October 2010 Mommies!

[Merri_Baby_Dust]

Hi ladies,

Good luck Karen on your u/s! I'm sure you'll see two little heartbeats beating away at a furious rate and then you'll finally be able to relax a little more. Poor thing, I'm sure the spotting is not helping - although everything I've read and heard says it's very normal and nothing to be concerned about, esp. the light and brown kind. Hang in there! Sending you PMA.

Is anyone else not having much m/s? I thought I'd get it in a bad way, but so far just a little queasiness and aversion to smells. Guess I should be thanking my lucky stars, but somehow I am almost disappointed? I guess I waiting for so long for this pregnancy I'm just ready for my body to scream 'PREGNANT' to me

Merri

[burnbank]

I am a bit m/s. Aversions and nausea-heartburnish. Not as bad as when I had my son, which is funny because I have more buns in the oven and it should be worse! I am, however, exhausted! I fall asleep at 8:00 every night!

Karen - good luck on your sono. Brown spotting shouldn't be a big deal, but as we are, every little thing causes us to worry. The long road we travel evokes a heightened sense of concern and fret. It's natural, but tiring.


Susan

[karenthescorpio]

Good Morning ladies. So I got great news this AM at my u/s. Found both heart beats! One was 130, the other 133. All looks like it should for being at 7w1d. I'm sooooooooo thankful and relieved. I can't even express it! It's just amazing to hear the heart beat. It really made this all sink in! My RE said to start looking for an OBGYN and they will also give recommendations if I need them (which I do!). I'll be released after my last check-up next week! wooo whooo! Never ever going back there!

[Merri_Baby_Dust]

Congrats Karen! So happy for you. I know you must be over the moon. Hurray! I, too, am released from RE after next week's ultrasound. One more to go!

Merri

[burnbank]

That's so funny that you said "never, ever going back there". I have an appointment scheduled with my OB and I am so excited. I've had other children, so this part is not new for me, but I told my husband that I was so happy to be leaving the fertility center. As I said, he is an RE and it is his practice. He was concerned that I thought the care was bad, but I said it was quite the contrary - the care was excellent and I was, of course, a VIP. However, it was not happy or easy times and to move on from that place is exciting, positive and awesome!

Great news karen, congrats!!!!

Susan

[karenthescorpio]

Hi fellow mommies. I hope everyone is feeling good today. I have a question. Have any of you started to reduce your PIO/progesterone dosage? When my nurse called yesterday afternoon with my lab results, she said they are going to start "weening" my body from the PIO shot, so I needed to reduce my dosage amount to half of what I was taking. My progesterone level was 40. No idea what that really means, but I'm just a bit worried about removing the progesterone. Especially since I have twins. I don't know much about it but I do know it is vital to sustain a pregnancy. It this normal? How do you know everything is ok as your dosage drops? My nurse didn't explain crap to me and I was half asleep when she called.

Karen

[Rae37]

HI Karen,

My RE said to stop progesterone at 10w. They didn't take blood or anything to check the progesterone levels, but they said most people go off at 10w. The placenta takes over making the progesterone at this point. The reason we have to go on the progesterone with IVF is that normally the ovaries make the progesterone before the placenta. But since our ovaries have been stimulated, there is thought that they may not be making the adequate amounts, so they have us supplement. BUt once the placenta makes it, there is no need for extra. Unless I guess you are not making enough on your own, but I think most people do. ANyway, that is the main reason I beleive. I am really glad to be going off them next week, however. like you, I am nervous casue I have been doing them for so long! But we have to trust our RE's. I go for my first "regular" OB tomorrow. I am excited to be rid of the clinic too!!

Hope everyone is doing well. I am almost 9 weeks and really don;t have much nausea. Anyone not have much either?
My last u/s went well. we saw the 2 hb's. But my clinic didn't measure the beats per minute?? not sure why.

Well, take care everyone!

[karenthescorpio]

Rae- Thanks for you insight. I've also started to feel slightly crampy with heavier than normal brown discharge so I too matters into my own hands (after leaving a message with the nurse) and took the remaining dosage of what I cut back on last night. Everything I read says the placenta doesn't take over until nearly 12 weeks. I"m only 7w2d....and my little guys or gals are measuring a couple days behind (which they said is totally fine b/c they had great hb's). But I don't go back for blood work for 8 days. I can't bear any complications, so I'm staying on my dosage until atleast after I see my OB (which won't even be for a few more weeks). I'm trying to stay positive and know everything is ok. UGH

[Mauree]

It's very uplifting to hear everyone's good news - it's wonderful!

Karen - My RE says to stop progresterone at 10 weeks, but my OB told me to continue until 13 weeks, which is what I'll do. Can't hurt to continue longer (other than the cost and the trouble of it).

Merri - Good luck on your u/s next week! Every milestone is so important!

I had my third u/s yesterday at 10 weeks and everything looked great - both HB's are strong and both babies were moving around a lot! It was a huge relief - I was a nervous wreck for the past week or so because that was when we had problems last time. I'm still having trouble believing that it might actually work out this time!

I hope all is well with everyone else!

Maurée

[burnbank]

I am and have been reducing my PIO shots. The placenta takes over and makes progesterone. With twins, it makes more. Also, I am on progesterone suppositories. A study came out this week that showed higher concentrations in blood with suppositories than with shots, so they should do it (remember, hubby is an RE! We get copies of Fertility & Sterility at my house!) I've been having lots of blood draws because I just walk into our clinic and ask for them and nobody says no to the boss' wife! My levels are climbing, so that is good. If you are on suppositories and preggers, you should be able to drop PIO shots down safely.

Off to perinatologist today!!! YAY! So happy to move onto to OB.

Susan

[Mauree]

Susan - you are so lucky to have a husband who is an RE! I have been on suppositories (400mg 2X/day) since I got my BFP result (PIO shots up to that point). My RE said I could do either the PIO shots or the suppositories - my choice. I still occasionally do the shot instead when the evening suppository just isn't convenient. I don't reduce dosage or anything - just stop them completely at a certain point. Interesting how differently RE's do things!

Are you going to a Perinatologist because you are considered "high risk" because of twins?

[Merri_Baby_Dust]

Hi ladies,

Thanks for everyone writing about getting weaned off PIO, my RE mentioned it last time, but we didn't really talk about it.

I have a question for you all - what are you guys avoiding now that you are preggers? I'm getting tons of advice from family, but I haven't seen an OB yet (I'm still not released yet) so I'm not sure what to do yet. I feel like it still might be too early for me to start the hard-core pregnancy stuff...but I'm getting all kinds of advice on vitamins, microwaves, mobile phones, etc! Ah, isn't it too early??

Merri

[karenthescorpio]

Hi Merri- Didn't your RE tell you the things to continue to avoid? Mine said to continue to follow instructions for post-transfer...no alcohol (duh!), no smoking (double duh!), no sex, only light walking or stretching for exercise, no hot tubs/hot baths, no caffeine, only Tylenol for pain (only as needed), no heavy lifting. I have also read that during pregnancy you should avoid deli meats, fish high in mercury, feta/goat cheese. Anyone else have doctor prescribed no-no's? I'm having my first OB appt on Friday so I hope to get more information!
xo
Karen

[Merri_Baby_Dust]

Hi Karen,

Yes, I'm still avoiding that same list -- only my clinic says only to avoid sex the first 5 days after transfer. I was just wondering about the additional things - along the lines of lunchmeat and mobile phones by the bed?? I'm still not sure when I'll get to go to the OB so I'd like to try to be doing those things now, only I haven't gotten any guidance yet. A little frustrating -- but maybe it is too early?

Merri

[burnbank]

I am seeing a perinatologist and SO glad of it. The focus is so different than when having one, The diet is all flipped around and the tests work differently! She referred me to a great book "When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads: A Complete Resource" by Barbara Luke & Tamara Eberlein. I highly recommend it!

I am off anything fun or good, however the diet in this book advocates higher fat and protein. I had a cheeseburger today!