Fit For Future Families - August 2011

Ah Karen, I'm so sorry. Glad you found a little release in the smashing.

Hello! I am a newbie to the group. My husband and I have been thinking about expanding our family for awhile and decided that August is the month to start! That is so crazy to say outloud (or type rather...)! Just finished mylast BC on Saturday so we will see what happens from here

Hey All,

Alisa- That's so awesome, my hubby and I had a talk about being best friends last night and then I came in and read your post today. Made me smile. I'm excited for you that the wait is almost over.

Karen- Sorry about your BFN *hugs* Although I do love the hammer vs extra progesterone..maybe I should do that with my extra prednisone and it would release stress and make me feel much better.

Taldie- Keeping my fingers crossed for my fellow Albertan

Welcome newbies and returners:) Baby dust to you all and good luck to the 2 ww'ers.

AFM- I was finally feeling better the last few days until today when the nausea returned. Today was supposed to be the last day for any withdrawl symptoms and I'm hoping it was the last on today.
On the TTC front, this was the first month I've ever tried to track ovulation. I have been left sad and more stressed then I ever felt about TTC before. I haven't got a BFP on any ovulation strip yet To top it off my DH expressed his stress to me about his fear of being unable to TTC which sent me into a whirlwind of more stress and worry about it as well. I know this is very early in our TTC process but wow I'm already feeling obsessively stressed, not good... sigh not sure how to calm and relax a bit about this. I'm trying to tell my mental self that maybe my body hasn't deemed me to be healthy enough to ovulate yet. I have also been having weird lower abdominal pains which I haven't experienced before *sigh* oh the rollercoaster ride continued ..I guess time will tell.
Amanda

Pantera – I don’t think finances are ever going to be 100% perfect for anyone to start a family, but at the same time you have to do what is right for you. We want a family as soon as possible and will arrange our lives accordingly, but that is what is right for our values and goals. But be sure that you can bounce things off us any time.

Its so true that finances will never be 100%. We decided to keep trying....I'm just worried now about the other factors of both of us being laid off....and if we do get laid off we would have to most likely sell our house and he would be working with his uncle in remote places of the world for months at a time.....or we move to Australia. Either way if we get laid off...the likely hood of me having a baby on my own is pretty high! Which scares the crap out of me.....BUT....I'll do what I have to do....hopefully things get better.

The problem with me is that I always have to think ahead 5 steps, Good and bad quality to have!!

Imr9 – congrats on the 1.5 loss! How is the 2ww going?

Jalara - thanks! What is 2ww?

Sorry I have been absent for a while. My brother and his family are visiting from out of state for the next couple weeks so that is where any and all of my time is going. So of course my diet is a little off track and I'm not exercising as regularly as I'd like. BUT my little twin nephews are here who are 6 weeks younger than my daughter so they're having a lot of fun. I think I'm in my 2ww now, but I honestly don't think it happened this month. I have such a mix of emotions about it, I feel sad and discouraged, but at the same time i think that gives me another month to continue on my diet and exercise and possibly lose a couple more pounds before it happens. The whole reason I want to lose weight is so I can have a healthy and happy pregnancy and baby. My main goal for this week is to drink more water! Hope everyone is having a great week! I promise I'll be more supportive soon~!!

jalara- It was a little urgent. My old OB wasn't doing anything for me even tho i had been bleeding for 2 months and my cramps were so severe that I ended up in the ER. So I switched to a highly reccomend ob who took one look at my ultrasounds, saw ym very cystic ovaries and said "lets so a D&C, laprascopy and ovarain drilling in 3 days." So yeah, but i tell ya what my spotting finally stopped my cramps are gone and i feel soo good.

So I was looking at my "stats" and I noticed w the prenatals help me meet a lot of my vitamin goals except calcium. I normally gave yogurt w breakfast but have almost cut out any other dairy BC of the fat/calories so I was thinking about getting some if those calcium chocolates to supplement that....and I'd get my chocolate fix too...anyone else do this?

I did that for a while. Don't set yourself up though--it's not chocolate. Or a great substitute. Also, just remember, they are like, 30 calories or something each, so you gotta log it. So I tried them, and then decided that I'd rather have the 30 calories to eat some other way and went back to a pill. I still have some and I eat one every once in a while, but it did nothing for my chocolate cravings. Sorry to be a downer about that---it sounds like a perfect solution doesn't it? (Maybe you'll be different and it'll work for you!)

AFM: I'm starting to get "over" the result hump. Few less episodes of teary eyes catching me, and hopefully I"ll just have myself together enough to have a polite rather than rude answer if anyone asks about another kid at the family reunion. "Why do you ask?" is my current favorite. And depending on their answer I will decide whether to share my circumstances with them in a very loving manor, or say something that will make them feel horrible for asking in the first place. Haha.

I just wish my eating/exercising motivation would come back. It hasn't. I had a chicken and broccoli stromboli for lunch. Not the best choice...but I gave myself points for the broccoli--all three bites of it in there, haha. I've decided that I"m just going to cruise through the family reunion--try not to do too much damage, and then set some concrete exercise, etc goals when I get back. My heart just isn't into it yet, and I don't feel like setting myself up for a massive failure. (Already had enough of that this week.)

Thanks for all the cyber hugs ladies--it helps--it really does.

Has anyone had an antibiotic affect their cycle when NOT on bc pills?? I took "z-pack" and my period was 10 days late! I got excited thinking this could be it, but then I got my period.

I tried doing a little research on antibiotics and cycles, but there's not much unless you're on BC pills.

e_amanda - I completely understand what you mean. For a long time in some ways I wanted there to be something wrong so that at least I had an answer and then I could get the correct treatment. It has been a guessing game trying to figure out what meds work. So far femera and metformin are my answer. My doctor wants me to try the meds for the next 3 months and if I am not pregnant then I gave to go in to discuss what my options are.....I am avoiding the fertility specialist due to the cost!!

Alisa- Yay for a good first day back! I love my vitamins because it helps my nutrition stats. As far as calcium I added a calcium and vitamin D supplement to meet my goal.
Emily- I hate when people buy yummy fast food to tempt me. I’m sorry your work schedules and your hubbys are conflicting. I can totally relate and tends to add in stress. Definitely remember it should be FUN
Thedestar- Enjoy the family while they are in town. Sorry you are feeling discouraged, but I like your positive attitude of staying focused on the long time healthy goals. And you never know…
Katy- I’m glad you finally got a Dr. to listen to you and take action. Glad you are feeling better

Emily- I hate those temptations. I managed to surpass one today. I work on an ambulance and had an early morning interfacility transfer to the city which meant breakfast out. My partner chose my favourite restaurant (Cora's) and they have the most delicious Raspberry crepe EVER! I had 2 poached eggs and tomatoes(How boring) but definitely felt good about the fact I stood strong and resisted the treat.

Katy- glad you finally got a good doctor willing to do something and you are feeling awesome.

Jalara- Prednisone for my ulcerative collitis. I am using the OPK line strips from that early pregnancy test website you sent out a few weeks back. I usually test first thing in the morning and before going to bed.

AFM- Was having a good day today until my husband got mandated to work tomorrow...our only day off together this week. Gah Life these days is driving me crazy haha
PS Sorry for all the bummer posts lately. I will make a promise to try to keep them more up beat the next few days.

Karen- I'm so sorry about the BFN It sounds like a reasonable decision to wait at least a cycle....

Luki - How are things going with the exchange student? How long is he with you again? When do you find out more about whether or not DH's diabetes is related to the fertility stuff?

Alisa - I'm so happy that you guys are getting to have such good face time Skype is a miracle tool....LOL Yay for school - I can't believe it's that time of year again already....the time is just flying.....My 2 cents on the calcium chews is that my understanding is that it's usually a difficult type of calcium to digest. Make sure to do your research and see what other supplements are needed to help absorb the calcium and see if your prenatal helps with getting those, then calcium chew away (I used to, but I am getting my full dose of calcium now in my prenatal)

Batgirl - yeah, tracking can definitely do that to ya, just remember the more stress you have, the more cortisol in your body, the harder it will for you to conceive So just try and relax, it'll improve your chances (easier said than done though....LOL) OMG - my fav at cora's is the 90's harvest- - but then I read the caloric content.....it's surprisingly UNHEALTHY....LOL - it has more calories than a big mac (but is also way more food that's fresh)....so I tend to split anything from coras now......

Emily - No Fast food is such a good goal and it's one of the hardest to keep.Are you temping at all? The signs should be pretty clear if you have O'd, which helps with the stresses of "having" to try, but does create new ones....LOL

Pantera - I'm the same way. I know exactly how much $$$ we'll have coming in and have cut my current expenses to meet that now (which is how we're saving for the IVF as well). I drive friends and family crazy though because I always have at least 3 plans and I analyze every contingency to the nth degree.....but it works for us

KLMH - Don't you love that test for insulin resistance with the orange drink? Blah......the metformin has worked wonders for me (but I'm PCOS and IR).....hope that it helps you too!!!

Thedestar - Great goal!! Enjoy the time with your family - sounds like a really full house

Katy - glad you're feeling better

Sandy - I haven't heard anything about antibiotics impacting cycles - it was probably more the stress on the body from being sick.

LMR - most doctor's won't discuss fertility issues until you've been trying about a year - it can take a normal, healthy couple at least that long to actually conceive (they say that only 1 out of 4 conceptions actually don't abrupt (Chemical pregnancy) - so even if you catch the egg, the chance is only about 25% that you'll get to see a BFP)

Jalara - so proud you're shredding your way healthy!!! Glad you're starting to feel more like yourself. Have a complete blast in Vegas....say hi to Garth for me.

AFM: Things at work are starting to settle down. On the fertility front, I should be calling the clinic on Monday (Sunday should be my day 1 and I'm hormonal and hungry and all the rest) for my u/s and prescription. Fight with my dad was as much my fault as his (but I'm the only one willing to admit it...LOL) and we're very very similar. We're cutting the wood for the upstairs floor and he just felt that his idea wasn't being given fair consideration and he wasn't listening to the fact that I had reasons not to go with his idea (he wanted to leave a mistake in the cuts and I was trying to say that it affects the functionality of the floor)....I also had a bombshell dropped on me yesterday from a friend I used to work with. She found out she's 4months pregnant. She was told years ago that she couldn't have a baby (severe damage after an ectopic pregnancy) and so had come to terms with it. Now she's pregnant and not in a relationship with the father; stressing about finances and offered us the baby. *blink* Yes, she offered to have us adopt the baby. I have to say that I was strong and suggested that she really needed to do her research first and go through several counselling sessions. She didn't know that we'd have to get a homestudy or lawyers involved. She also said that if we couldn't take the baby that she would raise it herself. I'm happy that she recognizes that I'd make a good mom, but it sounds like she's just really freaked about the situation and hasn't really come to terms with what it would be like to adopt out her miracle baby. She has a great support network and has already started setting up a nursery, etc. Don't get me wrong. I would jump through hoops in a heartbeat, but I think I'd have to put the IVF on hold and it just seems like she's not ready to make that kind of decision and by the time she is, I don't know if we can get a homestudy together in time (our last one was rushed at 6 months). I'm not ready to put the IVF on hold for something that I'm not sure is going to happen. So the way we left it was for her to do the counselling and then we could talk again....my heart is saying that she wants the baby, just is very scared....

So that's been my week - how's everyone else's going?

(Added Oh Heather - you jumped in as I was typing. I was so proud that I managed to get everyone in from the last two pages!!! LOL That bump is looking mighty pretty!!!! EEK - time sure is flying!!!)