IVF group: start date 1st week of August

JamieH2000 · August 2016

@brightenmysky- sorry to hear that! I hope they are just taking a little longer and the extra stimming will help! I start stimming tonight and hope it doesn't make me weird about food. With this low carb diet it's already hard enough and my options are limited, so that wouldn't be great!

@srh18- are you still starting stimming tonight too?!

srh18 · August 2016

Hey, everyone! Sorry I went MIA for a while but I got a bad cold and have been lying low.

I had my baseline appt on Wednesday and everything looked great, so I started stimming tonight. I'm doing the gonal-f pen (so easy!!) and menopur (ugh stings like a bitch). Feels a little burny around where I injected but nothing crazy. Excited to be getting this show on the road! I go back on Tuesday for my first monitoring appt.

I had a big let down when my RE told me I couldn't go out of town next weekend (trip to see my bff's newborn) and I was wondering--what is irritating you guys about all of this right now? I'm feeling annoyed about the logistics of shots and appointments. Anyone else feeling annoyed by anything right now? (Obviously I know it will be worth it and I would skip anything to do this, but I'm still annoyed, you know?)

@JamieH2000 thanks for checking in on me!! I'm glad to read your updates and see that your meds were figured out. How did your first round of shots go tonight?? When do you back for monitoring?

@Colleen0516 SO HAPPY to hear about your follies!!!!!! When do you go back for your next monitoring appt? Also, congrats on success with giving yourself shots--that's a big deal and you should be proud of yourself!!

@omarismyhomeboy hey!! Good to see you here. How's that beautiful kitty?? Haha. How's stimming going for you?

@teamginger13 welcome back!! i took a short break and hear ya about the amazing mental and emotional benefits of doing so. I know others have shared their thoughts already on PGS, but DH and I are passing unless we don't have success with transfers. Our re said she has no reason to believe we need PGS, and it would be about $4-6000 oop.

@brightenmysky I'm keeping my fingers crossed that those follies grow Grow GROW!!! When is your next monitoring appt?

Colleen0516 · August 2016

@BrightenMySky in sorry to hear that! Stay positive hopefully more grow.. In the end all you need is 1 embryo to make a baby so hopefully it all work for you!! If I could send you my extra medicine, I would!!

@srh18 I am annoyed at everything lately---I sneeze wrong and I am pissed off lol
im son irritable this round, it's crazy. Can't wait to be off these meds!

JamieH2000 · August 2016

@srh18- Glad you started last night too! Sorry you have to take two shots

I have heard the menopur does sting a lot, so glad I don't have to do that one. I ended up doing two shots last night because the last cartridge in my follistim pen (from my IUI in May) didn't quite have enough! It is really amazing how much more is in those cartridges than they say (I was using a 300unit cartridge last night, but pretty sure I got 425 out of it in total!). So definitely try to use up each one even if you think theres only a little left! It sounds like we are on the same timeline exactly- I go back Tuesday as well! I'm very interested to see how things are progressing since I think they have me on a somewhat aggressive "low responder" protocol, since i had 10 AFC on one ovary and only 2 on the other. Has your RE given you an indication of how many they expect you can get?

I also had a mini vacation planned next weekend (4-5 days of camping), but had to cancel it since I will likely need monitoring and ER during the time we would have been gone. But I knew that was a possibility when i booked it a few months ago, so thats why we just planned a camping trip and not anything with flights. But still bummed I can't go! We did reschedule a camping trip over labor day weekend, so by then, hopefully we will be celebrating a BFP (or drinking alot if a BFN haha).

@colleen0516- any estimate of when your ER will be? I think you will be the first of us and can't wait to hear how it goes! Are you planning to do a fresh transfer (assuming no OHSS)?

Question for the ladies- how do you distract yourself from all this? I had a hard time sleeping last night and lots of dreams about IVF/injections. I think it was just on my mind alot after the first stims. I feel like I need a good method to put it out of my mind, before bed at least!

omarismyhomeboy · August 2016

Hey y'all! Sorry I have been a bit MIA. My beautiful kitty is doing fantastic, @srh18, thank you so much

I just got back from traveling where I had to take all my meds and it was really stressful keeping everything refrigerated, dealing with TSA, etc! But it all worked out just fine. I'm about to take stim #4 and go in for my first sonogram tomorrow morning! Eek. Fingers crossed for everyone else here!

@teamginger13 we decided to do PGS even though its more $$- just because I am so sick of having no info (unexplained gal over here) and I don't know if I could emotionally handle dealing with not knowing if the embryo was bad, etc. That being said, as it all gets closer, the thought of having even a couple embryos to test seems like it would be a miracle!

teamginger13 · August 2016

Thanks everyone for your input on PGS testing. DH and I decided we are going to go ahead with it (unless we only have 1 or 2 embryos of course). So for us this means frozen transfer.

How is everyone doing with stims? I honestly have not noticed a ton of symptoms but am only on my third day. My stomach looks like a pin cushion though!

omarismyhomeboy · August 2016

I didn't have any symptoms either- until this morning's ultrasound! I swear she was digging for gold up in there and I am sore!

I got good news, in that I have 16 follies growing- anywhere from 7 mm to 15! Waiting on my blood work and may start cetrotide today. FX to everyone

JamieH2000 · August 2016

@omarismyhomeboy- Congrats on the great follicle count! best news you can get from the first check up! When do you go back again? Did they make any adjustments to your meds?

@teamginger13- Glad you aren't having too many side effects! I definitely felt something going on after I started on Sat.. and just feel a little achy down there. Tonight is night 3, so I am assuming it will get more symptoms each night.

I have been on the fence about PGS testing too... but my RE did not reco it since I'm 28... but I still you ladies are also either 30 or 31. I think I'm going to have another conversation about it with her.. and also see how many eggs we end up getting and then decide.

omarismyhomeboy · August 2016

@JamieH2000 thanks! I am still going to continue with the 225 of Gonal per day, but added Cetrotide. Anyone take that before? It made my skin super itchy and red!

Honestly, I am only 5 days into stims and feeling really bloated and tender. I felt fine up until now! Hoping everything else goes smoothly....

Sending good vibes to everyone else! Hope y'all are feeling well.

Colleen0516 · August 2016

I'm at the doctor now- hoping that I am close to trigger day. my husband has a bachelor party this weekend, my doctor was trying to avoid it but it looks like we may be doing ET around that time. He's the best man so I feel bad, but obviously this is more important and we will just have to figure it out. Normally I am a huge planner, need a plan, need a schedule, need to prepare-- infertility has taught me to be more "go with the flow" lol

my stomach is like a pin cushion too and has Connect the dots of bruising. 4 shots a day- 5 when my follistim cartridge is low.

Waiting to to see the doctor and get my follie count and measurement. I'm on day 12 I believe. In my past rounds I have already been trigger and retrieved. Soooo I'm hoping her method of low and slow is better and gets us a baby! Fingers crossed.

@teamginger13 if it wasn't so expensive, I would do the PGS Too! I understand the needing to know an answer. THis is our first round post surgery for endo- so I'm hoping it works! If it doesn't- we may do testing before doing a frozen transfer (pending how many embryos we have)

@BrightenMySky any updates? How are your follicles growing? I'm saying prayers for you!!

JamieH2000 · August 2016

@Colleen0516- That is hard with the bachelor party. I totally hear you, I am a planner too but the timing with this is just so hard since we have no control over it! How was your follie count? Hoping you got good news and that longer stimming gives you the results you need!

I had my first check up this morning.. and honestly feeling really disappointed and deflated. My right (bum) ovary had no follicles, but that really wasn't necessarily unexpected. My left had 10 (same as baseline) and some were starting to grow (I have only stimmed for 3 nights now). I realize it could be much worse, but just feel like with the highest potential of getting 10 eggs (if we are lucky), my odds of getting 1-2 to day 5 just aren't great. I was so hopeful, but now I am just feeling scared. Sorry to be a downer... its just such a rollercoaster and feeling so low right now. Going to try to get through work and then hopefully the nurse will call soon with updated instructions.

teamginger13 · August 2016

Hang in there @jamieh2000! 10 is still a good number and remember you only need 1 to make a baby I know how stressful it is though. I keep thinking to myself how awful it would be to go thru all of this emotional, physical, financial pain to just be left with nothing. Hang in there and FX for you!

How did your follie count go @colleen0516?

I go today for bloodwork and my first u/s isn't until Thursday. I am dying to know how my follies are growing.. especially because I haven't been feeling many symptoms. In my crazy mind I feel like no symptoms = nothing is happening but I know that is probably not true.

JamieH2000 · August 2016

@teamginger13- thanks for the encouragement. I really need it. The nurse called, and I asked how many follies they had measured and it was only 7 (11mm, 8mm, and then 5 less then 8mm). I know its early, and they are upping my meds from 350 to 400 of follistim and adding low dose HCG, but I am terrified I may not make it to ER (they want at least 3-4 mature) and if I do, I may only get a couple eggs. Its just so hard because there is literally nothing I can do about this to change it. I have been going to acupuncture for 2 months, eating healthy, taking all the supplements and the reality is I just have one productive ovary.

I really hope everyone else is getting better news! Looking forward to hearing all the updates!

srh18 · August 2016

@omarismyhomeboy 16 follies is great news!! Less great news about the itchiness with cetrotide--I'll be on that eventually too. How are you feeling today?

@Colleen0516 how did the appt go today? Fx for good news!! I get how you feel about not being able to plan-ugh I feel trapped in this process sometimes!!

@JamieH2000 I'm sorry you're not feeling great about your follie count. I understand how you're feeling and I agree so much about the no control thing--it's the hardest part of this whole process for me. Fx that your follies keep growing and that the med adjustments they made are exactly what you need! When do you go back for monitoring?

@teamginger13 I hope your bw went well today and fx for great follies on Thursday!!

AFM, had my first us today and am really happy but also sort of freaking out--they found around 20 measurable follies on my right ovary and 16 on my left. The dr told me that there are several more on each side that have the possibility to keep growing (5-10 more on each side). I am stressing hard about OHSS, as my re already told me I'm at risk so I've done the stupid thing and have scoured the Internet for horror stories. I joked with DH that I feel like I'm growing a litter of eggs...lol. I'm happy that I should have a good number of eggs/embryod at least.

Anyways, they are keeping my meds the same and I go back Thursday for us and bw.

Im so excited that things are moving along for our little group!!!!

Colleen0516 · August 2016

@JamieH2000 10 is still a good number. My last two retrievals there were 11 eggs, 10 mature and from that 6 fertilized be first time (3 made it to day 5) and 8 the second time (they did a Day 3 transfer to switch it up) SOOO you never know! Stay positive!
You would also be suprised how many pop up to be mature when they trigger you. The "4 less than 8mm" or whatever measurement they say, makes it sound like they are dismissing those follicles, but they usually get to where they need to be at ER. I remember going in thinking I would it have 5 and came out with 11.

@srh18 man you must be uncomfortable!! That's great numbers though! Drink lots of Gatorade to try and prevent OHSS!

I'm at 16 total but only like 7 that are measuring above 10 right now. Highest measurement was a 14.5.

I am back at the doctor again today. I need the saline sono done

; I HATE this procedure. Normally it's done pre IVF but with my interesting situation before we started IVF- I have to have it done now (with no ibprophen- ugh)

Also measuring the follicles again. Fingers crossed!

JamieH2000 · August 2016

@srh18- wow, amazing numbers!! I'm sure its getting uncomfortable but you are so lucky to have so many! I'm sure your RE will be watching you closely for OHSS.

@Colleen0516- thank you so much, I really needed that. I think I was so upset since I assumed I would be having 10 follies growing and then they only counted 7. I am just praying that more keep growing. They did mention if I don't get 4 mature follies, then they cancel so that was really scary. I just don't understand because I did only 150 of follistim for my IUI and got 4 mature follies and another 4 in the teens and we almost had to cancel the IUI. So I just don't understand how I only have 7 growing with 350 of meds!! Hoping I'm just a little slow to respond since my first apt was only 60 hours after I started stims. It sounds like you are having some good development with 16 follies and 7 about 10!! I really hope the sono isn't too bad. Its def not fun, but mine was pretty quick. Keep us updated on how its all going!

omarismyhomeboy · August 2016

@JamieH2000 your first scan was really early, so don't lose hope! Two and a half days after starting stims may be really too early to tell how this cycle will end up for you. Really hoping for some more follies for your next scan!

Colleen0516 · August 2016

She skipped Thesaline- thank god! I'm too far in the process and she didn't want to risk anything. She just did measurements. My largest is a 17 and the others are still only 14, so she is thinking a Friday trigger and a Sunday retrieval.

She thinks that I will have 8-10 mature and that's exactly what she was hoping for. She said, didn't want too many or too little. She wants a good number of them maturing at the same time.

@JamieH2000
Everyone's body responds different. At my first doctor we did higher doses of medicine for less days. I got 11 eggs (2 times, 2 round) but none of them worked for me. My doctor thinks those embryos werent. healthy bc of the course of medicines he used. My body didn't take to those medicines. BUT I had a friend on the same doses (at the same doctor) and she got pregnant. So it worked for her body but not mine.
Now at this doctor, I am on a lower dose of medicine for a longer stimming period. I seem to be producing the same number of eggs, so let's see if these embryos work better for my body.

Point: everyones body is different, so don't compare your numbers to someone else's and get upset. Trust your doctor, and when you don't trust the doctor anymore- switch!! It will all work out in the end

I hate the saying, but it's true- "it only takes one!"

JamieH2000 · August 2016

Ladies- you are so right. It is too early to worry. But I think I just had too high of expectations going into the first one, based on how I responded during my IUI injectibles. I really hope I am just a slow responder and more are coming. I hear you about not wanting too many if they aren't as good of quality, so just trying to stay positive that even if I only get a few, they will be good. After doing acupuncture, taking all the reco supplements and even eating a fertility friendly diet, there is literally nothing more I can do at this point so I just have to have faith in my RE. Obviously I want the first time to work, but if I need to do this again, maybe they will come up with an even better protocol.

@colleen0516- if I may ask, what dosage/meds are you on? I feel like I am already on the high end at 400, so hopefully that doesn't make them any less quality. I am on low dose HCG and dexamethasone to help with quality (at least according to the nurse). I totally get we are all different, but I find it so interesting how different REs do it different. I am so happy this cycle seems to be going exactly as your RE wanted it and I REALLY hope this is the one for you!! It looks like you may be the first in our group for ER!!

Colleen0516 · August 2016

I am on 150 of menopur, 225 follistim, and 20 units of lupron 2x/day
I started with 150 and 150 and then moved up to 225

the higher dose might be what your body needs to make healthy eggs! You may respond great to that protocol-- wait and see how it works out!
My menopur is the same dose as my last 2 rounds but my follistim is lower and she added Lupron to the mix.

Fingers crossed we all get prego!

Anyone near ER yet?!

JamieH2000 · August 2016

Ladies, unfortunately today has been not good for me. My U/S this morning showed 2 dominant follies and the 5 others were still below 7mm. The RE is calling later, but I am pretty sure I am about to get cancelled and converted to an IUI. I am absolutely devastated and couldn't even go into work. Does anyone know of any successes or others who have over come dominant follicles? I never really thought this would happen to me and trying to not lose all hope of ever having my own child Sorry to be the Debbie downer of the board.

Hope everyone else is getting much better news!

teamginger13 · August 2016

@JamieH2000 I am soooo sorry. I also had a terrible u/s this morning so I know how you are feeling. We can both be Debbie Downers today

AFM, my u/s this morning showed only 3 small follies on my left and 2 on my right. I expected to have way more than that. I mean 5 seems like not enough to do an ER, right? My doctor is supposed to call me later to tell me the next steps but I am trying to prepare myself. I feel so emotionally exhausted right now and just can't believe this is happening.

JamieH2000 · August 2016

@teamginger- I am so sorry. My RE will do an ER for 3 eggs (just not 2), so hopefully they can just get all 5 to grow together and still do it! You are young at 31, so hopefully if you got 5 eggs at least 4 or more would be good ones! How many days have you been stimming? Hopefully they can up your meds and get those follies to grow!

AFM- the RE nurse just called and they want to give it two more days. I'm not holding out hope, since the 2 follies are so far ahead of the other 5... but at least they are trying everything they can. If the smaller ones don't start growing, then we will convert to an IUI. I was feeling hopeless this morning, but talked with my old RE office and confirmed that I had 5 mature follies in May and 3 that were almost mature (with much less meds) when I did my IUI. So thinking if this time doesn't work, I will definitely try again with different protocol since I have gotten 5-8 follies before. This is honestly just the most stressful journey and I can only pray eventually I will get a happy ending.

Colleen0516 · August 2016

@JamieH2000 I'm so sorry. Did you talk to them about your concerns, because they seem valid.
You stimmed better on lower doses. Maybe you have a similiar situation to me. My ovaries don't respond well to high dose meds

IUI with 2 embryos could still lead to a pregnancy and then you don't need to worry about another round. It's SO hard, but try and stay positive. Things happen for a reason! see what the next 2 days bring you and then take it from there!

omarismyhomeboy · August 2016

@JamieH2000 @teamginger13 I'm so sorry to hear about both of your scans. I know how upsetting and frustrating a bad u/s can be. I am going to be keeping my fingers crossed for both of you.

omarismyhomeboy · August 2016

@Colleen0516 looks like our retrievals will be on the same day! I just had my u/s this morning and I have one 20 mm, two 19s, an 18 and a bunch behind them. My RE says he needs 2 at 20 to go ahead so I am going back in tomorrow and will probably trigger tomorrow night.

JamieH2000 · August 2016

@Colleen0516- thanks for the support. I haven't talked to the RE yet, but if this cycle doesn't work (either IUI or IVF), then I am definitely going to be asking a lot of questions, especially how to avoid lead follicles like this. Still praying something works out and trying to stay positive. My nurse did say she had two ladies get pregnant in the last year when they were converted to an IUI, so it can happen. I was just really hoping to do the IVF with ICSI because I wonder how much DH's lower than normal morphology has been contributing to our challenges since I have always ovulated while we have been trying.

@omarismyhomeboy- thank you! Glad you are getting good scans and can't wait to hear how the ER goes. best wishes!

srh18 · August 2016

@JamieH2000 and @teamginger13 I'm so sorry to hear about your follie counts today. Fingers crossed that med adjustments or plan changes give you guys the results you need!! I'm glad to hear you're still being hopeful, @JamieH2000--like @Colleen0516 and your nurse said, others have had success with less!! Don't count yourself out!! Sending hugs.

@omarismyhomeboy yay such great news about your ER!! Fx for a good monitoring appt tomorrow!! Will you do a fresh transfer then?

@Colleen0516 good news about your follies!! Fx for everything continuing as planned and for an easy ER! I am really rooting for you here--you're so supportive and helpful to all of us and you deserve a good outcome, damn it!!

afm, my monitoring appt did not go quite as I had hoped this morning either. They are worried about my estrogen levels so I am headed back in for another appt tomorrow to check my levels again and possibly make a new med plan. My follies are growing--slowly but surely!! I have four prominent follies right now but my nurse said she doesn't see any reason the other 30 some won't catch up. My biggest follie is around 11mm right now. So that's good news!!

JamieH2000 · August 2016

@srh10- thanks for the thoughts! I'm doing the best I can to stay positive and hoping the $1000+ of meds I am injecting tonight and tomorrow don't get wasted on an IUI. Starting ganiralex tonight and heard that stings.. so that should be fun. Sorry about your estrogren levels! Are they too low or too high? Its great news that your 4 largest aren't bigger than 11, the others will have plenty of time to catch up. Really wish they had started me slower... I would rather have taken longer than have this lead follicle problem. Keep us posted- do you go back on Sat too?

srh18 · August 2016

@JamieH2000 I am praying right alongside you that your follies start to appreciate the emotional and financial effort you've put into them.

I second @Colleen0516--your concerns all seem valid and I would press for the chance to talk it over with your re.

my estrogen "is not increasing at a desirable rate" is what the nurse told me. So I'm hoping if that's the case, they can give me some estrogen to take or something to get it on track?? Seems reasonable to me. But this whole process feels utterly illogical at times lol. My nurse told me I will likely go in daily at this point, I am so not looking forward to that. The things we do for a baby!!!!!

JamieH2000 · August 2016

@srh18- Yes I definitely want to talk to my RE. When the nurse called today, I was still trying to pull myself together and relieved they didn't cancel so I just didn't ask to speak to the RE like I should have. I am hoping the RE will be in the office Sat for retrievals, which start right after my monitoring appointment. I think my protocol is fairly standard for someone with DOR, so I may be somewhat an exception in how this is going with the lead follicles.. or at least I hope there is a better option available next time. Sorry about your estrogen

I think the estrogen is a measure of how mature the follies are getting. I have heard its about 200/follie so that may be what they mean? However, I think you still have plenty of time left to stim, since its only day 6 and some people even do 12 days. As long as one or two don't take off like me, I really think you should get there with some more days of stimming! Sorry you have to keep going in daily, but hopefully they can keep adjusting the meds to what you need everyday then! I know its so stressful though to constantly be monitored...

Colleen0516 · August 2016

I stimmed for 14 days this round... Slow and steady! I started out with slow growth and then leveled off. Stay strong! Minor hiccups happen.

maybe we all had some lows during stimming so we can have some great highs after our TWWs!!

JamieH2000 · August 2016

@colleen0516- wow I am so happy you are having good results after 14 days of stims! Did you do an estrogen priming protocol? or just use BCPs before stimming?

teamginger13 · August 2016

@JamieH2000 FX that your follies catch up! Sounds like you have another scan tomorrow? My RE called yesterday and didn't seem too concerned about my 5 small follies but wants to do another scan tomorrow morning so I am feeling a little better.

@srh18 FX for your estrogen levels!

@omarismyhomeboy those are great numbers!! Here's hoping your retrieval goes well!

Colleen0516 · August 2016

I was on only Lupron for the first 2 days, and BCPs for 2 weeks prior

trigger tonight, and ER on Sunday!!

@omarismyhomeboy are you still set for Sunday too?!

omarismyhomeboy · August 2016

@Colleen0516 yes I am!!! I am waiting on the call from my RE on what time, but it will be Sunday morning sometime between 7 and 9 am...triggering tonight!

srh18 · August 2016

@omarismyhomeboy and @Colleen0516 yay for triggering!!!!!!

@JamieH2000 praying for a good appt tomorrow!!

I'm not really sure how to feel about my appt today. It seems like nothing is growing except for the same 4 from yesterday, which are now between 12-15mm. Start cetrotide tomorrow and increasing menopur. I am going to lose my mind if I only get those four follies when I had more than 30 to start. I wasn't able to catch my nurse to see what was happening so I get to spend all weekend without understanding what's going on. I have to go back Sunday for monitoring, just keeping my fx that the extra menopur starts to catch up some of my other follies!! Also I think it's probably these meds but I feel sad and mad and crazy. It hasn't been a good day overall!!

Colleen0516 · August 2016

@omarismyhomeboy I triggered at midnight. Noticed Another difference between doctors: my old office would have me trigger in the belly. This office had me trigger in my booty. Where did u trigger?

@srh18 keep the faith! what day are you on?
4 @ 12/15 sounds great! How far behind are the others?
I had a 21 today and a 14... I asked if the 14 would catch up by ER since I triggered tonight. She said yes most likely; she said she has seen smaller ones become mature by ER. The HCG shot makes the embies grow a lot (plus they have another day or 2)
21mm - 14mm = a 7 mm difference. Are yours more than 7mm in size difference?

omarismyhomeboy · August 2016

Hey y'all- I remembered that my RE noted my estrogen had gone down (from 1800-something to 1600-something) yesterday. He said "hmm" and asked if I was on cetrotide or menopur- and I am on cetrotide. He said "thats probably it." BUT I didnt just start and I hadn't taken the shot that morning. I made the mistake last night of googling and not a lot of positive stuff. Anyone know anything about this? ER is tomorrow so I need to stop worrying..

omarismyhomeboy · August 2016

@Colleen0516 I triggered in my belly....I had previously used Ovidrel in my booty, and I am not so sure it matters....

IVF group: start date 1st week of August

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