It showed Monday afternoon

I finally started my cycle on Monday afternoon.  I finally got a call for my cycle review from PPVI this evening and they are supposed to call me back in the morning.  I'm hoping that the significant reduction in K's nursing will helping and that we won't have to wean completely anytime soon.  I'm definitely disappointed and I hope that we can at least have decent timing this cycle.  Last cycle cut it close only using P-2.

My progesterone and estrogen continue to look good and I'm wondering what Dr. H will suggest this time around.

New Cycle (#4 TTC #2), What to do?

We are onto our 4th cycle TTC #2.  I'm trying to figure out what I need to try this coming cycle, since I'd like to try a few more things this cycle to feel like we are making a strong effort.  I need to figure out what else to ask Dr. H.ilgers about during my cycle review.  I'm still breastfeeding K (16 months tomorrow) fairly frequently and want to continue to feed her on demand until 18 months at which point I will try to wean to about 4 feedings a day (early morning, after wakeup, before nap, before bedtime).  I do try to offer her other options like water or a snack and she has to ask with signs for more milk.

I didn't need any ovulation medication to get pregnant with K although I did take either Vitex or a fertility blend herb that cycle.  I wasn't on progesterone until after the post pregnancy test.  We did take the cyclical antibiotics that cycle.  I am already back on Hydrocort and T3.   I did do the Benadryl P+5-P+9 when I got pregnant and this past cycle, and I will probably do that for future cycles.  Four months before getting pregnant with K, I had a laparotomy for endometrosis.  Dr. H also found inflammation and yeast during my surgeries.  I took Diflucan a few cycles before getting pregnant with K.  My progesterone and estrogen are both around 20 P+7 for the previous 2 cycles that I have had tested.  Is there anything else that I should try or ask Dr. H about?

Onto cycle #3, round 2 and K is almost 15 months

K will be 15 months on Sunday and I just had cycle day 1.  We only used 1 fertile day this time and it obviously didn't work.  I'm back on T3 and hydrocort and I've called for my cycle review and we'll see what  Dr. H has to say.  I'm still breastfeeding K pretty often at least 6-8 times a day and that doesn't seem to be changing very quickly.  I definitely plan to breastfeed on demand until at least 18 months and if I'm not pregnant by then maybe try to get down to 3-4 times a day.  This upcoming cycle is odd since I'll probably ovulate around our 5th anniversary and if we actually conceived, the new baby would be due around my husband's birthday and K's birthday (they are 5 days apart).  I'm not sure how I feel about that.  We aren't going to avoid, but I'd almost rather a new baby got a separate time.

K is down to 1 nap a day.  She usually wakes up between 7:30 and 8 (with a quick feed at between 5-7 and back to bed), then naps around 1 for about 1 1/2 hours and then she goes to bed about 8.  She is still a pretty good eater most of the time.  She is also now a full-time walker and says quite a few words and does a couple signs.

I've been super busy with traveling quite a bit, taking care of K, watching a friend's baby twice a week and getting ready to work from home doing medical transcription.  I'm going to try to do a 15 month post for K.

Cycle #2 of Round 2

I'm on CD 3 of my second cycle.  We had had good timing and I felt really hungry and then nauseous, but it turned out the nausea was just a horrible stomach virus so I felt terrible most of Tuesday and Wednesday.  I had tested Tuesday morning and it was BFN obviously.

I had my annual with my new OBGYN (my old one who delivered K retired and this doctor took over the practice).  I really like her.  She seems to have the same philosophy on birth as I do (minimal intervention).  The only thing that I didn't agree with was that she didn't want me to get pregnant while I'm breastfeeding.  I don't have any plans to wean K soon, and I don't think that it's something I'm going to worry about.  If I can get pregnant while breastfeeding, so be it and we'll continue as long as we both want to.

I did my cycle review with the PPVI nurse on Friday afternoon and they are going to talk to Dr. H and call me on Monday if there is anything in addition to doing the P+7 bloodwork that they want me to do.  By the way, my P+7 levels this past cycle with K still nursing 6+ times a day were progesterone 21 and estrogen 16.4, which is pretty decent.

K will be 14 months on Friday and she is walking indepently part-time.  She still crawls a lot and insists on holding onto my hand, etc.  I'm still hoping she'll be walking full-time by my SIL's wedding, but it's only 2 weeks away now, so I don't know.  She has been having a cranky couple days; we're pretty sure it's the teeth that are trying to come in.  It's really trying dealing with the whining all day long.
 

Part II Round I

So my cycle started back on Sunday.  It's a bit weird to start again after having a 22 month break.  My cycle doesn't seem really horrible like some people have described their first cycle after pregnancy.  I'm still nursing but my cycle seems to have started about 6 weeks after nightweaning.  We'll see how a few cycles go (I had taken a break from charting, but I'm going back now) and we'll be TTC, but won't be doing any meds, bloodwork or anything until at least July or August. I'm not going to push weaning.   I'll continue just to offer her other options for something to drink or take her outside so she's not bored.

I finished my class and passed the final, so now I'm looking for a job.  The nice thing is that I'll be able to work from home, although I'll probably be working like 10 pm-2 am and not getting a lot of sleep.  Thankfully K does usually sleep until 8 am or so, so hopefully I'll be able to get a few hours and then nap some during her naps.

CD 1...Cycle 33, 7 Quick Takes

1.Well, today is definitely CD 1.  I've got my call in to PPVI for my cycle review.  Hopefully they received the CD from my P+3 u/s by now.  I'll post with my cycle review update when I hear from them.

2. We are going to a waterpark in less than a week for a long weekend with some friends and family.  It's too bad that I'll still be bleeding/spotting by then, but I'll have to deal with it.

3. I'm working on repainting all the doors in our house and will soon start working on the trim.

4. I'm still waiting for the baby that the family I'll be nannying for is adopting to be born.  The BM was supposedly due June 15.  I'll start about 3-4 weeks after the baby is born.

5.  I hope that PPVI can figure out the crazy bleeding.  I had only 10 days out of 30 days last cycle without bleeding.  Maybe I could get pregnant if I wasn't bleeding all the time.

6.  Yes, I collect turtles.  I'll have to go around my house soon and take pictures of the turtle figurines.  My parents have given me ones from Australia and Italy so far.  If we got a pet, I would want a turtle.

7. I posted yesterday about the IF weekend.  I hope to meet some of you lovely ladies.

CD 1 and Cycle Review

Not surprisingly, today is CD 1.  I've been spotting/bleeding for over a week, so I wasn't really expecting to be pregnant.  I had a 13 day post peak phase.  I called PPVI for my cycle review, and I got my P+7 numbers.  Progesterone was 35.2 ng/mL and estradiol was 34.8 ng/dL (348 pg/ml), so both numbers look very good.  We'll see if even more progesterone will help me to stop spotting.  The nurse is going to ask Dr. H if I should be concerned about the fact that I had a mature size follicle on CD 14, but didn't have my peak day until CD 20.  They are supposed to call me back tomorrow, and I'll post after I hear from them.


This will be my third full cycle after surgery and my surgery was almost three months ago.  My CM this past cycle (with B6 and Muci.nex) was even more wonderful than usual.  If the darn bleeding would stop, we'd be looking pretty good (other than the possible concern about the mature follicle 5 days before having my peak day).  I know that I'm not very far out from surgery, but I'm still frustrated by my bodies lack of cooperation.

CD1

Heavy flow late last night.  I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up.

New Cycle and Some Exciting Stuff

CD 1 was Saturday, D's birthday, which was not ideal timing.  Earlier I had said that my six week surgery phone follow-up was April 12, but it's actually April 19.  I had missed counted.  I had some cramps this cycle, but they weren't as bad as usual and my back didn't hurt at all.

I didn't follow the Endo Diet very well a couple days this week and I've had stomach problems.  I'm going to be more careful about following it (especially avoiding gluten/wheat).

I got the nanny job that I interviewed for on Tuesday.  I'm very excited.  I'll be starting on Monday.  They have 2 1/2 year old boy/girl twins (the boy has Down's) and a little girl who is 6 months old.  The kids seem very sweet and I got along really well with the parents (and they are Catholic, bonus!).  D was very happy that I got the job since my pay ran out last week (plus he's just happy I got it in general).

My dad is going to be back in the States this coming week for a meeting (they live in Qatar), so we are going to meet him in Austin and visit with my brother and my grandparents.  While I'm in the area, I'll also get to meet Keep Calm and Carry On for lunch, which I'm very excited about as well.  She'll be the second blogger friend I've met; I met Life in Mazes about 2 months ago.

Finally really CD 1, Cycle #29

This will be a break cycle due to my surgery, but I finally started my new cycle.  I need to double check my chart, but it looks like I had a 14-15 day LP, with only tiny amounts of pink in my CM for the previous 3 days.  If this is due to the Endo Diet (which I can't guarantee since this was also my first full cycle on cortisol), I'm sold. My mom got into the States yesterday, and is in our hometown until we leave on Sunday for Omaha.  D and I will go down this weekend.

CD 1...Cycle 28

Today is CD 1.  My surgery is in exactly 5 weeks so we'll see how my cycle falls but unless I don't ovulate until after CD 23 again, I should be in a new cycle for the surgery.  I had a 12 LP with no spotting, so that's good.  I'm not really upset about CD 1.  Our timing wasn't great, I still have endo on my ovaries, and my surgery is coming up soon.  I'm just hoping that we'll have a chance and decent timing in April.

I could tell all day yesterday that CD 1 was coming, but it pretty much just taunted me all day long.  The cramps kicked in early this time.  I usually don't have cramps until about CD 3-4, but they started late last night, and are in full force in my back.  I'm really hoping that something can be done about the length of my period because I don't want to deal with 10+ days of bleeding (yes, it's better than the 21 I'd been having, but still not normal).

D and I had a big blow-out on Friday night, but we've been communicating much better since then.  We had some interesting conversations on Saturday and I'm glad that we got some of the stuff talked about finally.  We have a tendency to get annoyed, but not ever say what the issue is and we talk about some of that stuff.

CD 1...Cycle 27

Yesterday was CD 1, after a tiny bit of pink on Sunday night.  I had a 27 day cycle, with ovulation on CD 16, but only a 11 day LP.  I'm hope that PPVI will call soon after the first of the year with the plan for probable antibiotics,  possible hydrocort (I haven't heard anything about my cortisol level...Misfit, it was just a 9am blood draw), and any other possible treatment for my uterine inflammation.  I just want to have everything in place (and hopefully at therapeutic levels) by the time my cycle after surgery starts.

My bbs hurt something serious.  I've only had pain in them for the past three or four cycles.  My incisions from surgery are doing fine.  I'm still waiting for the redness and crustiness from the allergic reaction around my belly button incision to fully heal, but the actual incision looks pretty good.

We may use days of fertility depending on how we feel, but I don't see full on Trying until after my surgery.

We had a good Christmas.  My brother and I made a whole lot of food for just 3 people, but it was really good and I have had to cook since we have so many leftovers.  I got an ice cream maker attachment for my stand blender and a mini food processor (so I don't have use and clean my big one for small amounts), and both sets of parents sent some money (which will be a big help with the whole second out-of-town surgery in three months thing).  We are going to our hometown for New Year's, which will be fun.

CD 1...Cycle 26

Today is CD 1 (I'm pretty sure...hard to know since I've been spotting/bleeding for over a week), and my surgery is in just over a week. This time next week, we'll be in Omaha (and I'll have to give myself an enema...oh joy). I'll be on CD 9 for my surgery on December 9. My bbs are still hurting which is weird and annoying. It's weird since I've only had it the last few cycles.

Cycle #25

Cycle 25 started Friday. Friday and Saturday were L days, but I'm pretty sure I'm moving up to M at least day, and the cramps have started to kick in. Like I said in my earlier post, I'm not really upset about not being pregnant now since the surgery is coming up in 38 days, and we have the tickets and everything. I'm disappointed that I only had an 11 day LP. I don't know if we'll try this cycle or not; it depends on D.

CD 1...Cycle 24

Cycle 24 started with a nice clear CD 1 for the first time in months. My LP was 13 days, which is great for me. Overall, I'm feeling pretty good about it and I'm ready for my surgery to be here. It'll be here in about 2 1/2 months.

Stressed

My grandmother went into the hospital on Saturday due to heart problems. Her heart was beating a little too fast and then it would stop for 3-6 seconds, which would make her black out, and then it would restart. She's in the ICU, but she seems to be doing ok today and may be released tomorrow or the day after. Please pray that she will continue to do well. D and I were in town and were able to visit her along with a few of my other relatives. We got in late and I'm very tired.

This morning after putting my ring back on from washing my hands, I realized that my diamond had fallen out of my ring and I haven't yet been able to find it. I have it insured but I just want to find my diamond. I'm probably going to have to get the setting completely redone since I have it less than 3 years and it's been loose before.

Yesterday was also CD 1, so I'm handling the stress even worse than usual. It's starting to bug me when I hear about people who have spotting and end up being pregnant because I start thinking that it's a possibility, but it's never true for me.

Finally CD 1...Cycle 21

Today is finally CD 1. I have bad cramps and am very tired, but I'm glad that that crazy 50 day cycle is over. I'll post later about the wedding we went to it was a lot of fun.

CD 1...Cycle 20

Waking up at 4:15 in the morning and going to the bathroom to find bleeding was not the way I wanted to start Mother's Day.  The new cycle starting hit me hard than I thought it would since it was at least different from the early spotting I've had for most of the past year (except of course the break cycle).  I also feel bad having to tell D that it didn't work...again.  Maybe after my surgery (still planning on December...for financial reasons), there will be a chance.  However, I'm worried about how I'm going to handle it if I still don't get pregnant and we hit 2011.

Good Friday, CD 1...Cycle #19

It looks like today is the start of Cycle #19 (although it's hard to know what's really CD 1 with the crazy bleeding that I have start around 3DPO/just after Peak).  I'm getting frustrated again at the lack of progress we seem to be making.  I'll be doing the Symptom Checklist and Temperature Assessment for the T3 study this month.  Even if the T3 is an issue, I'm pretty sure that it's not what's causing my bleeding.  Since nothing else seems to be hormonely wrong with me, there has to be some sort of structural problem causing it, right?  My surgery won't be until December, which is still 8 months away.  If there is a problem, it might not even be fixed then depending on how serious it is.  I hate the fact that we are going to hit the two-year mark without know the cause of the bleeding (which has to be at least part of the the cause of the infertility).  

D and I had a pretty good time in Las Vegas.  It was kind of tiring though and D is not good about calling it a night around the friends we went with.  I was kind of hopeful when the bleeding/spotting stopped for almost a day, but it started right back up again.  D actually managed to win almost $200, so that was cool.  All the food we ate was great.  I think D had a good 27th birthday.

One of the hardest things to do is remember that my suffering is minor compared to Christ's and to many other people's.  The other thing I have to remember is that without the suffering of Good Friday, there's no joyful resurrection on Easter Sunday.  One day I will receive the joyous gift that God has prepared for me, but it may not be the gift that I hope it is.

CD 1...Cycle 18 (quick update)

I had just been spotting/very light bleeding until today, so I either had a longer or shorter LP than normal (13 days or 9 days as opposed to the 12 days it had been for the past few months).  So I'm counting today as CD 1. I'm getting cramps too, but they're not too bad yet.  Last chance for 2009 baby.