A place for the TTCs.. (Trying To Conceive)

[autumn]

Hi all,
Thanks for all the encouragement. Will try and stay positive. You gals too! don't give up hope. If you have me trying for more than six months naturally and can;'t conceive seek medical help. Remember sometimes it is not only the woman's problem, could be the man's one too. so seek medical help as a couple.
To all PCOS gals,
I have been doing some research on PCOS on the net and found out that ultrasound diagnosis of PCOS might not be accurrate. Some woman might have enlarge and polycystic ovaries but not having symptoms of PCOS. Some other test needs to be run to be certain. For example, insulin resistance test which is very similar to test for diabetes will prove whether you are really PCOS. Actually for Dr Chen, he just mention that I have polyscystic and enlarged ovaries but didn;t really run any test but I got pregnant soon after so didn't bother asking for other test.
Hi monkey,
I was on clomid 100mg and was told to take from cd4 to 9 for two cycles. I managed to have matured eggs in fact three eggs matured but still didn't get pregnant. My period is regular which is why I can't seem to accept that I have PCOS. Sigh...but research shown that Asian woman with PCOS won;t have the typical symptoms.
Hi Eelle,
Wow! you gynae can actually do ovary drilling. It is not a common technique. who are you actually seeing? Please note that ovarian drilling if it is successful the effect is temporary. Basically, PCOS is a long-term condition with no permanant cure. You might also want to take into consideration the possible side-effects of ovarian drilling. There are some other medication to relieve PCOS symptoms like metformin.
Laproscopy is a key hole surgery which means that the gynae won't cut you up but just poke a few holes into you body to do the surgery. I have two tiny holes which is not even obvious now.
I saw Dr Chen for about 1 month before I got pregnant so actually I didn;t really spend alot of money on him.

 

[fmy]

Monkey,
I think Chinese medicine are quite standard. Its usually those few kinds of herb that they mix for us to take. I think for a particular problem, a std kind of medicine is give. Last time I ever went to see those sin seh who ask me to brew the herbs, its also the same kind of herbs.

 

[fmy]

Autumn gal,
Ya. The physician aso say that PCOS is a long term condition and there is no permanent cure. The laproscopy dat u do is to remove yur endo, cysts and fibroids, ya? Actually Dr Chen diagnoised me having PCOS and endo but me still considering whether to do op or not cos no $$$ leh.

 

[monkey]

Autumngal,

how old r u? Y ur gynae put u on 100mg clomid...Well, me was put on 50mg, & both cycles oni matured 1 egg each..U mean heavier the dosage, more eggs will be produced?

 

[fmy]

Autumn gal,
Ya hor. U were on 100mg clomid!!! Me was on a similar medication previously but only 50mg. How come u on such high dosage?

 

[micky]

Me also on 50mg....

 

[monkey]

Micky,
how many follicle do u managed to ovulate when u on 50mg clomid?

 

[fmy]

Monkey,
I had 3 follicles maturing while on 50mg medication.

 

[monkey]

fmy,

wow u go 3 ah!!! i oni got 1 leh... So i tink for u shld be no problem for u to conceive,since ur ovary is responding well to clomid..How many cycles were u on then? I put on 2 cycles, then i give up liao.... SICK OF IT!!!

 

[vera]

Hi fmy,
Yes, its the same medicine.

Hi Giggler,
No hurry, try a few more cycle first. When you feel comfortable than go and visit her.

 

[fmy]

Monkey,
I was on 3 cycles (max) then the gynae advise us to stop and look at other alternatives. Dats y I went ahead with IVF.

Giggler,
Me agree with Vera. Be patient. How long have u try? Y not try harder for a few more cycle b4 u make decision to see the physician.

Vera,
So how do u find the medicine?

 

[micky]

mONKEY,

i don't really know, perhaps one on each side...

I heard of max 3 cycles for clomid, but the instructions on clomid box said max 6 cycles????

 

[giggler]

I'm just gathering info cos quite a few of my friends see chinese physicians. I won't stress myself with that now lah. Moreover, my hubby doesn't like the idea of doing so many things (like do tests, see gynae) to get bb. I give myself another 6 mths before I seek for medical help lor.

Thanks fmy, Vera, monkey for your info.

 

[fmy]

Monkey & Micky,
I was on Tamoxifen (a similar drug as clomid) and it is advise to be on 3 consecutive cycles first. Then a break is required before the next cycle could be done.

Ya. I get 3 follicle but I believe the quality of the eggs is not good dats why cannot fertilised. So need to take medication to boost the quality of the eggs.

 

[autumn]

Hi fmy,
yeah I was confirmed with endo with laproscopy and Dr Chen removed small cysts and small fibriods from womb and also the endometriosis. I always feel that the fibriods and cysts could have prevented the implantation of the fertilized egg so that is why can't get pregnant. I also confirmed tube not blocked which is a good thing (if not really metally torturing to be thinking of that as a possibilities. I think you must have spend quite a lot on IVF right. Why not go for laprscopy to check and solve all other possible problem? time quite precious also. Just my two cents worth. I know how you feel. I have been there before.

Hi monkey and fmy,
not sure why my previous gynae prescribe 100mg leh. He did ask me whether I mind triplets, I said no. Maybe that is why he give me 100mg. I have three eggs on both cycles on clomid.

 

[monkey]

Micky,
i tink its 6 cycles lah..Ur gynae oso say 6 cycles rite? My gynae never mentioned how many cycles...

 

[fmy]

Autumn gal,
Ya. I agree with u. Will talk to my hubby on this matter. BTW how old are u?

 

[eelle]

Hi authum,
thanks for your explanation & advise! I really pray hard that i do not need to go to the extent of having 'ovary drilling'..This gyne comprehensive cos he tell me all the alternatives to get preggie. thats why to the extent of telling me the drilling surgery. he's from Thomson clinic (Lawrence Ang). Me hvn't take the clomid he prescribe cos have to wait till my menses come.

U are lucky to have just tried for a month!.. wow.. thats very lucky! By the way, how old r u? Me 26+.

The gyne gave me 50mg for a start. Is this the lowest ? or consider medium?

micky, what is follicle?
yah gyne also ask me to baby dance D10-21 .. like that so tiring hor. Next day go work sure panda bear eyes man! Pardon for my ignorant, how to tell whether got eggs or not? By blood test isit?..

 

[soft]

hi linda

my AF is finally here today! that means i am not pregnant. after i saw red, i was so sad. i was crying inside and suddenly my mood swung to the lowest. i know i should not have high hope as i did not baby dance actively but just don't know why when i saw the red, everything seems to collapse. it seems like i am falling into depression. i suddenly become jealous of my colleague who are pregnant. i just cannot understand. i do not have such feeling after the ops but this time seems to be so bad.

 

[ob-rider]

hi gals, out for whole day,.. me going to gynae tomorrow too,... want to go and follow up on my fibroid. let's see if it has grown or stabilised. cross my fingers that it has not grown, best if shrunk... hehe... but don't think so bcos sometimes,i do feel it,... but not as much as when i first found out now...

fmy, me sama sama as u, already 30s. at least u trying,... me hubby don't dare to try cos he scared we can't afford cos i'm not working. he prefer i get a job or he get a promotion first.... i don't blame him cos he very pressurised now,... scared anytime kena retrenched cos he just switch jobs and the company very chaotic one. the latter is not bery likely in this economic situation... so i'm desperately finding a job now.... hope to be able to bring home some money in the next few months.

then i can formally and actively join u gals bb dancing.

 

[ob-rider]

soft, don't sad la.... u gals please don't pressurise yourself and relax. we often hear of stories where gals like us ttc, then give up and suddenly conceive... so must definitely relax.

my gynae once told me that when we gals are too stressed, our system actually rejects the sperms one. i think something to do with the cm, and its acidity/alkalinity or something like that, that kills the sperms.

hey gals i also want to share with u something i found out today,... FM100.3 has a program daily from 7-8pm, it's called sex in the air... where the lin anna actually gets Q&A answered by experts, u gals can try tune in sometimes.

 

[linda]

*Whistle* Wow...I have never learn more than what I just did in 5 minutes while I read all ur postings...

Miracles of the internet huh???

By the way, how do u girls actually know you have PCOS? I mean were there any symptoms we shld note of?

Hi Soft,
*Pat pat* Dun be too down... Put it this way, at least now u know your cycle is back...For me, it doesn't look as if mine is coming any time soon... I am waiting for the discharge to clear cos normally it happens just abt to have menses... Now still the yellowy sticy rice discharge (sounds a bit gross)

Hi Giggler,
Do let us know how's ur check tomorrow.

 

[fmy]

Hi Ob-rider,
Hey, U must advise yur hubby not to be so pressurized leh. This will affect everything including the performance of his job one you know. Just take things one at a time and relax. I know its always easier to say than to do but you will just have to try. Oh I see dat u are not working huh. Did you write in for any jobs or maybe you could look thru the website jobsdb.com.sg for the various jobs the market put in. Dun worry lah. Chuan dao qiao tou zhi ran zhi, ok.

 

[soft]

hi

i know i should not feel this way as i am not actively trying. the feeling just came and i was down. sigh.......

anyway, i will keep on trying.

linda

don't worry, if you are not pregnant, your mense will come anytime now. but then, since you said you have discharge, maybe there is a chance that you will be pregnant?

 

[monkey]

Good morning gals,

Soft, dun be so sad, try again next mth...Of coz jealous of pregnant colleague lah, me oso wat...Everyday faced them i oso feel sad myself..

Or-bride,
me oso seeing gynae today in the afternoon, took half day for tat..See wat he say abt my not-coming period...Sianzzz....Not pregnant, still got see gynae...

Linda, dun worry, menses never cum, means got chance. Wait for next wk & see how...

TGIF!!!

 

[linda]

Hi ob-rider,

What jobs are you looking at? My hubby's company is looking for people, maybe have some posts suitable for you?
I am also scouting around...

Market quite unsteady..better to keep a lookout.

Hi Soft,
Well, sometimes, it just gets to us lor. But just be strong. It will come to you one day. For me, I am just expecting to see red. Really dun think this month got chance at all.

Hi Monkey,
Never come I scare wait go haywire... Like what I say to soft, dun think me preggie cos didn't dance actively... Also dunno when fertile period.

BTW, girls,the June issue of Women's World have an VERY interesting article on "Your Man, His Sperms". Folic acid is known to improve sperm count. Abstaintence is not very recommended cos the ejaculate (after few days of no sex) contains high amt of dead sperms. More sex u have, the more sperm will your man produce. But TOO much sex also cause your man's sperm production to go into OVERDRIVE. Recommended is 2-3 times a week. Then keep his 'jewels' cool... not hot baths, no tight jeans, no saunas.

That's all I can remember...Maybe later tonight I go type out the article if u all interested.

 

[fmy]

Hi,

Soft,
Dun worry lah. Mine AF came last evening too. Haiz... not pregnant again. Nevermind lor, try again next mth

Monkey,
Update us after u see yur gynae.

Linda,
OK. Will try to get a copy of the Women's World this evening.

Let all of us here be happy cos its FRIDAY.

 

[maya]

Hi Autumngal, (ladies), read that you have endomet and fibroids. I have the same probs. I had laprocsopy to remove 2 fibroids and in the process my gynae discovered my endo prob. He cleared as much as he cld and I was put on 3 mths of hormome treatment - stopped my menses, early menpausal symptoms, to try to clear the endo,et. But he says that it may/will come back. It is also possible cause of infertility and until I try to get pregnant, will not know if that may be a stumbling block for me. I've been wondering if I shld do some medical exam now to see if all thing's fine. But I understd that endomet cannot see unless you are "opened up". My op was like 2 yrs bk. I'm getting married next mth. However, am not keen to start family so soon (maybe a yr) and thinking of various forms of contraception. But I figured that if women like us may have probs with pregnancy, maybe I shld forget abt any contraception and just try "unsafe" sex bec I may have difficulties conceiving. If let's say, I go on the pill for a yr, then later try to have baby, my medical probs may cause further delay in me getting pregnant. Then longer wait for baby.

WHat course of action shld I take?? Go for medical? But may not know anything. Go on pill? But maybe long delay to have kids. Unprotected sex? But what if I'm pregnant even before I'm prepared/willing?......Sigh!! how??

 

[giggler]

Linda, you got wrong liao. Monkey and Ob-rider are the one seeing gynae later, not me. hahahaha

soft, don't be so sad. Try harder next mth.

 

[linda]

Oh ya... Sorry giggler, It is ob-rider lah... Cos she going to see the gynae to check on her fibroids.

Hi fmy,
Dunno if it is still available...cos the new July issue out liao...

Hi Maya
Hmm.. Maybe it is better to check with your gynae? And then have this gynae follow you through? It is better to have a gynae who has known u all your life....
It is really not easy getting pregnant lor from all our examples here. So be prepared to wait a while...my suggestions (non-medical) are to shorten your "waiting" period. For eg: Say you get married July, U intend to have kids July 2004. Suggest tt u take away protection from Jan 2004. So even if u preggie, also not too early. If takes a while, you will be on target!!!

 

[ob-rider]

hi gals, good morning!!! last nite din sleep well,.. now my eyes feeling very tired... think i'm nervous about the gynae visit.... scared to find problem not solved and become bigger instead!!! sighz... women...... so poor thing hor

fmy, i know but i think we both can't help feeling stressed. this morning, i bad mood cos din sleep well,. and quarreled with him now feeling quite bad.... got to make up for it tonite

Linda, me looking for IT job... can write to me at my email please? i'm going out now, will reply to u later tonite or weekend. okie?

Monkey, good luck with your gynae today! hope u come back with good news for us next week!

ok bye gals, have a good weekend!!

 

[soft]

hi ladies

thanks for your concern. i am feeling better now.

monkey, ob-rider

keep us updated on your checkup. ok?

 

[monkey]

Thanks everybody, definitely will update on my status..Keeping my fingers cross too..Hope everything is ok with my body...

Linda,
ya lor. My system oso haywire..now i oso give up on taking temp...Sianzz..Like everything go haywire...

Soft,fmy,
work harder next mth...

Ob-brider.,
wish u gd luck too.

Aniway decided to take a short trip next mth..decide with hubby lata. Hope to go during the fertile period..

 

[giggler]

monkey, same here. Intend to go for short trip next mth too. Where u intend to go?

Micky, enjoy your holiday

 

[micky]

Soft/fmy,
**sayang** continue to try. Sure will strike one day. Maybe next mth you are lucky?

Giggler,
thanks. so happy that I'm going for a short break!

OBrider/monkey
remeember to keep us updated of your visit with the gynae.

Linda, i want to read the article leh. the jul issue is out, so no way to lay my hands on jun issue, can help?

me having small tiny fibroids also, but gynae said should not affect my chances of conceiving, wonder how true is that?

eelle,
follicle should be the term to use before it turns into egg. someone can explain better? ***scratch head****

 

[linda]

Wow...so nice, Micky goes on holiday...

*ENVIOUS* Okay lah, Micky, for your skae, me go be GGG today and type everything in there for you. Wow lau...think u better let me be ur kiddo's god-ma since I put in so much hard work leh.

I asked hubby abt the trip he scratch head... I told me I go myself.

Keep asking me to wait say Korea is always there. But he dun realised that it will be different lor with a kid and all, and I already told him that if I passed my first trimster then I will still go. He say I siao...

Hi monkey,
Ya lor...now no see anything and it is already Friday...But honestly I kind of lost touch witht he charting...I mean soft told me that my menses shld be due this weekend based on my old menstrual cycle. So I think shld be soon.... but WHEN????

Hi giggler,
I am cracking my head for somewhere economical to go too... Bintan is SO ex in July... So much diff from June's prices. I thinkingof Phuket..but hubby went with ex before...I dunno shld go cos he already been there.... And I look high and low, only these two places like more affordable....

 

[giggler]

Linda, I eyeing for Phuket also. It's quite cheap now lor. Can try Bali but more ex than Phuket lah. Do u know why Bintan px is more ex in Jul than Jun huh? I thot Jul not sch holiday shd be cheaper mah.

 

[linda]

Hi Giggler
The travel agent told me cos now got promotion which is only valid for stay-in till end June.

So no chance for me. Phuket should be fun for me...but thinking of going elsewhere...but the problem is WHERE????

 

[soft]

hi linda

dun worry too much on when your menses will be here. I heard that if you are too stressed, your mense will be delayed.

how about krabi? i have not been there before but suppose its somewhere similar to phuket. price should not be too expenseive, $400+?

 

[giggler]

Linda, you can try Krabi, the px abt Phuket also. Or Koh Samui/ Bali/ Phi Phi Island.......... I think I same case as u. Really feel like going somewhere but don't know if can go or not.

 

[fmy]

Hi Giggler / Linda,
Hmmm. I think Phuket is a nice place. Maybe both of u may wish to check out Phuket. Realli envy both of you going on a trip next mth leh.

Linda,
Shd be ok lah even if yur hubby went wif ex b4. Now he is going wif his wife leh. Different companion. Crossed yur fingers and hope yur menses not here. Cheers

 

[giggler]

fmy, don't envy me first. I still don't know if I can make it to Phuket or not. Who knows if there'll be anything last min that pops up? That's why I don't like to plan for holiday lor. Plan already then can't go. Very disappointed one leh.

 

[fmy]

Giggler,
Dun worry lah. Its only a short trip, shouldn't be any problem one lah unless u are talking abt long distance trip, then there might be such problem cos needs to plan earlier and do a lot of preparation. Anyway, does yur hubby loves travelling?

 

[giggler]

fmy, he likes to travel but he's always busy with work so very difficult to arrange for one lor.

 

[fmy]

Giggler,
Since he loves travelling, maybe you could excited him with the itinerary and plan that you will have for the trip lor. This might help. For myself and my hubby, if we plan for a trip, we will usually go to the bookshop like kinikoniya or Borders to look at those travelling guides, surf the net and discuss what is there for us if we are going there etc....

 

[monkey]

Gals, me back fm gynae & now at hm updating my status.

Well, juz as i suspected, i m not pregnant as he took pregnancy test for me..But he did not give me medicine to induce my menses. He did not use transvirginal scan but instead he juz do the scan on my tummy, as he oso scared tat i pregnant since my period was late. During the scan, he saw two follicle in my womb & lining was thick. It might oso mean i m pregnant as these two factors might signify early pregnancy. So keeping my fingers crossed oso

!!! But since test shows negative, i oso not having high hopes oso. Aniway, he gave me medicine to "protect" my pregnancy if i m pregnant, as it might be early pregnancy so results show negative. I m told to see him in 1 wk time. Wow, i told my hubby 2 follicle, tat means if successful, i will have twins ah? He says dun give urself high hopes, if fail, u will cry like hell....

!!!!

Aniway, talking abt the chinese medicine. He say maybe my body cannot take it, so once i stop it, i ovulated..He took blood test for me oso, check on my hormones, hep A&B, Rubella... Cost me abt $500!!! Then my hubby was ask to DIY for sperm count oso..Lucky he manged to do so...HA!HA!HA!

The gynae see the tadpoles under his microscope. Wow, he ask us to see, then i can see the tadpoles swimming leh!!! He says his is quite active, but got some abnormal forms, so oso quite dangerous if pregnant.. He gave him medicine to improve his count, as count is very impt as well as quality... He oso took his blood to test for hormones oso.. $250 leh!!! Total i pay $800 ah..For all the test, medication, & consultation..Quite ex despite his clinic is so out-of-place...

Tats my story, so keeping my fingers crossed!!!

 

[linda]

Hi Soft,
Krabi is abit too expensive...gee..I cheapskate...Looking at abt $200 per pax for tickets and accomodation.

Hi Giggler,
Yah...Like no where to go hor?? And too far, hubby cannot cos dun wanna take too much leave. Then always thinking of going Korea end of the year or beginning next year... So must save a bit...aiyah, wait til there dunno got chance to go anot.

Hi fmy,
Yah, dun envy us first. Now we talk only, also dunno can go anot. Must envy Micky...

She now excited liao!!!

 

[forgetmenot]

Hi gals....

sob sob..i feel so stress n now i'm in a lousy mood.....now my workload is more,n everyone in my dept r overload...n all of us keep shaking our heads n sighing..

Monkey,
i will pray n keep my fingers crossed for u...which gynae u go n see??

Micky,
wow...so lucky...having holidays now...so envy...

Linda,
wat u doing??typing the article out for us to read?any programs tomolo?? my hubby say he will bring mi out..but i so sian...

Giggler,
y cannot go for a short holiday leh??due to work commitments??maybe u can hve a short trip start from fri,then stretch over to the wkend??


btw,u noe when is the motherfair?? though not preggie,but still kapo to find out..hehehe

 

[linda]

Many actors determine a men's fertility and his libido - some of them are lifestyle-related a& others genetic.

For the unintiated, there are abt 50 million sperms in just one ejaculate by a normal male. The sperms's job is to swim up through the vagina and into the cevix and into a mature ready to be fertilised egg. In a successful fertlisation process, the resulting cell will subdivide many times over till a human foetus is formed.

The male body generates sperms for as long as the man has at least one functioning testicle. Speaking of which your man cannot store sperms the way you store your warerobe. If ejaculation doesn't occur for many days, the sperms will simply die. This explains why a sperm count test will show up with a high number of dead sperms if taken after many days of abstinence.

In effect, this means the more your man ejaculates, the more sperms his body will generate to fufil this need.

There are, of course, plenty of factors that can contribute to male infertility. Research has shown that elevated testicular temp is one such known factor tt has a -tive impact on semne quality and fertility. As such long hot baths and saunas shld be avoided as these increases the core temp of the testis.

Moderate exercise is good for sperm production but NOT if your man's a professional athlete or cross trainer. Intensive & extensive exercise shld be put on a low priority if having a baby is ont he agenda.

Fertility is often always associated with the psyche of sexual intercourse itself. In other words, men with fertility problems also experience problems such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, lack of appropriate timing for intercourse, lack of ejaculation and excessive masturbation.

Smoking is another known factor that lowers the quality of sperms. Research have shown that there can be up to 23% decrease in sperm concentration in a man who smokes. What is even more critical is tt smoking may increase number of abnormal sperms and there are incidents whereby there may be a link btw smoking and childhood cancer and congenital abnormalities.
Excessive alcohol shld also be avoided too as it weakens the liver, leading to nutritional deficiences and hence detrimental to sperm production.

 

[linda]

Analysing the sperm
The fluid surrounding the sperm is always considered when a semen sample is being analysed. This helps greatly when treying to determine a man's fertility rate more accurately.

There is no absolute way to determine whether a man is able to get his partner pregnant, bt there have been cases where partners of men with poor semen analysis conceive easily while those with partners with good sperm count experience difficulty.

It is good to realise tt most men's ejaculate are not sterile at all. Sometimes a combination of factors (Both external and internal) need to be present in order for conception to take place. Despite advanced research studies tt are constanly executed to explore the boundaries and definitions of male fertility, conceiving a baby is always known to be a miracle in itself and intrinsically a biological game of chance.

Lifestylke habits have a bigger hold on sex drive more than anything else. For eg, studies have shown that while moderate exercise may actually increase sex drive, intensive and extensive exercise for a prolonged period may actually reduce the libido. An excess of high carbohydrate and fat content in the diet has been shown to induce considerable levels of disinterest in sex. Excessive stress makes for a libido-buster and our hectic urban life can attest to this. Psychological conditions such as depression may also affect the libido in ways that can be diff to treat.