Winter Cycle Friends 2009/2010 - Everyone Welcome!

[katie99]

Hi everyone -

Lou Hmmmm.... havent seen you here before.. I gues thats because YOU'RE NEWLY PREGNANT!!!!!! yes, I'm a dork, I know. I cant help it, i'm just so damned happy to have my girls here too! Ummm, wait, so you're progesterone is 40 and karen's is 40. Thats making me a bit nervous since mine was done last week and mine was 26. My RE had said that he was going to lower my dose from 1ml to 0.5 ml but they called and said leave it alone for now. I did read one of Ghost's posts that said some Re's are happy with 10, 15, or 20 - but still, i'd get worried but thankfully he also said that the danger zone is less than 6.5
I hear you, girl - i'm still overwhelmed! And totally clueless too! I went and picked up pg books last week, came home spotted for the first time and put them away like they were jinxed or something - hee hee. Guess its time to open them, huh?

Steph Good for you! That was great thinking to get your results, who would figure you'd need to go to the ER, though? But 2 sacs? YAY!! I know those Army clinics are too frustrating to think about, but I sure do hope that you ended up with a u/s appt today! Tee hee, my DH did the same thing the first work day after the u/s (after I explained to him what the sono pic meant, of course!) Good luck!

Ashley Ooops, I mean Nelly! I think we are all 'nervous Nellies" after what we all had to go through to get here! Its totally normal to feel that way, especially after wehat you went through before. I hope that you will pass the 12 week mark and feel more relaxed - Well i hope we all do! Hooray for being done with PIO! I wont be missing the injections at all!

Karen Your progesterone levels are well above the danger zone of 6.5. But i sure do understand how you feel. On the ivf forum, theres a thread called
"Ghost - PIO injection" its by KTelise - the last post on that thread is where I got this info from. But you've probably heard from your clinic already. It sure is nervewracking isnt it? I was told I'd be on PIO + crinone + estrogen until week 12, maybe your levels are well above what your RE wants?

Gi Hooray! I was waiting for you! I answered your profile/ ticker question on the jan thread. Oh, no I know its hard to wait til the 29th, but I'll do my best to help keep you from becoming deranged. isnt it great that we all get to stay together? Hi to your Mam!

hugs & prayers to us all! - xoxo

[gi]

Thanks Katie i wouldnt have figured it out without you!!! I think i may be fine till the 29th the last 2 pregnancies i worried too much, 1st one it was all smooth no pains bleeding etc went in for scan and baby was measuring behind, 2nd cramps spotting etc so this time i am gonna relax enjoy the moment and not get stressed out, i have to trust and believe that this pregnancy Will happen and we will carry full term. My mam is great, she came over today and scrubbed my house from top to toe, bless her, so i have no excuse for not putting my feet up!!

I will do personals tomorrow i may go grab a shower before Lost starts.

gixxx

[Stephanieford78]

gi - welcome! I see you have a ticker now! No worries mommy... your baby is just fine!

katie - yeah these Army hospitals are a huge pain in the booty! All thetrouble I had to go through, parking spots, three days for beta, an ER visit. BUT it is worth it in the end. ou should have seen DH, I wish I had a camera! He was sitting down in a chair on the other side of me from where the US machine was. The Dr moved over the one sac and was surprised to see it abdominally and said there was definately a baby in there, then moved the slightest bit and said, "But what's that?" I didn't have a view but DH did and as soon as he saw it he stood up so fast and almost screamed "TWINS!!!" He teared up and then I finally got the screen pointed in my direction.

I went to schedule the US appoitment with radiology and the earliest in next Thursday. BLAH Just 4 days before the one with my RE. lol I should have plenty of pictures for DH to wave around work. Though his platoon sgt tried to steal his thunder today (the dirty rotten heartless son of a #&$(#). He said no no no, this is how you read these things and told my DH that it was just one baby and told my DH that he is full of crap. You ever get the urge to smack people across the head and hand them a "stupid" sign? I get the urge a lot living here.

[lou71]

Katie -- gosh, I have no idea where progesterone levels should be. Sounds like all clinics are a little different. As for being clueless.... at least we'll be clueless together!

Gi -- awwww... what a sweet mam you have! Rest up lady!

Stephanie -- so did I read your post right that you could be having twins!! Holy cow, how exciting!

I'm sooo tired even though I'm getting enough sleep. Went to a spin class tonight. Felt good to work out a bit. I have to work both jobs tomorrow, so a 16hr work day for me. Not sure how I'm going to make it.

[Stephanieford78]

Lou - Yes, it looks like a good maybe right now, but not going to count on it. The ER doc isn't a tech or an OB so who knows what the other spot could have been. Granted it looked to be a sac the same size as the sac I know had a baby in it, but not sure if it was. My numbers are doing awesome for a single or twins and that is all I am thinking about. I didn't see anything in the second sac so I don't want to get my hopes up, you know?

So... through this specific process of becoming mom I have gained 30 pounds! I guess I didn't handle the stress very well, but neither did DH, he gained more than I did. He is tall though (6'1 actually) and can work it a lot better than my little 5 ft frame. Oh well, just have to make sure I don't gain too much during the pregnancy I suppose. I think for my baby shower I will register at Gold's Gym.

[karenthescorpio]

Gi- welcome mommie-to-be! I remember you from the IVF threads! woo whooo! You made it. Time will past faster than you think and March 29th will be here before you know it! Congratulations!

Katie- Thanks for the heads up about the old Ghost PIO thread. I'm going to go read it. I had two conversations about the PIO dosage and my cramping/discharge with my nurse and RE yesterday. I basically got the impression that they are reducing my dosage b/c I'm giong to be released in a week and they can't have patients released that are on injections. I told them that is the WRONG reason to start lowering my dosage and I didn't have cramping until my dosage was reduced. And guess what, the cramping went away later last night once I returned to my original 1ml. So my nurse and RE said I could stay on it until next week but I need to be weaned off. I told them they can give me a prescription for vaginal suppositories so they can cover their a$$, and I'll pretend that I'm taking them....but I'm not stopping my shot until my high risk OB says that I can. The RE says he thinks my cramping was from my uterus stretching and with twins he said it'll be more frequent. so heads up to all you twin mommies!

I tried to get them to help me distinguish when cramping is bad vs. normal and they couldn't. They essentially said if it gets painful and red blood, then call us asap or go to ER if at night. That's just a rule of thumb and not fool proof. He said if you are going to m/c I can't stop it b/c your numbers are good and the hb's were strong and all looks like it should look right now. So, I'm left in limbo land but atleast I'm feeling better today.

I hope everyone is feeling good today! It's going to be a long 7 months, but I think once we all get out of the 1st trimester, we will be able to worry less b/c most of the m/c danger has passed. Big hug to everyone.

Karen

[Arabsrcool]

Hi girls!. I am new on "this side". I came from the Jan/Feb thread. I had my 2nd beta today and it was 1106. Next bloodwork is scheduled for 3/19 and u/s on 3/29.

Stephanie,

Maybe twins???? I will be waiting on pins and needles until your next u/s. Its a bugger that we gain weight during cycling, RE say the meds don't cause it, however I think the stress does! Just eat healthy for you and your baby(ies), worry about the weight later.

gi,

love your ticker!.

Karen,

interesting about the PIO. I totally dig your way to handle it. Still take the PIO and have RE give you a scrip is great!. good thinking!

lou,

Glad to see you "on this side". I am so excited for you. GL on 2nd beta on Monday, I am sure your #'s will be great!

Sorry to all I missed, gotta go work!

Ronda

[Stephanieford78]

Ronda - Welcome mommy! Good to know your numbers are good and rising! I know that the weight gain isn't the meds, I did a donor cycle before and lost weight. So I know it is the stress that causes it, because once it was me who had to depend on everything to work, I gained. Well girl, good to see you over here on this end.

karen - Your babies will be just fine. Just keep listening to your body and all will be great! I was always told that the pinching type cramps are fine, menstral bad, but again... you know your body so just listen to it.

[lou71]

Ronda -- Welcome!! What a great second beta number you have. I'm nervous as hell for mine and I have to wait all the way until Monday.... grrrr!

Stephanie -- Haha, I love that you will register your shower at Gold's Gym! That's funny-- but seriously DO IT! Personal training sessions are so totally worth it. Twins or not, so glad things are looking so good for you right now.

Karen -- You said it best. We're all on pins and needles until the first trimester is done. Heck, I don't even get a second beta until 5 days after my first one. I've chosen to not tell anyone yet because I'm so scared to lose this pregancy. I guess I feel "barely pregnant" if there is such a thing.

Katie -- How ya feelin?

Gi -- I'm a Lost fan too. That show has really gotten out there, but I've been watching since the beginning so I need to see it til the end. DH hates it and runs to play video games whenever it's on.

AFM -- Well this is day 3 of me finding out I'm pregnant and I still can't believe it. I'm terrified. So scared of something going wrong. It's out of the doctors hands now, isn't it? I do have a couple of questions for everyone. Does anyone know when the first OB appt should be? I had to change insurance Jan 1st and now have to find a new OB because the one I've been going to for 7 years isn't on staff at the hospital I work at. The cost difference is 60% coverage to go somewhere else, vs 90% coverage to come here. That's huge... so I have to change docs. But I don't know when to make that call. My other question is, what activity restrictions do you have? I'd like to get back to the gym and tennis but am unsure what's "safe". RN quickly told me I could get on a treadmill but not sprint and that I could do weights. I went to a spin class yesterday after work and that felt great. I'm going to try tennis tomorrow, but refrain from sprinting. I'll work with a pro mostly on my shots and serves. What's everyone else doing?

Thanks everyone!

[karenthescorpio]

Lou- My RE/nurse told me to slow down until I'm out of the danger time frame. Not sure there IS a non-danger time frame, but for now she told me light exercise only. Like walking, streches, light weights ok, but said they don't really recommend I do what I was use to doing (running, spinning, high energy aerobics, etc). Not suppose to get my heart rate up really high, so if I were you I'd stop the spinning class. I use to do them, too, but am scared to death to try them b/c of the high heart beat range it provokes. I did some prenatal DVD's a few times but then I had on and off brown spotting so I stopped. Just not worth it. I'm carrying twins, though, so maybe that makes it more risky. Just take it easier than you would like. It'll be worth it!
Also, I have my first OB appt next week, which will put me in my week 8 range. Your RE will tell you when to schedule it for sure before they release you...or atleast they should. Have a great weekend! Congrats, again!

Karen

[hjw]

Evening ladies, I'm just back from visiting my parents. I hadn't seen them since I found out I was pregnant and so it was lovely to spend some time with them - I think they were quite excited to see me too (but probably more so the bump!). I'm an only child so I think the prospect of finally getting a grandchild means that they are almost as excited as DH and I!

I seem to have missed quite a bit while I was away, so before I go and unpack, I wanted to quickly check in and say a few things...

Yay for more new members and more BFPs - welcome to lou71, gi and Arabsrcool.

lou71 - so happy to see another Nov/Dec buddy make it over to this side of the boards! Oooh, with three embies put back, I wonder how many you've got cooking away in there! When is your first u/s? To answer some of your questions, it's probably very different here in the UK but once I had my u/s at 7wks2days and they saw a 'blob' with a heartbeat, the clinic signed me off and said I should go and see my local doctor to tell them that I was pregnant and to get in the local hospital system. So we did that at 8 weeks, then I first saw the midwife and got 'booked in' around 10 weeks, with my first proper appointment for a series of blood tests to be taken at 12 weeks. I now don't see anyone again until the midwife at 16 weeks, and my next scan will be at 20 weeks. But if you end up with twins, in the UK you get more appointments and scans as you're classed as having a higher risk pregnancy. I would ask your RE what the process is going to be for you at your next beta. Re activities, I was told by the clinic at 4wks that by that stage, if the pregnancy was going to 'stick', it was going to stick pretty much regardless of what I did physically, within reason. So high impact aerobic activities, or exercises where you bounce up and down (trampolining etc) were out (I also decided that I would be careful of any activities which sent my heart rate too high), but I was told that if my body was used to doing a certain level of exercise it was perfectly fine to go back to it. I think everyone's comfort levels in early pregnancy are different, and some people don't want to take any chances at all, but I felt very confident going back to golf (which I play a lot of). For me, unfortunately, that only lasted until 6 weeks and then I got struck down by horrendous m/s, and I then spent the next 6-7 weeks in bed or on the sofa!

Arabsrcool - I see from your ticker that you put four embryos back. Do your beta numbers read about right for multiples, or are you thinking a singleton?

gi - I don't think we've ever met before on a cycle buddy thread (please forgive me if I'm wrong as I seem to be suffering with an early case of baby brain lately!) but I've seen some of your posts on other threads while I've been stalking some good friends to cheer them on, and I've picked up some of your story. I'm so happy to hear that you got your BFP, and with all the different treatment this time around I'm sure this is your time. My clinic in the UK doesn't do betas, so I know the anxiousness which comes from just relying on HPT's! I got some cheap strip tests from Amazon and did one a day from 4wks to my u/s at 7wks2days just to watch the line getting steadily darker and darker!

Stephanie - OMG, possibly another twin Mum on the thread? How exciting... And how frustrating that you're going to have to wait until Thursday to get your u/s to see for sure, but on the plus side that will give the second sac a bit of time to catch up, so hopefully by then you'll have two all-singing, all-dancing little blobs with heartbeats!

Ashley - how did your nurse practitioner app't go?

Karen - I've seen your posts about reducing your PIO. I think your proposed solution of getting a prescription so that you can carry on taking progesterone is a great one, until you can get your OB's opinion. 7/8 weeks seems a little early to me to stop, everything I've read says that the placenta starts to take over hormone production from weeks 11 to 12. I've been on the Crinone vaginal gel daily until 77dpo and then taking it on alternate days until 85dpo. So I've actually only just stopped, I took my final one when I was 14wks1day. Then again, my clinic didn't once take blood to test my progesterone levels, so I've never had any clue what they were.

Katie - how are you feeling now, honey? Did the stomach bug go away or is/was it m/s do you think? Hoping it was the former - after everything you've been through to get here I'm praying for a smooth, m/s and stress-free pregnancy for you! Have those pregnancy books seen the light of day yet, or are they still buried in the closet?

Hope everyone else is doing OK. Sorry not to do personals for everyone - it's getting difficult to keep track now, we have so many lovely BFP's on this thread!

Have a good weekend,
Hazel

[Stephanieford78]

Lou - I am taking it really easy. As much as I would love to try and work off some of these lbs I am too scared to. Walking is about the only thing I feel safe doing. Until I hit the 2nd trimester, I am not doing much at all, but would like to try baby yoga! As far as the RE, I know most don't want you starting a new workout regiment or lifting more than 20 lbs, some say 10lbs. Remember, you can't raise your temp so doing too much exercise can raise your temp. A IVF pregnancy is more delicate than a regular pregnancy, not exactly sure why but I assume it has something to do with not going through the body's natural process to become pregnant. In order for us to get pregnant, we have to trick the body.

As for the OB appointments, most places like to see you at the very end of your 1st trimester or beginning of your 2nd. They scheduled my first OB for my week 11. I am not liking what I have to go through being on an Army base. The doctors are always moving around, you hardly ever see the same one twice and they stuck me with a family practice guy in his second year. Not even an OB and not likely he will be there with me through the whole pregnancy. I am going to beg him on my appointment to refer me out. I like my RE's hospital sooooo much better!

Hazel - blobs with heart beats. That is funny, but yes, hopefully there will be two blobs singing and dancing. lol

[Arabsrcool]

lou,

My doc limited my exercise to the extent I am not to lift the grain bags and hay bales in the barn (they are about 50 to 80 lbs) Of course I am not supposed to ride either, that about kills me. so I agree with the other girls, limit your heavy exercise and keep your heart rate down. You went thru so much to get here, you don't want to do anything to put you or your baby in jeopardy! You can get your awesome bod back after birth! I am sure your beta number is going to be awesome, but I know its really hard not to worry. I used my PMA and posted a ticker, feeling ok after 2nd good beta, worried about u/s on 3/29. IVF seems like you go from worry about one stage, then once you get past that one, you worry about the next one. Just wish I could be oblivous and just happy about being pg!

Hazel,

thanks for the welcome. Yes we put back 4 embies, however one of those did not look good (it had a split in something, doc speak, didn't really understand, and RE said those usually don't make it), so really it was 3. I am thinking a strong little singleton, but Katie informs me that my 1st beta # was higher than the median for twins. So we will see!

Ronda

[gi]

Evening ladies,

Steph sounds like twins!! i can just about picture the face of your dh..priceless!! as for his platoon sure he hasnt a clue typical man thinking he knows everything!

hjw thanks, no we havent cycled together but if feels like we have as i was following your thread and was super excited for you and your bfp on New Years day!! Your ticker days are increasing so fast!! Glad to hear your m/s is much more managable. Ireland must be same as Uk as we dont do betas or progesterone checks so i havent a clue how i am doing.

Ronda love your ticker! quick question you got a fet were the 3 day transfers, it just we had transfer on same day and my ticker is 3 days behind is that cause yours were frozen???

Karen thanks for the welcome, i hope your twins are doing ok. My old clinic only let you use the crinone progesterone during the 2ww and that was it, i always wondered if it made a difference and when i asked Ghost he/she said ideally up to 7-10 wks so now i am on it till 12 wks but i think i should have enought till 14 wks and will just use them up. Oh and i think i subconsciously must have copied your ticker as i just saw mine is the same just longer.... we must have good taste

lou i am not allowed to exercise but every clinic is different, i have a small gym in my house and Love to exercise but after 2 m/c i am going to be a big fat couch potatoe Just listen to your body and any bad cramping, spotting just stop.

gi xxx

[Arabsrcool]

gi,

I used a due date calculator (on-line) to get my due date. I will have to wait to get the offical due date from doc. I just typed in my first day of my last period on a due date calulator and went with the due date it said. Probably not accurate because the due date is probably for "normally" conceived pregnancy, not a FET.

Ronda