My Story

kklfamilykklfamily Posts: 32
in Share Your Experience
I read everyone's posts on here and some are uplifting and my heart goes out to those of you that have done several IUI's and such. Reading those posts help me keep my head out of the clouds and realize that my insemination might not work the first time around.

I wanted to put my story out there because we are not telling our families that we are going this route to get pregnant and it would be nice to get to know some people that understand. It is hard to go through this process without someone to talk to. My husband (Kurt) and I have been married 3 years and together for 5 years total. We have never used birth control or been careful to not get pregnant. We started going to the RE last summer and she told us the only way to get pregnant and to have Kurt as the biological father was to use IVF. My husband has low sperm count and I am just fine. Well, insurance does not cover IVF and is way out of price range so after a year of praying, we decided to find a donor. SO here we are. We have almost decided on our donor and we are planning to do IUI next month using Clomid. This will be our first cycle and we are praying that it takes the first time but I have to prepare myself otherwise. There are a lot of terms that people use on this that I am usure of what they mean. For example BFP and 2WW. Anyways! I wish the best of luck to everyone and hope to hear from ya soon. My personal email is kayla.sparks@yahoo.com.

Good luck!

KS

Comments

  • hill@netnitco.nethill@netnitco.net Posts: 59
    Well I think you have made a good decision. I am in a very similiar boat. The only difference is I am probaly older, I am 34 been married for 14 years. We did try not to get prego and once we found out hubby had issues it took a long time to move to donor. So here we are and how I found out despite all my normal blood work, I am an early surger I guess you could say and after 3 months of clomid I have moved toa monitored cycle and amd on my third with that. If I have but one suggestion for you it would be to for sure have a monitored cycle if this one does not work. I wish I would have moved to that sooner. Also, to be proactive with your situation. I am the one who pushed my RE. Oh and BFP means Big Fat Positive and 2WW means 2 week wait which is the period from insem until you know if it took. Email me if you have any questions and I will be happy to answer any that I can from my own experience. Stay positive and keep away the stress. So, where are you in your cycle....

    Good luck to you and your hubby.
  • kklfamilykklfamily Posts: 32
    Thanks for responding! I am 24 years old. Being a mommy is the one thing that I have always wanted in my life. I have no idea what I want to do in my life career wise and I never had a dream of beign something when I grew up but I have always felt like a mommy without a baby. (If that makes any sense) I have been selfmonitering my cycle for about a year now. My dr. told me it would be really helpful when we were ready to move forward. I can pretty much tell to the day when I am ovulating just by the feelings in my body. In the beginning I monitered body temperature but stopped after about 6 months. I should ovulate this Friday (27th) and then start my period on April 10th. I will go to my RE that day and then she will explain in more detail what will happen, when to take the clomid and then what happens next. I know on the 11th day that I go in for a second ultrasound, I assume to check my follicles. I am taking a shot (I assume the FSH) and then around 36 hours later depending on when they think I am ready, they will inseminate. You probably know that cycle already :). Anyways! Where are you at in yoru cycle and what does it mean that you are doing a monitered cycle?
  • hill@netnitco.nethill@netnitco.net Posts: 59
    So it sounds like you are already on a monitored cycle. I am glad to hear that. I did not monitor mine with clomid other and OPK also no trigger but it is something I wish I would have done first like you are. I tried unmonitored for 3 cycles and then I spoke with my RE about monitored with injectibles and trigger. My first cycle i ovulated on good follie. Like I said I do surge on my own so IUI next day and it did not work. Last month I had to cancel no mature follies. I never imagined I would be the one sharing my story but what do you know here I am. Anyway, this month I am on CD 10 est surge to 507, LH 16.1, lining 9. Best numbers yet. I have one follie that is a perfect 20 1/2 one 16.1 and 15 that should grown 1-2 more by tomorrow so my chances should be good this month having more than one good mature follie. I have IUI in am and will be in the 2ww from that point on. I hope that you and I are one month apart from BFP's. I think you have a good plan and you are young, it could work for you and recently I have seen many first attempts working.

    Good luck on your journey towards motherhood.
  • kklfamilykklfamily Posts: 32
    See all of these numbers are where I get lost. I have been reading these posts and know what a good sized follie is but what about the surge and LH and lining? I guess since I have not actually been through an IUI I haven't heard all of these yet. I am glad that you are sharing your story. It is encouraging and I know that when the time is right, you will be a mommy! Sounds like you will make a great mommy! If you don't mind me asking, where do you live? I will say a prayer for you tonight if that is ok, and tomorrow when you are doing your IUI. I would like to say a prayer the approximate time that you are having it done, would that be ok? Let me know if you know what time you are going in. I believe prayer works but if you don't believe that, just say no thanks and I will understand. Talk to you soon!
  • hill@netnitco.nethill@netnitco.net Posts: 59
    Kayla:

    I definitely welcome your prayer. I am having IUI at 9am CST. I am in the midwest-Chicagoland. I completely believe in the power of prayer, thank you.

    As for the numbers well I kept track mostly for comparision puroses. There is a 'normal" range but I think the most important thing is to know your body and not to comsume yourself with all the details of levels but sometimes it is hard. The internet is tool and if nothing else helps pass the time. The 2ww will find you questioning every twitch. You are only a short time away from your first 2WW. You have begun your journery with the decision to use donor and you are already on your way to motherhood.
  • kklfamilykklfamily Posts: 32
    It is so exciting to think about it. I am really just praying that it works the first time. I will be super bummed and I keep trying to prepare myself for that but I think it is hard.

    I will try to research the number part of it more just so that I have knowledge of it when my Dr. is telling me things. I think I will be better able to ask questions that way and tell her my concerns. I hate being in the office blindsighted by a bunch of numbers and dr. terms. Anyways, thanks for everything! I will be praying at 9 AM tomorrow and everyday til your BFP... See I'm learning the language. Oh and I am in Midland, TX.. I bet your place is much prettier! It is sort of BLAH here. :) Have a good night!
  • aldonza_hi@yahoo.comaldonza_hi@yahoo.com Posts: 18
    Hey Kayla,
    So have you decided to go with 11437? Remember I am using him too! It's nice to hear you share your story. Mine is similiar, we haven't told our families either. I'm 28,My husband and I have been married for just over 9 years and never used bc. We found out right after we got married that my husband had no sperm. It has been a long road to finally come to where we are today, having decided to get a sperm donor. We started this journey doing our first IUI this past July, I just knew it would take the first try being that I had no issues...but here we are 7 tries later. Turns out I have PCOS and am being treating on that. So I am taking Metformin for the pcos and Clomid.

    I am currently in my 2WW on day 30. I should know in the next couple of days I guess, though I don't have a lot of hope for some reason this cycle. Either way I will continue to try each month.

    My husband is military and currently deployed, I've done the last 2 IUI's by myself and it is difficult when you don't have anyone to share with.

    We are stationed at Pearl Harbor Hawaii right now and we will be moving to Illinois this summer to Naval Station Great Lakes. I'm a just praying that we get a positive result before we make the big move this summer, I don't want to have to find another Doctor that I like and trust.

    Wow, I never type this much. Good luck to you, I will keep in touch with you, probably next time through email.

    P.S.
    To: Hill, You are in Illinois? Would you mind emailing me your RE's name or website so I can research a little. Or do you have any other names in that area you could suggest in case we do not get pregant before our move to Chicago area? Thanks.
  • hill@netnitco.nethill@netnitco.net Posts: 59
    MY RE's name is Anthony Caruso and he is affiliated with University of Chicago. I would highly reccommend any of the physicians affiliated with that group. His wife has PCOS and he is very educated with PCOS.

    Good luck.
  • mzgag13mzgag13 Posts: 15
    Kayla - I am in a similiar situation as you. We have been married for almost 13 years. For several reason we had put off having children. A little over a year ago we found out that my husband had no sperm and we could have opted to attempt IVF. However, it we were told that my husband's issues would be passed on to any male children we might have. So we decided to use a donor.
    We attempted our first IUI in Jan and it was unsuccessful. Our second attempt was in Feb and we are now 9 weeks pregnant. So although first attempt success is not common, do not get discouraged.
    Both of my cycles were using injectibles and were monitored. I do recommend that you should push to have your cycles monitored. The RE and you have more control. Good luck!
  • 2beamom2beamom Posts: 108
    Dear Kayla, I feel so similar to you in your quest to become a mommy. I've been taking care of other people's kids my whole life and cant wait to have one of my own. I am definetely a "mommy" who just doesn't have kids yet. The only difference in our stories is that I am also single. My insemination is scheduled for June. :) I too have been charting ny BBT and cervical fluid for a year. Also started using the OPK kits too. By the way I am 26. For me my faith in God and wanting to be a mother are the only two things I have been absolutley certain of in life. I love my art career, though in this economy its tuff. but mommyhood and God are my number ones. If you wuld like to e-mail me since we are close in age and have similar stories my email is roseart2@hotmail.com Nicole Prayers and blessings to all of the mommies and mommies to be. God Bless
  • kklfamilykklfamily Posts: 32
    mgagnon13-

    Thanks so much for your story! That is very encouraging. My husband and I have decided that we will do 3 IUI cycles and if we are unsuccessful, we will start saving for IVF. It is so expensive. That was our first choice starting out but we are both ready to be parents and if we had to wait for IVF, it would probably be several years for that. My husband is 27 and the older he gets, the worse his sperm count gets. His brothers also have problems with their counts. It is crazy because his father had 4 children and no problems but all 3 boys of the 4 have issues. I am pretty sure that my cycle will be monitered.. what all did your RE do for you as far as monitering goes?
  • kklfamilykklfamily Posts: 32
    Hi Everyone!

    I wanted to give an update. I went in last Friday for an ultrasound (the first day of my period) and everything looked great. I started Clomid on Sunday and are taking them CD 3-7. I have had a some abdominal pain and blurred vision but not many other side effects so far. I go back on Monday (21st) for another ultrasound to check my follicles and if all is well, I will get the trigger shot and go in either late Tuesday or early Wednesday. I hope that I go in late Tuesday because that will put me at about 28 hours after trigger shot, I don't want to wait to long. I am almost to my first TWW and I am still excited and nervous. I am feeling pretty positive about it and hope that it works.

    KS
  • MistyandCarlaMistyandCarla Posts: 720
    kaylasparks,

    It sounds as though everything is going well for you. I know how exciting it is to know that you're about to embark your first TWW!

    Just try to stay positive...I believe that is so important in this journey.

    Good luck and KUP!
  • ualtiggerualtigger Posts: 589
    To aldonz and hill:

    My RE is also at UIC... Humberto Scoccia... director of the department. He met with me
    instead of sending someone else. I don't know if it's because of my age (45) or not but I found him to be factual and honest about things. I was being told that I should go straight to IVF because of my age but he says not so fast... IUI is the thing for me right now... and that I definitely like since IVF is a invasive proceedure.
  • leiatleiat Posts: 29
    My first IUI didnt work. Got the BFN blood test yesterday. I will try again in 2.5 weeks. Have to keep trying... IVF is last resort.
  • mundianamundiana Posts: 42
    Hi Kayla-

    There is a neat website that is always mentioned in these blogs, it is www.twoweekwait.com, it has people's stories, symptoms and most importantly all of the abbreviations we in the TTC (trying to conceive) world use. You should check it out, you will learn alot and also laugh quite a bit and some of them. By the way, I am in Houston. Let me know if you have any questions.

    Diana
  • kklfamilykklfamily Posts: 32
    Thanks for the advice and the website! I will definitely check it out! I love to read all of the stories and things to watch for during the TWW. I have learned a lot already but there is always more I read that I don't know about. I just payed for my meds for this cycle so it is starting to feel more real. I feel calm about it all right now though.. I am sure once next week comes around, I will be more nervous. I am actually thinking about putting the computer down during my TWW. Stay away from everything that reminds me of what I am doing and just relax!! Thanks for all of your advice and thoughts!! It has really helped me a ton.

    KS
  • kklfamilykklfamily Posts: 32
    Hi Everyone!!

    I went for an ultrasound today to check my follicles. I had 3: 18, 21.6, 22. I did Ovidrel (trigger shot) tonight at 9:30 and will do the insemination 9:30 on Wednesday morning. They said that everything went great! They seem very optimistic so I hope they are right!! About to start our first TWW and we are super excited!!

    Kayla
  • MistyandCarlaMistyandCarla Posts: 720
    Kayla,

    Congratulations! That's fantastic news! Good luck on your IUI and KUP!
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