# Downcast Newbie



## TQ (Aug 16, 2007)

I'm new here.  I'm just 33 and have no known fertility problems.  I started planning for TTC last September, and have finally just had my first scan on my first DIUI treatment cycle. 

But I'm already confused - can anyone help?!

I started charting my temp in September, and my charts have, for the most part, been pretty clear cut.  December was a weird month, but I was drinking and having lots of late nights so that was to be expected!

I have a 26 day cycle (occasionally a day or so longer or shorter but that's only happened once each way).  My temp rises usually on day 16 giving me a short LP of 10.

I went for a day 8 scan today (they don't scan on Thursdays!) after being told to get a day 9.  The Dr said I have one follicle on my right but need to get scanned again on Friday (day 10).  He then told me I ovulate on day 12.  I told him it was more usually day 16 and he said "but you have a 26 day cycle so how is that possible?"  I told him I just have a short LP and he asked how I knew when I ovulated.  I told him I'd been taking my temps since September and he told me that wasn't accurate.

It made me really angry to be told that I don't know my own body, having spent the last 6 months tuning into it.  How can he belittle temping when it seems to get it so perfectly right every month?  And should I listen to him and assume I ovulate on day 12 even though all the signs (CM, temp, etc) point to later?  Also is it normal to only have one follicle?  Usually it sounds like people have lots on both sides - is this down to drugs?

I don't think I understand how all this works after all - assumed I'd have my scan today, start OPKs on Sunday and go for DIUI on Tuesday or Wednesday next week.  But now it's all sounding worrying.  Why do I need to go back?


----------



## LoisLane (Apr 26, 2007)

Hi Tupperware Queen

Welcome and well done on posting! 

Firstly I'm intrigued by your FF name , please share ?

I'm hoping you are feeling better about your treatment now . I have never charted or tested for ovulation, but do know that it is supposed to happen around 14 days before AF visits, therefore I should imagine that this is what your doctor is basing it on. I think though that this can differ and may be more in line with your findings, hopefully you will get some answers when you do your testing starting from Sunday. Sending you lots of  for next week. I would also write down a list of questions for next time you go into the clinic, this will help you to be clearer on everything. I do this, otherwise I found myself forgetting!

I'm going to post a few links for you, which I hope you find useful;

Starting out & Diagnosis ~
CLICK HERE

What Every New Member Needs to Know ~
CLICK HERE

Donor sperm/eggs CLICK HERE

IUI - CLICK HERE

And don't forget to have a bit of fun while you are on FF and check out the general chit chat / jokes / hobbies area
G&B - Community Fun board

CLICK HERE

To make the site easier to navigate click on the index tab at the top of any page - pink hearts mean there is something new within the board you have not read/looked at and if you scroll right down you will see the last ten posts from all over FF all are clickable  if you refresh this page (f5) it will update the last ten posts as well as the boards/threads and who's online!!!
take some time to look at the *help tab* too 

Check out the *Locations boards* for where you live & a site search for your *clinic* 

Right, that will keep you busy! Wishing you the best of luck for next week and sending you lots of  and 

Let me know how you get on.

Louj x


----------



## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

Hello Tupperware Queen, welcome to Fertility Friends 

When you read posts about lots of follicles you are probably reading people who have IVF where the eggs are collected and fertilitsed outside the body and then up to 2 embryos replaced in the uterus. With IUI the sperm is put in the uterus and the woman's eggs are released into the uterus to, hopefully, be fertilised. If you have too many follicles there is a risk of high rate multiple prgenancy so, generally, they like you to have 3 or less and, any more they would either convert to IVF or abandon the cycle. You don't mention if you are having a natural cycle IUI (i.e. no stimulation drugs for you) or if you are being stimmed but, if you have no fertility problems and, I surmise from your posts that you are having a natural IUI so one follicle is perfectly normal as this is what you would normally produce and it would give you as good a chance if getting pregnant as any!

As for your query about ovulation, yes it is normally considered that you ovulate 14 days before your period begins - for many ladies, myself included me that does actually ring true. No matter what my cycle length is, and it is fairly regular, I get EWCM 14 days before my period arrives. Even last month when i got it early and, yep, I had a rouge 25 day cycle. It's possible your doctor could be wrong and you could have a short luteal phase but this in itself might be an issue affecting conception as you need a certain mimimum amount of time between ovulation and AF arriving in order to allow a fertilised egg to implant. Your doctor ought to be able to tell from the size of your follicle how close it is to maturing which could also be a reason he is saying day 12.  Temp charting can be quite hit and miss (I never got the hang of it at all) so unless you are extremely careful and using a very accurate thermometer you can get it wrong even when you think you are getting it right. The presence of egg white (clear and stretchy) cervical mucous is probalby slightly better indicator but you can have this for several days before ovulation and, sometimes you can confuse other vaginal secretions too. 
Will you be using OPKs to predict ovulation during IUI or relying on the scans? I have never had IUI but I have had natural FET and I had a mix of both - the difference with natural FET is the fertilised embryo is already 2-3 days old when frozen so, you detect the surge and then wait a few days before having it thawed and transferred as it will then be the "right" age as if you conceived naturally.

I hope that might help answer some of your questions. PLease do check out he IUI link as I am sure you will get plenty of support therte too!

Loads of luck!

C~x


----------



## TQ (Aug 16, 2007)

Doh - just wrote a long reply and pressed the wrong button and lost it.

Thanks for the welcomes - nice to be here.

Have started out on natural cycles possibly using a trigger shot as I have problems detecting a surge using opks, so just hoping my body is doing everything its supposed to.

Sitting here typing with hot water bottle and pineapple juice in the hope it'll help thicken things up.  Feels quite indulgent!

Just a bit confused as to what will happen next.  Got my scan tomorrow and hoping things are looking better, but will the dr insist on the cd 12 thing even though I believe its too early?  And as that's a Sunday of a bank holiday will they abandon the cycle or will they take my word for it and let me trigger Mon/Tue for a Wed basting?  If he thinks I'm due to ovulate in 2 days time and my follies aren't developed enough will he think there's something wrong, or will he scan again on Tues to see how it's going (which is what I expected to happen originally).  I assume they can't actually "see" if you've ovulated or not so it's a bit of guesswork on their side?

I think I'm even starting to confuse myself now!


----------



## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

Hi again TQ, are you using cheap internet tests or shop bought branded ones. Throw away the cheapies as they are next to useless. Even then, getting the hang of interpreting the OPK can be difficult!

The can actually see if you have ovulated as they will see the follicle has gone and a corpus luteum formed in its place. HOwever, by then it is too late to bast as, my understanding is with IUI the sperm is placed inside the utuerus within 36 hours of ovulation or the egg / sperm will not be in the right place at the right time so to speak. 
If your follicles aren't obviously big enough at the scan tomorrow then I imagine it will be obvious to him that you will not be close to ovulating and he will ask you to come back - depending on when it looks likely. Follicles grow 2mm a day on average and need to be about 18 to 22mm to be "ready" to trigger - that's for IVF purposes anyway so I imagine it's a similar thing for IUI. The trigger needs to be done 36 hours before the eggs are to be released. Ideally you would time it so you have basting about 48 hours after trigger or there abouts. To be honest I am not really an expert as I have nevr had IUI so I am only going by what I have picked up from others on FF. 

I don't know what to suggest to be honest. Perhaps speak to your cons tomorrow and see what's what. If you don't look ready to ovulate, maybe you can just have a monitoring cycle this time (i.e. no basting but another scan on Tuesday to see whether you have ovulated or not and, if not, great go ahead then with basting). Not sure if that's an option - possibly not if you are NHS funded but if you are self funding you have a bit of customer power and, frankly in those ciscumstances, if your clinic are not going to adapt your cycle to suit then find a clinic that will!

Good luck tomorrow. Do let us know how you get on.

C~x


----------



## TQ (Aug 16, 2007)

Thanks Caz.  That is a reassuring message - I think you've answered the question I was wondering - about whether the scan will show up that I've ovulated.  In theory then, even if the dr continues to insist that I will ovulate on Sunday, if I go back in on Tuesday, he will (hopefully) see that I haven't and it will be ok to go this cycle.

Fingers crossed!

Will try and speak to him a bit today - as you say, I have more power as a self-funder.


----------



## TQ (Aug 16, 2007)

Well - all went well - saw a different dr - she told me my follie was 14mm and all looking good.  Told to start using OPKs to detect the surge and call as soon as I get a + and then use the trigger shot.  She even showed me my follicle on the screen which was good.

They're even open on Monday, despite it being a bank holiday, so it would be great if I got to baste then - all this rushing to and from work and thinking of excuses for long lunch breaks is starting to stress me out a bit now!  Fingers crossed!

Otherwise go back in Tuesday to see how things are.

Feeling MUCH happier now! 

Thanks for the support.  Will go and join the other IUI'rs and stop stressing!


----------



## LoisLane (Apr 26, 2007)

Hi TQ!

That's fab news, best of luck!

Sending you oodles of   and  

Louj x


----------

