October IVF

dragonette505

I keep waiting to see this pop up, but I can't find one.... any ladies starting IVF in October? 
Im trying to bank embies so hopefully I will be starting a new IVF cycle (after finishing this current one) sometime later in October... any other ladies scheduled for October?

mrsa1026

Hi! I am new to this, so I don't know the timing exactly. But I have started the BC and am scheduled for Oct 2nd stimulation-I apparently have to give myself shots? And probably egg retrieval on Oct 13th. I don't know the timing after that. I am nervous about the egg retrieval-I am glad about having anesthesia but not sure if I will be asleep. My doctor also wants me to go in every day during the 2nd and 13th. Anyone that has done the process before, is this normal?

dragonette505

@nessa121831 yeah... that's pretty standard. Some places don't make you come in daily, but that really just goes by each clinic. You can give yourself the shots or get someone else to do it. I've done a couple of my shots, but mostly my husband does them!
if you retrieve on the 13th, what will happen next will depend on your plan: are you planning a fresh transfer or are you planning to freeze all?
if you are doing a fresh transfer (which is typical for a first cycle unless you are banking) then it is depend on if you are planning a Day 3 transfer or Day 5 blastocyst transfer.
if you are retrieving on 10/13 and doing a day 5 transfer you will go back to your clinic and have your embryo/embryos put back in you on 10/18! Then the tww! Usually they schedule your beta from like 9 dp5dt to 14dp5dt 
anyway, great that you are cycling!!! 

mrsa1026

Thank you for letting me know the process! My doctor seems very straight to the point and short staffed. I believe they would implant 2 embryos and then freeze the rest. I don't know if we are going to do testing/family balancing which isn't covered by insurance and is $2000  

dragonette505

@nessa121831 You'd have to choose to do a freeze all for testing. Also testing of embies can take up to 2 or 3 weeks so you wouldn't be able to do a fresh cycle which it sounds like you're planning on doing. Your body has to stay in sync with the embryo.

artemis618

Hi @dragonette505!  My retrieval may be at the beginning of October depending when AF decides to show (currently waiting for a natural start to IVF #4 with a new RE).  I'm back at trying to bank for the remainder of the year, so not sure what the timing would be for the next cycle.  I guess if we decide to try estrogen priming that would put me into late Oct/Nov to start stims. So...maybe.

I never realized how many people's husbands administer shots!  I did an egg freezing cycle when I was single back in 2012, and I guess it never occurred to me to get help with them, though DH was a paramedic in a past life.  This cycle I'm supposed to trigger with HCG, so I may make him do my first IM shot.  I tried the progesterone suppositories for a few days after my second cycle in case we wanted to do a day 3 transfer due to poor response - as annoying as those were I don't know if I could do PIO (I mean, I guess I would if I had to - I just don't love the idea of it).

Hopeful_mom

lurking...

artemis618 hey lady!!  Literally just saw your name and wanted to see what was going on, yay for getting back in the game!!!  You're a true warrior if you can get the PIO done...thats just one shot and Trigger in the booty I"m just not flexible enough!  Sending you lots of miracle grow for your follies!!

dragonette505

@artemis618 Hey! We've cycled or been on the dailies together before! Yeah, I need my dh to do most of these shots.... I have to grow the eggs, he's got to administer the meds....that's how we keep it in balance. If I had to be the primary shot person, I'd be pretty overwhelmed... 
ETA I'm probably a roll over into November too!

Momifbysea

Hey! Hey! Hey! Thanks for starting this @dragonette505!

@nessa121831 welcome! We are literally cycle buddies- I start stims 10/2 and have retrieval either 10/11, 10/12, or 10/13.

This is my fourth IVF go-around so happy to help however I can with questions and the others on here are wonderful as they've been down this road before too! This will be my first cycle with my DH living out of state (I stayed for my job which gives us IVF benefits whereas his federal employee plan offers NONE!) so I'm a bit nervous for doing all my own injections. I did a few with him there last cycle though so at least I know I can...This is also my first cycle since completely overhauling my diet two weeks ago after a third failed ivf with nothing Frozen to-date. I know it takes at least two to three months to see a difference but maybe it will be enough?

dragonette505

@Momifbysea I would be nervous too.. Ive done my Lupron shots before and the needle is so little I am fine with those, but menopur and follistim id be less comfortable (I once did a follistim because I felt like my dh was taking too long getting himself together).

AFM..... my period post this past IVF cycle has finally come and so I'm in my prep cycle for October IVF! Will do estrogen priming again this cycle

dragonette505

So Ive talked with my doc and she doesn't really prescribe any changes except maybe start actual stimming a couple days later so I'm on the meds less days. I also think I will maybe be starting estrogen priming later too... last cycle she had me start like the day after O for some reason. this time she wants me to start approx one week before AF...
anyone else getting changes or no changes to upcoming protocols?

Momifbysea

I'm not getting any changes and I've never taken the estrogen for priming. It's so interesting how different clinics and protocols can be! How are you feeling @dragonette505?

dragonette505

@Momifbysea still not great, partly because my cold is still not gone, and partly the hormone storm that happens usually during AF after ivf. It wasn't so bad on the microdose Lupron protocol, but earlier id done these antagonist protocol cycles and they always ended with an awful AF.
My doc doesn't really see this as "changes" from my last cycle which she says shes "pleased' with.... I wanna say Biiish please... I went from 8 to 2.... hard to not be disappointed, but I'm almost wishing she had more ideas for maybe more success

artemis618

@dragonette505 Have to see how this cycle goes first re changes.  New RE was open to estrogen priming when I asked, but I was like two days too late to start, and apparently he doesn't usually do any priming.  Already NOT doing testosterone priming this cycle is new for me this year, as well as the natural start.  I think if I get dominant follicle(s), estrogen priming might make sense to try.  Have you found estrogen priming to be (overly) suppressive?  Have you tried a natural start cycle?

My first cycle this year was antagonist - and I swear that following period was worse than the egg retrieval for me.  So miserable, and my periods are usually just slightly uncomfortable on the first day.  I'm doing MDL this cycle for the first time, which kind of scares me because I've heard such awful things about it.  I'm guessing antagonist works better for you? 

dragonette505

@artemis618 ive done a couple cycles without priming and frankly no real difference as far as suppression. I only do it because the clinics ive gone to after the first sort of do it by rote. I kind of wondered if I wasn't a little suppressed this last cycle since my doc had me start the priming so early. She didn't really seem to believe I was where I said I was in my cycle (1dpo) and I guess she was going by other standards and started me right away thinking I was closer to af. She also told me she was likely to start my stimming later since i tend to have small follicles that dont really grow alot the first few days. I just kept priming through those days and didnt start stimming till like cycle day 7! So I ended up priming forever and a day.

As far as protocols, honestly I felt better on mdl and had good results. I froze 5 embies on my 2 mdl cycles. The 2 antagoniost cyclces before those mdl both had nothing to freeze so I am super leery of antagonist protocols

artemis618

@dragonette505 Gotcha - glad to hear that estrogen priming (for a normal length of time) doesn't seem too suppressive for you (although I know we're all different).  Just to clarify, you have done cycles with no priming and no suppression?  I find it strange that your RE didn't believe you re DPO.  

Yeah, not only did AF suck after my first cycle (antagonist) this year, it yielded no blasts (from 12 eggs, of which 7 were mature but only 3 survived ICSI).  So I really wanted not to do that (antagonist) again.  And it also freaked me out because my one egg freezing cycle five years ago was antagonist (haven't tried to do anything with those yet, but I only got 12/9 mature even back then).  But thanks for sharing your positive experience with MDL.  Any particular reason why no more MDL for you?

I have a pen pal from another site whose RE is also planning to start her stims later - hopefully that works out better for you both.

dragonette505

@artemis618 I am with a new re and she looked at my ovaries and bloodwork and from that felt like I was in a different place. Maybe she believed me about my dpo (or maybe not) but I think she thought af would come sooner (it didn't). So now having gone through a cycle with me shes not so worries about that... just wants to prime a week before my estimated AF....glad shes letting me handle that end! lol
To clarify: my first 2 cycles done at my first clinic which I left because it felt like a meat market were non priming cycles. They were both antagonist and on the first cycle I got(ETA: 24 eggs) 12 mature, 5 blast 0 normies (none to freeze). Second cycle antagonist again 7 eggs 1 blast 0 normal (non to freeze)
I switched clinics and next place did estrogen priming antagonist (even though I wasn't excited to do antagonist again) and I got 6 eggs 1 fertilized none to freeze....which sucked
after that, same clinic: 2 mdl cycles with estrogen priming: 1st mdl cycle 17 eggs cant remember the number fert but 4 to freeze. 2nd mdl 18 eggs 1 to freeze.
my doc left that clinic and so I'm with a new clinic
just did estrogen priming antagonist: 17 eggs 2 blasts to freeze
I'm not doing mdl because this doc doesn't wanna do it, I guess lol
ETA: my brain isn't working... also my new doc is trying to avoid ohss and my mdl cycles both have me ohss and I had to be medicated for it

artemis618

@dragonette505 Thanks so much for the recap. I’m pretty much always on mobile so can’t easily see people’s signatures.  So did you follow your doc to the new clinic?  

Good point about the OHSS - I remember your scary posts about it before.  My previous RE gave me cabergoline with all three cycles with her, and last cycle (forgetting that I did a luteal lupron protocol) asked if I wanted to trigger with lupron because of my E2.  Hmm...I guess we’ll see how it goes!

*sigh* I hate how it’s such a numbers game at this age... But it sounds like you’re on your way with banking

dragonette505

@artemis618 my new doc is opening his own clinic but I just felt like I didn't want to do my last few cycles with an untested embryology lab. Also I'd been doing some research and found a clinic with good results with old ladies 
I had the cabergoline too.... I definitely didn't get any kind of ohss this last cycle which is good! I just hope she's not being sooo careful about that and not trying to get more eggs

dragonette505

So...I decided to go back to acupuncture... I took last cycle off because I felt stressed just thinking about it.... but by the end of the cycle, I was really missing it. I'm not one of those people who strongly think it helps with your cycle as far as growing eggs or whatever, but I KNOW it is like meditation for me personally and usually it helps me manage stress better.

miketx83

I started taking my meds Saturday night and had my first u/bw yesterday morning. I hope to learn/share experiences with you all.

dragonette505

@miketx83 that's awesome! Please keep us updated!! Did they say how many follicles you might be growing?

artemis618

@dragonette505 I actually have an acupuncture appointment in about an hour and scheduled another for Thursday - but I’m not going to make it because I’m triggering tonight for ER that morning.  So that’s not happening in October after all.  Sure surprised me as last night was only 7 nights of stims, but I guess my estrogen’s at 57xx.  I can’t help but wonder if the doc pushed it (vs Friday) since he’ll already be in that location Thursday, but have to trust and hope for the best!  Perhaps I’ll start priming for the next one in October.

Hope October’s a great month! (Despite my turning 40 )

miketx83

No. I go in tomorrow morning for second u/bw. After how many days on medication should I begin to have an idea? 

Momifbysea

Hey just checking in! I'm wondering if my insurance covers accupuncture...hmm? Yesterday was my last day of BCP so I'm getting n for my baseline U/S tomorrow! I'm ready.

dragonette505

@artemis618 Your estrogen is hella high... a couple cycles back i got up to 6000 and i was sick for so long after... bad ohss. I guess they could have coasted you a day or two, but im not sure which is supposed to be better. That cycle my docs coasted me, but out of 18 eggs i only ended up with 1 embie. Maybe its better to not be marinating in all that estrogen! Fingers crossed its the right move!

@miketx83 They should already be counting your follicles. If they dont tell you anything in your next scan, and you are comfortable, you can totally ask to know whats going on in your ovaries. Most likely all is well if they are not saying anything, but i always want to know whats going on and it is just useful to know how you are progressing.
@momifbysea I get about 18 visits covered per year with my insurance. I'm pretty much out of them (4 left) so I'm switching to an acupuncture practice that doesn't process insurance (though they will supply you with the forms to try to get some cash back) but the first time I went there I loved it. Ive gone elsewhere (another good place with great people) but if I'm paying oop I'm gonna go to the place I wanted to...lol Also, yay on baseline!!! We are so close to Oct!!

Momifbysea

@dragonette505 yes October is almost here!!! How are you feeling? Totally recovered from being sick I hope? When I get sick I have a cough drag on for several weeks!

dragonette505

Momifbysea said:

@dragonette505 yes October is almost here!!! How are you feeling? Totally recovered from being sick I hope? When I get sick I have a cough drag on for several weeks!

I still have some morning coughing, but I feel totally normal after that!

artemis618

@dragonette505 Thanks for your response.  Hmm...I have been thinking about OHSS risk since you reminded me of it. My estrogen for my most recent cycle was 5900 the morning of trigger night (14 eggs retrieved but only 5 fertilized via IVF and ended up with 3 abnormal blasts).  I get nervous with higher numbers of eggs since I’ve tended to observe and inverse relationship with quality.  Looking back at my second cycle (also luteal lupron) my E2 was 3220 the day before I triggered (10R, 8F, 5 blasts tested, 1 normal) - so who knows?  RE really isn’t at all concerned about my hyper stimulating, but they gave me the cabergoline since I asked for it.  I guess we’ll see - such an expensive learning process...

@miketx83 Usually, I’ve had a baseline AFC before starting stims, which may or may not translate to with what you end up (my last few cycles have mostly tracked my baseline AFC).  Lately, I choose not to pay too much attention during ultrasounds (other than to listen up for the size of my largest follicle or cycle cancellation-threatening info like that lead follicle I feared with this cycle), because ultimately there’s not a whole lot we can do about how our bodies are responding.  A lot we have to trust the professionals and do what they think is best.  Which is not to say you shouldn’t advocate for yourself - but it’s a tough process because we (and even our REs) have control over so little.  I work as a financial analyst so tend to like information generally, but sometimes I’d find that it’d just stress me out more.

@Momifbysea My insurance covers acu for musculoskeletal pain and nausea from chemo, post-op, and early pregnancy (I wish, right?).  So no official coverage for infertility or my general stressiness. The 20 session/year cap is per condition though, so depending on your/your practitioner’s billing practices sessions could exceed the 20.  I happen to have herniated discs in my cervical and lumbar spine, so it’s not too much of a stretch.  I did stop going over the summer because I was nearing that 20 visit cap though.  Yay for baseline tomorrow!  Short protocol is pretty nutty - no b/c or lupron or priming, I just had my CD3 baseline last Tuesday, and already my ER is tomorrow.  If nothing else I guess we’ll get more info on how it works for me.

dragonette505

@artemis618 tell me about it.... you learn something every cycle but every cycle you just want to be preggers  

maggier79

Hi all. I am doing IVF for first time this upcoming month. Today will be my fifth day of STIMS. At today's U/BW, my endo thickness was 7.93 but my follies are not growing (size is about 5 mm on both ovaries). Estradiol is at 116 after starting stims last Saturday. Doc upped my Gonal-F from 150 to 225 IU and my Menopur from 2 vials to 3 vials (225 IU). Should I start to worry?

dragonette505

@maggier79 I am a slow stimmer so I can relate to your worry... I have always stimmed 13 or so days instead of the normal 10. to give you an idea: My last cycle on stim day 5, here were my follie numbers - Right: 4,4,5 Left- 6,7,5,6,6,3,3. That's pretty similar to you, and my lining was still only 5.5! Just keep stimming. Hopefully by next go round of monitoring you will show some growth

baseballhoney

Hey everyone, I don't really know if I should be on here or November board. I have a baseline ultrasound on the 27th of October and then start stimming on the 29th. I was around the bump but took some time away since we had a break between doing IUIs and starting IVF. This will be my first IVF cycle and am not looking forward to being on all the meds again! It has been so nice feeling "normal" for a few months. Anyway, just wanted to post and start following again. I'm kind of anxious to start everything. 

dragonette505

@baseballhoney Hey... my guess is properly November IVF...im not sure if its started yet so probably stay here till then... I am sort of straddling months too so I'm currently in October and also hanging in November FET

I have never done an IUI, but I hear those meds can be brutal. IVF meds for the most part only make you feel bad as your ovaries get bigger and you feel bloated and tired.

baseballhoney

At least I'm not the only one in a weird spot @dragonette505. The meds for the IUI were pretty bad for me. I got so emotional and anxious. Maybe these won't be so bad then!

dragonette505

I know a girl who said the IUI meds made her Jekyll and Hyde, so I don't know if that's what you mean. I def can get to a point of being testy during an ivf cycle, but that's more or less from my own worries about it succeeding. I so far haven't felt really off from IVF drugs. Even on here I see so many people say how much they hate the IUI drugs... hopefully its better for you!

steph8986

@baseballhoney. Those are literally the exact dates of My baseline and stim start!!! Maybe we should start a November IVF board?

dragonette505

@steph8986 You guys should totally start it... its just good to have them up.... I started the July August thread (which i still post in lol) even though my IVF got pushed back to end of August early September... These things are never exact so having the group thread up early is nice for people to start getting to know each other.

steph8986

@dragonette505 Thanks!

maggier79

Today's labs: Last night was my 6th night of stims. Had my u/bw this morning. E2 increased from 116 to 400. Progesterone and LH were normal. Doctor asked me to purchase Gonal F-900 and to start taking cetrotride today.

bassetlover1

I start my first IVF cycle on Oct 6th with Menopur and Follistim. Right now I am on Lupron but not on birth control pills. I've only been on it for two days but I feel like I am already feeling some side effects such as some insomnia and headaches but those seem to be normal from what I have found. The insomnia could also just be my brain not shutting up when I sleep.