Showing posts with label trying to conceive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trying to conceive. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Bitterness
Many things challenge you in life, but infertility challenges you tremendously. It is life changing causing you to never be the same. You are tested and challenged every step of the way. It is a battle even if everyone thinks "time" and "age" is all it takes. It drives you crazy. Someone lied when they said money can not buy you happiness. Support, understanding, and love helps you hold on for just a little while longer where that little while then turns into months rolling into years. During this time, a multitude of feelings are experienced. Sometimes though the experience pauses on bitterness.
After my sadness, I thought that the bitterness of not getting pregnant would consume me. I was waiting for this darker side of my personality to show itself. I was prepared to no longer fight it and just be bitter. Bitterness, sometimes the result of infertility, also changes you. Many times for the worse. It morphs you into someone you do not recognize.
For a while, I was bitter. I hated the people who had, would, and could get pregnant as teens. I hated the people who were able to have multiple children, while I struggled to conceive just one. Even while maintaining I was pro-choice, I detested the people who could so easily abort their children. For a moment, bitterness was slowly overtaking me. It was no longer a darker side, but becoming the essence of who I was.
Yesterday morning around 6:20 am, I had the shock of a lifetime. One of my Starbucks customers came in and ordered her usual. This time with her drink though, she got decaf espresso. I looked at her and she walked over to show me a picture on her phone. The picture turned out to be a pregnancy test showing her one to two weeks pregnant. Looking back, I expected the bitterness to rear its ugly head and make me jealous and angry. I was presently surprised though. I squealed with joy and congratulated her. I was honored that she would share her special news with me after sharing it with only her husband that morning. I realized that though we might be in this struggle, we are not defined by infertility. Every constant emotion, such as bitterness, does not permanently belong to us. It is normal to feel as long as we are not consumed by it. Understanding yourself, infertility, and its obstacles help you to overcome feelings such as bitterness in your journey.
Now I understand how wrong I was. I thought the bitterness had consumed me. Instead, it changed me while helping me grow through this difficult journey.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Emotional Roller Coaster
Before I knew that we could not have kids, I always prided myself on the fact that I never had any children. I was proud that I was young, married, had obtained a college degree, and maintained a job without having any children. The irony of the situation was that it was not from the lack of trying. We just could not have kids.
Earlier when I started this post, I was crying. I was angry and oh so sad. At times the pain overtakes me and it feels like the world comes crashing down on me all over again. I was angry at the people who could get pregnant so very easily. I was angry at the fact that we have to face this heartbreaking challenge. I was angry that I felt so proud of not having children without knowing that the same thing I felt proud of would but the same thing that brings me to my knees and make my heart stutter in my chest. I am so emotional right not and I am trying to fight it. When will this fight end? I do not want to sit here and cry endlessly. I do not want to get the disappointing reminders every month that my womb remains empty. Where is the strength that I have built up over the months and years? Where is that tough armor that softens the blows of infertility? I need it now more than ever.
I saw my auntie recently. She discussed her battle against her breast cancer. She recently started chemo and is taking an endless amount of medicine. Her battle is more real now than it has ever been. I was devastated when I heard the news, but now I am even more devastated that she has to begin this fight. All I can think about is what if she loses? My great aunt and Willie's grandfather lost the battle, so what if she succumbs too? I pray that her youth, faith, and belief gives her more strength than they ever had. I know I have to be strong, but right now I am not very optimistic. We are similar but while she is fighting for her life, I am fighting to give life.
Right now I am on an emotional roller coaster. I am happy, I am sad, I am angry and jealous, but most of all I feel hopeless. I am at a standstill. There are no more doctor appointments that we have to go to. There are no more updates to post about our progress of moving forward in our infertility journey. All I can think about is that this may be the end. We may never have children and I will be this angry, resentful person. I hate feeling like this. Usually I am always laughing, talking, and smiling, but I feel like there is nothing to celebrate right now. This is the end and I am willing to let it be just that: the end.
Earlier when I started this post, I was crying. I was angry and oh so sad. At times the pain overtakes me and it feels like the world comes crashing down on me all over again. I was angry at the people who could get pregnant so very easily. I was angry at the fact that we have to face this heartbreaking challenge. I was angry that I felt so proud of not having children without knowing that the same thing I felt proud of would but the same thing that brings me to my knees and make my heart stutter in my chest. I am so emotional right not and I am trying to fight it. When will this fight end? I do not want to sit here and cry endlessly. I do not want to get the disappointing reminders every month that my womb remains empty. Where is the strength that I have built up over the months and years? Where is that tough armor that softens the blows of infertility? I need it now more than ever.
I saw my auntie recently. She discussed her battle against her breast cancer. She recently started chemo and is taking an endless amount of medicine. Her battle is more real now than it has ever been. I was devastated when I heard the news, but now I am even more devastated that she has to begin this fight. All I can think about is what if she loses? My great aunt and Willie's grandfather lost the battle, so what if she succumbs too? I pray that her youth, faith, and belief gives her more strength than they ever had. I know I have to be strong, but right now I am not very optimistic. We are similar but while she is fighting for her life, I am fighting to give life.
Right now I am on an emotional roller coaster. I am happy, I am sad, I am angry and jealous, but most of all I feel hopeless. I am at a standstill. There are no more doctor appointments that we have to go to. There are no more updates to post about our progress of moving forward in our infertility journey. All I can think about is that this may be the end. We may never have children and I will be this angry, resentful person. I hate feeling like this. Usually I am always laughing, talking, and smiling, but I feel like there is nothing to celebrate right now. This is the end and I am willing to let it be just that: the end.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Scholarships
Money and finances are very important. MUSC recently emailed me a financial aid packet. It has information about loans, but most of all scholarships. While attending Winthrop, I just about had a full ride. During my last year of high school, I applied for any and all scholarships that I could get my hands on. Most of the scholarships had certain major and GPA requirements. You would be so overjoyed to find another scholarship, but have that happiness crushed as soon as you read parts of the requirements. Now that I look back, it seems that my joy and hope were always crushed during certain moments. This infertility journey can not be excluded from that category.
The infertility journey has many expenses including doctor visits, medicines, and driving expenses. Most of all though, the greatest expense turns out to be the procedure needed to finally achieve the dream of becoming pregnant. We were ecstatic to find a solution to our life shattering problem. We had found our answer along with new hope. We had optimism until we found out the procedure expense. We first thought that $800 plus a little more would not be hard to save. Boy were we wrong. Within two weeks of deciding on the IUI procedure, I had $300 saved which was quickly spent as unsuspected expenses came up. It was so frustrating. We were finally getting somewhere then BAM! our carefully laid plans were ruined. We keep having to push the IUI process back and I do not like that one single bit. I feel all we can do though is keep budgeting and hope that nothing more surprises us.
Though we have to keep hoping that there are no interruptions in our saving journey, others may have a better chance for infertility funding. I recently discovered that it is possible to obtain scholarships and grants to help with infertility expenses! Who would have ever thought?! I think that this is a wonderful opportunity for couples especially those whose insurances does not cover the infertility expenses and procedures. I encountered this information through the Resolve website: http://www.resolve.org/family-building-options/insurance_coverage/infertility-treatment-grants-and-scholarships.html . It seems like the main procedure with scholarships and grants available is the IVF procedure. There may be many other grants and scholarships available so I encourage you all to include these in your search for funding your journey. I hope that this information is as helpful to you or others as it was to me. You really do learn something new everyday.
~Until next time
The infertility journey has many expenses including doctor visits, medicines, and driving expenses. Most of all though, the greatest expense turns out to be the procedure needed to finally achieve the dream of becoming pregnant. We were ecstatic to find a solution to our life shattering problem. We had found our answer along with new hope. We had optimism until we found out the procedure expense. We first thought that $800 plus a little more would not be hard to save. Boy were we wrong. Within two weeks of deciding on the IUI procedure, I had $300 saved which was quickly spent as unsuspected expenses came up. It was so frustrating. We were finally getting somewhere then BAM! our carefully laid plans were ruined. We keep having to push the IUI process back and I do not like that one single bit. I feel all we can do though is keep budgeting and hope that nothing more surprises us.
Though we have to keep hoping that there are no interruptions in our saving journey, others may have a better chance for infertility funding. I recently discovered that it is possible to obtain scholarships and grants to help with infertility expenses! Who would have ever thought?! I think that this is a wonderful opportunity for couples especially those whose insurances does not cover the infertility expenses and procedures. I encountered this information through the Resolve website: http://www.resolve.org/family-building-options/insurance_coverage/infertility-treatment-grants-and-scholarships.html . It seems like the main procedure with scholarships and grants available is the IVF procedure. There may be many other grants and scholarships available so I encourage you all to include these in your search for funding your journey. I hope that this information is as helpful to you or others as it was to me. You really do learn something new everyday.
~Until next time
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Crazy
I feel crazy. Every thought that I think involves a baby. After moving back the IUI date and finding out that my aunt is suffering with breast cancer, I think I have become even more stressed. I think that I am crazy and that I have lost my mind. Or is this a type of depression? My psychology brain wants to put a name on it. All I know though is that this sucks and feels really unhealthy.
Lately I have been looking at baby names. I bought a baby book and I am reading it page by painstaking page. Though he could care less, I hurl the names at Willie while he is playing his Xbox. I pick out all the cute, weird names like Maddox, Avery, Mathias, Liam, etc. I love those names but unfortunately Willie does not. We have a few picked out, but I want to try to find all the names in the world first.
I also have been looking at nurseries. I used Pinterest and projectnursery.com. I searched these sites for hours marking the rooms I loved . I sift through and try to find a baby boy room, a baby girl room, and a neutral room. I want to start painting and buying small things like shelves, paintings, drapes, rugs, a chair, etc. I have realized that I love the aqua, white, and orange combo or the gray, white, and yellow combo. These details I have thought of time and time again. I obsess over them for a while and then I am fine. I am usually able to shake the obsession, but this time it feels as though I will not be able to. I detest this feeling! I am angry that I feel this way. I am use to being so strong, but I feel as though I am weak and failing myself . Why can I not shake this feeling? This is not right, yet I can not quit doing these things. I wish that we still had February as an option. No one wants to feel crazy. What I am going to do? These baby blues are taking me under and I am powerless to stop it....
Lately I have been looking at baby names. I bought a baby book and I am reading it page by painstaking page. Though he could care less, I hurl the names at Willie while he is playing his Xbox. I pick out all the cute, weird names like Maddox, Avery, Mathias, Liam, etc. I love those names but unfortunately Willie does not. We have a few picked out, but I want to try to find all the names in the world first.
I also have been looking at nurseries. I used Pinterest and projectnursery.com. I searched these sites for hours marking the rooms I loved . I sift through and try to find a baby boy room, a baby girl room, and a neutral room. I want to start painting and buying small things like shelves, paintings, drapes, rugs, a chair, etc. I have realized that I love the aqua, white, and orange combo or the gray, white, and yellow combo. These details I have thought of time and time again. I obsess over them for a while and then I am fine. I am usually able to shake the obsession, but this time it feels as though I will not be able to. I detest this feeling! I am angry that I feel this way. I am use to being so strong, but I feel as though I am weak and failing myself . Why can I not shake this feeling? This is not right, yet I can not quit doing these things. I wish that we still had February as an option. No one wants to feel crazy. What I am going to do? These baby blues are taking me under and I am powerless to stop it....
Friday, January 10, 2014
Counting.......
Days seem to take so long to pass now that we have reached a decision. We decided that February would be the perfect time to try our first cycle of IUI. I hope that this will be our first and last cycle of IUI.
As the days drag, I become even more impatient. I can imagine the procedure, feel the joy at the positive pregnancy test, and embrace the impending changes due to motherhood. Who would have ever thought we would be anticipating the arrival of my next menstrual cycle. There is less than a month left before we can start the next phase in our journey. I am counting every second, minute, and hour.
The next phase will begin with the start of my menstrual cycle in early February. On the first day of my cycle, I must call and schedule an appointment for the third day of my cycle. On the third day of my cycle, they will do some blood work. I believe that it will be done to test for hormone levels etc. After this, I believe that my doctor will start me on a medicine routine for follicle growth that will last a couple of days. The size of the follicles will be monitored along with the number. Both are very important for the success of a child, or in the case of way too many follicles, multiples! I prefer multiples. I want babies to spoil and love, but my husband disagrees. The IUI price is currently $800, a special rate they are currently running. I love this price so I hope it carries into February.
This procedure looks to be our most successful chance at children. I am excited yet wary. I keep wondering if we are doing the right thing. What if we are rushing into things? I debate whether we are ready for a child. With the doctor appointments, I was just seeking a solution. I do not believe that I ever thought beyond finding that solution. I never thought beyond finding the answer then deciding the next step. I mean of course I want children. We are in this remarkable situation were we can choose when to have kids and I am indecisive about the right time. Now seems okay. We have been married two years, together seven years. We have maintained a place of our own for five of those years. I have received an undergraduate degree and he has attended some college. We own a car and possess decent jobs with ample room for promotion. More school is still in our futures, but finally our longing for a child seems to be too overwhelming. Everyone who I have spoken to about us having a child inquires about school. It feels as if they believe that my desire to go to medical school and become a physician assistant will forever be just that, a desire. It feels as though they believe that this one future child will ruin the plans I have for a career. I detest this implication. I am very determined. I feel as though I am destined to become a PA but also a mother. I am now simply changing the order because I place having a family in higher priority. My timeline of attending medical school may be pushed back a little, but I feel that with the support and knowing myself, I will be able to succeed in returning back to school. I only have a few classes left and I plan to take classes up until the baby is here. I value education so I believe that this will not be an issue. The real issue is money.
On top of the stress and lack of sleep, my concern centers around money. How much does it cost to raise a child, especially in the early years? How many weeks can I take off after the child is born? We will have to save money while spending money at the same time to prepare. I am going to have to compromise on my beautiful nursery that I had envisioned. I have to rethink that cruise that we want to take in July. I know that we will have to rework things, but for this I am willing to. I am willing to do a lot for the chance to become a mommy!!! I sincerely hope that we will be successful in managing our money. Any good tips out there?
~Until next time
As the days drag, I become even more impatient. I can imagine the procedure, feel the joy at the positive pregnancy test, and embrace the impending changes due to motherhood. Who would have ever thought we would be anticipating the arrival of my next menstrual cycle. There is less than a month left before we can start the next phase in our journey. I am counting every second, minute, and hour.
The next phase will begin with the start of my menstrual cycle in early February. On the first day of my cycle, I must call and schedule an appointment for the third day of my cycle. On the third day of my cycle, they will do some blood work. I believe that it will be done to test for hormone levels etc. After this, I believe that my doctor will start me on a medicine routine for follicle growth that will last a couple of days. The size of the follicles will be monitored along with the number. Both are very important for the success of a child, or in the case of way too many follicles, multiples! I prefer multiples. I want babies to spoil and love, but my husband disagrees. The IUI price is currently $800, a special rate they are currently running. I love this price so I hope it carries into February.
This procedure looks to be our most successful chance at children. I am excited yet wary. I keep wondering if we are doing the right thing. What if we are rushing into things? I debate whether we are ready for a child. With the doctor appointments, I was just seeking a solution. I do not believe that I ever thought beyond finding that solution. I never thought beyond finding the answer then deciding the next step. I mean of course I want children. We are in this remarkable situation were we can choose when to have kids and I am indecisive about the right time. Now seems okay. We have been married two years, together seven years. We have maintained a place of our own for five of those years. I have received an undergraduate degree and he has attended some college. We own a car and possess decent jobs with ample room for promotion. More school is still in our futures, but finally our longing for a child seems to be too overwhelming. Everyone who I have spoken to about us having a child inquires about school. It feels as if they believe that my desire to go to medical school and become a physician assistant will forever be just that, a desire. It feels as though they believe that this one future child will ruin the plans I have for a career. I detest this implication. I am very determined. I feel as though I am destined to become a PA but also a mother. I am now simply changing the order because I place having a family in higher priority. My timeline of attending medical school may be pushed back a little, but I feel that with the support and knowing myself, I will be able to succeed in returning back to school. I only have a few classes left and I plan to take classes up until the baby is here. I value education so I believe that this will not be an issue. The real issue is money.
On top of the stress and lack of sleep, my concern centers around money. How much does it cost to raise a child, especially in the early years? How many weeks can I take off after the child is born? We will have to save money while spending money at the same time to prepare. I am going to have to compromise on my beautiful nursery that I had envisioned. I have to rethink that cruise that we want to take in July. I know that we will have to rework things, but for this I am willing to. I am willing to do a lot for the chance to become a mommy!!! I sincerely hope that we will be successful in managing our money. Any good tips out there?
~Until next time
Friday, January 3, 2014
Dreaming of Decisions
It is cold and the night is silent. The new year has started and I am dreaming of decisions. I dream about the nursery. I dream about your gender. I dream about your name, but most of all I dream about holding you.
We had our follow up appointment on the 31st. Our reproductive endocrinologist broke down the results. Basically, we are looking very good. Our age and the quality of eggs and sperm are amazing, with only time decreasing our numbers and success. He wrapped up the appointment by letting us know that the decision of when we are ready is up to us. We decide when and the IUI process can then begin.
I dream of failing and being punished for being so impatient. I dream of more struggles, sorrow, and anger. I dream that I will never become a mother. I dream that we are judged.
Being 22 and desperate makes me feel terrible. I am so young yet I write as if we have been struggling for decades. How do the older couples feel? The ones who have more severe problems compared to our minor problems. Do they judge us or join in praying for our future children? Will I lose this future child and future chances? Is this the path we are suppose to take? Who will support us?
I dream of discussing our fertility problems with my mother in law. I want so desperately to connect with her. I want to feel valuable and human. Will she care, stare in shock, or cry with happiness? Is she ready to be a grandmother?
I dream of deciding. I dream of the hours ticking pass and giving way to February. I dream of the IUI process, the two week wait, and the positive affirmation that I carry life in my womb. I dream of Willie's face filled with joy, pride, and so much love. I dream of nine blissful months giving way to a healthy, beautiful, and cherished child. Hopefully, I dream the truth of our future.
We had our follow up appointment on the 31st. Our reproductive endocrinologist broke down the results. Basically, we are looking very good. Our age and the quality of eggs and sperm are amazing, with only time decreasing our numbers and success. He wrapped up the appointment by letting us know that the decision of when we are ready is up to us. We decide when and the IUI process can then begin.
I dream of failing and being punished for being so impatient. I dream of more struggles, sorrow, and anger. I dream that I will never become a mother. I dream that we are judged.
Being 22 and desperate makes me feel terrible. I am so young yet I write as if we have been struggling for decades. How do the older couples feel? The ones who have more severe problems compared to our minor problems. Do they judge us or join in praying for our future children? Will I lose this future child and future chances? Is this the path we are suppose to take? Who will support us?
I dream of discussing our fertility problems with my mother in law. I want so desperately to connect with her. I want to feel valuable and human. Will she care, stare in shock, or cry with happiness? Is she ready to be a grandmother?
I dream of deciding. I dream of the hours ticking pass and giving way to February. I dream of the IUI process, the two week wait, and the positive affirmation that I carry life in my womb. I dream of Willie's face filled with joy, pride, and so much love. I dream of nine blissful months giving way to a healthy, beautiful, and cherished child. Hopefully, I dream the truth of our future.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
Tomorrow is another appointment to discuss our options. Before the cruise, the doctor returned our call and basically told us that we would have to utilize IUI in order to become pregnant. We could still try normally, but the IUI is a very successful alternative for us. I know in several posts that I have mentioned IUI. In this post though, I would like to actually provide information on exactly what it is. I used the Attain website: http://attainfertility.com/ . I hope you all find this information very helpful. I thank Attain for providing this information on their website. Our doctor's office at REACH handed out an Attain IVF pamphlet that helped me to discover this website.
According to the Attain website:
http://attainfertility.com/article/iui-procedure
Are you considering the intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedure? The IUI procedure may help you get pregnant and take home a baby, particularly if you are dealing with infertility.
How the IUI procedure works
When you undergo the IUI procedure, you can expect to go through the following three steps:
Before the intrauterine insemination procedure, you will need to visit a fertility specialist and have a pre-IUI workup. With this workup, your doctor will check to see if you are in good health. The doctor will assess your hormone levels to see if they are in the normal range and check to see if your uterus can support a pregnancy.
Prior to the IUI procedure, your doctor may start you on ovulation drugs, while closely monitoring you with ultrasound and/or blood testing. This monitoring will confirm that you are producing healthy eggs. It will also help your doctor determine the best timing for the injection of the sperm.
You may also take another test that tells you when ovulation is about to happen. Right before ovulation, there is a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH). Ovulation occurs within 1-2 days after the LH surge. Your doctor will inject the sperm into your uterus at the optimal time for conception.
Preparing sperm for IUI
Your partner will give a sperm sample, which will be washed and prepared for the IUI procedure. This washing can remove potentially toxic chemicals possibly present in the sperm that your body may negatively react to.
These chemicals can sometimes cause an allergic reaction in women, which could hinder pregnancy. Washing the sperm may also minimize the cramping that sometimes occurs after the IUI procedure.
This washing and preparation process also concentrates the sperm into a high volume. This high concentration helps the healthiest, most mobile sperm to reach the egg. This helps to increase IUI success rates.
Inserting sperm during IUI
Injecting the prepared sperm into your uterus is quick and virtually painless. This part of the IUI procedure takes 1-2 hours at the most. Here is what to expect:
Some doctors perform two inseminations with the intrauterine insemination procedure. These are done within a day of each other.
Following the IUI procedureAbout a week after ovulation your doctor may have you come back to the office to check your progesterone levels. Your doctor will observe your uterine lining with an ultrasound at this time. By checking your uterine lining to see how thick it is, your doctor may have some clues as to whether the IUI procedure was effective.
The IUI procedure for male infertility
If male factor infertility issues are suspected before IUI, your partner will need a full male fertility evaluation, including a sperm analysis (SA), before you undergo the IUI procedure.
During this evaluation, a doctor will check your partner’s semen for sperm count and motility. If he has low sperm count, the doctor may ask him to give several semen samples that can be used during the IUI procedure. Having several samples will increase the number of sperm available and may improve your chances of IUI success.
Before giving a sperm sample, your partner will want to abstain from ejaculation for 2-3 days. This 2-3 day wait will maximize his sperm count, and help ensure that his sperm are healthy and mobile.
Get healthy before IUI
Practice healthy lifestyle habits when trying to conceive. To optimize your chances of a healthy pregnancy, get to a healthy weight and stop drinking, smoking and using other drugs.
Talk to your doctor to see if you should take a multivitamin, or make any other healthy lifestyle changes before starting the IUI procedure.
According to the Attain website:
http://attainfertility.com/article/iui-procedure
Are you considering the intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedure? The IUI procedure may help you get pregnant and take home a baby, particularly if you are dealing with infertility.
How the IUI procedure works
When you undergo the IUI procedure, you can expect to go through the following three steps:
- You may begin taking fertility drugs and your ovulation cycle will be monitored.
- Your partner will provide a sperm sample (or you will obtain donor sperm) that will be specially washed and prepared for the insemination.
- Your doctor will inject the prepared sperm into your uterus.
Before the intrauterine insemination procedure, you will need to visit a fertility specialist and have a pre-IUI workup. With this workup, your doctor will check to see if you are in good health. The doctor will assess your hormone levels to see if they are in the normal range and check to see if your uterus can support a pregnancy.
Prior to the IUI procedure, your doctor may start you on ovulation drugs, while closely monitoring you with ultrasound and/or blood testing. This monitoring will confirm that you are producing healthy eggs. It will also help your doctor determine the best timing for the injection of the sperm.
You may also take another test that tells you when ovulation is about to happen. Right before ovulation, there is a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH). Ovulation occurs within 1-2 days after the LH surge. Your doctor will inject the sperm into your uterus at the optimal time for conception.
Preparing sperm for IUI
Your partner will give a sperm sample, which will be washed and prepared for the IUI procedure. This washing can remove potentially toxic chemicals possibly present in the sperm that your body may negatively react to.
These chemicals can sometimes cause an allergic reaction in women, which could hinder pregnancy. Washing the sperm may also minimize the cramping that sometimes occurs after the IUI procedure.
This washing and preparation process also concentrates the sperm into a high volume. This high concentration helps the healthiest, most mobile sperm to reach the egg. This helps to increase IUI success rates.
Inserting sperm during IUI
Injecting the prepared sperm into your uterus is quick and virtually painless. This part of the IUI procedure takes 1-2 hours at the most. Here is what to expect:
- You will lie down on the exam table as you normally do for a pelvic exam.
- Your doctor will insert a very small, thin and flexible catheter into your cervix.
- The washed sperm sample is injected right into your uterus.
Some doctors perform two inseminations with the intrauterine insemination procedure. These are done within a day of each other.
Following the IUI procedureAbout a week after ovulation your doctor may have you come back to the office to check your progesterone levels. Your doctor will observe your uterine lining with an ultrasound at this time. By checking your uterine lining to see how thick it is, your doctor may have some clues as to whether the IUI procedure was effective.
The IUI procedure for male infertility
If male factor infertility issues are suspected before IUI, your partner will need a full male fertility evaluation, including a sperm analysis (SA), before you undergo the IUI procedure.
During this evaluation, a doctor will check your partner’s semen for sperm count and motility. If he has low sperm count, the doctor may ask him to give several semen samples that can be used during the IUI procedure. Having several samples will increase the number of sperm available and may improve your chances of IUI success.
Before giving a sperm sample, your partner will want to abstain from ejaculation for 2-3 days. This 2-3 day wait will maximize his sperm count, and help ensure that his sperm are healthy and mobile.
Get healthy before IUI
Practice healthy lifestyle habits when trying to conceive. To optimize your chances of a healthy pregnancy, get to a healthy weight and stop drinking, smoking and using other drugs.
Talk to your doctor to see if you should take a multivitamin, or make any other healthy lifestyle changes before starting the IUI procedure.
Trying to be a Statistic
Who thinks in statistically terms? I never thought that I would want to be a statistic but in this case I do. The word statistic possesses a negative connotation. Everyone always reports the statistics of crimes, illiteracy, poverty, joblessness, teen pregnancies, murders, divorces, bankruptcy, etc.... How often are the statistics of becoming pregnant after trying so hard reported? I ask this because I want to be one of those numbers/ people factored into that statistic. I want to be a part of that reported number so desperately.
In the time since I wrote, I have been researching the success rates of IUI. Our appointment is so close (tomorrow) and I want to know what we are up against. I know that we will only be discussing how to precede next and what all that needs to be done. There will be no cycles, medicines, or anything. At this point, I am so impatient. We know the problem and we now have a solution. I just want to jump right in head first. The wiser we are though, the better we will be prepared especially for the worst. Soo, let me share some information with you all that I have discovered:
Success Rates
http://attainfertility.com/article/iui-success-rates
According to the Attain website:
http://attainfertility.com/article/iui-side-effects
According to the Attain website:
Most women find that IUI side effects are minimal. Here are some quick facts about IUI side effects:
IUI side effects caused by fertility drugs are often mild and disappear once the medication is stopped.
The risk of multiples (becoming pregnant with twins, triplets, or more children) with IUI is fairly small, but it is a side effect of taking fertility drugs taken with IUI. About 10 percent of women that take ovulation-inducing drugs and 30 percent of women that take gonadotropins will become pregnant with multiples.
I hope that this information was very helpful to many of you all.
~Until Next Time
In the time since I wrote, I have been researching the success rates of IUI. Our appointment is so close (tomorrow) and I want to know what we are up against. I know that we will only be discussing how to precede next and what all that needs to be done. There will be no cycles, medicines, or anything. At this point, I am so impatient. We know the problem and we now have a solution. I just want to jump right in head first. The wiser we are though, the better we will be prepared especially for the worst. Soo, let me share some information with you all that I have discovered:
Success Rates
http://attainfertility.com/article/iui-success-rates
According to the Attain website:
IUI success rates by number of cycles
- 86% chance of pregnancy with multiple IUI cycles
- 10 to 20% chance of pregnancy with one IUI cycle
- rate similar to, or slightly lower than, pregnancy rates of fertile couples that become pregnant on their own.
- Under 35: 10 to 20 % chance of IUI pregnancy success
- Between 35 and 40: 10 % chance of IUI pregnancy success
- Women 40 and above: 5 % chance of IUI pregnancy success
- Age affects IUI success rates
- Fertility drugs improve IUI success
- Healthy sperm boost IUI statistics
http://attainfertility.com/article/iui-side-effects
According to the Attain website:
Most women find that IUI side effects are minimal. Here are some quick facts about IUI side effects:
- Most women experience little to no pain during IUI.
- Some women may experience mild cramping with IUI.
- Severe side effects, like infections, can occur following IUI, but these are very rare.
IUI side effects caused by fertility drugs are often mild and disappear once the medication is stopped.
The risk of multiples (becoming pregnant with twins, triplets, or more children) with IUI is fairly small, but it is a side effect of taking fertility drugs taken with IUI. About 10 percent of women that take ovulation-inducing drugs and 30 percent of women that take gonadotropins will become pregnant with multiples.
I hope that this information was very helpful to many of you all.
~Until Next Time
Monday, December 9, 2013
Prepare, prepare, prepare
Prepare, prepare, prepare! It seems like all I have been doing lately is preparing.
I am struggling so very hard to prepare for my finals at school. I attend York Tech here in Rock Hill, SC. I am taking one of the last few classes needed as prerequisites for my admission into the Physician Assistant program at MUSC in Charleston, SC. I hope that by the next application cycle (Early Oct. 2014) I will be fully ready! Currently, I am also seeking a shadowing or volunteering position to observe a PA working. In other words, I am extremely busy preparing for my future career!
In five days, our two year wedding anniversary will be here! I am so excited! We are finally taking a much needed trip that could be technically considered our honeymoon. Hmmm so could I call this vacation our anni-moon? Anyways, the trip we are taking is a cruise! Thursday night we will be leaving to travel to Miami, Fl. We will spend a day in Miami and then on Saturday the 14th (exactly our two year wedding anniversary), we will set sail on the Carnival Victory for five days. Our cruise destinations are Ocho Rios, Jamaica and the Grand Cayman Islands. I can not express how excited I feel, yet I can express how saddened I feel.
I can not help but feel saddened. With the dawning of our two year anniversary, it also almost marks the two year anniversary of us deciding to try to conceive. It feels like so much longer, but we are only two years into our dreadful infertility war. Who knows maybe history might be repeated and this will turn into a seven year or ten year war, except exchanging the bloodshed and bodies for tears and failed attempts. Indeed I have been preparing. I have been preparing for yet another disappointment in our infertility journey. I am waiting, waiting, and impatiently waiting some more for the unwanted, bad results we are bound to receive.
After our first, initial doctor's appointment, I received a call on Friday, December 6th. Since I was at work, the call went to my voicemail. It was a call from one of the nurses on our infertility team at REACH. She wanted to discuss some results from my blood test. OMG! Terror had gripped my insides and for a moment I could not breathe. My body stopped functioning and I panicked! I had never received a call pertaining to results from a blood test. I always received my other blood results in the mail, so I thought the worse. I feared that this was it, I would find the answer to our infertility problems: my malfunctioning body. I debated forever whether I would return the call. My husband, Willie, urged me to call, but I did not want to know especially if the results would be devastating. Once home, I returned the call and left a voicemail for my infertility team. Then I was off to shop with my favorite Canadian, Samantha, for a formal dress for the captain's dinner to be held on our cruise. While I was trying to unsuccessfully squeeze into a small, one shoulder white dress with gold designs trailing the arm, I received the return call. There in the dressing room, with my head halfway through the dress, my breasts smashed flat, and my arm dangling through the top of the dress, I received the results with bated breath. My nurse was relaying the results from the AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) test. For those of you who are new to the world of infertility and its jargon (like me) the site, createhealth.org, describes AMH as the following:
Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) is a protein hormone produced by granulosa cells (cells lining the egg sacs or follicles) within the ovary. AMH can be measured in the blood at any time in the menstrual cycle as it is stable throughout the cycle. It is a marker for ovarian (egg) reserve.
Ovarian reserve testing, as defined by the American Society of Reproductive Society is:
Ovarian Reserve Testing: When attempting to test for a woman’s ovarian reserve, the clinician is trying to predict whether she can produce an egg or eggs of good quality and how well her ovaries are responding to the hormonal signals from her brain.
Another take on these two topics from thebump.com is:
AMH, or by its full name, Anti-Mullerian Hormone, is a hormone that’s produced by small follicles in the ovaries. It’s not something you’d tend to spend a lot of time thinking about, unless you’re debating trying IVF, in which case AMH’s importance goes up substantially. Fertility doctors use a blood test to measure your levels of AMH as a way to help determine your ovarian reserve -- or approximately how many eggs you have to work with. The higher your AMH level, the more follicles you have, and therefore the higher your potential remaining egg supply. And an AMH test is an indicator of the quantity of your eggs, not the quality.
The foreign results, a number given to me and coined "very good", was either a 42 or 43 (at the moment I can not remember). I was ecstatic that this was good results even if I did not understand what it truly meant. At the conclusion of my shopping trip, I researched the results and createhealth.org provided this:
Interpretation of AMH results (As per TDL Laboratories, London)
This description of the AMH results does indeed show that my score of either 42 or 43 is "very good" or featured in the "optimal fertility" category. This newfound information was a huge relief for me. It helped to clarify my results and put me at ease, if only for a little while.
Lately I have prepared, prepared, and prepared, but I realize that some things in my life I can not prepare for. I knew that these results would be horrible, yet was pleasantly surprised. I guess you can not foresee the small blessings in life. Many times I am so optimistic, while other times I am surely counting down for the dawning of judgment day and the end of my world. From now on though, I think I will prepare myself for brighter outcomes because sometimes you have to have a little faith.
~Until next time....
I am struggling so very hard to prepare for my finals at school. I attend York Tech here in Rock Hill, SC. I am taking one of the last few classes needed as prerequisites for my admission into the Physician Assistant program at MUSC in Charleston, SC. I hope that by the next application cycle (Early Oct. 2014) I will be fully ready! Currently, I am also seeking a shadowing or volunteering position to observe a PA working. In other words, I am extremely busy preparing for my future career!
In five days, our two year wedding anniversary will be here! I am so excited! We are finally taking a much needed trip that could be technically considered our honeymoon. Hmmm so could I call this vacation our anni-moon? Anyways, the trip we are taking is a cruise! Thursday night we will be leaving to travel to Miami, Fl. We will spend a day in Miami and then on Saturday the 14th (exactly our two year wedding anniversary), we will set sail on the Carnival Victory for five days. Our cruise destinations are Ocho Rios, Jamaica and the Grand Cayman Islands. I can not express how excited I feel, yet I can express how saddened I feel.
I can not help but feel saddened. With the dawning of our two year anniversary, it also almost marks the two year anniversary of us deciding to try to conceive. It feels like so much longer, but we are only two years into our dreadful infertility war. Who knows maybe history might be repeated and this will turn into a seven year or ten year war, except exchanging the bloodshed and bodies for tears and failed attempts. Indeed I have been preparing. I have been preparing for yet another disappointment in our infertility journey. I am waiting, waiting, and impatiently waiting some more for the unwanted, bad results we are bound to receive.
After our first, initial doctor's appointment, I received a call on Friday, December 6th. Since I was at work, the call went to my voicemail. It was a call from one of the nurses on our infertility team at REACH. She wanted to discuss some results from my blood test. OMG! Terror had gripped my insides and for a moment I could not breathe. My body stopped functioning and I panicked! I had never received a call pertaining to results from a blood test. I always received my other blood results in the mail, so I thought the worse. I feared that this was it, I would find the answer to our infertility problems: my malfunctioning body. I debated forever whether I would return the call. My husband, Willie, urged me to call, but I did not want to know especially if the results would be devastating. Once home, I returned the call and left a voicemail for my infertility team. Then I was off to shop with my favorite Canadian, Samantha, for a formal dress for the captain's dinner to be held on our cruise. While I was trying to unsuccessfully squeeze into a small, one shoulder white dress with gold designs trailing the arm, I received the return call. There in the dressing room, with my head halfway through the dress, my breasts smashed flat, and my arm dangling through the top of the dress, I received the results with bated breath. My nurse was relaying the results from the AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) test. For those of you who are new to the world of infertility and its jargon (like me) the site, createhealth.org, describes AMH as the following:
Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) is a protein hormone produced by granulosa cells (cells lining the egg sacs or follicles) within the ovary. AMH can be measured in the blood at any time in the menstrual cycle as it is stable throughout the cycle. It is a marker for ovarian (egg) reserve.
Ovarian reserve testing, as defined by the American Society of Reproductive Society is:
Ovarian Reserve Testing: When attempting to test for a woman’s ovarian reserve, the clinician is trying to predict whether she can produce an egg or eggs of good quality and how well her ovaries are responding to the hormonal signals from her brain.
Another take on these two topics from thebump.com is:
AMH, or by its full name, Anti-Mullerian Hormone, is a hormone that’s produced by small follicles in the ovaries. It’s not something you’d tend to spend a lot of time thinking about, unless you’re debating trying IVF, in which case AMH’s importance goes up substantially. Fertility doctors use a blood test to measure your levels of AMH as a way to help determine your ovarian reserve -- or approximately how many eggs you have to work with. The higher your AMH level, the more follicles you have, and therefore the higher your potential remaining egg supply. And an AMH test is an indicator of the quantity of your eggs, not the quality.
The foreign results, a number given to me and coined "very good", was either a 42 or 43 (at the moment I can not remember). I was ecstatic that this was good results even if I did not understand what it truly meant. At the conclusion of my shopping trip, I researched the results and createhealth.org provided this:
Interpretation of AMH results (As per TDL Laboratories, London)
| Ovarian fertility potential | Values per 2nd generation assay (TDL) |
| Optimal fertility | 40.04-67.9pmol/l |
| Satisfactory fertility | 21.98-40.03pmol/l |
| Low fertility | 3.08-21.97pmol/l |
| Very low/undetectable | 0.0-3.07pmol/l |
This description of the AMH results does indeed show that my score of either 42 or 43 is "very good" or featured in the "optimal fertility" category. This newfound information was a huge relief for me. It helped to clarify my results and put me at ease, if only for a little while.
Lately I have prepared, prepared, and prepared, but I realize that some things in my life I can not prepare for. I knew that these results would be horrible, yet was pleasantly surprised. I guess you can not foresee the small blessings in life. Many times I am so optimistic, while other times I am surely counting down for the dawning of judgment day and the end of my world. From now on though, I think I will prepare myself for brighter outcomes because sometimes you have to have a little faith.
~Until next time....
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