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Essemkay, You should put all of your reference calculations in journal entries, then you can just reference them every time we need reminding.

How do you know how many IU's a pregnancy test can detect? I looked on this site and it lists limit of detection for FRER and Wondfo as 25mIU/mL, do we then assume an ~0.5L bladder? to get a limit of detection of 12.5IU? Is that the math you're doing? I'm just guessing, please let me know the correct math. I'm a big nerd and love to do these calculations, but I couldn't find a limit of detection independent of volume.

No, the volume of pee has no effect, it's the concentration. So whether you have a gallon or a teaspoon of pee, the concentration running over the antibody strip would be the same because the antibody strip is a fixed size. Like if you had an entire bolt of fabric and also a piece the size of a cell phone and you cut out a square from both that was 1"x1" each, both squares would have the same number of threads even though one came from a really big source and one from a much smaller one. Anyway, while technically FRER has a published sensitivity of 25IU, in practice, I've personally had it detect as low as 8, and possibly lower because the blood reacts to changes in hcg much more quickly than urine does.

That's a good idea with the journal entries, would save me doing the math every time! :D

I also re-did Essemkay's trigger calculation for a 10,000IU HCG shot (which is my trigger).

I'll assume a 24, 27, and 33 hours half life (I found 33 hours listed on a Pregnyl package insert, that's a brand of HCG. It also mentioned there's no half life difference between IM and SubQ injections.)

(*My apologies on this scrunched up table, I can't get it to maintain tabs or multiple spaces. Just see text below for results.*)
IU days (24hr HL) days (27hr HL) days (33hr HL)
10000.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
5000.0 1.0 1.1 1.4
2500.0 2.0 2.3 2.8
1250.0 3.0 3.4 4.1
625.0 4.0 4.5 5.5
312.5 5.0 5.6 6.9
156.3 6.0 6.8 8.3
78.1 7.0 7.9 9.6
39.1 8.0 9.0 11.0
19.5 9.0 10.1 12.4
9.8 10.0 11.3 13.8
4.9 11.0 12.4 15.1
2.4 12.0 13.5 16.5
1.2 13.0 14.6 17.9

If FRER (and Wondfo, my brand) really detect at 25IU then trigger should be below detection by 9, 10.1, or 12.4 days past trigger (for 24, 27, or 33hr HCG half life respectively).

If they detect as low as 10IU then trigger should be below detection by 10, 11.3, or 13.8dpt (for 24, 27, or 33hr HCG half life respectively).

If they detect as low as 8IU then trigger should be below detection by 11, 12.4, or 15.1dpt (for 24, 27, or 33hr HCG half life respectively) .

Perhaps that 33 hour equation is why I'm seeing my trigger at 12-13 days frequently.

Thanks for the info Essemkay!!

Thanks for the welcome back :) The forum has been on "fire" over the past 24 hours :) Lot's of great information being shared which is awesome and that is why I really like being able to be on here with all of you ladies.

TXAdams- You asked me as to whether I was going to do another micro lupron protocol, yes, that is the plan :) There are various protocols for IVF that a RE can choose to have you move forwad on. Some involve being on Lupron for a very long time, and others, for a shorter amount of time. My understanding is that Lupron suppresses your follicles from ovulating, so with me having DOR, the worry is to try not to surpress them too much... hence I am on a "micro/smaller" dose of the Lupron itself. As for stimming meds, that too will vary from person to person, they are actually going to have me start at 600IU a day (1 75iu of Menopur and 225 of Bravelle twice/day, along with 2 20iu injections of the micro lupron). I'm not looking forward to 4 sticks a day... as for me ovulating through the BCP bills.... it was my body not adjusting to the hormones yet and powering through (this is why bcp is 98% effective and if someone is trying to use it to prevent pregnancy, they always recomend a backup method during your first month on bcp). Or my ovaries are super charged from all of the supplements I am taking :)

Miracle80- you wanted to know how I responded to IUI's. The good news is that I did exactly what the RE wanted. I had usually 2-4 good follicles per IUI, I was on Follistim 225iu/day injection only and ovidrel trigger 24-36 hours before IUI. My day 3 #'s were FSH 6.9, AMH .64 and AFC 4 initially... what are yours if you don't mind sharing? are you on any supplements to help with egg quality? My RE recommended 1200mg of CoQ10 and 75mg of DHEA, along with a prenatal, baby aspirin, and 4 mg of folic acid.

Wishing all of the waiting ladies BFP's and for everyone starting a new cycle, good folllies :)

ps. As for trigger half life, it also depends on your metabolism. As mine always is gone by day 9 but I've heard it staying in others through day 12/13.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Awhittaker- thanks for sharing your info. Mine is as follows:
The first cycle on day3 my AMH was 0.2 and FSH 14.3 (v.low AMH and fairly high FSH) and AFC I had 7, of which 2 matured. That cycle was a bust.
Second cycle (I'm in now) FSH 6.7, they didn't measure my AMH and AFC I had 9 of which 3 matured. So clearly this cycle my FSH was more normal and I had more normal AFC. My RE put me on a prenatal called Ovavite which contains COQ10, I also take COQ10 extra supplement. Also they found that my thyroid was borderline hypo on the first cycle so they put me on synthroid. Now this second cycle my thyroid is at a much more normal level. I keep wondering if that was also a problem all along!!!
Best of luck with you!!! Hope everything goes well this time!!

Thanks miracle for sharing your info as well. Hoping that this next cycle is the one for both of us!

Oh I forgot to tell you... I also do acupuncture... supposed to help... do you???

Miracle- I tested this morning and it was negative. Do you think I'm out? This is my last iui and I was going to the doctor to get diet pills. I've gained 40 lbs in a year and five months. I guess with stressing and taking clomid and all the other stuff. I'm going to take a couple of months and focus on myself before going to IVF.

I have been doing acupuncture and it has been amazing! If nothing else, it calms me down.

Also, I started spotting today (9dpo/dark brown/very light) - so I am so hoping this is a good sign! Anyone actually had implantation bleeding? I read so much about it, but wondering how common it really is?

Miracle, I haven't done acupuncture yet but I think I will with this ivf cycle if we get to move forward.

Tcmc- what dpiui day are you? Do you have a blood beta scheduled? If you haven't gotten af... There's always still a chance :) sending you kits of positive vibes!