January 2020 IVF

31magnolia

I didn't see a post for January IVF so starting this one. Hopefully there are others doing a Jan cycle.

I am 44 and have DOR and a very low AMH (.26) . And after a failed traditional IVF/FET cycle in August 2019 (7 mature follicles, 1 ER, 1 M, 1 F, and BFN) my doctor agreed to a mini stim protocol in November with Letrozole (7.5mg), Follistim (225) and Omnitrope, This cycle was a tad better (2 mature follicles, 2 ER, 2 M, 2 F) but one didn't make it past Day 2 and the other stalled at a day 5 Mourula, so here I am again. I should get my protocol next week at baseline, but it should be Letrozole (5mg or 7.5mg) CD 2-6, Follistim (150iu or 225iu) CD 4-?, Omnitrope .5 every other day starting on CD1 or 2, and Ganirelex once follicle gets to 14mm. I've also been estrogen priming. I'll hopefully have my first monitoring appointment on CD5. This may seem early but I ended up having a follicle at 20mm on CD 6 last time.  So to prevent that we're starting letrozole on CD2 and not CD3 and maybe will go down to 5mg instead of 6.  I'm also going to do a fresh transfer with hopefully two eggs at Day 3. Good luck everyone!

lucyb1954

Hiyeee!!! I’ll join you. I’m 38, never pregnant, carrier of the Fragile X gene. DOR due to Fragile X. 1 previous min stim cycle, 2 regular cycles resulting in 1 normal embryo that is still a FX carrier. As I’ve had 2 canceled cycles, this will be our final try before moving to DE. currently priming with estrogen patches and HGH, baseline scheduled for 1/12 I think. 

FuzzyDust

Good luck, ladies!

eggcellent

I'm on my very first round of IVF, because my husband has a balanced translocation that was discovered after 4 early losses in 2019. I'm using the antagonist protocol (Follistim + Menopur + Ganirelix), which seems to be going well so far. I'm scheduled to trigger tomorrow (Jan 5!) and super excited and nervous - not sure what to expect from the whole egg retrieval experience but trying not to think too much about it. I'm just glad to have survived the holiday season and all the well-meaning relatives asking, "when are you going to have kids already?!" We've kept the process private so far so it's not their fault, but boy does that question get old when you're struggling to conceive!

31magnolia

Good luck @eggcellent! People really don't understand that they shouldn't ask that question!

eggcellent

@31magnolia - seriously! I usually just smile and say, "oh, someday!" then go pour another glass of wine 

Lippert1

Count me in!  I have my baseline ultrasound this Friday and begin Follistim next Monday. We have two kids (6 and 3) and have always needed medical intervention to conceive due to my PCOS and crazy-irregular cycles. This is our first time doing IVF though and as you know there is a lot riding on it!  It’s expensive, stressful and new to us but I’m also SO excited and hopeful that this will be what works!  We are coming up on 2 years of trying (timed intercourse and a barrage of different medications) and I really don’t want anymore disappointment. I would love to hear about everyone’s experiences as they go through the IVF process in January. It’s nice to have people to talk to about it and relate to.... because no one ever seems to want to chat about these things. Good luck to you all!

eggcellent

@Lippert1, good luck with your cycle!!! I bet it'll go by faster than you expect. I will say I got a little freaked out the day my meds showed up in the mail (so many needles!) but after a day or two of injections it was no biggie. Follistim was actually my favorite of all my meds because it's pre-filled and so simple... and the needle is teeny and painless! So you've got that going for you.

My egg retrieval is tomorrow morning and I'm nervous but excited. Yours will be here before you know it!

hopengrace

Good luck with your retrieval tomorrow @eggcellent. I had mine last Thursday. The recovery was not bad like I thought, just slept/relaxed most of the day after the retrieval and was a little sore in my uterus with some bloating. 

lunagirlnyc

Nice to meet everyone!  I begin my stims around the 20th of January.  Excited to see how it goes for everyone.  This will be my 4th IVF.  Unfortunately the 4 embryos from my last rounds all ended in BFN.  Hoping 2020 brings me new luck!

31magnolia

@Lippert1, and @lunagirlnyc - welcome and good luck!

@Lippert1 - Does your protocol only call for Follistim? What did you use before?

@lunagirlnyc - Keeping my FX crossed for you!

@eggcellent - Good luck on your egg retrieval today! Keep us updated! Sending positive vibes. And follistim was also my favorite! lol. 

31magnolia

@hopengrace - i saw that you have your transfer today! Fingers crossed for you and hoping this sticks. 

Lippert1

Good luck with your transfer @eggcellent!  Please let us know how it goes and how you’re feeling. I’m sending prayers and good vibes your way for lots of healthy follicles!

Lippert1

@31magnolia no I have much more on my plan than just Follistim (Ganirelix, menopur, plus many more I can’t remember). Before moving to IVF we did Clomid for a while, Letrozole for a while, then a combo of Letrozole/trigger/estrogen/progesterone. It’s been a few different approaches over the last ~2 yrs. 

eggcellent

Hi ladies! Had a great egg retrieval this morning - they got TWENTY beautiful little eggos out of me! (Feels fitting for the start of 2020, right??) So far recovery is going great - a nice excuse to sit in bed and binge watch trashy tv. Heating pad is my best friend right now hehe

Can I just say... I'm so thankful the advancements and research that have brought medical science to where it is today... giving all of us a chance to build families no matter our fertility challenges! My husband and I are struggling with fertility due to a balanced translocation, so our process is ICSI + embryo biopsy and PGS testing. Thinking of all the amazing and talented medical professionals involved in the process of making our dreams come true is really humbling! 

@lunagirlnyc - Sending good luck to you! Something about the evenness of the year "2020" makes me feel like it's a lucky year. I really hope it's your time!!

@Lippert1 - Sounds a lot like my drug protocol. I hope it goes well for you - fingers crossed for zero side effects and many many eggs!

31magnolia

@Lippert1 - Here's to this being the protocol that works for you! You just have to find the right one.

@eggcellent - Yay on the successful retrieval! 20 is a great number! And I hear you on the advancements.

eggcellent

Day 1 update... out of 20 eggs, 17 were mature but only 9 fertilized by ICSI. I know this is still a big number, but we can't help but feel worried because our clinic told us to expect closer to 80% fertilization of mature eggs and we only got 50%!!! And to top it off, they won't provide any additional updates until Day 6, when they're biopsied and frozen. So I get to spend the next 5 days fretting about how many may still be alive... the "hurry up and wait" aspect of IVF is like torture!

31magnolia

@eggcellent - I know you're feeling a little bummed, but 9 is a good number. I don't know why clinics give a number like 80%. Everyone is different. Now I don't like that you won't hear anything for nest 5 days. That would drive me batty!! I know a couple of other ladies whose clinic did the same thing. Mine would give updates everyday except day 4. I still have my fingers crossed for you! Try to stay busy the next 5 days. 

hopengrace

Thank you @31magnolia! Now the waiting begins.

That's a great amount @eggcellent! Unfortunately, we did not have any left over to freeze and transferred two embryos yesterday. Sorry you have to wait so long for an update. That would drive me crazy. Hang in there!

FuzzyDust

eggcellent, sorry to hear about low fertilization rate, but 9 is still quite great! The wait is the worst. My clinic did day 1, 3, 5 and 6 updates, and even that was torture. Fingers crossed that most make it to freeze!!!!

eggcellent

@FuzzyDust and @hopengrace - I was really surprised when the embryologist told me they wouldn't get in touch between Day 1 and Day 6. In a way, I think it might be better for my personality... I know logically that the number can (and likely will) reduce every single day of the process, so maybe not having to hear about it every day will be a blessing in disguise. Do it all at once on Day 6, like a bandaid, rather than slow and steady over the whole week? That's what I'm going to tell myself at least haha! Regardless... whatever DNA is inside those 9 fertilized eggs is already a done deal, so there is absolutely nothing we can do to change their destiny at this point. Just have to hope one of them is a keeper!

lunagirlnyc

@eggcellent  thank you and major congrats on the retrieval!  Praying the 9 all make it to be perfect embryos!  It really is a great number.

kloe818

OK, I'm new to the board. We are in our first cycle and doing what I gather is the antagonist protocol based on what other people's meds are. Meds started 1/3 and I triggered last night. Tomorrow morning it's off to the hospital for ER. As of yesterday I had 10 follicles on L, 5 on R that were measuring decently and there was a note from the tech that said there were more follies in the wings that she couldn't reach to measure properly. I made the mistake of wearing jeans to work yesterday...Yep. That was uncomfortable. I did my pregnancy test this morning to make sure my body processed the trigger shot and it was a faint positive. I haven't seen one of those since I was pregnant in 2010 (different relationship, loss at 15 weeks) and that was odd to see. I am currently, literally, covered in cats while typing this. I'm thinking it can't be simply because I'm warm because this is out of character for these particular cats (we have 4 - never having this many again) as they "get along" but are never a "side by side on mama at the same time" kind of cats. I presume it's the trigger shot lol. I'm hoping for enough embryos to freeze a few and have a fresh transfer. I know it's not likely to work the first time, but out of self preservation, I hope it does. I'm on lovenox as well as the fertility meds and I'm already ready to be off those shots. 

Best of luck to the rest of the ladies in the group!

lunagirlnyc

@kloe818 I hope everything goes well with the retrieval!  

31magnolia

@kloe818 - hope the retrieval went well! It’s good to be cautious but don’t don’t count yourself out yet. FX for you!

Lippert1

Well, I’m on day 2 of my Follistim!  It doesn’t bother me at all (at least not yet). Just out of curiosity... how many days did you all end up doing of stimulation before triggering?

31magnolia

@Lippert1 - Yay! I varied. Anything from 10 - 12 days. What dosage do they have you on and when do you go in for your first monitor appointment?

@hopengrace and @eggcellent - updates? Or are you both still in wait mode?

Lippert1

@31magnolia I’m currently on 150AM and 150PM. I go in tomorrow for ultrasound and blood draw. When I was taking oral stimulation meds (Letrozole) the follicles grew quite a bit slower than they expected so I’m just curious what most people see and curious to see how my body works with the meds. They have me penciled in for Jan 23-25 as rough dates for retrieval. 

31magnolia

@Lippert1 - ah ok. I was on Letrozole (7.5 mg) for my IUIs and my mini stim IVF and my follicles grew so fast. They actually grew slower on just the injections. It's funny how everyone is so different. 

eggcellent

@31magnolia - My clinic got in touch today with the most amazing news... of the 9 that fertilized we have 7 BLASTS! Even the embryologist said that was a great number, so I'm very relieved. Because our infertility has to do with my husbands balanced translocation, we have to wait for results of PGD testing. We should now in a week or two if any of them are chromosomally normal (expected odds are 30% normal, but really anything can happen). I'm not usually a superstitious person but I can't help but smile at the lucky number 7!!  🍀

@Lippert1 - I was on Follistim+Menopur (with Ganerelix to prevent early ovulation). Follistim was by far my favorite of the medications to use, so it's nice you get to use just that one! I only stimmed for 7 days, but was a fast responder and my estrogen went up really quickly so I triggered on the 8th day. My doctor said Follistim protocols usually take 8-12 days for most women. Good luck on an easy stim, hope you get a bazillion eggs!!

lunagirlnyc

@eggcellent amazing news!

@Lippert1 I start medications saturday.  This is my fourth mini ivf so protocol is always the same. 150 gonal, 1 chlomid, and 2 letrozole tabs.  Normally stim 12 days.  First retrieval had one pgs normal and strong but failed fet.  2nd ivf had 1 mosaic so iced.  Then third had one unknown and one strong.  The strong sadly didn’t stick.  So trying again to get more in terms of quantify.  I have issues with too much progesterone for fet’s.   Good luck!

31magnolia

@eggcellent - that’s wonderful news!!! FX for great PGD results!

@lunagirlnyc - how did you know you had too much progesterone?

Lippert1

@eggcellent that’s great news!  I really hope you end up with a bunch of promising blastocysts!

I hope the Follistim works quickly. It is crazy how everyone’s body’s react so differently. I think the only negative I have experienced so far is being a bit overly emotional, but I’m cutting myself some slack. For Pete’s sake!  🤣

@lunagirlnyc good luck with starting your meds!  I hope this is your cycle!

Thank you ALL for being a great place to come and chat!  I have amazing family and friends, and it’s not their fault, but most of them are uncomfortable talking about it. It’s SO nice to have an outlet!  🤗

31magnolia

@lunagirlnyc - also why does your RE keep your mini IVF protocol the same? Why not switch it up the doses/meds, but still keep it mini?

lunagirlnyc

@31magnolia my doctor measured it while I was on the Lupron protocol.  You’re supposed to drop below 1 and I was always above 2.  She said it decreases your chances by as much as 50% if you go into the transfer protocol with too much progesterone.  I had to do Lupron for 3 months at 30 and still had issues.  We are going to try letrozole this time.  

Also I respond and produce good eggs so she doesn’t want to change the protocol since it’s working for the quality she’s looking for.  It’s really just the transfers I have issues with.

31magnolia

@lunagirlnyc - oohhh ok. That's good about the quality.  FX that the change to letrozole fixes everything! It's crazy how there are so many moving parts to this entire process. 

lunagirlnyc

@31magnolia thank you!!!! Fingers crossed.

FuzzyDust

@kloe818 - lol to the "covered in cats" story. One of my cats suddenly decided to always sit on top of me when I was pregnant 2 years ago, which was out of character for him before. So yeah, I def think those critters can sense HCG! How did the retrieval go?

@Lippert1 - usually stims are about 1-2 weeks, but it all depends on the response. I did IUI once which ended up being 4 weeks of stims that got cancelled in the end (too many folicies, couldn't make the lead ones grow without the rest following). That was more of a outlier rather than the norm though.

@eggcellent - 7 blasts is amazing!!!! congrats! and good luck with the PGD results! when do you plan to do a transfer?

@lunagirlnyc - I'm also curious about the progesterone thing in FET. My cycle with suppositories worked, but I through I had very low level showing up on the blood test, so I insisted they switch me to PIO after I got my BFP. However, the second FET I did PIO right away and it failed. Possibly not related to progesterone, but I'm curious how higher level might actually be a bad thing. When I look at my past blood results, the first transfer the level before transfer was 2.7ng/mL and the second was 20.9ng/ml, which sounds really different (but I did hear that vaginal cream might not register as high in blood as PIO, but still affect the lining just as much).

SMammers816

Hi All - I’m new to the boards. I’m 40 years old... going to be 41 in March.  I’m doing my first IVF cycle this month.  I’m on day 7 of stim meds (450 Gonal F / 150 Menopur).  I went this morning for a monitoring appointment and have 7 follicles but they are not growing very fast.  My nurse said they were measuring around 7 millimeters.  So back on Wednesday to see if there is any change.  My nurse then started talking about how my doctor may want to have a conversation with me on next steps and if we should continue with stim meds and it really upset me. I mean you always know there is a chance it may not work out, but I didn’t think we would be thinking about this so soon. Its kind of interesting because I seem to have done so much better on clomid when doing the 2 IUIs I tried before going to this round of IVF.  Can anyone offer details on Mini IVF? Was just hoping to hear other stories of women with great outcomes that was slow out of the gate.  I feel like I can’t get a break.  My husband and I put our lives on hold to take care of my father who was suffering from dementia and a stroke.  He passed away last year and we just want to have a family... I just want one.

31magnolia

@SMammers816 - first, sorry about your father. That had to be extremely difficult to deal with. 

After 3 failed IUI attempts we moved on to IVF. I always had a good response to the IUI protocol, 7.5 mg Letrozole CD 3-7, resulting in 3 mature follicles. Two of the failures came from external circumstances ( ovulated early, SO sick). 

I've done two IVF cycles. One traditional 300 follistim and 150 menopur (slowly increasing the menopur) and one ministim, 7.5 letrzole (CD4 -8) and 225 follistim and omnitrope. In the traditional cycle I ended up with 7 mature follicles. I also had a slow start with this one vs just Letrozole. Out of the 7 only one had a mature egg. I don’t think my body liked the high meds. Next cycle was a mini stim. I got only 2 mature follicles but that was because we started the letrozole (7.5) later than we should have (CD 4), so I probably already had a lead follicle. I still count it as a success because it was one more mature follicle than the traditional protocol (higher meds). I really don't think  my body likes the high meds, so I started to focus on quality (mini stim) and not quantity. This was not my REs usual approach. She likes high meds, but she was willing to try. In both cycles i only had the one embryo make it to day 5, but both stalled at the morula stage, which made me think that my embryos would do better in my body than waiting to go to blast. 
I was going to have a whole new protocol for IVF 3. One that I came up with but my RE was willing to try. But my SO and I decided to take a month off in December and start IVF again in January.

I ended up getting pregnant with just the letrozole in December, so don't count yourself out! 

Lippert1

So I had a scan and bloodwork yesterday and I had 16 follicles ranging from 8.7-16.6, most were in the high 9 to high 11 range. They asked me to do one more night of menopur and start Ganirelix tonight. Last night I got pretty bloated and my ovaries were quite achy. I went to bed and woke up this morning totally pain and bloat free.... this would normally be a good thing I would think but I had a moderate feeling of bloat and pain through this whole stimulation process. So now I’m freaked out thinking maybe I ovulated?  I’m not racing to the clinic or calling because if I did ovulate there’s nothing to be done and I have another ultrasound and blood work Thursday morning. So I’m TRYING to stay positive until I know there’s something to worry about but I can’t help but think about it. Anyone have any experience with early ovulation or a sudden diminishing of ovary aches? I hope they are still there. We were doing so good and retrieval was going to come any day after Thursday.... fingers crossed we are still in the game. It’s too expensive to not even get to the point of making embryos!  We can’t afford another fresh round.