Keep in touch August buddies!

[wendy30]

Hello Ladies

Sorry to have been a stranger but have been feeling a bit crap.

Good news though my AF arrived yesterday after 83 days! So started down regging today and the hospital told me my FET will likely be the week in between Christmas and New Year! I'm glad to be started again but sometimes I think I must be a bit mental to be doing this again. This will be my third FET so third time lucky for FET and 6th time lucky in total, fingers crossed!!!!

Hope everyones is well.

Staci - are you back on for a Jan Feb cycle then? How was your trip to Naples, FL. I visited there once for the day it was nice. Will you still be going to Vegas? thanks for asking about my exams, it will be round about Christmas before I get my results. Are you still thinking of taking classes, one of my friends does watercolours and another does Thai cookery they both love it.

Paige - I'm glad you had a lovely holiday, quite right to wear your swimwear with pride!

Jaye - how is the 2ww, not much longer to go?

Mia - I read that IVF is more successful in the summer months, who knows if thats true! You have made the right decision, I always hate the feeling that I'm not in control of my life.

Ellie - nice to hear from you.

Alicia - How are you?

Speak to you all soon

Wendy

[alicia]

Wendy,

Just wanted to say good luck for your FET. You are so lucky that your clinic will do it between Christmas and New Years, as most of them seem to be closed then. That will be a prefect time, during the break from school. Good luck with your exams/papers, too!

Ellie,

Great to hear from you, too! I'm sure the right decision will become clear when the time comes. It's great you are keeping an open mind. Best of luck!

Alicia

[AMITHIS]

First of all...

Ellie and Wendy,

Nice to hear from both of you!

Jaye,

Your test is the day after tomorrow, right? Just wanted to wish you good luck. I am thinking of you.

Well, DH and I went out to dinner tonight with his parents and I must say his mom has really been great about things lately. She got me a gorgeous jacket and pocketbook for my birthday and was really understanding about my feelings with my DH's brother's wife and her pregnancy. She told me that my other DH's brother's wife (who is 40 and had a miscarriage about 5 months ago) is now having to consider doing IVF. You know, it's amazing how I've been so focused on my one SIL who is pregnant and have managed to completely ignore the fact that my other SIL is having problems too.

My mother in law actually even offered to stay at our house at any time to give me my shots for the FET should DH have to travel. She said it was really not a problem and he could just show her what to do. At any rate, I do feel bad for saying not so nice things about her a few times there! I guess it's just that she was a little too pushy about my pursuing further treatment at a time when I hadn't even recovered from the last go.

In other news, AF still hasn't shown up and tomorrow will be Day 46. I've had cramps off and on since 2 weeks ago so keep thinking it will show but then nothing. What causes cramps but no AF?? I don't recall this ever happening before except for after my IVF cycle and I could obviously attribute that to the drugs and making so many eggs. I can't start a new cycle yet anyway due to the holiday but I'm sure you all know how it goes. I start entertaining these stupid ideas that I'm pregnant and start taking hpt's constantly. To make matters worse, over the past month I pretty much threw all caution and discipline completely to the wind and have been drinking much more than normal. DH had a week vacation plus I've been traveling a lot with him. Let's just say, 2 to 3 drinks per night consistently all month. I know it's horrible and I would probably kill myself if I did get a positive test this month of all months. I've actually been breathing a sigh of relief everytime the hpt is -tive. How screwed up is that?

Anyway, I have exactly 5 more minutes until I turn 35

Hope everyone is having a good night.

Staci

[Paige]

HI August Buddies:

Wendy: Nice to hear from you. 80+ days until AF! It must be a relief to finally figure out some of your timing when she arrived. Maybe you and Staci will be cycling together? Probably not, as your FET is in December right?

Staci: I have the same moments with my MIL, one minute she's unbelievably dense and the next it's like she's from Mayberry. Don't feel bad, just blame it on the hormones. Stop wasting money on the hpts and drink your little heart out. Just to make you feel better, I was traveling on business and didn't know I was pregnant with my daughter, it was Cinco de Mayo..so everyone in the Tampa office wanted to go out for margharitas and Mexican food.....that was a late night! Then I rented a car and drove to Orlando for a wedding (my husband met me there)...more and more drinks there, I was also on every ride that said Expectant Mothers Should Not Ride. It was not until I got home that I looked at the calendar and was very freaked out! Ran to Walgreen's for an HPT and it was positive, was on the phone with my ob 10 minutes later telling her all of the horrible things I've done to my baby. She said it was not a big deal, just don't do any of it anymore! We'd been trying for 7 months to get PG and of course, the month where I am evil it happened! BTW, Happy Birthday!

Jaye: Fingers and toes crossed for you.

All of the US buddies...have a Great Thanksgiving, we're heading out to my Grandmother's now to eat continually for a couple of hours! To all of the UK buddies, sorry if you have to work today.....

Keep in Touch!

Paige

[alicia]

Staci,

For what it's worth, I used to have PMDD (like PMS, only more severe with suicidal thoughts, crying bouts, etc.) in my 20s and early 30s. I often had 6 weeks between AFs or more. I also got cramps but no AF. The difference is that I had horrible panic attacks, thoughts of throwing myself into oncoming traffic, etc. - only when AF was expected.

I got tmt with Progesterone and later with Prozac (now called Sarafem when prescribed for PMS/PMDD). Both of those put me right back to 28 days and fixed the mood problems. The great thing is that when I stopped taking the Prozac 4 years ago, my cycle remained at 28 days and the PMS never gave me a problem again.

I'm not a doctor, but I believe sometimes the IVFs/MCs can throw our system out of whack. If you feel fine, it's probably nothing. But if you have uncharacteristic mood swings and suicidal thoughts, I would recommend charting those on a calander and then seeing a doctor if there is a pattern. Nobody should have to suffer like I did before I got the diagnosis.

It's great that your MIL is being so thoughtful. Do you know the other SIL? Would you feel comfortable sharing your experience with her? For couples going through IVF for the first time, it can be so reassuring to talk with someone who's done it before.

Alicia

[AMITHIS]

Paige,

Thanks for your comforting story! I think I'd feel okay with an occasional lapse into bad behavior but this has been sort of an ongoing thing for a few weeks where DH and I will order a few drinks each at dinner, split a bottle of wine while at home watching a movie, etc. I can't remember the last day I did not have at least one drink and I'd say the daily norm is 2. I'm guessing I was worrying about nothing anyway as I'm now on Day 48 with no AF and still -ive hpt's. Even with a long cycle, I don't think it would even be possible to still be getting a -ive at this point if it was actually +ive?? I'm just going to have to get back to reality sometime soon here since it looks like I'll be doing my FET in Jan/Feb and it's going to be all that much harder to go without alcohol during the 2ww if I've gotten used to having it all the time!

How was your Thanksgiving? Did you venture out shopping yesterday?
DH and I thought about it but then decided no sale was worth the headache of dealing with such huge crowds of people and all the traffic!

Alicia,

Some of what you said actually does apply to me. I have suffered from panic attacks in the past (although I never paid attention to where I was in my cycle at the time) and was even on Buspar (an anti-anxiety med) for awhile. I did notice that I would go from a super energized, happy (almost manic) mood at the beginning of my cycle to being at the opposite end of the spectrum for a longer period during the last few weeks of my cycle....crying for no good reason, feeling like the whole world was against me and I hated everything, etc. I have only had one or 2 panic attacks over the last year, which is really good considering I stopped taking the buspar but these long cycles with the last few weeks being hell seem to be a continuing problem. I assumed it was just PMS but for weeks?! I will definitely do some research on PMDD. Thanks!

Hello to everyone else!

Staci

[AMITHIS]

Alicia,

Forgot to mention....

As far as my other SIL goes, we aren't very close. We've actually only met once and that was at her wedding. I would definitely be happy to talk with her about IVF if she wanted me to (I know how much I would have appreciated having someone around to speak with who had gone through it when I was considering my 1st attempt) but I doubt she'll open up to me regarding the issue. My DH and his brother have sort of been avoiding each other due to an extreme difference in political beliefs and they live so far away that the only time I would see them would be holidays when the family gets together. So far DH and his brother have managed to time things so that they are never at the same family celebration together!

Staci

[wendy30]

Hello everyone

How are you all?

Jaye, I just wanted to say I was so sorry to read your result, hope you are ok, thinking of you.

Wendy

[AMITHIS]

Hi everyone ,

I just got back from a few days in New Orleans (DH had to go there on business). AF finally showed up on Day 53 and made me pretty miserable for the whole trip. Anyway, I decided to just call the clinic and see if I could start taking the bcp's this weekend in preparation for the FET. I realized that, if I waited, that might mean another 50 something days of waiting. At any rate, they said I was a little too early for them to fit me into this next cycle but what they would do is just have me take the bcp's for an extra 6 days so they could fit me in. So, I will start bcp's tonight then Lupron sometime during the first week of Jan, then around 2 weeks of estrogen, 5 days of progesterone and an estimated ET around Jan. 26. (assuming everything goes according to plan). I can't believe I'm actually doing it!

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend!

Staci

[AMITHIS]

Very quiet on here. Where is everyone? I guess you are all probably
x-mas shopping or something?! I'm lonely!!

Wendy,

Where are you in your cycle right now? Have you started taking the estrogen pills yet? Just wondering what kind of side effects you have so I'll know what to expect!

Jaye,

Are you okay? Haven't seen any posts from you for a long time.

Alicia,

Did you go for your amnio yet? I remember reading something on the other board at one point about you're having to get it done. I hope (and assume!) everything turned out fine.

Paige,

How are you?

Mia,

Not sure if you are still around or taking a break from the boards until you start up again?

Anyway, I'm a few days into my pack of bcp's and go in for a scan on Tues. just to make sure the cysts which caused me to cancel last time are gone. I can't imagine that they wouldn't be by now but I'd rather check before I start to downreg!

Hope everyone is ok.

Staci

[jaye]

Hi everyone,

Yeah, it's been a while, huh? Good news for you Staci, wow, it has been so long between tmts for you!

Hmmm, as for me, I guess I am just getting on with it. I have started doing acupuncture, and taking some Chinese herbs, but even the Chinese doctor couldn't really find anything wrong with me. But I am not focussing on it anymore. I said to DH the other night, I don't even care that much anymore. I just feel like you can only devote so much effort and energy to caring, and I've had enough. We have a frostie, but I don't have much hope. I'm going to start a new job probably in the new year, a really stressful one. I've just decided to throw myself into that instead. At least I am good at my job, if not at getting pg. We will also look at adopting - we are booked into a seminar in April. I don't really care where our children come from, I think it would just be nice to have some around.

I have devoted so much time and energy to this, and basically I refuse to let it rule my life anymore.

You guys are great, hope that all your dreams come true.

Jaye.

[Paige]

Jaye:

Is your profession psychology related, because that is an unbelievably healthy attitude. I too drew a line in the sand with dh saying...we'll do this (ivf cycles) twice and then if it doesn't work out, we'll just adopt another one or just be very grateful for the one we have. Don't let your frostie go to waste...I've heard through the grapevine that those are the best cycles, physically anyway!

Good luck and keep in touch, I'd love to hear how your seminar goes in April.

Paige

[Ellie]

Hi August Buddies
I can't work out who is still around and what stages you are all at.
After much agonising we have decided to have one more try. I am not sure I can go through it all again but I am sure once it starts I will feel differently. I have an appointment for feb 14th to see the clinic again so I guess the earliest I will start is mid march but it will probably be later as my hormone levels are never right.
I hope you all had a lovely christmas and that 2005 is a good year for babies!!!!!

[Sand]

Hi Ellie ... You've been quiet for a while ....nice to see you back, and that you've decided to go for one more shot. This will be the one ! (early PMA, eh).

We are hoping to go again, and it will probably be in March - so we could be cycle buddies again.

Sandra x

[Ellie]

Hi Sandra
Ive been keeping away from IVF to give myself a break but I cant stay away any longer. Glad to here you are going to be having another cycle in March and hope we will be cycle buddies again. As you say this is the one!!!!!