IVF 2.0+ success stories?

Aurora1181

Hi, ladies! Lurker from IF here. I have my WTF meeting with my RE coming up on Monday after our failed IVF cycle. We want to try again in a couple months (hopefully if we can figure out the $$$ since we're 100% OOP) but I have zero confidence in this working and the idea of spending all that money again and going through it all physically and emotionally again, with a possible similarly sad outcome, has me totally and completely freaked out. But, that said, I know we are going to do it again when we can scrape together the money. 

Anyway..I want to be hopeful, but I am having a hard time just envisioning it working. How did you find the courage and confidence to try again? Anything help you with that? I'd also love to hear success stories from people on IVF 2.0 or 3.0 or 4.0 or whatever- I think that might help build my confidence that this process could actually work.

Thanks! Much love to all of you. 

maggie2324

It was FET #1 after IVF #2 where we ultimately had success. So, our third transfer and 7 embryos total transferred to get 1 baby. Sometimes you just fall on the wrong side of the odds, but you shouldn't get discouraged after only one attempt. Good luck!

(We were 100% OOP too, so I feel your pain! My RE was able to give us free ICSI for IVF #2 and discounted her fee for the FET, which really helped.) 

hootie123

I didn't find any success until IVF #5 - so it definitely can be done after multiple failures.   It's really hard to keep going and to be putting money towards something that is not a sure thing - but it does take most people more than 1 cycle to find success.   Good luck!

jeannaqueena

I was sitting in your spot in January.  Our Dec IVF#1 didn't work and we had no frosties.  Basically, they finally figured out my eggs were the issue, duh.  The RE didn't really say this as plain as this, but my eggs werent mature at ER#1 even tho they were the correct follie size.  So, at IVF#2 I push them to let me stim an extra day or 2 and let the follies get bigger and some of the smaller ones to catch up.  It did mean more monitoring apts b/c they made me come in 3 days in a row before trigger. I almost tried to cancel myself bc my response seemed too similar.  But the RE gave me more menopur to help with quality and felt we would have a much better retrieval; he also felt there wasn't a better drug combo for me.  RE said some people aren't quantity producers and those like me we just need to get the quality good and lo and behold here i sit with a little boy on the way. 

At IVF#1 we had 5 mature and IVF#2 14!  We transferred 2 on day 5 and one took!  We even have a single embryo on ice!  We were 100% OOP and thankfully for the bump and wonderful giving women I was able to get some of my meds donated for both cycles.  

I would focus on what your RE thinks the issue is and how they can fix it.  If they are just going to do the same thing again I would be worried too.  I can't find the article I read about how IVF#2 stats were much higher, but here is a mini version:

https://news.consumerreports.org/health/2010/08/in-vitro-fertilization-treating-infertility-better-way-of-predicting-ivf-success.html

I wish you all the best and don't give up. It is a HUGE $ commitment, but will you look back and wish you tried more later in life when hopefully money isn't as much of a burden.  Everyone has a different point of when is enough for their family and I hope you can figure that out for yours.   

Crystal120410

It took ivf and a fet before ivf 2 worked. That's with several cancelled cycles in between also that we had to pay for. We are also oop 100

jezebel57

Hi Aurora, I'm sorry your first one didn't work.  My first IVF was in February and although we didn't have much to work with, (3 mature, 2 fertilized), they were good embryos that we transferred and I really thought it was going to work.  For the second cycle in May they switched me from a microdose lupron to an antagonist protocol, i thought i was on birth control pills too long, they tested me for RPL panel and found I had MTHFR and PAI-1 so went on folic acid and baby aspirin, but that was pretty much it.  I had pretty much no hope for that one.  5 fertilized, 2 didn't make it to blast and they transferred 3 on day 3 (6 cell, 5 cell, 4 cell).  Well, lo and behold, that one worked.  You have a much better shot at it working in subsequent IVF's than you do your first.  Although it sucks being OOP, the first is sometimes just a "trial" and they learn alot from your responses.  With my IUI's I was out of pocket but switched insurances specifically for IVF coverage so that's how I knew we were going to try again.  The second cycle I was pretty much numb and just going through the motions.  I hope your WTF goes well and you get some good answers and a great plan for next time. There's a recent quote I just saw that says "You are so much stronger than you think".  That's true. We IF ladies are a strong group!!!  You can do anything!

I would also really consider acupuncture if you can afford it.  I have been doing it continuously since February, through my May cycle and even up to now, and I really feel it's helping.  Sending you lots of luck... keep us posted!

Jez

Julie21613

IVF #5 here.  11 total embryos transferred over 5 cycles.  I did get pregnant 2 other times but sadly those 2 didn't start off so well and both ended in a m/c.  Info in my siggy.  Don't sell yourself short.  You are stronger then you think.  We had decided that cycle #5 would be my last with my own eggs.  So when only one was retrieved we were sure it was going to be a bust.  But, alas, my little lone star turned out to be the one!  Sending you lots of T&P that your next cycle is the one for you!

 

BzeetyD

We achieved pregnancy on IVF2, 3 and 4.

Many many women need a 2nd cycle so their RE's can adjust meds or protocols to get the right mix. 

Ultimately we went to another clinic for IVF4 but that's because we realized we needed some technology that wasn't available at our home clinic.

Hope this helps. 

Also we were 100% OOP for all. 

Citygirl1015

I'm sorry about your failed IVF, it's so frustrating and emotionally draining when it doesn't work.

My lucky cycle was actually a surprise natural BFP after a failed IVF, FET, and a FET where my embies didn't survive the thaw, so it can happen! I never in a million years would have envisioned myself here either, but try to stay hopeful!

I was about to start fresh IVF #2 when I found out I was pg, and I attribute our success to sheer timing and luck, plus being on CoQ10, and DH being on Fertilaid for Men for 60 days.

Best of luck to you, and I hope to see you over here soon!

BootsOrHearts

Our first IVF cycle ended in a c/p. We were planning on doing an FET but those plans got put on hold because we got pregnant naturally (something our RE said would not happen) so you never know. Life is crazy.

Hang in there, I hope the next cycle is the one!

mommypoppins

I am 5 weeks 4 days with my first baby after 3 and a half years and 6 fresh IVF cycles. I thought it was never going to happen and honestly although I am pregnant now I am so scared of something going wrong.
My advice to you is to hang in there, join an infertility support group. I recommend daily strength or fertile thoughts. And most women do have their positive beta within three IVF cycles. I just happen to be the one that took 6. I wish you luck and tons of baby dust.

meganfauer

I was successful with IUI #3 but after 2 failed IVF's to start with, switching Dr's getting a 2nd opinion and then 3 HEAVILY medicated IUI's it finally worked. We were all out of pocket too. Its hard but now after the past 2 years and 4 failed procedures to be 25 weeks pregnant it was worth it all!! Keep your head up

Juicy71

I got pregnant on IVF 2.0.  For me, it wasn't about getting the courage to do it again, I just HAD to try again... and the sooner the better.  We did take about 1.5-2 months off, at my husband's request, as he wanted me to have a little time where I wasn't completely wrapped up in it though.  We took that time to go to Mexico and just spend some time together without trying to get pregnant.

For my 2nd IVF, we did things slightly different than the first - we changed my medicine dosing a bit.  I was on the maximum of both Femara and Menopur for both cycles, but we just changed the amount of each one I was getting for the 2nd cycle.  But the one thing that I think made the biggest difference was that we did an endometrial biopsy in the cycle before the 2nd IVF, which may have helped with implantation.  We also put in 5 embryos (the maximum for my age).  One stuck and we couldn't be happier.

 Good luck to you!!!

zazu13

<-- Another IF lurker. Thanks for sharing your success stories, especially you ladies who are IVF 4+ like me. Hope everyone is healthy and happy! I would love to hear more stories as we try, yet again, for elusive baby #1.

KDR1979

My history is in my siggy, but on my 4th fresh IVF, 5th embryo transfer, I FINALLY conceived b/g twins and have 1 frozen embryo!! We were also 100%OOP and only put 10% down on our house and paid less on our student loans so we didn't have to go into debt for IVF. Our RE did have a guaranteed/shared risk program that really saved us a lot of money. We paid for the first fresh and FET individually and then our RE allowed us to do the Shared risk ( I think he thought we were a sure thing since we had conceived, but miscarried on the first 2 cycles). We ended up doing all 3 fresh cycles on the shared risk program though before we conceived!

It was worth it to us. DH would have done one more fresh IVF if that cycle had failed, but I was seriously considering donor sperm at that point.

Keep trying!