Worst cramps of my life

Someone mentioned that starting TTC made their menstural cramps worse.  And I can tell you that seems to be the case for me.   Usually I have about 1.5 days of cramping in my abdomen and lower back.  Relieved by 3 ibuprofen every 6 hours.  Well, Saturday followed that pattern and then Sunday morning at 4am I was awoken my the most excruciating cramps of my life.  It was too soon to take more ibuprofen, I had to wait until 5.  At 5, I ate a granola bar, drank a glass of milk and took them.  An hour later I was still in agony.  Took 2 extra strength tylenol.  Still in agony, heating pad helped a bit, but was still in pain on and off all day.  Popping the 3 ibuprofen every 6 hrs.  And again this morning at 5, after my last dose wore off I was awoken by the pain.  Another trip to the kitchen for milk, granola bar, and pills in the dark.  It’s now the 3rd full day of pain.  And yes, I can still feel the cramps through the meds. I am NOT HAPPY about this.  Strawberry and I think that this, along with the symptoms that I had during the 2WW (I didn’t mention the nausea, hypersensitivity to smell, or fatigue), confirms that I did indeed conceive but that it didn’t stick.  I’m not concerned, since I think it just means my body knows what’s good to keep and what’s bad to get rid of.  Even so, OUCH!

Moving right along

Thank you for your good wishes on the last post, everyone. Always nice to have that support, even on the first go-round.

Nutella and I played hooky this morning and went to the dog park with our chihuahua. Chihuahuas don’t really appreciate the water, but we all had fun and it was a nice way to get away from things for a bit. Hope has been restored for try #2 and we’re going to do our best not to live life in 2 week increments, which can sometimes be difficult.

On the lighter side of things, a couple days ago when I was surfing the web for more information about ovulation and pregnancy tests, I found a site called peeonastick.com There’s some good stuff on that website, but the little gem I found was this question:

I smoked some pot, drank a lot of beer, took Advil, am on the Pill, had sex, and had Chinese food for dinner. Can that affect my test results?

Mind you, this was on the Frequently Asked Questions list.

Kind of makes me want to ask “I went to the circus, rode a donkey, spilled a coke, swam in a community pool and painted my nails. Can that affect my test results?”

– Strawberry

Guest post by Nutella’s body parts in reaction to their BFN

Nips: WTF uterus?  I’ve been waiting 31 years to fulfill my destiny and FINALLY I start getting the signals I’ve been waiting for and now you go and start spotting like it’s nothing? 

Uterus: Oh, oops, my bad, not pregnant, was just testing you, ha ha!  Good job on the piercing needle sensation though.

Brain: Ok you two, break it up.  Let’s just take a few moments to review. Uterus, you started sending signals and nips, you responded just like you should.  Good job team!  Sorry we didn’t win it this time, but hey, next round is coming up and we need to be on our game, ok?  Now, hit the showers, drinks are on me.

Post-Script by Strawberry’s Brain and Taste Buds: Dude, homemade buttercream frosting is an awesome comfort food.

Not much going on

“Worked from home” Friday afternoon after my clients left the building.  Which means I got to go to the local SSA office and change my name with them.  Compared to the multi-trip DMV stuff it was a piece of cake.

Weekend was lovely and relaxing.  Tylenol does NOTHING for a sinus headache. I’m 9DPO and aside from my left nipple feeling like someone has stuck hot needles thru it I feel completely normal.  In all likelihood I’ll test on Friday, if I haven’t started my period yet.

Result from the unnecessary blood tests

Single stick blood draw was Friday 6/13.  This picture is from Monday evening.  My mother, a nurse, is HORRIFIED.  A week later it still looks disgusting and is still sensitive.

6DPO, still feel normal.

Question for you BBT charting folks

Ok, so I did a bad thing during my first 2WW. I opened the Brill book. Even though I’d read the thing cover to cover already. I flipped back to the section on charting and BBT. And what I found has FREAKED ME OUT.

“We rarely see conception occur in people who have a BBT lower than 97.3.” p 236

I have always had a lower than average body temperature. I almost never pass 99 when I’m sick. In the months that I have been charting my BBT, prior to O is usually in the 96’s After O it has never gone above 98.3. Coverline is typically 97.1. Brill seems to suggest that this indicates a thyroid problem. The paper charts at the back of the Weschler book don’t even go below 97. I actually had a PCP mention a concern about my thyroid about 7 years ago and at that time I had all the blood tests done and everything checked out normal. But still, it’s FREAKING ME OUT.

So, a question for all of you that track your BBT. What is usually your lowest, highest, and coverline temp? If you do not temp orally, please indicate that as well.

Oh, and for those following along at home, I am 5DPO and could not feel more normal.

Happy Anniversary

2 years ago today…

I can’t ever imagine loving someone more, or feeling as loved as I do.

Go team!

Well, I’m all spermed up.  Temp was still low this morning and OPK went from positive to faint thru the day yesterday, so our 10am IUI this morning was perfectly timed.

After some quality couple time this morning, Strawberry and I headed to the city office of our RE.  The waiting room was full, but as I signed in I heard someone behind the counter say my name and I spoke up to announce my presence.  Right away I was called back and ushered into the first exam room.  My sample was all ready to go and Dr B, who we’d never met, introduced himself and put us totally at ease.  With a gentle manner and a very reassuring tone, I was put in the stirrups and talked thru the IUI.  I was advised against emptying my bladder, as the IUI would be easier with it slightly full if I have an anterior uterus, as the majority of women do.

The speculum went in with some pressure, but was no more uncomfortable than usual.  And it turns out, I have a VERY anterior uterus, so that’s good to know.  Next thing we knew, there was a faint squelching sound as our swimmers were launched.  I remarked on the sound, and we all had a chuckle.  All done, the speculum was removed and we were left alone to rest.

5 minutes later there was a knock on the door.  I thought they were kicking us out already and was a bit surprised, but it turned out to be our RE, Dr. A.  She’d been expecting us but had been with another patient when we arrived.  By the time she finished and came to collect our sample, Dr. B was all done!  She stayed to answer a few of our questions and assured us that the sample was excellent.  She wished us luck and said that if needed, we should call when I begin my next cycle.  I experienced no pain or cramping and we stayed in the room another 15 minutes before heading out to pay up and leave.

Overall, it was a much simpler and more pleasant experience than everything else we’ve dealt with this week, and I am feeling hopeful and relieved.  Oh, and it cost about $50 less than they had quoted me, which was nice.

So now, Eagle Scout, it’s time to earn that merit badge!  Swim, swim, swim!

Relegated to a chair.

Poor Nutella. I joined her today for her blood draw. One of the annoying issues that happened prior to the draw was that the order was for some tests that she didn’t need because they had been done before (like the CMV test for one). Nutella nearly cried when they said they’d need 5 vials of blood. After she spoke with the nurse at the fertility clinic, she was able to talk them down to 3. I did my best to convince her it would be alright…that 3 vials could still be done fairly quickly.

Nutella was smart to lie down this time and I was going to stand next to her and hold her hand. Well, the phlebotomist said, ‘The last time I had two girls in this room when I drew blood, the one who wasn’t getting it drawn fainted.” I laughed and nodded. But then she told me to sit down in the chair opposite Nutella. I said, “Oh, I’m fine with seeing blood, I don’t need to sit.” She wasn’t having it. I said, “Really, you could splatter blood on me and I’d still be fine…I’ve watched this before.” Then there was another technician standing by the door who basically said I had to sit or leave. Now, I understand why…fine, it’s a liability I guess. But it sucked and I felt really bad that I couldn’t hold Nutella’s hand. So I had to wait there and talk to her while the blood was coming out…1, 2, 3 vials. And as soon as they pulled the needle out, I shouted “It’s out! They’re done! All done!”, having learned my lesson last time when I said “It’s coming out” (meaning the needle), and Nutella told me to shut it, thinking I was talking about the blood, and thought they had left the needle in her for another 3-5 minutes after it was over 😦

Anyway, needless to say I did not faint and as soon as that needle was out, I jumped up and held her and administered the chocolate. And on my way out, I said to the phlebotomist, “I hope this helps convince you that not everyone who watches is going to faint.” Nyeh.

Now I’m worrying and apparently having little panic attacks over what the IUI will be like for Nutella. She assures me nothing could be as bad as needles though. I hope not.

– Strawberry

There’s a hole in my arm

Well, I survived the blood draw with minimal tears, hyperventilation, and chocolate.  Encountered a few rather annoying issues prior to the actual draw though.  Oh, and I returned to work to find I had 1,093 new emails.  Turns out that when our email account changed my name it marked every email in my inbox and folders as “new”.  Good times.

-Nutella