February 2018 IVF

ChristenMA83

@artemis618 Congrats on the two and good luck with the transfer!

kristimh80

@artemis618 congrats on your little girls!!! You sound like me...only my girls from PGS made it...rest were boys. FX for a successful transfer for you this month!!

greenhillgirl

Thanks for the words of support @mcgeeva @mrsa2017 and @roisis . I have a call with my doctor in 8 minutes about our "implantation plan" so I guess then I'll know if we can for sure transfer a male. Funny, cause I ran an "implementation meeting" this morning at work and I keep using the wrong word for the implantation. 

@mcgeeva I agree that the cell counts day by day sound annoying. That actually makes me glad my RE just gave day 3 and day 6 updates even tho waiting sucks.

@mrsa2017 that's hilarious hit it and quit it lol but that's so cute tho about DH wanting you to POAS. He's so excited!

@artemis618 congrats on 4 normal blasts. Hooray to having an army of embryos.

I'm struggling having increased Estradiol pills on Wednesday with bad headaches, fatigue, and feeling out of it. Today I managed to get to the gym at lunch for light biking so I'm hoping that helps my body process this stuff. I've been sleeping from 6 to 10 after work and then 12 or 1am to 7 or 8am before I drag my ass in to work the last few days. Estrogen is no joke.  Also, on the subway this morning I SWEAR I could tell the woman sitting next to me was wearing Shea Moisture curl enhancing hair smoothie and later that a guy had a clipped cigarette in a pack in his pocket. Smell o vision is my hell!  Tell me this will all be over soon. If I have to do more transfers I might need time off first.

artemis618

@greenhillgirl Thanks!  “Only” two normals from this cycle, but that’s definitely better than no blasts like my first February retrieval.  And makes us feel a little better about going back to transferring (since our first transfer is proof that PGS is no silver bullet).

The icky estrogen is the primary reason I am doing a natural cycle FET this time (I did the natural cycle ERA in January just to see what that might look like and to check that I’m receptive per the test at the usual time).  Such awful headaches.  My PA (at my RE’s office) recommended taking DIM (my acupuncturist recommended 200mg per day) to help process the extra estrogen.  So you might ask your doctor about trying that.  It’s basically super concentrated stuff that's in cruciferous vegetables.  I admit I wasn’t on it very long because I only took the Estrace a couple of week beyond my second beta, but I don’t think the DIM had anything to do with it.  With my *TW* first/natural pregnancy, the progesterone (natural, not supplemented) kicked wiped me out so I expected that from the progesterone, but I really did not like being on the Estrace.  It also does a number on my borderline high blood pressure (for which I’m on meds).

kristimh80

@greenhillgirl Thanks for the warning of "smell a vision"! Guess on the bright side, it preps us for when we are pregnant and our noses are very sensitive! 

@artemis618 Good to know about taking DIM! I take DIM already just because it makes me all around feel better daily and helps a lot with periods. I always stopped when taking fertility meds since wasn't sure 100% if it would interfere. 

Ilky

Am I the only one on del estrogen shots? I do get some side effects (like million tons ewcm and just overall sleepy) but not a lot. It’s every fourth day so it’s not too bad. What is DIM? 

Orlaa

@mcgeeva Congratulations on all those embryos! When will you find out how many made it to blastocyst stage? I hope you get loads of PGS normals. 

@artemis618 That's great that you got 2 more. So you have 6 normals now? Any idea how many you'll transfer? 

Good luck to all of you preparing for FET. 

AFM I did my first beta this morning. It's 313 at 12dp5dt. I'm so happy but it still waiting for it to sink in. I couldn't believe it when the result came out, I'd gotten used to getting bad news.
Going for another beta on Monday. 

kristimh80

@Orlaa Yeah!!! FX Monday is just as good of a result!!

@Ilky DIM is basically a bunch of leafy greens. It's an estrogen metabolizer. I usually get the brand DIM Plus and never have any side effects other thank it makes me all around feel better. Here's a link to basic information on it https://www.livestrong.com/article/215001-what-is-a-dim-supplement/

shae44

@artemis618 Great news!  Best of luck!

mcgeeva

@Orlaa congrats on your BFP! That’s so exciting!!!

i actually have no clue. I will get a call Sunday with day 5 results then I guess I have to wait another week for the pgs results. 

Can i I ask how long did everyone feel like shit after ER? I went to my doctor for and ultra sound yesterday and I had fluid and my right side of my uterus was above my abdomen so sill super uncomfortable. Haven’t gone the bathroom in 5 days and still only allowed to have gateraid. 

I also went to the doctor yesterday for hypertension and literally got Doogie Howser. This kid was fresh out of school. Told me my ER nurses were wrong you can’t have a heart attach at 35 and my levels were high but not high enough to be worried then proceeded to ask me exactly how ivf works. Lord help me I got zero answers yesterday 

kristimh80

@mcgeeva So sorry you've been having such a rough time! I don't think I felt somewhat normal till 5 days post ER. Before that, there were days I thought I felt good, would go out shopping and have to come home because I'd get so exhausted and felt like I needed an old lady walker. It wasn't until my period showed up that the bloating in my upper abdomen started going down along with the bloating all over. The stool softeners that they told me to use didn't help at all....so I kept taking my daily fiber and probiotics and it eventually happened. If I were you, I'd probably try a laxative esp since it's been 5 days. They have female ones that are gentle. 

artemis618

@Orlaa YAY CONGRATULATIONS!  That’s a great beta, and I look forward to hearing about your second.  Yup, we had 5 normals when we thought we felt comfortable transferring, transferred one (that *TW* decided not to stick around) at the beginning of November, then got these two with this cycle for 6.  We’re planning on just transferring one at a time.

@kristimh80 Ah, that makes sense as you’re PCOS, right?  How much DIM do you take daily?

@mcgeeva Sorry you’re still feeling bad. I’ve only had the one cycle with numbers anywhere near yours, but everything about that cycle was weirdly easy peasy.  You made me LOL with your Doogie Howser reference and made me wonder how many ladies on here are old enough to get it . I actually started meds for my blood pressure about a year and a
half ago when I was 39.  I swear sometimes I can’t tell if they do anything, but it it’s a really low dose and supposed to be safe thru pregnancy so I figured it doesn’t hurt.  I admit I forget to take to on weekends all the time though.  I actually know of two women (my best friend’s sister and my sister in law’s neighbor who died of heart attacks at age 41 - yikes).  As I noted above, Estrace did a number on my BP, so maybe the extra estrogen your body made contributed?

Ilky

@orlaa congrats!! That’s a wonderful news! I hope it will increase as expected and everything goes perfect! ❤️

@kristimh80 thanks dear, I’m going to check out the DIM. I’m taking alpha lipoic acid and milk thistle to help my liver process all the drugs including estrogen. I also do castor oil packs on my lower abdominal area as well as liver again for detoxing. 

@mcgeeva I had pain and cramping for about 10 days after the ER. Hang in there! 

kristimh80

@artemis618 I think I only take like 100mg, whatever the DIM Plus is. Oddly enough I took it long before I know I had PCOS ovaries, as everything else is normal, I just knew I felt better mood-wise on it. 

@Ilky Where did you find castor oil packs? I looked in the pharmacy, but maybe I was looking in the wrong area. I saw where it's good to take around transfer time. 

Ilky

@kristimh80 I bought the castor oil from amazon but Whole Foods or any other health food store should have it. You also need flannel cloth to soak the oil and put on your skin. If you go to whole foods they have that too. But I’m sure you can find it online as well. Let me know if you can’t find and I’ll get you a link. 

Orlaa

@mcgeeva Sorry to hear you're feeling so bad. I felt really bloated for 4 days after ER and then on the fifth day it sort of faded away and I no longer had a pot belly  
Mine wasn't so bad though, I wasn't in pain or anything. I was told to eat a high protein diet and also to weigh myself daily to make sure I didn't suddenly gain a bunch of weight which could be a sign it's getting worse. 
It's good that you're doing FET so you're body has a chance to get back to normal now.
That doctor sounds awful, what he said about heart attacks is just not true. 

kristimh80

@Ilky Awesome! Thank you!! Amazon prime just maybe the easiest way!

mcgeeva

@artemis618 ha actually it’s so true if your not from my generation you would have zero clue. Well he told me nothing but considering I was high risk with my first and had bp issues I guess I’ll address with my high risk ob if and when I get pregnant.  Hope everyone is having a nice weekend. It’s gorgeous out but they are saying snow tomorrow

ChristenMA83

Wow - so much activity over the weekend.

@Orlaa congrats on the BFP!! Fingers crossed for awesome 2nd Beta results today.

mcgeeva

Alright so far I have only had 2 embryos out of 21 make to the blast stage to be frozen. I wonder at what point I should start getting nervous. They said they have to finish this week or they deteriorate. So what the heck are the chances any more make it? We are at day 6

ChristenMA83

@mcgeeva they called mine at day 6 with 2 freezing.  I don't know if the third one stopped on it's own though or if they just give up at day 6.

mcgeeva

ChristenMA83 holy cow that's so crazy. Because at the end of the day if your adding PGD and say it turns out there is something wrong with the embryos, then what??

greenhillgirl

@mcgeeva I'm so sorry its not the news you wanted but try not to count yourself out yet. You could still have 2 both turn out healthy and have 2 more chances to transfer or you could even have more. My clinic gives til day 7 or even 8 to let them grow. FX for you to get good results.

This Spring Forward BS is really rough today. Monday and I've totally given up on work.  I'm just surfing the forum and ready to go home

Does anyone have any advice for PIO for me? I have monitoring tomorrow and hope to start the injections Thursday. I will be giving them to myself in the butt since DH works nights. I have a little massage pillow- should I plan on rubbing my butt on it? Thanks for any advice or tips or warnings anyone has

mcgeeva

greenhillgirl  yeah I know I need to be more positive about this. So hopefully two weeks flies by. They wont even give me FET schedule till they have my PGS done. Today has been a total waste. I did work but took an extra hour at lunch to buy pillows. Random crap. Does the PIO have to be in the butt??

mayflower513

Lurking here while I wait to start IVF in May... I hope Its ok to ask questions??  How does it work with a fresh transfer since it seems to take a while to feel better post ER?  Does it potentially affect success?

mayflower513

@mcgeeva can you ask them how long they’ll let them go next time they call you?  Fingers crossed those 2 end up being “good”, maybe even more!

mcgeeva

cmarieb35  they told me tomorrow is the cut off and only one looks like it may possibly make it tomorrow. Then I will wait the two weeks for the genetic testing. 

kristimh80

@mcgeeva What PGS / PGD lab are you using? I used Embryu / Good Start Genetics. Luckily, they only took a week. So was thinking maybe you'd get lucky with the same!

roisis

@cmarieb35 Hi there, most people feel better 4-5 days of ER - and the fresh transfer generally happens ~5 days post ER so it normally works out. If something more severe happens - such as developing OHSS where you feel bad for longer, the clinic can change your protocol and freeze the embryos for an FET at a later date (happened to me last year). Best of luck in May
@mcgeeva Sorry you didn't get the numbers you wanted but 2 good quality embies still gives you a great chance. My clinic only freezes up to Day6. GL with the result for your third tomorrow
@orlaa Yay!! Congratulations on your Beta - delighted for you How are you feeling?

mayflower513

@mcgeeva they say all it takes is one - hopefully this one takes it all the way.

@roisis thank you, that makes sense.  I didn’t know if it was super common to still not feel great by day 5.  GL with your transfer!

ChristenMA83

@mcgeeva So sorry you didn't get the numbers you were looking for.  I know the disappointment of low numbers.

We opted out of PGS originally - and in retrospect should have asked the clinic to change that decision based on our lower than expected numbers.  I'm a little paranoid the two we got will be a bust and we'll waste 2 months on futile FET's.  That being said I'm completely grounded and totally prepared to have to do another ER this year.  Hoping for the best, planning for the worst.  If this cycle doesn't work, I may consider doing another ER before the next FET since ultimately we would like to have two and our chances are better if we bank the embryos before I get any older. (sorry to ramble)

Had our pre-transfer ultrasound & bloodwork yesterday.  All looks good and we're still on the schedule for 3/20 transfer.  Our Beta is scheduled for 3/30 - on our way out of town to spend a long weekend with friends.  So I'll either be drowning my sorrows or celebrating on that trip.

kristimh80

@ChristenMA83 Yay! 1 week to go...how exciting!!

Doing the CD 1 happy dance! Officially starting the FET protocol. Transfer will be somewhere between April 3rd - 5th since my doctor does 21 day transfers. Leaning towards the 5th, so don't risk pre-receptive uterus since didn't get an ERA to know the exact day is best.

ChristenMA83

@kristimh80 yay for CD1.  what's ERA?

kristimh80

@ChristenMA83 When doing an ERA, you pretty much do a mock transfer cycle, then on the transfer day, they take a biopsy of your uterus. They send it off to be tested and can tell you if the transfer day was the best time or if you need to wait another day or so. 

roisis

@kristimh80 Yay for starting FET cycle!! Delighted you're on the move again. Do you mind me asking if AF is any worse than normal?

kristimh80

@roisis Mine was 8 days late, so she's in full force today. My first AF after retrieval wasn't too bad. The 1st day was a little heavier than usual, but then tapered off to be normal. So far this cycle isn't too far off than usual. I was probably moodier than usual yesterday but not too bad

roisis

@kristimh80 Glad to hear she's not treating you too bad Yeah my first one after ER was very heavy for the first day or so then settled down. I'm feeling a bit pms-y already... might be time for some chocolate

mcgeeva

kristimh80 so we are using a place Shady Grove uses called Igenomics but results get sent out this thursday. My last embryo didn't make it today so still have the 6 to test. Thanks all for the support! 

kristimh80

@roisis Chocolate is the cure for everything!!  

Ilky

@kristimh80 yay! I'm so happy you finally get to start this cycle!

AFM, I went for my lining check this morning and I'm already at 9mm. Its CD 11 today. My doctor said to come back next tuesday for another check and to start progesterone. My transfer is scheduled for March 26 (CD 24). Of course I have to stress about something! So, I decided what if its too late! Seems like most people are transferring around day 20... any ideas?