CD 13.
This week has been a variety of ups and downs.
Tuesday:
I had a CRAZY SORE OVARIES. I ended up leaving work early, contacting my Reiki Master and having her send me some distant energy healing. I fell asleep giving myself some reiki (yes, I’m a Level 1 Practitioner – soon-to-be Level 2). When I woke up, I was feeling WAY WAY WAY better. My pain had dropped from an 8-9 to a 0-1.
Wednesday:
I had an uber productive morning at work. I’ve been feeling a bit uninspired lately, but it was good to get the creative strategy juices flowing again.
In the afternoon, I had an acupuncture appointment. She found some blocks and was able to loosen them with some persistence (yes, a few needles kept falling out) and some moxa.
I also did my HCG trigger shot at midnight. It’s a good thing my husband set his alarm as a reminder because we both fell asleep around 11PM, only to be woken up by the lovely BEEP BEEP at 11:30pm.
I actually feel like the trigger shot is easy peasy now. I get more worked up about mixing it right than I do about shooting myself up.
Thursday:
Today was an emotional nightmare. We planned on BD-ing last night, but that didn’t happen as we both were exhausted. The change of plan was to fit in a romp between the sheets this morning.
I know that sounds close to IUI time, but I thought we could try it closer and see if that affects my husband’s counts and/or BFP success.
Well… that didn’t happen.
Because my husband stressed himself out and “couldn’t perform”.
He kept getting calls from work, then he was worried about whether I was feeling sore still or not, plus he was supposed to be at the farm today getting ready for seeding. One thing lead to another, we didn’t have sex and my emotional breakdown began.
I took the day off work (like I needed to do that right before a day off for IUI! Grrrr). I spent my time between crying on my bed and relaxing in the bathtub. I wasn’t THIS emotional earlier in the week. WTF is wrong with me today?
I hope this isn’t a sign of what the pregnancy hormone will do to me WHEN my time comes.
I calmed down late this afternoon and managed to get some work done from home.
Tomorrow is IUI #3.
I am praying that this is our miracle month… otherwise, I’m saying sayonara to Clomid and asking to be put on something else.
Oh the life of an (in)fertile!
So, what do you do? Do you have sex before and after IUI? Have you noticed if it affects his counts? Fill me in ladies!
Awaiting Autumn 
we’ve been told to wait at least 24 hours before IUI, and we definitely try to the night after the IUI as well. the one time i had 24-hour-apart IUI’s, they said sperm looked good, though i admit i haven’t been getting exact numbers from them.
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Yeah last night or this morning would have been ideal timing to fit beyond the 24 hour window. Oh well… our clinic doesn’t do the back-to-back IUIs. I’ve always been curious as to whether there is more success with them or not.
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Doesn’t seem like it based on my reading and my own experience. Especially since I know my 2nd happened the day after I ovulated.
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Can’t give advice about sex affecting IUI counts. But *hugs* and hope you feel better soon! XO
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Aww I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time!! My vote is to not have sex at this point, would hate to lower his counts for the IUI. Just do the IUI, then have the obligatory sex the night of the IUI…..and then pray like crazy!! Truly hoping this is it!!
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Praying has already begun 🙂 thank you
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Any RE I’ve talked to says that back to backs don’t increase your odds much if at all. We’ve done them twice and still ended up empty. Although I feel I with fresh perm probably has a better shot at pregnancy in a back to back window than frozen. However, I think that’s why they suggest sex before and after IUI when heterosexual. I’m sorry you feel so down. Damn hormones!
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You know I was thinking of you as I wrote that post. It is truly harder for you without the option of ”trying whenever”. I wish you had better (and cheaper?) access to fresh sperm.
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Aww thanks for that. I wish I did too but it is what it is and we both have to make the most of our situations. Timing and accuracy of insemination is a guessing game at best.
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Very true unfortunately 😦
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Ah, lady, I am sorry that you are feeling so very awful! I hate those damn pills and the way that manipulate our bodies so harshly. With us, we had sex the no less than 24 hours prior to the IUI. I don’t think it affected his counts negatively regardless of when we did though. But that being said, this last IUI he had a count of around 8 mil which was at least 10 mil less than our previous IUIs. His motility was significantly increased though, and we had sex Tuesday with the IUI Thursday morning. I am praying that it’ll be perfect for you regardless, lady, and I am thinking of you both!
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Thank you!!! We are hoping for excellent counts. Fingers crossed.
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I know you don’t want him to go too long before the IUI because I think some of the sperm can be old/dead/deformed/something bad? Last cycle we BD’d like every other day (because I was paranoid they were somehow going to miss my ovulation) and did back to back IUIs and the doctor said the counts looked great. Good luck, I hope the third time is a charm for you!
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I’m so so sorry you have to go through this girlie…I know how it screws with your mind all too well. Our timed intercourse cycles were awful because we would be able to get only one session properly and the other times, my husband would be unable to finish becaus of strss. The same happened during our IUI cycles when we were asled to continue with sex after the IUIs, but those never happened. That emotional stress adds even more to the mindfuck the meds are already goving us. Hang in there, I hope it works out soon for you so this crazy period can end. Hugs!
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I’m relieved to hear my husband isn’t the only one who stresses about it. Thanks for your kind words. 🙂
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Forgive my typos…my phone’s going bonkers!
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No worries. WordPress needs an edit function! I typo all the time.
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We always tried a day and a half to two days prior to the IUI and again two days after. My husband’s counts were similar for all of them. We were told that we shouldn’t go more than 2-3 days without sex prior to the IUI. Hoping this one works for you!!!
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😦 what a nightmare. I sure as hell remember those panicky times with timing everything properly even when no one felt like it. Maybe the skipping sex will do your husband’s sperm some good? It’s a really individual thing so who knows. I so hope that this IUI will work just so you don’t have to deal with the anxiety, stress and artificial hormones anymore! I’ll be thinking of you ❤
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Thank you! Xo.
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Hugs hon! Maybe this way is better and his count will be really good because you abstained! I agree with the other ladies, just get busy afterward! Thinking about you lots today and praying so hard this is it!
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It depends on your husband’s count….the lab says that we are fine to have sex in the 36 hours between trigger shot and egg retrieval during our IVF cycles but they were also clear that was because my husband’s counts are high other people need to have stopped having sex earlier than. I don’t know if it matters for IUI….
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I’ve never taken clomid (went straight for the hard stuff) and I wasn’t too emotional on the injectables but I am fiercely emotional (meaning I cry at every freakin’ thing) lately AND my ovaries are hurting me and it’s way too early for that so I feel like we’re kindred suffering mommas right now. I’m sorry for all of the ups and downs. Never mind about taking another day off work. Thank goodness you can when you need to (and you needed to).
Leaving all that aside, I’m here wishing you so much luck on this IUI cycle. I hope the third time is the charm. Have you asked the babies if one of them is ready to come home yet?
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