Fit For Future Families - October 2011

Hey! I haven't been around for a while. I see there are a ton of new names, and that's without even reading back through the September thread!

I ended up with a suprise natural BFP while on a break from TTC waiting for diagnostic laparoscopy. Unfortunately it was ectopic, in the tube that we thought was completely blocked. Turned out it was only partially blocked. It's been almost two weeks since I had the methotrexate shot. Thankfully we had been tracking my beta HCG & knew the numbers were fluctuating so as soon as I had pain on my right side (the blocked tube side) I went straight to the ER and was able to avoid surgery. I am now on a manditory 3 month break from TTC because the methotrexate depletes your body of folate, plus of course who knows how long it'll take my cycle to normalize again. I really want to get back into the weight loss, but I can't exercise likely for a few more weeks yet. In the month I was on here before getting pg I lost about 3lbs. I am scared now to step on a scale, that number is going to be awful. When I found out I was pregnant, I was actually still eating really well and exercising but as soon as I got those funky betas I stopped working out and started eating for comfort

My goal for now is to stick to 1200 cal a day, absolute maximum 1400. Since I can't exercise yet I really feel like I need to minimize my calorie intake as much as is healthy. Once I can exercise again I'll go back to the net 1400 which was working for me before.

Hope everyone is doing well and I'll try to get back into the habit of checking in here daily, since things move along so quickly!

Amanda

did 4 miles today with hip hop modifications

meggamix: thanks for the welcome and baby dust to you!

cutmd: I'm sorry for your loss too- but it does get better. I was a mess after mine too and even seeing a baby would bring me close to tears and there are a lot of babies here in NYC! I was a bit of a hermit until I knew I wouldn't cry in public. Slowly I got over it and took it as a blessing because it forced me to look at my health and take better care of myself. I hope your m/c has a silver lining too, though I know right now that seems absurd.

e_amanda: I'm sorry for your loss too :-( Although, does this mean that tube is unblocked now? I'm sorry but I don't much about blocked tubes and if they can be reversed

Hi Melissa! I'm glad to hear that you are feeling a bit better after your loss in September. I don't know if you scrolled back to the previous page, but I'm on board with TTC too. There are suddenly babies EVERYWHERE here in SF and I'm worried that if we have trouble I will become unhinged about it.

More generally, I ordered a new thermometer on Amazon today to track my BBT. It turns out that the digital one I ordered last month isn't actually a basal thermometer and, even though it seems to register to the 1/10th degree, I figured I might as well get the real deal if I want to be as accurate as possible about my cycle. I also ordered some ovulation predictor strips. I guess I'm just already assuming that I have to get high tech about it. :happy: I spent my entire twenties concerned that I *would* get pregnant and now suddenly I'm freaked out that I won't be able to. Sigh.

Melissa,

I've been diagnosed with PCOS for about 6+ years now. I actually found out before we were TTC. My husband spent a summer in Japan, so I went off all drugs, etc. (including birth control since I didn't need it) in my attempt to generally feel better (I had mood swings and extreme dizziness/nausea on bc) and lose weight in a healthy way. Well, a couple of months into in the summer and my cycle was all out of whack and I couldn't lose a pound. After months of going to different obgyns, I finally met a nurse practitioner who really listened to me and confirmed a diagnosis of insulin-resistance induced PCOS.

I understand feeling like your body is letting you down, but I truly believe it is possible to overcome that feeling of helplessness and take charge of the condition. After awhile, I found the diagnosis to be freeing. I was never an over eater and I had never understood why I had gained so much weight so quickly and the insulin resistance helped explained that, the sugar highs and lows started to explain my mood swings, and once I was on the metformin my cycle became like clockwork. The metformin does take some getting used to, and I tried various dosing before I found the one that was right for me. I take 4 tablets of the max dose in an extended release version each night. I have some stomach/intestinal difficulty in the morning, but it helps that I only have issues at home and over time I've just gotten used to it.

When I started TTC, I knew I had an uphill battle. Doesn't mean I don't still have moments that I want to scream (I do all the time), especially since it is taking so long, but with the help of MFP I've started to have success in losing weight, the exercise makes me feel a million times better and and I'm hopeful. If we have to go to IUI or IVF as our next step, I'll be ready. I'm definitely not an PCOS expert, but at least I know and we can plan around that.

Indulge your frustration for a little while, emotions are just that, and it's ok. But know there are resources, ways to take charge, and above all else hope. We're here for ya girl!

Stephanie

Thank you!! I needed to read this today! Ever since being diagnosed in February, I have spent my time getting healthy. I have lost 30 pounds and honestly feel really great...but the fact the the doctor wants me to go on Metformin makes me feel like everything I did just wasn't enough. I feel like I should be able to conquer this. But I am starting to realize that I can't do it myself and that's ok. I truly believe that PCOS has opened my eyes to a healthy lifestyle, but I think I had it in my head that once I started living healthier it was just going to go away. Now I am starting to face that it's not...and it's ok. Ultimately, I want to have a baby, and be a healthy mommy...if metformin is the road I have to take to get there...I will do it.

Thanks again for your story!

Welcome new comers!

AS far are the puppy questions if you are up for the puppy get one. I will say I'm very happy we got our puppy. We got Ajax after TTC for about 6 months (we had just bought our house and I wanted protection and company when my hubby was at work at night). 2.5+ years later I'm very glad we have him! If we had waited to get a puppy until after pregnancy and when our baby was older we still wouldn't have a dog.

Hi, just checking in real quick. I still haven't heard anything back from my doctor. I was hoping I would hear what the thyroid results were since they don't have to send those off, looks like they are doing what is convenient for them, not me, and waiting until they get all my blood tests back before letting me know. Really nervous about everything, hopefully they will find a reason for my miscarriages, if not I don't know what we will do :frown:
For now I'm going to sit back have some :drinker: and a good time with DH. It's not even that late, for once we get to start our night before midnight since we are both off work tonight!

What do you ladies think I should do for now to try to lose weight, or if I even should do anything until the doctor gives me an answer? I didn't have enough time to ask him at my appt. I know that with hypothyroidism there is a certain diet that will make it better, but I don't think I want to start that until I know whether or not that's the problem. Should I try to do the 1200 calories per day again? It should be ok for me to keep exercising too right? I usually do Zumba and Yoga every day and there are 2 sets of maternal exercises, to prepare my body for labor, that I jump between, I do one Sun, Tues, Thurs, Sat and the other Mon, Wed and Fri. I don't think that too much exercise can affect anything but I don't want to make things look different in testing just because I've changed diet or physical activities. I haven't been exercising much for the last couple months because I've been either pregnant or possibly pregnant and with my miscarriage history I wanted to wait for the ok from the doctor to do any exercises while pregnant, so it will be a change for me to start all those exercises back up again. I haven't really dieted faithfully since we started TTC in April because I didn't want my diet to ruin my chances either. Not that it really helped but I suppose if I had been dieting I would have always wondered if that was the reason for my recurrent miscarriages.

So, my hubby agreed to see a specialist if I got a new job I found one in our area all I have to do is get the job and fill out the application to be seen. I am praying I get the job so we can go soon

I joined in a different month, but got so busy with life things that I barely even came on here. So I am filling this out again.

Age: 38
Where you live: WI
Job: SAHM
Length of time on the board: 7 months
Marital Status: Married
Length of time you've been with SO: almost 20 (almost 15 married)
Do you have kids: yes 5 boys
Length of time TTC: Not yet wttc
Diagnosis: n/a
Do you chart your BBT: I will be in less than a year
Do you use OPKs: I will be in less than a year
Are you on any meds for TTC: n/a
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 268
Goal Weight: 140
Strange fact about yourself: I didn't get my driver's license until just 4 days before I turned 29.

Age: 21
Where you live: Virginia
Job: Massage clinic receptionist
Length of time on the board: 5 months
Marital Status: Married
Length of time you've been with SO: 3 years
Do you have kids: No
Length of time TTC: 4 cycles
Diagnosis: No diagnosis yet
Do you chart your BBT: Every morning!
Do you use OPKs: I did this month
Are you on any meds for TTC: Not yet...
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 138-140
Goal Weight: 125-130
Strange fact about yourself: I finally met (in person) my best friend/ maid of honor 3 days before my wedding, and about 10 years after we first started writing letters to each other.

So glad to find this group! I feel so weighed down by all this, and there aren't many people I can talk to to about it. I love my husband to death but let's face it ladies, you can only talk to DH about ovulation, CM, and your BBT for so long before their eyes start glazing over and you realize they have no idea what you're talking about! My Mom and I are super close but she doesn't know we are TTC, I want it to be a surprise for her when I get a BFP! So here's my story:

I have had irregular periods since I started having them at age 11. I would go months without a period, and then when it would finally show up it was ridiculously light. Like, for the most part I probably could've gotten away with wearing the same pad for days! When I went on BC pills April 2010, of course it regulated me so I was regular every month. Fast forward to July 2011, we decide we are ready to start trying for a baby (plus I was not happy with some of the side effects of the pills and just not comfortable flooding my body with artificial hormones anymore!). So after stopping BC pills, I've still have regular periods every month, 28-30 day cycles.I also started temping in July, and as far as I can tell I haven't been ovulating. Not to mention my temperature is very erratic. I'm no doctor but I don't see any sustained temp peaks at all. My temp will spike one day and then slowly drop, or what it does most of the time in the middle of my cycle is gradually climb over the course of a few days, and then drop back to a lower temp when I start my period. I called my gyno and spoke to a nurse today, and she said I would need to schedule a "talk appointment" with my dr to discuss my options, and for her to look over my BBT chart. I am hoping she will give me Clomid. I understand that they usually want you to try for at least a year before seeking other alternatives but if I already know I'm not ovulating then I really don't see the point in someone else telling me that I need to wait any longer. Only hang up is, a talk appt with my dr is $100! So I need to speak to my insurance about it first, before I can schedule anything. I know 4 cycles is not long at all to be TTC, but still I feel so depressed, anxious and overwhelmed. I don't want to be in this same position 2 years from now, taking fertility meds and seeing specialists. Anyone else having similar issues?

So glad to find this group! I feel so weighed down by all this, and there aren't many people I can talk to to about it. I love my husband to death but let's face it ladies, you can only talk to DH about ovulation, CM, and your BBT for so long before their eyes start glazing over and you realize they have no idea what you're talking about! My Mom and I are super close but she doesn't know we are TTC, I want it to be a surprise for her when I get a BFP! So here's my story:

I have had irregular periods since I started having them at age 11. I would go months without a period, and then when it would finally show up it was ridiculously light. Like, for the most part I probably could've gotten away with wearing the same pad for days! When I went on BC pills April 2010, of course it regulated me so I was regular every month. Fast forward to July 2011, we decide we are ready to start trying for a baby (plus I was not happy with some of the side effects of the pills and just not comfortable flooding my body with artificial hormones anymore!). So after stopping BC pills, I've still have regular periods every month, 28-30 day cycles.I also started temping in July, and as far as I can tell I haven't been ovulating. Not to mention my temperature is very erratic. I'm no doctor but I don't see any sustained temp peaks at all. My temp will spike one day and then slowly drop, or what it does most of the time in the middle of my cycle is gradually climb over the course of a few days, and then drop back to a lower temp when I start my period. I called my gyno and spoke to a nurse today, and she said I would need to schedule a "talk appointment" with my dr to discuss my options, and for her to look over my BBT chart. I am hoping she will give me Clomid. I understand that they usually want you to try for at least a year before seeking other alternatives but if I already know I'm not ovulating then I really don't see the point in someone else telling me that I need to wait any longer. Only hang up is, a talk appt with my dr is $100! So I need to speak to my insurance about it first, before I can schedule anything. I know 4 cycles is not long at all to be TTC, but still I feel so depressed, anxious and overwhelmed. I don't want to be in this same position 2 years from now, taking fertility meds and seeing specialists. Anyone else having similar issues?

I am 20, I have been ttc for two years. This cycle will be my 26th since I have started tracking. I just started tracking bbt this week so I am not sure how my temps look. I have my first cycle when I wa 10 and they were always regular (30-31 days) and about a normal flow, as I got older and become sexually active they have become 25-26 days and so light I use panty liners. there are some months that I actuall have a flow and it scares me and makes me think i had an early mc and to add to it those cycles are always about 27-29 days. I am very frustrated and disapointed at this point and don't know what to do and feel that drs do not take me seriously.

jalara- I have not really had any issues w/my B/U. The only thing was I had to have a c-section because of it (the top of mine is only 1/3 of the thickness it should be, so even though I was having contractions 2x's as hard as they want you to have at the end of labor for 24 hours I only got to 4cm because it couldn't push him down/out (it just squished the crap out of him)). Usually w/a B/U they don't worry abou the placement, that is with a septum in your uterus (because it's not the actual muscle in the middle, it's more like a piece of skin so they don't get enough blood flow). My dr's are sure mine is B/U and not a septum (it's a very wide squished heart when I'm not pregnant) so placement shouldn't be an issue (although the baby I m/c was on the opposite side as DS was). They are pretty sure it was just something randomly wrong with the baby. Hopefully you get a stick baby soon!

I am 20, I have been ttc for two years. This cycle will be my 26th since I have started tracking. I just started tracking bbt this week so I am not sure how my temps look. I have my first cycle when I wa 10 and they were always regular (30-31 days) and about a normal flow, as I got older and become sexually active they have become 25-26 days and so light I use panty liners. there are some months that I actuall have a flow and it scares me and makes me think i had an early mc and to add to it those cycles are always about 27-29 days. I am very frustrated and disapointed at this point and don't know what to do and feel that drs do not take me seriously.

Wow you have been trying for over 2 years! No wonder you are so frustrated, I know I would be too if I was at that point. That's what I'm afraid of too, having the doctor's not take me seriously if it turns out that I can't conceive right now. I think it's our age; we're really young so they see it as we have plenty of time, whereas it's not really their decision or choice! If I want a baby now, then I want a baby. Have you taken any meds (Clomid?) or been diagnosed with anything in relation to your fertility?

I am 20, I have been ttc for two years. This cycle will be my 26th since I have started tracking. I just started tracking bbt this week so I am not sure how my temps look. I have my first cycle when I wa 10 and they were always regular (30-31 days) and about a normal flow, as I got older and become sexually active they have become 25-26 days and so light I use panty liners. there are some months that I actuall have a flow and it scares me and makes me think i had an early mc and to add to it those cycles are always about 27-29 days. I am very frustrated and disapointed at this point and don't know what to do and feel that drs do not take me seriously.

Wow you have been trying for over 2 years! No wonder you are so frustrated, I know I would be too if I was at that point. That's what I'm afraid of too, having the doctor's not take me seriously if it turns out that I can't conceive right now. I think it's our age; we're really young so they see it as we have plenty of time, whereas it's not really their decision or choice! If I want a baby now, then I want a baby. Have you taken any meds (Clomid?) or been diagnosed with anything in relation to your fertility?

They did nothing, they told me I have to get a pelvic ultrasound first to check out my oragns before they could make my appointment for tests, I did the ultrasound and they never scheduled the tests. I found a fertility clinic in town that all I need to do is fill out an apllication and get accepted. All I am waiting for is a job so we can afford to go.