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@2farmmoms: I agree that although our kids wouldn't have anything too fancy, they will still have so much more in other ways. Neither my DH or I had anything fancy when we were growing up, and even though our kids will have so much more then we did, I still intend on raising them like we were raised.

@Yogirunner and @Mrskrb, I'm glad to hear the IUIs went well. Fingers crossed!! @Yogirunner - Hope the wedding was fun and you were able to relax and enjoy!

@2farmmoms: I'm glad to hear you have found friendly and supportive midwives to help you. To me, it makes a world of difference to have good, peaceful feelings about who is on this journey with me (REs, midwives, etc.). Though it means a long drive and changing donors, it sounds worth it. Sorry I didn't see your question to me on your other thread about legal help, but it sounds like you moved around that obstacle. Good luck with all of your upcoming tests.

@auggiefrog, @msline and @ameliabedilia... I totally feel you.

AFM, it's just been a little stressful over here!

In preparation for being a mamma, earlier this year I left the land of full-time, stressful job unhappiness to find an amazing part-time opportunity. Just recently, I accepted an okay offer. A day later, the totally perfect offer came along and I accepted it, too. So now I have two jobs and full-time work again. Ack, we'll see where this goes... I am trying to find a graceful exit to the first one.

Adding to the stress, we are essentially not in the running this month. DH could not DTD (or rather "finish the deed" - FTD?! FTW is what I say!) during my fertile window. He is psyched out by his MFI diagnosis now. Ignorance was bliss, I guess.

Furthermore, the results came back that his T is NOT low, his TSH is fine, etc. so there is nothing to indicate why he has MFI. The last guess I have is that it's from undescended testicles as a kid which can cause infertility if corrective surgeries aren't done as a baby. On a positive note, all of his DNA karyotyping came back normal so that's a relief. (I guess MFI indicates other genetic abnormalities sometimes that can be passed on.) In the end, he has some sperm, can produce a sample and IVF/ICSI exists.

My last diagnostics were fine, so we have urology and final RE consults this month before our Italy trip. I'm not looking forward to the urology appointment for DH's sake (ie., What's the doc going to say at this point? Something to further psych out DH and further erode our sex life?) Hopefully we will get treatment dates and can start ordering meds and get around this "inconvenience" (aka severely low sperm count), which is what we have come to call it.

I joke, but this is the first month where I feel road-weary.

Very late joining, and I need to catch up on everyone's posts, but I might squeeze in a POAS in June.

Cycle Day: 29 (about to be 1; my temp dropped this am)
TTC Cycle #: 26
POAS date: depending on when I O, maybe 6/30, so TBD
Baby #: 2

Your situation: Unexplained secondary IF; my antral follicle count on CD3 was very low (5-6, rather than 15-20) and DH's morphology is only 2% (but his count is 179 million!, and motility is good), but all my other hormone levels were normal and my HSG was clear. Not really sure why we're having so much trouble this go-round. Due to complications from baby #1 (PPROM & pre-ecclampsia) we can't risk multiples, so IVF+ICSI with single embryo transfer is our only option, and we have to wait until we can get on my insurance September 1 to start.

What's happening this month: both taking 300mg ubiquinol daily, mucinex and green tea to increase CM, OPKs, EOD BD from ~CD11 until O confirmed (hopefully).
Chart link: BallerinaBee FF Chart

And just for fun… Have any fun summer vacation plans? Not yet - I have to have an x-ray guided injection in my hip and likely hip surgery, so we'll try to plan a week at the beach around that. Two out of town Sunday weddings the next 2 weekends, though - 1 in Charlotte, NC and 1 in Charleston, SC.

@NorthStar: according to this site: http://www.advancedfertility.com/amh-fertility-test.htm, it's normal!

CD4 here. Quick recap: my testing is all fine, but I've had a borderline LP (11 days), lots of stress, and I'm 35. DH's morphology was 4%, but motility was fine, and overall count is great. DH used to have his laptop on his lap for hours at a time. When we found this out mid-March, we decided to do supplements and avoid the laptop, then recheck in 3 months (mid-June). If better, start femara (I had done one cycle last year, which made my LP 14 days). If not, then see RE. We have the option of taking femara this month before we know the results. DH thinks we shouldn't out of concern of not using the femara cycles up. I just want to do anything to speed this along. I am starting back on metformin (it gave me a 12 day LP, then I had a 13 day LP the cycle after I stopped). Would you start the femara in addition, or just do the metformin? FWIW, my stress level should be way less this month.

@ms.line: no. We didn't because my charts said I was ovulating, and either way, the plan was to go on femara.

@Amorini: No worries, yes, it makes a huge difference to have supportive people behind you. Sorry to hear about your recent troubles. I guess this is where my one advantage lies. It's easy (well, easier) for me to find a different donor if one has a low count or other issues. There are no hard feelings there, and I haven't heard of a donor with performance anxiety!! I think even though it's nice to know you're both healthy and things are working, it is so hard to hear that there's no reason for you not being pregnant, or for the sperm count to be low, or whatever the problem is. So frustrating that sometimes it just doesn't work right.

AF arrived. I have an appointment with an obgyn on July 7th to discuss our problems conceiving, do one more month until I hopefully get some help.

@ms.line: I'll test again on June 30th.

@ameliabedilia @ms.line @mrskrb @amorini: Thank you! It wasn’t a big deal to miss the rehearsal after all. We got to the dinner just in time and most people didn’t even notice. Wedding was a BLAST and definitely got my mind off TTC! Thanks so much for your sound advice, you’re right that you need to practice plenty of self-care while dealing with IF.

@auggiefrog: I’m so sorry you’re on to the next cycle, but so glad you’ve got an appoitnment on the books. And re: your earlier post, venting is exactly what we’re here for – to listen, commiserate, offer support. There are many events that have come and gone that we were sure we’d be pregnant for… holidays, this wedding (I ordered my dress 2 sizes too big!!), etc. It is a true test of patience and having faith that everything will work out.

@2farmmoms: Glad to have you here and I’m also sorry you’re dealing with lots of extra crap. Clomid + IUI sounds like a FANTASTIC plan and I am crossing my fingers extra hard for you!!

@amorini: Congrats on the great opportunities that have come your way! I’m sure you can gracefully exit the first one, I’d just do it sooner than later if you can – like ripping a band-aid off so you can focus on the better opportunity and give everyone plenty of notice.

AFM, I had IUI #2 on Friday but with no trigger because I was surging naturally and had 1 mature follicle on each side, one ginormous at 25.5mm (the other was 22). Hope that still means my chances are high… And this morning had the craziest vivid dream that I gave birth to a little girl. It was so real. Haven't had any pregnancy/baby dreams before so it threw me for a loop...

@YogiRunner: I'm glad your IUI went well! I hope your dream becomes reality

Cross posted in infertility:

I'm so confused. I just got a call from the doctor's office. They had originally recommended clomid and IUI this cycle. I did my cycle day 3 labs yesterday and got a call from the MA this morning. She said my FSH looks good at 5.8. My ultrasound was normal. I have a retro flexed uterus. And my estradiol was 15. Then she called back and said that the doctor said not to take clomid because my estradiol is too low. She wants me to do a non medicated cycle with IUI. Which is fine if that's best, but I want to understand why! She said that my estradiol is too low to take clomid, and that I don't need it, but she couldn't explain why. I told her I needed more of an explanation, but she had no answers. She said she would ask the doctor and call me back. I'm really frustrated because if anything, my research says that clomid is sometimes prescribed for low estradiol, not contraindicated! Can anyone here explain this to me? Thanks! I wish the doctor would just call me back herself. I hate talking to the clueless medical assistant.

@ballerinabee: I have to admit, I do love a good wedding. The RE nurse after my IUI said to not drink anything... I ignored her Frankly, the anti-stress effect of having a glass of champagne is probably more beneficial than worrying about avoiding it! I still consider red wine a food group... Also! September 1 will be here before you know it. Hopefully you won't even need to start IVF, but you have a plan, girl - and that is a wonderful thing!

@YogiRunner: Yeah, I don't know. They called back but I still didn't talk to the doctor. Very frustrating. They basically said Clomid won't be effective if my level is already low. The good news is, I called the midwife I saw back in March for a second opinion. She said she's meeting with her partners and will get back to me tomorrow, which wouldn't be too late to start Clomid. Also, she said that their office does do IUIs and can do it with fresh donor sperm! So it looks like I might not have to switch donors and travel to Berkeley after all! Great news today. Our donor is stoked, as are we. Also I have my HSG on Friday. Lots of things happening this month.

@2farmmoms: That's SO wonderful! I'm glad that you will be able to do something more local

@YogiRunner: As far as wine, I agree with the other ladies and say go for it! It won't hurt anything!

I'm SO frustrated here. I talked to my clinic here regarding what I need done and ordered by the specialist. Now the RE is saying that there is a monitoring fee to have everything done where I live. Oh, thanks for telling me! ugh - not sure what the damage will be yet.

@2farmmoms: That is such great news about the donor! Good luck with the HSG and I hope you get some answers regarding clomid. I wish I had some knowledge to share, but I'm still new to all this stuff.

@NorthStar: Grrrrrrr so frustrating! We don't have infertility coverage so we pay for everything out of pocket. Our clinic is pretty upfront about pricing, which is good, but everything adds up so quickly. I hope your monitoring fee is nominal!

@AmeliaBedilia: Ugh that sucks that you got rear-ended! Hope everything with insurance goes smoothly and quickly, and so glad to hear you're okay. Good thing you have an awesome weekend to look forward to! DH and I are actually doing the same thing Headed to a peaceful cabin on a lake. And re: hot tub, I am no expert but I would avoid it if I were in your shoes. If there's any chance of putting his morphology in jeopardy, especially after kicking the laptop habit, why risk it? And for you, I'd avoid it in the luteal phase... my RE nurse told me to stay away from hot tubs, saunas, and heating pads after my IUI. Hot tub or no hot tub, so glad you get the chance to unplug and unwind!