March IVF

sugarhead-2

I'm heading in for my next monitoring ultrasound.  I've been down with a bad cold that I'm trying to shake. After my sono on Monday I got a portal message from the nurse saying that there was an antral follicle count of 3 on the right and there's a 10mm follicle on the left. She also said that my E2 was 388, that I was responding well and to continue the same dose. I've kinda been obsessing about it because I was expecting more follicles by now. My last antral follicle count was 18-20. I'm really hoping for good news tomorrow 

-Sugar

caseyw8784

@SugarHead - good luck with your ultrasound! can't wait to hear the updates!

QsMadd

@caseyw8784 Woohoo for another ER buddy! DH is in the same boat....he already cancelled his clinic for Friday just in case. I think he has asked me if I knew when ER would be every day since the day I started stims. I am lucky that both of my employers are so understanding (and really excited for me) in that they have no problem with me taking any day off that I needed...poor DH has patients to reschedule, so it is harder on him.

mandasd

@QsMadd and @caseyw8784 my husband is hoping for the weekend too. Every night this week he's the acting judge for moot court competitions and on Friday he has oral arguments in the afternoon. I tried to explain that this is unpredictable but no arguing with an expert arguer! I took vacation days this entire stim cycle so I've been able to relax and go to appointments with no work conflicts. I do have meetings on Monday that I may be able to rearrange so the doctor and I agreed on Thursday we would make some decisions so that I have time to reorganize my schedule on Monday if necessary. 

I am am also dreading more injections my skin is a mess, a real crime scene. But then I think about the outcome and I stick away! 

LoveDontCostAThing

@QsMadd -I didn't do anything exciting after ER except took a nice, long nap...and had a milkshake lol!  I am taking off work tomorrow, along with about 15 other teachers at my school for "A Day without Women."

@caseyw8784 -ugh my husband hates all the time off too...depending how many times you do it, it just gets old  We did an ER in the summer and two FETs...now this ER, and transfer Sat.

Aera11

good luck with your ultrasound @SugarHead!

@mandasand 'my skin is a mess, a real crime scene' - I am dying!  it's so true

LoveDontCostAThing

lol I was laughing at the "crime scene" comment too...if we can't laugh throughout some of this, then what's the point.  I think humor has helped me through this so far!  The worst was the welts on my ass from the PIO shots.  I had an allergic reaction and nothing made me happier...now I never have to do those terrible things again!!!

IfYouCanDreamIt

@mandasand keeping my fingers and toes crossed for those 6 continuing to grow! yay waiting for your next update!!

Aera11 I did acupuncture with my IUIs and first two IVFs and I really found it helped me to relax. I’ve had no difference in hormone levels or lining since I’ve stopped going to acupuncture. That said I would still try it if making it to the appointments wasn’t as stressful as it unfortunately is to me at the moment. Acupuncture isn’t for everyone but it does not hurt to try. Wishing you the best of luck! 

LoveDontCostAThing wohoo for your update, what an awesome fertilization report!!! FX xxxxxx

@ caseyw8784 waiting to hear your update, FX for great growth and weekend ER xx

SugarHead good luck with your ultrasound! Looking forward to reading your update!!

AFM going for bloodwork and ultrasound in the morning. I’m not expecting to see much knowing that I’m a poor responder and have only been on 3 days of stimms anyway. If everything is going as planned I'll be starting Pergoveris 2x150IU tomorrow. 

PoeMasque

@LoveDontCostAThing woot! Great numbers! Fx they all grow, grow, grow!

I only just finished day two of stims and can you say hot flashes?! Yikes. I didn't expect to have symptoms this soon. Can't wait for the first monitoring US on Friday to see if I get to lower any of these doses.....it's going to be a sweaty, smelly week! 

laurad75

@lovedontcostathing Great news! 

@aera11 I do acupuncture and hoping that it will show its benefits when I go for my 2nd ER later this month.  If you were to go right into another cycle when would that be?  It might be worth waiting a little bit to focus on healthy diet and helpful supplements + the acupuncture.  

krenee124

@laurad75 what other supplements do you or have you been instructed to take to help with FET?

kris031409

I go here now!  Taking last BCP tonight, another saline sono tomorrow since it's been 6 months, start stims on the 12th!  Insurance made me do 6 IUIs before covering IVF, so it's been a long wait to get here!

I got all of my meds yesterday.  I'll be on 375 Follistim (does that seem high??) and low dose HCG, then add Ganirelix.  They sent me an HCG trigger and a lupron trigger.  I've never heard of using two triggers.  

caseyw8784

@kris031409 - welcome! good luck starting the stims in a few days!

@PoeMasque - i woke up with a headache on stim day 2 that hasn't really gone away. i knew headaches were a common side effect, but I figured it would take a few days for the meds to build up before feeling it...lol. Today i got home from my monitoring appt, and had a HUGE hot flash...and freaked DH out, cause usually i complain about how it's chilly in our condo! 

@IfYouCanDreamIt - how did your appointment go? looking forward to your update! 

@QsMadd - looking forward to your update too!

AFM, just got home from my ultrasound...and i'm very happy. There are now 16 follicles between 10.5 -16.5mm and "many" that are under 10! The doctor doing the ultrasound said that I'll probably be told to go back tomorrow for another ultrasound, and that I'll probably trigger either tomorrow night or Friday night! woo-hoo! Just waiting to get the portal message with what my E2 levels are and continuing instructions!

LoveDontCostAThing

Thank you everyone...they might call today with an update, but please keep growing, little embryos!!

@caseyw8784 -that's a great number of follicles!  can't wait to get your updates!

@aera11 -I did ask my dr. about acupuncture/ it's benefits because I love to question the doctors whenever I get a chance lol...he said he didn't think it would be useful for me ...I was born with one ovary, and he said I was getting a good amount of eggs from the one ovary...it is what it is kind of thing.  He did say that for women who are older or have egg quality issues that he has seen benefits of acupuncture.  I'm not sure what category you fall in.  He did warn that it needs to be a traditional chinese medicine dr. and that lots of acupuncturists nowadays get degrees online.  I asked him how would I know the difference.  He said that traditional acupuncturists will generally only make you pay once for the "entire treatment," knowing each case is individual and you may have multiple appointments but only pay once.  Also, that they may not speak english and will most definitely give you gross tasting herbs!  sorry for the long-windedness...hope this helps!
 

Angelaag

@kris031409 welcome to the group!! @LoveDontCostAThing thanks for the acupuncture info! I think I'm going to hold off. I live in Florida and the seasonal traffic stress will completely undo any effects!!

mandasd

@caseyw8784 I bet they will have you trigger Friday to allow those 16s to reach 18mm+ and your 10s to get to 14-16mm. Follies "should" grow 2mm a day. 

caseyw8784

Just got portal orders - E2 is 1643! Told me to continue at same dosage for tonight and to go back in the morning for bloodwork and ultrasound!

famiylgrl86

@caseyw8784 that's an awesome number! Sounds like you're nearing the end

mandasd

@caseyw8784 awesome! What was it the other day?

caseyw8784

@mandasand - on saturday the 4th it was 251, on monday the 6th it was 779

HottLemonade2886

Glad to see everyone seems to be progressing nicely. FX for you all!

AFM I got the final call about my embryos. Started with 14 on retrieval day. Then down to 7 that fertilized and those made it to day 3. Now on day 6 we are left with 1. I was pretty shocked when they called because neither my husband nor I really have infertility issues that we know of other than my husband having a blockage. Plus while stimming the nurses and doctors were all saying I was responding so well and it all looked great. I thought I would at least have 2-3 good blasts. So our one was biopsied for PGS and frozen. Trying not to think about all the odd but it's kind of hard not to.

FSBC

FET Scheduled for 3/13... big prayers to all those trying

mtele

Had my retrieval this morning! They told me they got 16 eggs. I'll find out tomorrow how many were mature and how many fertilized. FX for good numbers in the morning! I'm not feeling too bad today- mostly just groggy from the anesthesia and a little bit of cramping.

@HottLemonade2886 - I'm so sorry to hear that more didn't make it to day 6. Praying for your little frozen blast.

sugarhead-2

I had my ultrasound today. It felt like the sonographer was spending a lot of time counting follicles on my right ovary. It was reassuring. She didn't spend nearly that amount of time on my left ovary. I'm not even sure she found my left ovary. She was looking transvaginally and usually they look abdominally because it's blocked by a fibroid. Maybe next time I'll make sure they do an abdominal scan.  I'm still waiting for the message from the nurse

@kris031409 welcome! I'm in the same position. This is my first IVF after the mandatory 6 IUI from insurance

@HottLemonade2886 sorry you didn't get as many as expected. Praying that PGS goes well

-Sugar

HottLemonade2886

@mtele Thanks and FX you have a lot of good mature eggs. 16 is a great number!

@SugarHead Thanks! Hopefully that found a lot of good follicles. Taking time to count is always a good thing.

laurad75

@krenee124 I actually haven’t been instructed to take any supplements except PNV but my doc has ok’d DHEA, COQ10 and baby aspirin.  I will stop the DHEA when I start stims next week.  To clarify we are preparing for stims/ ER and not FET. 

@caseyw8784 How exciting!  I’m so happy for you and your follies!

@hottlemonade2886 I’m sorry – those numbers are hard to hear.  Do you know when you will get the PGS results?

@metel Glad you are feeling okay and hope you get some good news tomorrow!

Aera11

@laurad75 I would start stims sometime the week of March 20th.  So I will have had about a month off and a month of acupuncture by that time.  I've always been a healthy eater, active and on the supplements so my lifestyle isn't really going to change at all with doing acupuncture, it's just the acupuncture itself.  The only real reason I am now leaning towards starting up again and not waiting two more months, is because my doctor/nurse is suggesting a slightly different protocol to see if that will help them retrieve a few more eggs.  If they were going to stick with the same plan as before, I'd definitely wait knowing how everything went last time.  But now, they've put fresh hope into my mind and that is outweighing me feeling like two more months will make a huge difference.  Plus, if it doesn't work again, I would be willing to then wait to give the acupuncture a shot and make it a priority over my RE.  How long have you been doing acupuncture for?

@LoveDontCostAThing yeah I am not sure whether she is traditional or not.  She seems super legit (haha, saying that sounds so funny) and I know she has had success helping some improve their egg quality.  I guess we'll see...I have about a week before I need to decide whether I'll move forward or hit the pause button.  

@mtele 16 is a great number!!  Congrats, that is great news  

Aera11

@krenee124, I am on a prenatal with DHA, vitamin d, baby aspirin, CO-Q10, DHEA & Myo-Inositol.  And then some dropper from the acupuncturist.  

laurad75

@Aera11 If I were you I would go right into the next cycle with the new protocol.  Maybe I'm not giving acupuncture enough credit but I wouldn't want to wait another 2 months for that treatment only. 

I probably started my treatment in the fall but didn't go regularly (weekly) until the beginning of this year prepping for our first ER.  I took a couple of weeks off after ER and then started up again 

Aera11

Thank you @laurad75 I just feel like either way, I am putting pressure on a decision and I could always think, well if I had taken two months off OR if I just tried the new protocol.  I know moving forward with whatever choice, I won't harp on what could have been.  

krenee124

@laurad75 & @Aera11 thanks ladie! 
@HottLemonade2886 I am really sorry about your number. Prayers for freezing & everything being healthy!!!!

LoveDontCostAThing

Hey everyone...so many updates!  Here is mine: the embryologist called and all 11 that fertilized are still going strong and dividing how they should be.  It was a voicemail, so I didn't call back because I didn't have any specific questions--except I am not sure if they will call tomorrow.  I know they will call on Friday to give an update and tell me what time transfer is on Saturday.  I am happy, but always hesitant to get too excited.  A lot can happen over the next couple of days...ahhh!

@mtele -16 is a great number!  Can't wait to hear tomorrow's fertilization update.

@HottLemonade2886 -I'm sorry to hear that many of yours didn't make it.  Did they give any indication as to why they thought only half initially fertilized?  Do you do ICSI?  FX for your embryo to be perfect.

@Angelaag -honestly, part of the reason acupuncture didn't appeal to me was similar to what you said...too much driving and I already had so many dr. appointments that I think anymore would stress me more, thus having the opposite affect.

@Aera11 -I think acupuncture could be a positive thing if more appointments don't give you more stress...good luck
 

caseyw8784

@LoveDontCostAThing - all 11 still going, that's great news!

@HottLemonade2886 - i'm so sorry to hear your update. did your doctor give any reason why he thinks there was such a drop off? I'll keep all my fingers and toes crossed that the embryo comes back perfect! 

Msymmers922

@HottLemonade2886 I am in the same boat. It's so frustrating. I respond well to the meds and we just thought it was a low sperm count but we have trouble having embryos make it to day six. I think the worst part is not know exactly why. But keep your head up and hopefully that one will be the one!!!  Good luck!!

HottLemonade2886

Thanks @krenee124 @LoveDontCostAThing and @caseyw8784 . We did do ICSI since that was our only real option because we have to use aspirated sperm from the testicle. We haven't talked to a doctor yet. Only nurses have called us with results. I will want to discuss with them what they think happened. Like was my husbands sperm not a great sample because the embryologist didn't seem as excited as she did with the first sample that didn't thaw well. Or could the fact that my estrogen climbed too high and my follicles seemed pretty big after only 3 days of stims had an effect? I only stimmed for 8 days so could developing quickly effect egg quality?

IfYouCanDreamIt

@caseyw8784 wow that’s wonderful news, what a great number of follicles! Looking forward to your updates x My update isn’t that exciting but I can’t wait to hear how I’m responding to pergoveris as it’s the first time for me. 

@ LoveDontCostAThing firstly great to hear all your embryos are doing good, keeping my fingers X’d that they continue to divide and you’ll have plenty to choose from for transfer. Are you planning to transfer more than one? Thanks for sharing those details about acupuncture, good to know!

@ HottLemonade2886 so sorry to hear that the rest did not make it to day 6, I can understand your disappointment. Thinking of you and your frozen embryo, how long does it take to get PGS results? 

mtele yay, that’s a great number of follicles - congrats! Fingers crossed for your fertilisation report x

AFM Scan showed I got two follicles on the right 7, 9 and one on the left side 11. I could see the disappointment in DH’s face but honestly I did not feel anything myself, I know the protocol is slightly different from before but my expectations have gotten that realistic that anything that the RE is happy to continue with is good news for me! I’m now one two vials of pergoveris for 4 days and going for the next scan and bloodwork on Sunday.

HottLemonade2886

@IfYouCanDreamIt Thanks! They say 7-10 days for the PGS results. Good to hear your RE thinks things are looking good. This is such a scary process to go through so I can understand why your husband is getting worried. Sounds like you have the right attitude. Just stay positive and stress free.

LoveDontCostAThing

@IfYouCanDreamIt -We will most likely transfer two.  I have done two FETs so far.  The first we transferred two on Day 3...BFN.  The second we transferred two on Day 5...chemical pregnancy.  I LIKE to think we are getting closer, but who knows.  I thought they were two blasts we transferred, but after meeting with the embryologist before my ER on Monday, she looked back in my records and said they were Morulas.  That being said, I am hoping we get blasts and waiting to see before I make my final decision, but I always lean towards transferring two.

sugarhead-2

I got a message from the nurse. My E2 is in the 900s and I'm starting ganirelix today. She also mentioned that they couldn't see my left ovary well enough to measure anything.  I'm scheduled back at the office in the morning and I'm guessing every day down until trigger.

-Sugar

caseyw8784

@IfYouCanDreamIt - sorry, i forget, what day of stims are you on? Glad that your RE is happy with the results! I understand your husband being a little disappointed...after the first ultrasound i was a little down about the number i had, but my doc and DH told me i just needed to be patient...lol

AFM, I'm an emotional mess. DH and I made the mistake to watch the most recent episode of a certain new show (that's known to be a tear-jerker EVERY.SINGLE.EPISODE. ugh. ::winkwink::) and normally i don't get teary-eyed during it, but this episode, i was half bawling. damn hormones...