[designdiva32]

Hey girls! Back from the RE's (and some shopping etc, we somehow managed to forget to buy food for a week...our cupboards were bare!) and the cycle is a go!! The follistim has worked really well and my lining is back up to 8mm and I have one big follie at 20 and hopefully another one almost there, then IUI will be on Monday. So I'm feeling much better about it all today. I still doubt this will be the cycle as RE likes to have two to three follies for women my age (guess I'm old in the world of fertility!) but next cycle we will only be using the follistim so I have high hopes (not too high...we all know where that leads!) for that one at least.

Heidi, the letrozole works by suppressing estrogen, which makes the other hormones work harder (for some reason) to make the follicles grow. Although with me it suppressed it for too long as I don't seem to metabolize it normally or something, so it thinned my lining completely! It also gave me those horrible headaches which are now finally subsiding so I'm feeling SOOOOO much better today. So no more letrozole for me EVER...which is good as it was horrible! So thats me in a nutshell...IUI here we come!

Jen, with my slow cycle you might actually catch up to me and be in the 2ww with me? Then we can freak each other out together...wouldn't that be fun!

Heidi, so I'm assuming you and your DH will be getting down and dirty this weekend then if 'o' day is here? You never know, as my RE likes to call them, 'spontaneous pregnancies' happen all the time, as you and I have both experienced (mine not so good but at least it happened) so you owe it to yourselves to get jiggy wid' it! hehe

Shawna, hows the ear hun? Feeling better I hope. As for TTC, I know its annoying to be on a break, but I'm sure it won't be for much longer and that your DH just needs some time to sort out his job etc. Then you can get back on the horse too. Meanwhile just monitor your cycles and seduce you DH without him knowing...you never know...it could work now you are on the menopur.

Rachael, I can't see you as a real estate agent. You are far too nice! Either that or mine have just been nasty and tried to rip us off every where we turn. Actually, we are thinking about buying a 'flip' house too at the moment. Toronto is a great place for bargains at the moment. Do you have any suggestions as to what the ratio of the buying price should be versus the selling price (after renovations) to get a good profit? (Yay...I can get real estate advice from a nice, trustworty agent for a change.) I'd be really interested to know how much you would expect when flipping.

Grits, Shelly, hows the spa and shopping going girls? Let us know, I know I could do with some tales of pampering and spending right about now.

[Angelwithhope]

Alana- That is fantastic news! I have my fingers crossed for you!! Good luck! I hope this is the month for a , even if it isn't...it's okay!

PS I'm on metformin, nothing else except Prometrium which seems to have brought on AF at CD 26...when AF is used to showing her head around CD 36. Weird. I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on things. The met shoudl also help me to drop a few pounds...so far I'd believe it with how I feel towards eating...meaning I don't want to! LOL

OH and PPS...ear is feelign better, and thankfully so does my neck! LOL. I Didn't know how the simplest thing could affect so many different parts of my body! LOL

[designdiva32]

lol...guess it was the 'M' in the Metformin that got me thinking you were still taking stims or something. Still....you never know....if my dodgy body combined with my DH's very dodgy sperm can do a 'spontaneous pregnancy' (don't ya just hate that name? Sounds so creepy or something!) then yours could too!

By the way, glad your ear is feeling better. Us two were a bit of a pair yesterday weren't we, what with my sore head and your sore neck! At least things are looking up finally.

[Angelwithhope]

Dh and I consider our two pregnancies to be suprise ones too....even though I was on clomid both times. We say this because, I had or rarely did ovulate on clomid and the months we swore up and down we weren't pregnant we were. My OB GYN even said he doubted I would get pregnant on my final round of clomid and I did. Metformin may get my body to ovulate again but DH says he will wear a condom until he has a job and is ready to get back on the roller coaster. So unless by a miracle of God, or the condom breaks or something....lol...no suprise pregnancies for me! Boo hiss!! LOL

[sunny72]

Alana, great news!! How exciting. I'm glad your body decided to cooperate.

No, no trying for us this month. I guess we should wait out the two cycles. Ob-gyn said two periods. I was just happy that I appeared to be ovulating which indicates my body remembers how to operate in some way.

[JustPeachy]

Alana - YEAH for follistim!! That is so exciting! Looks like Jen's relics and my lucky turtles are bring some luck to your cycle. Two nice plump follies sound good to me. I can't wait to hear how it goes on Monday. Yes, I am a nice realtor. I care way too much about my clients - not that they appreciate it half the time. I just spent hours showing this girl around 60 homes to find her perfect choice... which we now have under contract and I know she's still aggravated with me. She's upset b/c I told her that the lender is ripping her off (she didn't go with either of the ones I recommended) and is never going to follow through on everything they've promised but she didn't want to hear it. I don't really have a set ratio for my flip houses. Basically, I try to find a house that is structurally sound but needs updating (sometimes expanding too). I usually put it under contract and ask for an inspection period of 14-21 days with the right to terminate at the end for any reason. I'll bring all my contractors in during that period to get my estimates. Then, just assume a 20% overage of any cost they give you. Don't forget about carrying costs and paying a commision at the end and see if you can still make a profit! That's a quick version of flipping 101. Oh, and don't go into a "transitional" neighborhood just b/c it's a deal. You still have to sell the house. Better to spend a little bit more but be able to appeal to more potential buyers. I always try to stay in a good school district if public schools are important. OK, I better stop. I could go on for days...

Shelly - I think it's great that you o'd on the first cycle. That alone is reason to celebrate. You'll be ready to go very soon.

Shawna - We'll put our lucky relics to work on holes in those condoms for you.... is that evil of me??

[Angelwithhope]

Rachel- I love the way you think! Sounds good to me, but it's all of our little secret! LOL

[jencat215]

Alana- !!! I am so excited that this cycle is a go for you! Hey, all I had is 1 follie and I am older than you (and technically it did work...). Your lining and follie size sound like mine were the day I triggered, so lets hope that you get pg too, except with a better outcome!!! And I can't wait to be in the 2ww with you (although I will probably be a week behind).

Shawna-glad the ear infection cleared up.

Well, I got a chain for my St. Gerard charm. What would my jewish relatives think?!?!?! Not that I care... Anyway, we went to a baseball game tonight: Rockies vs. Cubs. It was hard cause DH and I both met in Chicago (Evanston, really) and lived there for 4 years and are Cubbie fans, but now that we live in Colorado we are trying to be Rockies fans. So, I wore my Rockies tank top under my red (for Cubs) Howard Jones t-shirt (I was in a HoJo mood today) and DH wore his cubs hat. We went with my friend who is gonna get married in 6 weeks (this wedding is starting to stress me out- way too much for me to do, 2 bridal showers, bachelorette party, manis and pedis, hair done, limo rides, wedding, after wedding party. I am just too old!). I cheered for both teams cause actually I spent the game talking to my friend and didn't know what was going on!

[Shellyhume]

Oh my goodness, I go away for two days and I'm four pages behind!!!!!!! If I miss an important event, I apologize... after the first two pages I started to skim. 80)

Alana! !!!! Sticky Vibes and baby dust, sweets... all it takes is one!

Shawna - I know what it's like to want to get back on the horse right away but the financial timing is off... or something else in life is keeping you from being able to keep working at it. Personally, when I'm not in treatments, I'm beside myself because i don't feel like I'm doing anything to help myself... and that drives me bananas. BUT you want this to be something that you can celebrate together, not cause strife in your financial stability. AND, the one person you need to be on board is your DH... to support you. If he isn't willing to continue just yet, he needs you to support him. What if this is taking more of a toll on him emotionally than he is letting on... maybe he also needs a break from it. Talk with him and allow him to tell you just how he feels, too. Hugs and well-wishes.

Jen - Relics and lucky turtles... Heidi - Inner Peace Buddha necklace... I hope you both get all the peace and luck you've been searching for.

No guarantee of ovulation last month... I have annovulation and, though I can still get periods, it doesn't necessarily mean I've ovulated. It's frustrating, yes...

Starting to get more and more concerned about endometriosis. Spend a few days with my Mum who had it (ooh, AND fibroids... yay.) and I'm raring and ready to have them cut me open to make sure i don't have it... ugh. I need some relief from the constant worrying about baby-making. Okay, so I can get pregnant... can I hang on to it with endo? What exactly does endo do to pregnancy or to prevent pregnancy? Grrr... only three more days.

[sunny72]

Shelley, I believe the only way they can truly tell if you have endo and to what degree is with a laproscopy or similar. Have you talked to your doc's about getting one sometime. Not that you'd want to volunteer for any surgery, but if you suspect you have endo then that might be a future step. I do know as you no doubt do to, that there are varying stages of endo and some people's fertility is affected and some aren't. I have heard that pregnancy however can make the endo go away. In fact before my lap, my ob-gyn in Florida said that if I thought I had it that I should get pregnant as soon as possible as that would make it better. When she said that I think I burst into tears. How insensitive. I had gone there because I couldn't get pregnant and at that time it had been two years. So she tells me to get pregnant???? She would also pull funny faces when I tried to describe my pains and it was very off-putting. Like she thought I was just making it all up.

In anycase, to my amazement they didn't find any endo. With all the pains and discomfort I've had, I was convinced. No family history though. I think we may have talked about this when we met up so sorry if you're yawning about now. That's when they discovered the club tube situation, so I was glad to have a diagnosis of sorts.

Peachey, on my online shopping excursion yesterday I saw a pewter turtle fertility/pregnancy necklace. I of course thought of you!! I've read in a couple of places now that turtles are a potent symbol of both protection and fertility. who knew?

[Angelwithhope]

Shelly- no worries. I am always questioning (and probably driving him nuts) on why he wants to take this break. The biggest is his lack of work at this moment...I'm just afraid he'll find a job and be so consumed in it (especially in police work) that he'll put off baby making again for another year claiming he just needs to get situated in his work. Which I know I should be supportive but with this ticking time bomb PCOS over my head, I just want to get our babies into our lives faster then waiting, KWIM? I respect his decision one hundred percent but am anxious to get things going again...I'm not getting any younger (although 25 isn't old, but it feels old because we've been trying since I was 22 when we started.) and I just want to know that things still work, especially with two miscarriages in our past and all the problems we've had getting pregnant with those two pregnancies. Anyways, I'm frustrated, but I totally respect DH and will wait, but that's not to say, I won't keep asking when or bringing it up! LOL.

My husband has a turtle tattoo on his calf....partly for this reason...and the longjevity of their lives...meaning sort of live long and prosper! LOL. If y'all want, I'll share it. I have three nautical stars on my ankle, meaning that I'm following the stars to get to my destiny...and they are yellow, red and blue...the red is to memorialize our first baby. In the near future I am going to be getting tiny baby feet on my left wrist...two sets for our two angels. So ummm brings me to the question, does anyone else have tattoos?? lol

[designdiva32]

Shawna, I have always wanted to get a tattoo but have always been too much of a wimp. I'm just terrible around needles of any sort...which is why my DH has to do the injections for me, as he hates them also but less than me thankfully. But if I could have one I would probably like a little bumble bee or something. I love the idea of the baby feet...maybe I'd get that too...if I was brave.

Oh, and thanks everyone for the support for my first IUI....you girls are the greatest! It looks like it will be Tuesday morning now as they were assuming the big follie would cause the surge but it hasn't yet, which is good, so I'm taking the trigger shot tonight and then IUI on Tuesday. Still only the one follie, but as you said Jen, it can happen with just one. Although I do have a question for you all. How do you know if the trigger has actually worked? Is it possible to do the IUI but it hasn't worked? I find all these meds I'm told to take so confusing!!

[Angelwithhope]

Honestly a tattoo needle looks nothing like a needle they give injections with or take blood with. (Well the outline one kind of is...lol) Anyways, honestly, you'd probably never even seen the needle because (a) it's hard to see when the artist is hunched over you working away or if it's on the backside of you (b) it moves so fast (c) a tattoo machine is way different looking then any needle I've ever seen.

Honestly I think everyone can get them, they do hurt but it's an addictive pain! lol. I am jonesing for my next. The last ones we got, we got while we were in Hawaii at Hart And Huntington Hawaii.

I will have my fingers so tightly crossed for you on Tuesday Alana!! I am that it works and you get your !!

[GRITS]

Hi Girls,
Still no AF. I get a mild cramp and get hopeful, but no real sign of her. My spa day was great. My sister and I came home at dinner and our DH's had the kids fed and sent downstairs (she has three), and dinner was ready for us with our chilled wine just waiting. They fixed white salmon, grilled asparagus, and salad. They were very sweet. A perfect way to end a day.

Sunny I think Ten is a cute name. What day is your anniversary?

Shawna, I have two tattoos. My first was when I was 22. It is a japenese symbol for tiger on my lower abdomen. Tiger is my nickname from my father. My DH and I both got another one last year on the inside of our right wrist. It is an infinity symbol. We have used that symbol on many anniversary gifts and it is like our marriage logo. lol Last year was our 10th anniversary.
Alana, I know I felt like a crazy woman too when I was taking the hormones. I did not realize how bad it was until after I miscarried and the hormones regulated. I feel sane sort of, for the first time in too long. Hang in there. It will be worth it in the end! I will be praying for you hard this week. And I have no idea how they know the meds work! I just pray and trust my Dr.s and hope for the best. I am so glad your headaches are going now.


Jen Eggs are just one of her many, many allergies. SHe is definitely high maintenance in the feeding dept. But because of her we all know what we are eating at all times! And no she cannot have anything with ANY egg or milk in it. And I really hope that the relics bring you what you want. So if you get PG will your faith be restored?

Peachy, I think turtle would be a great pet name for Aidan.