[JenaNYC]

Mamba! for a for you next Thursday!

Winkie - It sounds like there's a reason this woman is your best friend... she handled a situation she knew would be difficult for you with such grace! Props to your BF!

From my own experience, I have found that I'm closer to the children of my girlfriends who have been sensitive to what I am going through. And although this may sound petty, I'm no longer as close with my girlfriends who were all about themselves and their baby. It just made it harder to be happier for them.

So I think that your BF was spot on! She has let you know that she's there for you and she's giving you the space to warm up to her little one in your own time, without any pressure.

Jenn - Thanks for checking up on me. BTW, did you go to the yoga workshop last weekend? If so, how was it?

Joanna - I'm glad to hear that your FIL is doing better. I hope you went and had that massage you've been talking about! You deserve it. Have you been successful in locating a new acupuncturist?

AFM, I've had some ups and downs lately. After being under my RE's care for a year with no success, he decided to run a "next step" panel of tests -- tests that he won't run on everyone. I got the results back last week that I have a higher than normal natural killer cell count. Now while they can't say for certain that this is the cause of my infertility issues, they want me to go to another specialist to discuss treatment.

Essentially a strong count of NK cells in most situations is good because they fight off illness. In my case, though, since they are programmed to attack anything foreign in the body, and because an embryo is half foreign with my DH's DNA, there is a good chance that they are attacking the blasts that I want so badly to grow.

So currently I'm still waiting for to arrive. She's about 10 days late right now due to my body resetting after my February cycle. I'm still on track to start my stimulating meds in May for retrieval and transfer then. In the meantime I see the specialist at the end of this month. The first appointment he had was on a SUNDAY at the end of April! How crazy is the NY doctor scene, huh?

Everyone - What are your time frames for next steps?

JenaNYC

[JennHS]

Jena sorry to her that. But you know when they start to do these additional tests and start to pin point problems the sooner they can resolve the issues. This specialist will know exactly how to help and make the procedure work for you. Generally I think they would just suppress your immune system.

It does upset me though that these RE's don't exhaust every possible test first until they find an issue and then proceed with IVF, etc. They seem to jump into IUI, IVF, etc and figure it out along the way at our expense, emotional and financial. Does anyone else feel this way? Sorry to be negative, I'm feeling pretty fustrated right now

[winkie01]

Jena- I am going to send your quote about my BF to her. You said it better than I could. Going to see the baby today or tomorrow and I fele good about it. Acupuncture first to help me be zen! Sorry to hear about the NK cells. That is a new one for me. But it sounds like they don't know if it is even a problem. And Jenn is right. If it was the problem now they can fix it and maybe next cycle will be the one. My fingers are crossed.
I am anxiously awaiting for my too. I have a 2-day business trip next week so stressing that I'll get it around then and have to figure something out so I can make it to the RE for Day 2.

Jenn - yeah, I have been feeling the way you are for a while. Sometimes I wonder if I am geting the best care since its such a mill with so many women. You wonder how individualized your care really is.

[Jnails29]

Originally Posted by JenaNYC

AFM, I've had some ups and downs lately. After being under my RE's care for a year with no success, he decided to run a "next step" panel of tests -- tests that he won't run on everyone. I got the results back last week that I have a higher than normal natural killer cell count. Now while they can't say for certain that this is the cause of my infertility issues, they want me to go to another specialist to discuss treatment.

Essentially a strong count of NK cells in most situations is good because they fight off illness. In my case, though, since they are programmed to attack anything foreign in the body, and because an embryo is half foreign with my DH's DNA, there is a good chance that they are attacking the blasts that I want so badly to grow.

So currently I'm still waiting for to arrive. She's about 10 days late right now due to my body resetting after my February cycle. I'm still on track to start my stimulating meds in May for retrieval and transfer then. In the meantime I see the specialist at the end of this month. The first appointment he had was on a SUNDAY at the end of April! How crazy is the NY doctor scene, huh?

Everyone - What are your time frames for next steps?

JenaNYC

Jena I have to ask my RE if he tested me for NKC. I'm don't recall that ever being brought up. I have to make a f/u appointment with him soon to figure out my next steps. He never called with the results of my genetic testing of my D&C. I'm a little annoyed at that. I'm going to start my new list of things to talk about. Oh and as for the massage...No I haven't called to make the appointment yet. What is wrong with me?

Jenn I agree, the RE's should test for every possible situation before they start all these proceedures. For some reason I think that CCRM in Colorado does. Everyone goes in for a pre-workup and then they call and let you know what they think your chances of success are based on your results. It is only after that they even talk to you about coming in for any sort of proceedure. Why can't they all do that. It was a long time ago but all I ever remember my RE having me do was get a full CBC and they tested me for HIV and then a few other tests. Don't see how that is really helpful. Unless they ran other tests that they didn't tell me about. As for the Royal Jelly, I'm not a honey person but I do like the one without Propelis. It's the one that has it in that I can't stand. YUCK.

Winkie your BF sounds like a keeper. It was so nice of her not to push baby talk in your face knowing what you have gone through. I hope your DH has a better understanding of how you feel now and he can be there to support you.

Mamba Praying for good results on Thursday. Please let us know.

ASF finally had my HCG levels go back down to negative so just waiting for . Seems like forever since I have seen her. After that I need to wait another month before I can do anything.

[JennHS]

Jena- I did the yoga fertility workshop and it was great. The instructor would have us go into these restorative poses, which are extremely relaxing, and just stay there for awhile. She would cover us with a blanket, cover our eyes with little pillows and read us an inspirational passage. Just the kind of comfort you need during these times. She also told us what to avoid during daily practice. Things like inversions during your period or intense twisting which scrunches your reproductive organs. The focus is to keep that area relaxed and open.

For everyone there were also some books they recommended. One of them was "The Fertile Female; How the Power of Longing for a child Can Save Your Life and Change the World", by Julia Indichova. It's great I'm only on page 40 and I'm already feeling like this could help change things for me! I never wanted to read books on the subject because I was afraid they would make me dwell on the problems, but this is the opposite. I'll give you guys a full review when I'm done. She also put out a book prior to this one called "Inconceivable" which is also supposed to be great.

Hope everyone's doing well!

[mamba]

yesterday, my acupuncturist checked my pulse as usual. she told me that there is a chance that I am pregnant and that chance is 80%

so of course, I had to test this morning. the first response test says

YES+



I went for the beta this morning. today is my 10dp3dt. They will call in the afternoon. I am praying for good numbers

[JennHS]

MAMBA!!!!!!!!

[mamba]

The Beta is 76.7

[mamba]

Originally Posted by JennHS

MAMBA!!!!!!!!

thanks Jenn

[JenaNYC]

Congrats Mamba! That is so exciting! You are ! You must be over the moon right now. I'm also so amazed that your acupuncturist was able to pick up on it by your pulse! How awesome is that?!?

Jenn - Thanks for the recommendation on the book and the info on the yoga workshop. I'll be finishing up my last week of beginner's yoga in a couple of weeks and then after that I'm going to see if the weekly yoga for fertility class is still going on over at NYU fertility center. I've included the link below in case anyone else might be interested. I look forward to hearing more about "The Fertile Female." Please let us know if you think it's worth a read!

Everyone - Thanks for your reassurances about my current NK cell situation. I agree that I wish this would have been investigated earlier. Hopefully there will be a relatively easy treatment for it. I've been reading about women having expensive transfusions and I hope it isn't going to be to that extent for me. In the meantime, arrived on Saturday and I started the BCPs on Monday. On April 20th I start the Lupron. The following week is my appointment with the specialist, so we'll see! It's all very exciting. I continue to have hope.

Here's the yoga for fertility link at NYU in case anyone is interested. I'd probably start April 27th as my beginner's class is also on Monday nights and ends the week before.

Yoga for Fertility Classes | NYU Fertility Center | NYU Medical Center | New York, NY

Jena

[winkie01]

Mamba - congrats!! That is awesome. Hopefully, your luck will rub off on the rest of us. Great news.

Jena - good luck with everything - your new cycle and the treatment for the NK.

Nothing new here - still no Usually I have a short cycle after taking injectables. Anyone have a long one after IVF? I am anxious for round 2.

[mamba]

Thanks Jena, winkie!

yes it was very cool that my acupuncturist told me I am pregnant before the actual test she was actually telling me to go have IVF done right from the beginning but I didn't listen to her and lost 6 months but no complaints here. I am very happy

I wish you all the best of luck and sending you lots of babydust

[Jnails29]

Mamba congratulations. That is such wonderful news. I'm so happy for you. When do you go for your repeat b/w so we can hear how great your numbers double?

You are officially

AFM I finally got last weekend but have been sick all week. This month I think we are going to just practice the old fashioned way and then we will try my snowbabies in May or June.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday.

[mamba]

Originally Posted by Jnails29

Mamba congratulations. That is such wonderful news. I'm so happy for you. When do you go for your repeat b/w so we can hear how great your numbers double?

You are officially

thanks jnails! my next visit will be next thursday. they didn't feel the need to check my bhcg before then. i will also have my first ultrasound that day.

I wish you luck!

[JenaNYC]

Originally Posted by winkie01

Nothing new here - still no Usually I have a short cycle after taking injectables. Anyone have a long one after IVF? I am anxious for round 2.

Winkie - Did come yet? I'm usually pretty much 26-29 days but my last cycle was 40 days! I think my body was resetting itself from my FET cycle that ended in February.

Joanna - Good luck with the baby dancing!

Jenn - Hope you are well... let us know how the book was!

Mamba - Looking forward to hearing about your U/S this week!

Best,

Jena