Getting to know you...

Haven't found the old post that was started on this....and I heard a few suggestions for one recently...so I thought I would get you all started and moving. I would love to be able to refer back to this to help more when some of the newbies have questions etc, so We all dont repeat ourselves when trying to offer support, advice etc...

So tell everyone who you are, what your dealing with or however much you feel comfortable sharing.

Re: Getting to know you...

Gosh, how can I sum it all up...when I've barely just begun?

I'm Beth. DH and I will be married 3 years in February. I started having irregular AF when I was 19. After not having AF for more than a year, I went to the GYN for help. She slapped me on BCP and that was the end of the story--so I thought.

The ladies on this board (love you girls!) helped me realize that I had PCOS. I was tested, and sure enough, that's what I have. I'm angry, because my last GYN suspected it, and never told me. When I confronted her 6 months ago and said "I think I may have PCOS", her response was, "Well...yeah...we knew about that many years ago!". Yeah, thanks for telling me.

Anyway, we're just about to really start TTC (our journey of "let's just see what happens" was cut short when I found out that I don't ovulate...ever...). During the Christmas break, I'll be starting on the Clomid/Metformin combo, in the hopes that will help us along.

I'm always encouraged to read the success stories of others--I think it gives me some hope, knowing that the road I'm about to begin taking could be a long one.

Re: Getting to know you...

Well, my identity is a secret, but I can still tell about myself:

I'm 29, very soon to be 30. DH and I have been married for a little over a year and a half.
I went of BCP in September of '06. We weren't officially TTC, but weren't trying to stop anything either. We thought we would get "serious" in the spring.

My first few cycles of the pill were pretty regular, and then got longer and then stopped coming at all.
I went to my ob/gyn and saw the NP there who told me it was normal and I'd probably get my period in a week. I waited a few more weeks and AF didn't come. I decided I should find a new doctor. As soon as I told my new ob//gyn my story, she immediately suspected PCOS. Bloodwork and a sono confirmed.
In June she put me on metformin. I took it for three months and still did not get my period, so she decided it was time for me to see an RE. That was September 2007, a full year after going off the pill.
We decided with the RE to do timed intercourse with met/clomid a few times and see what happens.
The first cycle I did two rounds of clomid at 50mg and took a very long time to produce a follie.
After getting an hcg trigger, I got my period only a week later. I found out not only do I have PCOS, but a progesterone issue as well.
THis past cycle was met/clomid 100mg which produced 1 good follie pretty quickly.

Now I will be starting my 3rd cycle. I am ready to get more aggressive and will discuss this with RE at my next appointment.

Re: Getting to know you...

I am 31 and DH is 34. We have been ttc for a little over a year. We have undiagnosed infertility. DH has a good sperm count and I have no known problems. HSG came back normal and I ovulate on my own. We have had 7 iui's. the first one was unmedicated the 2nd, 3rd & 4th were on clomid, where I was on a very low dose and responded well. The 5th, 6th & 7th were on follistim. I again was on a low dose and responded well. Every iui the RE monitored me very closely and didn't want me to create more than 2 good follies, this last iui I was put on a little higher dose for a little longer and had atleast 4 good follies. We just went for our IVF interview and will be heading down that road if this last iui doesn't work.

Re: Getting to know you...

Me and DH are both 37...I went off BCP back in October 2005 and we just winged it for a while. In May 2006 I started using OPK's which just confirmed that I am super regular. By last winter my OBGYN sent me for an HSG (normal) and DH for a SA which came back a little on the low side. In the summer the GYN put me on Clomid (which was pointless because I ovulate regularly).
Finally got my butt around to a RE last week...he feels that because of some medications I had taken when I was younger my ovaries may be prematurely aging (my term not his!) combined with DH's low SA was probably causing our problem.
I just started the injectables (follistim) and we will be doing IUI this month and we'll see what happens.

Re: Getting to know you...

hi! Im almost 33 and DH is 42. Been married for almost a year. Actively ttc since the wedding. I temp, opk (nad ovulate on my own), and have used preseed each month. DH has a SA a few months ago and he's fine. I had HSG this past November and I'm all clear! I just finished my first round of clomid (50mg). OBGYN said try it for 2 more cycles then moving on to IUI (she actually does them in the office). If that doesn't work then I will without a doubt go to an RE and proceed with steps toward IVF.
to ALL OF US!!

Re: Getting to know you...

Hi !....I'm 33, been married for 6 1/2 years....Was on BCP's for a very long time, only to realize when I stopped that I got very irregular AF...DH and I tried (without really trying) for about a year and decided to dicuss with my OB who decided to put me on Clomid (not monitered properly)- Wasted 8 months doing that, and moved on to an RE thankfully- Got pg. with my son on 3rd round of IUI/Clomid 150 mg in 2005. Now we have been trying for #2, again with the RE- Just had my 4th IUI - First 3 with clomid 200mg and the last one without any meds (weird cycle) ...Currently in my 2WW but not overly optimistic- We have 1 more shot at IUI/Clomid and then we will be on to IVF (Doc doent want to do injectables)...

Re: Getting to know you...

Sadly, I am a vet to this board. I am 32, DS is 33. We have male factor infertility and apparantly some other unexplaied factor. Oh yeah and this is secondary infertility, although I did take me a while to conceive DS but in the end it happened spontaneously (without any intervention).

He will be five next month, and its about 4 years since we have been TTC #2.

I did several months of IUI, some unmedicated some with clomid, and when DHs counts didnt improve we moved on to IVF with ICSI. I am a poor responder to the drugs so I dont make many follies. First IVF I only made enough for transfer and got a BFN. Second IVF was BFN too but I had one embie left for FET. FET ended up with a chemical PG. Third IVF BFN, with 2 embies still on ice. I tried to do an FET about 6 months ago but my body reacted very weirdly to the drugs so I decided to cancel the cycle.

Eventually my plan is to do a natural FET (no drugs), and see what happens. I did a mock frozen cycle after my cancelled FET and on my own my body did what it needed to so my RE is hopeful that my body just doesnt react well to the drugs and less will be more.

Thanks Donna for starting this. I think it was time since there are so many newbies here.

Re: Getting to know you...

42 and DH is 36 - Married 4 years in January. Been trying for 3.5 years.
First Clomid/natural cycle for three cycles then my OB/GYN referred me to an RE.
Eight IUI cycles (two with Clomid, six with injectables) with one chemical pregnancy and no success.
Moved to a different RE and found out I had blocked tubes along with PCOS and my age - did two fresh IVF cycles...the first one netted 22 embryos, did seven transfers no pregnancies, second IVF cycle netted 25 embryo's, did a fresh transfer with no pregnancy. First FET got me PG with one!
I am now nine weeks PG.

Re: Getting to know you...

DH and I are both 29 and we have been married for 2 years. We have been trying for 10 months. We found out after 6 that DH had a varicocele and he had the surgery to repair in early October. We were going to move onto an RE this month but found out that his insurance would only pay for diagnostic testing so we are now going to give it a couple more months and then I will drop his insurance and go back on mine which will cover all procedures and testing. We are hoping we won't need to go that route but we are willing to do whatever it takes! DH has a follow up SA in mid January so we are hoping for improvement!

Re: Getting to know you...

DH is 36, I'm 34. Been married for 4 years.

DH has a varicoscele and I have a balanced translocation. Got pg after 5 months of trying, resulting in a stillborn son at 36 weeks. Tried for approximately 1 year then went to an RE. Been with RE for 1 year. Have done 4 IUIs and 2 IVFs. Had 3 miscarriages this year. Still working on it, though!

Good luck to us all!

Re: Getting to know you...

I am 33 DH is 30. he is fine-good SA. I have been on this board a little more than 2 years. I have been pregnant 4 times and had 3 miscarriages and 1 ectopic resulting in the loss of my right tube. I was diagnosed with high ANA and some blood clotting issues which are immune related.

We have always gotten pregnant pretty quickly but my after O progesterone was always low. My Dr put me on Clomid for luteal phase defect and it worked very well. I a on 100 mg now and we will try naturally for another month. Since I am missing one tube it is not going as well. Then it's on to IVF.

I e-mailed client services about starting an IVF fund since there are so many girls on here who are not covered by insurance but haven't heard back. Maybe if we ALL write them we can get something started. I know East Coast is a vendor here.

Re: Getting to know you...

DH is 37 and I am 33.. We have been TTC since 2004 (we really never not tried even when we were dating. so I like to say we were trying for 6 years). I have never gotten pregnant and there is no reason for my infertility. I have had all the basic tests done, I ovulate on my own and have normal periods. DH's sperm is within a normal range and everything seems to be working as it should. We have done one month clomid and 4 months on Femera and IUI's. Nothing, Nothing and Nothing.. There is a history of infertility problems on both sides of our family. We are moving to IVF if this month doesn't work.

Re: Getting to know you...

DW is soon to be 31 and I am soon to be 32. We tried for 2.5 years.

DW was diagnosed with PCOS and did not ovulate. Went to a private practice in Queens for about a year and tried to ovulate with clomid, to no avail.

Switched to NSUH in mid-2006 and started with injectibles - was a poor responder to follistim, and it took close to 2 weeks, but she finally made about 8 eggs. Did IUI and got PG - miscarried at 6 weeks.

Did second IUI with follistim - dropped 4 eggs - BFN

Third IUI with repronex - responded quicker and made 6 eggs. Got PG - but began miscarrying almost immediately.

Took 6 months off and to get in shape physically and mentally. Started again in September. Did 4th IUI with repronex, responded really well and made 6 eggs.

Currently 15 weeks PG with twins.

Re: Getting to know you...

I am 30, DH is 36. We've been married 4 years. I was on BCP for over 10 years, when I switched to the patch about 3 years ago my body went haywire and I was diagnosed with PCOS. We weren't TTC then so I went back on the pill and knew we'd have to go straight to an RE when we were ready.

I went off the pill on my 30th b-day in April. Consulted with RE in June who wanted me to see if I got AF on my own, which I didn't. DH's SA was perfect. HSG fine. Went on Provera and started Clomid in July. Two cycles of Clomid with no response (I also had a really bad reaction to Clomid), so we moved on to injectibles. My first cycle on Gonal-F I overstimmed and produced 9 follies so our cycle was cancelled. Second cycle 4 follies, IUI, BFN. Third cycle 3 follies, no IUI(timing/work issues), BFN.

We plan to try two more injectible/IUI cycles before moving on to IVF. My insurance covers unlimited IUI and meds but not IVF so we'll have to go out of pocket. Looks like March for us.

Re: Getting to know you...

I'm 34 and DH is 27. We've been married for 13 months and TTC since our wedding.

I have normal periods, but I have a history of cysts and I have a small fibroid, but nothing to prevent me from getting pregnant. I was diagnosed with endometriosis after having 4 sonograms done this year. The reports said that I had an endometrioma(chocolate cyst) When I started going to my RE he did his own sono and he couldn't find it. He did it again but on CD3 and there was nothing. I had my HSG done and everything was fine-no blockages. DH had the SA and he was fine too. So far we have done 1 cycle of clomid/IUI. I go back tomorrow to see if there is a little present in my oven. I have a feeling that I'm going to get a BFN. I've done 2 tests at home and got a BFN.

Re: Getting to know you...

DH and I are both 32, going to be married five years in May.

We have secondary infertility, as our son will be 5 next year and was conceived with no problems.

We decided to try for #2 when Ryan was 9 months old so April will be 4 years. Had three miscarriages (13, 9 and 5 weeks) and OB sent me to Dr. Rosenfeld at Northshore, who diagnosed me with PCOS. Did a few rounds of clomid and then moved upstate. Started with RMA in Westchester. Did few rounds of clomid, then 2 medicated IUI's, both BFN. As I was about to start third IUI cycle, I found out I was pregnant but went on to miscarry again (7 weeks).

Was scheduled to begin first IVF in November and the night I was to start Lupron I wound up in the ER with gallstones which I had no idea I had (RE said probably from increase in estrogen from the BCP I was on). Had surgery a few days later and my cycle was obviously canceled. Just got AF today and will begin a new IVF cycle.

Good luck to everyone!

Re: Getting to know you...

I'm 36 (but 37 is just a couple of months away). DH is 42 and we've been married 2 years. We started not being careful in August 2006, but officially wanted to start trying in November 2006. However, once I got AF last October, that was the last I had seen of her until January of this year. I was diagnosed with PCOS, although other than some slightly elevated hormone levels, and the lack of AF, I don't exhibit any other classic PCOS signs. I went on Metformin n February, and after 2 46 day cycles, AF disappeared again for 3 1/2 months. We did one natural cycle with Clomid in July, followed by Clomid/IUI in my OB's office in August which resulted in a chemical pregnancy. I couldn't get in to see the RE until October, and upon a new SA for DH we found we now are dealing with MF (no morphology) as well.

I just did my 5th and final IUI cycle...250mgs of Clomid this month with Ovidrel injection. If this doesn't work, we start IVF Mid-February.

Re: Getting to know you...

Hi All,
Im 29 and DH is 30. Trying to concieve for about 8 months and went off pill last April/May. Periods were normal at first but really short luteal and then cycles got sooo long and now i am basically seeing a RE for the first time. Originally thought DH might be prob as we discovered varicocele and the only thing really affected was his morph. 9% normal. I was reassured by me RE not to worry about this but i still do! Out of the blue my cycles got crazy since Sept and well, now RE is going to check me on CD3 for PCOS. He gave me a lovely HCG shot to get my egg rolling and i finally ovulated on CD34. Well, awaiting my period and stressing out like usual! Wondering why this baby stuff has to be soo hard. Hoping to find a solution to my PCOS. I had no cysts on my ovaries but have gotten them occasionally in the past. I am not really overweight although i have put on like 15lbs these last 6 months-stress But...just not sure what the next step is..worried between morph and PCOS that i wont get pregnant. Hoping for something out there to help me!!! Nice to meet you all.

Re: Getting to know you...

Hi, I'm Michele. I'm 36 and DH is 37. We've been TTC for about one year. Did the CBEFM, temping, preseed and ZILCH. Decided, due to our ages, to see an RE to rule out any infertility issues. DH has a below-average sperm count and motility. My bloodwork determined that my eggs are not the best quality and not that high in number.

We are starting IVF next month. My insurance covers it and I don't want to waste time with other procedures that don't have as high of a success rate. Maybe if I was younger, I would try something less invasive but I feel like being almost 37, I have to kind of hurry up!

Re: Getting to know you...

I'm 37 and my DH is 41. I am currently struggling with secondary IF as I am already the mother of a 4 1/2 year old son. In 2005 I had 2 ectopic pregnancies - one in my left tube which was removed by surgery, the other in my right tube which was treated with methotrexate (twice), however, that tube ended up rupturing and was lost.

My HSG test in January of 2006 showed that my remaining tube is damaged and any "natural" pregnancy would more than likely result in another ectopic, so we were told to pursue IVF as an option.

It's taken me until now to get the courage and the mental mindset to start down the IVF path...I have my first consult with the RE scheduled for January 22. I'm still nervous about the whole thing, but the time for us is definitely now for a host of reasons.

Re: Getting to know you...

I'm 32, DH is 36. We have been trying for seven months. After 5month thought something was wrong and went to an RE. Found out I have a blocked tube. Doctor recommend we try for six more months and if nothing, going in for a lap next year. We will determine what we will do once we get the results back from the lap.

Re: Getting to know you...

I'm 38, DH is 47. We'll be married 3 years in March.

I got off the bcp January 2006, and decided to let nature take its course. We tried that for a few months before getting tested (because of our ages) we found that dh had MF issues (count, motility and morphology) and started going to an RE in December.

I had thee iui's on 50mg's of clomid, produced between 3-4 follies for each of the three, which resulted in BFN's.

I did two cycles on 150mg's of follistum. One resulted in a BFN.

Thankfully, the 5th IUI took and we are now 32 weeks pg.

Re: Getting to know you...

I'm Meghan (obviously). Been married about 3.5 years and began trying in January 2006. After 17 cycles and nothing happening, I went to my Gyn. He ordered an HSG, SA, and bloodwork to see if I was ovulating. I wasn't ovulating. DH's SA was so-so, but e said it was "normal". Put me on clomid and began to ovulate, but I wasnt comfortable with his assessment of my DH's SA, so we went to an RE.

RE put me on Metformin right away after doing an ultrasound and bloodwork and diagnosing me with PCOS. RE also said DH's SA was not "normal" (he did it again and did additional tests - several were abnormal). So now I have PCOS and we;re dealing with male factor. Given I have insurance coverage for IVF and the MF, we decided to go straight to IVF. We are now in the 2ww of our first IVF attempt. That's us!

Re: Getting to know you...

I'm Now 32 and so is DH...

We started TTC end of 2004...

I had previously had a stillborn at approx 6 months gestation and a m/c at 10 weeks...( not with DH)

SInce I had gotten PG easily and quickly in the past , we saw an RE after about 8-9 months of temping, charting and perfectly timing BD....

We did Clomid and Femara first for a few cycles, had one chemical PG...

Then moved on to IUIS , un medicated and then medicated. 13 IUIS in total....We switched in the midst to NSUH clinic from RSONY.

After lots of different methods found out I had high FSH and hypothyroid , and am overweight. I also have severe scar tissue and cervical stenosis from previous cervical surgeries...

DH has very low morphology. ( other aspects good though)

We recv'd the NYS IVF grant through NSUH last year and we transferred 2 embryos on our first IVF...

We were successful and have a healthy 6 month old boy now.

We have 3 frozen embies ( but not that great quality) and we hope to be able to afford to transfer them in the future.

Message edited 12/21/2007 7:58:51 AM.