IVF scared lots of Qs.

dalm0m

OK.  I made my 1st appointment with an RE.  I read their website.  I've googled stuff but I'd love some real insights.  Much of this is making me reconsider becoming a mom.  I just don't know if I have what it takes. 

1.  Are the drugs going to make me fat?  I have serious body image issues.  I think I can handle being pregnant but I know I won't be able to handle the weight gain from the fertility drugs.  I have friends who gained over 100 lbs & can't take it off.  I'm freaking out about this.   

 

2.  Egg harvesting.  What I read said something about inserting a needdle through the wall of my vagina.  I get a local anasthetic.  Are they kidding?  Thinking about that is making me sick to my stomach & I feel faint.  Can I get completely knocked out? Would that hurt the eggs?  How painful is this?  I have a very low threshold for pain.  Again, this makes me scared about labor. 

 

3.  Can you do IVF without the drugs?  Is it possible?  What does that do to the odds of conception? 

 

4.  Does anybody have a ballpark price on the proceedure?  I know it's different depending on where you live but all of this is coming out of our pockets.  We are not covered by insurance. 

 

5.  They recommend genetic counseling.  How much is that?  Given my age, I'm thinking we ought to have the pre-implantation screeening done just to make sure b/c once we get started I know I couldn't chose to terminate but I'm also not sure I'm strong enough for a special needs child.  I feel so selfish; I'm not trying for a designer baby but . . . God, this is all so overwhelming. 

 

6.  Are there real life support groups?  You all are phenomenal but I'm just not that much of a computer person. 

Please don't flame me.  I'm really scared & doing the OL equivalent of babbling w/o much of a filter. 

TIA. 

Mrs.McIrish

1) The drugs do not make you gain a 100 lbs. If someone you know gained that, they were either overeating beyond anythign imaginable and just lying about it.  If someone gets OHSS from the stims, you will gain fluid weight but it will go down once it is resolved. The drugs might make you gain a few (ie 5-10lbs) but if you are careful about what you eat, it will come right off after you are done cycling.

2)The Egg retrieval is done under anaethesia. I was not awake at all and it did not hurt. I'm not sure what is considered a local anaethetic. Go to another doctor if they want you to be awake. That is crazy IMO.

3) Can you do IVF without drugs?  Not sure I understand this. You have to take drugs to stimulate the ovaries to grow multiple follicles. If you did not drugs, you'd have 1 follicle if you O normally.  I don't know why you would bother doing that.

4) Ballpark price: depends on area of country and whether you do a package. I'd say average price is $15K with drugs.  I was on a ton of drugs being DOR and hard to stimulate so my IVF was $22K.

5) Genetic counseling/PGD:  PGD is probably an addition 4K. Totally a personal decision but usually done on first IVF only if you have a known gene you are trying not to pass on (Cystic fibrosis, BRCA are examples). It is usually done after several failed IVF's if you think egg quality is an issue and are trying to implant only embies that pass the PGD (ie dont have trisomy etc). Totally your choice.   I was told that cystic fibrois testing (before IVF) is about $1K just to see if you are both carriers.

6) Support groups: google Resolve and see if there is a group in your area. Your RE's office may have one too.

dalm0m

Thank you!!!!  You lowered my blood pressure.

mtlaurel

Take a deep breath. From what you wrote, you haven't even had an initial appointment or any work-up done yet. IVF is an overwhelming process to even think about doing, nevermind do, especially when you bear in mind that it's an overwhelming process that offers only a chance at pregnancy - not a guarantee. It us a few months to become comfortable with the idea of it. Then, once you start, it's a process that you work your way through step-by-step, if you feel committed to the potential end result.

1. I got bloated during cycles, but a few days following transfer, have returned to my normal weight. No need to gain weight from drugs.

2. I was put under for ER, and that seems to be the norm. That's not to say that there aren't uncomfortable tests and examinations along the way.

3. I'm not sure you would want to.

4. The amount of drugs you need makes a big difference in price. My cycles would have probably cost about $25k each, including about $10k of drugs.

5. They run a lot of bloodwork at the initial meeting, and do some genetic screening.

6. Resolve has groups - the local one by me posts information in my RE's office.

Good luck. 

Country Girl in the City

I am still going through testing so I can't answer your questions about IVF.  I can tell you that it is normal to be scared.  This is a scary process.  I also have had body image problems my entire life.  I was the 5 year old that could tell you how many calories were in a cookie.  I would urge you to see a therapist that specializes in body image issues.  I did it and it is well worth it.  I have gone from thinking that I would probably be fine with baby weight gain to being a person that will be proud to show off a bump and be OK with my body after (I still intend to have some work done after the baby but I will not be freaking out that I am fat).

Good luck.  PM me if you feel like you need to talk privately about the body image issues.

tfkre8ive

Also, IVF is usually the "last step" in the IF treatment process. They may start you on lower-tech treatment like drugs and monitoring, or drugs + trigger and monitoring. Much less invasive and less costly. Unless you or YH has a known issue that will require IVF, you likely won't start the process with IVF.

mikey&amie

1.  Granted I am only on day 3, but so far I haven't gained a pound.  I have read about bloating, but it goes away after the transfer.  I'm just being very careful about what I eat and trying to exercise regularly.

2.  Haven't experienced ER yet but I will be under, so not worried about it.

3.  I don't think you would want to do it w/o the drugs.

4.  I think mine is about 12k.

5.  I'm not sure how much this runs but I am going to ask the next time I see my RE. I am thinking of having this done if it is possible.

6.  Most of my support comes from here and another message board I'm on.

I totally understand being terrified (I was too) but my RE calmed my fears. I often remind myself that this part is temporary, and if it works, it will be worth every single injection.  I have 3 tries, so assuming there are no m/c or anything, I know that it will all be over one way or another in the next 6 months.  That helped me a lot.  I will say that so far, this has been way easier than I worried about.  I'm an anxious person anyway and will worry about anything under the moon, but so far I have really be unfazed, and the injections have been a breeze.  GL with your decision, I know how hard it is.

karenannmark

I have gone through 2 rounds, i didnt gain weight and if i look at sweet stuff i gain 2 pounds.....you may be alittle bloated but thats it. I felt alittle discomfort during the EC but nothing too bad and i thought both times went really well, i asked for a sickness injection also because i live 21/2 hours away from the clinic and i get travel sick, it worked both times, not a bother!! 

Its only natural to be afraid but think of the wonderful result when it works!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Take care and i wish you the best ((hugs))

dalm0m

tfkre8ive:

Also, IVF is usually the "last step" in the IF treatment process. They may start you on lower-tech treatment like drugs and monitoring, or drugs + trigger and monitoring. Much less invasive and less costly. Unless you or YH has a known issue that will require IVF, you likely won't start the process with IVF.

I didn't quite understand that IVF was "last".  I'm almost 45. 

The doctors keep wanting to know how long we've been trying but I don't know how to answer that. We have done nothing to prevent pregnancy for about 4 years but only in the last 6 months have we been charting, using OPKs etc. 

DH also had ED problems.  Often he can't get an erection & when he does, it's rare that he can ejaculate during intercoarse.  So problem # 1 is actually getting sperm near an egg at the right time.  I had hoped for the lesser proceedure that just involves that -- in vivo -- but when I learned that the odds were the same as regular intercourse -- 20% per month for women under 35 & steadily dropping for my age, it seemed like why bother?  Why not go straight for the having the embryo implanted?  what else is there, really, at this late stage with the "clock ticking"?  Why would I want to pay for a proceedure that has so little chance of working if I'm just going to have to turn around later & pay for the bigger one?