First of all, if it wasn't for this website and the wonderful women contributing to it, I would have lost my sanity a year ago.

As I sit here and cry as I type this, I am overwhelmed with joy and gratitude (and pregnancy hormones!) that I've even been given the opportunity to tell my TTC Success Story. Thank you God.

DH and I started TTC in December 2000. I started using OPK's immediately. Every month I had EWCM and a + OPK result around CD12. We BD'd every other day around ovulation, but after about 7 cycles I was discouraged. I had my annual visit with my OB/GYN and mentioned my discouragement to her and immediately, she ordered an HSG and a Semen Analysis. My tubes were clear, but DH's SA was not so good. The count was low, motility was poor, morphology was bad. We were then recommended to a Urologist, Dr. Larry Lipshultz in Houston (wonderful Doctor, excellent bedside manner, super fella). He did a few tests with funny names and the results were not good that DH's sperm could even penetrate an egg to fertilize it. DH was born and raised in England and was never diagnosed with an undescended testicle. Turns out, the one that he does have, doesn't work that great (or that's what we were told). By now, it's October and we're feeling sorry for ourselves. The Doctor recommended artificial insemination. We were positive about this, but decided to wait until 2002 to proceed because we were just plain mentally exhausted. We wanted to go on a vacation, remodel our master bathroom and just stop trying so hard to get pregnant.

DH and I had a great time together. We went on vacation, BD'd spontaneously for no other reason but to enjoy our intimacy. On the first Sunday in December, DH had to leave on a business trip. I had planned to go shopping, but I was really tired. My cycles are ALWAYS 26 days, so on CD 27, I bought an HPT and within 5 seconds, there were 2 lines!!!!! I couldn't believe it!!!!! All I could do was cry and say, "Thank you God!!" When DH came home, I told him by giving him the book "The Expectant Father". He was shocked to say the least and with his dry British humor said, "Blimey! Who's the father???" We hugged and cried for an hour.

Here we are, 13 weeks and 5 days pregnant. We've had an ultrasound, seen and heard the heartbeat and so far all the lab work has come out good. I didn't suffer too badly with morning sickness and other than being a little more tired than usual, I feel great!

Ladies, whatever your obstacle is, don't give up and more importantly, don't lose faith.

Kim C., 28, pg#1, EDD 8/15/02
PS - I think it's a boy ;)

From: HeatherL

I'm just thrilled to be PG for the 2nd time on this board! I have 2 DS's, Zach (5/3/97) and Alex (6/17/01). Zach was conceived on our 1st try and Alex was conceived after 14 months, 4 failed IUI cycles (2 Clomid, 2 Gonal-F) and DH's successful varicocele surgery. Alex's success story is in Book #23!

I am also shocked to be PG because I haven't had AF since before I conceived Alex (Sept. 2000). We planned to ttc #3 in April and I was getting concerned that I wouldn't be fertile then since my 1st postpartum AF hadn't arrived. I had bf Alex until mid-January and must have ovulated a few weeks later. I have been sporadically taking my temps for a few months, so after getting consistent high temps and feeling nauseated often, I suspected I was PG. I've taken EPT's 2 days in a row and gotten positives! I'm guessing my edd will be 10/29/02. This is such a wonderful surprise!

Finally!

I first came to the TTC website about 3 years ago or so -- Dh and I officially really started to ttc in January 2000 -- Well I had many sad nights reading the Success Stories thinking it would never be me --- but somehow it always gave me hope to read them too--- So I thought I would share my story in the hopes that it would make someone else have a bit of hope too.

Our story: We had a full year or so of charting, temps and obsession! It was making me crazy and dh too -- so at about a year we went to a specialist and started tests -- We had just about every test done -- the post coital, sperm analysis, and ultimately we also had the endo biopsy and then a die test -- we found some issues with the post coital and the endo biopsy-- and did several failed IUIs (5 total) -- dh sperm count was really good to sometimes questionable-- nothing was really working -- So in an attempt to rule out endometriosis I had the lap done in June of last year -- the doctor found very mild endo -- but we were still concerned with my dh so he had yet another SA done --- this time a more advanced test -- the swim up test that looks at sperms ability to live over a period of time --- finally we got some answers -- my dh's count was good they just didn't last long -- and I had some questionable fertility as well -- So put us together and the equation was no baby the old fashioned way!

The next step was IVF -- it was a scary thing to think about and not how we dreamed we would conceive our child ... but we were ready for the commitment! So we took a week long wonderful vacation in September ( the break was the most wonderful thing ever) and came home ready to start the IVF process. I did not have to start BCP -- we started lupron at the end the September cycle -- the first shot scared me to death -- I don't know who was more worried - me or dh. We used follistim and of course the trigger hcg shot when the time finally came -- the progesterone was the worst! We went in for the retrieval and had 11 sweet little eggs - the doctor gave the egg and sperm a little help by injecting the eggs with a sperm -- 3 long days later we heard that we had 8 embryos to choose from!! It was thrilling to know we could actually get fertilized eggs -- The big issue came when we had to choose how many to put back --- the doctor rec'd we put back 3 --- it was so hard to know what to do -- but we listened and had 3 done-- I practically laid upside down for days.

Well I won't go on and on (even though I know details are great) but after 2 weeks of fear, anxiety, hope -- I took an evil pg test -- and low and behold it was positive -- I took 3 more tests- all positive--- I have never been so grateful in my life - I cried and screamed and prayed that it would be true --- when dh got home I went down and I think I was acting very weird -- finally I blurted out I took some pg tests .... and they were all positive -- we both just held each other-- it was unbelievable.

So a hundred or so shots later and almost two years of tears and frustration -- we are PREGNANT!!

The story does continue -- we found out several weeks later at our first u/s that we were carry triplets!! We were amazed and scared - Unfortunately at 10 weeks we lost one of the babies --- It has not always been easy but as I write this to you I am 23 almost 24 weeks carrying twins .. a boy and a girl.

It can and will happen for you -- It may not happen in the way you think it will but the blessing will be the same -- children! I thank God every day for these gifts.

Best to all -- thanks for the support over the years.
Talb - 29 and DH-29 carrying twins due July 7, 2002

Clomid Club Discussion Board

Well, it is official (long)
Posted By: Sarah ttc#1, cd 31, dpo 15,clomid 150 mg 3-7, ++++HPT!!!!
Friday, 29 March 2002, at 04:40 PM

My RE office called and said that my blood test was positive! My HCG level was 13. I asked if it was low and she said we may have just tested early and the important thing is if the levels double every 2 days. I'll go in again Monday for another blood test.

This was my first month on clomid. I have attached my chart. I O'd on CD 16. I had a lot of sharp pain at O and cramps on and off since then. My other symptoms include fatigue and bloating. Though the bloating appears to have retreated a bit today. Also noticed that acne and hair growth (from PCOS) may have gotten better. It may be so early, that I haven't developed any other symptoms. I hope that is the case. My husband and I used baby oil for lubrication as I only had CM one day, on CD 15.

I'm so happy but so nervous. I wish I had a real high number so that I could relax. I think DH and I will just try to enjoy the weekend.

A little history. I'm 31 and have been diagnosed with PCOS for over 10 years. I was on depo provera for 8 years and after I went off, I couldn't get a period for more than 2 years. I went through difficult treatment taking provera, estrogen, prometrium. I went on glucophage 1 1/2 years ago and am on a lighter dose than normal because I couldn't handle s/e. I've only had 3 periods since October, 2 of them induced with prometrium.

Last month (I've mentioned this before), I went in for baseline ultrasound and RE saw pregnancy sac. This is a long story but in a matter of 2 weeks, went from thinking I was pg, thinking I had m/c, to finding out I was never pg. It has been a difficult couple months but I am grateful for this blessed outcome.

I can't tell you all how much I have appreciated your support. Thank you so much! I really hope that a baby comes your way.

I will stay on this board and let you know how things go, and hopefully contribute to people's questions.

*sigh* :-)