An Update...
Hmm....where did I leave off....
I wasn't pregnant in June (try #4). I wasn't too surprised. Kind of disappointed though. So I decided to get my testing done in July... I keep thinking the bloodwork will get easier...but no.
So I had my CD3 numbers run:
FSH - 5.2
LH - 6.8
AMH - 2.3
Prolactin - 23.3
Estradiol (E2) - 28
All of those numbers are great. So I continued with my insemination for July, using my last little vial of Ian. 7 days later, I went in for yet another blood test (stupid needles) to have my progesterone checked.
It was 3.6 (!!@!#$^$%&). Let me explain...to sustain a healthy pregnancy you need a progesterone of at least 8 (most say 10) but they really like to see it above 15. So that cycle was screwed. I was really upset. I called all my friends and had myself a good little pity party. (and said goodbye to Ian as a donor...I can no longer purchase his vials) After that...I picked myself up and made a new plan...
I decided to take August off. I wanted to make sure the progesterone supplements will work for me, I had to pick a new donor, and I wanted to have an HSG.
The HSG:
For those who don't know, and HSG is where they run a little catheter through your cervix, blow up a little balloon and then pump your uterus full of contrast dye. For some women it's really painful. I was seriously concerned. But it was really a non-event. Tiny little cramps and it was done! My uterus is beautiful. :-) My fallopian tubes are open and normal (although they don't look at all like what I thought they would). And...the HSG slightly increases the chance of getting pregnant for the next 3 or so cycles. Yay!
I also started on progesterone supplementation. Basically it's the little pill that you take vaginally. (yes that's right, you shove the little pill into your vagina every night...fun huh?) You have to wear a panty liner the whole time you're on it because you leak this yellow greasy crap. Gross. Lots of women have horrible side effect (tired all the time, tender breasts, hot flashes, severely emotional) so I was a little concerned there too. But...I felt great! I seemed to have energy and I was happy. Awesome!
Had my levels checked at 7dpo again (another blood draw) and it was 20.9! Yay! My TSH was 3.74...which is a little high. My doctor isn't worried about it, but from the research I've done it should be below 2 for TTC. I've got a physical (more bloodwork *cringe*) this week, so I'll ask my PCP about it and have it retested. But ultimately I'm not that concerned.
I also picked a new donor. My girlfriend's (M, J, and MMM...also S looked at them and gave her opinions) and I narrowed them down to 3. Liam (the shy guy), Travis (the rock star), and Chase (the cute guy). When I called the bank, only Chase was in stock. So Chase it is! I bought 2 vials (I'm going to do 2 inseminations this round)
So everything was looking good. Then I stopped taking my progesterone... You have to stop the progesterone in order to have a period and start the next cycle... Well that's wasn't good. I had some pretty serious side effects coming off the meds. I was really really really depressed for several days. (I'm ok now...but it really sucked)
So now I'm waiting. I go pick up Chase on Tuesday and wait for my OPK+. Here we go again.
If I am not pregnant this cycle...then I will likely have to cart my sperm out to New Orleans for a friend's wedding and inseminate there. Oh boy (sarcasm). What a pain in the ass.
So I just need to get pregnant this cycle. Wish me luck.
I'm other news...
MMM is having a really tough time getting pregnant. It really all just sucks. I hope she's pregnant this cycle
S is pregnant!!! Woohoo!!! She's not an SMC friend, but a married friend that struggled with infertility.
L has been hospitalized and is having trouble carrying her twins for the last part of her pregnancy. Hoping everything goes well for her.
I visited K and her 10 week old twin boys. Wow...that was intense.
My brother has had several interviews and a few callbacks. He should hear something about a really good job next week. *fingers crosses*
My mom is seeing a psychologist! Yay! That's a battle I've been fighting for a long time. I hope it helps.
I now have stairs on my deck. Yay! I'm pretty excited about that.
I guess that's it. The whole TTC thing pretty much takes over my whole life...so I need that to be done and move on to the "being pregnant" thing. If I'm not pregnant this month, I will try October...but then I'll have to wait until January (when I can put money into my FSA again) to start again. Not completely sure what my plans are there...hoping I don't get that far.
I wasn't pregnant in June (try #4). I wasn't too surprised. Kind of disappointed though. So I decided to get my testing done in July... I keep thinking the bloodwork will get easier...but no.
So I had my CD3 numbers run:
FSH - 5.2
LH - 6.8
AMH - 2.3
Prolactin - 23.3
Estradiol (E2) - 28
All of those numbers are great. So I continued with my insemination for July, using my last little vial of Ian. 7 days later, I went in for yet another blood test (stupid needles) to have my progesterone checked.
It was 3.6 (!!@!#$^$%&). Let me explain...to sustain a healthy pregnancy you need a progesterone of at least 8 (most say 10) but they really like to see it above 15. So that cycle was screwed. I was really upset. I called all my friends and had myself a good little pity party. (and said goodbye to Ian as a donor...I can no longer purchase his vials) After that...I picked myself up and made a new plan...
I decided to take August off. I wanted to make sure the progesterone supplements will work for me, I had to pick a new donor, and I wanted to have an HSG.
The HSG:
For those who don't know, and HSG is where they run a little catheter through your cervix, blow up a little balloon and then pump your uterus full of contrast dye. For some women it's really painful. I was seriously concerned. But it was really a non-event. Tiny little cramps and it was done! My uterus is beautiful. :-) My fallopian tubes are open and normal (although they don't look at all like what I thought they would). And...the HSG slightly increases the chance of getting pregnant for the next 3 or so cycles. Yay!
I also started on progesterone supplementation. Basically it's the little pill that you take vaginally. (yes that's right, you shove the little pill into your vagina every night...fun huh?) You have to wear a panty liner the whole time you're on it because you leak this yellow greasy crap. Gross. Lots of women have horrible side effect (tired all the time, tender breasts, hot flashes, severely emotional) so I was a little concerned there too. But...I felt great! I seemed to have energy and I was happy. Awesome!
Had my levels checked at 7dpo again (another blood draw) and it was 20.9! Yay! My TSH was 3.74...which is a little high. My doctor isn't worried about it, but from the research I've done it should be below 2 for TTC. I've got a physical (more bloodwork *cringe*) this week, so I'll ask my PCP about it and have it retested. But ultimately I'm not that concerned.
I also picked a new donor. My girlfriend's (M, J, and MMM...also S looked at them and gave her opinions) and I narrowed them down to 3. Liam (the shy guy), Travis (the rock star), and Chase (the cute guy). When I called the bank, only Chase was in stock. So Chase it is! I bought 2 vials (I'm going to do 2 inseminations this round)
So everything was looking good. Then I stopped taking my progesterone... You have to stop the progesterone in order to have a period and start the next cycle... Well that's wasn't good. I had some pretty serious side effects coming off the meds. I was really really really depressed for several days. (I'm ok now...but it really sucked)
So now I'm waiting. I go pick up Chase on Tuesday and wait for my OPK+. Here we go again.
If I am not pregnant this cycle...then I will likely have to cart my sperm out to New Orleans for a friend's wedding and inseminate there. Oh boy (sarcasm). What a pain in the ass.
So I just need to get pregnant this cycle. Wish me luck.
I'm other news...
MMM is having a really tough time getting pregnant. It really all just sucks. I hope she's pregnant this cycle
S is pregnant!!! Woohoo!!! She's not an SMC friend, but a married friend that struggled with infertility.
L has been hospitalized and is having trouble carrying her twins for the last part of her pregnancy. Hoping everything goes well for her.
I visited K and her 10 week old twin boys. Wow...that was intense.
My brother has had several interviews and a few callbacks. He should hear something about a really good job next week. *fingers crosses*
My mom is seeing a psychologist! Yay! That's a battle I've been fighting for a long time. I hope it helps.
I now have stairs on my deck. Yay! I'm pretty excited about that.
I guess that's it. The whole TTC thing pretty much takes over my whole life...so I need that to be done and move on to the "being pregnant" thing. If I'm not pregnant this month, I will try October...but then I'll have to wait until January (when I can put money into my FSA again) to start again. Not completely sure what my plans are there...hoping I don't get that far.