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IVF Thread #4

  1. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    @Mrs. Pajamas: Gosh - you've really given me something to think about. Our RE confirmed that my periods were "very regular" so maybe that's part of what he was getting at? But I hadn't thought about that risk - especially if trying after our first normal AF. We are a little against the clock (ideally) bc my current Cigna insurance covers IVF 100% and the Anthem I will have starting Sept 1 will not. It's $2600... not inconsequential, but maybe not worth possibly wasting an embryo.

  2. MrstypeA

    cherry / 126 posts

    @yellowbeach: I am also against a clock with some insurance changes! Nothing like a little extra pressure!

    I started my shots on Tuesday and I am EXHAUSTED. Is this a normal side effect? Or is this just a normal side effect of 3 year old twins and a full time job?! Both?

  3. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    @MrstypeA: Probably the latter! I just felt super bloated during my shots, otherwise ok.

  4. MrstypeA

    cherry / 126 posts

    I had my first scan this morning- only day 3 but they saw 22 follicles forming. is that even right? I feel a little confused.

    They also saw a polyp, trying not to worry about that.

  5. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    @MrstypeA: Sounds like great numbers!

    Just got off the call with our PGS counsellor - looks like we'll be getting results a week sooner than I was anticipating - maybe as early as Wednesday

  6. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    Tomorrow morning we have a mock embryo transfer. When they went to do my CVS last pregnancy, apparently my uterus had changed and was in a non-traditional position/tilt. He said for our first fresh transfer it was very straightforward and easy. Can having a baby change the alignment of everything? Anyway, he just wants to discover any surprised now rather on FET day, whenever that may be.. c'mon AF!

  7. PurplePumps

    pomegranate / 3809 posts

    @yellowbeach: Good luck with the mock tomorrow! I've never had one done! Is it just a "practice" run to figure out how to best get the catheter in?

  8. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    I’m sitting on n the waiting room of my RE and so far in 5 minutes two women have come in and had to leave due to finances and insurance. Both have private insurance, but one was told she had a $200 copay today because her insurance pays nothing towards infertility, and the other was told she owed a $160 copay because her insurance doesn’t cover ultrasound. I am so so thankful that while my insurance doesn’t cover everything, it covers some, and I’m lucky enough to be in a position to cover the rest.

  9. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    @PurplePumps: thats exactly what it is. Apparently my uterus is now retroverted, so they want to make sure Transfer will be uncomplicated.

  10. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    Well that was quick - apparently I am “9cm straight and easy” per my RE. 🤣

  11. Sams Mom

    grapefruit / 4492 posts

    I have an odd? question for those of you have been through IVF.

    I have read online that some people take prednisone as part of their IVF cycle. Did any of you take it? What part of the cycle? and Why did you take it?

    I am only into Clomid cycles at this point, but I have an autoimmune disorder and it seems like it can be used to suppress the immune system to encourage? impantation? I was prescribed Prednisone the day after I ovulated for a yellow jacket sting, my OB said it wouldn't hurt my cycle.

    I am really hoping this was a happy coincidence and it will help this cycle, but I know I am grabbing at straws (which is easy to do the longer we try).

    Thank you for any input you might have.

  12. Mrs. Pajamas

    kiwi / 702 posts

    @Sams Mom: never heard of people prescribed prednisone for infertility but everyone's situation is unique.
    @yellowbeach: so glad your uterus straightened out! How funny! I remember my first mock et yeeaarrss ago the re said "wow you have a beautiful uterus" and I thought it was such a bizarre, kind of creepy thing to say but this uterus grew my two amazing dd's so I'm glad it is beautiful ha!!

  13. Sams Mom

    grapefruit / 4492 posts

    @Mrs. Pajamas: Thanks, from the anecdotes I have read they start it after transfer, then switch to another steroid I can't remember the name of up to potentially the end of the 1st trimester if the transfer was successful.

    I saw it more than once but it seemed like it was used more in the UK or Australia? Basically one of those I read it more than once, but it doesn't seem to be everywhere kind of thing.

    Also I'm in that whole trying to find hope somewhere because I'm starting to get discouraged. So I know it's a little out there.

  14. PurplePumps

    pomegranate / 3809 posts

    @Sams Mom: I took prednisone (10mg daily) as part of my FET cycle. I took it starting day 1 through 12 weeks (starting to wean off at 10 weeks). It was part of an immune suppressant protocol, during which I also did intralipids. I dunno if it all helped, but it certainly didn't hurt cause I'm 26w now after 2 previous loses where I didn't take it. (It wasn't the only change, and not sure if it's the reason it worked, but just that it didn't hurt the cycle)

  15. Sams Mom

    grapefruit / 4492 posts

    @PurplePumps: thank you! Was it for management of natural killers or something else? If you don't mind me asking

  16. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    @Sams Mom: wow - NK cells - flash back to med school!

  17. Sams Mom

    grapefruit / 4492 posts

    @yellowbeach: haha, it's a newish rabbit hole for me

  18. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    Ugh - so frustrating - just got off the phone with RGI (the lab doing the PGS) and they haven't actally started the testing process yet, despite their genetics counselor on Friday telling me that had. Apparently they were waiting for my credit card number but no one bothered to tell me that. So now we'll get results July 3 instead of tomorrow

  19. PurplePumps

    pomegranate / 3809 posts

    @Sams Mom: I believe it was. My NK cell count came back just about the cusp of "normal" so I think my RE threw the kitchen sink at me for my last FET.

    @yellowbeach: ughhhh! That is frustrating. When the heck were they planning on telling you that!? geez.

  20. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    @PurplePumps: In reality we are still waiting for AF to return, so that's probably going to be our true limiter in terms of when we can do a FET. The rush is due to my Cigna insurance ending Aug 31 - it covers 100% of the $2600 FET! The Anthem I'm forced to switch to starting Sept 1 covers 0% (womp womp).

  21. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    Just got our PGS results

    6 normal embryos
    1 with extra chromosome 15
    1 with 46 xy with 2 duplicates
    1 with deletion on 15

    I'm pretty elated considering we were expecting only 4 or 5 normal. This is great news!

  22. NorthStar

    pear / 1881 posts

    @yellowbeach: wow! That is amazing!!

  23. MrstypeA

    cherry / 126 posts

    @yellowbeach: that’s amazing! So was that week from ER? I was trying to go back on the post but wanted to confirm. Would you mind sharing all your numbers? I know I shouldn’t be but I’m obsessed with numbers and statistics of all of this!

    I had my ER this morning and had 24 eggs so now I’m playing the number game..

  24. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    @MrstypeA: I did my ER in July 2016. We just did PGS now after we suffered a loss from a T21 pregnancy conceived naturally after our successful 1st ER and fresh transfer.

    21 follicles seen on US just prior to ER
    19 survived retrieval, 2 were lost
    16 had mature embryos
    12 fertilized successfully
    10 looked "normal," 2 looked abnormal
    9 went into the freezer, 1 went into me LO#1
    6 PGS normal

    Hope that helps!

  25. Mrs. Pajamas

    kiwi / 702 posts

    @yellowbeach: such amazing pgd results!!!! I'm so so thrilled for you! We had a crazy rushed timeline for our last fet as we were moving cross country. So many times I thought it was a terrible time to try given all the change. But we just celebrated dd2's first birthday last week! Good luck and really hope insurance works out.

  26. MrstypeA

    cherry / 126 posts

    Had my retrieval on Tues- 24 eggs retrieved. 19 mature. 17 fertilized. I’m having lots of pressure and bloating still- I’m dying for it to go down!! They’re a little worried about hyperstimulation so I had some blood work done today.
    Any tips or tricks?!

  27. foodiebee

    kiwi / 662 posts

    Hello all, just dropping in to introduce myself. I've been on the POAS boards as afc061018, but I've been trying to change that stupid username for ages now and finally just decided to make up something I could actually remember. New name for a new adventure!

    DH and I will be starting our first IVF cycle in August. Right now I'm healing from some large cysts as a result of my clomid + gonal-f IUI #3 cycle we just did. DH's SA looks good, and we're waiting on my AMH to come back. FSH is 5.9. Officially we're unexplained infertility, but dr believes we aren't pregnant (2.5 years trying, no kiddos, no BFPs) because of endo. I've had some pretty uncomfortable bloating on our previous medicated cycles, so I'm expecting to have similar with stims and am hoping we get some good egg numbers to make up for it.

    FX for everyone undergoing cycles right now!

  28. foodiebee

    kiwi / 662 posts

    @MrstypeA: Congrats on a great retrieval! I'm afraid I don't have any tips for the bloating, but I can relate because I've had awful bloating from my previous IUI cycle with injectibles. Mine has finally started to go down today, but I was miserable this weekend, with some sharp cyst pains that woke me up in the middle of the night. Hope you're feeling better now!

  29. MrstypeA

    cherry / 126 posts

    @foodiebee: welcome to the board! The bloating is just the worst isn’t it?! It took a solid 5 days to feel almost normal after my retrieval. I took GasX and I really think it helped even though my Dr said it wouldn’t haha j just felt like my ovaries were so bloated they were pushing on all my other organs and causing other problems too! And finally my nurse told me to only drink pedialyte and that alternating between Gatorade/ pedialyte and water was just counteracting each other. The day I drank 3 containers of pedialyte I felt the biggest improvement.

    Good luck with everything! I’ll be doing my FET in August (hopefully) so keep us updated!

  30. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    @foodiebee: welcome to the club! Been rooting for you on the POAS Boards.

  31. foodiebee

    kiwi / 662 posts

    @MrstypeA: Pedialyte! I would've never thought of that. Definitely filing that away for the future. What kind of protocol do you do to prepare for a FET? We decided last night that we'll be doing a FET instead of fresh because we are going to do PGS. So I guess for me that means all the meds for the retrieval, wait for the PGS results, then the meds for a FET? My MIL was asking me about what the timeline was last night and I got myself completely confused!

    @yellowbeach: You're so sweet, thank you! Honestly, our IVF meeting has been the first time in ages I've felt hopeful about all of this. I've been following your PGS results journey and I'm super curious what our results will look like. (Our dr said she hopes to get 10-15 eggs at retrieval.) Are you still waiting on AF?

  32. MrstypeA

    cherry / 126 posts

    @foodiebee: right now i'm waiting on my PGS test results- we sent 10 for testing! 24 eggs retrieved, 19 mature, 17 fertilized, 10 blastocysts for testing. I already got my period (6 days after retrieval) and will star BC on friday- we will do 3 weeks on BC and 3 weeks medicine (combo of pill and shots) and looking at a August 23ish transfer. the process is crazy long. I think it's an entire year from start to finish if everything goes accordingly.. which we all know it usually doesn't.

    it's such an emotional roller coaster- I was so disappointed on day 5 that only 3 made it to blast but the next day 7 more made it.. it's just unbelievable what a day can bring.

  33. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    @foodiebee: Yes - still waiting. I have a TVUS on Thursday to look for any retained chorionic villi that might still be producing HCG. (I'm still getting faint positives when I POAS.) I really REALLY hope there's nothing because I'm not really up for another procedure.

    @MrsStypea: Sending 10 blasts to PGS is a great start! I forget how old you are - but if the doctor thinks it's an endo issue and not an egg issue, then they probably expect pretty good PGS results, no? How much longer do you have to wait? Ours took 5 business days from the time the biopsies reached RGI (the testing lab).

  34. foodiebee

    kiwi / 662 posts

    @MrstypeA: Wow from 3 to 10 IS amazing! That's another thing that's good to know, so I'll hold out on the emotional roller coaster until the final day. I'm starting 3 weeks of BC once my next AF arrives but find that now that we've committed to this, I'm so impatient to get it started!

    @yellowbeach: I'll keep my FX that the TVUS gives you good results. I completely understand wanting to avoid another procedure.

  35. MrstypeA

    cherry / 126 posts

    @yellowbeach: The Dr keeps telling us it will take 2 weeks but when I had my consult with the company they said a week. I'm 33, I had a miscarriage followed by an ectopic pregnancy so the PGS and IVF is just for my safety to help eliminate the chance of another ectopic, even though I know there is still a small chance. I'm hoping for half to come back "normal".

  36. MrstypeA

    cherry / 126 posts

    Just spoke with my nurse at the Fertility clinic and she said my biopsies haven't even left yet for the PGS testing! UGH!! I am so frustrated. I was really hoping for an answer by end of next week

  37. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    @MrstypeA: ugh that’s so freakin frustrating. Did she even have an excuse why???

  38. MrstypeA

    cherry / 126 posts

    @yellowbeach: she said that they go out once a week- on Monday’s and that they have 7 days to send them out. 😡

  39. MrstypeA

    cherry / 126 posts

    9 of the 10 were normal!!! Unreal! I’m shocked
    8- AA quality
    1- AB quality

  40. yellowbeach

    nectarine / 2648 posts

    @MrstypeA: amazing news!!!!! So what’s your next step towards a FET???

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