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Aardvarklet
Aug 12, 2008
After some discussion in the Pregnancy Thread, it was suggested that those of us who are trying to GET pregnant could start our own thread and hopefully draw a few others out of the woodwork. So, if you are in the process of procreating, introduce yourself!

And if you've already succeeded, tell us what worked for you.

As for me, I'm 24, married for a year, and trying to get pregnant with our first child. About two months ago I started using the Fertility Awareness Method (links below), and I think it's pretty neat. Basically, it teaches you to recognize your body's fertile signs without a lot of fancy gadgetry--all you need is a thermometer. I'd be really interested to know if others on here have tried it yet.

If you have any resources, including books, articles, or websites that may be of interest to those with ticking clocks, please share them and I will add them to this post.

Resources

Websites:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/how-to-get-pregnant/pr00103 <--the basics
http://www.fertilityfriend.com <--a great site for tracking your fertility signs and figuring out what's up with your body
http://www.peeonastick.com <--exactly what it sounds likes. Some worthwhile reviews of tests.
http://www.saveontests.com <--great resource for cheap pregnancy and fertility test strips. They are medical grade pee sticks, so don't let the price fool you.
http://www.early-pregnancy-tests.com <--more cheap tests

Books:
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Anniversary/dp/0060881909/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242225089&sr=8-1 <--the holy grail of Fertility Awareness Method


*****I HEREBY PROCLAIM THAT THIS THREAD SHALL CONTAIN NO STUPID ACRONYMS FOR SEX*****

And go.

Aardvarklet fucked around with this message at 18:08 on May 14, 2009

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bamzilla
Jan 13, 2005

All butt since 2012.


Maybe you could start the thread off with your story and what you've been trying/doing to conceive? This might help others feel more comfortable in coming out of the woodwork.

Bah, you edited your post! ;)

bamzilla fucked around with this message at 15:39 on May 13, 2009

flyboi
Oct 13, 2005

agg stop posting
College Slice

bamzilla posted:

Maybe you could start the thread off with your story and what you've been trying/doing to conceive?

I keep trying to get pregnant but I don't know what i'm doing wrong :(

A little back story: my partner and I have been together for 2 years in a very loving relationship. About a year ago we started having unprotected sex to try to conceive a child. We have tried all positions imaginable but for some reason I can't get preggers :(

Tom Collins
Aug 25, 2000

flyboi posted:

I keep trying to get pregnant but I don't know what i'm doing wrong :(

Have you considered going to a fertility clinic? Have you been tested, or has your partner, for impotence? I hate to suggest that it might not be possible for you, but it's worth ruling out.

Jonny 290
May 5, 2005



[ASK] me about OS/2 Warp
No, no, your problem is that you're trying to get pregnant. Sheesh, everybody knows that a watched pot never boils, and a watched belly never grows! Just have a lot of sex with DH, go nuts, and it will happen.

Aardvarklet
Aug 12, 2008

flyboi posted:

I keep trying to get pregnant but I don't know what i'm doing wrong :(

A little back story: my partner and I have been together for 2 years in a very loving relationship. About a year ago we started having unprotected sex to try to conceive a child. We have tried all positions imaginable but for some reason I can't get preggers :(

I would highly recommend checking out Taking Charge of Your Fertility--your local library might have a copy, and if not, it's totally worth the $16 on Amazon. It will help you figure out what is going on with your cycles. There are a lot of different things that could be going on, and learning to recognize your own body's patterns and cues will tell you if everything is in working order.

Personally, I always assumed that I ovulated on day 14 of my cycle, which is the "standard" day used by doctors to calculate conception. Once I started using Fertility Awareness, I discovered that I actually ovulate around day 20 (using the first day of your period as day 1). So if I were only having sex in the days leading up to day 14, and maybe even right after that, it wouldn't be close enough to my actual ovulation day to work.

Also, have you talked to a doctor or midwife? The standard recommendation is to seek help after 1 year of trying if you are young and healthy.

Longpig
Nov 23, 2004

Hello ladies! I'm in my third month of trying to get knocked the gently caress up. I went off the pill and bought Toni Wesschler's book, which is awesome, and am tracking all my fertility crap both on paper and with fertility friend...

My first cycle off the pill was anovulatory. The second time I did ovulate but timed the sexin' poorly - my temperature went up so I thought I'd ovulated and we stopped, but then it *really* went up a few days later and I realized we had missed our chance. :( I'm hoping for better results this go around (mostly by loving like nasty bunnies all around my fertile days)... My biggest problem right now is that I don't seem to have a lot of fertile cervical fluid, which I guess is common when you've just come off the pill. I have been taking Evening Primrose oil, which is supposed to help, for about a month and a half, and this cycle I also started drinking grapefruit juice in the morning. I can't remember where I read about that but it does seem to be making a difference. I had some of the eggwhite stuff for the first time yesterday and the day before, although it was mostly in the mornings... I'm also taking prenatals (of course), calcium and a maternity fish oil capsule. Other than that just exercising like always and trying not to stress-eat too much!

Thanks for starting this thread Aardvarklet. :)

flyboi
Oct 13, 2005

agg stop posting
College Slice

Tom Collins posted:

Have you considered going to a fertility clinic? Have you been tested, or has your partner, for impotence? I hate to suggest that it might not be possible for you, but it's worth ruling out.

I went to a clinic last week and the doctor just looked at my partner and I very strangely and told us to consider a mental health clinic :(


That guy really yanked my crank!!

Tom Collins
Aug 25, 2000

flyboi posted:

I went to a clinic last week and the doctor just looked at my partner and I very strangely

I don't understand. You should really seek a second opinion. Honestly, a lot of people have trouble, but there are fantastic drugs and treatments now - the real risk switches over to the potentiality of having twins or more, which can really be a blessing anyway.

bamzilla
Jan 13, 2005

All butt since 2012.


flyboi you should really get a second opinion as stated. Sometimes doctors are leery of certain couples and fertility treatments. I don't know what your situation is, but definitely get a second opinions. Science is amazing.

bamzilla fucked around with this message at 15:52 on May 13, 2009

flyboi
Oct 13, 2005

agg stop posting
College Slice

Aardvarklet posted:

I would highly recommend checking out Taking Charge of Your Fertility--your local library might have a copy, and if not, it's totally worth the $16 on Amazon. It will help you figure out what is going on with your cycles. There are a lot of different things that could be going on, and learning to recognize your own body's patterns and cues will tell you if everything is in working order.

Personally, I always assumed that I ovulated on day 14 of my cycle, which is the "standard" day used by doctors to calculate conception. Once I started using Fertility Awareness, I discovered that I actually ovulate around day 20 (using the first day of your period as day 1). So if I were only having sex in the days leading up to day 14, and maybe even right after that, it wouldn't be close enough to my actual ovulation day to work.

Also, have you talked to a doctor or midwife? The standard recommendation is to seek help after 1 year of trying if you are young and healthy.

Thanks for these tips and pointers I will take them to heart!

I do have one question though: what is ovulation? I don't think I have ever experienced this phenomena before and am curious as to what occurs at this time. I would ask my partner but he is away for work purposes until tomorrow. I already purchased the book on amazon can't wait to read it!

(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

zim
Sep 28, 2001

price check on oink
Ovulation is the release of a single, mature egg from the ovarian follicle. The human ovary produces a multitude of ova during the course of a month, largest of which is expelled into the pelvic cavity and swept into the Fallopian tube. Ovulation does not follow a regular pattern between ovaries each cycle and which ovary releases the egg is fairly arbitrary. Once released, the egg is capable of being fertilized for 12 to 24 hours before it begins to disintegrate. If the released ovum or egg is fertilized and successfully implants, it results in pregnancy.

flyboi
Oct 13, 2005

agg stop posting
College Slice
where does the egg go after it disintegrates?

Jonny 290
May 5, 2005



[ASK] me about OS/2 Warp
This may seem like a really silly question to those-in-the-know but I've heard the "urban legend" so many times, I just have to ask. In order to facilitate timing when a couple has, say, vastly different travel schedules, is the freezing and later thawing/use of sperm possible at home? What would be some general pointers on this, if anybody has any experience?

Beichan
Feb 17, 2007

pugs, pugs everywhere
flyboi's a guy and he's trolling, guys.

Aardvarklet
Aug 12, 2008

Beichan posted:

flyboi's a guy and he's trolling, guys.

Yeah, I realized that after I typed out my novel--but hey, my advice still stands!

John Romero
Jul 6, 2003

John Romero got made a bitch
I think Flyboi is trolling pretty hard here.

Beichan
Feb 17, 2007

pugs, pugs everywhere

John Romero posted:

I think Flyboi is trolling pretty hard here.

Maybe we should add to the OP that a uterus is generally required for procreation at some point.

Aardvarklet
Aug 12, 2008

Beichan posted:

Maybe we should add to the OP that a uterus is generally required for procreation at some point.

I'm guessing Flyboi's main problem is that the deposits are going in through the back door.

Aardvarklet
Aug 12, 2008

Longpig posted:

Hello ladies! I'm in my third month of trying to get knocked the gently caress up. I went off the pill and bought Toni Wesschler's book, which is awesome, and am tracking all my fertility crap both on paper and with fertility friend...

My first cycle off the pill was anovulatory. The second time I did ovulate but timed the sexin' poorly - my temperature went up so I thought I'd ovulated and we stopped, but then it *really* went up a few days later and I realized we had missed our chance. :( I'm hoping for better results this go around (mostly by loving like nasty bunnies all around my fertile days)... My biggest problem right now is that I don't seem to have a lot of fertile cervical fluid, which I guess is common when you've just come off the pill. I have been taking Evening Primrose oil, which is supposed to help, for about a month and a half, and this cycle I also started drinking grapefruit juice in the morning. I can't remember where I read about that but it does seem to be making a difference. I had some of the eggwhite stuff for the first time yesterday and the day before, although it was mostly in the mornings... I'm also taking prenatals (of course), calcium and a maternity fish oil capsule. Other than that just exercising like always and trying not to stress-eat too much!

Thanks for starting this thread Aardvarklet. :)

Nice to hear from someone else who is doing this. I was trying evening primrose oil for awhile, but I read that it could cause a shorter luteal phase and mine was already pretty short, so I didn't want to risk it.

I'm interested to know more about the grapefruit juice. Is there a certain type you are supposed to drink?

Longpig
Nov 23, 2004

I've read that you're supposed to take the Primrose oil only up until the day of ovulation, so maybe we are both right. Last cycle (my first one using it) I has a 12 day luteal phase so it doesn't seem to have done any harm. As for the grapefruit juice, as far as I know it doesn't matter what kind. I found this little article about it, but it doesn't really explain *why* it's supposed to be good.

http://www.thelaboroflove.com/articles/grapefruit-juice-and-cervical-mucus/

I forgot to mention in my last post I am also taking a guaifenesin-only cough syrup, which is also supposed to help with fertile cervical fluid... Started that at the same time as the Evening Primrose Oil, last cycle.

Never thought I'd be taking so much crap just to build up extra crotch snot, but there you have it. I don't even like grapefruit juice!

Aardvarklet
Aug 12, 2008

Longpig posted:

I've read that you're supposed to take the Primrose oil only up until the day of ovulation, so maybe we are both right. Last cycle (my first one using it) I has a 12 day luteal phase so it doesn't seem to have done any harm. As for the grapefruit juice, as far as I know it doesn't matter what kind. I found this little article about it, but it doesn't really explain *why* it's supposed to be good.

http://www.thelaboroflove.com/articles/grapefruit-juice-and-cervical-mucus/

I forgot to mention in my last post I am also taking a guaifenesin-only cough syrup, which is also supposed to help with fertile cervical fluid... Started that at the same time as the Evening Primrose Oil, last cycle.

Never thought I'd be taking so much crap just to build up extra crotch snot, but there you have it. I don't even like grapefruit juice!

Hahaha I know, I gross myself out sometimes. I might have to try the cough syrup trick if things don't work out this month. I'm testing in a week, so we'll see.

I'm curious what others have done in terms of diet changes. Basically all I've done so far is cut way back on caffeine and alcohol (gave up everything except an occasional glass of wine).

keykey
Mar 28, 2003

     
getting knocked up for us wasn't really that hard. With our son, we were on vacation in belize on a nice beach, the time was right and good times were had by all. The 2nd time was a miscarriage due to ectopic pregnancy which really sucks because it's depressing for a few months. Before we tried the 2nd time she was on nuvaring and was told to get off nuvaring about 3 months before trying to make sure everything had cycled out. My wife went back to school so we're going to try again in september because our first was a feb baby so we're shooting for around summer of next year to coincide with her schooling. Usually when we are trying, we don't fixate on it and go into ovulation calculators and all that other bs, we just have sex 5 or so times a week for a month. Needless to say, it's much more enjoyable that way than trying to go the psychopathic "I WANT BABY NOW! HERE'S BEST TIME!" usual female thing. If you throw enough mud at the wall, some is bound to stick. Both times with the relaxed approach, we just picked a month that we felt would be a good month and both times worked.

Helanna
Feb 1, 2007

Aardvarklet posted:

So if I were only having sex in the days leading up to day 14, and maybe even right after that, it wouldn't be close enough to my actual ovulation day to work.


I always wondered about this but... why don't couples wanting to get pregnant just have sex one or twice every single day? I'd say you'd be pretty certain to hit your fertile time doing that.

I know my fiancé would be absolutely delighted if I suggested that plan :P

Isis Q. Dylan
Feb 19, 2008

Don't wanna be your man, just wanna play with you.
Does anyone know of c-sections making it harder to keep a baby to term the second time around? A friend of mine has a healthy 5 year old and she's been trying for a few years now (nothing in depth, just not using protection) and she's had 3 miscarriages. She and her boyfriend have both been checked and nothing seems wrong except she can't seem to keep a baby in there. One time when she was pregnant she had the amniotic fluid but no baby. :psyduck: How common is that?

I guess I'm mainly wondering because I had a c-section and it was at a hospital that I found out isn't really the best. (Westlake Hospital for those in and around Chicago. It's part of Ressurection) Is there something I should tell future docs to look out for if I have trouble keeping a baby to term next time?

Return of Sextappin
May 6, 2009
If you're having trouble making babies you should consider adoption. There are so many unloved babies out there...

chedemefedeme
May 25, 2007

Until then I need your help
figuring out the logistics!

Isis Q. Dylan posted:

Does anyone know of c-sections making it harder to keep a baby to term the second time around? A friend of mine has a healthy 5 year old and she's been trying for a few years now (nothing in depth, just not using protection) and she's had 3 miscarriages. She and her boyfriend have both been checked and nothing seems wrong except she can't seem to keep a baby in there. One time when she was pregnant she had the amniotic fluid but no baby. :psyduck: How common is that?

There may be something involved with how the procedure was done, but I was born 21 years ago thanks to a last second c-section. My mother had two kids after me with no issue, both also by c-section (both these schedule c-sections, however, to avoid the risks that lead to the first unscheduled one). Perhaps she had awesome doctors the whole time, but being 20+ years ago i'm sure the overall tech wasn't as good as it is now.

In summary: didn't seem to cause issues here!

Edit: ^^ Adoption is one of the most amazing gifts you can give in life. You're literally saving a child's future. Just look at the statistics for unadopted children raised by the gov or bounced between homes.

Lingling
Jun 13, 2008

Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, yeah~

Return of Sextappin posted:

If you're having trouble making babies you should consider adoption. There are so many unloved babies out there...

There was a thread a while ago, dispelling that exact line of thought. It's highly costly, you and your partner are vigourously tested and humiliated, and put on a waiting list -- and that's only domestic adoption. International adoption has more barriers.

Aardvarklet posted:

So if I were only having sex in the days leading up to day 14, and maybe even right after that, it wouldn't be close enough to my actual ovulation day to work.

This was a while ago, but I've done a reproductive biology unit in my neuroscience degree. IIRC, if you have sex ONCE on day fourteen, you are only 14% likely to become pregnant. The effectiveness of becoming pregnant is like a bell curve overtime, peaking at day 14 (I think it was day 14. I had pregnancy brain at the time-- go figure). I figure if you just start loving at the first sign of mucus change until it's done being the lubiest lube ever, you increase your chances. I personally consider cervical mucus more telling of fertiling than basal temperature. Basal temperature can be altered by you feeling slightly turned on, or flustered, or if you're feeling slightly ill.

Aardvarklet
Aug 12, 2008

Helanna posted:

I always wondered about this but... why don't couples wanting to get pregnant just have sex one or twice every single day? I'd say you'd be pretty certain to hit your fertile time doing that.

I know my fiancé would be absolutely delighted if I suggested that plan :P

Yeah, definitely a valid point--the "safe bet" way is to do it every other day because you're pretty much guaranteed to get it close to the right time that way. There is some evidence that doing it too much can be counterproductive, especially for guys with low sperm count. I guess in our case we gently caress a lot more when we know it's the right time, and then just do whatever the rest of the month. Less pressure that way. We both have stressful jobs, which means some nights we're just not up for it. God, I'm so old.

edit:

Lingling posted:

This was a while ago, but I've done a reproductive biology unit in my neuroscience degree. IIRC, if you have sex ONCE on day fourteen, you are only 14% likely to become pregnant. The effectiveness of becoming pregnant is like a bell curve overtime, peaking at day 14 (I think it was day 14. I had pregnancy brain at the time-- go figure). I figure if you just start loving at the first sign of mucus change until it's done being the lubiest lube ever, you increase your chances. I personally consider cervical mucus more telling of fertiling than basal temperature. Basal temperature can be altered by you feeling slightly turned on, or flustered, or if you're feeling slightly ill.

This is definitely true--the temperature part is great for knowing when you've ovulated after the fact. I think of it more as a confirmation than anything else. Cheap fertility tests are also great. In fact I think I'll throw some links in the OP.

Aardvarklet fucked around with this message at 18:41 on May 13, 2009

ZoneManagement
Sep 25, 2005
Forgive me father for I have sinned
A warning to all the unmarried guys out there trying for a kid - no matter how great the future mother is and how much you two love each other and whatever else bullshit comes up(out of her mouth or in your mind) - make sure you talk to a lawyer about your rights in your state of residence as the father of the child.

Right now everything may seem all wonderful, but it sucks when you live in a backward state and find out that you do not exist as the father of your children because you were never married.

Death Hamster
Aug 21, 2007
Is this a two-bagger I see before me?
After a very early term miscarriage and a DNC, my wife's period stopped arriving on any kind of a regular basis.

After 2 years of trying, we finally got wise and went to see a doctor. I could kick myself for not going sooner.

The doctor put her on Glucophage, which is a drug for diabetics that has the strange and weird side effect in women of making their periods arrive like clockwork.

She tolerated it pretty well with the exception of some pretty horrendous diarrhea episodes.

Then we got ovulation kits and a thermometer and we had lots and lots of sex.

Finally, we had a baby boy, whom you can see in my awfulyearbook pictures.

I Wish I Was
Dec 11, 2006

I saw this at the bookshop and thought of you.
Posted in the pregnancy thread, but I thought I should keep an eye on this one as well since I'll be visiting it someday for realsies. I'll also likely learn some things that will come in handy when we do start trying.

I'm 36 and my boyfriend is 33, and we're probably going to try having kids at the beginning of next year. Right now I'm trying to do all the stuff you have to do before getting pregnant, like lose weight, quit smoking, get in better cardiovascular shape, and all that jazz.

Anyone else in here of "advanced maternal age" like me? I know it comes with its own set of challenges.

Sally Slug
Jul 8, 2005

Ride, Sally, ride!

I Wish I Was posted:

I'll also likely learn some things that will come in handy when we do start trying.

You may want to talk to your doctor about starting to take prenatal vitamins, too. It can help to have the extra folic acid kicking around in your system for a while before conception.

Really anyone planning for pregnancy should think about talking to their doctor. If you go armed with a set of questions before you are pregnant, when you start trying for real you will be well prepared.

Krysie
Feb 12, 2009

Helanna posted:

I always wondered about this but... why don't couples wanting to get pregnant just have sex one or twice every single day? I'd say you'd be pretty certain to hit your fertile time doing that.

There are a couple reasons that is not typically suggested (by fertility specialists). What I gathered from an interview I saw, when you have bang, bang, bang sex (many days in a row, two/three times a day) you decrease the sperm levels (i.e. you are not giving your significant others body enough time to 'make' more sperm), so you are then left with a higher concentration of 'wonky' sperm (so that might be why you aren't getting pregnant... ), you are also making it a chore/job... and typically the more you stress about it (and take enjoyment out of it), the longer it will take for it to happen. Also, if the woman feels that its a 'job' then they may be less likely to orgasm, and a woman's orgasm actually facilitates the movement of the sperm.

From the interview that I watched, it was suggested that you have sex every other night for a couple of days AROUND your anticipated ovulation date (so say you SHOULD ovulate on the 13th, you have sex on the 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th & 19th)

My hubby & I are talking about trying to conceive our second child... and that is what *I* am planning on doing (I know when we were TTC our first child... we ended up pregnant when we hadn't 'planned' on having sex, when we decided to have a roll in the hay for the fun of a roll in the hay)

Can't wait to read everyone elses stories!

Aardvarklet
Aug 12, 2008

Sally Slug posted:

You may want to talk to your doctor about starting to take prenatal vitamins, too. It can help to have the extra folic acid kicking around in your system for a while before conception.

Really anyone planning for pregnancy should think about talking to their doctor. If you go armed with a set of questions before you are pregnant, when you start trying for real you will be well prepared.

I had a "preconception" visit with my doctor, and she was great--spent a lot of time talking to me and explaining my body parts in a way that was far more detailed than I had anticipated. She also wrote me a prescription for some great prenatal vitamins, but I only took them for a month and then went back to generic. With a $25 copay on prescriptions, it just made more sense to grab the Costco bottle.

Also I Wish I Was, it sounds like you're going about things in a very proactive way. My mom was 35 when my little brother was born and she had no issues. She didn't even do an amnio. Obviously this is not the case for everyone, but it is possible to have a very low-key conception and pregnancy at that age. And please do hang around here; the more questions that get asked, the more interesting this thread will be.

Moms Stuffing
Jun 2, 2005

the little green one
My fertility issues are so ridiculous and uncommon that I won't even talk about them here because learning about something that will probably never happen to you won't help anyone. I'll just say good luck to all those who are trying, and if you haven't gotten pregnant and have been trying for 6 months - 1 year, it's time to involve a doctor.

I Wish I Was
Dec 11, 2006

I saw this at the bookshop and thought of you.
I hope this thread stays active so it's still around (or has a new incarnation) when I'm actually trying to conceive.

I have been asking around for OB/GYN recommendations; I've changed cities since my daughter was born ten years ago and I've just been getting my girly exams from my internal medicine doc because I thought I was long done with all this childbearing stuff. I definitely plan to sit down with a doctor and say: okay, here's my situation, you tell me what I need to do before I start trying to have a baby.

Unless they've changed from ten years ago, I don't think OTC prenatals of any brand are as good as the prescription ones. You might want to do a side-by-side ingredient comparison and make sure that you're not shorting yourself on important nutrients to save money.

Papaya
Apr 4, 2005

I'm a creepy furry who feels entitled to other people's babies, but only if they are white. Yiff!
I suppose I can post this in here since I last talked about it way back when in the pregnancy thread.

My husband and I have been trying to conceive since the end of last August (well, that's when I went off my pills to give my body a chance to "normalize" if it's true you need that time, some do some don't I guess) so that come the wedding in October we'd be ready to go. Unfortunately, we're some of those wonderfully unlucky people who don't get to just WHOOPS here's a baby! :downs: and we've got an appointment next Tuesday to find out if my husband is still spermless.

First and foremost my husband has a stupid varicocoele on his good remaining testicle. That's the current problem.

Let's back up to the start of the problems:

August of 2007 he had a sharp pain in the groin that led him to the ER and he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. It was early enough that it hadn't spread yet, and the mass was removed without much trouble. A semen analysis prior to surgery showed azoospermia (we were going to bank some for future offspring in case something went wrong) and then another SA after surgery recovery but before radiation treatments gave us the same results. It hit him pretty hard and myself too since we wanted a family even back then.

When I went off birth control I started charting with the Fertility Awareness Method and have been having well-timed sex for nine cycles now. I've been bugging him to get another analysis done since it's been a year and a half since the last one, and the docs said that the situation/stress could have caused the count to be the way it was and a retest later would definitely be in order. He finally agreed so we're getting the results next week. Sadly, I anticipate the same answer :(

So anyway I think I explained that in order for it to make sense. I'm operating on a serious lack of sleep and bouncing between threads like this and the Dan Lirette thread so my brain is addled. Our hopes are for this new analysis to show a low count so that we can do some IUI or IVF if we save up for it but really, I don't count on it and that's pretty expensive and we will likely wind up not having kids since we can't afford fancy treatments and even adoption since that's pricey too :( I can raise a kid on little to nothing extra like we make now but we've sat down at length and talked about it and there's like no way we will be able to afford some of these things in the foreseeable future. It makes me sad.

Papaya fucked around with this message at 22:27 on May 13, 2009

Chickalicious
Apr 13, 2005

We are the ones we've been waiting for.
Count me in on the trying to get pregnant bandwagon. We're on month 3 now. Last month was the first time I was truly disappointed when my period started. I was just SO SURE it was going to work this time.

Ah well. We're loving like bunnies this week because I'm supposed to be ovulating. I never thought I'd be studying my vaginal secretions so closely.

Edit: That Dan Lirette thread is the craziest poo poo I've ever seen. Glad I'm not the only one glued to it.

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Pixi
Apr 16, 2001

I am loved.
We've been trying for 13 months. Started with temping, but my sleep schedule was too erratic. So I invested in a fertility monitor, since it seemed like it would make things easier. My cycles were really long and really irregular (36 days one month, 64 the next, etc). We took a break from trying so hard (no monitor, no cervical mucus, nada), from September - December, still no luck, though my cycles did regulate a bit. I never did get a "peak" reading on my fertility monitor.

Until February. I got two days of "peak" fertility at the end of February and we had sex every day for three days. Did the crazy elevating of hips for 30 minutes after thing, etc. I started spotting when my period would have been due, and bled sporadically for 3 days (gush, nothing for 12 hours, gush, nothing for 8 hours, etc.) I continued bleeding for 2 weeks, so I thought something was up. I took a pregnancy test late at night and it was positive.

Several ultrasounds and blood tests later, my doctor concluded that I was having a "persistent abortion". Meaning that somewhere a cluster of cells was hiding, producing HCG and causing me to bleed. My HCG levels plateaued for almost 3 weeks with no signs of going up or down. So my doctor induced a period with Provera, caused a massively painful bleed, and flushed whatever was lingering out of my system. YAY. Doctor was considering doing the chemo shot to kill any cells that were lingering, which would have delayed trying again, so I was thrilled my body cooperated.

Anyways, I didn't ovulate after that period, which was expected. Since the last cycle had no end in sight, on cycle day 28 she gave me another 7 day course of Provera to induce a period. I ended that course on Monday, so now I'm just waiting to bleed. On day 5 I'll start 50mg of Clomid (days 5-9). Here's hoping I ovulate!

Jesus, that was a novel.

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