How it all started and how it continues .......
February 09, 2008
My husband and I have been ttc for about nine months. That's how long I have been off the pill. I am 36 and he is 38. I have only been using OPKs for about six months and do ovulate on a regular cycle and also have a pretty normal menstrual cycle, about 28 days. I didn't start using the kits right away because I had no idea that it would be this difficult to conceive. After a while of trying I asked my gyno to start looking into why we were having difficulty and she sent me for an HSG and my husband for a sperm test. Both tests turned out well and she said she was happy with the results and then started me on 50mg of Clomid days 5-9. She thought this would give us a little push we may need since everything else seemed to be ok. Though I knew I was ovulating in the past months due to the OPKs the Clomid made me actually feel the ovulation occur with cramps on each side. I had such a positive feeling that things would work out this month with Clomid. I continued to use the OPK and ovulated later than normal which is said to be just fine when using Clomid. We BD on all the right days, several days prior to ovulation and then on and after ovulation day. I got very excited as AF didn't arrive on 14DPO or even on 15 but I had now begun to feel a little cramping and feared AF would come. Sure enough it came on 16DPO. I am very sad as many of you can understand. I'm doing my best to stay positive and my hubby is being great! I'm sure he wishes he could do more to make me feel better and I wish I wasn't so sad. I made an appointment to visit the gyno, I assume she is going to put me on clomid again. We haven't done any other tests to see how things are going once taking the meds. Maybe this time we will. I'm hopeful that I will fall in the 3 month stat and be lucky after one of the future rounds of Clomid. I truly feel fortunate to have found this site because everyone here understands what we are going through and is so very helpful!! I wish everyone a BFP and lots of sticky glue as they begin or continue their very own special journey :O) Thanks for reading my story and I will surely keep you posted on any news.
Liane, thanks for your note. That's why this site is so wonderful because none of us are alone. We are all in it together. My two best friends have two and three kids and many people at work are preggo. It happened so easy for them so I think it is hard for them to understand. I'm glad we have each other. :O)
Oh, and my sister in law who has been trying for 2 months (this is the 2nd cycle) who was on birth control pills for over 10 years got her BFP on sat. Her and i are very close and i cried and cried to hear about her BFP - not that i dont want her pregnant but really - 2nd cycle and im on IVF after a miscarriage, IUI's and fertility treatments? Sometimes, many times life just isnt fair.
I love her and am so happy that she is pregnant but also feeling very sorry for myself......
I love her and am so happy that she is pregnant but also feeling very sorry for myself......
Yall are not crappy people we feel that all the time! Its very hard. I had a hard time when all the ladies on here were getting BFP's it was like ok, why not my turn? When is it?
Its definately the hardest battle Ive ever fought (hope its the hardest on I ever do) Tomorrow you will wake up and feel better- the sleep or something helps see things clearly??:-)
(((((HUG)))))
And chels, sounds like you are getting a new nephew and niece.. thats exciting!! you will be next... maybe your kids will be very close in age, that makes a perfect playmate!!
Its definately the hardest battle Ive ever fought (hope its the hardest on I ever do) Tomorrow you will wake up and feel better- the sleep or something helps see things clearly??:-)
(((((HUG)))))
And chels, sounds like you are getting a new nephew and niece.. thats exciting!! you will be next... maybe your kids will be very close in age, that makes a perfect playmate!!
Hi Jenstar,
I agree with the notion of being more agressive at your age. In my patients who are in the mid-30's, I don't waste much time. Clomid / intercourse may be a good option for a woman with normal HSG and SA who is in their 20's or early 30's, but at your age I tend to recommend a more agressive approach than just clomid. Gonadotropins (follistim / bravelle / gonal - f injections) with IUI is probably more appropriate. If you do want to continue with clomid intercourse, i wouldn't try more than 3 times if it didn't work.
2 questions to you:
1. Do you have any children?
2. How many children do you plan on having?
vs
I agree with the notion of being more agressive at your age. In my patients who are in the mid-30's, I don't waste much time. Clomid / intercourse may be a good option for a woman with normal HSG and SA who is in their 20's or early 30's, but at your age I tend to recommend a more agressive approach than just clomid. Gonadotropins (follistim / bravelle / gonal - f injections) with IUI is probably more appropriate. If you do want to continue with clomid intercourse, i wouldn't try more than 3 times if it didn't work.
2 questions to you:
1. Do you have any children?
2. How many children do you plan on having?
vs
In addition Jenstar, you may considering having a test to measure your ovarian reserve. This could be done by measuring blood levels of FSH and estradiol on the 3rd day of your cycle, day 1 being the day that you started your menses.
I routinely test ovarian reserve (day 3 FSH and estradiol) for women who are age 35 and above.
I routinely test ovarian reserve (day 3 FSH and estradiol) for women who are age 35 and above.
Thanks Dr. Sepilian- I went back to my ob today and she said she would not be offended at all if I choose to go to an FE. She likes to try the Clomid for 3 rounds 1st to try to keep the extra meds out of the system for women who are ovulating with normal cycles and also to keep the costs down. She also recommends IUI with Clomid if I would like to try that during this round or the next. Using Clomid did make me quite moody and very crampy so I think my husband and I are going to try to use the Clomid alone this round and then try IUI for the 3rd round if we aren't lucky this time. Do you recommend the use of Mucinex/ Guaifenesin when using Clomid? If so, how soon before ovulation do you suggest I begin taking it? Would I need Mucinex if I'm going to use pre-seed? THANKS so much!!!
Chels, Lori, Liane- Hey there!! We are all very happy for those that are lucky to get the BFP and I'm sure they know it. They also understand how it feels when we get so hopeful each month and have to try again. It is such a strange feeling to keep trying to be so positive for everyone but feeling so down inside. After a few days we have to pick up our spirits again because being down doesn't help this process at all. I feel like in a way I'm just counting away my life from two weeks to the next....waiting for ovulation, then waiting for AF, then waiting for it again and again.
Chels, my sister is 4 years younger than I and she got pregnant when she wasn't even trying and so many people around me at work are preggo so I know exactly how you feel about feeling guilty. When we are sad for our own BFNs but it is definitely not a selfish-we don't want them to be pregnant, it's just sad that we aren't.
We just have to keep going on here to help keep each other motivated and soon, hopefully we will all be celebrating BFPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lots of luck to all of you, I can't wait to hear one from you all :O)
Chels, my sister is 4 years younger than I and she got pregnant when she wasn't even trying and so many people around me at work are preggo so I know exactly how you feel about feeling guilty. When we are sad for our own BFNs but it is definitely not a selfish-we don't want them to be pregnant, it's just sad that we aren't.
We just have to keep going on here to help keep each other motivated and soon, hopefully we will all be celebrating BFPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lots of luck to all of you, I can't wait to hear one from you all :O)
Hi Jenstar, sad to hear AF reared her ugly head. Keep your head up, stay focused and try to be positive. I know its rough to hear that because I use to get upset when I heard it from close friends & family but what else can we do right ? we know what we want and thats gonna be our motivation :.) Your day is coming and I wish you all the best ! keep me posted.



February 09, 2008