2nd MC & Life after that….

Just as i was typing the previous blogpost last month, i probably conceived naturally few days before that but again early MC. It is our 2nd time already. This time was much earlier though. I went to do my HCG blood test , took proluton jab and progesterone pills and everything to confirm but only to suddenly bleed and have a negative test kit suddenly and bleeding starts 1 week later. And infact this time , we were supposed to go for IVF but we couldn’t because i found out i was pregnant. This time things went abit differently…the symptoms were different as well. I found out a week before my period ( which im supposed to see doc for IVF on first day of period) which is also a week after i tested positive in ovulation kit. So this time it was discovered fast because the symptoms came in faster this time. I had pinkish egg white discharge on the day i found out and also my boobs hurts sooo much. Too much until i cannot lie on my stomach to sleep. I also sleep alot and very early like 8pm. All these weird out of the blue symptoms made me tested early and there was a faint line on the first test kit. After which i never test anymore and just go to the doctor to check on my blood work.

One symptom that never change…i have cravings for raw fish like sashimi and sushi. Hubs was joking that our little embryo has strong Busan genes…have to like sashimi lol. Cos Busan is a sea port and famous for their korean style sashimi mah.

To be honest , i wasnt expecting much since last year’s MC. So we were not excited about it and was afraid instead. Afraid that it may end up like last time. So this time , we went through it and coped with it well. Well, it is okay if it is just two of us ! So we are taking it well.

And we didn’t expect it this time to tio also. It just happened unexpectedly.

Sometimes i felt like something is stopping us from having children. Last year , we found out the positive pregnancy test just before going for IUI. And this year, also same thing happen but is before going for IVF. We tried natural but over the course of 3 years , only had 2 positives but ended in early MC. And each time is before going for procedures. So maybe just fate lor. Sigh. Im taking it easy. Hubs is also ok with not having kids.. and we plan to travel to exotic places like Inner Mongolia, Egypt, Tibet, Morocco etc every 3 years till we turn 60yo.

For the past 1month , we have been going on fortnightly brunch or lunch dates. Looked for 1 for 1 promotions and eating good food or cafe hopped…enjoying just couple dates and we thought actually if no kids also okay. We don’t want to stress ourselves too much. We are not giving up but at the same time we don’t want to stress ourselves. I need my body and mind to be in the good condition for IVF and even natural conception.

And i need to be in good shape so that my hormones can be back to normal again. I just came period today even though the bleeding from MC stopped 2 weeks ago. Hormones went haywire already. Which means i may or may not have ovulated immediately the day after my MC bleeding ended. Or it is just hormones that caused this bleeding and it is not a period.

Anyways…

I realized i have not been coming to this space often since i restarted blogging in dayre. But i still come here to check on my past posts for information lol because i can get quite forgetful sometimes and coming to this space today because i have time to sit down , sip a cup of hot roobois tea and do some self reflections here. One thing i do not like about dayre is the word limit per posting so i come back to this space to type out my thoughts , do some self reflections about my work , my life , my finances and my family planning.

My Life…

We have been going on dates fortnightly. Go scout for good and cheap food and kio those 1 for 1 deals. Took very long to persuade this guy to go to Jewel because he read and saw the news that it was very crowded so he was not keen. But that was the initial part lah. Few months after opening the crowd already start to cool down.

Had lunch at Arteastiq.

Not forgetting going for Korean bbq. It’s been VERY VERY Long since we went out for bbq.

We got our own bbq grill pan ( gas stove and electric ones ) so we hardly eat out. Cheaper to buy your own and eat at home but we decided to go out for once. But our wallet will be abit empty after that lol.

Went to South Beach for brunch with hubs at Fynns. His first time to South beach. We also found a Koremexican restaurant (Korean+Mexican) and thought maybe one day we should go try it out.

So for June and July , we went cafe hopping. Haha hubs asked me to find places with a budget of $50 for 2pax. Not that he or we cannot afford but he is very frugal and he say the portion very small and not full enough for him so we ended up ordering so many dishes that is why so expensive lah !!! He finished the pasta at Arteastiq in 3 mouthfuls and even ate half of mine leh.

In Aug , i shall bring him go hawker hunt ! Find the best kway chap , hokkien mee etc ! Old Airport Road hawker centre will be my next target. I need huge portions to feed this gentle giant.

For the 2nd MC , it was conceived on the day of our first fortnightly arranged date out. Haha i had Kirin beer and we had skewers buffet at Taan. I think more than 55 skewers and each skewers have 2 to 3 pieces of meat/vegs.

Hahah maybe that night very relax because we have not been on late night dates for very long time. Always nua and watch drama or work at home most of the time. Hubs was happy that i can drink , talk and eat with him. Sometimes he want to do that but because i don’t drink and don’t like drinking so i always order coke but that day since it was late night out…a small little pint wont harm hahah.

I also catch up with alot of friends and clients (both non-business and business meetings). We went Jewel to queue for shake shack and even had omakase to celebrate their milestones.

My work…

Came back from the convention in Sydney and this time , hubs joined me! I extended my trip so we can go to Melbourne. It was a 6 day trip to Sydney and Melbourne. Too tight and too tired.

1557396375674_mr1557396537378

Went there with sore eyes. Had eye infection on the day of my flight from SG to Sydney. Gosh i did my eyelash extension the day before my trip and that night my eyes turned so red and painful. So the next day which was just few hours before my flight , i hurried down to the doctor and he gave me antibiotics eye drop. I had to drip every 3 hrs and i finished 1 small tube within 2-3 days. Heng ah…there are alot of pharmacies in Aussie and their meds , vitamins and skincare are known to be very cheap there. So i top up the antibiotic drips from the pharmacy in Sydney city centre.

Fortunately it healed quite fast with the antibiotic drips and slightly recovered before Melbourne trip. The air in Aussie was dry and windy. It irritated my eyes even more and i was worried that it may become worst. Luckily on the day to Melbourne , it got better. Because we will be going on a day tour roadtrip and it will be very windy by the coast. I don’t want to agitate it further.

1557396411778_mr155739650327920190508_095853

Still having unbalanced sized eyes due to eye infection from eyelash extensions.

1557670177490_20190512_101209_mr1557669187524_mh1557670250875

The Great Ocean Road 1day roadtrip was the best.

By the way , the word on my cap says “SOX”. It is a cab from MLB and it stands for RED SOX Team. There are people staring at my cap and guessing if the word says “SEX” =.=

20190512_085704

 

** To be continued..12 am liao need to sleeep.

 

My TTC Journey – 3x IUI Failed

I think title summarised everything.

So i failed IUI 3 times.

What is IUI ? IUI = Intrauterine insemination.

So your ovulation was monitored through several scans and doctor will place your hub’s sperm inside your uterus to facilitate fertilization. It can be done with or without medications and there are different types and dosage for the medication.

Cost is not as expensive as IVF. Per cycle of IUI cost about $1.5K to $3K. The price range depends on the number of scans you need (Doc consultation+scan) and dosage of medication required. Before that you probably need to spend about another $500 to $1000 for the blood test depends on what your doctor want you to test for.

Usually, doctors will ask you to go for 3 times of IUI before you proceed to IVF.

Ya lor so we failed all 3 tries. So the next step is to go for IVF. Waiting for my period to come in 2 weeks so that we can start.

After the miscarriage (previous post) , i took 1 cycle break till October. However after the miscarriage , the period haywire. It became longer! So i have to take norethisterone to time my period and force it to come. Doc asked me to take for 7 days and stop and the period will come within 3 to 10 days later. And that was when i started IUI

My First IUI ….. 7th of Nov 2018

On 1st Day of full flow period , i made a call to the clinic to book for day 2 appt. That was when the process starts.

On cycle day 2 of period (2nd day of period) , gynae scanned to check and prescribed me letrozole which is a hormone pill to assist in ovulation. I took 5 pills of letrozole at 1 pill per day from day 2 of my period to day 6 and stop. And on that day at the clinic , nurse booked me to see doc again on day 12 to scan.

On day 12 , doc scanned to check on my linings to make sure it is alrigh. Not too thin and not too thick. Ideal one is at least 8mm. And also she scanned my ovaries to check on the eggs to find the dominant one which will mature for ovulation for IUI.

Somehow, letrozole does not work on me. My eggs grew damn slow and not even responding. So i came back again on day 16 since my gynae said my eggs are still small. It was only about 8 to 10mm on day 12. I have to come back again on day 19 to scan again since the eggs are supposed to be ideal and at least between 18mm-21mm to trigger for ovulation and iui procedure.

So bo bian i came back on day 19 again. Some people respond well to the medication and they can ovulate and do iui on day 14 but not for me though. So for my IUI procedure , i have to spend more $$ since i have to do more scans. Each trip to clinic is $200 at last ( scans $80 and consultation $120).

It was my first IUI and i was of cos abit scared and worried. So every single little thing i will call in and make a trip back. Esp when i tested negative for pregnancy but my period never come. I think i too kanchiong and kia see already. So i spent more $$ lor…should have kept my cool.

On day 19, the egg still “sleeping” not at ideal size so i came back on day 20 again to scan again. That was when it was about 15.4mm and lining is 12mm. Still “sleeping”.

Have to reschedule my next scan again lor on day 22.

On day 22 , the follicle grew to 18mm already. I was told the egg follicles grow about 2mm per day. So mine is really damn slow. I had the ovulation trigger shot (pregnyl 5000iu) to trigger ovulation in 36hrs and my IUI was done next day in the clinic.

This jab is damn painful !! Wah it was injected into the muscles at your butt. After that i can feel the pain and ache. I have problem lying down on the injected site or even sit. Machiam orceh bruise lor.

On Day 24, hubs and i went to the clinic for our IUI procedure. Before that hubs will have to produce the sperm and submit to a centre where they will process it and pass it to me in a vial and i have to bring it to the clinic. The centre advised that i keep the vial in my bra to keep warm if im taking cab. Avoid direct exposure to direct aircon or cold.

Haha so i kept the vial so precious inside my bra cup lor. The centre is just 10mins away so we took a cab back to the clinic for IUI.

It was a chop chop 10 mins procedure. I have to go in with my bladder SUPER FULL so that scan can be done. And after the procedure i was told to lie down for 20mins. Wah cannot endure..really need to pee.

Hubs took this pic when i was there waiting for my gynae to come. The room is super cold. I was told to keep warm and wear skirt if not you have to take your whole pants down and expose your lower body to the cold aircon room for at least 40mins. So cold until i cant wait to get up and pee due to full bladder but i have to lie down for 20 mins after gynae place hub’s sperm inside.

After the procedure , i went home to rest. I was instructed to call the clinic only if i missed my period after 14 days and tested positive for pregnancy. And i was given duphaston and cardiprin pills to take to help maintain the pregnancy if positive. If negative, to call back again on 1st day of FULL flow period and make appt for cycle day 2 and the WHOLE iui procedure repeats again!

My 2nd IUI… Jan 2019

I failed my first IUI..

Was i disappointed ? Yes

I was really disappointed because i was hopeful.

We have been trying to conceive for 3 years. We have no medical issues except that i have mild pcos where my period is irregularly regular (2-3 times a year i may have a 42 day cycle) but it has been under control since i started taking metformin everyday and my period is now within 32days. I ovulate but don’t know when only.

After trying naturally but failed with a miscarriage , the next thing i can hope for to help us with child planning is via IUI. Then IUI first round fail liao..the how ?

My first IUI failed and it took me sometime to think and manage my expectations for the 2nd one. I took 1 month break after the first IUI because blood cyst was found in my ovary. It could be caused by the hormone pills i took. I was told it is harmless and will disappear on its own within 1 month.

I took a break in Dec and started 2nd iui only in Jan this year.

2nd IUI was a repeat of first iui with same gynae but even more scans cos this cycle period was longer and eggs sleeping again and then clash with CNY ! So i cannot do my iui since the clinic was closed for 4 days and we took the meds again but the gynae increased the dosage to 2 letrozole pills per day instead of 1.

As expected , i came my period after that.

Maybe i managed my expectations better. I was disappointed but not as disappointed. I dont want to expect so i wont be disappointed and affected emotionally. But i still remain hopeful for a miracle.

3rd IUI with a fertility specialist …Mar 2019

This time i did SO-IUI with a fertility specialist doctor.

SOIUI = Super Ovulation Intrauterine insemination which requires hormone injections for hmmm 5 days ?

This time i went back to the fertilty specialist whom i consulted to back in 2017 because i was thinking to start ivf at his clinic if iui fails.

As usual , i called in on 1st day of period and made appt for 3rd day of my period to start the medications because i came period on sat..and 2nd day is a Sun and clinic closed. Oh he found a polyp in my uterus. I went for the surgery in April. 4 gynaes and he is the only one who spotted it.

Mixing menopur solution is such a hassle.

The jab i used was Puregon. 1 very small 3ml vial cost about $315 before gst.

So this is the injection pen where you insert the vial and inject into your tummy fats.

I wanted to inject myself but i find it easier to kiap my belly fats with 2 hands instead of 1 lol cos 2 hands can kiap more belly flesh and less pain. Hubs did the jab for me.

Took a video when the staff nurse went through with me how to inject myself. Hubs watched it several times so he can get it right.

I couldn’t help laughing when he did it for me.

He hor too kanchiong..either he push the needle in and push the dial to inject the solution in but forgot to count to 10..so the needle was in for quite long lor until i reminded him to take it out.

OR he push the needle in and count to 10 but forgot to push the dial to inject the solution in. So again the needle was in for quite a long time lor.

OR he push the needle in, count to 10 and push the dial to inject the solution in BUT stay there and never pull the needle out…………

I think he only got 2 times right haha.

What happened when the needle was in for too long. Like some mozzie bite but heng not bruised. Must pull out the needle steadily to avoid bruising. I remembered seeing his Korean friend’s wife who showed me her pic..the bruise was so huge like CD size.

On the last dose of jab , had abit of reaction..both sides of my tummy had alot of bumps. They are not itchy or pain. Only at the ovaries area. Not the front of the tummy but at the sides 2 round patches. I remembered the last year i found out i was pregnant, i had alot of such bumps on my body and face and was told it was due to hormone changes.

The injections made me very tired and abit moody esp after 2nd jab.

The jab lasted 5 days till day 7 of cycle and i went to see him on the 8th day to scan and he arranged i go to TMC 24hour family clinic to do the trigger jab (pregnyl) on cycle day 10 night. This jab has to be done exactly 36hrs before IUI procedure. So doc arranged my iui date and work backwards 36hrs to get the trigger jab done at the clinic. Reason why it has to be done at the clinic was because they need to have a time stamp of the time of the jab done to make sure 36hrs before iui.

We went ahead with the IUI on day 12 just before my Korea trip i remembered. Then i go holiday lo…

After the iui , i was prescribed Utrogestan capsule where i have to insert 2 tabs befor i sleep daily down there. It is a form of progesterone like duphaston to help to maintain the pregnancy if any. Appt was also made on 26th March to do HCG pregnancy blood test.

26th came to do the HCG test but this time i went with no expectations and no disappointment. So when he told me NOT PREGNANT. I expect it already….i dont want to hope for anything already because i don’t want to be disappointed or affected.

So the doc asked me to stop utrogestan and wait for to come and he arranged surgery for polyp removal a week after.

…

So..that’s my 3 failed iui experience.

Why go for IUI and not IVF directly ?

Cos we dont have any medical issues so we just go ahead to give iui a try first.

And my hubs wanted to try as natural as possible. Even for iui , when we first consulted the first gynae, hubby was hesitant to go for it and kept delaying. Delay until 1 yr later then do iui lor. He does not want to go ivf straight but i wanted to because i don’t want to waste 1 yr doing something i feel that wont give me any positive news. It is a waste of my biological clock or time ! We started TTCing when i was 31 and now im going 34..ok lah still 33. I started IUI only at 32+. I wanted to start IUI in early 2018 but my hubs was reluctant so this caused abit of argument between us for awhile. The fustration and all. Ended up we only start first iui in Dec 2018.

Fast forward to today , i just ovulated on Sat ( after testing the ovulation kits )…which means my period will come in 2 weeks if we are not successful in our last try of conceiving naturally. Then will proceed and start with IVF.

I did my surgery in April. So basically i took 3 months break. Supposedly to start IVF in June but i was not mentally ready so we postponed to 1 cycle later due July.

Wish me luck !

My TTC Journey – Miscarriage

Last 2 weeks was a hard time for me. I had 2 day surgeries in a span of 10 days ! So i was on hiatus and stopped my updates. Even my instagram also very quiet.

On 4th April , i had my uterine polypectomy surgery to remove a 14mm polyp. 2 yrs back it was 3mm and then it tripled the size ! The cramp and pain after the GA wore off was terrible. So painful and i woke up with the pee pad under me filled with blood. I had the day surgery done the day after my period ended and after the surgery , i bleed for about another 5 to 6 days (reduced to spotting on the 5th day). So i bled for 2 weeks non stop then i went for endoscopy right after i recovered. I called my colorectal doctor because i had blood in stool and he booked me for endoscopy 2 days later.

On 17th April i had endoscopy done to check my stomach and colon..This one long story. Will share in another post.

Oh well back to my TTC Journey!

After 1.7 months of trying , finally we got a positive.

So in August 2018…just before my client appt , i did a pregnancy test in Plaza Singapura’s toilet because i just have a strong intuition and my body was reacting abit differently. I have this “electric” tingling feeling in my tummy which i cannot explain. It felt like a mini vibration and a little cramp. And i missed my period. My boobs started to hurt the day i missed my period. Usually my PMS symptoms come about a week before my period starts. But that time there was nothing. The symptoms came after the missed period. I thought maybe i ovulated late or what but the feeling was very different.
Also i had a lot of rashes and bumps ON MY FACE ! I thought i was going through another round of puberty. They were not pimples but just bumps ! So i went to buy dermasone steriod cream from guardian to apply.

Well i did the pregnancy test in the public toilet and the double line showed up IMMEDIATELY ! very fast.

I was damn stunned and my legs went jelly i was sitting on the floor beside the toilet bowl. Heng ah the toilet there quite clean lol. I was texting my friend something else and i was so stunned that i sent her a picture of the test kit. She told me it was positive !

The positive sign was faint but it was a  “+” sign on the kit.

Watsons was having sales that time so i bought a whole lot of pregnancy kits back home. I tested next day and the lines got darker and darker each day and the digital one says “PREGNANT”. Still not convinced ( Cos we tried for very long mah !) , i went to my friend’s clinic to do the HCG Blood test. He is the doctor and he instructed the lab to give the result in 1 hr. So i got the answer in an hr and a call from him to inform me that IM PREGNANT !  I called my gynae and she instructed me to see her 2 weeks later.

Symptoms i had : VERY sore boobs , constant hunger, bumps/rashes all over my face and abit on tummy, missed periods, slight cramps, frequent urination.

 

I took alot of pictures of the kit but recently about 2 months back i deleted everything. When i felt that i can talk about it openly , then i deleted it away.

You know , being in the insurance industry and having clients and friends around me going through miscarriages , i was afraid that i will experience the same thing so i actually went to do HCG bloodwork every 2-3 days to make sure my hcg goes up and doubled.

Then one day (just 2 days before gynae appt) i had very very bad cramps and i took the pregnancy test kit again incase something went wrong. The lines became lighter! I was afraid and shocked.

I went to the toilet to pee and suddenly a “glob” of thing dropped into the toilet bowl. It was a thick gluey discharge-like thing and i was experiencing very very bad cramps!

Then at the gynae appt , i took the pregnancy urine test and it came out positive. Ultrasounds and scans showed an expanded uterus. But she say i will miscarriage soon cos my HCG dropped.  I was told to have natural miscarriage and was prescribed antibiotics.

Hubs and i were very disappointed and i was upset. Half of me was expecting it because i dont feel right. My boobs were becoming less sore.

True enough , the miscarriage came in 2 days.

I was not expecting it to be so fast. So i went to Eu Yan Sang to buy red dates , dried longans and other herbal stuff to bu my body and recuperate with all these healthy and herbal food. Then on the way home just 10mins walk away from home after my shopping, i started bleeding and it is damn freaking painful. The cramps was so intense and painful. So pain that i felt like someone was breaking my back into half. I cannot walk and i  was sweating in pain.I was wearing leggings and can feel abit wet even on my thighs. My house was infront of me (just 5 mins walk away) but i felt like calling grab to send me home. The most torturous walk of my life. Once i reached the lift lobby i remember collapsing on the floor and waiting for the lift. Once i reached home, i just lied down on the bed and bled on the bed. It was very painful. Gynae said it was because my uterus was contracting back to its pre-pregnancy size. It was expanded when pregnant.

So painful that i cannot move to wear pads or wash myself up. Only about an hr later , i went to toilet to wash up and threw away my bed sheets and mattress protector. I think no hope already. After washing will leave a big patch of reddish brown stain.

Bleeding took about 10 days to end and clear. First few days were clotty bleeding. Then it became spotting from the 7th day onwards

And you know the worst thing i heard during this difficult time was “It is just a seed size embryo, not a human form yet so don’t be sad”. -_-

So pls, if you have friends going through this , please dont ever mention something like that. Seed size or not still someone’s precious. Best is to just be a listening ear.

The feeling was very sad…

My sis-in-law gave birth on the day i found out i was pregnant. She hired a confinement lady to cook for her. Guess what..we were both eating the same thing same dishes..just that she ate to bu her body cos she just gave birth but i was eating to bu my body cos of a miscarriage at the same time. My mum asked the confinement auntie to cook 2 portions and my bro delivered them to me since he stay nearby and i have to be on bed rest.

Reason for the miscarriage could be because i took the chicken pox vaccine 2 months before and i was supposed to abstain from unprotected sex or could be the pregnancy was just deemed unviable.

We actually had check ups done and was told i was not vaccinated from chicken pox so was advised to take it before i go for IUI . So i took the 2 jabs 6 weeks apart . For 6 weeks after the last jab, we cannot have unprotected sex because it is a live virus vaccine and can caused deformity in fetuses.

I remembered that time i told hubs to be careful but he said “Aiya we tried so long dont have…you think this time we do then so lucky can get pregnant meh”. I also think lah quite true. 

Then who knows we tio already this time when we least expected it ! And we were just 2 days before the end of the 6weeks ban from unprotected sex cos of the chicken pox vaccination.

As im typing this , i recalled the feeling i had that time when i saw the positive sign on the kit. I no longer think about the MC process. Last time when i thought about it , i will feel emotional..and it took me quite long about 8 months to open up and share here. Before that only good friends know about it.

 

 

 

My TTC Journey – Fertility Check Ups

This post has been in draft mode for about 8 months or so ?
And there are editings done , deleted etc for the past 8 months.

I think my mind is positive enough now to share. The first draft was filled with couple of anger, negativity and emotions. And i am not really ready to share. TTC is a long and tough journey and people already face enough negativity and disappointment enough and i should not… you know…..aggravates people’s emotions further.

Through this TTC journey , i have made alot of new friends and there are people whom i don’t know (insta and dayre) actually msged me or dropped me an email to share with me their journey and tips. And i think i should share and give back.

TTC is a sensitive topic and not many people shared it openly online and it is hard to find information on stuff like IUI or IVF. Well , i have not gone through IVF yet..but it is one of the next step we are going to.

MY TTC JOURNEY

What is TTC ? It stands for Trying to Conceive. 

When you start joining groups , dayre etc , you will slowly learn and pick up those abbreviations like BFP , BFN , BD , TTC , IUI , SOIUI , TTC etc

We started in Jan 2017. I was 31yo and hubs was 33yo then. Which was about 4 months after our wedding in Korea and Singapore in 2016. Before that , my hubs always thought that getting pregnant is EASY. Ya..like you know remove the protection and boom you pregnant liao. Maybe friends around him got pregnant easily so he thinks it is that easy. But i myself know that it will not be an easy journey until you started trying. You won’t know you will face difficulty or not until you try.

So for 8 months we tried and there are NO BFP.
What is BFP ? It stands for Big Fat Positive. Ehh im not the one who came out with this thing..i also learnt it from the internet one hor.

So we decided to go for fertility check. I have my pap smear, HPV testing , cervical scans done yearly and there is no issue but i want to do a fertility check just incase.

So we had our checks done. I had my hormone levels checked everything is ok. And then i have my scans done by my fertility doctor. And that’s when he told me i have MILD PCOS. My hubs had his Semen Analysis Test done and everything was ok and fine. Total spent including doctor consultations , scans and all the tests required ~ $1000.

Infact i suspected i might have PCOS because i suddenly gained alot of weight in 2017. I hit my peak at 58kg from 50kg. All within 2 to 3 months. And i dropped alot of hair. It is scary to comb my hair everytime because the moment i brush my hair or run my hair through my fingers , i have alot of strands coming off. And also that time i felt very tired easily. I am a financial adviser aka insurance agent. So i run to and fro for appointments. I don’t drive ( no license lah!) so i took public transport and i fell asleep very easily while commuting. I thought maybe i worked too late or too hard liao so tired..but no leh..even on my off days i also felt VERY tired easily.

What is PCOS ? 

It stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

It is a common diagnosis esp for women who have irregular period or heavy bleeding periods. It can be diagnosed through pelvic scanning or blood tests . Some did blood tests to check on their AMH levels (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) which looks into their ovarian reserves. Extremely high AMH levels could be a sign of PCOS.

Explanation grabbed from an article :

“It is a condition where the ovaries are enlarged with multiple small cysts in them and/or there is an excess of male hormones in the body. Most of the time, the affected women will have problems with ovulation,”

……

So…my PCOS is mild one because i still can have about 8 or 9 periods in a year instead of the normal 28 days cycle where you should have 12 in a year. Serious Pcos patients may have period once every 3 months or more. So my period days are between 30 to 46 days. YES, the worst and longest it can get is 46days. So maybe 2 to 3 times a year i have a 46 days cycle.

To treat and control my pcos since im trying for a baby , i am now taking 2 tabs of Metformin a day. It has been almost 1.5yrs since i started taking Metformin. It helps to regulate my period.

This is the same medication for some diabetic patients too since women with PCOS have higher level of insulin and insulin resistance. I was also given supplement called Revosit to improve my egg quality.

20190330_181345

And i also changed my diet. I ate less sweet stuff and exercise to keep my weight healthy. Any increase in weight can bring back the PCOS.

My PCOS was diagnosd by my doc through ultrasound. Infact besides PCOS , we have no issue at all medically. PCOS women can get pregnant but may just take longer time or harder because it is hard to catch the exact ovulation date with irregular periods.

So what i do is that i track my ovulation using the ovulation test kits. I bought the strips ones and paste them on an A4 paper with the date and time taken. Once the lines got darker , i know that i maybe ovulating soon.

Screen Shot 2019-03-30 at 6.26.36 pm

A positive OPK (Ovulation Predictor Kit) should show 2 bold lines. I took this one to bring to the doctor because apparently i thought i ovulated before my IUI procedure!

Yes…so that was our TTC journey since Jan 2017 till our fertility check in Aug 2017.

I also had my HSG test done in Jan 2018 to checked if my fallopian tubes are blocked.

What is HSG ? 

“Hysterosalpingography, or HSG, is an X-ray test to outline the internal shape of the uterus and show whether the fallopian tubes are blocked. In HSG, a thin tube is threaded through the vagina and cervix. A substance known as contrast material is injected into the uterus.”

My report below stated clear and patent tubes which means my fallopian tubes are not blocked.

Screen Shot 2019-03-30 at 6.32.24 pm

So everything was okay lor. The HSG test was painful for me. Wah…when the dye went in i felt the CRAMPS. The cramps was so bad i felt the ache even after it ended. Some people told me no pain , some told me painful and some says so so. But for mine was painful esp when the radiologist told me to tilt my buttock to the left and then to the right abit so the dye can spill to the left and right i guess..i can feel the ache. Then she told me everything seems normal and fine. The test cost about $270 and it lasted about 10 to 15 minutes. No GA or LA done. You just go in awake , change into the gown , lie down on the cold metal table and they start.

So from Jan to July, i had my daily dose of Metformin and Revosit.

1 pack of Metformin – $10 ~

1 box of Revosit – $50~

So monthly i will go back to top up and buy my monthly dosage from the clinic. Sigh..bo bian what to do if i want to have a baby.

Then..a miracle happened in JULY…but it did not end well….

 

** To be continued to part 2**

2nd IUI

Just did the So-iui on 12th March. Now officially on two weeks wait.

Failed the first iui and in midst of 2nd one.

Hopefully this is our last one before we move on to IVF.

Korean Beansprout Soup and Side Dish Recipe

This beansprout soup can be eaten hot or cold (by keeping it in the fridge). But i prefer to eat it warm though.

Good to drink after hangover or rounds of drinks. When hubs have drinking sessions with his Korean friends or dinner with them (cfm have alcohol esp soju), i will prep this soup for him. They drink it when they have hangover and it is supposed to help to clear the hangover.

Superrr easy to cook! 10mins done.

Korean style Beans prouts Soup

Ingredients

-chopped green chilli and red chilli

-chopped scallons

-soy sprouts (not the normal bean sprouts! Must be those big headed ones and stated Soy Sprouts on the package. You must take note when you buy .You can buy from ntuc Sakura brand or seoul butchery or k&j butchery where they sell some Korean fresh produce)

Ingredients for soup base:

-Anchovies

-Kelps

-Korean fish/anchovies sauce

Boil water and throw in 10pcs of large anchovies and 2 big pcs of dried kelps. Boil and simmer to low hit. Once the “fragrance” is out, off fire and throw away the anchovies and kelps. Keep the soup stock.

In the soup stock, add in the large soya sprouts. Put the lid over the pot or pan. Wait for it to boil for 5mins.

Open lid and add in chopped green chilli , chopped scallions and chopped red chilli.

Add a tablespoon of fish sauce and salt. Let it simmer in low heat for another 5 to 8 mins and it is ready to be served!

Korean Bean sprouts side dish

Ingredients:

-soy bean sprouts (same as the one for soup)

-sesame seeds

Seasoning:

-1 table spoon korean fish sauce

-a pinch of salt

– 1 teaspoon korean sesame oil

-1 table spoon korean chilli flakes

So basically you need to boil the soy sprouts and then add all the seasoning stated above into a mixing bowl with the cooked sprouts and mix well! And it is ready to serve or kept in a tupperware for up to at least a week in the fridge.

Very addictive esp eaten when it is cold.

Very easy! 10mins chop chop done!

I love this side dish so much so i learnt from my mil how to make it.

Saturday Date

Hubs photography skills improved.
Told him dont make me look chubs in photo and his reply was “if you are i also cannot help you” lol. 要死 😂😂😂

Mister asked me to take photo of him today cos he said he looks good and dressed up. Usually he just wear the same old uniqlo shirt $7.90 one i got for him and the h&m lounge shorts to his chinese class lol. 😍 He is frugal so usually i do the shopping for him . Like if this pants spoil or what i will get him new one.

I like this knitted top. Have been exercising well these days and finally have the confidence to wear crop top hehe. I signed up for Yoga+Meditation classes and started my first class since Mid Jan. I think it helps me to relax alot and i can sleep very well these days.

THe meditation instructor will spray some essential oil or mist on my face and pump some essential oil on my palm and rub on my pulse points. I felt really relax and feels like im in a spa.

So from my friend’s recommendations, i went to Neal’s Yard Remedies boutique at Taka and got this roll on essential oil ($26).

I like the rose facial moisturiser too. Smells so good and moisturising leh.

Never buy the facial moisturiser though cos im still using existing one.

Im so into aromatherpy stuff these days. Those essential oils and scents help me to sleep well these days and i felt relax and more energised.

But they dont come cheap…..

Sleeping Pack Reviews (Velyvely, Dr Jart, Hanyul)

Back in Oct 2018 , i actually did a LIVE instagram video on the products i bought. Quite a shortone..about 10 mins i think. I find updating reviews on my instastory faster and convenient..so i probably reviewed on these 3 sleeping packs 1-2 months ago….

But here it is in black and white !

Here’s the sleeping packs i bought in Oct from Korea

Left to right : Dr Jart Firming Sleeping Pack , Vely Vely Sweet Rice Cake Sleeping Cream , Hanyul Yuja Sleeping Pack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr Jart Dermask Intrajet Firming Sleeping Pack 

To be honest , i don’t really have much review on this though. I alternate my sleeping pack among these 3 but this is the last one i reach out for. I do not see much firming or vibrancy effect from this. But what i like is that it is moisturising.

I use sleeping pack daily. I have been putting sleeping pack to sleep DAILY since 2012. If i don’t put , i will feel very awkward and like missing something.

So these 3 are within my reach just right beside my bed at eye level when i lie down lol. So all i have to do is to stretch out my hand and take it.

I bought it during 50% event at Olive Young for KRW 16,000 .

 

Vely Vely Sweet Rice Cake Sleeping Cream

 

Ehh this smells damn good. Like kuey..sweet rice cake smell. Makes me hungry the first night i used it. Suddenly i have cravings for rice cake and asked my neighbour who is in Jakarta if she can help to dabao back from a Korean mart there. It is hard to find nice and auethentic homemade Korean rice cake in SG. The only one i know already closed down in Novena Square 2.

It is very moisturising and non sticky. It also keeps my face moisturised throughout the night ( i sleep in air conditioned room everyday ). This one is quite pricey. About KRW 32,000. It does not leave a greasy or oily layer after that.

This is one sleeping cream you definitely need to try !
You can only buy from Vely Vely stores or from airport duty free in Incheon. Gimhae airport don’t carry velyvely so you need to buy from the lotte duty free app and collect at the airport after that.

 

Hanyul Yuja Sleeping Pack

I bought this on the first day of launch ! The last box available and i got at member price because i am an aritaum member. You can buy Hanyul from Aritaum stores.

Wah this one also smells like Yuja. Just like the bottled Yuja mixture i have in the fridge. Very citrusy and refreshing scent. Hubs asked how come the sleeping pack i buy these days smell like food lol . Cos at night he can smell Yuja or rice cake. So it either made him hungry or thirsty lor.

Oh this one close fight with the rice cake mask. This gives a brightening effect. It is gel texture so easily absorbed without leaving a greasy film on your skin.It is also moisturising. This one very expensive. I think more ex than Velyvely rice cake mask. I forgot how much is this but i bought for KRW 30,000 after discount.

 

If you want to look for something light and easily absorbed , Hanyul Yuja Sleeping Mask will be better for you . If you prefer something heavy and more creamy , Velyvely Sweet Rice Cake will good for you !

VelyVely Make Up Review

Hehe im black with reviews ! I stopped my Busan blogging at Day 6 i think ! OMG I got alot to update but too much ! Too busy in October and November and then Dec which is Xmas. I will just skip to the make up and skincare reviews on the products i got 2 months ago and i have been using them for 2-3 months already. So it is a good time for honest reviews !

Good thing about having a sis-in-law who is a year younger than you is that we have many things in common and talk about. Both of us like to look at clothes , make ups and skincare. So 3 years ago , she recommended this brand called IMVELY to me.

Imvely is like Stylenanda. I think everyone should know 3CE and Stylenanda lah. 3CE is the cosmetic arm of Stylenanda.

Well for Imvely , Velyvely is the cosmetic arm of Imvely.
Imvely sells clothes and Velyvely sells cosmetics.

You can find their boutiques in major malls like Lotte or Shinsaegae in Seoul , Busan and other cities ! Airport dutyfree also sell their skincare and make up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presents from SIL (Velyvely eyeshadow palette and sun cushion)

I have not used the sun cushion yet so i cannot review.

 

The colours are soo prettyyy.

Definitely my style ! sis-in-law’s style and my style are the same so i guess she chose the right colour for me !

 

I love this colour combi. Works very well on my eyelids and brightens my skin and look.

It looks orangey but when you apply , it is actually very subtle.
They have many types of palettes (smoky eyes etc). But this one is definitely my style !

I don’t know how much it costs but don’t think it can be found in Olive Young. Only cushions and basic lip sticks range can be found in Olive young but the full range can only be bought from their stores.

Now the star product is their BB Cushion.

The popular one is AURA GLOW CUSHION which i find it toooo dewy and gives a too “wet and sweaty” look. The Honey Cushion is semi dewy and works well for me.

The black one is Perfect Cover Cushion which is more matt.

 

The Perfect Cover Cushion in N21.

This cushion is more matt and coverage is not very thick though it is called Perfect Cover. So don’t expect it to cover your blemishes. But one thing for sure is , it is longlasting. I went out today in sweat and rain but i did not need to touch up.
Whereas for the Honey Glow (Yellow) , i have to touch up once or twice a day.

It kinda reminds me of Hera Black Cushion. I used the black cushion before and if you were to ask me hor…i prefer this than the Hera one. This is more moisturising. Hera one is abit drying on me.

 

 

It comes in a box with the main product + refill pack !

Oh yes Imvely and Velyvely ships internationally tooo ! So you can buy from their website at imvely.com and choose the english option.

 

Next is the Honey Glow Cushion.

 

Like the name , it is moisturising and gives a semi-dewy look. Not the very shiny kind of dewy but subtle one. Moisturising factor definitely high but not very lasting as compared to Perfect cover. Oh yes one thing i like about this latest product is the shape of the cushion which has an angled end. It makes blending around the nose eye area easier and nose edges. The air cushion pad material is slightly different too. It is abit plastic leatherish. Which means that your cushion pad will not look very dirty with foundation or other make up stains. I can clean and wipe it with a tissue.

 

See below and you can see the air cushion pad comparison.

Perfect Cover Cushion (Black) has round cushion and the usual cover material whereas the yellow Honey Glow Cushion has an angled cushion pad and looks more leatherish.

 

If you ask me which one is better ?
It depends on your skin type. If you have oily skin , the black Perfect Cover will suit you. If you have dry or normal skin , Honey Glow cushion in yellow will be better.

You can buy them from Velyvely/Imvely stores and Olive Young !

Hello 2019!

Wah just login here and realized that it has been 2 months since my last updates.

Nov and Dec were busy months. Clearing up all outstanding work before end of year and also i had my IUI done in November.

And also i find myself coming back to social media (dayre and wordpress) to express my thoughts these days. Esp when im travelling from one point to another for client appointment.

I always say that i have to share but i really do. Just that i prefer to have 1 full quiet day to sit down, have a coffee and cake to pen down my thoughts properly. But i am not able to find such times last year often except the 2 weeks after my Korea trip lol. Well tomorrow afternoon i have a 5hr break inbetween.Time to find a good place in town to chill and pen my thoughts.

Also , many asked me to share on my iui procedure. Yes .. i have drafted but there are some really personal thoughts which i am hesitating if i should share out openly. And also i really want to thank many of you who shared their iui journey with me too. It makes me feel more assured and also know what to expect and what not to.

Now..just waiting to go for my next iui which will be SO-IUI. Waiting for period to come and start this whole tiring cycle again but i think this upcoming one will be more challenging.