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Suggestions for a healthy IVF cycle

Kinderteach78Kinderteach78 member
in Infertility
Hi all! Hope everyone is enjoying the weather this weekend :)

I was looking for some suggestions (food, exercise, etc) that can help me prepare for our first IVF . (We r just about to start BCP). I want to be as healthy as possible and ready to go !

Aside from daily vitamins and accupuncture (which we can't afford and ins doesn't cover), what else do you do to prepare yourself for a healthy cycle? What do you snack on when you have cravings? How much exercise? Any foods or things to stay away from?

Thanks for any advice you have to offer!! ;)
***BFP warning***
Me (36) and  DH (34) married August 2010
TTC since January 2010
HSG in July 2011 found uterine polyps
Surgery Sept 2011 to remove polyps
Tried Clomid (monitored) Oct-Feb 2012
Consult with RE April 2012
Diagnosis ~ unexplained infertility
May 2012 IUI-BFN 
April 2014- IVF consult with RE
May 2014- baseline~21 follicles, High FSH and estradiol
IVF #1 Aug 2014~Lupron trigger protocol (Gonal-F, Menopur, Cetrotide)
Stimmed for 9 days, trigger on 8/20~ 32-36 follicles seen, 16 measured on each side
ER~ 8/22 ~ 36 follicles retrieved! 21 Mature, 17 ISCI'd
8/27~Day 5 transfer of 2 BB blasts, 1 to freeze
9/9~ BFP!! Beta #1- 978
9/11~ Beta #2- 1965
9/15~ Beta #3-7480
1st ultrasound 9/24

 

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Re: Suggestions for a healthy IVF cycle

  • vibeeevibeee member
    Look for a community acupuncture place.  You would be surprised how cheap you can get good treatment theses days, like $15/per session cheap!

    I added lots of avocado, pomegranate juice, beets and red raspberry leaf tea(you have to stop it a week before the transfer) to my diet.  it really helps with the lining.

    Also, from my own experience regular yoga practice definitely helps with stress and circulation in your abdomen.  There are a lot of good sequences on youtube if you can't go to a live class.

    Good luck with everything!

    TTC since 2007; Unexplained; 8PG: 4CP, 2EP, 2MC w/HB at 8-9 weeks
    Getting ready for DIVF #1 - Transfer 12/16! 
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  • ronniesgirl1981ronniesgirl1981 member
    My only advice is to stay hydrated and eat as much unprocessed food as you can. And make sure to do something nice for yourself in there. Schedule a facial or lunch date with someone you know will make you laugh. Also, apply pressure for a few minutes to your vein after a blood draw. It will help you not to bruise. Good luck!
    Me: 34 | He: 40
    TTC since 08/2012
    DX: DOR




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  • LizBlueLizBlue member
    From my own horrendous experience: fiber, fiber, fiber! IVF meds can make you really constipated and I wish I would've given into my comfort cravings a little less and really made an effort to eat lots of fiber.
    ----
    *I am no longer regularly posting on TB because of the fucked up debacle of Jan 2015 when administrators banned long-term members and mods with no notice and completely dismantled a community full of women who cared about each other.  If you see me posting it's only to give support to a poster who needs it or to post something important enough that I need to say.  I am no longer responding to  anything other than issues that affect people who I care about*
    37 years old, MH is 42
    TTC since 2010; Dx Unexplained Infertility; possible male factor 
    August 2012 through June 2013:  6 IUIs with clomid and trigger shot, all BFNs
    7/2013, Pregnant! Unmedicated--we were on a treatment break
    8/20/13 no heart beat; 8/23/13 d&c
    3/15/14 IVF #1:  Lupron/Follistim/Menopur; ER 3/10 resulting in four transfer grade blastocysts, transferred one pretty blast and froze the remaining three. BFN. 
    Natural FET in May cancelled because the universe hates me my hormones were not cooperating.
    6/24/14 FET #1: transferred two pretty embryos; BFN   
    8/28/14 FET #2: BFP, ended in Chemical pregnancy

    Done with medical intervention and getting used to the idea of CFNBC.  




    All welcome
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  • pblgepblge member
    @LizBlue is definitely right about one thing--the constipation is one of the defining parts of an IVF experience! No doctor has ever mentioned it to me, though, which seems odd. Also, my rabbit food veg diet is VERY high fiber, and that didn't help me a lick. (No guilt for your comfort food, LizBlue!) This last time I just had to wait it out in bloated misery, but in the past prune juice was helpful.

    As @ronniesgirl1981 said, hydration is really important. I always feel like I'm hungover and dehydrated during stims, even with 4 L of water a day. I've heard the advice to double the amount of liquid you normally drink, and to switch to electrolyte drinks (I make my own to avoid all the sugars in the regular kind).

    Some docs recommend a high protein low carb diet. For some women, especially those with endo or other immune-involved issues, they say it's good to eat a low inflammation diet. Almost everyone recommends cutting out alcohol and most caffeine, but my fancypants new RE said it didn't matter. Whatever you can do for stress relief is also good.

    I tried to eat whole healthy foods to convince my body that it was a time of bounty and plenty, therefore a great time to make a baby. :)
    **********************siggy/ticker warning**********************

    ***Losses mentioned.*** TTC #1 since May 2012. Me: 37, OH: 41. Ectopic August 2012 => tubal damage. :'(  Stage 1 endo removed June 2013. IVF #1 Oct/Nov 2013: Long Lupron with Gonal-F. 7R, 7M, 7F. 2 txfer@3d. Nothing frozen.  => M/C @ 8 wks. :'( Selected RPL panel all normal. Very hyper and brittle response to stims. IVF #2 (antagonist protocol) Feb 2014 => Converted to IUI (Perfect conditions). BFN. IVF #2.1 w/ new RE June 2014: Antagonist protocol. 33R, 31M, 30F, 19 blasts to test!!! I made it through without crashing!! :) Hats off to Dr. Fancypants!! ET of one 5AB blast. BFN. 13 10 CCS'ed snowflakes! FET #1 PUPO as of 7/29 Betas: 8/7@24, 8/9@97, 8/11@334 (etc.) Two sacs on 8/15, one seen on 8/18 after a bleed. U/s 8/25 (6+3) "perfect": 5.9 mm + HB@120bpm! U/s 9/4 (7+6): 15.9 mm + HB@172 bpm! Please, PLEASE stick this time!!!!
    http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae39/catfreeburg/866da40f5178fed79efe23fc8a4e8a_zps4498a9cc.jpgimageimageimageimage
    image
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  • gozlangirlgozlangirl member
    edited July 2014
    Spam
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  • Kinderteach78Kinderteach78 member
    Ok, so low carb, high fiber, drink a lot and yoga! :) thanks for all the input!! ;)
    ***BFP warning***
    Me (36) and  DH (34) married August 2010
    TTC since January 2010
    HSG in July 2011 found uterine polyps
    Surgery Sept 2011 to remove polyps
    Tried Clomid (monitored) Oct-Feb 2012
    Consult with RE April 2012
    Diagnosis ~ unexplained infertility
    May 2012 IUI-BFN 
    April 2014- IVF consult with RE
    May 2014- baseline~21 follicles, High FSH and estradiol
    IVF #1 Aug 2014~Lupron trigger protocol (Gonal-F, Menopur, Cetrotide)
    Stimmed for 9 days, trigger on 8/20~ 32-36 follicles seen, 16 measured on each side
    ER~ 8/22 ~ 36 follicles retrieved! 21 Mature, 17 ISCI'd
    8/27~Day 5 transfer of 2 BB blasts, 1 to freeze
    9/9~ BFP!! Beta #1- 978
    9/11~ Beta #2- 1965
    9/15~ Beta #3-7480
    1st ultrasound 9/24

     

    Image and video hosting by TinyPicimage

     

     

     

     

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  • JerzGrl07JerzGrl07 member
    I was willing to try and myth/old wives tale out there. Definitely look for a community (treatment in a large shared room) as I was lucky to have one locally that you chose your price of $10-30 per session. Wear green (socks) during transfer as green is the color for fertility in the Chinese culture. Eat avocado for 5 days pt.... Take a pineapple core and cut into 5 pieces, eat 1 piece each day (believe it or not, just tastes likes hard pineapple, not disgusting)..... I did have 2 bFPs after those tricks..... Can't say it helped or not but just so happens I love both avo and pineapple so I was willing to try!
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  • Kinderteach78Kinderteach78 member
    That's interesting! I'll try anything :)
    ***BFP warning***
    Me (36) and  DH (34) married August 2010
    TTC since January 2010
    HSG in July 2011 found uterine polyps
    Surgery Sept 2011 to remove polyps
    Tried Clomid (monitored) Oct-Feb 2012
    Consult with RE April 2012
    Diagnosis ~ unexplained infertility
    May 2012 IUI-BFN 
    April 2014- IVF consult with RE
    May 2014- baseline~21 follicles, High FSH and estradiol
    IVF #1 Aug 2014~Lupron trigger protocol (Gonal-F, Menopur, Cetrotide)
    Stimmed for 9 days, trigger on 8/20~ 32-36 follicles seen, 16 measured on each side
    ER~ 8/22 ~ 36 follicles retrieved! 21 Mature, 17 ISCI'd
    8/27~Day 5 transfer of 2 BB blasts, 1 to freeze
    9/9~ BFP!! Beta #1- 978
    9/11~ Beta #2- 1965
    9/15~ Beta #3-7480
    1st ultrasound 9/24

     

    Image and video hosting by TinyPicimage

     

     

     

     

    Report Reply
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