Hellobee Boards

@spaniellove: Absolutely! Before our first RE appt we had DH's 1st SA and my HSG results sent to their office. When we met with our doc, he went over our chances of conception on our own (~2%), with oral med IUI (~6-8%), with inject. med IUI (~6-8%) and then IVF/ICSI (~45%). So for us, it was pretty clear that we wanted to do IVF. I had some initial blood work done - standard CBC, STDs (some can impact fertility), thyroid panel, and AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) which looks at ovarian reserve and is a measure of how well you might respond to IVF meds. DH had a second SA to compare results. We also met with the financial counselor to discuss costs. It was a lot to cover in one meeting! But all the blood work and DH's SA would happen whether we were doing IVF or IUI.

After that, I was told to call on CD1 of the month we wanted to get started so I could start a couple of weeks of BCPs before starting the IVF meds. Then we had a mandatory meeting with the staff psychologist, many ultrasounds, blood draws, an IVF class with our nurse on how to do injections, etc. DH also had some additional blood work to rule out various STDs.

What I can tell you from all my online reading is that every clinic has their own way of doing things, so this may not be the same experience you have. But I really hope that you like your doc and the staff. And it is a lot of info to digest in the beginning. I'm no expert, but definitely let me know if you have any questions. And, good news on the copay!! Every little bit helps!!

Oh, and one thing I wish I had asked for at that initial appt is a sample schedule/protocol for the IVF. I was unclear about how the schedule might work until I got my specific protocol later in the game. It would have been nice to know specifically what kind of timeline we were working with a little earlier on.

@MrsCB: I am so so SO sorry about your diagnosis! I had prediabetes too, but a few months of dietary changes, monster exercise, and Metformin and that went away! It can be beat!!! =) I'm so sorry about your PCOS diagnosis... =/ I hope you have a greeeat plan coming your way. Sending happy vibes your way!!!!!! Hugs!

@GreenThumb: @sweetooth: Thank you! Even better news - DH pushed them to give us a list of everything that was covered/not covered before our appointment, and it turns out insurance covers everything but IVF and meds! Including IUI. Every little bit helps!

@spaniellove: YAY! Can't wait for it to start! I hear that this is the final season

my husband watches too although, he would never admit that to his guy friends!

that's GREAT news about your insurance coverage!

@ChuckNorris: Heehee! There is a med called Lupron to prevent ovulation and the estrogen helps develop the uterus lining and the progesterone is needed for implantation and to maintain a pregnancy. I'm finally learning the what and why myself... wink!

@Spaniellove: @Sweetooth: Yes - I'm thoroughly enjoying GG! I'll really have to cram to catch up for this season.

@ChuckNorris: Welcome but also sorry that you have to be here with us.

@spaniellove: great news about your insurance coverage! Good luck this week with your RE consult. I also want to say thank you for keeping up our statistics, that is a huge help for me and I know it is some work for you!

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Update on me, I am starting Clomid again tonight. This is cycle 5 on Clomid. I have a script for Femara, but decided to stick to Clomid since I know I had a good follicle last time on it. As it turns out, I probably won't have any monitoring or trigger shot this month since we will be out of town during O. At least DH will be with me, so we still have a chance this month :). It's a ton of pressure but my POAS date this month is my birthday, so I am hoping for a wonderful present!

@spaniellove: Yay that your appointment will be covered on Thursday!!!!

@kentuckygirl: Good luck!!! I hope it works out! Maybe they will let you trigger on your own? Or is that risky with no monitoring?? New to this whole Clomid thing!!

@spaniellove: I usually do the roll calls on the POAS boards on WB, I found that once per week is usually enough, but there is a lot more happening on this board on a daily basis, so I dunno!! Hahah

Alright, I will officially check in, since you guys said it was okay. I'm so early in this IF journey it still feels very weird to say that.
@ChuckNorris
Age: Early 20s (sorry, I'd be identifiable if I put our real age since we live in a smaller town! I was found on WB by a crazy family member so I'm silly about it, I know!!) DH: Early 30s
Location: Northern California.
TTC: In the middle of cycle 7, off BC since January 1, 2012.
Appointments:
July 2012: At a regular doctor's appointment with my family doc, I asked to be put on Metformin since I had been diagnosed with PCOS in the past. She drew labs which I ended up figuring out later were on CD15, which she said were all normal but confirmed PCOS, started Metformin 500 mg. She was wrong, they were NOT normal.
9/6: First appointment with my RE. Some of you already know this, but he is a retired RE employed at my work, who only does PCOS management and menopause. I was told that he doesn't do IF anymore, but I went to him as I thought I had PCOS, which is when he decided to take me on for IF. He sat down with me and went through all my labs, saying that I don't have PCOS, but that I don't ovulate and that I have an LP defect (I had brought the labs my primary doctor drew which were abnormal and also had labs before I met with him).
9/11: Had an endometrial biopsy which showed that my endometrium was actually on CD17 when it was supposed to be on CD23 - six days off. This confirmed LPD, but he was not sure if my endometrium was not responding to existing Progesterone or if my ovaries aren't producing enough Progesterone. I had my blood drawn that day, but the lab MIXED UP MY ORDER and ran an E2/LH level instead of a Progesterone level. Arrrgh.
10/4: I follow-up with him just to go over everything. I get more bloodwork to confirm anovulation, including an E2, FSH, LH, and a thyroid panel (TSH, Free T4, and a few other things...I forgot). He will also be doing a post-coital cervical swab to rule out a semen allergy - he doesn't think I have it (women who do are asymptomatic) but he wants to rule it out. Hubby and I BD 2 hours before my appointment, he takes a swab of my CM, looks at it under a microscope, and if the heads and tails are stuck together, bam, semen allergy, straight to IUI.

Results: So far, I've had 2 sets of labs indicating anovulation, or if I do ovulate, it's not at the right time in my cycle. (He says it's like trying to turn your car on with a dead battery, the key just doesn't turn over, it just makes the noise, and yes, he made sound effects). EMB confirmed LPD with a 6 day variance.

Plan: One more set of labs confirming anovulation. An additional set of labs for Progesterone level to determine if my ovaries don't produce enough Progesterone or if my endometrium does not respond to it, not sure how it affects the treatment.... Cervical swab (post-coital) to rule out semen allergy. Then, it's Clomid+Prometrium (hopefully) next cycle. Two or three round of this and no BFP? He wants to "blow out my tubes" which I think is an HSG, but I'm not sure.

He also said I could keep taking Met if I wanted, which I do like taking it because it helps me keep my blood sugar level, so I will (I have a history of insulin resistance) even though it doesn't help me with fertility...lol.

@spaniellove & @sweetooth: Great questions! I've had breaks. I did 2 cycles on Clomid, 1 off, 1 on, 1 off, now 2 on. The first three cycles were 50 mg, prescribed by my OB/GYN, these last 2 cycles have been 100 mg prescribed by my RE. I did have an ultrasound last month to check my follicles and lining. My RE also only will do a total of 5-6 cycles on Clomid. I suspect that if I'm not PG this cycle, we'll move on to Femara since RE says it can be used over a longer period of time.

@Rachel, @GreenThumb, @Leialou, @ChuckNorris, @sweetooth, @Grace, @Trailmix, @kentuckygirl: A huge thank you and hugs to all of you guys for your support. It really meant a lot to me yesterday when I wasn't in such a great place. I kind of a took the night to chill out, talked to DH and talked to my mom and I feel better. DH is so awesome and supportive and is constantly reminding me why I love him. And when I was talking to my mom she asked if this changes anything about the doctor's plan. I told her it didn't and realized the doctor thought I had this anyways and didn't seem to think it was a huge obstacle.

Interestingly, my mom started to wonder if she has PCOS too - she said she always had irregular cycles and struggled forever with her weight. She didn't have any trouble conceived, but she was 8 and 3 years younger than me when she had kids.

@raintreebee: LOL I love that you put your trigger shot in your assistant's refridgerator! I hope I have an assistant someday, that's awesome! It sounds like your ultrasound went well! They like follies to be 16 mm, right? So it's super close! Fingers crossed for a smooth IUI on Saturday!! Good luck!!!!

@MrsCB: I'm so glad you are feeling better!!! =)

@Grace: I'm SO happy you enjoyed them... I saved a lot of them on my phone, and am sure I will be looking at them when I need a laugh periodically =) hahaha.

@Chucknorris. Yes, my assistant is awesome. I "share" her with a few other people in my office, but she makes my job so much easier. I am lucky. Not sure how big they want to see the follies. I didn't think to ask during my 60 second ultrasound and have read different things. The lack of online IF information written by actual doctors is frustrating. I do think the follies are close though. Two of them are on my "stuck" ovary--the one that the endo has supposedly gotten to. Not sure if that changes where they aim the swimmers, but I will ask at the next appt.
@Alie. Totally understand about limiting TTC sites. We are here if you need us, and thanks for the shout out to my lining. That is definitely something I never thought I would get complimented on until the TTC journey.
@Greenthumb. Good luck tomorrow. Hope you are able to get some rest tonight. Will be thinking of you.

@spaniellove and others, I can speak to the clomid issue. I conceived my daughter in december of 2010 on my fourth round of clomid. My doctor's opinion was that for most people, it either works pretty soon, or not at all. I didn't ovulate on 50mg, but I did consistently on 100mg. He was willing to let me go to 6 total, so I'd have had two more shots on it had I not conceived that round.

I wasn't very patient, though, and I was planning to move to clomid + IUI the next cycle, with his support. We didn't have any known sperm quality issues, but it's the usual next step.

I'm so sorry to all of you having trouble. I just had the ovulation issue, and it was a real nightmare. My heart breaks for those of you with those and more complex issues. I'm trying (unsuccessfully) to conceive again, which is a bummer, but already having my daughter makes it a very different and less emotionally fraught process.

@raintreebee: my RE said they like to see follicles measure at least 20 millimeters. Good luck this weekend!

@GreenThumb: Sending you tons of good luck today!!!

Ready to do Jordan Catalano today! I did have a relaxing night last night. We started watching the debate, but I was getting too amped up (I hate conflict, so a debate probably isn't the best thing to watch), so we watched The 5-Year Engagement instead. Much better! And I actually slept really well last night! I'm headed to acupuncture this morning, then the FET, then a second acupuncture appointment this afternoon. And DH is making me a really nice dinner tonight. Feeling really positive!

Thanks so much for all your well wishes. I'll let you know how it goes!

@ChuckNorris: @Spaniellove: Best wishes to you both today, too! Hope your appointments go really well! I'll be looking for your updates ;).

@sweetooth: @kentuckygirl: @GreenThumb: Thank you guys! I'm looking forward to the appointment!

@GreenThumb: Wishing you so much luck with your FET today; hoping this is it!

@GreenThumb: Good luck! Crossing my fingers for you!!