February 2018 IVF

mrsa2017

Hello awesome ladies, Anyone else on this February train with me?
I have been waiting for months to start this thread and I finally decided to go ahead and do it since December will be over in a matter of 9 days.
I joined the bump months ago and I have met some amazing women who were either going through this for the first time or for the seventh time.  They were very open and encouraging and I learned about what this process entails financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
So I believe I am more than ready to get started.
My H and I have had 3 EP over the course of 5 years which resulted in me having both of my tubes removed. During the process we learned that I also have PCOS. So the only way for us to have our miracles is to go through this.
We have completed all of our testing and I'm just waiting for my antibody test results as well as my HSG report that I just had done yesterday.
I started BCP last week on the only day I saw AF , which was only for 4 hours btw.
We will be paying for this cycle just as the new year starts and my first injection is scheduled for February 2. 
I am beyond excited to begin and I hope to meet some more amazing and resilient ladies who will be going through this as well.
I am here to get support and offer support as we take this step to building our families and having our dreams fulfilled.
So I wish each of you a very Happy Holiday and a Blessed start to an amazing year. 
Let's start 2018 off right!

ChristenMA83

@mrsa2017 I'm with you for the February IVF cycle.  Best of luck to you!

This will be our first attempt with IVF.  We're diagnosed with MFI (1% Morph & 29 DFI).  We'll be doing IVF w/ ICSI.  I'm just waiting on AF to get here to start the BCP, probably next week.  Monitoring Feb 6-14 then ER.  

So anxious to get started!

mrsa2017

@ChristenMA83 GL to you as well. I am so excited. 
I literally had the shortest AF of my life. And I had called my coordinator to let her know. I just continued on with my BCP.  She said don't stop them til she informs me too. So I'm guessing I'll be on them for at least 6 weeks. 

Can you skip January and get to February already?!Lol  That's how I feel.  Are you OOP or covered by insurance? 

ChristenMA83

@mrsa2017 YES! Let's skip January all together.  I'm good with that

I have insurance, so the first $5k is out of pocket then the insurance kicks in for the IVF.  But I have no med coverage so those are all out of pocket.  I was able to qualify for a 25% discount though with Fertility Lifeline Compassionate Care, so that's something.

How about you?

mrsa2017

@ChristenMA83 haha I'm sure those who waited for Jan said the same thing about skipping December 
We are all OOP and we were lucky to find a really good clinic with good success rates for a less than $9k. The cycle and my meds came up to a little over $8k. We have to travel though so that's the only downside.  Something off is always a blessing so woo-hoo for 25%... (I have to learn how to add GIFs) 
Do you know which protocol you're doing yet? I'm on the antagonistic protocol. 

ChristenMA83

@mrsa2017 not sure on my protocol yet, i have one m9re round of bloodwork.  So far my labs have been good and were dealing with MFI so i hopeful that my doses will be low.  i dont really know what to expect there.

$8k sounds very reasonable.  we're at $6,500 before meds and thats with a little help from insurance.  where the insurance will really kick in is if we have to another cycle.

mrsa2017

@ChristenMA83 all mines were normal too except for the genetics test where both me and my husband have alpha-thalassemia (anemia). I knew I had it for years but he didn't know he has it at all. It isn't the severe one so my doctor didn't suggest PGD for our future embryos,  so that's good. 
Hopefully this round will be all you need to give you all the babies your heart desires. 
Are you taking any supplements or on any special diet? 

ChristenMA83

@Mrsa2017 I'm taking a prenatal, Prescription Vit D, CoQ10, Methyl Folate, Vitamin C.  DH is on Fertilaide.  We eat mostly whole foods but no specific restrictions.  The doc was happy with that.  Though I've been reading about no-carb being suggested for post transfer, so I'm considering trying to start being more mindful about reducing carbs now so it's easier if I need to cut them out for a bit.  

I see you're starting injections Feb 2, where does that put the time frame for your ER?  It seems we're very nearly on the same schedule.  Our ER will be Feb 14-16.  Are you planning on fresh or frozen?  Our RE only does FET now.

mrsa2017

@ChristenMA83 I'm taking myo-inositol,  coq10 and Prenatal w iron(for my anemia) and melatonin some nights. DH isn't a fan of the melatonin because of it being a sleeping pill.  We changed our eating habits awhile back and I tried the keto diet recently but that didn't stickk long. So I'm just watching what I eat because of the PCOS and drinking tons of water. I like the idea of starting to reduce the carbs now so you can be used to it by time as your transfer rolls around. 
My first u/s and bw is scheduled for day 8 of stims so I'm hoping to trigger on Feb 12th and ER on the 14th if all progresses well.  We could possibly be ER buddies Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! We're doing a fresh transfer so I'm praying I don't get OHSS. I've seen a lot of bumpers say that their clinic is opting for only frozen transfers. I think because the clinic is out of country they won't make frozen transfers mandatory especially for patients who has to travel like myself. 

misbehaeven

Hi ladies! I am hoping you don't mind if I join you on this board! My stim cycle is technically starting on January 26th, but I seem to be waaaay behind all the ladies on the January IVF board. This is my first IVF cycle, and we'll be doing ICSI due to male factor infertility. I thought I was the issue since I only have one ovary! But I am so excited to get started!
Me:33 DH:33

mrsa2017

 Welcome Welcome Welcome.. @Knottie61873971
You are starting just a week shy of me so it will be good to cheer you on and hear about your experience. Are you doing a fresh or frozen cycle? 
Also,  if you want you can change your screen name on The Knot so we can tag you easier on here. 
It's so good to have ladies to go through this with. I can't wait to start and 2018 is our year! 
Hello January 1st!

ChristenMA83

welcome @Knottie61873971 .  looking forward to cheering you along and sharing this journey together.  

looking forward to 2018!

misbehaeven

Thanks @mrsa2017 and @ChristenMA83 ! Happy to be here. And thanks for the advice on the screen name change...that was getting to me. Lol We're doing a fresh cycle! I've heard a lot of clinic only do FETs due to a higher success rate? Well, here's hoping! *fingers crossed*

mrsa2017

@Knottie61873971 I'm doing a fresh as well.  I have PCOS so I'm praying I don't develop OHSS. Have you received your meds as yet? 

ChristenMA83

How are you two fairing this week @Knottie61873971 and @mrsa2017
I'm at CD3 which means I got to start my pre IVF birth control and feel like this process is finally underway.  YAY!  I have day 3 bloodwork today for an insurance requirement and will likely make our IVF deposit to the clinic this Friday.

Are either of you planning to use any kind of journal to track your IVF cycle?  I'm considering getting The IVF Journal  but wish I could find it in a store to look through before purchasing.

mrsa2017

@ChristenMA83 I had some cramping by my right ovary last night to the point where I started to limp but I felt great when I woke up this morning, weird! 
My clinic opens up tomorrow so I will be faxing over my payment then,  Yaaaaay! I anticipate my meds being here in about 3 weeks (butterflies). I just started my second pack of BCP this morning since I was told not to break for the 7 days. I hope AF doesn't come with a vengeance when I do stop.
I want to find an app to track mines but I also love writing on calendars so hopefully my clinic will email me one to print out. 
Etsy has some cute stickers for like BW and such.  I may get some of those to use as well. 
How was your New Years? 

ChristenMA83

@mrsa2017 they told me to only take the active BCP as well without the 7 day break.  I will say all these vitamins I'm on must be doing something b/c AF is heavier than I've seen in a long time....not enjoying that at all 
I'm with you on liking to write on calendars.  Things just seem more real when I have to write them rather than log them in my phone.  I like the sticker idea.

Our New Year's was pretty low key, just met at my sister's house and played party games with the family and a few friends.  DH and I are planning for that to be the last bit of drinking we do until after Egg Retrieval.

mrsa2017

@ChristenMA83 I must be having the opposite effect.  I really thought I would've had close to a 28 day cycle since I have been on this supplements for months but that didn't happen.  And then the 4 hour period last month had me weirded out. 
I'm checking out Etsy now.  Does your family members know about IVF? 
I had my last sip of alcohol yesterday even though I had stopped from a few months back. 

ChristenMA83

My mom knows we were seeing an RE and considering IVF, but that was back in November.  She isn't following up and I'm not really keeping her up to date.  We both decided it best not to let my dad know because he is over opinionated on everything and I really don't need to hear his two cents on this matter.  So pretty much just my mom and one friend know what's going on right now.  I'm not necessarily trying to keep it under wraps, it's just not something that comes up naturally in conversation.  I think most people assume I'm too focused on my career  and my dogs to want kids, they stopped asking a few years back - which is fine with me  

mrsa2017

@ChristenMA83 it will be a nice surprise when they see your bump in a few months.  My mom doesn't really understand so I will just wait to surprise her.  My in laws know,  a few friends and my dad's side of the family but we won't give details.  I just want to keep as much things just between DH and I as private as possible. 

misbehaeven

@mrsa2017  not sure why my screen name hasn't changed yet! Maybe it takes a day or two. 
I'm actually just in the process of ordering my meds now. Got my first quote today! $4,156.35 
I'm searching out some other options to see if I can find them cheaper. Where did you girls purchase your meds from?
I've told most of our close family and friends about IVF, and so far they've been really supportive. I did tell them we weren't going to share details along the way though. I guess I wanted support through the process, especially not knowing how I'm going to handle the hormones (I already don't handle PMS very well). 
@ChristenMA83 it's nice your family and friends don't ask much anymore. I don't get too many questions now either. Just the insensitive one every now and then from people I'm not close to.
Also, last drink for me yesterday too!

mrsa2017

@Knottie61873971 Woah that's a big quote. My clinic actually provides the medication. The entire cycle cost us about $8400 and that included everything (even meds) so we got lucky. I read on the other threads that the medication was cheaper overseas so it's good your shopping around. The only downside to all this is that we have to travel somewhere for the cycle so my first Dr appt wouldn't be until stim day 8. 
It's always a plus when your family are supportive. I like that you told them you won't share details throughout,  it leaves for the element of surprise. 

ChristenMA83

My husband and I have been together for 16 years and married for 10...people just gave up on us having kids
@Knottie61873971 have you looked into compassionate care from fertility lifelines for a discount on meds.  I got a decision in less than 24 hours.  It's income based, but I think the minimum discount for out of pocket patients is 10% regardless of income Here's the Link.  Also, some of the members in the January IVF thread had some suggestions on other pharmacy options for the meds.

mrsa2017

@ChristenMA83 wow yal have been together for some time. My husband and I have been together for 6 plus years and married for almost 11 month. I'll be stimming during our 1 year anniversary. Right after we got married people were asking when we was going to try again. We usually said "when the Lord is ready to bless us." We had made the decision to go this route since 2015 after our*TW second EP*.  When you get KU this year they will all be shocked and elated since they gave up on yal having kids. 

mrsa2017

IVF cycle paid for.....  Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay (twerk twerk) Excitement on overload! Til my right ovary started hurting again smt. Such a buzz kill... 

ChristenMA83

@mrsa2017 Congrats! on paying for the IVF Cycle.  That's Exciting!

mrsa2017

It finally feels real @ChristenMA83.... I have to let it sink in and get H reaction. We're so close! 

misbehaeven

Congrats on getting it paid for @mrsa2017 ! I just ordered my meds yesterday! I had been reading tons of reviews on overseas pharmacies and decided to go for it, since it will save us over $1000. I ordered through IVFmeds.com and they just shipped today! So, we'll see how quickly they come. It's getting real!
Thanks @ChristenMA83 for the ideas on compassionate care. I'm not sure if we would have qualified though. I'm hoping the overseas route turns out to be a good choice!

mrsa2017

@Knottie61873971 I had checked them out before I found out my clinic includes the meds in the price. Their prices were good. 

Soooooo my IVF coordinator called me first thing this morning (I knew something was wrong, she never calls only emails) and the report from my HSG was not good.  So I Must get a SIS done to look at my uterus alone since the HSG didn't show exactly what they wanted to see. (my OB nor none close does SIS so I got the OK to do a HSG a few months back).  So it was either fly somewhere and have the SIS done ASAP or go through with the cycle and do a freeze all if they found anything when we get to our clinic in Feb. I went with option A because I like to be prepared and I hate surprises that throw me off.  So I have another thing to wait for and freak out over. I tried to decipher what my report said and in a nutshell it says I have multiple fibroids. Now I have to wait to see where... 

misbehaeven

Oh man, @mrsa2017. I'm so sorry. That is such a bummer that you have to be put off longer.   Luckily, it's not completely the worst..it's something that can be taken care of, and you can get back on plan. 
What is an SIS? (Forgive my lack of abbreviation knowledge)

mrsa2017

@Knottie61873971 I really hope it comes out good next week. SIS stands for Saline Infusion Sonogram.. It's where they insert saline through your vag into your uterus yo see if you have any fibroids or polyps and whereIt's basically to look around in your uterine cavity. I have never had one done, only 2 HSG so I'm kind of nervous. 

ChristenMA83

@mrsa2017 sorry for the unexpected complication.  I've done both the HsG and SIS.  For me the SIS was less uncomfortable than thw HSG....but neither bothered me very much. 

mrsa2017

@ChristenMA83 I would do anything if it would help the cause as uncomfortable as the HSG was. Thank you, I'm just hoping for a clear baking oven and no more delays,  Please God! 

mrsa2017

Guess who has 2 fibroids?! One grew from 2.8 cm in July to 3.8 and there is another small one. So I hope this sis comes back good or I could be benched. 

misbehaeven

Oh shoot! I'm sorry @mrsa2017.  When is your SIS scheduled for? 

mrsa2017

@Knottie61873971 next Saturday the 13th. I feel like I can't win for losing. And my OB told me it can grow with a pregnancy..  I hope it shrinks by next Saturday and isn't going to be a problem 

meesh13-2

Hello Everyone! I'm starting in February for my first try with IVF my ER is in Feb but my FET won't happen until March because we are doing PGS testing. Anyone else using PGS? We've been married for 6 years but started trying about a year ago. Severe male factor is what they are telling us and recommending IVF possibly with ICSI as well. 

ChristenMA83

@meesh13-2 welcome!  we arent doing PGS but will be waiting until March for our transfer because our RE prefers frozen transfers.  Also doing IVF with ICSI due to male factor.

mrsa2017

@meesh13-2 Welcome Welcome to the February train. I plan to do a fresh cycle so no PGS testing for us. Do you plan to pick which embryo to transfer or you want the element of surprise? 

AFM:

Got the call this morning....  My meds will be here on Thursday...  OMG OMG!!! It's getting real. 

ChristenMA83

@mrsa2017 yay for having a date on the meds!!  

AFM: I paid for our cycle Friday so it's all set.  Now I just wait for a call on the meds and my first appointment 2/2.  In other news, today's my 35th birthday.

mrsa2017

@ChristenMA83 Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay for making progress. And Happy Birthday love, may you be blessed with all that your heart desires this year! Turn up