Hello all, I'm 39 now and have been trying to conceive for the last 2 years. January 2019 we did IUI but it failed... I have a blocked left Fallopian tube, fibroids and thin uterine lining to add to the mix. We've decided to go the IVF route due to all my issues. March 27, 2019 I started my stims... a host of medications including Lupron, Follistim and Menopur. I went to the doctor on day 5 Monday April 1, 2019 and he says I have 6 follicles <10 and 1 at 11 so I don't think he was very happy with the size of the follicles. I go back to see him on Friday April 5 and this will be day 10 of stims. I'm hoping I will have more growth and more follicles. Has this happened with anyone else? Is slow growth normal? I take the highest amount of medication he can prescribe. I'll admit I'm feeling bummed about the last doctor's visit. If all goes well we will have egg retrieval sometime starting the week of April 8, 2019. Fingers and toes crossed!
The quote for my meds were astronomical at over $7,000... well my DH and I did our research and went thru 5 different pharmacies and used GOOD RX, Compassionate Care Card and ReUnite Card our meds went down to just below $3,000. Please research, research and research. You'd be surprised at how much you can save by applying for discount RX cards.
@twin2180 this is my first time doing IVF but for my IUI I had slow growth so they had to keep increasing my Gonal. It actually helped this time because they knew I need to start at a higher dose along with my menopur.
As far as my meds go my clinic only deals with a few pharmacies so my options were limited. They've had some bad luck with other pharmacies in the past so they like to deal with ones that specialize in fertility care. The cost was high but I felt better knowing I would have high quality and that they would be delivered on time. I also submitted several rebates that available for certain medications so that helps. But everyone is different and needs to do what is best for them.
Me:37 MH:37
TTGP since 07/2017
**TW** in spoiler
DX: PCOS, anovulatory, AMA
Femara X3: no response
Clomid X3: BFN (cyst and thin lining)
IUI (Dec '18) MMC
IVF (April '19) 9 retrieved, 7 fertilized, 2 normal PGT-A
@twin2180 I had my day 5 ultrasound yesterday and they saw 7 follicles all around the 9-10.6 range. My RE wasn't concerned at all and I don't think this is considered a slow response. Although I am just saying from my own experience and could be wrong. I will ask my RE about an acceptable size at my next ultrasound on Saturday. Good luck to you; it's all going to work out
Hi guys, I have a question about the egg retrieval day. How do you all feel about going to work after having a good lunch that day? My doctor usually does the retrievals in the AM and I should be done by 10 AM. I was thinking of going to work after lunch just so I do not have to take the entire day off and maybe taking 2 days off for the transfer. I have already taken a few days off for my first cycle this year and we took a week-long vacation after our first cycle failed so I am in a crunch here. In my first cycle, I took a day for retrieval and a day for transfer but mostly felt fine after the retrieval. I'd love to hear what you all think about the time off work during ivf.
Wow, we are about the same! Honestly, I cannot remember what my baseline scan was. I'm hoping Friday brings good news and we can move on with the egg retrieval. I wish you the best of luck and thank you for your response.
@sbhawnani my RE recommends taking the rest of the day to rest. I guess it also depends on what they use for sedation and how you respond. Some anesthesiologist say to not drive that day as well so that may make things a little more difficult. I know when I worked as a nurse in radiology we used twilight sedation for certain procedures (fentanyl and versed) and instructed our patients to rest for the remainder of the day with no driving or operating heavy equipment. I would see what your RE recommends.
Me:37 MH:37
TTGP since 07/2017
**TW** in spoiler
DX: PCOS, anovulatory, AMA
Femara X3: no response
Clomid X3: BFN (cyst and thin lining)
IUI (Dec '18) MMC
IVF (April '19) 9 retrieved, 7 fertilized, 2 normal PGT-A
@sbhawnani to be honest I didnt feel as bad after my retrieval as I thought. However, I was still sore and tired. Mine was also in the morning, I rested all afternoon and did take a nap too. In my opinion I felt way better after the transfer than retrieval. Maybe the day for the retrieval and the day of the transfer off could work?
So I had my check yesterday. My lining and follicles are where they should be. I started Lucrin kit yesterday to keep my follicles sn even size. It stings when it goes in and I have a swollen bump like the Cetrotide. Sucls that I'm gunna have to do this for the next like 20 days 😔
@ACAC25 that's great you are progressing well! That's crazy you have to do the one med for 20 days!
I had my day 5 US today and I have one follicle at 11, one at 10 and a bunch at less than 10 so some progress but not as much as I had hoped for. So we are upping my gonal to 375 and starting the cetrotide back up. So excited for 3 shots a day but if it works it's worth it!
Me:37 MH:37
TTGP since 07/2017
**TW** in spoiler
DX: PCOS, anovulatory, AMA
Femara X3: no response
Clomid X3: BFN (cyst and thin lining)
IUI (Dec '18) MMC
IVF (April '19) 9 retrieved, 7 fertilized, 2 normal PGT-A
@celticknotfire obligatory gif to encourage your follicles grow!
*TW* History:
Me: 34 DH: 36 | Together since 2007 | Married July 2016
TTC #1 since 7.2017 Dx: low morph (1%), ANA positive, low decidualization score, high TSH and testosterone, histone antibodies
IUI #1-3| all BFN IVF #1 | 6.11.19 | 24R, 17M, 15F, 6B, PGT-A tested - 5 normal, 3 girls & 2 boys FET #1 | 9.10.19 | BFN "I know you, but we've never met. I'm with you, but I don't know your name" RPL, Receptiva, & ERA testing | all normal/negative, recommended going on gluten and dairy free diet for next FET FET #2 | 3.31.20 | Opted to cancelled due to pandemic, continued diet and tried naturally over the summer 2nd Opinion with another RE | 8.20.20 | Not immune to measles (received 1 dose); SA results similar to 2 years ago; decided to move forward with FET #2 redo at start of next cycle Surprise natural BFP! | 9.22.20 | MC 10.23.20 at 8 weeks TTCAL naturally | starting 11.22.20 Initial consultation with Reproductive Immunologist | 9.14.21 Decidualization score biopsy | 10.1.21 | abnormal - low score of 1; endometrial scratch recommended and progesterone supplementation Saline sono | 10.15.21 | normal Bloodwork | 10.21.21 | high TSH, high testosterone, positive for anti-nuclear antibodies and histone antibodies, high protein S, multiple genetic mutations BFP! | 11.3.21 | EDD 7.14.22 | biopsy provided same effect as endometrial scratch; added supplemental progesterone and estrogen, prednisone, levothyroxine, and MTX Support to maintain pregnancy DS born 7.19.22 after induction
TTC #2 begins 6.2023 Consultation with RI | 6.6.23 Saline sono, endometritis biopsy, skin & eye check | all normal Labs | high TSH, Factor XIII mutation, high %CD56 Follow up | 8.8.23 | prescribed metformin, prednisone, plaquenil, and levothyroxine Repeat labs after 3 weeks on meds Follow up | 11.9.23 | Green light!, increase in prednisone, added lovenox Repeat labs in 8 weeks Follow up | 1.16.24 | Green light continues TTC put on pause
@celticknotfire yeah I'm on Lucrin Kit (very similar to Cetrotide my doctor said), BCP for 2 more days. Then AF will come 3 days later. Once AF comes it goes down to .5ml instead of 1ml a day. I think I stay on it until my retrieval. It's to keep my follicles at a good even size and suppress my own hormones because my body was reacting too well to my own hormones since our Jan IVF.
Sending baby dust to help your follicles grow! Hope the increase in meds helps.
Unfortunately, my IVF got cancelled due to my poor response to the meds. The bright side is we are instead, attempting IUI, as I have two viable follicles at 11mm yesterday and they are my good side. Yesterday was a difficult day but we made lemonade out of used lemons, lol. I hope on Monday I have good news and these two follicles continue to grow.
@twin2180 I'm sorry it didn't go the way you planned but it sounds like you have a positive attitude about it. Good luck with your IUI and keep us posted.
Me:37 MH:37
TTGP since 07/2017
**TW** in spoiler
DX: PCOS, anovulatory, AMA
Femara X3: no response
Clomid X3: BFN (cyst and thin lining)
IUI (Dec '18) MMC
IVF (April '19) 9 retrieved, 7 fertilized, 2 normal PGT-A
Some good news from the doctors visit today. I now have 3 follicles 15, 13 and 12 and my lining is at 10.1 which is amazing as it has never gone over 8! For now I believe we are still on track for IUI but not sure when but sometime this week.
@twin2180 I'm happy to hear you are progressing well and that your lining has increased! 😍
I'm continuing to take the Lucrin kit. I had to give it myself today which is hard because about 5 seconds after the medication goes in it stings a lot for like 2 mins and I get a nice red bump around it. Only tomorrow to administer myself though luckily. My in laws are visiting for 2 weeks and my MIL has agreed to try to give me my shots. I'm waiting for AF. I'm hoping it shows up today so I can get my stims started tomorrow.
I know that stinging sensation from using menopur, ouch! My partner started to give me the menopur two different places ( so half dose on left then other half on my right) and that helped with the stinging significantly. I have to say I'm lucky my partner was always here to help mix up and then give me my shots or else I'd be lost. Hope you can start your stims soon! If you get flustered with giving yourself a shot can you go to your clinic for help?
@twin2180 yes! This one feels way worse than the menopur for me. 😔 as soon as AF comes I drop to half of the Lucrin shot so I'm hopeful that will help especially with you saying that half and half helped you with the menopur. I dont have a way to get to the clinic every day unfortunately but tomorrow should be the only other day for me having to do my own shot. Hope AF comes today but got no signs currently.
I don't have a problem giving myself my injections or mixing up my meds but I'm a nurse so that may help. My past trigger shots have all been SubQ but this one is IM so I'm not too crazy about giving it to myself but MH will be here if I really need help.
RE's office just called and I trigger tomorrow for my ER Friday! Last Menopur and gonal tonight with the last cetrotide tomorrow morning. I am nervous, excited, scared, anxious and about 5 million other things!!!!
Me:37 MH:37
TTGP since 07/2017
**TW** in spoiler
DX: PCOS, anovulatory, AMA
Femara X3: no response
Clomid X3: BFN (cyst and thin lining)
IUI (Dec '18) MMC
IVF (April '19) 9 retrieved, 7 fertilized, 2 normal PGT-A
Good luck @celticknotfire for your retrieval and Good luck to @twin2180 and @ACAC25 for your next steps. I had my retrieval this morning and they got 10 eggs. We will find out how many were mature and how many fertilize tomorrow. Right now shooting for a Sunday transfer but the embryologist said it depends on the health of the embryos. Keeping my fingers crossed here.
Hey ladies! So...I had an absolutely terrible recovery from egg retrieval, and haven't really been on the boards!
@twin2180 I hope you're IUI goes great! How are you feeling?
@celticknotfire GOOD LUCK with your egg retrieval Friday! It is exciting, will be thinking of you!
@ACAC25 hii - how are you feeling? Has AF shown yet?
@sbhawnani congrats on a successful retrieval!! Fingers crossed for lots of embabies and a transfer on Sunday for you
AFM, yeah post egg retrieval was rough. This was my second retrieval and I don't remember it being this bad - I did a fresh transfer last year and am really glad we already planned on a FET this time around because there's just no way it would have happened. Still wondering why this one was so much harder on me? I'm all for this cycle being totally different though because nothing ever worked out for us the first time around. So hopefully different is good. But guys...I literally just got my period today. My new RE doesn't do BC, so I honestly think I'm doing my FET in like two weeks, but I need to confirm. It's all going so fast this time. But I'm ready!
@ellemarie7 hope you're feeling better now. I loaded up on electrolytes the day before and the day of my retrieval and I think that helped with at least the bloating. I also did a session of acupuncture after the retrieval. Hope you get answers from your RE soon and are ready for the next steps Good luck!
I heard back from my RE's office with the fertilization results. Out of the 10 retrieved, 8 were ICSIed and 7 are growing. The lab will keep an eye on the progress and we will hopefully have a sunday transfer.
@ellemarie7 I'm sorry to hear that your retrieval recovery has been so hard. To be honest I still felt sore at my transfer 5 days post ER last time and for a few more days after. I hope upon can take it easy and rest as much as possible!
@sbhawnani that's great! Congratulations on your 7 growing embabies!
AF still hasn't showed. I'm super frustrated because I just planned s schedule with my in laws for their 2 week visit and its all gunna get changed now. It seems trivial but annoying none the less. And the worst is my body feels like AF is on the way but no clear signs. Urgh! I hate that IVF is all about waiting.
Thank you @celticknotfire & @ACAC25 @ACAC25 I feel you. Waiting is the worst part of this procedure. A few years ago I used to think IVF was a luxury and the girls undergoing the treatment would be so relaxed knowing that they are going to have a baby for sure; how wrong was I. I hope AF shows up soon for you and you're able to stay on schedule for your meds and your in law's visit.
@sbhawnani AF finally came yesterday afternoon so dr apt this morning. Everything Is looking good... thin lining and small even sized follicles so starting menopur today. I only had 5 follicles on each side but he said the most important thing right now is the even size and that they all mature together. I have appointments almost every 2 days right now. Today, sat, mon, thurs, sat. I'm just happy to finally be starting again after a 2 month delay.
Ladies...getting my period Wednesday (and can I just say, I did a fresh transfer after after my last retrieval so I never experienced the period after an egg retrieval...my GOODNESS. It is unreal. Sorry for the TMI lol) so the past two days were kind of a blur. They called me in yesterday morning to start my intralipids, which wasn't bad at all, and then last night I started my estradiol, and lovenox + neupogen injections. FET looking like April 26-30th they said. GAHHH. I think I'm mostly going to just lurk around on the boards, take a step back and spend time with family next weekend for the holiday, enjoy the spring weather, and prepare lowkey with DH for FET.
I'll still check in here and be rooting for ya'll with your IVF progress and retrievals. GL you guys wishing you all the best
We got 9 eggs!!!! I'm so happy with that number because I was expecting less. I had to do a HCG booster yesterday so I was nervous my beta would still be too low but it was good. However, I'm not looking forward to the waiting for the next week or two.
@ellemarie7 I'm not excited for my period to start now! I appreciate the heads up though. That's great that your meds are going well. I completely understand stepping away for a bit and taking care of yourself. Good luck with your FET
Me:37 MH:37
TTGP since 07/2017
**TW** in spoiler
DX: PCOS, anovulatory, AMA
Femara X3: no response
Clomid X3: BFN (cyst and thin lining)
IUI (Dec '18) MMC
IVF (April '19) 9 retrieved, 7 fertilized, 2 normal PGT-A
@twin2180 I hope you're IUI goes great! How are you feeling?
I had a double IUI, since I had a 20 mm follicle and 3, 14mm follicles. I was insemated on Thursday and then I took my trigger shot at the appointment. This morning I was insemated again. I haven't ovulated yet but I rather have the swimmers be waiting than to miss it. I'm feeling great thank you. Now, only time will tell but I'm feeling positive about this procedure.
Re: April 19 IVF
In my first cycle, I took a day for retrieval and a day for transfer but mostly felt fine after the retrieval.
I'd love to hear what you all think about the time off work during ivf.
TTC #1 since 7.2017
Dx: low morph (1%), ANA positive, low decidualization score, high TSH and testosterone, histone antibodies
IUI #1-3 | all BFN
IVF #1 | 6.11.19 | 24R, 17M, 15F, 6B, PGT-A tested - 5 normal, 3 girls & 2 boys
FET #1 | 9.10.19 | BFN "I know you, but we've never met. I'm with you, but I don't know your name"
RPL, Receptiva, & ERA testing | all normal/negative, recommended going on gluten and dairy free diet for next FET
FET #2 | 3.31.20 | Opted to cancelled due to pandemic, continued diet and tried naturally over the summer
2nd Opinion with another RE | 8.20.20 | Not immune to measles (received 1 dose); SA results similar to 2 years ago; decided to move forward with FET #2 redo at start of next cycle
Surprise natural BFP! | 9.22.20 | MC 10.23.20 at 8 weeks
TTCAL naturally | starting 11.22.20
Initial consultation with Reproductive Immunologist | 9.14.21
Decidualization score biopsy | 10.1.21 | abnormal - low score of 1; endometrial scratch recommended and progesterone supplementation
Saline sono | 10.15.21 | normal
Bloodwork | 10.21.21 | high TSH, high testosterone, positive for anti-nuclear antibodies and histone antibodies, high protein S, multiple genetic mutations
BFP! | 11.3.21 | EDD 7.14.22
DS born 7.19.22 after induction
TTC #2 begins 6.2023
Consultation with RI | 6.6.23
Saline sono, endometritis biopsy, skin & eye check | all normal
Labs | high TSH, Factor XIII mutation, high %CD56
Follow up | 8.8.23 | prescribed metformin, prednisone, plaquenil, and levothyroxine
Repeat labs after 3 weeks on meds
Follow up | 11.9.23 | Green light!, increase in prednisone, added lovenox
Repeat labs in 8 weeks
Follow up | 1.16.24 | Green light continues
TTC put on pause
Sending baby dust to help your follicles grow! Hope the increase in meds helps.
I'm continuing to take the Lucrin kit. I had to give it myself today which is hard because about 5 seconds after the medication goes in it stings a lot for like 2 mins and I get a nice red bump around it. Only tomorrow to administer myself though luckily. My in laws are visiting for 2 weeks and my MIL has agreed to try to give me my shots. I'm waiting for AF. I'm hoping it shows up today so I can get my stims started tomorrow.
I had my retrieval this morning and they got 10 eggs. We will find out how many were mature and how many fertilize tomorrow. Right now shooting for a Sunday transfer but the embryologist said it depends on the health of the embryos. Keeping my fingers crossed here.
@twin2180 I hope you're IUI goes great! How are you feeling?
@celticknotfire GOOD LUCK with your egg retrieval Friday! It is exciting, will be thinking of you!
@ACAC25 hii - how are you feeling? Has AF shown yet?
@sbhawnani congrats on a successful retrieval!! Fingers crossed for lots of embabies and a transfer on Sunday for you
AFM, yeah post egg retrieval was rough. This was my second retrieval and I don't remember it being this bad - I did a fresh transfer last year and am really glad we already planned on a FET this time around because there's just no way it would have happened. Still wondering why this one was so much harder on me? I'm all for this cycle being totally different though because nothing ever worked out for us the first time around. So hopefully different is good. But guys...I literally just got my period today. My new RE doesn't do BC, so I honestly think I'm doing my FET in like two weeks, but I need to confirm. It's all going so fast this time. But I'm ready!
I heard back from my RE's office with the fertilization results. Out of the 10 retrieved, 8 were ICSIed and 7 are growing. The lab will keep an eye on the progress and we will hopefully have a sunday transfer.
@sbhawnani that's great! Congratulations on your 7 growing embabies!
AF still hasn't showed. I'm super frustrated because I just planned s schedule with my in laws for their 2 week visit and its all gunna get changed now. It seems trivial but annoying none the less. And the worst is my body feels like AF is on the way but no clear signs. Urgh! I hate that IVF is all about waiting.
@ACAC25 I feel you. Waiting is the worst part of this procedure. A few years ago I used to think IVF was a luxury and the girls undergoing the treatment would be so relaxed knowing that they are going to have a baby for sure; how wrong was I. I hope AF shows up soon for you and you're able to stay on schedule for your meds and your in law's visit.
I only had 5 follicles on each side but he said the most important thing right now is the even size and that they all mature together. I have appointments almost every 2 days right now. Today, sat, mon, thurs, sat. I'm just happy to finally be starting again after a 2 month delay.
I'll still check in here and be rooting for ya'll with your IVF progress and retrievals. GL you guys wishing you all the best