Few questions before my first IUI

kklfamilykklfamily Posts: 32
in Share Your Experience
AF should come next Friday and I want to be sure that I have done everything that I can. Ok so first question, when AF does come, does it matter if I use tampons?

Next, I started tanning about a month ago and am finishing up my month. I never even thought about it until today. Can it hurt me to be tanning?? I would feel so selfish if by tanning, I have hurt follies or eggs or something.

LAST, does anyone have any last suggestions? Anything that has helped odds pre IUI and post IUI???

Thanks everyone!!

KS

Comments

  • MistyandCarlaMistyandCarla Posts: 720
    kaylasparks,

    I don't know that there is any medical proof behind it, but I didn't use tampons on the last period before my IUI. Nor did I take any OTC medicine for the cramping. In my mind, I just wanted it to be a completely natural cycle.

    As for tanning, I found this article...it says this tanning does decrease fertility. Just copy and paste it in your browser.

    http://media.www.critograph.com/media/storage/paper1029/news/2009/02/11/HealthLifestyles/Tanning.Beds.Can.Decrease.Womens.Fertility-3626658.shtml

    Final suggestions...have you started your prenatal vitamins and folic acid? What about taking an 81mg aspirin a day? This helps to thicken your uterine lining. Just stop taking it on the day that you ovulate. Are you eating berries? I read several articles that said that berries increased fertility...so, I started eating raspberries every day until IUI. Have you stopped drinking caffeine?

    I'm not saying that these things are miracle suggestions, but these are the things that I did and I got pregnant on my first try with an IUI...and by the way...I'm an oldie...I'm 35 and will be 36 in June. We are 14 weeks pregnant. :)

    Good luck and KUP!
  • kklfamilykklfamily Posts: 32
    Thanks! I stopped tanning. I only tanned every other day for about 10 minutes so I hope I didn't harm anything.

    I have been taking the prenatal vitamins for about 2 weeks but should I be taking folic acid separately? I want to do all of these things that I can, even if they aren't proven... The more I do, the more confident I feel.. I eat a lot of strawberries but I've never eaten raspberries! Does it matter which berry? I don't drink a lot of caffeine to begin with, only about a soda a day. (of course the big 32 oz. one) I really hope that it works!!

    Thanks for all of the suggestions! I am going to try them all. If you think of anything else.. let me know (kayla.sparks@yahoo.com)

    KS
  • 2beamom2beamom Posts: 108
    Hello again Kayla! Congratulations on it being so close to your IUI! I would also recommend the folic acid and look into acupuncture too. And no, no tanning, at the least it's not healthy for you. Tanning beds are actually more dangerous than the sun itself since the UV rays are right there on you. The prenatal probably has enough folic acid in it. Also make sure to take some time to relax and spend time with your hubby, pretty soon you might be a threesome! Best of luck. Nicole roseart2@hotmail.com
  • MistyandCarlaMistyandCarla Posts: 720
    Oh, and I forgot all about the Mucinex! You should start taking it now! I didn't wait for the 5 days before ovulation as they suggest. I took it for a couple weeks before. Just stop taking it the day that you ovulate. And remember, it's just the plain Mucinex...This helps to thin your cervical mucus and makes it easier for the sperm to penetrate through it.

    http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071029142449AArYhxs

    And yes, you should aleady be on folic acid.

    If I think of anything else, I'll let you know.
  • kklfamilykklfamily Posts: 32
    MistandCarla,

    What day and how long after your surge did you did you do the IUI? I am hoping this week will go by fast and Friday will start the longest month of my life! I should start on Friday, I am having some cramping already but I really hope that I start on Friday. I am getting a tooth pulled tomorrow and have been really nervous about that. They put me on an antibiotic last friday and I am hoping that doesn't hurt my chances with the IUI. My RE said it should be fine so we will see. How are things going with you?

    KS
  • MistyandCarlaMistyandCarla Posts: 720
    Here's my first suggestion...only use the digital OPK's. They are much more accurate and there's no guessing. Yes, they are more expensive, but they are so worth the additional cost. We did a practice round (the month before our actual IUI) with the regular OPK's. We were so confused about the color of the lines. Yes, there was a line, but was it dark enough? We just weren't sure if it was the actual surge or not. The digitals are easy...you either get a circle for a negative or a smiley face for a positive. We used Digital Clear Blue Easy.

    My second suggestion is to test more than once a day. This way, you insure that you don't miss your surge. We had been tracking our temperatures and ovulation for several months and we knew that I ovulated on CD15. So, we started on CD 12 and we tested up to 4 times per day. We tested first thing in the morning...again around noon...again that evening when we got in from work and then again before bedtime. We may have gone to the extreme, but I knew that I got one chance that month and if we missed it we would have to wait another month to try. It wasn't worth chancing for us.

    Sorry to have rambled...now to answer your question...On CD15 the OPK was negative at 5:30am, but it was positive at 12:15pm. I called my doctor and they had me come in the next morning and we did the insemination at 9am. They had trouble getting the tube into my cervix, so I cramped a lot afterwards. But the good thing was that I felt too bad to do anything so I laid on the couch for the next two days. I'm sure that you don't have to lie around, but I would take it easy after your IUI. I'm weird, I know...but it worked. :)

    Let me know if have any other questions.
  • kklfamilykklfamily Posts: 32
    I definitely don't think you are weird and the rambling is always good suggestions and I appreciate them :) I am getting more nervous as the days go on but at the same time I am getting more comfortable with it all so I am hoping to keep my stress levels down. I may take up knitting ha. Anyways, now i am rambling. Thanks for all the great information!! Hopefully I will be able to report a BFP!! I will know one month from today if it worked!!! YAY
    KS
  • ualtiggerualtigger Posts: 589
    Just came from my doc... we will be doing a IUI instead of IVF first... wondering how long did you have your DS at your doctor's office before you did the insemination? I am thinking about ordering this week and just have it shipped to them so it's there already waiting.
  • kklfamilykklfamily Posts: 32
    I have not ordered DS yet. I am waiting for this weekend and will order next week. We still have a chance to get pregnant on our own (though no pregnancy symptoms) but I should start on Friday so I will know by then. I don't want to order adn then be miraculously pregnant. CCB said to order about 6 days before to make sure that vial gets there on time. When will you be doing IUI?
  • ualtiggerualtigger Posts: 589
    I just finished my . so I'm still going to have to go through the 2-3 day blood work and the dye test still so I'm hoping to start in May. My . shows up every 26 days so I hope to have the blood work done the 30th or 1st of May since I should start the 28th. My insurance will cover everything but the DS and storage here so I am lucky in that regard.
  • MistyandCarlaMistyandCarla Posts: 720
    Good luck to the both of you! Lots of baby dust coming your way! :)
  • ualtiggerualtigger Posts: 589
    Thanks girls... I hope to have a BFP by June!!
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