Fit For Future Families - August 2011

Jalara, I’m glad you cried, it somehow lets out the steam when we cry. I’ve had times where I couldn’t and so I’d pop in my sure fire “cry movie” mine is What Dreams May Come, a friend of mine watches PS I Love You (to give to examples), when she cant cry but knows she needs to.
My thoughts are with you!

Julia, I have to agree with the general consensus here, it’s your choice, and no one knows what’s right for you and your family but you! But a year is a long time!

Pam, yeah for August! Why wont your doc offer Femera?

Dcg8r, For once I’m saying Yeah for AF! Wow that felt weird! But I’m glad that this cycle is done and over with and you are feeling good about getting back on the TTC wagon. FC that you get a BFP that sticks real soon!

Miss you Ron & AnneElise, glad to see you guys stalking us!

Karen, I know exactly how you feel! The first IUI I had in February was horrible! The 2WW was unbearable and to top it off I started spotting somewhere around 8dpiui and didn’t know what to make of it. I was getting my hope up high then bringing myself back to reality over & over & over again! I sadly don’t have any suggestion on how to stop thinking about it (never figured that one out myself) but I am sending you lots of baby dust! I really hope this works for you!

Panteragirl, My family doesn’t know we’re TTC yet either, or at least not officially. We started trying when we got married two years ago and so my family hasn’t quite decided if our wait is deliberate or because of infertility. It’s really hard to go through without a support system if it wasn’t for DH, a couple close friends, and the girls here, I don’t know how I’d have kept my sanity over the pas couple years. Hopefully your friends will come around, but if not we’re all here for ya!

AFM, I did get some news yesterday, but didn’t feel like it was the time to share considering the attention and well wishes really needed to be directed to someone else (and still should be). But seeing how tomorrow’s my last day till I’m off camping and wont have the opportunity for a while, I’ll spill now. I got a BFP. I went in this morning for a blood test to be sure and just got the call that it came back positive too. It’s finally happened! Cycle 26 was the lucky one for me. I just want to tell all you girls how happy I am that I got to know all of you. I couldn’t have done it without you guys!

Ashley,

Ashley - no Femara because it's not really the thing to do with IVF apparently. I told her we were covered and she kind of went, that's okay, we won't be using it...>I think it's more for IUI and overstimulation with natural insemination. I asked about mood swings while on the Lupron and she said that because it doesn't depress the estrogen to stimulate another hormone to induce the hyperovulation, it shouldnt cause any mood swings at all (It basically just directly inflates that other hormone - not relying on my body's chemistry here)....

My friend is on Lupron to put her into “early menopause” for her Endo, and she didn’t find too many side effects with it. Granted she has been on a cocktail of hormones and painkillers for a couple months now and so even if she had symptoms, I’m not sure how’d they’d trigger it back to one specific drug.
FC for you!

AFM, I did get some news yesterday, but didn’t feel like it was the time to share considering the attention and well wishes really needed to be directed to someone else (and still should be). But seeing how tomorrow’s my last day till I’m off camping and wont have the opportunity for a while, I’ll spill now. I got a BFP. I went in this morning for a blood test to be sure and just got the call that it came back positive too. It’s finally happened! Cycle 26 was the lucky one for me. I just want to tell all you girls how happy I am that I got to know all of you. I couldn’t have done it without you guys!

Ashley,

WAH-HA-HA-HOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have fun camping with your little bean. Don't let it keep you from doing all the fun camping stuff you'd be doing if you weren't prego--except for all the crazy drinking and stuff, but that's not really a good idea camping anyways. Congrats!!!!

Hoooorraaayyy Ashley!!! I'm so excited for you!!!

AFM, I did get some news yesterday, but didn’t feel like it was the time to share considering the attention and well wishes really needed to be directed to someone else (and still should be). But seeing how tomorrow’s my last day till I’m off camping and wont have the opportunity for a while, I’ll spill now. I got a BFP. I went in this morning for a blood test to be sure and just got the call that it came back positive too. It’s finally happened! Cycle 26 was the lucky one for me. I just want to tell all you girls how happy I am that I got to know all of you. I couldn’t have done it without you guys!

that is fantastic news! congrats!

AFM, AF finally came, the first after miscarriage. It was about 8 days late, I guess due to the residual hormones and craziness my body had experienced. I'm hopeful for O in a few weeks and then I can be back on the road to TTC! It's funny, a month never felt this long when I wasn't TTC! Still taking PNVs every night, exercising (I did some serious binge-pity eating a few weeks ago and have just arrived back to my weight prior to that episode - 153). I am hopeful to make it down to 150 in a few weeks. DH is excited to 'try again' - I am just worried that I will have another m/c and that would crush me

praying you won't ever have to experience another miscarriage.

If I"m not pregnant, I'll need to exercise control over something to balance my feeling out of control-ness with this infertility crud, and I think I"ll chose my diet at that point.

i am like that too. when my dad died last year from prostate cancer, i felt like i had no control over anything except what i ate, so i didn't eat. not exactly a healthy way to deal with emotions and food, but it really helped me feel like i had some say over something. it lasted about two weeks and then reverted back to 'normal'.

I seriously need to start replying twice a day to keep up! Ha!

Ashley - SUPER BIG, WONDERFUL CONGRATS!!! So absolutely thrilled for you.

Alisa - Thanks for the support. It's pretty easy to stay active in Hawaii, especially because you're outdoors all the time. We spent a lot of time in the water: swimming in both the pool & the ocean, boogie-boarding, and snorkeling; walked a lot, on the beach and around our villas; went ziplining; and took some short hikes to see some waterfalls and overlooks. I wanted to play mini-golf, but we ran out of time. Plus, we ate a lot of fish, which I think is generally better for you. Oh & there is that other physical activity that I'm sure you'll make lots of time for!

Pam - Glad that your meds are partially covered. This is such an expensive process. Every little bit helps. Thanks too for sharing so much of your process with us. I still find the next IUI/IVF steps a bit intimidating so it is good to hear a real person's perspective.

Jalara - Beautiful ring! That's a good idea to have a stand-in set. I didn't want to wear my rings when we went to the ocean last week, but was still nervous about leaving them in the room. Still thinking good thoughts for you. I know this time is difficult. I do find that one good cry is always helpful, so glad you were able to do that.

PanteraGirl - Welcome to the group. Hope you find what you're looking for here and we always welcome new points of view.

GBOH - More power to ya trying to figure all that hormone stuff out. It's always been confusing to me.

Julia - Tough, tough choices ahead. Wishing your family all the best. My only advice would be to really rely on your military family network, whichever decision you make. My husband's cousin has been deployed twice recently and I was very impressed how well the military family network back home came together to support each other. You might be even be able to use this network to find renters too. Good luck!

dcg8r - Thanks for your support. Same back atcha - stay strong and try to have a little fun trying again!

Karen - Glad you're feeling a smidge better. I know your mind is probably going crazy with all the possibilities. Grrr...2WW! I'm right with you, though, I totally need the control. Still thinking good thoughts for you.

Ashlee - Welcome. Sorry that you have some uncertainty ahead, but one thing we all have here is hope, so feel free to jump right into the conversation.

AFM - Made it through my co-worker's funeral on Wednesday ok. It was a beautiful service and it was wonderful to see how much she was loved. The team is holding together pretty well too. I'm just anxious for this whole week to be over. I feel completely drained. I am a lot more appreciative of my blessings though. Makes me even more determined in this TTC process. In other news, AF cramping is so painful today. I keep reminding myself that cramps are just the lifelong practice to start preparing us for contractions. Ha!

Hope everyone has a great Friday tomorrow.
- Stephanie

Ashley, congrats! And have fun camping!

PanteraGirl & Ashlee, I'm a newbie too... best of luck to you both!

Julia (& possibly PanteraGirl, considering the job thing), not a military family, but I did spend 9 months of the first year of my marriage apart from my husband—I was going to school in one state, he was working in another 600 miles away. Still, within driving distance and we could talk on the phone every night. Never thought it would, but it flew by. We were both alone, though—no kids yet and not prego, and I suspect that would be a LOT tougher. Good luck on your decision!

Hey thanks...and best of luck to you too!!!