our 1st injection cycle with IUI for baby #2. I'm a little nervous because I'm using the Gonal-f pen this time around. Last time I had to mix the vials for the Bravelle. I hope I can get the hang of the pen and keep my nerves in control. I've heard the pen is easier - but right now, it's a little confusing to me. Hopefully my period starts Monday, or shortly there after, and then - the cycling begins. I have mixed emotions about it all. I've been trying to do my Circle + Bloom meditations to get my head in the right place.
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@sweetooth: I just started with the Gonal pen on Sat. I was nervous about it (first time at all with injections) but it is super easy! Screw on new needle, dial in the dosage, press, and done. I thought the instruction booklet that it comes with is a little confusing, but I think this youtube video summed it up pretty good.
Good luck! -
Too busy with work to worry about things but DYING for the 25th.
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@sweetooth: Seriously looking forward. IVF vacation was not a real vacation... Good luck with your IUI! The pen should be super easy!
@babycanuck: Please remind me...what happens on the 25th?
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@FliegepilzHut: Consultation with the surgeon and hopefully booking a date
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@babycanuck: Got it. I bet the weeks will fly by!
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@Leialou: Just wanted to chime in since I've had several cycles with Estrace...I don't remember having a problem with it, although I always took it with progesterone. I think it's actually Estinyl or Ethinyl Estradiol that's in birth control and that gave me a really rough time! I was only on that a couple days and begged them to let me stop because it made me sick, but I'm pretty sure you won't be going near that.
@sweetooth: Did they make you insert the Estrace specifically because of your lining? I always took it orally. Can't imagine having to put a pill in there on top of the suppositories!
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@sweetooth: I can't believe it's time for you to try for baby #2!
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@FliegepilzHut: your trip sounds great!
@Leialou: I have loved reading your posts on the blog!
@just_ju: were you asleep for your hysteroscopy? I was for mine, but I had a friend who had one last week and she was not!
@PurplePumps: Yes to the cm! And it starts really early too, like CD 8! Which I guess makes sense since the last 2 cycles I've triggered on CD 10.
@sweetooth: I've only ever used a pen, but it's super easy! I prep it all, and then give it to DH to do the injection. I use the Puregon/Follistim pen, but I think it works pretty much the same way. DH says it's easier to do the injection if you hold it so that your thumb is pressing the plunger down, rather than your pointer finger or something. Because the clicking can cause it to move slightly. (I've never felt these "movements") Good luck!
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So AFM, still in the TWW. Let's see...I'm 11 days past trigger, 9dpo I think? Been testing out the trigger, and HPTs are pretty much negative, maybe with just a hint of a line still?
We leave next week for vacation! Wednesday to be exact. Ugh, I can't waaaiiiit. Seriously, so need to get out of here!
If I do end up being pregnant, I'll have to scramble to the pharmacy before we go so I can stock up on enough progesterone and Clexane/heparin to last over a month. And then maybe try and get an ultrasound either in Boston or Mexico? When we asked our Doc about it, she was like, "No, you don't need to get any ultrasounds til you get back here." But with potentially 4 follicles, there's no way I wouldn't get one. I'd be worried about ectopic for one thing....
Anyway, we'll see. I was feeling pretty optimistic last week, but now feeling more neutral about our chances.
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@Leialou: I was just thinking...maybe the Estrace also suppresses ovulation before a FET... Does anyone else know this?
@TheSwissWifeStyle: Our destination is close to home but should still be a lot of fun. It's so nice to get away sometimes! I hope you have s wonderful vacation...and I have my FX for your
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@PurplePumps: That is a good video - I've watched it once before, but I think I need to watch it a few more times. Thanks for sharing and for letting me know I'm not alone in the nervous feelings
@babycanuck: Busy with work = time flying! The 25th will be here before you know it!
@FliegepilzHut: Thank you!
@spaniellove: Yeah, I think it was because of the lining issue. So maybe by inserting it in there it was closer to the source. I had to just not think about it all too much. And I felt like I had to apologize during my monitoring sessions for the multicolored ooze. Ick. Not looking forward to that again...
@Leialou: Thank you for the
@TheSwissWifeStyle: Thanks for the advice with using your thumb for the injection. I'm afraid I'm going to inject too much, or not really understand when it's done. The syringe was a little easier in that you could see the fluid emptying out. // I hope that you have a little growing bean inside of you for your upcoming adventures. Do you still have the potential to see an RE while you're in the states? Again - I'm hoping that you're pregnant, but I remember you talking about maybe scheduling an appointment in the US?
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@FliegepilzHut: Thanks
@sweetooth: If the pen is similar to the one I have, it's impossible to inject too much. You dial it to your exact dose, and it stops when that much has been injected. When you dial your dose, it clicks, and then it clicks back down as you're injecting. Hope that makes sense! Think of it like, when you use an old-fashioned kitchen timer. You can set it to 30 seconds, and it will go back down to 0, but it can't go past 0.
And thanks! Yes, if I am not pregnant by Dec, I will definitely seek some sort of treatment while in Florida for Christmas.
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@Leialou: I love your blog series!!
No updates for me - sitting in the TWW now. Man does time fly by...
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@Leialou: I am loving your blog posts! You know I'm so excited for you and fascinated by the process of embryo adoption, so thank you for sharing!
@sweetooth: so glad to see you back here again
The Gonal-F pen was by far the easiest injection I have dealt with (between Gonal-F, Menopur, Ganirelix, Lupron, Ovidrel and Novarel). The needles are nice and thin and sharp, and the pen is much easier to make sure you have the exact right dosage. The only thing that stinks is when you don't have enough left in one pen for a dose, so you have to do half with the old pen and half with a new pen (double shots!) but I don't think you'll run into that for IUI, since generally the doses are lower.
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@leialou: I love reading your blog posts! I really hope that September and October go by fast for you so that you can get closer to your IVF cycle. Since you are doing embryo adoption, is the cycle similar to a FET?
@fliegepilzhut: Your anniversary trip sounds perfect! I hope you have a great relaxing time
@just_ju: It sounds like everything is going in the right direction for you, good luck with your IVF cycle!
@purplepumps: lol the water heater story made me laugh. I hope that everything goes perfectly with your ER!
@sweetooth: one of the things my doctor is concerned about with me is a thinner than normal lining, which would involve me taking both estrace and progesterone, now that I know what to expect I can say that I’m not really looking forward to it lol. Exciting that you’re starting your IUI cycle now, good luck!!
@theswisswifestyle: I hope you guys have a great vacation, you deserve it! I would try to get an ultrasound too, anything to help settle your mind.
AFM, I'm very meh this week. I'm having a hard time with my job right now but I'm also having a hard time dealing with our cp. I was so insanely busy all of August that I never really had a chance to think about it or process what happened. Now that things are starting to slow down, I've been getting upset. I'm trying to just let myself grieve but it's hard. Every once in a while I feel so anxious just wondering what if and why it happened and just generally feeling down about it. DH is also sad about it and he keeps making comments to people about having babies older... I know it's weighing on him now too.
When I went to see my doctor (he's not an RE), he suggested that because this is now my second failed pregnancy, we should move onto meds. This is something that DH and I have to discuss now because that would bring us out of NTNP to actual TTC. Since we have male and female factor, I'm concerned about it taking even longer than normal with the meds and then who knows what that would do to my body/mind. It's a lot to think about..
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@TheSwissWifeStyle: I'm hoping so hard you are pregnant but just in case, Dr. C's office told me yesterday that their soonest available appt is end of Oct. (Just getting my thyroid checked!) In case you're ever going to be in the area!
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@alohaorchid: yes, it should be similar to my precious FET cycles.
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Ugh, just found out my boss is pregnant, and before her first wedding anniversary. I'm ready for this day to be O-VER.
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@Shutterbug:
i'm sorry hun, that stings 
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@Shutterbug: I'm sorry.
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@Leialou: That's what I thought, but I'm still learning so much about all of this.
@Shutterbug: I'm sorry
It definitely stings!
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@spaniellove: Thanks! Yeah I probably won't be in NJ til right before Christmas, but our time will be tight there. I'll be able to spend more time in Florida, so that's why I'm thinking it'll just be easier there, if need be.
@Shutterbug: Ugh
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@Leialou: I love your blog posts, too! No experience with Estrace here.
@FliegepilzHut: Cool! Where are you going?
@just_ju: Glad to hear of your IVF progress! Woohoo!
@PurplePumps: No experience here but thanks for the heads up on all the excess CM.
@sweetooth: Goodluck using the pen. It does sound a bit tricky!
@babycanuck: Hoping the 25th gets here quickly for you!
@TheSwissWifeStyle: A week before your trip!
to you!! Hope this is your cycle!!@LindsayInNY: When do you POAS? or your beta?
@alohaorchid: I think getting on meds could help you get pregnant faster (you have a bit more control) and especially since you are now TTC. I'll admit that I'm confused that you've been NTNP up until now. Will you be thinking about going to an RE soon? An RE could help with your meds and the monitoring.
@Shutterbug: Ugh, I'm so sorry about your boss. It's so hard and so not fair that others can get pregnant so easily. A part of me thinks my coworker who was married just a little over a year ago is pregnant. I subtlety check to see if I see any signs of it. She's older than me, too. Anyway, just bracing myself as always for people who get pregnant.
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@mrs. bird: @Leialou: @alohaorchid: @TheSwissWifeStyle: @bluestriped bee: thanks, you guys
I have been dreading her announcement because she's made it pretty clear that they wanted kids asap, but it doesn't make it sting any less! The thing I'm dreading more is the "you're next!" comments that I'm sure are coming 
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@just_ju: @PurplePumps: @sweetooth: @TheSwissWifeStyle: @LindsayInNY: @Shutterbug: @alohaorchid: @bluestriped bee:
I just want to say thank you for the love on the blog posts! -
@TheSwissWifeStyle: That helps, the kitchen timer comparison. Thank you
@LindsayInNY: Sending lots of positive thoughts your way!
@Shutterbug: Thanks for sharing your experience with the pen. I do hope that I don't reach a dosage where I have to stick myself twice - that would stink. But I know it could happen depending on how the dosages increase for me. // The coworker - and bracing yourself for "you're next" comments...THE WORST. I swear, it never gets easier to handle pregnancy announcements. I got a birth announcement in the mail yesterday, and I didn't even know she was pregnant. I still feel like people aren't sure they should tell me because of what we went through to get pregnant.
@alohaorchid: Thank you for the luck! And maybe your doctor will have you on oral estrace
Sorry to hear about the tough emotional times, processing your CP. Definitely work through those emotions before moving on to the what-ifs of medication. And as some of the other bees have kindly reminded me before - don't get too far ahead of yourself and overwhelm your mind with the details. Take the time to discuss what you want with your husband, and then take the next step to talk with your doctor about what meds you would begin with. If you have both male and female factors, the meds might help if you are ready to really jump in to TTC.
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@bluestriped bee: thank you!
I'm happy that you're getting so close! 
) Have they acted like you might actually be triggering sooner?
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