March / April - IVF/FET

Tulips29

@dragonfaerie @vssbrm wooohoooo those are such amazing numbers ladies! 

Out of curiosity (I can't recall if you've discussed it before or if you're willing to share)...how many are you planning on transferring? 

vssbrm

@Tulips29 we are only transferring 1. We are doing a study and an only transfer 1 because of being in it. If the first time does not work, we will probably do 2 next time.

dragonfaerie

Thanks @Tulips29 ! We are just going to transfer one at a time. My doc doesn't like to do two because of the risk of twins/triplets/quads, but they would do up to two if we really pushed for it. But twins run in my family and IVF gives you that higher risk anyway, so one it is!

Rachnan

@vssbrm that makes sense.  We are also doing PGD/PGS so I know it's a long process.  I'm just looking for some encouragement to keep going!  I know there is an end in site at least.

@tulips29 we are planning on putting 1 in since we are doing genetic testing and I'm relatively young.

capps42613

@vssbrm congrats! What a great number to have!! I'm happy with the number of follicles I have so far considering my AMH. I had 5 & 5 last month. I'd rather have quality over quantity  We shall see!

@dragonfaerie congrats on your 6 embabies!

vssbrm

@rachnan you so have this! With everything we are going through it's expected that there will be some crapy lows. You are almost there though!! Do you have the retrieval scheduled yet? The things that really help me: yoga, positive visualization ( imagining step by step the best possible outcomes), acupuncture, and I did take a sabbatical from my career In order to try to eliminate as much stress as possible. Keep me posted on how you progress!

Rachnan

thanks @vssbrm I'm definitely keeping the positive thoughts going!  We are tentative for Thursday for ER so that's the what I'm talking myself into getting to day by day.  We just sold our house and I'm working 12 hour days so none of that helps!  Luckily my job is really flexible and my REs office opens at 7am so that hasn't been much of an issue. Not sure why I decided to do this all at once...

erica0901

Hello again ladies! I introed last week and figured I would give an update. Today I had my beta for my 5th and final IUI which was negative. We just found out today that DH's new insurance will cover $7,000 towards IVF, but it doesn't kick in until April 1st. Our plan is to have the nurse consult this month as well as the mock transfer. As soon as I get my next period (after this one), we will officially begin IVF treatment, which should be early April. I will lurk here, but I will be more active in the April/May group once that is established GL everyone!!!

Tulips29

@erica0901 sorry about youe bfn, they sucks! Glad you at least have some coverage towards IVF and April 1st is right around the corner! What is a mock transfer?

erica0901

@Tulips29 the way they explained it to me is that it is a procedure where you come in with a full bladder (just like you would for ET) and they take a catheter (just like at ET) and take a peak around your uterus to make sure it looks OK and there are no fibroids, polyps etc. They also do it so they know how to put the catheter in you since it can be tricky so they aren't "fiddling" around on ER/ET day. 

Rachnan

@erica0901 isn't the transfer really similar to IUI?

erica0901

@Rachnan possibly, I think it is more invasive though since they are checking the inside of your uterus. The official term for the procedure is called a hysteroscopy. 

Rachnan

@erica0901 I had a hysteroscopy at the beginning of last week.  I thought that was just to see if all was clear and remove anything needed?

dragonfaerie

You will often do a hysteroscopy and a TET, I'm also getting doppler ultrasound. The three together will help them make sure that everything looks clear and make a "map" of my uterus so they aren't poking around the day of the FET.

alexiskiriluk

@dragonfaerie that is amazing!!! So excited for you!!!!! Wahoooooo!!!!!

dragonfaerie

@alexiskiriluk Thank you!  

MrsM00re87

Hello everyone...
This whole IVF process is so emotionally draining, anyone else super emotional???? So, I was on provera from Feb 18-27, was waiting on the start of AF. Spotted Monday, Tuesday and even into Wednesday, called the office they had me go in this past Thursday for blood work since my flow is always light so I was worried I had missed my window, only to find out my full on flow happened later on, on Thursday. A really rude nurse called me with my results and stated "oh you're cancelled", no explanation, just blunt. I was really upset. Tried to offer her an explanation, but she wouldn't have it. Then came my emotions as I was not expecting to be cancelled right off the hop. Then I demanded to speak with the doctor, who agreed to have a repeat done. And praise the lord my progesterone level had come down with a 2nd blood draw. So all clear to begin day 1 of injections. Just wondering if anyone has just started injections or will be very soon.

dragonfaerie

@MrsM00re87 I am so sorry you had such a negative interaction with the nurse! We ended up "firing" our IVF nurse and getting assigned to a new one because she was so insensitive. I hope that's not someone you have to have regular interactions with. I'm happy you get to start when you planned though (though sorry you have to be here.) 

Rachnan

@MrsM00re87 That's terrible!  Way to be your own advocate and get to the results that you wanted.

I am on day 8 of stimming with ER set for Thursday.  You won't be too far behind!

MrsM00re87

@dragonfaerie So sorry to hear you also had a bad experience with your nurse. I only have since spoken to other nurses since that one really bad experience. I really hope I don't have to speak with her, but for me its whoever is in the office working unfortunately. Not a good way to start, but that's the only negative so far otherwise my RE office has been great to deal with.

@Rachnan That's great to hear. How are you feeling? What protocol are you on?

dragonfaerie

@MrsM00re87 I'm glad that you have had mostly positives with your office. Best of luck as you start your protocol!

MrsM00re87

@dragonfaerie thank you so much! Best of luck to you too! All the best.

Tulips29

@MrsM00re87 good for you for speaking up and making sure you're heard! You don't need to deal with such negativity during an already emotional time. I hope your RE and future nurse treat you with respect you deserve. I was super emotional during iui cycles when I did injections. There were days I would just start crying out of nowhere and everything made me sad, so I hear ya. I'm glad to hear you're cleared to start stims. I think I'm a few weeks behind most of you here. I start stims in about 3 weeks. 

AmyReneeF

Ok... Here I am again!  Second IVF round has begun.  Had baseline US this morning, 39 follicles.  Start BCP tomorrow and stims 3/23.  I am seeing some familiar faces @thejessicanicol, @halips... FX for a better result this time around.  

dragonfaerie

@AmyReneeF FX for you!

Rachnan

@mrsm00re87 I started with 150 gonal-f and 150 menopur and have had a fantastic response.  They just lowered me to 100 gonal-f starting last night and I start cetrotide in the morning!  What about you?

thejessicanicol

I love seeing the numbers you ladies are getting! I'm getting so impatient to get my process going. Anyone have fun weekend plans to get their minds off this stuff? I have a special at home face mask planned lol

dragonfaerie

@thejessicanicol My DH is going skiing with the boys, so I'm going to pamper myself tomorrow and just relax. Then laser tag tomorrow night for my little sis' birthday, and family birthday lunch on Sunday.

Foxy8609

Hello! I would like to join this group. I am in my 2nd stim cycle. I have completed almost 2 weeks of BC pills and about 3 days of lupron. Weird I can handle the injections however i cannot wait to be down with the pills. Something about taking a pill every day annoys me. lol. I hope to start my follistim and menopur on the 13th. We are doing a 2nd cycle because first round my follicles grew too quick and out of 13 eggs only one made it to cryo. And that one is of poor quality. We wont have our transfer though until May. We will be away in April which will put me in the middle of my cycle. 

How is everyone doing? Where is everyone in their cycles?

I am going to go back and see if I can catch up.

Rachnan

Welcome @foxy8609! The ladies in here seem to be all over the place in terms of cycles but have lots of answers to questions! I've got an ER on Thursday so toward the end of that cycle.

did anyone notice the menopur stinging much more toward the end of stims? It was almost unbearable tonight and now I'm dreading the next couple days!

LinZ528

Hi everyone,

I am a relative newbie to IVF and am currently in the part of the process where you feel slightly overwhelmed by all of the information that's just been handed to you. Currently I am on birth control pills, I will have my base line ultrasound on March 30. After that (if all is well) I will begin stimming and my retrieval and transfer will occur mid-April. 

My husband is 49 and in sales; I am 32 and a high school administrator. **child mention** He has 3 kids from his first marriage who are all teenagers to college aged **end child mention** Together, we currently have only furbabies -- 3 cats, 1 dog.

My medicine will all arrive via Fed-Ex tomorrow morning, which makes it feel very real, and I'm starting to get nervous about all of the things to keep track of in the coming weeks and how I will balance it with work. My staff and my boss both are very sympathetic and supportive and are going to make the process as easy on me as possible, but I would love to have people to talk to about all of this that truly understand what my husband and I are about to go through! I look forward to getting to know those of you in this cycle group. Please share any insight, tips, tricks, reflections, etc that you think may help the anxious mind of a newbie

What is something you wish someone would have told you before you began?

oxinfree

Hi ladies. I hope it might be alright if I jump back in. Some of you don't know who I am, but was part of this group earlier before my DH lost his job (we're in US on a work visa tied to that job... and insurance tied as well obviously). I stepped back from the process in order to figure everything out, but after a LOT of talking with DH, we extended via cobra and decided to go ahead with it after all since we already had the meds etc. So I'm back, and starting stimms at the end of the month, transfer in April. What a rollercoaster. I'm going to try and read through your convos, but am so behind that I'll just try and pick up where you all sit currently. I'll do my best

oxinfree

LinZ528 said:

Hi everyone,

I am a relative newbie to IVF and am currently in the part of the process where you feel slightly overwhelmed by all of the information that's just been handed to you. Currently I am on birth control pills, I will have my base line ultrasound on March 30. After that (if all is well) I will begin stimming and my retrieval and transfer will occur mid-April. 

My husband is 49 and in sales; I am 32 and a high school administrator. **child mention** He has 3 kids from his first marriage who are all teenagers to college aged **end child mention** Together, we currently have only furbabies -- 3 cats, 1 dog.

My medicine will all arrive via Fed-Ex tomorrow morning, which makes it feel very real, and I'm starting to get nervous about all of the things to keep track of in the coming weeks and how I will balance it with work. My staff and my boss both are very sympathetic and supportive and are going to make the process as easy on me as possible, but I would love to have people to talk to about all of this that truly understand what my husband and I are about to go through! I look forward to getting to know those of you in this cycle group. Please share any insight, tips, tricks, reflections, etc that you think may help the anxious mind of a newbie

What is something you wish someone would have told you before you began?

Hey @LinZ528 - when your meds arrive be sure to take a deep breath they seem pretty daunting. Mine arrived and even having done this before I had to take a moment to absorb it all. It's a lot... but know that you get used to them all. I find setting alarms on my phone for each med is best to keep track of it all. I feel less overwhelmed that way. Cute that you have all those furbabies. We too had 2 cats and 1 dog, but our 2 cats are now living with DHs parents due to my allergies and us wanting to have the best shot possible. Nice to have all those comforting cuddles during the 2ww though! I wish for my first round I had been less busy/stressed. I was teaching full time, and had my own photography business, so stress was high. This time around, things are VERY chill. I can focus on eating well, yoga, and meditation/affirmations. Feels quite a bit more calm and easy this way. Best of luck to you this cycle. Looks like we'll be transfer/2ww buddies! I start stimming near the end of this month. xx

MrsM00re87

@Tulips29 glad to hear I'm not the only one. Definitely an emotional roller coaster for sure. Just wasn't expecting it to happen so soon. Guess You can't really help it though. I was nearly inconsolable when my hubby came home from work cuz of the cancellation news. Definitely glad I listened to my gut and followed my instincts. 

@Rachnan I'm on an antagonist protocol of gonal-f 112.5mg x 7 days, and I start certrotide 125mg on day 5. My 1st ultrasound is stimulation day 7, to check progress. Anxiously looking forward to that ultrasound

MrsM00re87

@oxinfree the setting alarms on your phone is great idea, that's how I'm making sure I keep schedule with my meds. And I only have 2 to keep straight at the moment. I know some others have more, and that's the only way to keep your mind at ease. 

Rachnan

@mrsm00re87 That's not too bad at all! You totally got this

MrsM00re87

@Rachnan thanks. staying positive. Wishing you all the best with your upcoming ER. 

dragonfaerie

@rachnan Yes! Oh I'm so glad you said that the Menopur started to sting more! I thought I was crazy... It didn't ever get really bad for me, just irritating and it faded quick, so I'm hoping you have the same.
@Foxy8609 Good look with this next round for you! We just got our PGS results back and we will start our FET cycle at the end of this month, looking at an early May transfer. Monday I have my Doppler, hysteroscopy, and TET.
@linz528 Welcome! Please feel free to use us all as a resource. It can be very overwhelming. I encourage you to look through your paperwork and write down any questions you have, then the next call/apt you have you can ask them all. Don't be afraid to ask your doc or nurse all your questions! I would also encourage you to invest in some hobbies that help you stay calm and relax. Yoga (carefully), nature walks, coloring books, acupuncture, w/e will help you stay at peace. My nurse told us she'd rather us have a glass of wine than be super stressed out.
@oxinfree Welcome back lady! I'm glad you get to start your protocol soon!

radmom27

@dragonfaerie congrats on your healthy embies!

@vssbm congrats!!  sounds like an amazing number of embies to choose from 

@MrsM00re87  Hyper emotional doesn't even begin to describe where I am right now. I think I cried out to dinner with hubs four times last night for absolutely no reason...and I never cry.  

@Rachnan Looks like our ER dates are close together.  I found out today that I'm going on Monday.  

Welcome to all the new March/April peeps.  Hopefully it will be a lucky two months for everyone.  

At my ultrasound today, I have between 6-8 follicles on my lone ovary so I'm hoping for 4-5 on Monday at my ER. I've done a retrieval before so I'm not nervous about the actual procedure...just the outcome.  Crossing my fingers and my toes and trying not to obsess about it but am failing miserably

LinZ528

@oxinfree -- thanks for the kind words. I can't imagine teaching full time and going through this. My schedule is a little more flexible for appointments and such right now, plus, when kids are making me crazy I can close my office door and get a few minutes to decompress. It will be nice to have a buddy who's on the same timeline as me to freak out with haha!