TTC and Vaginismus

Some people will already know this, others won't.

I have a condition known as vaginismus.

What is vaginismus? Well, I'm glad you asked! It's basically a condition that makes intercourse extremely painful if not impossible! You can read about it HERE for a more in depth understanding, but for the sake of explaining it in relation to TTC, that's basically all you need to know: a condition that makes intercourse very hard to achieve.

So how does one try to have a baby when intercourse isn't an option?

I'll just leave that picture there and say "yes, it's exactly what you're thinking."

It's not ideal by any means, but it is where we're at right now.  Despite physical therapy, we just can't have intercourse as often as required to give us a good sporting chance during my fertile window.

Lock and Load.

Common Abbreviations

2WW: Two week wait (before testing, not always 2 weeks)
AF: Aunt Flo, your period.
BD: Baby Dance. Have intercourse for conception purposes or by extension any form of insemination.
 BFN: Big Fat Negative (pregnancy test)
BFP: Big Fat Positive (pregnancy test)
CD: Cycle Day
CH: Crosshairs- the lines drawn on the chart to indicate ovulation
CL: Coverline
CM: Cervical mucous, also known as cervical fluid. It is fluid produced by your cervix as you approach ovulation due to increased estrogen.
CP: Cervical Position
DH, DD, DS: Dear Husband, Dear Daughter, Dear Son
DPO: Days Past Ovulation
EDD: Estimated Due Date
EWCM: Eggwhite cervical mucous. See Eggwhite cervical fluid.
FSH: Follicle Stimulating Hormone
GnRH: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone
HPT: Home pregnancy test. Measures levels of the hormone hcG which are produced in pregnancy.
HcG: Hormone detected by pregnancy tests. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin.
IUI: Intra-uterine insemination
IVF: In-vitro fertilization
LH: Luteinizing Hormone
LMP: Last menstrual period. The first day of your last period.
LOL: Laughing out loud
LP: Luteal Phase
LPD: Luteal Phase Defect
M/C: Miscarriage
O: Ovulation
OPK: Ovulation Prediction Kit. OPKs measure luteinizing hormone, the last hormone to peak before ovulation.
POAS: Pee on a stick
RE: Reproductive Endocrinologist- Fertility Specialist
TTC: Trying to conceive.

Getting to know us

Whit and I have been together for 9 years, married for 5 of them come Halloween.
Whit is a 28 year old mechanical engineer with a degree from Auburn University, and I am a 26 year old PA. Whit enjoys welding, nature, and typical manly stuff and I am a homebody who loves curling up with one of our four furbabies and reading or sipping on a cuppa tea.
We recently purchased our first house and have embarked on a journey that has had many ups and downs thus far.

Nobody ever tells you that having a baby can be difficult, and you take for granted the fact that it only takes having intercourse for form a little human inside of you.

Not true.

Our lives have become a constant cycle of timed sex, peeing on sticks, temping, herbs and vitamins, blood tests, and medications.

We are facing both male and female factor infertility. Whit with low count and mobility, and me with thyroid problems. Both are in the process of being corrected with an herb regiment for Whit, and synthroid for me.
I'm entering my 6th month of treatment and go in 3 weeks to get my TSH levels checked again.

Last time my TSH was < 0.006 while on 75mcg of Synthroid.
My doctor lowered the dosage to 50mcg in hopes of raising my TSH and getting it within normal range, so we shall see if that accomplished anything when I go for my blood work.

Until then.
We will wait.

 

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."