I'm a huge pain in the ass....

I'm not a huge fan of how blogger templates look so I moved my blog to wordpress.  Here's the new link if anyone's still interested!

waitingonbabyc.wordpress.com

We Figured it Out!!

How to pay for IVF if necessary that is.  We were worried because there are things that we HAVE to spend money on right now like a new car for him and a new house closer to where he works.  He's currently driving 50 miles each way to work with a car that gets 27mpg at best and is basically falling apart.  He can take my car in the summers but that still only gets him about 29mpg (though a more reliable car) but in the fall I'll be going to EKU and he'll be going to work so it's just not feasible for us to live with only one car.  


After thinking for hours about what to do, I realized that we get a large tax return when he is working ($4-5k) and that the gov't will allow us to put up to $5k in our flexible spending account.  That would give us $9-10k toward IVF so we would only have to take out a small loan to cover the rest.  This was a HUGE weight off of our shoulders because we know that IVF is a very real possibility.  We'll do a couple more IUIs with an RE before moving on, but I'd rather just spend the $12k or so on IVF that has a large chance of working considering our age than to continue spending almost $900/IUI for too much longer.  We also won't be able to do IVF until I get under a certain BMI (I think 35).  My current BMI (according to the charts) is 40, so I would need to lose 33 more lbs to get to that point.  Totally feasible by October, let alone this time next year.  It's exciting and scary at the same time to be able to afford IVF, to know that if it comes down to it, we will have done every thing we could to have a baby.  I know I'm a good responder so that's no issue, the only thing is getting my weight down and trying a little more the old fashioned way, trying a couple more IUIs (we've done 2, I'd probably do 2 more) and then going for it.  Obviously we'd prefer to not have to spend any money but if we have to, we will.


Also-Geoff is getting a Ford Fiesta when he gets home and I'm super excited about it. I think he's getting the hatch which will be much easier when we finally have a kid because I won't have to finagle a stroller into it, it would just set nicely in the back.   On top of that, I'm getting an iPad2 when he gets home for more reason than I just want one.  When he goes to Asia he has to bring another computer if we want to skype, so instead of bringing a large laptop or my smaller (yet still bulky) netbook, he'd bring the iPad with him (that is until he gets his own this winter for his birthday hopefully!).  


Andplusalso-I got accepted into school today.  I'm going to Eastern Kentucky University this fall for Elementary Education.  It's another thing that's exciting yet scary at the same time.  I'm afraid of success almost as much as I'm afraid of failure so it's a big hump to get over.  So much exciting stuff going on right now!!

Answers to FAQs

Through my IF journey I've had a lot of people ask me what PCOS and Endometriosis were, what IUI entails and what the different drugs I've been on are/do.  I thought I'd take a minute out of my terribly busy day (hah) and explain all of them.


PCOS: This is an endocrine disorder that commonly (but not always) causes infertility.  In my case, it causes cysts to appear on my right ovary monthly that look like a string of pearls.  These cysts make it impossible for an egg to release because the follicle cannot grow large enough to mature it.  Most people with PCOS have extremely long, irregular cycles.  My cycles are relatively normal in length (27-37 days) but very irregular, and it is rare for this to happen.  PCOS can also cause (or be caused by) insulin resistance (IR) and excess androgens (estrogen/testosterone).   This is why I'm trying to lose weight.  In many cases losing 5-10% of your body weight can get rid of IR and decrease the amount of estrogen/testosterone in your body.  It can also cause/be caused by obesity and when IR is also present, losing weight can be quite the struggle without insulin sensitizing medications such as Metformin.  


Endometriosis:  This is a disorder caused by the uterine lining developing outside the uterus.  There are four different stages each characterized by a # of lesions/adhesions.  It causes painful cramping during menstruation, and also causes infertility in many women.  This is the reason I had the laparoscopy.  It was intended to rule out endo but showed that I had either stage 2 or stage 3.  Using a laser during a lap can help relieve symptoms by temporarily getting rid of lesions but they usually return and there is no cure.  


Clomid: Used for ovulation induction in women with PCOS or other ovulatory disorders (and in some women with unknown fertility problems).  Clomid is dosed from 50-200 mg (though many doctors hesitate to go over 150mg) and is effective at causing ovulation about 80% of the time.  Though it causes ovulation it cannot guarantee a pregnancy and only about 40% of those who use it for 6 months will become pregnant without further intervention.  It also causes a 10% chance of twinning vs. the "normal" chance of about 1%.


IUI (Intrauterine Insemination):  I have done two of these, only one of which I would deem a successful insemination as far as timing goes.  Most IUIs utilize ovulation induction through Clomid or other drugs like Follistim and Gonal-F.  When used with fertility drugs IUI will bring chances up to about 8-17% per cycle, as compared to the "normal" rate of 20%/cycle.  Many doctors also use human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is the chemical released by the placenta in a pregnancy, to further induce ovulation by simulating the natural leuteinizing hormone (LH) secreted by the body 24-48 hours before ovulation occurs.  With ovulatory dysfunction, LH is either not secreted or oversecreted during the cycle in many cases.  What the hCG "trigger" does is cause all of the mature eggs created by the ovulation induction drugs to burst from their follicles and ovulate about 24-48 hours later.  A lot of the time 1 IUI is done about 36 hours after the trigger shot, but in my case I had 2 IUIs, one at 12 hours and the other at 36 to supposedly increase my chances.  With my first IUI I can be sure that our timing was decent because of the trigger shot I was given.  With the second, I was not given the shot because I had a positive LH test so the IUI was just done the next 2 days.  Stress caused my ovulation to not occur when predicted so we missed our opportunity that month.  If we have to return to IUI, I will insist on having the trigger shot each time.  My hope is that losing weight will force my body to behave, so to speak, and that we will have a break cycle baby.


Hopefully this helps explain what I've been doing as far as IF treatment goes.  I'm always happy to answer any questions because I firmly believe that the more information people get about it the less stigma there will be associated with it and the less "OMG you're going to be Octomom" will occur.

Infertility A-Z

A. Age when you started TTC: 25 (almost 26)

B. Baby Dancing or Sex:  I think calling it baby dancing is juvenile so it's always sex.  I also don't say "do the deed"

C. Children wanted:  My ideal is 4-5 but at this point I'll take just one.

D. Dogs/Cats/Fill in Children: Baron (Corgi), Gidget (Chihuahua), Bonnie (cat), and Lila (cat)

E.  Essential Oils/Vitamins/Snake Oils: I've taken prenatal vitamins for over a year now, I have also tried Evening Primrose Oil to no avail.

F. Fertility Meds I’ve taken: 50-150mg of Clomid...I ovulated but no dice.

G. Gain: I gained about 20 lbs between beginning fertility treatment and the last one due to all of the stress. 

H. HSG (Hystosalpingogram):  I had one, but it was during my lap/hysteroscopy so I didn't have to feel the pain of it.  I'm sure when we go to see an RE it'll happen again :(

I.  Infertile Pet Peeves:  People who don't appreciate their children for the wonderful gift they are and the fact that crack whores and deadbeats can get pregnant easily and I can't when I have the means and desire to provide the best life possible for my children.

J. Job title:  I'm a college student in Elementary Education (well, that is as soon as I hear back from EKU that I'm accepted)

K. Kid’s names you’re afraid will be taken by the time you can use them:  Lillian Romeyn (Romeyn for my Daddy) and Connor Sean (Sean for Geoff's Dad).  I don't think they're my cousins' style and they both know I love those names so I don't see them taking them.

L. Length of time TTC: About a year actively and 3 years not trying/not preventing.  

M.  Miscarriages: None.  I don't ever want to experience that heartache either on top of the heartache of IF. 

N. Number of times you’ve switched OB/GYNS, REs, FSs: I've seen one Ob/Gyn and will be switching to an RE in the fall once I have lost some weight.

O. Ovarian quality: I have TONS of eggs, just none of them release due to the large # that grow each month.  Gotta love PCOS

P. POAS or wait for AF:  Honestly, POAS (pee on a stick).  It hurts less when AF shows if I've already determined I'm not pregnant.

Q. Quote from an obnoxious fertile:  "If I had known you a year ago when I was pregnant with the baby I gave up for adoption I totally would have given her to you!" - 20 year old girl I worked with who was on baby #3, kept #1, gave up #2 and was keeping #3.  

S. Sperm: Low-Normal.  I think when we did the s/a he felt awkward because when we did the IUIs he was a rockstar.

T. Time you tried naturally: TRIED: 8 months, not trying/not preventing: 3 years.  

U. Uterus quality: My ute is BEAUTIFUL, just empty 

V. Vagina: I have one and it could use to not be visited by the dildo cam as much!

W. What baby stuff do you already have?:  I have a sleeper that I got cheap.  Other than that, nothing unless you count Grandma's glider-rocker as baby stuff.  I don't want to stock up on stuff only to have it break my heart when I look in a closet.

X.  X-tra X-tra Hear all about it! How many people know the ins and outs of our crazy TTC journey?  Pretty much my entire family on my mom's side and all the girls on BGP.

Y. Yearly Exam (do you still go in even though someone sees your lady parts most months?): Yup.  Visiting with the dildo cam cannot check for cervical cancers and HPV.

Z.  Zits: I get a few now and then, I'm surprised it's not more considering that's a symptom of PCOS.