Fit For Future Families - July 2011

AlisaToth

Wow wow wow! I feel like a horrible horrible board buddy....I havnt even had time to "lurk" to keep up w everyone! Much less post! However, bc of how unbelievably boring my job is, I just took the last 90min to read/skim over the last 9pages/20 days of posts!

For all the Newbies, WELCOME! I'll give u a brief intro and give some updatesY for the "oldbies"(I'm voting this a legit word Pam) My name is Alisa. I am 25 and have been married to not only my wonderful husband but also the Navy (i like my husband better!) for 16 months. I have an almost 6yr old boy from a previous relationship (missed a few BCP when I was 18 and oops! Ur preggo!) i went off bc in october 2010 so that the hubs and i could TTC the two months before he left on a 7month deployment. unfortunately getting preggo so fast the first time lead us to believe I was "fertile mertile"....NOT the case. I was diagnosed with PCOS in May. I haven't had a cycle that wasn't medically induced by provera since April and I'm not even sure IF I have ovulated at all since I've been off bc. After a bunch of different bloodwork and a HSG (that showed no blockage in my tubes and a normal size/shaped uterus) I start my first round of clomid next cycle. Doc has me starting out on 50mg x 5days and he gave me the "go ahead" to manipulate my cycle w provera and the clomid so that I will ovulate when I meet my husband in Hawaii. The good news is at that point my husband and I won't have had sex in 7months so that's pretty much all we're going to want to do so it elevates some ofthe "baby making" pressure. If we are auccessful in O'ing but not in impregnating the first round, doc wants to do a seman analysis to make sure he works just fine. If the O is not successful then we'll probably up the mg...With that all said, we've been given his scheule for next year and his next deployment rotation and holy moly! Starting in February I won't see my husband for more than 3 weeks at a time! :-( praying the first round of clomid takes so that this can just be done!

For those that have been/are on clomid now...what advice can u give me? Are the side effects only prevalent when u are actually taking the meds or does it last the whole cycle? Should I expect to be a lunitic while I'm in Hawaii even though I'll be done w the dosage? I've also heard it dries u out so preseed has been recommended for me to take....should I take robitesson with the clomid and the preseed...I need ALL the help I can get!

bhurley1424

AlisaToth - I don't really remember many side effects from the Clomid (it was a few years ago) for me except it screwed up my cycle. I'm sorry to say that but my normally 28-29 day cycles turned into one LONG 3 month cycle with no pregnancy. It was very exasperating for me because we couldn't move on to anything else. They eventually had to 'jump start' me. :frown: Of course, that was me. These things react differently with everyone I believe.

brown_eyed_girl_06

awesome group!! :happy:

AlisaToth

Thanks bhurley - unfortunately I already have 60-75 day anovulatory cycles and bc of our time restraints my doc is okay w "jump starting" my cycle if I go longer than 30 days

jalara

Abeare – that sucks about the lack of doctors! I can’t imagine not having a GP! Although I recently had someone from PEI say the same thing. We are lucky enough to live in Halifax instead of the country though, since the clinic and everything is handy.
Let us know about acupuncture – I’m interested!!! And I’d want to strangle Dh if he did that too.

Karen – fingers crossed!

Synay - welcome, and it sounds like you have a great outlook!

GBOH – what thread did that happen on? We should all go over and give her a great big !!! She sounds like a real peach.
So when is(was) AF due to show? I’m not sure if I could restrain from testing – I’m not very good at that! I’m a pee-pusher for sure!

Alisa – Hi!!!!!!! Missed you!
Clomid – the days I take it I have horrid headaches, but those go away once I’ve taken them all. I find I get really emotional around O and that it depletes my CM and makes my lining really really light (when I was on 100mg I was having 1.5-2 day super light periods). At 50 mg I find it’s not so bad. But we use pre-seed all the time just in case! I also use Robitussen from time to time.

Bhurley – would you mind telling a bit more about you IVF experience? I’m really interested, given recent events.

BrownEyedGirl (BEG) – join us!

AFM - nothing new today, I'm just settling things in my mind, and went on a bit of a laundry spree today, as well as cleaned out my fridge and went grocery shopping. I have a roast, carrots and potatoes in the crock pot right now. Yum!
Given the last few days DH got really upset and is feeling really down so I wanted to make him a good dinner and try to give him an easy evening tonight.
Easy evening.... I'm going to court tonight as a witness to a dangerous driver who passed illegally, on the wrong side at a crosswalk with lights AND a crossing guard) and nearly hit a kid (his mother barely got him out of the way). She said she just wanted to pass on the "bike lane"... on top of her other dumb moves - there's no bike lane!!!!!

One odd thing - I O'd a couple of days ago and I'm having weird menstrual cramps.... has anyone had that happen? It doesn't feel like my ovaries, it feels like actual period cramps. I know it's not a pregnancy thing because that would be impossible this early (even if we were that lucky) but it's a little weird just the same. Thoughts?

meggamix

jalara I'm glad you have a plan. I know that helped me so much! After we went and had our theory about infertility confirmed, I was stressing out! My DH and I hadn't really discussed a plan yet because we really were just gathering info so we could start thinking about it. But the whole thing made me feel so rushed and anxious for some reason and I felt like he was dragging his feet. I finally told him (again) the plan I had had in my mind forever about kids and timing, etc. and after I let him process that a bit we were able to come to an agreeance on our little plan. So I hope it works for you! And for everyone who is trying so hard!

I know my DH obviously isn't going to read this, but I'm feeling all squooshy inside today because he's been such a good sport about all this BDing! He gets up so early for work and then yesterday went and played basketball until late and even though I told him this is my fertile week I didn't think he'd be up for anything, and he totally was and I just appreciated that so much!

And welcome to all the newbs!

rhondaredhead

Wow, thanks to jalara, synay, GBOH, Alisa, and meggamix for the warm welcome! I appreciate it and look forward to getting to know you and your stories. That being said, I hope I can keep up with it all!

AFM (that means as for me, right? I'm not much into internet/text abbreviations... it's the writer in me that fights against it. I'm studying Rhetoric & Professional Communication and teach technical and professional communication.), I'll wait to set any goals for myself until Monday. Honestly, I typically set long-term goals—my long-term weight loss goal is to get down to 140 lbs., and my short/longish term running goal is the 10K in September, and after that maybe a half then full marathon—but if everyone here does short-term goals every week (and I'm not sure about that—will have to nose around a little more), I'll have to think about them. Will probably have to do with balancing my fats/proteins etc.

Thanks again for the welcome, and I look forward to the weeks to come!

abeare

Ok, so here’s the story of my first acupuncture appointment. (It’s along one, sorry)
First off I was slightly late, taking a city but on a busy street during a heat wave to get to an appointment is not recommended! I thought I’d never get there, but I did. They had me fill out a long form asking me everything from my health background, fertility background, menses, and then the weird things like “what type of foods I like to eat”. After filling out the form I sat with one man to go over it all, he was really nice and answered all the questions I had about acupuncture, and was the first one to admit that the concept of how acupuncture works can feel completely strange and overwhelming to a westerner. He explained to me that they look at the energy of things and that two people can have the same “problem” such as PCOS or Endo, but that they are possibly caused for different reasons, and that is what they treat, the reason and not the disease. Now this is what I got from my conversation with him, please don’t take what I’m saying at face value because there very well been parts that I misunderstood.
So after going over the form with him, and him re-writing key notes down for the main acupuncturist, I then met her. After going over the notes and form (they were very thorough!) she looked at my tongue (still not sure why) and listened to my pulse for quite a while. She then told me that she believed I had an under active liver (not in the western sense, but that the energy my liver was producing is low) and that I had too much humidity/dampness in the body (I’m still trying to understand that one). She seemed more concerned about the humidity, and told me that my weight was affected by it too. She gave me some suggestions on my eating habits, some of which made sense, others were a bit weird to me. First off she told me to eliminate all refined sugar and watch how many natural sugars and carbs I was eating, she said that for everyone she always recommends the usual of low fats, no caffeine, and alcohol, but in addition to those I need to watch my sugar too. She told me to not eat/drink anything cold, that my water should be room temperature at the coolest (between that and the no sugar, there went the frozen yogurt I wanted during the heat!). I should also avoid raw foods, to steam all my veggies even if it was for a couple seconds. So far all of this seemed not to strange, but then I was told to not eat starch and protein in the same meal! I should have protein in one and starches in the next. I like to mix my foods (salads, stir fry’s, casseroles, etc..) so this one will be difficult. So after all this talk, she wrote down a few notes and sent me off to another acupuncturist.
The needles don’t hurt! I had maybe 20 or so in and only one pinched a bit going in, actually when he took them out I felt nothing, I was shocked that they were out! It did feel strange to have one between the eyes, and the knowledge that two were inside each ear was a strange concept too, but I couldn’t feel them at all. I had to lie there for 25minutes and quickly realized that the lamp looking thing he put over me was producing heat, my stomach was soooooo warm! I sadly don’t have much to say about the actual acupuncture part, some people say its relaxing and maybe it will be once the newness wears off, but I was so curious and anxious about everything that I didn’t really find it relaxing perse. Well maybe next time, yup I’m going back, they have me on a weekly schedule, and will do this for the next three months or longer if I have to start IVF. It seems like a long time but I get that this isn’t a miracle drug that I just pop and instantaneously I’m cured.
So I’ll keep you all updated on the process!

meggamix

abeare, that sounds like an ineresting experience. Definitely keep us posted on how things go. The only thing I know about acupunture is what I see on TV.

GOOD LUCK!

godblessourhome

For those that have been/are on clomid now...what advice can u give me? Are the side effects only prevalent when u are actually taking the meds or does it last the whole cycle? Should I expect to be a lunitic while I'm in Hawaii even though I'll be done w the dosage? I've also heard it dries u out so preseed has been recommended for me to take....should I take robitesson with the clomid and the preseed...I need ALL the help I can get!

clomid made me crazy, like marriage-breaking crazy. it was bad. i was super emotional and angry about everything. i could not talk with my husband without ending up yelling or in tears. i also had a headache each day. i become 'normal-crazy' around the day of ovulation. but hopefully you won't react the way it did.

godblessourhome

GBOH – what thread did that happen on? We should all go over and give her a great big !!! She sounds like a real peach.
So when is(was) AF due to show? I’m not sure if I could restrain from testing – I’m not very good at that! I’m a pee-pusher for sure!

it was a 'childless by choice' thread. i really should not have wondered in there at all but i was surprised by the number of response so i wondered if it was a debate. it wasn't, but the many comments about how they knew so many people who 'wouldn't do it over again' forced me to comment that i thought that was sad and all of the sudden i'm being insulted about not knowing how to use birth control and rethinking about having kids. honestly, i think parents should want their kids, so if they know they don't want kids and don't have them, more power to them. i am glad my first child was an accident and second one a surprise because i had never planned on them originally and i would have missed out on so much!

based on a 28 day cycle, aunt flow should arrive sunday/monday, but i've never had a 28 day cycle (even before going into premature menopause) so i don't have a clue. if i am not pregnant this month, we have to wait until the end of october to try again.

AlisaToth

GBOH- were u only marriage breaking crazy while on the pills or did it carry thru until the manic-crazy turned normal crazy when u O'd? The good thing is my husband will only be able to be reached via email while I'm actually taking them. Although my poor MIL will be on town for a few of the days I'll be on it...but I'm hoping by preparing myself for what could possibly be, I can politely remove myself when I feel a crazy moment coming on...haha us she knows I'll be heavily hormonal and I have already expressed my love and gratitude to her and my husband and have apologized in advance for wht I may do/say!

Ashley - that acupuncture sounds interesting! Can't wait to hear about ur next session!!

So I booked a photographer to take "homecoming" pictures on the pier (when I get to see/hug/kiss my husband for the first time in 7months) and she's also doing a beach/sunset photo session for us all for $35!! I am SOOOOO excited!! I think we're going to hike up diamond head too! I want to do lots of active stuff while we're there! When we're home our normal "couple" activities include food and booze so it will be nice to walk on the beaches and swim and hike! Ahh!! I get butterflies just thinking about getting to do all of that WITH my husband!!

taldie01

Sorry ladies Im still a newbie, just wanted to say Im having some major frusterations. I couldnt track my LH surge last cycle but did it on my fertile days. So I dont even know if I ovulated. Now Im 5 days late no sign of my period, no symptoms and neg preg tests. Frick I just wish it would come so I could get it over with.

Devon_Bates

Well I lost 2 lbs since last week but still having pregnancy symptoms and no period since before I got pregnant last time. Wish I knew what was going on. Well not sure what I am doing since I am a newbie to the forums but I hope everyone is doing good.

kah78

Hi all. Had my pre-treatment bloodwork and sonogram today--ironically, the sonographer couldn't find one of my ovaries very easily. Luckily it's the same one that seems blocked, so I still have one side that is rockin. Just took my first of 5 days of Clomid--100 mg. My husband asked me if that meant I'd be cuddly for the next week or two. I told him it would probably vacilate between that and wanting to bite his head off and eat everything in sight. But, that pretty much covers it.

Yeah, about the Clomid--my advice is, don't go in expecting bad side effects, but if you notice that you are more irritable, emotional, eating, etc, then you can probably chalk it up to that. A lot of people don't have any trouble with it at all, so don't set yourself up to expect things that may never come, but at the same time, be prepared. I don't get crazy crazy, but I just lose most of my self-control. I say things I wouldn't normally say, and I want to eat everything. I call it Clom-ID, because I just feel like it makes my ID run rampant--my ego and superego have no input. It brings out my inner-Hyde, when I'm usually a Dr. Jekyll.

But, I know what to expect this time, so I'm trying to keep my expectations realistic. Some people say that it takes 4-6 weeks for the clomid effects to go away. I'd agree--it wasn't like I ovulated and it was done. I was just glad when I stopped taking it because I gradually felt more like myself again after that.

We are out of town tomorrow for a cousin's wedding reception--so It'll be a few days before I'm back. Toodles everyone!

sdavisneill

Weighing in a couple of days early since in about 15 minutes we're leaving for HAWAII!!! We've got lots of active stuff planned, so here's hoping the damage won't be too bad.

MFP SW (March 2011): 211
Calendar week 26: 183.4 (-1.4)
Calendar week 27: 181.4 (-2.0)
Calendar week 28: 179.6 (-1.8)
Calendar week 29: 178.6 (-1.0)
Calendar week 30: 178.8 (+0.2)

Holding steady this week. My water intake has been abysmal this week, so I think I'm probably feeling the effects of that. I made my 60 min exercise goals every day except yesterday. There was just too much other stuff to do. Anyway, goal for this week is TO HAVE FUN!

I'll catch up with y'all in a week. Here's wishing everyone luck with their weight loss goals and lots and lots of baby dust!!

Stephanie

MightyMae1

Hi, there. Would like to join your group. Have been having trouble TTC for about 3 years and looking for some people who can relate and won't tell me to "just stop thinking about it".

jalara

Hi, there. Would like to join your group. Have been having trouble TTC for about 3 years and looking for some people who can relate and won't tell me to "just stop thinking about it".

Hey Mighty! You won't get that here - we're all advocates of "tell me to relax one more time and I'll knock you on your @ss." LOL - Well, not really, but you get what I mean.
Welcome! Care to share some of your background with us (you by no means need to)?

For everyone new, I'll introduce myself.
I'm Jalara, I'm 30, ex-military, now a nursing student who lives with DH in Nova Scotia. We've been trying for 13 months for #1. I have a bicornuate uterus, mild endo, a suspected Luteal Phase Defect (bloodwork to confirm recently got lost :grumble: :grumble:). In my past I've had 2 miscarriages (before I met my husband) and since trying we've had 1 chemical pregnancy. Twins run in my family (both my mother and maternal grandmother had twin boys) so I'm a little nervous about that (I'd LOVE twins but with my uterus it's not a great idea). I'm on my 5th month of Clomid and moving to COH & IUI in the fall (see previous entries for the last couple of days - I've been in total breakdown mode).
I look forward to getting to know everyone!

AlisaToth

Happy Sunday! Hope everyone is ready for the week!

Yesterday my best friend flew in from virginia beach! It's so nice to have her here. We have been best friends since we were 13. We haven't seen each other in 2 years yet now that she's here we've picked up right where we left off! She flew into San Francisco (about 3-4 hours north of where I live) even though there is an airport abut 45min from my house bc A. It was about $100 cheaper and B. We knew that if we flew her in closer to my house we would talk about going some place like LA or San Fran but would never make the time to go. So I picked her up at the airport at 11am and immediately went to a resturaunt I have been DYING to try. It's called Wich'Craft and it's owned by Tom Calliccio(sp) one of the head judges on Top Chef on bravo. It's a gourmet sandwich shop. I got a pork loin pressed sandwich that had brazed kale and provolone cheese. Very simple but OMG the best thing I may have ever eaten. I shared mine w P (my 5yr old son and he loved it!) My girlfriend got a marinated zucchini pressed sandwich....between the two they were amazing. Hers had marinated sautéd zucchini and onions w mozzerella cheese, again simple but amazing. Then we decided we wanted to see the golden gate bridge but we didn't want to take my car out of one paid parking lot just to pay for parking somewhere else. So I plugged golden gate park into the GPS on my phone and we walked. 3.7 miles to goldengate park (1 mile was COMPLETELY uphill) only to realize that golden gate park is NO WHERE near the bridge...with blisters on our feet from walking and having 3 kids (ages 8,6 &5) we called a cab to take us back to the parking garage. When we told him what happened he took us by the bridge and Alcatraz and gave us a person tour of the city. It was awesome! I did really good eating in the city! I was ready to gourge! But I only ate half my sandwich and half a cheese burger for dinner....today we hit up olive garden and we were ready for a hard core cheat meal but filled up on soup, salad and our sampler platter appetizer that we brought our meals home and are planning on eating them for dinner.

MightyMae1

Hey Mae! You won't get that here - we're all advocates of "tell me to relax one more time and I'll knock you on your @ss." LOL - Well, not really, but you get what I mean.
Welcome! Care to share some of your background with us (you by no means need to)?

Well, we have been off the pill since April, 2008. When nothing happened month after month I went to see the OB/GYN. She was rather dismissive and told me to lose weight. Then I lost my dad to cancer. I guess from the stress and then the grief I began having several health problems including panic attacks, heart palpatations, and my periods stopped altogether. Went back to the doctor after a few months and we "jump started" my periods. She fussed at me for not losing weight and basically said she wouldn't prescribe Clomid until I lost weight. So, I started trying to lose...joined MFP. Have lost 26 lbs. so far. (Yea!) My cycles have gotten shorter and more regular in the last year and I think maybe I might be ovulating now, though I'm not sure. So, I'm still trying to lose weight, taking my temperature every day, and praying. Last time I went in to talk to my OB/GYN she referred me to a fertility specialist, but my insurance doesn't cover that, so I haven't followed through on the appointment. So, I kind of feel like we're at a stand still, and it feels to me like my doc dismissed me because I'm overweight. Also, all my friends are pregnant (two of them for the second time since we all went off the pill in 2008) and it's become "a hard knock life" for me. :ohwell: I appreciate that there are others on here who are struggling with both weight and TTC.

kah78

Alisa--Golden gate park is no where near the bridge--you are totally right! I learned that one the hard way too--sans kids. I lived for a year across the Bay, so we'd take day trips into San Fran. I love that city.

As for me: Today will be day 4 of Clomid--one more tomorrow. So far I'm not feeling out of control, which is good, but I am getting dizzy spells every once in a while, which the meds warned me about. I'm taking it at night before bed, and I am not sleeping well at all. I'm just tossing and turning, waking up every hour or so. I don't know if it is the Clomid or what, but I have been very careful the last two nights to cut out all of the usual sleeplessness culprits for me: caffiene, chocolate, etc. So, I dunno. We'll see. Last time I took it, it was in the morning, so maybe it is affecting me differently. It might all be in my head too. Haha.

Hope everyone is staying cool--it is hot as heck here, and humid too---trying to exercise in this weather is just a complete excercise in insanity. I got up this morning at 5 to get some in in front of the TV and air conditioner. I'm not attempting anything else today, unless it involves jumping in a pool!

taldie01

Happy moday everyone!

Just got my period yesterday, finally after 7 days of being late. But that just means we are ready to try again soon!

abeare

Happy Monday everyone!

Welcome mightymae, this is a great group full of very supportive women. I’m sure you’ll get lots of support and encouragement on both the weight loss and TTC process.

Alisa, Sounds like you had a great time with your friend, you deserve it! I’m glad to see the taxi driver was super helpful, you’d never find that here in Montreal

Karen, wishing your sleepless nights to be over! Maybe you should attempt to work out in the heat, you’ll be so tired afterwards that you’ll just pass right out :laugh:

AFM, I weighed in this morning at basically the same weight as last week. This is a bad thing for me because up until Friday I was down another almost 2 lbs! But with the wedding on Saturday and the busy Sunday filled with eating out, I seam to have put it back on. I’m really hoping its water weight and will be re-weighing myself tomorrow to see. It would really such to have worked my butt of (quite literally) all week, just to have it ruined by two days of bad eating!
Oh and by the way, my new profile pic is from this weekends wedding, first good picture of DH and I in a really long time.

BronzeLady

So sorry to post and run, but I'm in the middle of packing now!

Just wanted to let you all know I've busted my plateau and finally lost an additional 2 pounds after almost 2 months of no weight loss. So now that's 11 lost since joining MFP, but 15 total! 24 to go!

This week's goal for me is to get in some solid workout time despite boxing up, packing, throwing out, cleaning...I'm soooo tired!!!

MightyMae1

So sorry to post and run, but I'm in the middle of packing now!

Just wanted to let you all know I've busted my plateau and finally lost an additional 2 pounds after almost 2 months of no weight loss. So now that's 11 lost since joining MFP, but 15 total! 24 to go!

This week's goal for me is to get in some solid workout time despite boxing up, packing, throwing out, cleaning...I'm soooo tired!!!

Packing sucks!!! But, it could be the packing that has pushed you past your plateau. Hope everything goes okay. (Did I mention that I hate packing?) :-P

MightyMae1

Happy Monday everyone!

Welcome mightymae, this is a great group full of very supportive women. I’m sure you’ll get lots of support and encouragement on both the weight loss and TTC process.....

Thanks!

godblessourhome

still negative and no symptoms. my hope diminishes more each day. plus, another friend announced their pregnancy on facebook this morning.

AlisaToth

GBOH- I am sorry it's still negative....but I hear ya on the FB preggo posts...if I see ONE MORE BFP test photo on Facebook I may start deleting ppl...I've had 4 in the past month! Only one I was able to feel excited for bc she has SEVERE endo and was told she couldn't get preggo so I related w her.

batgirlrox

still negative and no symptoms. my hope diminishes more each day. plus, another friend announced their pregnancy on facebook this morning.

Aww boo. Was really hoping for a BFP. I also hate the FB preggo posts make me so angry!

batgirlrox

Welcome Mighty!

Steph- Hope you are having a blast in Hawaii
Abeare- Great pic! I hope it drops right back off for you too!
Bronze- Congrats on the break through! Keep that trend rolling!

AFM- Just got back from a 2 day bike trip with my Mom and Dad for my Dad's birthday. Our first day was awesome and today we got rained on 11 times, one time was for 85kms straight, I was not impressed ha. Bad news about the bike trip all my meals for the last 2 days have been on the run in restaurants although being on the bike all day meant I couldn't be snacking. Felt like after battling the wind I have also done a major upper body workout but didn't get any designated workouts in while gone. 7 more days and I'm done my prednisone hoping for some faster weight loss after that time! That's all for me. Wishing everyone loads of babydust!
Amanda