[lilac]

Styltryn I don't know much about it, but I would tend to wait and see what they say this afternoon before you worry too much. for you!

[styltryn]

Aw, thanks MzVee and all, for the encouragement!

BW came back great - better than last month, with lower FSH - I think 6.57 if I heard right (was in car on my cell when they phoned) and 62 for E2... whew! I started the microdose Lupron today CD3, 2x/day 20 units of it. Same tomorrow, and then supposed to start high doses of FSH type stims Sat.

Ok, Ona, so I did some more read up on things online and see that follies count can increase once stims start. AF showed Tues. evening, so today is CD 3 (or maybe more like 2.5?). I don't know why he's having me on Lupron CD3 instead of starting it yesterday, which was CD2 and then no stims till Sat., which will be CD 5 unless he viewed today as CD2? Seems like this is all at least a day behind to me. A little worried, but trying not to stress.

Jen, sounds like a great weekend ahead! Wonderful that your family is so great. to you! We'd all love to see your BFP post here!

[babybella1]

Hello ladies!

I've been watching this thread for some time now, just gathering info, etc. I'm 37, single and happy!

I'm in the process of TTC with DS, just started clomid (day 5-9), currently on day 6. I'm going through a military hospital for this process, and they aren't too experienced with single women it seems. Like I mentioned, they prescribed clomid, and told me to start using OPKs and schedule IUI when I get the surge. I'm under the impression there should be more monitoring while using clomid...

1) Do you think I should request another ultrasound prior to ovulation/IUI?

2) How long after surge should I get the IUI? The last Dr. I saw said IUI same day I surge... what do you think?

Thanks in advance,

gina

[peggysue]

Just a reply message as I only have till 2pm in the internett.

Just back from scan, my follicle is 24mm and should pop any time, I'm so excited and relaxed. Just think when I log on Monday I'll be in the 2ww.

Gina, my best friend is called Gina, this is a fantastic site you have found and all the ladies are wonderful and helpful. We are not a shy bunch so you can ask us anything and everything.

Just a quick reply to your message.

I take clomid day 2 to 6, this month (first month at new clinic) I had a scan day 10 and day 12. If I get a positive OPK at 8.00am I'll have my IUI the same day, If I get a postive OPK at 6.00pm I'll have the IUI the following day.

Hope this helps a little, sorry I have to dash.

Good luck ladies in the 2ww

[silverbrumby]

Hello Ladies!

Firstly, to BabyBella!!! I'm glad you are joining us! To answer your questions, I would definitely ask for at least one, if not two u/s. My doc does a baseline CD3 and then another on CD10, then monitors me every other day or so from then until I surge. As to the timing, I actually had my first IUI the day of the surge. If you are using your natural LH surge as the timer then some docs prefer to do IUI same day. Reason for this, I was told, is that you can't detect the surge until 4 hours after it has happened, and sometimes you may have surged much sooner than that and are detecting it late. Also, with sperm that has low motility (which is most frozen DS) it's better to do the IUI day of LH surge because it gives the slow swimmers time to get to the tube and be there when the egg arrives rather than getting there after its arrived. Anyway, I hope this helps, and again WELCOME!!!

Styltryn, no worries! If your baseline was without stims then 4 antral follies is really really good. In fact, it's textbook. All women produce an average of four antral follies at the beginning of the cycle...with a natural cycle one will become the dominant follie and the other will fade away. With stims you make more antral follies and in theory none fade cuz youre feeding them extra growth hormone so I think you are in good shape especially with such EXCELLENT BW!!! Congrats!!! As to the protocol, it sounds normal to me. I read that some docs start a day later...the theory goes earlier stimming makes bigger follies while later stimming makes more follies. Anyway, it sounds like he knows what he is doing so try not to worry. Time to go get a nice cup of rasberry leaf tea and do some serious relaxing. I hope the cousin isn't making a nuissance of himself.

Susan, congrats on a great follie! I hope you are OPKing often as it sounds like you're going to surge any minute!! I have for your IUI this weekend! please keep us posted on how you go!!

Hugs to all!!!! Time for me to go do some work.

Cheers!

[lilac]

Styltryn, everything sounds good to me! Yahoo, you on the road!!

Susan, great follicle! I am sure you will be in the 2ww any time now! Good luck!

Gina! As I'm sure you've figured out by now, this is a fantastic bunch of women. I hope you find as much support and encouragement here as I have!

As to your questions, I've done 2 cycles on clomid, which I took each time days 3-7. I have an ultrasound on day 3. My doc says this is vital after every clomid cycle though not strictly necessary on the first clomid cycle (I had one on that cycle anyway). I have another ultrasound about day 10 or 11 and another ultrasound every 2 days after that until my follicles are ready. At that point I use a trigger shot to induce ovulation. If you are using opks to detect the surge, my RE likes to do the IUI the day after the surge is detected, but every doctor is different...

Well, ladies, I need lots of positive vibes from you today, as I am going for my beta at noon!

[Teri01042008]

Hi Gina..I just wanted to say welcome and just add that sperm banks do have a minimum count/motility guarantee per vial.it varies by bank,but each should have its own.I have 2 iui's and I have gotten pregnant both times.I am 8 weeks pregnant twins and both are doing wonderful.my first iui,I also became pregnant with twins but I miscarried them.I had a count of 7 million sperm my 1st iui and 17.5 million sperm my 2nd iui.and as my RE told me, its important to remember that along with the sperm doing its job,egg quality must be excellent in order to acheive a viable pregnancy.............Styltryn,my fingers are crossed for you today and Jen,I'm waiting to hear that you got your bfp!!

[silverbrumby]

OMG JEN!!!! I didn't realize you were getting a beta today! I have fingers, toes, eyes,... EVERYTHING crossed for you!!!!!!!!!!!!



Teri, I happen to think you are just an UBER fertile freak of nature ;-) but you are right on about emphasizing healthy eggs are just as important. As to motility, most banks guarantee 35%, which compared to "fresh" is rather low... generally speaking frozen sperm are going to be lower count and lower motility than fresh, which is why some docs will err on the side of doing IUI the day of surge detection.

This next time my doc is going to have me take OPKs more often and come in for daily u/s when I get closer to the end of my cycle...just to be sure on timing... this time we'll also probably do the IUI at 24 hours post LH surge.

Gina, I think you should definitely ask for more u/s...if for no other reason than to give yourself some peace of mind.

[Mindi_IUI]

Jen, Does this mean that AF hasn't shown? Any PMS or pregnancy feelings? I am so anxious to see the results of your beta!!!! I have my that you get a BFP!

All I can say is that I am scared ****less to see to see a BFN. I guess it's the fact that I am almost 44 that is scaring me, and that my getting pregnant without IVF is nearly impossible. Hearing that AF doesn't always show up 14 days after a trigger shot is what is making me scared. Even though I always got it exactly 14 days after my other IUI's, this one might be the exception I'll get through it as I always do.

Styltryn, I am so hoping that those 4 follies keep growing so that all 4 can be retrieved. I am still hoping for more follies to show up with the upcoming stims.

[silverbrumby]

Hang in there Mindi!!!!!!!!! I've got all appendages crossed for you! Hey and my dogs are napping with their paws crossed so they must be sending you too! ;-)

[Mindi_IUI]

Thank you Ona and your doggies

I just wanted to tell you that in regards to Teri, you must remember she is only 30 with no fertility issues at all. She's not a "freak" she just had a precisely planned iui's, which would happen to a fertile woman at 30 having natural intercourse would also get. This group is all in their late 30's to late 40's, so of course that is why it is more difficult for us to get pregnant so quickly. I know that your tag names may be done if fun on your end, but I know her and she is sensitve those little blurbs. Just maybe keep those names to yourself as some may take offensive to them. And as far as statistics goes, no need to keep reiderating them. We all have done the research and now what the statistics are so there isn't a reason to keep bringing it up. The bottom line is that using DS is a crap shoot. One vial may be 85% motility and once can be 35%. Your bank only guarantees 35%, but not all banks say that. So, please don't use the word ALL when talking about banks, just say your bank.

Also, my RE does IUI's before the surge so the sperm is up there wating for the egg rather then having the egg come down to meet the sperm. Bottom line is, that each RE has their own protocol. It's not a statistics thing, it's just doing what they know has worked for their patients after many years in practice. We don't want to get the newbies scared that thier RE's maybe doing something wrong with your stastics. It would be a good idea to let them tell us what their RE's protocol is first and then give your thoughts or advice.

[Teri01042008]

Mindi,I really appreciate your thoughts and feelings.You do know me well and how I take things to heart..Ona,I don't think I am freak of nature at all,I just get pregnant easily and as Mindi pointed out,I would have gotten pregnant just as easily by having sex at the right times.I made my decision to become a SMC at 29,which I know is a lot sooner than most women even begin thinking about it,but I knew what I wanted and the 2 different RE's I went to told me that my biggest advantages were youth and previous pregnancies.I am a very sensitive person and I realize you probably didn't mean any harm,but its hard to have someone else call you a freak directly for any reason..

[Teri01042008]

I also wanted to say that I agree with Mindi regarding the sperm stats and clinic procedures.I couldn't have worded it better than when she said that using frozen sperm is a crapshoot.I look at my own 2 vials as an example.In 2 vials from the same donor from the same sperm bank there was a difference of 10.5 million!and every clinic has a different protocol.at my first clinic,metformin and gonal f were standard for everyone.at my second clinic,its based on age and prognosis.no two peoples prognosis and outcomes will be the same.

[silverbrumby]

Teri, I did not mean any offence at all. I was just teasing. I agree 100% with mindi that you age and well timed IUI gives you better odds than a woman in her late 30s-40s. If my humour hurt your feelings I'm sorry. I come from a group of friends and family in which calling each other "freak" or "weirdo" is a said jokingly and with affection. My best friend calls me "nut bird" and I call him "dork"... I had hoped that my wink at the end of the sentence would convey that I was just being silly but it is hard to get tone in a written message. I would hope that all the ladies on here including you know how much you mean to me and that I would NEVER call you names or do something to intentionally hurt your feelings.

Mindi, I really don't understand why you are making a deal of me quoting statistics. Gina is new and may not have heard previous talks on motility and I was only telling her about frozen sperm to explain why MY doc (and some others) may choose to do an IUI same day instead of waiting 24 hours after a surge. In any case, I don't think it's worth getting upset over. I come from a clinical background and I do a lot of research and see things from a clinical view point so when someone asks a question I tend to start throwing out statistics. This is who I am and I am not ashamed of it in the least so if you're expecting me to stop quoting statistics, that's probably not going to happen. I really don't see what is offensive in what I said about frozen vs fresh anyway.

Bottom line is we all have different opinions, different resources for facts, different experiences, different background and different senses of humour. I hope that in future you and everyone on here will give me and others the benefit of the doubt when analyzing our posts on here and not be so quick to criticize when someone is just sharing things from their view point.

[silverbrumby]

Teri, we cross posted. I also agree 100% it is a crap shot with DS and no two people are the same. Still I like to hear other people's experiences so I can compare it to my own and maybe gain some insight or inspiration from it.