sharedjourney home

Hey everyone - thanks so much for all the kind words this weekend you all are great!!

I am feeling a little better today. I was spotting the tinniest bit yesterday so of course that sent my blood pressure soaring but it was so small I am sure it was meaningless.

Liz - Are you still on progesterone (prometrium or PIO)? If so in addition to the hormones your body is making that causes you to be so drowsy the added progesterone is what really sends us over the edge literally to nap in LaLa land! If anyone (yourself included) gives you a hard time about being so tuckered out (especially if they say they were not that way for their pregnancy) just tell them that you are on meds and it is not your fault or their business! Go ahead and enjoy those naps - besides once the little one is here you do not get to sleep again for a couple years so you might as well enjoy it while you can get it.

Helen I am so sorry about my sorries - LOL! I will try hard to not start off that way - you are so cute! I hope everything is going well. Can you please remind me where you are in your cycle - I think you said you had an early AF and you are now before O - is that correct? Are you still taking ovulex? Any other supplements?
Most important how is Pumpkin?! Is she still in the throes of puppy hood and trying to figure out what she can destroy next?

Aimee - Hope work is better for you this week - how is your new office? Are you in for your U/S this Friday or next week? I completely agree with you about Dr Jacobs - I think it is so nice that he spends time helping women on this site but I have to admit I have a little bit of a trust issue with him - too frequently he posts how he is ALWAYS able to grow at least 2 embryos to blast, he ALWAYS know what the DX is and has never had to say the problem is unexplained, or he ALWAYS hears a H/B at 6 weeks - it is just not credible that he can ALWAYS do what he wants! His CDC stats would be perfect if that were true so I do not feel he is being completely honest with us in his responses which sometimes leads us to be more worried that we should. Just seems a little irresponsible to me. But this is just my humble opinion.

With regard to PGD it is my understanding that it can rarely hurt the embryo, it can slightly delay things so that they would be at blast at 6 days not 5 but I have not heard that it can cause damage. I wanted to do it just because of age - once past 37 those rates of having eggs with bad chromosomes really goes up - so I just would have preferred to have had some cushion that some of those chromosomes were normal. If I remember correctly Dr. Smith quoted for a 37 yr old that 65-75% of embryos will be abnormal just due to age regardless of patient’s individual health history and of course I am older so it is even worse for me! I have never heard that there is any correlation between infertility and doing PGD unless you know your infertility is due to damaged DNA. I am same as you that DH and I have no family history markers for problems so it really boiled down to the age thing, especially the trisomy stats. Since the main disadvantage of PGD is that you need to do IVF and I was already doing IVF it seemed like it would have been a good idea, but it was not meant to be and I guess time will tell if it would have made a difference or not.

Liz are you thinking of doing any testing beyond U/S and blood work? You are such a young-in that those would probably be enough, but I was wondering what your plan was. You are getting close to 11 weeks right? So you are coming up on some of the first indicators of all this.

Helen - I do not mean to pry but can you share any personal experience about all this? Did you do any invasive testing? Any advice one way or another?

Sorry to babble on about all the genetic testing I have just been doing a bit of research this weekend on testing and Drs - trying to decide how to move forward and with whom so it is on the brain so to speak!

Liz- It was a beautiful day in Northern VA and it is today too. Sunny and 80 today, too nice to be working!!

German Festival eh?? Sounds fun!! I have been to lots of them when I lived in Germany for 5 years. ;D I love Germany & thier food!! Sorry you were feeling depressed and tired. :( That is the hormones talking and talking over!! I hope you are feeling a bit better now!! Sorry about yuor mother getting on your last nerve. I do not speak much to my mother, she was very abusive to me growing up so I keep my distance to protect myself.

My OHSS is the same or maybe slightly worse. I cannot eat much, my entire trunk expands and I am short of breath. UGH!! Like now, I just ate lunch. I just want to lie down but I have to work!! :-\

I definitely do not like Dr. Jacobs responses to people who post there. He does not read the entire post and will respond with a breif response. A week ago, I emailed both Dr. Smith and Dr. Jacobs and got a wonderful response from Dr. Smith. Dr. Jacobs response made no sense whatsoevah!! I forwarded his response to Dr. Smith and he made a joke out of his response. LOL!! It was a trip!!

Lila- I am sure the spotting was normal. Many gals get that with pregnancy. No worries!! :) I am glad you are feelign better today Lila. ;)

I will be on Estrace & PIOshots until 9 weeks. My buttay is so sore!! I am sure this is adding to my drowsiness. I had a headache this morning and waas very tired so I took a 20 min. nap on my lunch hour. Fell a bit better now.

I wish I was in my new office now. I am not moving till the 20th!! ::) Ugh!! Hope the time moves quickly!! My 6 week scan (exactly is this Thursday the 12th. I am very nervous, thinking something will no look right. My nurse told me that Dr. Jacobs was wrong and that even with healthy pregnancies you are not always able to detect the heartbeat. It is 50/50.

Well, I have to get back to work. I will chat with ya all laters!! I hope you all are having an enjoyable COlumbe Day!!

*hopeful hugs* for all!!
-Aimee :);)

Hello all -

Everyone seems to be in good spirits today, very good. That makes me smile.

Aimee -
Have you talked to your re again about the ohss? I think if I were you I would push for something to be done. You need relief my dear. I feel for you. I can't imagine how uncomfortable you must be right now. Often early pregnancy causes some uncomfortable feelings to begin with then adding the ohss in the mix you must be really suffering. I am so sorry! :(
What time is your appointment on Thursday? I know you are nervous, oh boy do I know. When I went in for my scan at 6 weeks 6 days I was a wreck. My appt was at 2pm at about 1:00 I looked at dh and said I can't take it, I could not stop pacing around the house. He said lets go for a drive and thats what we did till my appt. He was trying to keep my mind pre occupied which only helped at bit but it was the thought that counts.

Lila-
I remember one of my re's nurses telling me that spotting on the progesterone supp (not sure if you are on them or the shots) could cause spotting too. Like Aimee said I think it is a lot more common in pregnancies then it is not.
Today I am 12 weeks and 1 day! I am very excited to be in my final week of the first trimester. This morning I woke up and listened to the heartbeat, just wanted to say hi. In case I didn't mention it before I rented one of those dooplers to use at home. It has kept me from janking all my hair out. lol
As for testing. I declined. Dh and I talked long about it and I just don't feel there is anything that would cause me to abort this pregnancy. I have lost 4 little ones and I just believe that what ever is meant to be will be. I know that I will never be given more then I can handle. I do not like the false positive rates with the Quad test. One of my very good friends had a false postive with her little girl (which I only found out recently) and had a very healthy little girl. With everything that I have been through I don't know if I could handle a false postive at this point. I am having a level II ultra sound at 19 weeks. (November 21). They wanted me to have it and I agreed to that one. Although I worry that if there is bad news there they will want to do more testing and then I am in a situation I was trying to avoid. Oh it is rough decisions we must make.

I must run, work is calling.
Take care,
Liz

Hi buddies,

Lila you sound much better today. I like you had the spotting with the twins and I thought oh my God here I go again. I called the dr. and he said that it was quite common for women to spot, I still did not listen to him. I drove him crazy until I saw that everything was going good. He completely understood my concerns and did everything he could to make sure I had some sort of comfort. I did not do the testing either with my pregnancies because I knew either way I would not be able to bring myself to terminate the pregnancy. I think it is each persons personal choice on what they feel they need to do. I know it is such a hard thing to think about because it is a big decision to make. I was just thankful that I was going to have a child and it did not matter to me if they needed me more. Its the unknown that gets to us. It makes you feel really helpless. I know I have had many friends that had results that said something was going to be wrong but they chose to continue the pg and their babies were healthy. It is all in Gods hands and he proves it even when the test say something is wrong. Keep your chin up and put it in Gods hands he will not steer you wrong. I am in cd 9 right now. I am praying that everything goes well this month even though my mother is still adding extra stresses to my life again. I am trying to stay focused still. As for pumpkin she is like having a triplet now with the twins. She is into everything right along side of them. Dh said he was going to keep me busy and he certainly is. You take care and try not to put so much on yourself. Watch over that lil sprout for me.

Aimee, you crack me up with your post. You are a lil tiger aren't you. You better do something about your poor tummy. This cannot be good for your lil munchkin. I went through the same thing as far as dreams, I thought I was loosing my mind with some of the things that I dreamed about. When I was pg with the twins I had double everything going on even the crazy dreams. The o's you are enjoying are all a part of your lovely hormones, and probably your dreams. LOL Take care of your munchkin and TALK TO THAT DOCTOR!!!!! I will be praying for you on your scan this week. Like I said before when I was 6 weeks they only saw the sacs which made my own heart stop, but they assured me everything was ok and now I have 2 healthy 3 year olds. Please don't stress.

Liz, you are doing the hardest job ever right now. If they can't understand that then oh well. They will get over that. If they don't then oh well again.

I must run and get my apple crisp out of the oven before it is an apple brick!!!

Take care.

Mega hugs and healthy baby prayers!!!!!

Helen

Liz- I just had to take my pants to the tailors to have a zipper fixed!! That is how bad my OHSS is getting. I will talk to my RE on Thursday when I have my US appt. My appt. is at 9:45am on Thursday and I am VERY NOYVOUS!! I just want a healthy baby!! :) I keep having this fear that something is wrong. ugh.. I am just the obsessive worrier!! WOW you are over 12 weeks!!?? You are about in the 2nd trimester right??

Helen- Yea I am a tiger (WOMAN) hear me ROAR!! LOL!! Yea my dreams are running rampant. LOL!! I get home from work, let the dogs out, eat dinner, take my PIO shot and lie down and I am out by 7pm!! The next thing I know it's 12pm!! I need to let the dogs out!! Thak you for your good luck wishes with my US this Thur. :)

I need to get back to work!! Talk to ya budettes laters..

-Aimee ;)

Hi buddies,

Aimee you poor thing you have to be miserable. You crack me up with your post. It seems like you keep a good attitude even when things are going crappy for you. Don't you hate when you can't even escape your fears in your sleep. I know thats how mine have been lately. You think you would be able to rest when your suppose to. The mind can be your worst enemy in times like this. You sound like you have such an exciting night life now that you are sharing it with your lil buddy. LOL You rest up and speak up to the dr. when you go for your u/s. I will be praying for you that your dreams were just silly nightmares. Watch over that lil munchkin.

Lila, how is everything going with you and the sprout? I pray everything is fine for you.

Liz, how was your day today? Hows the lil bean doing?

Talk to all of you later I have to go get dinner out of the crockpot. By the way if you guys don't have a crock pot you should really get one. I can't believe how much help they really are.

Mega hugs and healthy baby prayers to all!!!!

Helen

Good afternoon ladies -

Aimee -
I know you are nervous and I wish I could tell you to just relax and you would, but I know all to well that we don't relax. I had myself convinced for every appointment so far that something was wrong, they were going to give me bad news. I had no reason to feel this way, no symptoms to make me think there was anything wrong. Even when I lost baby b I had no sign that anything was wrong.
I am right with you on the obsessive worrier. Me too! Just do your best to relax, take many deep breathes and keep positive. Most likely everything is just fine and once you hear that you will be able to relax a tad well atleast for a couple of days, maybe even a week. ;) I will tell you that the closer you get to the end of your first trimester the easier it really does get and also I recommend to anyone to rent a doopler. I did and I tell you it is the best thing I could have done. I am able to listen to the heartbeat anytime I want and it is just oh so reassuring between appts.

If I don't talk to you have a great appt tomorrow and know I, as well as everyone else are thinking about you. I am crossing everything I got for you and your little bean. ;)


Helen -
I am doing ok, sinuses are still really bad. I am going to call the doc if they are not any better by tomorrow. I may be antibiotics. Little peanut is doing well. Heartbeat is still really high, 157-165 in that range. I did the string/ring test and it showed girl, I think you may be right. :)

Take care,
Liz

Well, we are moving offices and I just got done packing 15 boxes!! I am sweating and very uncomfortable with my OHSS. My boss comes into work and asks me if I am going to do the 20 other cabinets!! :o They are not mine, but the whole office shares them!! There I was red in the face and sweating and on the floor. I flat out said, "No, I will need some help!!" Damnit!! Am I suppossed to pack all the crap?? NOT!! Doesn't anyone know what teamwork is around here?? I have always been the person willing to help out and go out of my way and people just take advantage of me!! I have to learn to say NO. ugh.. I feel terrible with my large gut and it is hard to move around. OK 'nuff bitchin!! :)

Helen- yes minds work in mysterious ways and it is out of your control!! I remember a day after I had my embryos transferred I had on O in my sleep and I called my nurse at 6am freaking out that I was doomed. My dishcarge sheet says no orgasm 5 days after transfer!! I was a big nervous wreck!!

My sister gave me a crockpot for Christmas and I have not used it yet!! It is called "Fix it & Forget it" or something like that. I need to start experiencing with it. You have any good recipes?? :)

What is a sting ring trest?? ???

Liz- Yea I am blessed with OCD and besides obsessive exercise/running I am an obsessive worrier!! :-\ If I do not have anything to worry about, I will find something!! LOL!! It is really not good for my health, it is unecessary. I worry more out of pretecting myself from the worst happening.

When you lost baby B, did you bleed or anything?? The heartbeat just stopped an the baby just stopped growing??

I have heard of dopplers and many people tell me they are too expensive and don't work. Not true?? Where do you rent a doppler??

Thanx for the good luck wishes tommorrow. I hope my little bean is there with a sac/yolk. A heartbeat would be nice as well. But I am not stressing out if one is not detected. I promise!! I will just worry. LOL!! :)

I know you want a girl Liz!!?? BTW- What is a sting test?? I would luv a boy myself.

I have to get back to work now. I hope you both are dune gr8!! Talk to you laters!!

-Aimee ;) :)

Aimee-

The string/ring test is when you tie your wedding ring, or I also heard any ring will do just fine to a string. You hold the string over your belly, if it goes in a circle you are having a girl if it goes back and forth you are having a boy. It is just one of the old wives tales but fun to try. My girlfriend has a book 50 way to tell the sex of your baby. She said half of them worked, half of them didn't for her. The ring test did work for her in both her pregnancies.

As for the doopler, I did not buy mine they cost around $600, I rented my from bellybeats.com I got it when I was 10 weeks and did not hear the hearbeat on it until I was 11 weeks and 3 days. I knew however that they had trouble getting the heartbeat with the doopler at my appt. The pa said that the baby was lying right behing the plecenta and it was drowning out the heartbeat. I would try every couple of days at home and then all of a sudden one day last week there it was. It was the most amazing thing in the world. I rented one for $40.00 a month. This one is a little steep but I figure for 2-3 months to keep me calm I can handle it. The one I have is digital and tells you the heartrate, there are other cheaper ones you can rent that are not digital and you need to calculate the heartrate if you want to know what it is. The bottom line is I love it, so does dh. Every night before we go to bed we get to listen together. I know some women say they do not always get the heartbeat for me so far I have heard everytime I tried. It depends a lot on the way the baby is positioned, how your uterus is shaped etc. I am lucky and very thankful. I know the doopler is what has been keeping me calmer, there is just something in hearing that little beating heart anytime you feel scared.

I of course will be happy no matter what the sex is of the baby, but yes I will admit I am leaning towards wanting the girl right now. I don't know why my whole life I always said I wanted a boy first but since I got pregnant it all changed I keep thinking girl. Helen thinks I am having a girl, that is her guess. :) She seems to be right about so much so we shall see.

I am sorry to hear you are having a rough time at work. However I do love your attitude. You go girl demand some assistance!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;) That little peanut needs you to take it easy!

I too love my crockpot. Tues and Wed are my busy days at work and I try to use the crockpot those days so I don't have to worry about dinner when I get home, its already made. You should start brushing up, it can come in very handy for you.

I had no signs at all that baby b was gone, no bleeding, spotting, cramping, nothing. They told me that the baby just stopped developing when it stopped I don't know. I had an u/s at 6 weeks and 5 days, heard the hearbeat and then at 8 weeks and 4 days they told me the baby did not develope. I did have a blood clot that was near the sac for baby b on the 6 week u/s. My re had told me he wasen't sure what that was all about yet we would just monitor it. He said it could be a miscarriage starting or it could just be from the little one embedding deeper in my uterus. Well obviously it was the first. The blood clot is still there, or atleast it was 2 weeks ago but getting smaller. I am hoping for an u/s tomorrow at my appt so we can see how we are making out. They told me that it would not be abnormal for me to have brown spotting but so far nothing at all so of course that concerns me. I get scared it is not going away. I am really going to push for the u/s!

Well it seems I wrote a book.
I will talk to you later!
Have a great night.
Liz

Hi Buddies,

Aimee you go girl!!!! Don't hold nothing back. Wow you are going to be the envy on here from the outcome of your dreams.LOL Its to bad everybody's dreams can't end that way, even the ones that are nightmares. That would be like a complimentary mint!!! LOL. How is your lil buddy treating you? You better do something about your belly,I have a feeling they are going to say that you should have done something sooner for relief. I think all of us are the queen of worriers. We would all be neck and neck in a race. Please let us know how your scan goes. Many healthy lil buddy prayers to you.

Lila, its day 2 and I have not heard from you. How are you and the sprout? My second gray I get I am going to name after you. Liz and Emily share the first one. LOL

Liz. do you think the docter will give you an antibiotic? I hope there is something that they can do to give you some relief. Let me know how it goes. If you are anything like me with the doppler you are going to wear out the batteries. You take care of the bean.

I on the other hand have now caught what the kids have and now know why they are so miserable. I also for some reason started spotting since yesterday, I am so clueless to what is going on. I don't know if this is my regular af which by the way was do now or if it is my body going haywire, Please pray that I can straighten myself out.

I will talk to all of you later.

Take care of the beans,sprouts and buddies.

Mega hugs and healthy baby prayers to all.

Helen

Hi Aimee,

I found this site for you. I think you should look a it. I hope I can paste it without a problem. Well here goes Bath Assisted Conception Clinic . It does not look like it worked, maybe try typing tose words in to see if it takes you there. It is about your OHSS.

Take care,

Helen

Well today is the big day. I just know as the time nears that my heart will be pounding so hard against my chest cavity that it will hurt!! OK, just praying to see a yolk/sac and if there is a heartbeat that will be a plus!!

Helen- Thanks for the site. I will definitely check it out!! ;D You know I saw my sister yesterday. She dropped by. I sat the entire time so she would not notice my gut. Keep in mind that she has yet to know that I am pregnant. She said, "Damn Aim, your boobs are sooo big, did you get a boob job?" No joke!! I said, "NO WAY!! I would never do that and you know it." We'll later, she emailed the family that she had a nice visit with me and that she thinks that I am hitting puberty at the age of 37!! LMAO!! ;D

Liz- Thanx for explaining to be the wise tales of how to find out the sex of your babe. LOL!! Too funny!! I don't buy it. :) I am not sure if I will rent a doppler or not. I might though because I am the worry wart!! LOL!! That is great that you were able to find a heartbeat on a consistant basis. ;) I hope you get a girl like you wish but I know either sex would make you happy as long as the babe was healthy.

Well, I have to get to work now. I will post later and keep you updated with my U/S appt.

*hopeful hugs* for all

Good morning ladies

Aimee -
OMG you crack me up with your sister that is just too funny. Wait till she finds out your are pregnant it will be the joke (that she thought you were hitting puberty at 37) of the family!

Well, I just wanted to wish you luck today. I am thinking about you.

Please keep updated on your appointment

Liz

Hey all,

Sorry I have not been on lately just been so busy with work and then I come home eat and fall asleep. I also have been doing a ton of reseearch trying to choose a new OB since I think I ma going to need that appointment soon! I have been trying to set up appointments for tours at the 2 of the hospitals I am considereing and then work backwards on who is in network, good references, and has priviledges at that hospital. Amazing how much time it takes to figure it all out!

Aimee good luck at you appointment today!! I am sure everything will be great.

quick question for Liz/Aimee - where are you guys on the wole flu shot thing? I have made DH go get his so he won't bring it into the house but I am kind of leaning against it after reading all the issues with mercury and possible brain defects. Are you guys doing it? Would love to hear your all's thoughts on this one.

Liz I think that is great about the doppler - I have several friends who rented and loved them so as soon as I get to that 11-12 week mark I am definitely signing up. Hoe is the house coming along? Is everything done foundation walls and roof wise so that you can work through the winter or do you go on hold for a while if the weather turns?

Helen I hope you are feeling better and whatever it is leaves quickly! I will have to look into the crockpot thing - I do not have one and have childhood trauma scars from things my mom cooked in hers but maybe if you send a recipe I will give it a go again. I think the lil bean is OK - still nothing symptom wise or MS so I am a little in the dark. Next appt/US is on Tuesday so will know for sure then, but thanks for asking

I am off to Chicago (and I am hearing rumors of SNOW!!) for the next several days so I probably will not be able to check in till Monday. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Hi Mommies to be,

Lila, I am glad you checked in. It is snowing here in Chicago. If you were smart you would stay away from here. I found a lot of good recipes on the internet for crock pot recipes. I couldn't believe the lasagna turned out like it did. It was like I baked it in the oven. Look at a couple of sites and find something that you like and give it a try. I had the crock pot for 5 years and never tried it either because of some of the things my mom cooked in it. You can even make cobblers in it. The soups seem to taste better to. You have the signs of your lil sprout if you are tired. That is one of them. Take care of your sprout and bundle up while you are here.

Aimee, I am praying everything goes well for you today. I know you are a nervous wreck who could blame you. Wait till your sister finds out your pg. She will probably fall over. I laughed at her comment about puberty. Wouldn't be great to go through puberty again? Then we could replenish our egg supply and maybe increase our bb size again. LOL Praying all goes well for you and the lil buddy.

Talk to all of you later,

Mega hugs and healthy baby prayers,

Helen

Just a quick update before I head back to work...

WE HAVE ONE HEALTHY HEART BEAT!! :) It was detected so early so I have a strong one according to my Dr. I commented that my child will be a runner/athlete like me & my donor. :) The little bean measured exactly where it should be too. I am so very happy that I am blessed with one healthy babe!! That is what I really wanted, esp. for a first time SINGLE mother. It really is a sigh of relief!! I think it is a true blessing. Someone was looking out for me. My Dr. was very relieved there was only one because you know they frown upon multiples. LOL!! That is the first thing she said to me! "Yes, we have one, that is what we wanted!!" LOL!! A twin pregancy can be very high risk as you know.

Now 2-3 years from now I will try for a 2nd with my 8 frozen embies. I got an U/S pic of the little one with YIPPEE typed right next to it. LOL!! My Dr. is too funny. I will scan it as soon as I can get to a scanner. I cannot tell you how happy and relieved I feel right now that everything is just going wonderfully with my little one. Whatever sex, I will be happy with, even though I am hoping for a boy. :) The strongest embryo made it and it was meant to be.

Thank you all for your sweet words of support/encourgement. I can't tell you howm much itmeans to me!! :) *hugs*