First Post (some history)

DH and I have been trying since May 2005. (that's one year and seven months) We waited until May of 2005 because I was just about out of nursing school and thus would be able to have time to get into my new career before I had a baby to contend with at home. I had been pressuring to get started before I even started nursing school (in 2002) because we'd been married for several years and I was 27 and not getting any younger. Additionally, I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and wanted to get the whole pregnancy thing over with just in case my RA took a turn for the worse requiring drugs that can't be taken while TTC. Another reason for wanting to get started earlier is that I had this nagging little feeling that we would have trouble getting pregnant. (DH was SURE that we would get pregnant immediately, his sisters did, so why wouldn't we?).

Well, after six months of trying I decided that I would mention this to my OB/GYN at my yearly visit and see what he thought. He suggested that we look at some obvious things and got DH tested and suggested an HSG for me. This was supposed to be mildly uncomfortable (read PAINFUL) so I talked the DR into giving me some Ativan and went in for the procedure. It was really painful. Imagine having the worst menstrual cramps you've ever had, lying on a cold hard table with an x-ray camera above your abdomen and having a speculum inserted with a metal catheter inserted in your cervix, and knowing exactly when the cramps are coming (so you can really tense up for them). Of course, everything was clear for both me and DH. The DR recommended trying for three more cycles since the chance of success goes up right after an HSG because the fluid might have cleared the tubes of some little cobwebs or stuff. He said that if I wasn't pregnant after those three cycles to call the office.

Three cycles later and still not pregnant, I called the office and the DR recommended checking a day 21 progesterone level to see if I was ovulating, I wasn't. I felt better since we had found the problem, and the DR recommended taking Clomid. It's an oral fertility medication that kind of tricks your body into producing more hormones to induce ovulation. Side effects, bloating, irritability, hot flashes, the possibility of ovarian hyper stimulation. I felt a bit of tenderness over my right ovary and I cried at everything. The move "Cars", Sheraton Commercials, EVERYTHING. But that was it. I tried 50mg on days 3-7 and got my progesterone level on day 21 which indicated that I had ovulated. Yea! But I wasn't pregnant. We tried again, and my second cycle of 50mg did not induce ovulation. So we increased the dose to 100mg, and on day 21 it showed that I had ovulated (Yea!), but I didn't get pregnant. We tried cycle #2 of 100mg, and it didn't make me ovulate. (hmmmmm)

For cycle #3 of 100mg, the DR suggested checking a day 12 ultrasound to see if follicles were developing. They were (good news), he wanted to check a day 14 ultrasound and if I hadn't ovulated he was going to give me a trigger shot. However, I had to work that day (I work 7am-7pm in the ICU, I can't leave work during the day). The DR looked at the ultrasound and felt that due to the size of the follicle he was pretty sure that I would ovulate on my own, I didn't, and didn't get pregnant.

The DR then thought that since I wasn't ovulating regularly even on high doses of clomid that we needed to check into the possibility that I might have endometriosis that could be preventing ovulation. How to check for this? I needed to go for a diagnostic laporoscopy. In this procedure I am put to sleep and they make two tiny incisions, one in my belly button and one just above my pubic bone and stick a camera and instruments into my belly (which they have filled up with gas) and look around for any endometriosis. I didn't have any. This is good news, however, it doesn't help to explain why I wasn't getting pregnant. The recovery was worse than I expected, but I survived. (DH was absolutely wonderful and waited on me hand and foot, brought me breakfast, and was just perfect).

I then was referred to the Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE). The RE talked to both of us and examined me. He recommended that we try Clomid again, but with multiple ultrasounds and a trigger shot, and IUI (intrauterine insemination). The schedule goes like this, Day 3-7 I take clomid. Day 12 I go in for an ultrasound. They keep on doing ultrasounds until they think that the follicle is big enough. Then, I give myself a trigger shot of HCG and the next day DH goes in to the office in the morning and makes his "donation", they wash and clean the sperm and I come in later in the day where they insert a small plastic catheter into my cervix and inject the sperm into my uterus close to where the fallopian tubes enter. Then I wait.

This is where we stand now. I'm waiting for day 1 to start so that I can get started on the next cycle of clomid. I'm cautiously optimistic about this cycle. I just hope that this will work.