Monday, August 15, 2011

dIUI: 8dpIUI - flip of the coin

I can't decide if I should feel hopeful or not about this cycle. Am I PG? Or not? Part of me just wants to decide in my head one way or the other and just act as if...

I've been more in the "act as if I'm not" camp lately. Not that I'm drinking wine and coffee. I decided earlier in the 2WW to go ahead and exercise - not run a marathon, but go to the gym and get my heart rate up (not above 140 tho). During my IVFs, it was like walking on egg shells. This time I'm just living life.

The other reason I'm taking the "act as if I'm not" approach is that I've always lowered my expectations so I won't be so disappointed. Until IF, this has worked very well for me. I would work hard, do everything I could to make something happen (apply to colleges, jobs, etc.) and then basically offer up to the universe "Do whatever is best for me" with the caveat "Including something I might not have thought of myself."

IF just proves how little control we do have over our lives, our situations. We had no control about which families we were born into. Often our lives are mapped out for us by our family situations and expectations.  Whether we get a raise or not is not up to us, someone else has to make the decision, put the money in the budget, recognize our talents.

I have two cheap dollar-store HPT at home, but Mr. Jem doesn't want me to POAS. Our beta is on Sunday. Only thing keeping me from testing is the heartbreak of a negative.

So, my questions for you, dear readers. are: Do you POAS? What type of HPT do you use?
~Jem

9 comments:

Sarah said...

Keeping my fingers crossed for you sweetie.

I for one don't POAS, so I am not much help on brands :)

JW Moxie said...

I was a testaholic. I suffer from severe peestickitis dementia. SEVERE.

Internet cheapies are good for multi-day testing. Wondfos are the best for that, in my opinion.

When I was ready to break out the big guns, First Response Early Result was my go-to test. Answers are good, too, but FRER's lines seem to show a bit darker than Answers.

CBE digitals pick pick up hCG a lot earlier than 50 units, as advertised. I got positives with betas of 15 with those.

The absolute best test, though, I think are OSOMs. They're super-sensitive medical grade tests which are available only online.

Stay away from the blue dye tests, because those are notorious for evaps.

I know waaaay too much about pregnancy tests. I can't tell yet if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

8dpo -- The. Suspense. Can't take it. *everything's crossed*

Mrs. Gamgee said...

I'm one of the weak ones... I'm in the 'test often, test early' camp. Or at least I used to be. I've been able to hold off from testing for the last few months.

I have had success with dollar store tests, altho not usually on the early extreme. I always had better luck with Clear Blue (just the regular ones for early testing, digital for right around AF).

Whatever you decide will be right for you. :)

JW Moxie said...

Mrs. Gamgee reminded me - Dollar Tree tests rock.

Annie B said...

Never POASed - for me, just more shaky info in an already shaky process (like, you could have a really low beta but POAS would show as positive). Not knowing is so insanely hard. It is so tempting to try to get or assume an answer in order to try and survive the tension. But you won't really know until you know. And as awful as that is, there still is hope in that. Hope you are able to distract yourself until Sunday...

Marissa said...

I test (internet cheapies only). I don't have the strength to go into a beta blind. I can't take a phone call--or, knowing my luck, a message saying, "call us back, we have your results" and then phone tag for 2-3 hours. I want the information in my own home, next to my husband, not at work or school, surrounded by people who don't know why I'm crying.

Oh yes, I tend to assume to worst. I test, frankly, as a way to keep my hopes in line with reality.

I never had a negative that wasn't a negative beta (starting at 10DPO), and I never had a positive that wasn't a chemical, miscarriage, or, well, this pregnancy. So I might be biased there, since they've been very accurate for me.

linda said...

I'm a daily POAS-er like Kim..also use Wondfo. :)

I test daily after transfer so I can see the trigger leave...and if anything slows up after it goes "white", then I know it's a real + and not just residual HCG floating around in my system.

I'm also a bit of an immune patient (elevated NKs and APAs) and at the first sign of pregnancy I need to hunker down and get IVIG...so waiting til a serum beta is not ideal for one like me. :)

It really is early to be testing. I would wait until Wednesday and then POAS with abandon if you can bear seeing a negative and realize that it might just be that your sticks aren't sensitive enough to show you a +. I would rather know sooner, but that's just me.

threelittlekilos said...

i never tested early...i never really needed to. i would start to spot before the full AF, so i would know that i was out.

but the cycle i got my bfp, for some reason i tested at 9dpo. it was around christmas and i wanted to put out of my mind that whole, "christmas bfp" thing...and what do you know? there was another faint line.

i bought some cheap internet tests (opks and hpts) and they worked wonders. it just got too expensive using the store bought ones!

good luck. i have everything crossed for you...wishing you well!

Anonymous said...

I never got far enough with treatments to get a beta...so it was POAS for me.

Fingers crossed!