Jan/Feb 08 Cycle Buddies

[riogirl71]

Katie - I am glad you are reassuring your DH, I try to do that too since it is really hard for them not to blame themselves and watch us go through this. They are wonderful men! I hope this cycle works for all of us!

Loopie- I am sorry to hear that, my menopur was supposed to be 75 a day but he kept it at 150 the whole time. He said my estradiol on day 8 of meds should have been over a 1,000 but it was 750, he kept me on 300 follistim. I think the follistim is for follicle development and Menopur has to do with the eggs themselves. Estradiol I think is a measure of your folicle development. Estradiol peaks before ovulation so I think they want the numbers getting higher to then do your trigger. Positive thinking! Don't let those bumps in the road get you down. I know it is easy to get disappointed (I have had my breakdown) but there is still vasts amount of hope for all of us! We just need to keep circulating this great positive energy around and nt let any of us get down!!!!

[hopin4ababy]

Weezie: you are too funny! I love that, you get the Mcy D's and also get some nutrition!! You have inspired me!!

I usually get apples (golden, granny smith, red delicious), and oranges, and a bunch of bananas for my standards. Then I alternate getting pears, peaches, black berries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries,plums and kiwi. This week, I got a cantelope and a honeydew melon also.

Next week I am going in for the pineapple!!!

I struggle more with veggies to eat. I have a spinach salad at least once a day, and I have been avoiding carrots because I heard excess beta kerotine isn't good while trying to conceive (however I don't know if it is true!)

[cornybaby]

Loopie - hang in there and try to be patient. I was a slow starter last time. At 6 days of stimming I only had 2 follies and my E2 was 59. Here's my understanding about E2. They like to see you at 150-200 for every mature follicle (although I'm no expert). So, for example, at my ER I had 1 follie measuring 18mm (considered mature) and several smaller ones. My E2 level was about 400...so the way they explained it to me, I had one mature follie (200) + a bunch of smaller immature follies (which probably combined to make up the other 200 of my E2 level). I'm not sure if I am explaining it well enough to make sense, but from my experience, you just have to be patient. TRUST me, I know very well how frustrating it can be, but your body will give you the sign when it knows it's ready and you have to trust it. I had to stim for 15 days before I was ready for ER, but I finally got there. Take it one day at a time. Hopefully your next bloodtest will show an increase in your E2...even a slight increase is a good sign. For whatever reason, sometimes some of us just move along a little slower than others. Chin up girl...it can still happen! Patience really is a virtue in the crazy game of IVF.

To the rest of you...good luck on your ER/ETs coming up. I haven't been posting much since I am so far behind all of you, I start injections on 1/28, but I've been reading. You are all SO close! Yay! Best of luck to you!

[dawn31]

Hi everyone.

Sage : do you know what it is about gotorade thats supposed to help OHSS. We dont have it in the uk and id like to find an alternative.

Riogirl: My next appointment at my clinic isnt until 4th Feb when i finish down reg. Hopefully by then my cyst will be clear.
I feel like crap. Im tired and hungry all day long. Im trying to replace bad foods with fruit. And its not working though because i just go back for the chrisps and chocolate after the fruit LOL. Im not sure weather its the Buserelin of the hormones. Ill be the size of a house soon.

[TammyS]

BTW my boobs hurt does anyone else have that issue through stims.

Oh yeah...and also with progesterone. It is normal.

[Sage]

I have no idea what an alternative for Gatorade would be except maybe Powerade or another sports drink with electrolytes in it.

[waitingforMia]

Man you girls have been busy today!!

Dawn: I know the elekrolytes in gatorade are supposed to help, but not sure how... I have been making so yougurt smoothies, they fill you up well, and are good for you (though I guess high in calories..)
Corny: Sorry you are starting later than you expected But glad you are still keeping up with posting
Weezie: way to go with your healthy McD sandwich Love it! I am not a huge fruit eater. I bought some nectarines the other day, and they are sooo yummy. I also bought some strawberries and bananas.
Hopin: way to go on your fruits and veggies!! Good girl
Loopie: Sorry you are miffed. I am not sure what any of those number mean. But it ain't over till the doc calls you and says it's over. Your eggies need positive thoughts, so straighten up!!
Sage: That book sounds good. Does it mention pineapple?
Weezie: SOooo sorry about your ex problems. That just sounds awful! Focus on the end goal!!
Rio and Katie: good job supporting your dh's. Mine has always been too supportive and reminding me that he didn't marry me for my baby-making ways. It helps to be reassured.


I go in tomorrow morning for labwork and u/s. I guess this is where they test my estradiol levels(?) And hopefully I can get a better time line from them of when everything will happen. Like I said earlier, I am sooo ready to get my 2WW on!!

The thing about the job is that it is a teaching position and tohave three days off the first week of work is kinda hard with only saying prior commitments. Any other teachers out there? DO you agree I need to mention medical. If I just say prior commitment, then they expect me to have an exact date and I can't with my clinic. It might be a day 3,4,5 ET! At least having a job will help the time fly by during the 2WW.

Ok girls keep those positive thoughts flowing!!!

MP

[loopie]

ladies! thanks for the boost! it really means a lot

I called my doc back as I didn't really understand what this level meant , and he said that if there were anything to worry about at all, they'd let me know, so I feel reassured that this really is no big deal- I just truly believed I'd be "textbook" - turns out, there is no textbook!!!
so here we are, all hopped up on hormones and waiting!!!!
good luck to all- and GROW GROW GROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

loopie

[waitingforMia]

That's more like the Loopie I know !!
MP

[KatieG]

I am not doing terrible but im not eating Great. I am trying to boost my veggies and fruits. But half the fruits yall are talking about are not even in season. I guess I need to go buy some anyways and try it. I love cantalope and strawberrys. I have apples in there and keep forgetting.

Update on BW. It came back and the shot from yesterday afternoon worked and my progesterone level went down. However I have like 5 follies that are 16-17 so they want me to wait and trigger tomroow night and have ER on saturday. So i go back tom. morning and do BW and US. No meds tonight execpt for the shot that will keep the Progesterone down. I've calmed down now im going to take a nap. DH wants to bring home pizza since ive been craving it. I think I will let him and eat extra veggies---wait I can add them to it like Weezie Thats a good idea! I was picturing a cheeseburger with spinich falling out of it. I will just eat one maybe two pieces and make a salad to go with it. OK enough rambling.

[Sage]

Waiting for Mia I am a teacher as well, and have had some melt downs trying to schedule all of my appointments before school or during lunch (barely make it). It has been extremely stressful. Finally I got to the point that I couldn't handle the stress of it anymore. I figured it wasn't helping matters. I decided that I wasn't going to let school schedules stress me out and I was going to just focus on getting it done. I decided to tell my principal what was going on. She was great. I am so glad that I did it. She told me that family comes first and do what I have to do. So now even though I am sure the rest of the faculty thinks I have some fatal disease I am out so much, I just take the days.

As I said, I am really concerned about OHSS with this cycle, because I have always had such strong reactions to injectibles in the past. I told my principal that I may have to be out quite a few days in early February, and I am working on getting ahead on my report cards/assessments (report cards Feb. 15th ). I hope that helps. I would be as honest as you can, and hopefully you will also have an understanding principal. It took so much weight off of my shoulders.

Oh, and someone asked if pineapple is mentioned in The Fertility Diet. It is mentioned in the fruit section, but not with any particular significance. I am eating fresh pineapple, apples, oranges, red grapes, canteloupe, blueberries, strawberries.

[weezie]

Katie- pizza sounds GREAT! And from what a couple of my nurses ( both from NY/NJ) tell me there is a great pizza joint in your area. Some guy from NY opened it. In fact, I plan on going out that way this weekend with DH (who is from NJ and always looking for a good pie). I've been craving a big pepperoni pie mmmmmmmm....with spinach of course

[waitingforMia]

Ok, so if I add spinach to this piece of cake I am eating does that help make it healthy??

[weezie]

Mia: hell yeah! You know I'm not going to argue that point

[waitingforMia]

Ahhh guiltless cake :0) I guess I am craving a bit of weets like everyone else