I love, love, love this special group and I love how many HB IVF graduates are still listening in. I have learned pretty much everything I really know about IVF from right here. Time to contribute...now that I am soon to be doing my first IVF cycle.
This thread has been closed by the original poster.
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@agold: my RE told me to start melatonin 3mg at bedtime. "It starts with the egg" has a ton about the benefits. I'm doing Femara 5mg, with ovidrel trigger. My RE found a few other things we just started treating last cycle (prolactin, thyroid, and autoimmune) and low AMH. I'm hoping the reason we've had trouble is the prolactin or thyroid, not the low AMH. Though FSH was only 6, so hopefully the quality is fine. He said I responded well, with 16mm and 18mm follicles CD9. I'm nervous!
I also have the stress with work. Thankfully, all our appointments have been at 7am, and the IUI fell on a day I was off (I have a four day work week). I think the way it worked out so nicely is making me a little extra hopeful.
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@AmeliaBedilia: I'm a big believer in coq10 & vit D! Neither can hurt, and hopefully they can help.
Waiting to speak to my nurse today so I can get the run-down for this long cycle. I think I start jabbing Lucrin next week, but need to sort out meds first.
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@AmeliaBedilia: It sounds like this IUI cycle is going as well as it can for you. Thanks for the info about the melatonin. I'm so glad to know it can have more of a benefit than just helping me sleep.
@jaguar: I hope you got to talk to your nurse and that you can get a good plan in place.
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Quick update- IUI went fine. RE was pleased with post wash count- 85 million. I start prednisone tomorrow, another ovidrel Monday, progesterone test in a week, and beta 8/24.
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@agold: Yep, got sorted - thanks! Meds being delivered next week, starting Lucrin Thursday. Excited to get this show on the road.
@AmeliaBedilia: Good work hon, sounds good! xx
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@AmeliaBedilia: glad your iui went well!
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@bloved: thanks!
@jaguar: thanks! Sending Good vibes to you!
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A new IVF thread! I had been lurking on the old one for some time, so it is now time to join officially.
I love, love, love this special group and I love how many HB IVF graduates are still listening in. I have learned pretty much everything I really know about IVF from right here. Time to contribute...now that I am soon to be doing my first IVF cycle.I've introduced myself around here before but just to sum up: we are trying for baby #1 (and maybe 2) after 7 years of NTNP, we started TI in January. We are older-ish (me: 39, him: 40) and learned in April that he has severe MFI. My FSH is 9.8 (super good AMH, at least) so we don't have time to lose and will do IVF/ICSI pronto. I will start BCPs on my next CD 1..which is tomorrow, most likely.... So that puts me on the same timeframe as some of the other IVF newbies on here! I feel so lucky that we have each other!
That said, it feels so fast to go from "let's really, really try to have kids!" to IVF. Since April and all of the diagnostics and financial conversations have begun, I still sometimes find myself forgetting that all of this might lead to a BFP and then a baby. Does anyone know what I mean? For some reason, my heart hasn't yet caught up with my head on how we are going to get pregnant, if we are lucky enough...
About DHEA and Coq10., my RE has strongly advised me against taking them. I haven't heard the full explanation yet, but I will share it when I do. In addition to eating well-balanced, organic meals (which we already do) and laying off caffeine, sugar and alcohol (which we now do), the recommendation was for both of us to take pharmaceutical-grade multivitamins, so I'm on a pre-natal vitamin and he is taking one for guys going through IVF. (That sounds funny, but I guess he is going through it in his way, right?) Anyone else doing something similar (no supplements, just healthy business-as-usual plus vitamins)?
Looking forward to staying in the loop with you all. Best wishes to all!
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@Amorini: welcome! I am the same as you. No supplements, just health(ier) eating. Although actually, this tww I am trying to eat "superfoods" to help with implantation like Avacados, beans and walnuts.
Ugh I thought I was so zen for this tww since we had not great embryos, but I can feel the craziness starting to creep in. I tested today (7dpo). I had hopes that I would not test at all, but I think I wanted to do one of these "borderline" days so it would not really count if negative. Anyone else know what I mean? ugh, I just hate this whole process!
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@bloved: I get the borderline test- yay if positive, too early if negative.
RE is having me do ovidrel three days after IUI, and bumped my bets back to 8/24 so we don't gets false positive.tjat is forever away! DH found an amazing trip we'd love to go on, but it wouldn't work with kids. I'm using it as a backup if all of this doesn't work, hopefully to take some pressure off. I really want kids, I'm just trying to figure out a way to accept it if it doesn't happen.
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@bloved: ugh, the mind games! How many dpt were you when you got your first BFP with IVF? Wishing you some great distractions over the next few days!
@AmeliaBedilia: Your DH's trip idea sounds like a big excursion, not just a weekend getaway! Could you drop everything and do it after this cycle, either way it goes?
I was thinking yesterday that it might help us to put a beach or cabin weekend on the books so we have something to look forward to... After taking days off and paying OOP for IVF, it will have to be a quick but relaxing something. Anyone have any good or bad experiences with planning post-IVF getaways?
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@Amorini: DH found a world cruise. Getting the time off will be difficult. We are supposed to go white water rafting mid September. I would either be seven weeks pregnant if this cycle works, or one week after IUI if it doesn't. I hadn't thought to ask RE about it. Does anyone have any thoughts on whether this would be a problem? I've given up so many events for nothing and don't want to miss more.
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@AmeliaBedilia: A world cruise sounds amazing! Right after this last failed IVF cycle in July, I booked a 2 week trip to Greece and we'll be going in Sept. Traveling has been my consolation prize for the last 3 years and gives me a little something else to look forward to and take my mind off of this. I think it would be ok to travel a week after IUI, at that point you're just in the tww. I had asked my doctor about flying internationally at 5-6 weeks if I had gotten a BFP and she said it was perfectly fine.
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@Amorini: Hi! I'm in your same IVF newbie timeframe. Did CD1 hit for you as you expected? I'm still about 5 or so days away. I'm going to be out of town, so I need to call my RE tomorrow to get the birth control prescription before I leave. I hope that's not a problem. I know exactly what you mean when you say it feels really really fast to move on to IVF. I'm thinking about it as if I'm for sure going to get pregnant and it really scares the crap out of me. Like, "I'm not ready!" Its so crazy to sort of pick when this will happen, as opposed to be just being surprised one month with a pregnancy. Although really, an IVF pregnancy will be just as surprising to me, in its own way. (That assumes there even will be an IVF pregnancy.. ugh.) Today, while driving home from a little weekend away with friends, my husband asked me if I thought I would sit in the back seat with a baby when we have one. Something I'd never even thought of, and its funny that he's thinking that way. Can you please tell me what vitamin your husband is taking? I've been giving my husband a multi, coq10, maca and acetyl-l carnitine. Best of luck to you with all of this.
@bloved: Oh the two week wait craziness. i know it well.
@AmeliaBedilia: A world cruise sounds absolutely amazing. I hope you get to do it! You can do it even for a babymoon! And I'm actually going river rafting next weekend. I haven't been since I was a kid and honestly have no idea what I'm going to wear. But I'm looking forward to it.
@PurplePumps: I'm planning to book an international trip for the end of January. I really don't want to put it on hold for the hope that I get pregnant. But I do worry about actually getting pregnant and being sick or something. We fly economy class and it can get uncomfortable just being a normal size and healthy.
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@AmeliaBedilia: I think having a vacation planned is a great idea. We have done that for our last 2 failed FETs. It is nice to have something to look forward to and a world cruise sounds amazing!! I think you could travel in the 2WW. After my most recent IVF (which happened to be a freeze-all, but was not originally supposed to be one) I would have been in the tww in St. Thomas, and my doctor was not concerned at all. In fact, she said it would probably be good because it would help me relax.
@Amorini: I was 8dp3dt when I got a bfp with my son. And I know for sure it was negative each day before then since I had been testing since 5dp3dt! But thanks for bringing it up; it does give me some good perspective!
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@agold: For me, I don't worry too much about the sick or uncomfortable part. I know I'm not going to fork over the cash for anything but econ, so that's a non factor. And I think I could just muddle through sick...after all, I've flown to Taiwan, 28 hr travel time with a miserable 103 fever lol.
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@PurplePumps: I wouldn't ever pay for anything above econ. I dream about an airport clerk seeing a pregnant me and majically bumping me up to business. Or even premium econ. Ha! But like you, I'm pretty good at drudery so I think being sick is something I'd push through. Travel to Taiwan with a high fever!? You are awesome. I hope you had got better once you got there.
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@agold: @PurplePumps: You could totally tell the flight attendants you're expecting and at least score an aisle seat for frequent potty trips or needing to get up to avoid DVT
There was a chance I was going to be preg for a trip to Australia and that was going to be my plan! I have a trip planned to Ireland at the end of next month. If this cycle works, it'll be a celebratory trip, if not, it'll be a trip filled with whiskey, guinness, and horse-back rides on the beach
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@YogiRunner: Your Ireland trip sounds like a dream! How is your cycle going? You are doing your first IVF, right?
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@agold: It is a MUCH needed vacation! And yup, I'm on my first IVF. Today is CD12, tonight is my 11th night of stims and I have no major complaints. Just a little moody but nothing too crazy. I'm on 450 of Gonal-F and 150 Menopur. Follicles are growing so I started Ganirelix to suppress ovulation a few days ago. Best guess for ER is Thurs or Fri.
Excited and incredibly nervous at the same time!
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@agold: Luckily apparently all I needed was more time and I actually felt almost 100% by the time I got off the plane and was able to enjoy my time there
@YogiRunner: haha, if I'm every flying when pregnant, I will totally play it up for perks! Ireland sounds like a great getaway! That was my first consolation trip back in 2013 after our second failed IUI. Hopefully it'll be a relaxing celebratory trip for you!!
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@YogiRunner: That is really very exciting! Do you know how many follicles/eggs you have at this point? An egg retrieval on Thursday or Friday is great since you will have the weekend to recover. Then your embryo transfer would also likely call on a Thursday or Friday and you will have that weekend to rest. So ideal.
@PurplePumps: I, too, will take whatever perks I can get. You girls are all so awesome with your big consolation trips!
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@YogiRunner: So excited for you! You're ET is just around the corner! Ireland sounds like a wonderful way to escape for either joy or sorrow. Sending some major shamrocks your way!!
@agold: yes, AF arrived and I started BCPs. Let the incredible journey begin! I am already scheduled for my SHG/TT next Tuesday. I'm told I have to drink a lot of water and hold it until I feel like I'm going to burst. I have a 2-hour drive to my RE (monitoring is local, thankfully) and always arrive with a full bladder! For those who have had it, is it just like a HSG? Or, if you had both, did they have any difference in pain/discomfort for you?
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I had my 3rd consult today. I'm going to be lazy and copy and paste from my blog ....
I think I've finally hit my emotional toll. I just cannot stop the tears tonight. I've just been going through all the motions, logical steps to take with hope each step of the way. It was ok because there was hope. TTC naturally wasn't working? Ok, IUI has better chances. IUI didn't work, ok IVF has a 50/50 chance. First cycle didn't work? Let's try a different protocol. Second cycle didn't work? Let's tweak that again based on what we've learned. Third cycle still had the same poor results.... well... now what? I've read that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. So what does that mean. Do I just accept I have immature poor quality eggs? Are my shattered dreams of having a family in this 4 bedroom house I bought going to be my reality? After 2 consults and the words "donor egg" come up repeatedly, I just don't know anymore. I don't know what to do. I don't know how much more worthless hope I can dish out.
Doctor 1 told me based on my protocol and results, if he had to venture a guess for another cycle, he would add Menopur. Though he added that he has never seen 3 consecutive cycles with such low maturity.
Later that week, my doctor actually came back and suggested the same.
Doctor 2 wanted to run more blood work and testing to test for mild PCO just to see if he could diagnose me. However, treatment would be no different. Some sort of IVF protocol would be the treatment, though he was unable to say what he would do without the results of those tests.
Doctor 3 suggested IVM, and that a 4th IVF cycle would be unlikely to yield different results from the first 3 since I've already tried both protocols. I specifically asked about Menopur, and he did not seem to think that it would make much difference. This was the one that mentioned donor eggs a few times, something I was not ready to hear and something I had written off when I thought there was still hope.
The hope is all but gone now, and donor egg could be my only hope of carrying a child. But would I feel it's 'mine'? Those ooooo's and aaaah's of whose eyes the baby has, whose nose... everyone loves to do that. The answer would never be me. My mannerisms, my family's traits, I would never see that. Would I tell anyone it was a donor egg? Would I tell the child? I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I am ok with being childless. I just don't know what to do anymore. I still seem to have a few options but don't even know if I believe anything can work now.
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@PurplePumps: This just makes me so frustrated. Doing things over and over really is insanity - I feel that way too. But I know lots of friends with IVF babies who just had to keep plugging away until the right egg was collected/the right embryo grew - no rhyme or reason. It's what I try to tell myself now, since everything's gone wrong trying for #2. Just keep plugging away.
I know you'll be a parent. How or when, I wish I knew, but I have hope. Not a lot of faith, that's been knocked down over the years, but hope. If you ever need to chat, just send me a message. xx
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@PurplePumps: it's been 2 years since my fresh IVF cycle so I don't comment on this thread anymore because the details aren't fresh in my mind. However I still follow along and cheer on everyone going through IVF. If you ever need someone to talk to about donor conception and all the emotions that go along with it feel free to message me. My husband and I went through a lot of the emotions you described above when we were deciding whether or not to use donor embryos. I think it's important not to let a doctor push donor eggs on you if you aren't ready to go that route. I'm here if you'd like to talk.
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@PurplePumps: I'm so very sorry you are having such a tough time. I'm only heading into my first IVF, so I don't know if what I would have to say would mean much to you. But I did watch my sister go through quite a few IVFs and, as I mentioned on other thread earlier, I was ultimately an egg donor for her. So I do have some thoughts I can share on that if you ever want anything like that. Like other girls said above, just keep going on the route you are most comfortable with. Only you, not the doctors, can know what that is.
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@PurplePumps: I'm so sorry you're going through this right now. I have so much hope for you. You're better and stronger for having gone through it and I believe your story will have a happy ending. xx
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@agold: just had an u/s and the tech told me i have 4 on each side, I believe 14-22mm. So I'd imagine I'll trigger tonight or tomorrow. No idea if those numbers are good or not... Already nervous for the next few days.
@amorini: thanks for the good thoughts and the support!
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@PurplePumps: Sending a big hug and lots of prayers your way.
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@Amorini: Hey! How long are you on birth control? I started mine last night so we are going to be cycling really close together.
@PurplePumps: I am so sorry things are feeling so bleak. My husband and I also bought a "family" house right before our "you can never make a baby without IVF" diagnosis. I keep all the doors to the rooms shut. I've just started my first round so I don't have a lot of insight, but I am thinking of you.
So I started BCP last night and our shots class is on Sunday morning - that's also when we have to pay up. I will be on the pill for around 3 weeks. I'm really jumpy and nervous now that we have started. I feel like this whole thing has spiraled out of nowhere - we JUST found out that we had no other options about 3 months ago. If all goes to plan I will start stimming sometime the first week of September.
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@YogiRunner: I think 8 sounds like a great number! I'm hoping all the best for you. Are you waiting for the doctor to call you and tell you when to trigger?
@Carobee: My CD1 should be coming in the next few days. I'm exciting to join you and @Amorini: on this IVF cycle!
I also bought a family car nearly two and a half years ago. It sucks. Its too big for just me and not something I ever would have wanted without kids. Its a constant reminder. Also, I have a room in my house that I thought would be for a baby. I painted it light blue when we moved in and we didn't buy furniture for it. Its sat empty for years. I figure why buy a bed for it if I will just have to get a crib later? Well, I suppose a bed would have been nice for all the years its sat empty. Ugh. Its sort of funny I guess.
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@AmeliaBedilia: This is a random question, but what do you wear when you go river rafting? I'm stuck trying to pack for this.
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@PurplePumps: I am so sorry you are going through all this. I have had that same feeling of insanity and it sucks. I have no good advice for you, but just wanted to reach out and say I am thinking of you.
@YogiRunner: 8 sounds great! Good luck!
@agold: I could have written this post. We had the big car, empty room, and the house we night for the huge yard with the perfect swing set left behind by the previous owners. For 2 years I felt like they were all mocking me. But we did get our miracle and I really do believe you (and everyone on this board) will too.
Afm- 9 dpo, still peeing on everything in sight, and all still negative. I know logically still early, and I am sorry I ever started down this testing path. It is just stressing me out before I even needed to be stressed.
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@agold: Hi! Lurker here... We've been TTC for 3 years, and I did two IVF cycles in 2014 and am currently taking a break, but I wanted to pop in and tell you I totally relate with the family car and the family house. I bought a Pilot around the time we started TTC, and it was such a sad reminder that I ended up trading it in for a smaller car after a year and a half. Hang in there!
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@agold: We generally go rafting in WV (gulley river) in the fall. I wear a wetsuit (short one, though sometimes would be better with a long one), water shoes, and a swimsuit under the wetsuit. If this cycle is it, I would be about 7 weeks pregnant when we go. I hope to go, but would be happy enough about being pregnant that missing it wouldn't be that bad. I'm tired of missing stuff and then be for nothing.
I also hear you about the house. We bought a farm eight months ago and are renovating the house. It's a kid's paradise, but we probably wouldn't have bought it if we knew we couldn't have kids. The first time we saw it, I saw kids playing in the stream and coming in all muddy with huge smiles. We are renovating the house with kids in mind, moving walls and put in an extra bathroom. I hope it's not all for nothing. We also need to buy DH's next car soon, but how
Much room do we need? Maybe no kids, maybe multiples. ????My master acupuncturist said I didn't need Another treatment unless this cycle doesn't work. I figured I would make the next appointment (easier to cancel than make one), and he's 90 minutes away. They only have availability at 14DPO (probably too soon to know since I did an ovidrel for implantation support and my beta is 17 DPO), or what is likely to be around ovulation next cycle. I really wanted it four days after my beta, when I will be off work and in town anyway. It's so hard to coordinate everything!
All the talk of birth control makes me nervous- I get terribly bad migraines with estrogen. I can deal with a lot of side effects but these are miserable and I can't function. Hope that we can find an alternative.
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Nurse called, I trigger tonight and ER is on Thursday!
Dumb question- do you count day of retrieval in the "3 day" or "5 day" transfer timeline? Like if we decide to transfer on day 3, will that be Saturday?
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@bloved: Oh no! A swing set! Oh my gosh that would be tough for our little IF eyes to see every day. I'm so very glad you have your miracle baby. I was otherwise going to offer to come over and help you tear it down! (Just kidding, I personally love swings for myself.) I'm wishing you all the best of luck in these next days. Please don't test yourself crazy.
@Shutterbug: Thank you for telling me you can relate! And yikes, the Pilot surely is a big family car. I'm glad you were able to turn it in. The lease is up on my car in about 8 months. I'm pretty sure I will get a smaller car if I'm not pregnant by then. And I absolutely understand taking a break. I've taken a bit of break after going two IUIs. And I think I'm only going to do one IVF ever. So I will soon be on an indefinite break. I know breaks happen for all sorts of reasons. I really hope you are doing well during yours.
@AmeliaBedilia: Thanks for the info re: the wet suits. And oh that's tough about buying the farm. I really hope you get all the little kiddos you've dreamed of to fill up your farm house. And home renovations could never be just for nothing. I'm sure you increased the value of your house tremendously. And I hear you on the difficulty with scheduling anything related to IF treatments.
I spoke with my nurse about getting my birth control prescription early since I will likely be out of town when CD1 hits. They want me to come in tomorrow for ultrasounds and whatnot. Yikes! I wasn't expecting this and really hope that being out of town for the first few days of my cycle won't disrupt my IVF plans.
@Carobee: and @Amorini: what cycle day did you girls start your birth control and what appointments did you have to go in for during the first four or so days of your cycles?
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@agold: At my clinic we start birth control on CD 1- or the first day of full flow if you're a spotter first (I'm not).I had a ultrasound CD 2 to check for cysts (not everywhere does this) and that's it, I'm good to go. I don't have anything else until my shots class on Sunday.
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@Carobee: Thank you for your response. I am hoping that my ultrasound tomorrow can suffice in place of a CD2 ultrasound. And if that's the case, I'm so relieved that my IVF cycle won't be messed up because I'll be out of town. Phew.
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