I recently went in for a physical and they needed to take some blood. Prior to my fertility treatments I probably would have been nervous, but nowadays giving a vial (or 5) is really no big deal. When you take your first tests you will have lots of blood drawn. If you are in an IVF process you will again feel like you have no blood left in your body after they take what they need to test all of your levels. There are some things you can do to make it all a bit easier and really, the best thing for me was just to not look and it was over before I knew it… [more]

Although everything looks quite different, I actually weigh about 10 pounds less now than I did before I had the twins. If it weren't for poor eating habits prompted by a need to prepare and eat meals in a hurry and a lack of time to work out regularly, I would probably be back to my "fighting" weight these days. That is a big change from what was happening while undergoing fertility treatments. Whether from depression eating or from the medications weight began to creep on when I started taking clomid. Weight gain is a common side effect of clomid so I choose to blame it on that. From there, I moved onto IVF and once I… [more]

I guess one positive thing about going to a clinic that does not provide real personalized, comforting treatment is that the adjustment to seeing my regular obstetrician was not that difficult. It was, however, an adjustment for sure. I went from what seemed like daily appointments to only one appointment a month (at first), and a very nonchalant attitude toward hearing the heartbeats and providing reassurance. My clinic is like a lot of yours - I rarely saw "my" doctor other than for the initial consultation and one of the procedures (the transfer but not the retrieval). The doctors were meeting and developing a plan for my particular situation but I, as a person, was not crucial to those… [more]

I was very reluctant to stop taking my Progesterone In Oil (or PIO) shots and move on to the Crinone 8% vaginal progesterone gel. When I begged my doctor to let me stay on the shots (crazy I know) he told me that I would love the gel - that it would be so much easier, a lot less painful, and would work just the same. Crinone 8% is most commonly used by women undergoing fertility treatments to provide progesterone to change the lining of the uterus to aid in implantation and then to sustain a pregnancy. I did not begin to take Crinone until after I was done with the PIO shots and continued to take it through 12… [more]

In a previous post I talked about our annual girls' trip and my friend who is struggling to conceive. Her particular situation hits so close to home because she has endured the same questions from the same friends, is dealing with eerily similar issues such as fibroids and polyps, and like me, seems to be truly content with the decision to pursue adoption. One thing that she did say that made a lot of sense to me, but that I had never thought about is that she really, really regrets not attempting IVF right when it was recommended as essentially her only option by her RE. Her initial consultation with her doctor took place over a year ago. She was finally… [more]

Little things often remind me of how different people are. Infertility struggles can really emphasize the myriad of different ways that people cope, or approach situations and experiences. I, for example, am a very anxious person who worries about everything. That carried over into my infertility struggles as I literally obsessed about all of the implications and details. I strived to be able to realize that none of it was in my hands, but must admit that I pretty much failed in that effort. Instead, I tried to find out as much information as possible so I could try to tame my worry with knowledge about all that could go right or wrong and what I… [more]

Each year, for 11 years, I have gone an annual girls' trip to the beach with up to 10 (some years there are a couple that can't make it but we typically have 7 or 8 every time) college friends. Through the years our conversations have changed as together we have made it through the first years after college and trying to establish ourselves in our chosen careers; to getting married and navigating our way through the newlywed years with the help of friends and experience; to celebrating first, second, and even third children for some. This year there were two absent - one was nursing her third child and since we make this an absolutely no children, no… [more]

When you make the decision to seek the help of a fertility specialist you often just choose the closest fertility clinic to where you live. That isn't a bad thing considering you have to factor how inconvenience and travel will affect you and your cycle if you decide (or are forced) to go outside of your area. If, however, you are fortunate to have a number of clinics to choose from or if you decide that you want to seek out the assistance of the most reputable, successful clinic possible then the success charts and annual reports on Assisted Reproductive Technology can provide excellent information. To see the 2006 (most recent) report for all clinics you can follow this… [more]

I recently went in for a thorough physical and got into a discussion with the Doctor about Vitamin D deficencies and new research that shows that supplements can really make a difference for women in regards to bone strength, fatigue, rates of certain types of cancer, and in a number of different areas. I was definitely intrigued, but agreed with the doctor that my results would probably come back fine considering that I got well more than the recommended amount of sunlight each week and tuna fish and salmon are two of my favorite meals. So, I was pretty surprised when my level came back really low and not only were supplements recommended, but a prescription was… [more]

It's easy to concentrate on the negatives of infertility, but when I talk to friends who have "surprise" pregnancies or to those who are indifferent about having a child I realize that there is one "positive." We go through so much to start our families that there is no doubt that if and when we do conceive we know that the child is wanted and will be loved. Every moment of the pregnancy is precious and I honestly believe that infertile people sometimes have more patience with their children as new parents because they truly realize that they are miracles and appreciate finally having the opportunity to deal with a crying (or preferably happy) baby. Couples who are infertile… [more]