I know I found it helpful to read these posts while TTC so I hope this can help someone too.

What I did leading up to trying...
Read lots of posts on here.
Tracked cycles and ovulation symptoms on the mymonthlycycles website.
Healthy eating
No alcohol or caffeine for three months before trying.
Went off birth control a year before trying.  Birth control can affect CM for a year after going off it.
Took half a dose of liquid Vitex 3 - 4 months before trying.

Insemination...
Used the cheap OPKs from amazon and then confirmed the positive on CD 21 with a Smiley. I knew it would be positive as that always happens when CM turns clear and watery and lots of it.
I inseminated using just a syringe at 0 and 12 hours.
The first insem, at first positive, I O'd right after and left syringe in for about an hour... no leakage at all! Went to sleep for the night after that.
The next vial, I used the next morning at 12 hours past first positive. I spilled half the vial and did not O afterwards - still left syringe in for a bit.
Both insems, I used preseed in the syringe first and last with sperm in the middle.

BFP...
Got a BFP at 10 dpo the day before my birthday! My only TWW symptom was hives all over for a few days before bfp.
Due date is 5/11/2013. :-)

Time to share our BFP story... 

We got our BFP on our second try doing IUI with one vile 26ish hours after +OPK at our Dr’s office, not using any medications. My first cycle was a bust I think because I was new to all of this and I obsessed over it and was stressed during the tww. The second cycle I did everything the same no meds, no temping and no cervix monitoring just smileys. So with this cycle that I got the BFP I decided after insemination just to go with the flow and not stress or obsess. I did have a blip where I tested on 10dpi where there was no sign of pregnancy...I got completely discouraged/stressed and was sad for a few days and completely believed I was out. I was already planning for ttc #3...Good thing we didn’t order viles.

I had no signs during my tww. I noticed I also wasn’t getting the pre PMS signs that I normally get. I usually get a headache and leg pains a few days before AF. None of those were appearing. I do get pre-cramping which I did experience those. That was another reason I felt like I was out. When AF didn’t show on Sunday morning I had a feeling something else was going on. She always shows the day she is due and by 10am. I tested with a OPK and got a smiley. (I’ve heard that you can use them as a HPT but not to rely on the response.) Shortly after I tested with a ClearBlue Easy HPT and got a Pregnant response....Still I didn’t believe this. Monday’s blood test confirmed we are in fact pregnant....

So exciting and can't wait to meet this little bean that I longed for, for many years...I'm already head over heals in love with him/her. 

Here’ is my pregnancy success story.  Using frozen donor sperm, my wife and I have tried 5 times (3 ICI at home, 2 IUI at the clinic) to get pregnant and last cycle I was pregnant but had a very early miscarriage because I thought early spotting was really my period and stopped taking progesterone (or at least that’s what I think happened!)  This time around, we did our second unmedicated IUI at a women’s clinic 28 hrs past +OPK using the ClearBlue Fertility Monitor.  I also had been doing a juice/fruit/veggie fast for 10 days prior toO on the recommendation of my Naturopathic Doctor – she claims it helps boost chances of conception and I really think it works – this means you eat nothing but fruits, veggies, fresh juice, nuts, and seeds for 4-7 days prior to ovulation – this means no proteins, no grains, no dairy – it’s tough at first but it’s not intolerable (I’m already vegan) and it gets results – at least for me!  My doctor at the women’s clinic was not impressed with the motility of the frozen sperm, but apparently one made it!  I have been using Circle+Bloom’s fertility meditations designed for IVF/IUI and really find it nice and relaxing and look forward to purchasing the pregnancy mediations as well.  I’ve been charting for 9 months with my BBT and monitoring my mucus and using the CBFM.  I also have been taking oral progesterone and accidently ran out around Christmas time when my doctor’s office was closed!  I resolved that issue as soon as I could.   I also am doing acupuncture once per week and have been doing so for about 4 months. 
Here are my symptoms:
2 DPO – Start taking 4 pellets of Progon B 3x day
5 DPO – mild cramps – pinch-like rather than normal AF cramps
7-8 DPO- mild cramps and bloating
9 DPO – Spotting
10-12 DPO – Spotting and cramps.  Run out of oral progesterone on 12 DPO and doctor’s office is closed for a refill – get progesterone cream over the counter and begin using this
13 DPO – spotting gets heavier and very faint BFP on FRER.  Get concerned about heavier spotting and call doctor.  She recommends getting refill of oral progesterone and stopping the cream because the dosage is too weak.  She thinks this will stop the bleeding if I am not actually having a miscarriage.
14 DPO – spotting lightens up, still BFP on FRER – faint
15 DPO – spotting continues to lighten, BFP on FRER – darker
16 DPO – spotting essentially stops – brown EWCM, BFP on Clearblue Digital (my wife wouldn’t believe it until she saw the words!)
I’m so excited –( it’s taking a while for my wife to absorb it) and looking forward to a healthy and happy 9 months!  Now the hard part is not talking about it until the 2nd trimester.
*******UPDATE**********
Unfortunately at 5 weeks, 3 days, I confirmed a miscarriage.  Total bummer but I know I can get pregnant and am adjusting some supplements to hopefully help my little bean stick better next time.  I will try again in March.

I wanted to wait until my first beta before posting.

This was my second medicated IUI after 2 home IUIs with a midwife (who gave up after telling me my cervix was stenotic). Before that DH and I tried TTC naturally on and off for 3 years. Its been a rollercoaster year for both DH and I as he has been in and out of the hospital and is now recovering from acute pancreatitis. My first cycle on meds was so full of stress with DH in the hospital and our lease running out and having to pack and move at the last minute that I was very close to losing hope.

Stress has faded a little bit as DH is now home, we moved into a new city and I'm telecommunting to work. I downloaded and listened to Circle+Bloom IUI/IVF program almost every night for the entire cycle. Some others on this board have said it helped them tremendously and I really think it helped me to focus more on what was happening with my body and tune out the outside world. I also took prenatals, Royal Jelly with honey, extra folic DHA and ate mostly vegetables and vegetarian protein and reduced my carb and sugar intake. Pineapple core and baby aspirin 5 days post insem.

Here are my timing/details:
CD3 blood drawn
CD5-9 took Clomid 100mg
CD12 U/S#1 found 1 15mm follicle on the right side
CD14 U/S#2 found 1 18mm on the left/ 1 17mm on the right. RE wanted me to come back in 2 days for next ultrasound but I insisted that my O was close. Had blood drawn to test for surge. Told to come back the next day.
CD15 U/S#3 found 19mm follicles on each side
CD15 10:30pm trigger shot
CD16 6am positive OPK. Sharp pain on the left side.
CD16 IUI#1 10am (12hrs past trigger). Dull pain around top/middle abdomen mid-day. Shooting pain on the left in the PM.
CD17 IUI#2 9am (35hrs past trigger). Upset stomach all day for the next 2 days.
CD22-26 (5-10dpi/dpo) and beyond developed a strange patchy rash on my face.
CD29-30 (12-13dpi/o) light brown spotting
CD31 (14 dpi/o) AF due. Tested BFP!!!
19dpi (5 weeks pg) Beta#1 level 2499. Progesterone level 27.5
Beta# 2 and sonograms scheduled in 2 days

Hey All!! 

We used and were successful with Donor 685 back in 2004.  Our "bouncing baby boy" is now EIGHT years old!!  I'm on the lookout for siblings!  Would love to hear from you!!

On new years day 2013 we did IUI at home, unmedicated, 3 vials spaced 12, 18, and 40 hours post positive opk "smiley".  Here's a list of my ttc preparation:
- organic red raspberry leaf tea, 3 to 4 cups per day
- organic decaf green tea, 1 to 2 cups per day
- organic royal jelly (the real stuff), 1TBS every morning on an empty stomach with a few sips of water
- oil of evening primrose, 2,000mg per day
- whole food organic prenatal vitamin "baby & me"
- clean diet, no red meat, only organic fruits/veggies and chicken
- once weekly acupuncture, began 2 months prior to bfp
- chinese herbs 3 doses daily as prescribed by chinese medicine doctor, began 2 months prior to bfp
- maintained healthy BMI with regular exercise, running, weight training, yoga (5' 6" and 125 Lbs)
- Ubiquinol 120mg/day
- Absolutely no caffeine
- Baby aspirin daily
- Starting day 1 post final insem I ate pineapple including the core, divided it into 5ths and ate 1/5th for 5 days.
- Lots and lots of prayer

Symptoms during the tww included pulling/mild pains right in the center of my uterus and feeling bloated.
bfp appeared very very light on 11dpo, blood test same day showed beta at 25 and it tripled in 48 hours.

TTC this time was a little different. With our son it took 3 consecutive cycles to conceive. This baby took 6 cycles spread out over a 10 month span. Our last cycle was the first try with Clomid and trigger. We did 50mg of Clomid on CD 2-6, went for ultrasound on CD 12 and had 2 mature follies at 20 and 22mm. I triggered that day and DP did the IUI 24 hrs past trigger. We tested negative on 9,10,and 11dpo. Didn't test again until AF was due of 14dpo and boom, BFP! I'm currently 8 weeks and had an ultrasound 2 days ago and the HB was 164. Can't wait to find out the sex in April

Hello ladies,
   My turn to post my success story!! Got my surge on February 17th, I ovulated that sameday. Did 1 IUI 6 hours after +OPK and then again 24 hours after +OPK. I am sooooo excited.. My DW and I have been trying for about a year!!

Because I got those wonderful internet cheapies, I was peeing on them earlier than I should.
This Sunday, at 9DPO, I swear I saw the faintest gray line on one. Wife and I were holding it in the window and everything trying to figure out if it was there or if we just wanted it to be there so bad we were hallucinating. I ran out to get some FRER, and BAM! light but totally pink BFP! We continued to test on both to watch the lines get darker and they have. Went for my first BETA yesterday at 12DPO and it was 57

Hoping this is our sticky bean!

  I was really surprised to see this BFP, and it is still faint but it is there for sure. Thought I was out, who knew. So I cautiously say I am pregnant!

I have been tracking my cycles for over a year, eating better for 6 months really clean eating for 1 month, using OPKs and temping for 2 months. My theory was to best guess my ovulation time frame  then stick with the same insem schedule each time. The first time I did 2 vials 12 hours and 24 hours past +OPK. Then I figured out I more than likely ovulate within the 24 hours. So on this successful BFP I actually did 1 vial about 1hour past +OPK.
1 day past iui - nothing
2days past iui - nothing
3 days past iui- woke up with very sore boobs. I only have sore boobs about 3 days before AF and only on the sides. This was different, I had breast implants years ago and I have nerve damage on my areoles, so I don't feel heat or cold or pain on them....however on this morning I did! In the shower the stung.....and hurt, when I got out my boos both just burned. From then on the entire boob(s) were sore everyday. I could feel them when I walked, slept, ate breathed anything.
4 days past iui- nothing other than boobs
5 days past iui - boobs still hurt with added shooting pains here and there. Also uterus pains here and there but no AF cramping.
6 days past iui- same as above
7 days past iui - same as above plush I cried during the finale of the Bachelor....never happens! Normally I watch the show to make laugh at the silly things people do. (I found this very odd)
8 days past iui - sore boobs, also (tmi) when I did my cervix check out came a blob of yellowish snot like CM (this was also very odd)
9 days past iui - sore boobs, so much saliva I gagged all day.
10 days past iui - tender boobs that's it thought I was out!
11 days past iui-sore boobs......more yellowish snotty cm, burp nauseous & no pre-AF spotting. So I thought maybe just maybe.... Fertility friend said I was 9 dpo, but I tested anyhow at 5:30pm with a FRER and I got the faintest of lines. Took a mother FRER at 6:30pm to make sure the first test wasn't a fluke, and again faint BFP. I have taken 1 almost every morning since then, partly because I had them and even more because I love to see those 2 lines. My lines are the same color now, no spotting and I would be 14 DPO.
Anyone who says you can not have any real symptoms that early.....has just never had them, cause I can tell you with my other 2 kids I didn't have any symptoms until 5 or 6 weeks, but this time my boobs were the biggest red flag. I had also promised myself if AF did start, that I would make another Doctors appt to make sure there was nothing wrong with me.
So good luck, try to take your mind off of your 2 week wait, plan things to stay busy, good luck & baby dust to all of you ladies!

I know reading other people's TWW symptoms helped me stay sane during those horrible 2 weeks. I hope this helps others here. 

Here are my TWW symptoms:
Sunday, Feb. 17th - + OPK @ 10:30am. IUI @ 4:30pm. (I knew I o'd that day)
Monday, Feb. 18 - still + OPK. IUI @ 10:30am.
Tuesday, Feb. 19- cramping, back ache.
Wednesday, Feb. 20 - gagging all day, couldn't stomach anything, back ache, white cervical mucus.
Thursday, Feb. 21 - stuffy nose,  lower abdominal pain, white cervical mucus.
Friday, Feb 22- really bad sore throat, cramping ALL DAY, very tired, sharp pains in low abdominal area, white cervical mucus.
Saturday, Feb 23- sharp pains, yellow cervical mucus, very sore nipples, sore throat, emotional.
Sunday, Feb. 24 - runny nose, sore throat (hurt bad), coughing, back ache, gagging all day, cramping, emotional.
Monday, Feb. 25 - weird cramping feeling, white cervical mucus, crying about everything.
Tuesday, Feb 26- cramping (weird) all night, nipples are tender, emotional, white cervical mucus, head ache, back ache all day.
Wednesday, Feb 27- cramping, very emotional, head ache, back ache, BB's very sore, nipple tender as well, white cervical mucus.
Thursday, Feb. 28- BFP with FMU!!!    Although it was faint, I still knew something was up.. A girl knows her body.
Continued testing until my wife was sure it was right... 120.00 dollars later.... lol   This was 11 dpo...

Ok, so last Tuesday was my first positive opk, the second was on wed. then the third or really positive test was on Thursday. We ordered two ICI vials, we insemed at 10 am and 6pm. We used a syringe, a lot of preseed, and an instead cup. Mind you I haven't been pregnant in 6 years and my husband is completely sterile so we my body hasn't seen sperm in 6 years. Now, on Sunday 3dpo I woke up and there was blood in my panties, so I called my dr on call and he said it was to early for miscarriage, that it could be implantation or it could be mid cycle bleeding. I had been taking Aleve for back pain. Well that night we ended up in the ER they did a urine pregnancy test obviously it was negative, she said I had a uti so she put me on antibiotics that are safe with pregnancy told me to rest with my feet propped up, not to take anymore Aleve and to drink plenty of fluids. She didn't want to do a pelvic exam because she didn't want to mess up anything that was naturally happening. Anyway, the next day Monday 4dpo still blood in the panty liner when I woke up, still bright red, but a little bit less, was only really seeing it when I wiped, stayed off my feet most of the day. Then today 5dpo I am still bleeding but its much darker, having some abdominal cramping and lower back pain, I called the drs office again, they said they would call in some progesterone for me, they don't know if that will help, he said it wouldn't help if its a miscarriage. How could I possibly be miscarrying when from what I hear implantation doesn't even happen until 6-10 days after ovulation. Please can someone give me some advice, I am so worried and I cant seem to get any answers. Is it implantation bleeding? Did I nick something when I pulled out the instead cup? We know we didn't go past the cervix. Could it be a miscarriage? Should I start the progesterone? When should I take a pregnancy test?
My dr is going out of town for the week, so the only choice I have is to go to the er if it gets worse. If I knew how to upload photos I could show the amount of blood if that would help get me some answers.
Please will someone give me some answers, obviously yall know more than my doctor does. Thank you

My DH was diagnosed with severe male factor infertility in April of 2012. We did a total of 6 inseminations and used a total of 4 different donors. Here is a break down of our inseminations;

1 - natural Dr assisted IUI - BFN
2 - clomid Dr assisted IUI - chemical pregnancy
3 - GonalF Dr assisted IUI - BFN
4 - natural at home IVI - BFN
5 - natural at home true ICI - BFN
6 - natural at home IUI - BFP!!!!

I got my positive OPK on CD17. We inseminated 24 hours later. I really didn't notice very many symptoms.

1-9 DPO nothing
10 DPO cramping that felt like ovulation
10-current DPO DH is the most annoying person in the world. Everything he does irritates me. I've been gassy, tired, bloated and have sore nipples. My dreams have been outrageous.

I'm pregnant with baby # 2.
First try with only one ICI vial. With my son it was first try with this donor as well but with one IUI vial. Did do 10 other cycles with other donors. All BFN.

Charted since December & have been taking prenatals.
I have no idea when I ovulate since I do not get any pains. I'm thinking around 24 hours past OPK. Cycles vary between 28-29 days with a rare 30 or even 31 here or there. I can't tell my from checking my cervix after having my son. I have no CM to guess where I stand in my cycle either.
Tested with Internet cheap OPK's & confirmed with a smiley. Neg OPK at 7am & then a + at 11am. Following morning I did my AI using one ICI vial at 21 hours past. 

First I put a tube of preseed in.
I then used both a catheter & syringe. I put a little preseed in syringe from a second preseed & then put catheter on. Next I sucked up my swimmers. I still had quite a bit left in the vial. I was able to (with help of a mirror, speculum with preseed on it & flashlight) easily get catheter into the tip of my cervix. I very slowly push swimmers in. I carefully as to not touch things sucked up more swimmers and just put it near my cervix. Then a few times I went back and forth sucking up what preseed I could get out & what little swimmers I had left and squirting it in. I did then maybe 3-5 times. I felt a lot come out when I took the speculum out but then again I used 2 vials of preseed. Tested positive on a first response at 10 dpo. AF like feelings on day 11 -13. On day 13 about a quarter size of brown spotting. No cramps and it only happened once. Other then that a feeling in my breast that I'm letting down.

I'm debating between two donors and wondering if anyone has had success with this donor? Thank you!

trying this donor on Tuesday was wondering if anyone here has had positives results with this donor

Just got a BFP using donor 4709   This was our first try in about 4 years.  We used 2 vials and did an at home insemination at 36 hours before ovulation because I was afraid I had missed it and at 6 hours after ovulation.  I ate walnuts, pineapple core, eggs, and took a baby asprin from days 6-10 because I read others had success doing that so thought it was worth a try.  Anyone else have luck with this donor?

a little history: My hubby and I have been together 15 yrs. he was kicked as a young child by a little girl in cowboy boots causing testicular contortion. The doctors told us we have a 1 in a million chance of conceiving because of his count. By some miracle we had a son, now 9 yrs. old with no medical intervention. Then a miscarage at 11wks. then our 2nd son, almost 4yrs. old and another miscarage at 5 wks. the last 3 all with the same donor. We then decided to go with NW and this is how we got out BFP. We tried donor #9204 in september with a BFN. Then we used 3 ICI vials of donor #3081 at 12/24/36hrs +OPK                         now for the details: I took Prenatal vitamins and Baby aspirin for 4 months prior. I used Answer brand OPKs 20 pack because they work the best for me, and I had a couple Clear Blue digital ones to double check the positive with a smile I started the OPKs on day 13 at 2:00pm I read that's the best time to get an accurate reading. On day 16 I tested at 7:00am and got a negative. Then at 1:00pm and got a positive almost the same color lines. So I took a CBE test with the same urine and got a smile. So 12 hrs later at 1:00am we did our first ICI. I propped my hips and hubby did all the work (now I can still say he got me pregnant:) ) he used a speculum and a light. first he put in preseed then filled a syringe and cath. with swimmers and put them very very slowly just inside the OS opening into my cervix, then upt the rest just outside the OS. he then took the cath. off the syringe and filled the syringe with preseed and after replacing the cath. put tit all just outside the OS. he took the speculum out and we fell asleep. I slept a few hrs. with my hips propped then woke up and put in the instead cup in and fell back to sleep until 8:00am with out the pillow under my hips. I left the instead cup in until our next ICI. We followed the exact same steps at 1pm and 1am the next morning. I never had any cramping during or after ICIs. I continued to test with OPKs and the test line was WAY darker at 24hrs. past the first +OPK then it stayed way dark even after 36hrs+OPK. I didn't test after that because I ran out of tests so I dont know when it faded... I followed the ICIs with 5 days of eating purple grapes, pinapple core, sunflower seeds, and drinking cran-grape juice. I didn't have any symptoms leading to my BFP. I gad some cheepy Preg. tests and the 3 pack of first response 6 days sooner. I think I ovulated on day 18 because of my OPKs so when I tested with a cheepy on day 26 only 8dpo I was suprised to see an extemely faint line. I couldn't be sure so I waited for the next morning at 9dpo to test again. I used one of each test and got a light positive on each I still have no symptoms and that's a good thing for me. As my two miscarages I was sick, dizzy, all the normal symptoms. and with my two full term pregnancies I had no sign until I felt them move I hope this info helps in some way.    Lots of baby dust to you all!!

Last night my wife and I did our one treatment cycle using ICI. We used the syringe method. This morning she has been very tired, crampy, and heavy in the uterus region. She has also experienced a yellow discharge about 8 hours after insemination. I know it is way to early for pregnancy symptoms. But are the symptoms I described typical the day after ICI? I am not sure if we really hit it on time as far as her ovulation.

We tested early yesterday morning, and got what appeared to be a very solid line. We tested about 4 hours later and had no line. Another 4 hours later we tested, using another brand, and got a dark line. We inseminated a few hours after the last test. We also went buy the feel of the cervix and other symptoms. Today she tested and it is still a solid line. So I am not sure if we inseminated too early.

Any thoughts or comments? I think I am reading way into the symptoms and I do not want to get my hopes up. How many have been successful with a one treatment cycle, whether their first cycle or 5th?

Shane