154 replies to this topic

[alyssum]

Jocelyne,

 

I had to look up what's the difference between cyst vs follicle because everyone seems to keep talking about this and my clinic has never brought it up.  Reading this article (http://fertilityfile...-the-confusion/) it's apparently not about absolute size, it's about how the size changes or not during your cycle.  A cyst doesn't change much in size between ultrasound images on different cycle days while a growing follicle does.  But given a single ultrasound image, a cyst and follicle look the same.  So if you only had one ultrasound this cycle, perhaps that's why your clinic couldn't give a definite answer.  I suppose you could ask what's their reasoning too.

 

You've never tried an unmedicated IUI cycle right?  Would you still do a trigger shot if you did IUI?  Speaking from my own experience... last month I decided to skip progesterone as I it had always been bugging me that I never tried a "natural" cycle.  Also, I worried that taking suppositories could be screwing up my hormone balance.  So I did and it was a complete bust.  I didn't feel too bad about the "wasted" money though (no more wasted than the first two cycles when I did all the recommended steps!).  Instead I feel more at peace with taking progesterone now knowing that it's probably going to pay off in the long-run.  Also, we're lucky that we have a portion of my income set aside for fertility process so we can afford to take a risk.

 

If you have similar nagging feelings about doing an unmedicated cycle then maybe it's worth trying to put your mind at ease.  There is evidence that women who have spontaneous ovulation fare slightly worse with trigger shots instead of relying on their natural LH surge for IUI.  So maybe it would go better than you expect.  But if you're feeling tight on money or confident that your current drug regime works for you, then maybe it's not worth doing.

[alyssum]

Watermelon,

 

I've spent a lot of time reading about "Luteal Phase Defect" (LPD) since that's why I am supposedly taking progesterone.  Here's a good summary if you like technical reading (goo.gl/0IepYR).  

 

If you want an even shorter summary...there is no clear means for diagnosing LPD.  It's been said a luteal phase <= 8 days is too short but there are fertile women who have had such short luteal phases.  Testing progesterone levels is useless too because levels fluctuate widely in just 90 mins.  Without a clear diagnostic criteria, there aren't any good studies demonstrating if supplementing progesterone is useful or not either.  

[Watermelon]

Thanks assylum

I had one doctor tell me that if progesterone levels are, in fact, low that it's probably the result of a poor/weak ovulation in which the corpus luteum is also weak. In other words, a bad egg anyways. He said I could take progesterone and the spotting would stop (it did), But all I'd be doing was treating the symptom (spotting from dtop in progesterone) not the underlying issue (poor eggs/weak ovulation). Other doctors have disagreed. Don't you just love how little even the experts ultimately understand about infertility? Science has a lot of work to do yet.

[NewWorld]

I had the same issue. They didn't know if the big one was a follicle or cyst. Thus, I have to go to a baseline ultrasound if my current cycle fails.
I wish they would make it as a standard procedure for everyone to check in the beginning.

I cannot imagine how it would be without doing any ultrasounds at all. In my clinic the normal procedure is to use OPK and then go for IUI next day after positive.
In that case nobody would know exactly what's going on inside.

[alyssum]

I took a HPT this morning and it was negative.  I know it's early, I just wanted to temper myself a bit. 

 

Newworld, are you feeling better from the cold?

 

Jocelyne - CD14

Bri - 5 weeks 3 days. BFP!!!!
Watermelon - 14dpiui. 
Iluvbabies- 13dpiui
Newworld - 10dpiui  

Alyssum - 9dpiui 

Mojo - 8dpiui

Outdoorsliving - 6dpiui
Tellete - Sept 

Yellow7 - ?

[NewWorld]

Thanks for asking, alyssum.
I'm still having the cold. It's not a bad one. But feeling weak

I'm sure you tested too early. Wait few more days

[Jocelyne3573]

Thanks for the info Alyssum, and for the advice Watermelon. There's a few of us on here that are getting close to finding out!

 

I spoke with my RE today and she feels that for this month, I should probably resort to bedding. But Alyssum, you bring up a good point. I do ovulate naturally...so why trigger? I feel like there would be a better chance at getting pregnant with a natural LH surge. However, if I am producing numerous follies in a cycle (because of medications), can they let me ovulate naturally? Do all follies release an egg in this instance? All questions I am going to ask at my appointment next week. For now, I am continuing to go in daily for blood work to confirm my LH surge. It's harder for me because we can't bed multiple times a day, or even once daily because we have a male factor issue. We have to time it so that there are a few days in between each bedding to replenish. This is an added challenge that is very annoying considering he works shift work.

 

Day 15 tomorrow. Let's see if I surge.

[Iluvbabies]

Jocelyne I feel for you on the bedding issue , I hope you surge and that your egg is released at the perfect time, I wish that for all of us here!! I've been following the threads, I haven't been saying much because alot of the issues here are way beyond my scope of knowledge.  New World, Watermelon and alyssum hope you are all hanging in there. 

 

Yesterday I took a Life Brand Early Pregnancy test (at Shoppers Drug Mart). Big mistake. Ladies never get this type of pregnancy test.

 

It has really messed with my head. I took a test and I saw a blue smudge in the pregnant window. Of course I did what you shouldn't do and I ripped open the test to see the strip up close. I looked at it but there was no blue line (more like a shadow) but an hour later and there was a blue line (which doesn't mean anything bc I tampered with the test but it was enough to get my hopes up) after I went and read on the internet about how blue tests give false positives all the time. I did a First Response test this morning and it is a negative. I am going to the clinic today to take my beta test today to confirm but I am pretty sure I am out on this thread. Good luck to everyone!!! 

[NewWorld]

Iluvbabies,
Don't get disappointed. It's 14dpiui only. Wait few more days and you will get your BFP

I'm 11dpiui today. Not sure when to test.

[Iluvbabies]

Thanks New World. This is where I turn to for support , your words are very kind.

Good for you for not testing yet.

I just had a talk with my hubby- Im not sure I could go through this again ( my IVF turned into an IUI after 6k in meds because my follicles werent responding to stims) this has been way more emotional and gruelling than I thought it would be. Props to any and all of you going through this for the 2nd, 3rd 4 th plus times. You are an extremely strong bunch of people

[MoJo]

Iluvbabies, I'm so sorry about that blue dye test messing with your head!  I hope you get a pleasant surprise from your beta today.

 

I tested this morning at 9dpiui and got a suuuuuper faint line that I'm assuming is residual trigger shot.  I'm going to test this weekend and hope that the line is darker.  I also got my highest temp ever this morning (I know, I said I wasn't going to temp this cycle but a 4 year habit is hard to break!) so I'm remaining optimistic.

 

My husband's grandfather passed away this morning so I'm praying that I get a BFP and can help lift his spirits.

 

It seems like there's a few of us who will find out if our cycles were successful in the next little while. Good luck to everyone!

[Jocelyne3573]

Hello hello. This morning's bloodwork confirms LH surge. I'm going to go radio silent for the next day and Saturday will be 1DPO. Iluvbabies, can't wait to hear about your beta.

[NewWorld]

Oh how exciting. Good luck ladies

I'm having strong back pain. But I don't know if it's related to my cold as it's making me feel weak.
I usually don't feel any pain before AF arrives.
I'm scared of testing

[Iluvbabies]

Mojo I am very sorry about your husbands grandfather. That is amazing you had a faint line!!!! 

 

New World I hope you are feeling sick because you are pregnant!!! But I'm sorry you aren't feeling well.

 

Jocelyne congrats on your surge!! 

 

Sounds like this will be a lucky cycle for many of you! Just not for me. It was a negative for me on my beta this time......it's ok. Wishing you all lots of baby luck !!!!!! 

 

Thanks for all the good wishes support and positivity especially during this 2week wait!! 

[NewWorld]

I'm sorry about your negative beta Iluvbabies
I tested today morning at 12dpiui. I didn't see any line at all
I used clearblue.
Do I still have some hope? By now I should have at least seen a faint line, right?
I think I'm out

Do you guys know of any people that didn't see any line on 12dpiui/12dpo and then got bfp afterwards?

[alyssum]

I keep taking cheap HPT tests everyday and they are stark white negative every time.  Yet my temps are still high for the first time ever.  And then yet, I feel strangely good.  That seems like a anti-pregnancy symptom.  

 

iluvbabies, sorry to hear your news.  Not sure what to say except to take your time figuring out what's right for you.

 

NewWorld, I always keep some hope until the beta (and I regularly google things like "12 dpo bfn but pregnant").

 

Bri - 5 weeks 5 days. BFP!!!!
Watermelon - 16dpiui
Iluvbabies-  
Newworld - 12dpiui  

Alyssum - 11dpiui 

Mojo - 10dpiui

Outdoorsliving - 8dpiui

Jocelyne - 0dpo
Tellete - Sept 

Yellow7 - ?

[Tellette]

Hey ladies! So i am refreshed and ready to tackle this again after 5 IUIs. I just ordered 4 specimens. I am using donor Sperm. So 4 IUI samples and 1 IVF cycle. I usually get my period around the 2nd..so we will see. Good luck to us all! Keep the faith. It happens..it will happen.

[Watermelon]

Alyssum, Does your temp normally drop by 11dpo? Are they still up today? Are you on progesterone? I can't remember. That can also keep your temp up unfortunately since progesterone is what causes high temps post ovulation in the body. I found temping post ovulation useless when on progesterone, but maybe your body is different? Fingers crossed!!

CD 4 for me. Took 2.5mg letrazole yesterday.

[NewWorld]

Good luck Watermelon and Tellette with your next cycle.
I'm 14dpiui today and checked with dollarama hpt. Still showing BFN. AF can show up anytime and I might join you again.

[Jocelyne3573]

What do you say watermelon, do we open up a September IUI forum? Good luck on letrozole. 2.5mg gave me one follie. Have to pump the max in me at 5 pills a day for 5 days (12.5mg) from Day 3 to 7 to get at least 2 or 3.

[Jocelyne3573]

I'm 2dpo and meh. We didn't have sex the day after the surge. Only the day before and day of. Any opinions on that?

[NewWorld]

Ugly AF has arrived and made me cry a lot

Going for baseline ultrasound tomorrow.
Yes, let's start a September thread.

[Watermelon]

Moving over to Sept. I'd say hope to see you there...but in this case hope I dont!

[Jocelyne3573]

Hey...I'm very happy August brought at least one lady a BFP! Who will it be in September??? All of us!

[alyssum]

Watermelon, yeah I normally get a temp drop as my natural progesterone falls off.  But honestly the measurements I have gotten this cycle are so wacky, so I'm kinda skeptical it means anything.  It's a pretty far reach for this cycle to work for me now given all the negative HPTs, but I'll try to hold on to hope until Aug 31.

 

New World, sorry it didn't work out this time for you.  You're not alone, and our time will come eventually.

 

Jocelyne, fresh sperm can live 5-7 days from what I heard.  So your efforts still count for sure!