~~January Precious Penguins~~ December 29th

SweetieShellieH

Welcome to the January 2015 Precious Penguins Check-In!!!  Check-ins will be every Monday & Thursday. Your check-in leaders are @SweetieShellieH (Monday) and @emmuffy (Thursday).

This is a check-in for those who are doing IVF/IVM or FET with an ER/ET scheduled for January. If you are interested in joining, please fill us in on your cycle below.  Please include what cycle number this is for you, where you are in the process, when you expect to start stims, when you're planning on retrieval and transfer, and when your beta day is!  Also, please update us along the way!

For those that don't have it yet, here is the link to our badge https://i57.tinypic.com/8ybc3m.jpg

Below is our list so far. Everyone is welcome, so please let us know if you would like to be added

BFP!!!!

BFN (((HUGS)))

PUPO!!!!

Between ER & ET

Stimming

Prep (BCP/Lupron/EPP)
@.Mrs.Matt. IVF #1
@afsalinas IVF#1 FET#1
@apitts2 IVF#2
@bkam IVF#1
@BlueJell0 IVF#1
@browncoatjr IVF#1
@Buttmonkey34 IVF#2 FET#1
@cookiebear IVF#3
@doves654 IVF#1 FET#1
@Dyork IVF#1
@emmuffy IVF#2
@Fluffydamn IVF# ??
@GoBucksOH IVF#1
@Jetta83306 IVF#3 1st w/ DE
@jro1602 IVF#1
@Kbrooke06 IVF#1
@Kcheese IVF#1
@kford81 IVF#1
@kristin1k IVF#1
@lemonliz IVF#1
@LilyHarper IVF#1 FET#1
@NariaDreaming IVF #1.2
@Mysh IVF#2
@sewfie IVF#1
@shadidynyc IVF#1 FET#1
@ShortStuff IVF#1
@SmootiePie IVF#1
@Spring78 IVF#2
@SundayBrunch IVF#1
@tumbleweed123 IVF#3
@tweetyknicks IVF#1 FET#1
@Twinkie0612 IVF#4 FET#1 w/ OE
@vballbaby IVF#1

Waiting to Cycle (No prep)
@BootsOrHearts IVF#1 FET#1 (fx you won’t move to Feb!)
@crazycatlady4 IVF#1 FET#1
@Discouraged31 IVF #1 FET#1
@K1111K IVF#2
@kfb829 IVF#1
@lilycakes78 IVF#1 FET#1
@MamaKakes611 IVF#3
@saysjess IVF#1
@SweetieShellieH IVF#1 FET#1
@tbj1 IVF#2
@tifga IVF#1 FET#2
@wcasar IVF #1 FET#1

Cycle Delayed / Cancelled
@crazycatlady4 IVF#1 FET#1 - FET Early February
@Daashuriaa IVF#2 FET#1 - Moving to February
@fizzashaudhary IVF#3 FET#1 - RI Protocol for 2 months
@RG1979 IVF#3 - ER/ET in February

QOTD: How do you plan on spending the last few hours of 2014?

Smootiepie

Last BCP is tomorrow...hooray!! Baseline Friday.

QOTW: we will be drinking ourselves silly at an ugly sweater party. DH's comment this morning was that we have so much booze to make it through that night!!!

SweetieShellieH

Please let me know if I have you in the wrong spot or forgot to put you in or accidentally removed you from the list. I'm tired so who knows what kinda crazyness I could have done to the post :P

Sorry I didn't post this in the morning. I'm working nights and was sleeping for pretty much the majority of day light hours today. I have to leave for work in 20 minutes for another night. And I'll be doing nights again tomorrow.

Anyway, I have no major updates. I'm still waiting for AF. My boobs have been sore the last couple of days so I hope it means she's getting close (could also mean a miracle happened, but I'm going with highly unlikely!)

QOTD: **niece mentioned**   I'll be working until 7am on New Years Eve, and will sleep until noon. Once I get up we will most likely go to DH's brother's house, since it's our niece's 5th birthday. Afterwards, we'll head home and stay up watching the countdown, and probably have a bottle of sparkling wine!

tifga

I am actually in prep for my FET.

We finally got the biopsy results today 2xday shots for 1 week is consistent with 5dpo so Dr. is happy.

Still have the flu but I think it is almost done.
So ultrasound Friday and transfer should be the Friday after.

QOTD: we don't really have any plans since I am sick so probably just watch a movie.
We are terribly exciting people.

tumbleweed123

Wow, the Penguin check-in is massive compared to the tiny December group!  I guess all the REs are back in their offices.  

My RE just emailed me to say that he would like to try a Lupron cycle this time, rather than antagonist.  I told him that I'm game -- so I go in Friday for baseline.  I'm on BCPs for another week, then start Lupron.  I guess it's two weeks on Lupron then probably ten days of stims.  So, this will be a VERY long cycle for me, compared to my two antagonist cycles.  FX this makes all the difference for egg quality.  Anyone else on a Lupron cycle? 

QOTD: I plan to spend the last few hours of 2014 cursing out 2014 and kicking it in the ass.  Worst year of my life.  2015, let's get this done. 

lemonliz  I think you are handling that party exactly as you should!  

vballbaby

Last night of bcp was last night and I received my mother load of meds today! Had a dr appt today and signed all consents and baseline US and BW Friday. Ready to get this party started. I will be spending my last couple of days of 2014 playing beach volleyball and drinking champagne!

Kbrooke06

Last night of bcp was last night. Just waiting for period to start so I can call the doc and come in for baseline US and BW, hopefully will be Wednesday or Thursday. Projected ER is on the 10th.

I'll be spending these last couple days with my husband and enjoying the calm before the storm!

BootsOrHearts

Hi Ladies

@SweetieShellieH and @emmuffy thank you for running this check-in, we are a large and active group so for sure!

@K1111K Hopefully your RE explained the risks associated with HGH, it's a human blood product (like plasma) so it has some (albeit low) risk of transferring blood borne diseases like Hepatitis. I asked about it and was told she does not recommend it for that reason and that there is scant clinical evidence that it helps. I got creeped out about it after she told me where it comes from. :-|

I go for my baseline today. Hopefully everything looks good, then it's just waiting for O time! Tentative transfer date is 1/12. Our clinic does betas 9dp5dt so that would be around 1/21. 

QOTW: Probably sleeping, we are so lame these days!

emmuffy

Hey Penguins

Yep, we're a big group! The REs are back open for business. Hopefully 2015 means good things for us (good riddance 2014).

I'm starting the BCPs tomorrow. I've never been on them, so if you have any advice, please let me know! (first IVF was EPP).

I will be using Saizen (HGH), and I've never heard that it's made from human blood products. The information I've read suggests it comes from mice (https://www.drugs.com/pro/saizen.html). There are studies supporting its use, although like many other supplements, there is not as much good quality evidence as you would like to see.

BootsOrHearts

@emmuffy‌ interesting! I wonder if things have changed since I asked about it.

Sewfie

@tumbleweed123, I'm on lupron! My protocol is 20 units, twice a day. Had my 5th shot this morning.

So far, so good. Had my post-op (polypectomy) appointment yesterday and am finally(!) off of pelvic rest. Tonight I get my first follitism and menopur shots, really looking forward to that. Oh, I gave myself a lupron shot the other night. It turns out that while I can give various animals injections, I'm not so great at doing it to myself- I bled a little at the injection site and have a dime-sized bruise. I worked myself up and was way too shaky. Next u/s is this Friday!

QOTD: How do you plan on spending the last few hours of 2014?
One of my friends is having a small get together, so we're going to her house to ring in the new year.

Twinkie0612

I missed the last check-in, things are crazy with the holidays!

I got my immune blood work results back Friday and the results weren't as good as we hoped.  My NKC and TNFa (cytokine) are not responding as well to the pred this cycle as they did last cycle, both are still above normal limits.  Also my white blood cells came back high again.  They've been elevated since my initial blood work in August, but were higher this time than they were in November (they were around 14 in August, 16 in November but held steady when retested.  Now they are at 19.8.  Normal is under 10.8).  I had to have my CBC redrawn yesterday.  I'm not sure if they will increase my pred with my WBC being high, but hopefully the IVIG will bring my immune numbers back down.

I also got my period yesterday and my baseline is today.  I had my E2 drawn early this morning and my u/s is in about an hour.  If everything looks good I start delestrogen 1/1.  Then I get the rest of my meds on 1/6 (I had what I needed to start), blood work on 1/12, u/s (with RI) and IVIG on 1/13, and lining check and blood work with RE on 1/15.  Then hopefully my transfer on 1/20.

QOTD: We usually go low key on NYE.  My family does a small get together and eats a ton of food and plays board games. 

Jetta83306

Hi all! Yesterday I decreased Lupron from 20 units to 5. I also started Estrace, Vivelle patches, and an antibiotic. This is my first go around with Estrace and Vivelle, if anybody else has used these before, what are your experiences with them? So far so good for me, except that my antibiotic made me sick yesterday.

QOTD: DH and I are going to a New Year's Eve Party with our church group. We will just be playing games and eating junk food.

Twinkie0612

@Jetta83306 I used estrace (orally) for my FET with donor embryos and my lining looked great.  I have never used vivelle.  I would have been prescribed vivelle, but I asked for a different form of estrogen since I sometimes have skin reactions to adhesives. 

Which antibiotic were you prescribed?  I found Cipro isn't bad but I have to take doxy with food or it makes me sick. 

wcasar

Just waiting on AF. She should be here any day...

QOTD: We are going to a casino themed birthday party. My poor friend shares his bday with NYE. Should be fun and a nice excuse to dress up.

tumbleweed123

K1111K  we seem to be on the same protocol!  Hmmm, will have to compare notes.  Which HGH are you doing?  Also, hope your cyst and sore throat go away fast!  

Sewfie have you noticed any side effects from the Lupron? I've only done antagonist cycles, so no experience with this protocol.  

Twinkie0612 sorry about your labs coming back elevated.  I'm in the same boat and will be addressing it with Humira, before FET.  It seems so unfair, to have to deal with immune issues on top of getting normal eggs.  Hope your baseline goes and that you get to get started.  

vballbaby

@BootsOrHearts‌ when you mentioned the Hgh is made from mice blood are u talking about the ganirelix that @k111k mentioned? I got freaked out with the mention of hep c transmission so I just read the ganirelix insert and it says it's a mad made synthetic protein. Maybe I'm missing something though so I wanted to clarify.

Sewfie

I don't think so, @tumbleweed123. I've gotten a headache in the afternoon for the last couple of days, but mh has too, so it must be something else.

doves654

I’m plugging along on Estradiol as prep for my FET. My baseline b/w and u/s appt is Friday, and I will have been on Estradiol for 23 days at that time. They said they’ll want to do the transfer the next week (b/w the 7th and 9th). Has anyone ever had it delayed a week? I would prefer for it to be the week later because I have a work trip the week of the 19th and would prefer it be the first week of it instead of the 2nd week of it so I can be with my husband during the second half. They said they’ll decide after seeing my lining on Friday. 

All of my meds have arrived! I’m going to have to learn how to give myself PIO shots b/c of the work trip as well.

****

@Smootiepie have fun at your ugly sweater party!

@SweetieShellieH that schedule sounds rough! I hope AF comes soon!

@tifga we are on very similar schedules - my baseline u/s is this Friday too. I hope you feel all better soon!

@lemonliz ugh to the NYE BFP announcement. Hang in there and enjoy the booze.

Congrats to @vballbaby and @kbrooke06 for wrapping up BCP

@K1111K FX that your cyst leaves!

@BootsOrHearts FX for a good baseline today! Let us know how it goes!

@emmuffy I didn’t have any huge issues on BCPs other than moodiness, hopefully your experience isn’t too bad!

@RG1979 good luck with your u/s! Let us know how it goes!

@Sewfie good luck on all of the new medications, and FX for a good u/s on Friday!

@Twinkie0612 sorry to hear about your b/w results, but hopefully you’re right and IVIG will bring the numbers back down. Let us know how the b/w and u/s results are today! 

@Jetta83306 this is my first cycle with Estrace as well, and my first u/s to check lining is Friday. 

QOTD: We are in New Orleans visiting friends for NYE, and are planning to stay in with them and have a big, awesome meal. 

Twinkie0612

I'm back from my baseline.  My lining was nice and thin and my ovaries are cyst free, unless my E2 comes back high, I should be cleared to start delestrogen on Thursday. 

BootsOrHearts

vballbaby said:

@BootsOrHearts‌ when you mentioned the Hgh is made from mice blood are u talking about the ganirelix that @k111k mentioned? I got freaked out with the mention of hep c transmission so I just read the ganirelix insert and it says it's a mad made synthetic protein. Maybe I'm missing something though so I wanted to clarify.

HGH is human growth hormone. My RE had explained it comes from human blood hence the blood borne disease transmission issue. I guess it could come from mice if they have genetically modified them to make HGH as opposed to MGH haha! Ganirelix is something else. So you're good!

doves654

Great news @Twinkie0612!

tumbleweed123

@Twinkie0612 yay!  so great! 

vballbaby

@BootsOrHearts‌ sorry I completely missed her first post where she mentioned the Hgh, I only saw the ganorelix. My bad!:)

Fluffydamn

@SweetieShellieH‌ this is our first IVF cycle.
Right now just going along on bcp's. My scan is on 1/12. I need to order my meds still. DH went today and did yet another SA. This is his third one. We did two here in town with a different RE before changing to the RE we have now. They wanted another so they could see what they were working with. So all in all we have spent 500 bucks on someone playing with DH's sperm, lol.

That's it for now.
QOTW- DH and I will prolly watch a movie and fall asleep.

Jetta83306

@Twinkie0612
I am taking doxy. I've gotten sick from it a few times now. Guess I need to try to eat more before I take it, lol.

Twinkie0612

Jetta83306 said:

@Twinkie0612
I am taking doxy. I've gotten sick from it a few times now. Guess I need to try to eat more before I take it, lol.

@Jetta83306 ugh. Doxy is the devil.  This sounds crazy, but I ended up finding that taking it with applesauce helped.  Both DH and I were on doxy after I had some cultures come back showing an infection, and it made both of us sick.  I'm not much of a breakfast eater (I usually have a protein shake) and tried taking it with crackers or another small snack but I still felt like crap after I would take it.  Applesauce was the one thing that seemed to help.  When I took it in the evening, I took it with dinner and was fine.

kford81

@Twinkie0612  & @Jetta83306 - are you taking doxycycline? I just gave my dog that for kennel cough. That stuff is hard core.

 

Got all my meds yesterday. My kitchen counter was completely covered, it's a bit overwhelming. Agh! Starting stims tomorrow night, aka NYE.

QOTW- Dinner at Bone Fish Grill and then over to a friends house where I will proceed to break the record for longest time it takes to drink one glass of wine. Heck, it's going to be New Year's Eve, why not a glass of champagne too?! 

I'm ready for 2015. Out with the old and in with the new!! 

Married 9/09 

Me: 33 - soon to be 34 DH: 36

Started TTC Sept 2012

RE: Unexplained Fertility 

100 mg Clomid 2014 no luck - obgyn suggested fertility specialist - now at Shady Grove

IUI #1 8/14 no luck, IUI #2 9/14 no luck

Moving on to the big bad daddy IVF (w/ ICSI)!!!

Twinkie0612

kford81 said:

@Twinkie0612  & @Jetta83306 - are you taking doxycycline? I just gave my dog that for kennel cough. That stuff is hard core.

 

@kford81 not currently, but I did take it almost 2 years ago before IUI #3.  My RE prescribes cipro for IVF cycles, but I think I have seen some ladies take doxy while cycling. 

doves654

@kford81 I felt the same way when I got my meds for IVF #1. It helped for me to realize how much freaking packaging is included. It didn't feel like so much after that.

Twinkie0612

lemonliz said:

I'm supposed to be on doxy at some point but no one has given me details about when I'll be taking it yet. I suppose post-ER? Thanks for the applesauce tip @Twinkie0612‌!

During my IVF cycles, I always started antibiotics before ER.  I am pretty sure with my FET last spring I started antibiotics the same day I started PIO.  I am assuming it will be the same with my current clinic, since they aren't on my calendar yet.

vballbaby

@lemonliz both DH and I are starting doxy the same day I start stimming, for ten days total. Is everyone else's husband/partner doing this as well?

BootsOrHearts

Hey ladies I'm out this month. Baseline was ok but they want me back Friday and we have non refundable travel plans, which seemed like a good idea at the time. :-/ lesson learned. So we will be moving our transfer to Feb. Good luck to all the Penguins!

saysjess

I'm STILL waiting for my next RE appt... Did I mention that I'm not wry patient? I'm going to have to start booking multiple appointments with this guy! And my acupuncturist is back in the 5th so I have my next appointment on the 6th and counting down the days now!

@Twinkie0612‌ -- yay!

QOTD: apparently DH has informed me we're hosting a party on NYE... Who knew?

lilycakes78

Hi Ladies,

I hope you all have a wonderful NYE! I'm sorry I missed the last check-in. I spoke to my IVF nurse on the phone today about my FET calendar. I'm excited/bummed at the same time. But that pretty much sums up my entire IVF cycle! LOL! Anyway, I'm excited that we're FINALLY getting this show on the road and I will actually be transferring something. But I'm bummed because I was WAY off with the timeline. It's gonna take longer than I thought. I get my meds on Friday and start Lupron on January 12. My FET is tentatively scheduled for....wait for it....Friday, February 13. Friday the 13th!!! I'm taking this as a good luck sign So, it looks like I'll be in the February group (see you there, @BootsOrHearts) but I hope you all don't mind if I hang out here for a bit until the Feb group is up and running!

QOTD: We will be visiting our best friends (another couple) in CT for NYE! Can't wait!

lilycakes78

@tifga Great news that you are moving forward! Also glad to hear you are starting to feel better.

@tumbleweed123 I'm with you on kicking 2014 in the butt and welcoming 2015. See ya, 2014. Suck it! I hope 2015 is a great year for all of us!

@Twinkie0612 Great news! Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

lilycakes78

@RG1979 AWESOME NEWS!!!!

Spring78

Hi ladies. Sorry I missed the last check in due to all the holiday craziness.  I am making progress toward IVF #2... Started Lupron this morning and finally got my calendar for the cycle on Monday. They are starting me out at a significantly reduced dose of Bravelle from last time -- 150 IU twice daily instead of 225 IU twice daily -- in the hopes of not overdoing it like we did last time. For IVF #1, my E2 levels got dangerously high a couple days before triggering and we had to severely step back the dose the last few days -- used 13 vials less than originally planned. Ended up with 31 eggs (21 mature and fertilized), but mild/moderate OHSS. Hopefully, we will still get a good number of eggs this time, but avoid the crisis stage and OHSS unpleasantness this time around. My baseline u/s is Jan 11, starting Bravelle then if all looks good. We did decide to bite the bullet and do PGS this time. I'm trying not to freak out over the cost. My in-laws have offered to help with this cycle, which is great (and shows they have come a long way from believing we were going against God's will when we first talked to them about IVF a year ago), but DH is being all squirrelly when it comes to getting a $$ amount. Help is great and much appreciated, however much, but are we talking enough to cover an u/s, meds, PGS testing or the whole shebang or what?!? I know it is awkward asking for details on their offer, but we are getting to the point that details matter... Ugh! Sorry for the vent. Just a little frustrated. 

Otherwise, I am slowly getting over a bout of bronchitis. I have felt much better for the last few days, but I just can't seem to totally kick this darned cough. Hopefully by the time I start stims it will be better. Maybe? A girl can hope...

QOTD: Real exciting plans here... ;-)...sounds like we are going to spend the evening with my in-laws. Most likely drinking wine and playing board games. We're such party animals! Not!!

ShortStuff

I finished my BCPs on Saturday, AF arrived last night. It's crazy how bloated I was from the BCPs and how quickly it went away after I stopped taking them. I feel so much better today. My boobs actually fit in my bras again! lol And really, they're not that big!

QOTD: How do you plan on spending the last few hours of 2014?- With Elton John at the Barclay Center.

maddychan

Hello! This is my first post. My DH and I are starting our first IVF cycle in January. I am on birth control until 1/2. I had my pelvic exam today and I start 10 units of Lupron tonight. Excited to start this next process. We have had 11 unsuccessful IUI cycles prior. Looking forward to being a part of the Penguins

tweetyknicks

@doves654 Possible transfer partners? Mine's 1/8 (unless it's delayed a week).

@jetta83306 @twinkie0612 I find that a few swigs of protein drink keep my stomach calm. YMMV.

@vballbaby No doxy for MH during IVF. He took nothing besides multivitamins and (voluntarily) Co-Q10.

@lemonliz I've taken to going with the flow for IVF calendars. My clinic didn't tell me what I'd be taking after ER until the day of ER and didn't tell me what to do after ET until the day of ET.

@spring78 225IU twice a day seems really high! Forgive my ignorance, but was there a reason for starting that high? I have mild to moderate signs of PCOS and my RE started me on about half that.

@shortstuff BCPs are EVIL! I can't say that enough. :-P

@maddychan Welcome to the group and good luck!

The quick IF update for those who are in a hurry: Lining and labs check is scheduled for 1/2. I'll probably start PIO that night and go for my FET on 1/8. My meds (doxycycline, medrol, PIO, estrace, HCG trigger) came today. A mere $128; that's better than $3000+ for a fresh cycle. DH is not looking forward to stabbing me in the butt again since I still have an intermittently sore spot from October. We may have mixed up the 18-gauge and 22-gauge needles last time. Needless to say we will be extra careful about that this time. Big needle is for drawing PIO, small needle is for stabbing the wife.

But wait, that's not all!

Since last check-in I turned 30 and freaked out last night. These two events are unrelated. Seriously. I don't care that my age changed.

I freaked out from too much stress between IF, DH's sons, and my mom's health problems. She can walk only with pain now and she's 52. What does that portend for me? I admit that I'm afraid of following after her. I'm also afraid that my kids will be like DH's and I'll go through the last few years again (though I realize that is completely illogical). I am also frustrated and overwhelmed by a number of things and all of this leads me to feeling angry and/or upset way more often than I should.

I made an appointment for 1/5 with a counselor and 1/12 with a geneticist. Research and talking with my mom's family over the past couple of weeks leads me to believe that a connective tissue disorder may run in my family, specifically Ehlers-Danlos Hypermobility or Joint Hypermobility Syndrome (which are practically the same thing). Either of these can lead to early arthritis and chronic joint/muscle pain and a slew of other seemingly unrelated issues.

ETA: I forgot the QOTD.

QOTD: I'll probably spend it watching a movie with DH and hoping both of his kids leave us alone.