February IVF

rayoflight80 · January 2017

Hey all! I'm slated to do IVF in Feb (just started bcp for this cycle, but most of the action will happen in Feb).

This is my first cycle and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed... gotta learn all the lingo, I've been sort of avoiding it because of the anxiety. It's my DH that has the main issue (it's called azoospermia) so we're doing ICSI. I'm from Ontario and we've been waiting for this one paid cycle so hoping this is the first and last (fingers crossed). Really glad this forum is here so we can do this thing together (I hope!)...

caseyw8784 · January 2017

Hi! I'll be starting bcp probably sometime next week so most of everything will be happening in February for me as well. We have to do PGD testing, so we already know that the cycle will be a freeze all so they can be biopsied and will do a FET at a later date (hopefully asap once the results are back!)

This is also my first cycle, but we've been "in the process" for just about 1 year now, so I've learned a lot. Now that things are actually moving forward and stuff, i also am feeling a bit overwhelmed like things are moving way too fast now!

There's a lot of ladies on the January IVF board that will most likely move on over to this one closer to the end of the month. I was hanging out there until a February board was made, so, thanks!

KLake42 · January 2017

I *think* I'll be aiming for Feb, but it all depends on when our periods start, which gets us on birth control, and then we figure out our schedule.

So much hurry up and wait, with this fertility stuff...

rayoflight80 · January 2017

@KLake42
It really is! I thought I'd be past my first round by now. But yeah - February looks like the month for me.

@caseyw8784 Yeah! I was lurking on the Jan board but nowhere near where everyone was there, so thought I'd make a fresh one. It's weird - you spend years waiting and then BAM, now that it's happening, it's kind of overwhelming!

Polythene Pam · January 2017

I've been lurking on January's board but we won't start any of the stim meds until the end of January at the earliest (they'll have me end birth control on Jan 25th, I had to sneak in a physical exam with my OB so after that we'll stop birth control).

I'm completely clueless lol, I'm taking it one day at a time. I have injection classes next week so hoping it all makes more sense and that they really walk us through this.

**TW previous child***
My story, I'm 32, husband 33, we got pregnant 4 years ago with my daughter. Started trying again but after a year we finally figured out one of my tubes is blocked. We tried clomid but now at almost 2 years of trying we're just ready to jump to IVF. My RE recommended IUI and a surgery but if we're going to pay out of pocket, we'd rather pay for IVF with the hopes that we can freeze embryos and maybe have a third child easier down the road. Good luck to everyone!!

laurad75 · January 2017

I am also planning on my IVF cycle starting in Feb. I'm currently on bc with my last dose on the 22nd. Stims will start on CD 2. My nurse said the ER will likely be the second week in Feb. We are doing PGS so my FET won't be for about 6 weeks later. I am so ready for everything to get started!

Mando15 · January 2017

Hi Ladies!
I think I may hop over here too from the January IVF board. AF was really late so I just started BCP and will start stimming on Feb 2nd.
I'm sorry that we're all here but I have a good feeling about February! FX for lots of good embryos and BFPs!

artemis618 · January 2017

Hello! I've also been (lurking a lot but) popping in here and there on the January IVF board. I'm just a little ahead of @laurad75 with my last OCP next Wednesday (on the 18th), starting stims on the 22nd, and ER tentatively Feb 2-4ish. We're also doing PGS (TW: loss mentioned - going to be 40 this year and don't exactly have time to go through multiple losses at 4 months a pop, so want to see if we can reduce the risk).

My insurance covers two cycles, so ideally we'd like to do those two before a transfer - primarily for screening and hopefully for banking - since we want more than one (if we are even lucky enough to have one) and it might not even work by the time we'd be ready for another since my eggs aren't getting any younger. We had to appeal to get them to cover this cycle, so don't know how painful requesting a second will be - but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Of course it all depends on what we get - trying to manage my expectations because of my age.

@rayoflight80 Thanks for starting this!

caseyw8784 · January 2017

@rayoflight80 - it does! i told my SIL over this weekend that things are going to start soon, and had a mini-panic attack (the whole "am i ready? really? should i be waiting for the other shoe to drop still?" lol...) cause it does feel like it's flying and is a bit over-whelming!!

srh18 · January 2017

Hi, everyone! Is it okay if I join here too? I'm still waiting for AF to arrive, should be here by the end of this week, then will be starting bcps for about two weeks. Should start stims towards the beginning of February. This will be my fourth ivf cycle and possibly my last before looking into DE. Im hopeful for a great February!

@rayoflight80 fx this one does the trick! I understand the special appeal of success from the last/only covered cycle.

@PolythenePam good luck with your injections class! I felt way more in control of everything after I sat through mine. There are also great videos online to watch if you're worried about feeling rusty when it comes time to do the actual shots!

@artemis618 I think that's a great plan--doing both cycles and freezing! Best of luck that you get some great embryos

Fx to everyone!

mandasd · January 2017

Hi all, I updated the January Calendar to a Jan/Feb calendar - IVF cycles are so long and usually span over two months so we can share if you'd like!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-XRaAkGAn3gVwpc7krx5NlyRh90djq4m8rtUlOIRKFg

caseyw8784 · January 2017

@mandasand - great! thanks for updating it!

teamginger13 · January 2017

Hi ladies. I'm also looking at a February egg retrieval! I have my baseline next week and start stims on 1/28. This is our second IVF cycle and we are completely out of pocket so this will likely be our last. I've had some anxiety about starting this over again but I've got to try at least. FX for me and all of you!!

SBump · January 2017

@teamginger13 and everyone, I'm scheduled to start my stimulation for an egg freezing cycle (due to endometriosis) on 1/27 with estimated egg retrieval about 2/8. My expenses are out of pocket, but the FSA should hopefully help pay for the medications.

Polythene Pam · January 2017

We got our timeline yesterday, I'm right around many of you. Guessing egg retrieval around 2/10 with transfer around 2/15. My birthday is in Feb so hoping it's a good one

caseyw8784 · January 2017

So I'm just waiting on AF to show so I can start BCPs...and of course, she's late! Figures, the one time you actually WANT her to come...she doesn't. so annoying...

laurad75 · January 2017

My meds arrived yesterday. Holy cow. The volume was almost as scary as the moment I told H how much they cost.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/ny/ujn9uk8b5crx.jpg

artemis618 · January 2017

@laurad75 Stuff's gettin' real! I actually got my meds before the end of last year because I switched insurance and last year's plan has better scrip coverage (not to mention starting the year with new deductible). But I definitely remember the sticker shock when I paid out of pocket to freeze eggs

. We're using the overflow fridge in the garage because of all the Gonal F and the omnitrope...

Whatcha got there (if you don't mind my asking)?

laurad75 · January 2017

@artemis618 Our coverage is great and insurance is covering all the testing and treatments 100%. Our prescription coverage is not as good and has a $15000 lifetime max which we will almost hit with cycle 1 so we will apparently have to pay OOP if there are additional cycles. Annoying but I don't feel like we can complain since we aren't paying for anything else. It's still a lot of money.

I'll be taking gonal-f and menopur, then adding in centrotide and finally ovidrel to trigger. I am both terrified and excited to get started. Last dose of bc will be Sunday night so the fun will begin sometime next week.

artemis618 · January 2017

@laurad75 Ah, that's awesome that at least everything else is covered 100%. For me everything (including meds) goes toward my (high-ish) deductible then is covered 90% in network up to the OOP max - but I only get two IVF cycles lifetime and still waiting to hear if there's a max on the meds. Will have to see at what we're looking for the second cycle. I have a feeling I'll get to my deductible and maybe my OOP max pretty quickly with all this business.

I'll be on all the same stuff - 300iu Gonal-F, 150ui Menopur, but also 25u omnitrope (for which I got to pay 100% since it - along with the AndroGel - are being used off label), then the Cetrotide and Ovidrel trigger as well. Just several days ahead of you and will start sticking myself Sunday night. Watching the freedom teach videos to review makes me more nervous about it - really hate needles, and so many syringes

Polythene Pam · January 2017

Totally random question- my RE says no diet change necessary but I'm cutting out coffee anyway (to help sleep if nothing else). However I'm big on a cozy drink to start my day

do you guys do tea or anything? Just curious, I'm trying not to read too much into diets etc so I'd rather just ask those who are in it

I pick up all my meds on Monday, I'll be rewatching those teaching videos as well!

laurad75 · January 2017

@PolythenePam I have switched to herbal teas since starting any treatments. I was never a coffee drinker but I liked black tea with sugar/ milk. Like you, I like to have a warm drink to start my day and maybe another in the afternoon. There are some really yummy herbal teas. My favorites are Twinnings Chamomile, Honey and Vanilla; Twinnings Lemon and Ginger and any brand Chamomile and Lavender. I got a tea box for Christmas that I have filled with different flavors to give me options.

Polythene Pam · January 2017

@laurad75 thanks those all sound wonderful!! I'll get a bunch this weekend

caseyw8784 · January 2017

@laurad75 and @PolythenePam - herbal teas are great but i would caution to run them by your doctors first. I'm a tea junkie so I knew I could never completely give up tea, so once we started TTC I looked into to see what was considered "safe"...

Some herbal ingredients are known to have adverse effects on pregnancy (one example: hibiscus is known to cause contractions and lead to miscarriages) so just be careful about what herbal teas to pick! I've cut back and do decaf black tea. Rooibus tea is naturally caffeine free, so that would be a good choice too. Chamomile and peppermint and ginger and lemon are all "safe" flavors, but if you go to Teavana or a fancy tea store, just make sure to read what are in their herbal teas cause there's always so many ingredients!

I remember seeing a whole list of what herbs to avoid...i'll try to find it and post it here if i do...

ETA: words are hard.

laurad75 · January 2017

Good advice! Thank you @caseyw8784

Polythene Pam · January 2017

Thank you @caseyw8784! I appreciate it

I used to drink all tea then coffee won, now I just want something warm that's safe so those are great tips

caseyw8784 · January 2017

@PolythenePam - Coffee has mainly won here too, but I refuse to not drink hot drinks when finally pregnant! and with tea, you can have so many more cups of tea than coffee since each cup has that much less/no caffeine!

caseyw8784 · January 2017

Hope you all are having a great weekend so far! DH and I are having some friends over to watch the Pats/Steelers game (Go Pats!) tonight, so we're busy cleaning up and making appetizers/food/etc and getting ready. Yay football.

AFM, AF arrived this morning! I spoke with my nurse and I get to start BCPs tomorrow and (also tomorrow) have to call again to schedule the sono HSG...the people that schedule the appointments I guess don't work on the weekends...lol. So excited to start all of this, but the fact that I am is making me feel a bit overwhelmed and nervous!

SBump · January 2017

I'm getting anxious and excited. My last bcp is tonight, and my baseline appointment is tomorrow morning. My medication is ordered for delivery Wednesday, and I'm supposed to start injections Friday 1/27. Retrieval sometime around the 8th of Feb. Hoping it all goes well. Hope your cycles are off to a good start.

laurad75 · January 2017

@SBump Yes! I feel the same way and we are on a similar schedule. I also took my last bcp yesterday and will have my baseline appt on CD 2 after my period starts. This afternoon I have my IVF/ Stims orientation to prepare for the meds. Depending on how I respond to the stims my ER should be around Feb 7 or 8. We are doing PGS so FET will likely be in early March. So excited and so nervous!

artemis618 · January 2017

Hi Ladies! Got through my first night of shots last night but not without incident. Posted in January IVF, but may be more relevant here since many of the ladies there are already through their shots.

I thought I'd share my lame lesson learned last night (first night of shots for IVF#1): Check to make sure that the needle is securely on the syringe (long story follows but feel free to skip).

Somewhere in the shots training/instruction/videos I missed the part where you check to make sure that the needle is on securely. I just unwrapped the reconstitution needle and started in. In this case I was attempting to mix the Omnitrope, failed to check this, and lost a bit of the somewhat scarce diluent provided with it. I had an extra saline solution vial from the Menopur but didn't know if the one provided with the Omnitrope might be something specially formulated to hold that medication or anything - plus I didn't know for sure how much I'd lost. So I compared the vial with the mixed Omnitrope to the second solution vial that came with Omnitrope (for days 5-8), estimated it to be between 1/3-1/2 less fluid, gave myself a smaller but what I imagine to be a more concentrated shot, and emailed my IVF nurse. Still waiting to hear from her.

I admit I would have been way more freaked out had I lost some of the pricey, paid for out of pocket since not covered by insurance since it's being used off label medicine, but it sucks when things don't go as planned - especially when starting this process is so loaded anyway. But seriously don't know how I missed this. I'm a pilot (just as a hobby) for goodness' sake - we live and die by checklists and I like to think had that risk been brought to my attention I would have checked. Lesson learned.

Fortunately the Gonal-F and Menopur were more foolproof, but...stress. Ugh.

laurad75 · January 2017

@artemis618 Yikes! I'm adding 'check the needle' to my stims notes. Congrats on surviving night #1!

Marley629 · January 2017

Hi all! I'll be starting stims mid-February!! We aren't using BCP as part of protocol because I have factor five so I have to report cd1 and then will go in for baseline and BW cd3 and will start stims that night. They expect 8-10 days of stims. I was diagnosed last June as DOR (secondary infertility) and we are battling with MFI as well. Excited to get started and that there is this group for support! Good luck to you all!

Polythene Pam · January 2017

@artemis618 thank you for giving us the heads up! Glad night 1 is done

I just picked up my massive bag of meds, this is way over my head so I'm glad we can all reach out. I just had my annual with my OB, I adore her, she's like my little cheerleader so that made me excited to start

SBump · January 2017

@laurad75, I hope your stims orientation went well. My nurses was a good teacher and I'm feeling more confident I can do the shots. My baseline Ultrasound and hormone levels came back better than expected all things considered. I'm okay to move forward with stimulation Friday. No one said anything about when I might start my period and I'm not too familiar with when periods start after the last active birth control pill...Oh well I guess some doctors just do things differently.

laurad75 · January 2017

@SBump The orientation was great. The nurse was very patient and thorough going over all the instructions. I got to do a 'dry run' of preparing all the meds which made me feel better. She also taught me how to mix the medications so I will only have to do one injection a night. I loved that!

SBump · January 2017

@laurad75, I'm glad your orientation went well. It's great you can mix meds together for one shot and that you got some hands on practice first.

artemis618 · January 2017

@SBump Apologies if TMI (I suppose it's a risk being on here) - I took my last OCP last Wednesday and started bleeding late Saturday (after 5pm), started stimming Sunday night.

@laurad75 Ah, one injection is nice! I'm so sure I would screw that up though so 3/night for me it is for now...first appt tomorrow AM so will see if there are any changes then.

stella_700 · January 2017

After two failed IUI cycles, we had a meeting and decided due to my age (37) to move directly to IVF. I've begun the BCP's last night. I think most of my stress is coming from the meds cost issue, waiting to hear back from our prescription coverage on what will be covered is freaking me out. I've been on the phone back and forth to get the wording correct so that the script insurance covers the meds. I've got one of four approved at this point. We've saved a considerable amount but you never know if it will be enough. Sono and mock transfer is scheduled for the 1 of Feb along with the shot lessons. Shouldn't start the actual shots until feb. 10, I think. I'm having trouble getting my brain to shut down already at night.

caseyw8784 · January 2017

@SBump - in the past, AF has always arrived 5 days after stopping BCPs, if that's of any help, too (and not tmi!

)

SBump · January 2017

@caseyw8784, thanks! Hope it starts sooner because I am feeling the PMS kick in.

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