June IVF

Hopeful_mom · June 2017

funkykey I totally understand how you feel! You never want to waste a moment! My first appt was pushed back a month and i thought when i met with them i could get started right away but nope! Had to wait to have tests then my cycle blah blah blah - I was furious. I wanted right now and then I missed some cycles. Then my first IUI a very long time ago i had a cyst and i couldnt start and had to a miss a cycle. I was crying at work a mess I was...the nurse must've known then I'm gonna be some fun patient. Unfortunately I have learned through this process its all about patience BUT even more my body. What she says goes unfortunately. So far I only see 4 follies and i'm already a bunch of nerves as I want to go through with this cycle and be done with IVF!! I've been OOP from the beginning so i'm with ya!! Whats funny is you would think I would be the picture of health at this point. I n longer drink a pot of coffee BUT I do drink decaf. I think doing this for so long and so many things not going your way you rach your breaking point of just giving into things. I finally did get a normie so I'm not gonna keep beating myself up about

bionerdsteph Oh no thats just awful so sorry to hear that! You've had cancer before? You've been through too much already! How can there not be an emergency appt WTH is that about! I hate insurance even more why can't it be covered through your other dr, they can't just follow up with them. UGH so frustrating - hoping it can get resolved quickly and successfully for u!

artemis618 woo hoo how exciting!! how many are we looking at? I like that your eggs still like the magic to happen the more natural way

you're cracking me up right now as I haven't counted the actual amount of shots, now you got me to thinking I'm over 100 to I get a prize

ready for that baby!! My E2 was super low not thats its every super high as i dont make as many eggs just hoping i can have one more good cycle in me!! and I was thinking the samething I feel like your name is familiar to me as well SP128 hell i've been on this board long enough i feel like i should know everyone ha!

Aera11 glad things are looking well hope it continues! whens ur next US? you know i didnt realize myself how much ive spent just on a visit on top of the fee. I'm about $100 a visit and i pay so much for insurance it makes me angry u kno!! Cant think about it doing all these cycles - i cant afford it anymore, really pray this can be it!!

artemis618 · June 2017

@Hopeful_mom 15 was the number that my RE gave the fertility center this morning (they use a third party facility/lab). After tonight's two shots, that'll be 63 just for THIS cycle. So I'm well over 100 among my three cycles (last lupron cycle was also around 60 shots, one more Omnitrope one last cycle, +/- a lupron one before starting stims - vs an extra day of stims and the extra FSH shot *with trigger* this cycle).

I don't get blood drawn until 5-6 days into stims so never know what my E2 is earlier on. Every cycle is different though!

I'm also really excited to stop taking melatonin. I take 3mg during stims and it just knocks me out!

funkykey · June 2017

@Hopeful_mom - exactly!

I mean, on the one hand, when I complain sometimes, or share that I'm frustrated, I feel like an a**h*le. So many people here have had to do so much more and work so much harder than me. This is my first round of IVF - I see other women who've done so many, and I think: "Who am I to complain?"

Then IRL I'm like: "Oh man, I'm gonna complain as much as I want." So many people in my real life, they think they have problems - but they do not have problems. I know exactly like 3 people with real problems, who are actively dealing with serious issues right now. And everyone else, it's like: "Wow, I hope when I start trying for my second baby, it doesn't take more than four months!" They have good jobs and nice homes and good marriages, and they're upset because affording to spend a week in Hawaii every year is tough, or losing 10lbs 6 months after you've had a baby is tough. Like, have some respect for people who have real issues, you know?

I really feel sometimes like I'm surrounded by people who have NO idea. Who are just clueless, and that they won't learn unless the people around them are honest. And I'm starting to think, in the past, I didn't complain enough about things; if something was hard, I wouldn't say it was hard - because I was too afraid of being a "complainer". I didn't want to make people uncomfortable, and I wanted to act like I could handle it. I was too accommodating, and I was taken advantage of. Part of me thinks this happened in a lot of areas of my life - eg. I was underpaid with my first couple of jobs because I didn't stand up for myself. But also, some of my friends, they didn't support me in ways I wanted to be supportive - and partially it's because I wasn't clear with them, so I'm trying really hard to be now. Like: "This really sucks. Are you going to show me that you're a good friend, or not?"

I think I'm definitely bringing this history to my clinic, and obviously to how I'm approaching IVF. This sh*t is hard! I have to be patient enough with my body - why do I have to be extra patient with some incompetent nurse? They're getting paid! Be professional!

And, sadly, I've learned that the tougher I am on my clinic - the more questions I ask, the higher my expectations, the more I push them, the better care I receive. I want them to know that this is painful, that I'm struggling, and while I'm grateful for their help, I want them to be responsible and that I want them to do the absolute best job they can. I find even when I know the words and do the research and ask the questions they sit up a little taller, they respond quicker, they talk to me on the phone longer. I try really hard to be clear with them about my expectations and what I'm hoping for, and now I know that that one specific assistant in charge of scheduling, I need to push a little harder/call directly a little bit more. Next time... (Though I really hope there isn't a next time.) I wish I didn't have to be so on them, though - but I guess that's life.

liljoy-2 · June 2017

@bionerdsteph Totally lurking on this board, but I wanted to give you some encouragement. Uterine polyps are very, very common, so many ladies on this board have had them over the past year I've been on the Bump. I also had some discovered right before I wanted to start IVF. Like you, insurance didn't cover the procedure at the RE, and I had it scheduled more than a month or so away. It turned out it was benign, like in the vast majority of cases. Please try to relax. Of course, if you had cancer before they should try to accommodate you as soon as they can, but even so, try to not worry. It's just another bump in the road a lot of women have.

bionerdsteph · June 2017

So I asked how much the out of network costs to get my polyps removed at the fertility center were since my normal gyno couldn't get me in until the end of June & anywhere else I called I had to do a consult, THEN schedule the hystroscope and the soonest consult was in 2 weeks- I called 5 gyno groups! It's an extra $500 and at this point that's is worth 4 weeks of my sanity, I can't be on Ativan that long. I'm trying to stay optimistic & the odds are about 5 fold higher my polyps are cancer than normal but it still less than 10% chance. So they are coming out on Monday! Coincidentally it's also one of the best days in weeks for me to take off work.

We also skipped IUI & trying naturally since my H has severe MFI- do you all feel as thrown in the deep end as I am? It seems like they expect me to understand way more than I do and I'm more comfortable with medical stuff than the average person. They gave me a calendar but never explained how the atoms work, etc.

FX for all of you growing eggs! Hoping I get to join u this month! Please distract me with numbers & scoring, etc.

funkykey · June 2017

@bionerdsteph - great news, FX!! What do you mean "how the atoms work"? Anything we can help with? You mean the stims? (Just thinking how autocorrect would deal with that!)

I had a whole session on it- someone else said their clinic called it the "medication education", so it sounds like your clinic wasn't that on it...

I'll be on two stims- menopur and puregon- "menopur" comes from the urine of menopausal women (or did originally... explains why it's so expensive!) and is mostly FSH and some other hormones, like a small amount of LH. "Puregon" is "pure" FSH, and it's the Merck brand name for that specific version of a gonadotropin. I think it's basically the same as Gonal-f. (Ps. In other life, I think I would do a great job of comimg up with cooler names for drugs. I would be a great asset to Merck's marketing department. "Puregon" would be better as anything else.)

So you start on the FSH shots (this is my protocol) and then you start "antagonizing" to prevent premature ovulation. For us, this will start about day 5, and I'll be on a ganirelix injection until they're ready to trigger me with HCG. Other people will be on totally different protocols, though.

Hope that helps! Nerd out on all the info you can! It's hard to remember when you're in the weeds with this, but it really is totally fascinating when you put your scientist cap on.

Ps. Guys, am I writing too much? Am I monopolizing the thread? Feel a little like I am losing my mind with all this waiting.... really hoping that one day I'm too busy chasing after a toddler to participate in online threads!

Hopeful_mom · June 2017

artemis618thats awesome congrats!! hoping they're all nice and mature for you and ready to go!! Its exciting to get to the last shot congrats!! really hoping this is the round for you!

liljoy hey glad your lurking and hope all is going well with you!! Any info on retesting embryos?? How much and how they go about doing it? I'm assuming they have to dethaw and so another biopsy? I'm thinking about and want to see what the process is, any info is appreciated!

funkykey amen!! I think its great you've learned at a younger age all the things you've shared. I feel like I was you in my 20's as well and I don't speak with 1/2 of my friends. They are great wives and moms but really crappy friends. They are all me me me me me and I think I just had enough. I think it takes some special people that have to deal with infertility and others will never have a clue.(TW) I told 2 best friends shall we say when I MC my twins and they had no clue what I was doing but then when it happened I felt I needed to tell them especially after what I went through. You think either one found the time in 2 weeks after to come by and give me a hug or a phone call....nope!! And now i'm not speaking to either one, they both have families and careers their kids certainly have and need their attentions. BUT I think for once they could've made the effort and i'm tired of showing up for every baby delivery, party and crisis and get nothing in return. Stick to your gut. Its good to complain when you have a real reason! And its unfortunate but IF is a business and we turn into a number at times, you must remember you are your best advocate. I thought when i was pregnant I should be taking aspirin and I didn't...later to find out I have the mthfr gene and shouldve been taking it. Is this why I MC? I'll never know but will be taking it next time! It sounds like you've got it down, just keep on moving forward!!

I also think the boards are here to keep people sane, I spend more time on here then FB or where ever else. And your entertaining me

I actually just read ur description to my mom on menupar, you defined it quite well!! I hid my first couple of rounds from her but unfortunately MC with her so now I keep her in the loop on everything.

bionerdsteph glad to hear you're moving forward!! Sometimes you need ur sanity and the $$ isn't worth it. Any way you maybe can charge back after the fact? Hoping everything goes smooth for you and you can join us as well! Ask away thats what we are all here for. I think once u start ur nurse will go over more detail with u. I will say my first round I did a lot of google to find videos of people doing the shots as well and the tricks they used. you would find that helpful I'm sure! You might feel a lil less knowledgeable because u didn't do the IUI but usually they still go over everything. I remember being in my IVF orientation class thinking I know all of this already lets move on...but that was from all the IUIs and the reading on the threads. Dont worry you'll see how much u learn in just a few days.

funkykey · June 2017

@Hopeful_mom - I told 2 best friends shall we say when I MC my twins and they had no clue what I was doing but then when it happened I felt I needed to tell them especially after what I went through. You think either one found the time in 2 weeks after to come by and give me a hug or a phone call....nope!!

OMG, some people are so selfish! Not cool!

o0smn0o · June 2017

@funkykey @hopefulmom It's so tough when the people you thought would be there are not there. I'm so sorry that you're experiencing this too, but also I was worried I was overreacting or just being too sensitive with it happening to me too.

I'm also facing this with my two pregnant friends. One is there for me when it's convenient for her, and the other is really showing me her real side. All she's been doing is complaining about her pregnancy, barely showing any kind of excitement that she's expecting. Told her I'm starting treatments and haven't heard from her, not even a response. I understand her pregnancy may be tough, but have some kind of compassion or just be a friend at all. I'm coming to terms that this is a relationship that's just never going to be the same, and it stinks!

o0smn0o · June 2017

@SP128

My meds will be delivered on Wednesday, and Friday we have an appointment to see how thick my lining is and whether i can start Friday or if i need to take Provera. It's hard when you barely get a period to really know where you are in the cycle! but I've been feeling like i may be getting a period naturally in the next few days, so i am really hoping it happens on its own!

Where are you in yours?

SP128 · June 2017

@o0smn0o 4/5 of my meds were delivered this morning. My low dose HCG will be delivered on Wednesday due to it's short shelf-life. I have been on estradiol since Tuesday after blood work confirmed I ovulated. Nurse at the clinic said I should get my period 7 days after taking the estradiol.

So I guess I'm just waiting for my period before the next step.

o0smn0o · June 2017

@SP128 Looks like we're in a similar boat! Good luck!!

bionerdsteph · June 2017

@funkykey yes Stims, stupid autocorrect. I did medication education & they went through all the meds & how to give them to yourself & what they were but it was for 5 couples at once & super general. I got a PDF calendar that doesn't show all my meds (it looks cut off) so through Dr google I think I've figured out the protocol for me but would still like a nice list with the why & how. There have also been a couple of things that I randomly get an email to schedule like the uterine sonogram without an explanation or heads up it was coming. We talked to a couple clinics & chose this one partly bc they seemed to be the most informative. it just doesn't seem completely clear what's happening.

@o0smn0o @hopefulmom @funkykey I've been dealing with this cluelessness for 10 years. I got diagnosed with cancer & all but maybe 2 friends completely disappeared. Almost anytime someone learns I had cancer the first response is along the lines of "please let me know what you did to cause your cancer & reassure me I won't get it". I try & be understanding most of the time- people are most worried about themselves & don't know how to deal with things that are uncomfortable- myself included. I try to put people at ease and gently tell people when they say something awful, "Maria equating my difficultly having kids with the difficulty you're having with morning sickness is hard for me". Sometimes I can't be social with pregnant friends and if it's not a big thing I skip it, I give myself permission to not always be there for them.

Sometimes I like to f*ck with them tho & tell them I was/am a distance runner, borderline vegetarian with no known genetic predisposition or lifestyle factors that would mean getting diagnosed at 27 with cancer- If I got cancer ANYONE can. Or I'd love to have the experience of morning sickness. Or just generally knock them back to reality about the seriousness of their issues.

Hopeful_mom · June 2017

bionerdsteph not sure where you live but sh@t dumb ass friends really!! 27 getting cancer? glad you beat it and are still here with us. UGH! I just thought the young folks were bad but clearly people suck! Did you start you meds yet? I do think that when you start they go over it with you then. Are you planning on doing a fresh transfer or a frozen?

o0smn0o I've been on hormones over a year now so am I sensitive sure but IF that was it then wouldnt my true friends come out and say that? you're just being sensitive or whatever? But thats not the case. Have you had a conversation with your pregnant friends? Do they know whats going on? I had one friend that had a MC and then was pregnant, now the MC destroyed her and during her pregnancy after 6/7months she hated being pregnant. AND I would always think like dummy be happy everything is now healthy and looking good BUT i knew to expect it as she was like that during her first pregnancy. I will say I did recently tell her what I was going through. (as i was MC she was about delivering and i txted her all the time to make sure her and the baby were ok, I wanted her to know how hard it was for me so she should appreciate the good friend I AM to her!!) TO also get her advice a lil on the MC as she truly had a breakdown after it. She does now text me checking in to see how I'm doing. And thats on me for not telling her what I was going through. Thats why I ask, some friends suck and are indeed selfish. They of course dont think they are and maybe need to be pointed out to them BUT thats whether you think their friendship is as important to u.

@SP128 just got my trigger shot so i should have all my meds ready to go. I believe its the hcg i didn't know that had a shelf life, interesting! Hopefully AF arrives soon and you can get started!

SP128 · June 2017

@Hopeful_mom Yes it does. It has a 14 day shelf life (even before it is opened). I'm not using it as a trigger though. I'm going to use ovidrel. My hcg is the low dose one.

liljoy-2 · June 2017

@Hopeful_mom I simply told my RE that I want the abnormal embryos thawed, re-biopsied and resent for PGS testing with another lab since the only other alternative was to discard them and since I had a "feeling" my result was too bad for my age. She surprisingly agreed and first told me I had to pay for the re-testing, then said my fertility insurance would cover it. Turns out my insurance emailed me that they won't cover it, but it's already done, and my clinic didn't bill me (yet) for it. Two more out of 5 turned out normal, and the other 3 abnormal had totally different abnormality profiles than the first PGS lab (as in missing chromosomes instead of triploid, etc.). The doctor's explanation was they were either mosaic or the labs had "different procedures"! HA. She actually told me she "learnt so much" with my experience!! (as in, do not trust PGS tests? sad)

Aera11 · June 2017

@Hopeful_mom right now I am going every day for blood & u/s -- we had my brother and sister-in-laws couples shower last night so I hadn't been able to update here since we were so busy. And I am with you, I don't spend any time of Facebook anymore. It's weird because I am not even tempted to scroll through it, I guess I just don't care about what everyone is doing every day haha. And yes, it's crazy how much each visit is when you lay it out on paper. Ugh, I am with you again...praying this is the last time or that I at least have embryos to freeze if this fresh transfer doesn't work. Where are you at now in your cycle?

@artemis618 melatonin knocks me out too! I seriously feel like a crazy person. I take a steroid in the morning which has me bouncing around and then I have to take a melatonin and all I want to do is be horizontal.

@o0smn0o & @funkykey I seriously think infertility/loss can show a friend's true colors. I get that it makes people uncomfortable to talk about (why, I don't know. We talk about everything else in the world, right?) but whether a friend is pregnant or not, they should still be a friend to any of us going through a loss, infertility, or unfortunately for many of us, both. Even if they don't understand, they can ask how we/you are doing or if you need anything. I feel like for me, that is usually all I want/need. Just asking makes a difference because it shows you are acknowledging what I am going through and you have actually thought about it. With our IVF, I have only told a few close friends...all of who have kids and none had any trouble getting pregnant, but I chose to tell them because I know that they will be good friends through this and that is what I need. One of them always acknowledges me on mother's day, which she doesn't have to do but to me, that is everything. She is a mom of 3 with one on the way and she took time out of her own mother's day to reach out to me. The friends that aren't good friends, I want to walk a month in my IVF/loss shoes and then maybe they'll understand what we on this board go through every single day for countless days.

Anyways, my update:

I had blood & u/s this morning, waiting for the call on my estradiol but yesterday it was 1,298. Today my follicles were measuring 21, 19, 19, 18, 17, 17, 16, 16 and then a ton of 15, 14 & 13's. I have always triggered when I hit 18 or 19, but since there is such a large group together my RE wanted to hold off another day so it's looking like my trigger will be tomorrow night with a retrieval on Wednesday, but that could change and everything could move up a day. I'll know for sure this afternoon! I don't usually do well with the actual retrieval so I just want that part to be over ASAP!

funkykey · June 2017

OMG @bionerdsteph - Almost anytime someone learns I had cancer the first response is along the lines of "please let me know what you did to cause your cancer & reassure me I won't get it".

WTF?! My jaw dropped when I read that, particularly the "what you did to cause your cancer". OMFG. I think you should "tell them I was/am a distance runner, borderline vegetarian with no known genetic predisposition or lifestyle factors that would mean getting diagnosed at 27 with cancer- If I got cancer ANYONE can." because that's the truth!!

I'm sorry you have to deal with that so often. How awful! It sounds like you are much, much kinder and more generous in the face of great ignorance than I think is warranted. If you are that patient with general people in your life, you will be a great mom!!

My H works at a physics research facility (sometimes producing radiation for cancer treatments), so our house is more, err, science-minded than most. When we started dating, I didn't always understand why my H would get so frustrated with people who, you know, believed in psychics... but as we've gotten older, and as I've lived a little more, I totally do. IF has brought he and I closer together, and one of the reasons is because I've been shocked at how many people have told me to "relax" or asked about my "mind-body connection" when I've told them I'm struggling. I already respected my H's mind and values, but now that I'm dealing actively with this, I am so much more aware of how many people hold prejudice and fear in their minds, and use that as an explanation as to why someone may be suffering. It is not cool.

artemis618 · June 2017

@bionerdsteph Ugh, so sorry people are like that about cancer. As shocking as it is, I can totally see people being self-centered and concerned only with themselves

. A lot I think people don't know what to say/how to deal with bad things like infertility (though cancer definitely puts it into perspective), so some people just don't say anything. Even my mother (who was really not supportive of our doing IVF), just sort of ignores it when I talk about it, which hurts a bit because I'm otherwise very close to my parents. I actually *TW* miscarried at my parents'/my childhood home (actually started en route) when I was there to attend my cousin's wedding that day, so they couldn't really ignore that. Plus everyone at the wedding asked where I was so she sort of had to tell them. Sorry, and there I went talking about myself...

Anyhow, 14 eggs retrieved and now we wait! A little anxious as my first cycle when we got 12 eggs only 7 were mature and only 3 of those 7 ICSI'd fertilized (and none made it to blast). But that was a different protocol and I stimmed two more days this time than that cycle - just have to keep reminding myself that every cycle is different. Double the zofran makes such a difference nausea-wise, and norco's good stuff (just too bad I can't drive myself to work on it).

I'm a little annoyed at this Sunday business (wanted Chik-fil-A just now but forgot it was Sunday...) since it means I don't get the extra day to recover and I'll be at work when I get my fert report. I suppose it is what it is. I could take a PTO day (still might depending on how I'm feeling tomorrow) but we're escaping to Portland for a long weekend Thursday night and I have a Friday deadline.

Hopeful_mom · June 2017

Aera11 poo poo poo you're having an AMZING cycle so far really hoping this looks just as good if not better at ER!! So far this is working love it!!

artemis618 awesome ER woohoo really hoping this is your wonder cycle! SO far you're off to a great start! Are you just doing regular fert and skipping icsi this time? I know its such a tough call. Originally I was going to skip icsi last cycle as you have to have SO MUCH FAITH in the embryologist BUT then didn't love the look of OH sample after we left and changed it to icsi for all. I got 2 normies so I'm ok with it...now

AND yes you brought it back to u above and I wonder if people think I do that as well BUT we're speaking from experience and sharing that we get it and are in it together!!! I was laughing as I read that in your above response.

AFM: I have to be honest i'm getting a lil nervous after my US today, I'm taking all these extra vitamins and supplements this cycle and yet I wonder if they're hurting instead of helping. For 3 days of stemming my follies are certainly taking their time growing this cycle so who know if they are normal eggs growing. I'm gonna put the comparisons for you.

3 days ago Right had 1 at 7, & today was 3 at, 6, 6.5 and 8. In 3 days of meds the 7 went to an 8...that makes me un easy.
3 days ago Left had 6, 7 and 9. Today was 6.9, 9.5 and 11. For 3 days that shows really slow growth. Looking back at my files I haven't stemmed this slow in a while, Es went from a 42 to an 88 i think which RE is fine with but makes me a bit uneasy!

I know its quality over quantity for me BUT if only 2 eggs look ready, thats ALOT of money. I hate that i have to feel this way already! It kills my whole mood, I feel so down today.

artemis618 · June 2017

@Hopeful_mom Thanks for the well wishes. Yup, we're all OOP (except meds, thankfully) for this round, plus we're convinced that ICSI (as performed by that lab's embryologists) kills our embryos, so why pay more for it? Plus we do like the idea of some natural selection (this place doesn't offer PICSI). I guess tomorrow's fert report will tell, but even our RE thought we might do better with all conventional IVF, so who knows? We don't get much info from our lab, but DH's "contributions" I think have been fine (his last analysis count was like 128MM, so even with borderline morphology there should be plenty with which to work).

I know it's hard, but try not to worry about your follies. It's still very early, so you never know. My AFC for this cycle was 8, so more decided to join the party at some point.

What vitamins and supplements are you taking?

@Aera11 I've happily put the bottle of melatonin away

. You're getting close! I think I had one at 22 or 23 last Thursday (so also the day before I triggered). Last cycle they let them get a little bigger than the first, and I was really concerned about losing the big one, but that cycle worked out much better for me than my first. Sorry that you don't tend to do well with retrieval - is it the retrieval itself? The anesthesia gets me (all day nausea) if they don't double the Zofran dose as I'm pretty prone to nausea. But when they do, and I bring the Norco with me to take instead of the Tylenol they give everyone as a default, I'm pretty functional (went to a mall food court for lunch after, went off diet with a Cinnabon

). We actually just had some friends over to meet our 3-week new (15-month old rescue) dog this afternoon, and I felt fine aside from being a little tired. Whatever it is, I hope that this retrieval is more comfortable for you!

Aera11 · June 2017

My estradiol went up to 1,819 which is good. It sounds like I will hopefully be triggering tomorrow night with two Ovidrel, but I'll get confirmation tomorrow after blood & u/s.

@Hopeful_mom things are definitely looking good this cycle. I try to stay optimistic but realistic. I am like you, where it's quality over quantity because I usually don't get many eggs regardless of how many follicles are mature & I definitely believe I have an egg quality issue, even at 31. I've been on all these added supplements/vitamins since December (and I know they take a few months to really have any effect) & I added in acupuncture in February.

I am sorry you're feeling down today. This is such an emotional rollercoaster & so unpredictable. Hoping this follies keep growing for you!

@artemis618 14 retrieved is a great number to work with! Does your clinic update you every day? Now you've got me wanting Chick-Fil-A AND Cinnabon! I am in Michigan and we just got our first real Chick-Fil-A (it's in the mall but it's not an express). I try to eat well during all of this, but sometimes you need a treat/splurge. I have never had one at 21 and not triggered; I was a little nervous that maybe that would be gone by the time of retrieval but the u/s tech said even up to 25 would be okay. Plus, I usually have a few empty follicles when they go in for retrieval so I also take that into account. I do horribly with anesthesia. I literally wake up and throw up immediately and then throughout the day. It was really bad after my D&C too. I don't take the tylenol with codeine either, it doesn't help the cramping anyways and makes me even more nauseas. I usually have trouble breathing, so basically I am a hot mess until the next day. I hemorrhaged last time, so my recovery was a bit slower and I didn't get much done between retrieval and transfer. Orange is the New Black comes out this week and I've been storing up other shows on my DVR, so I plan to just take it easy for the week after retrieval.

Hopeful_mom · June 2017

liljoy you have me going back and forth re-reading articles to see what i should do. I think i'm going to bring it up to my clinic and see what they have to say. I know they're not going to be game for it but I feel like I need to know at this point. I know each cycle is different but the fact that I did get a normal embryo these past 2 cycles i feel like maybe an error was made in the previous one...which obviously I would be so happy if that was the case.

artemis618 looking forward to a great report tomorrow

Its hard when it comes to OH and his samples. One IUI he didn't even make double digits in the millions after the wash and then the next was back up in the 100 millions and still nothing booooo. He has kids already so of course its always my fault. Trying to stay positive but i feel way more sensitive with the shots this cycle...burning every day and I know there is no rhyme or reason to it.

Aera11 really hoping you'll have an easier time this ER. I remember ur last ER super scary!! Thats a lot to go through each time I'm thankful that part hasn't been as bad. The last cycle I was super sick - I needed to sleep all day. Its amazing how each cycle is different! Excited to hear ur update tomorrow!

Momifbysea · June 2017

Hello! I have been away from the Bump for a couple of weeks...hiking and road tripping and unplugged from phone, intentional mental break while finishing my BCP. I posted a couple times on last month's IVF but am going to move to June since I'm on stims now, nearly through actually! This is my second round of IVF, I did it march/April and only had 2 make it to morula stage and none survive to day 5 to test unfortunately. But hoping this is it!

I have a lot to read and catch up on, but @funkykey thank you for starting this and I've always loved your posts, you keep it real and are such a refreshing support! @artemis618 that is a great sounding retrieval, wow!
@Aera11 I think we may have the same retrieval day - guess I'll find out at this morning's appointment.

Have a great day everyone!

Hopeful_mom · June 2017

Momifbysea welcome back! hope this cycle will have success for u! How many are you looking at for ER this time?

Momifbysea · June 2017

@Hopeful_mom thanks! This morning they saw the same 1 on the left side and maybe 1 or 2 small ones, then 5 or 6 on the right. Last cycle was 4 and 4 but only 4 were mature at retrieval so that's a concern I have. Still, for being 42, I have to be happy with these numbers I think!

bionerdsteph · June 2017

@liljoy They mixed up samples no other explanation. I've worked in labs for 15 years & done a lot of DNA/chromosome testing- the science & how PGS is done is WELL established, it does take a skilled technician since there is so little material but getting completely different results bc of "different procedures" is BS and mosaics are rare- 3 out of 5 would be crazy #s.

@funkykey I'm an immunologist & the pseudoscience I see for IF, cancer & in general drives me up a freaking wall. I had to have an intervention with my dad & his wife about Dr Oz, but most of the time if it's not harmful I let it go. I do think a lot of the supplement/health industry preys on people that are vulnerable & does not have their best interest in mind.

I had my yearly cancer screening this morning & it's polyps out this afternoon so today is all kinds of fun!

Hopeful_mom · June 2017

bionerdsteph glad everything is done and hoping ur results are just as smooth!! Since you mention you're an immunologist can I ask you about a test for the NK cell. My acupuncturist thinks I should have it and my RE thought I was bonkers for mentioning it. She said that deals in immunology land, do you think its something worth testing. (TW) I MC twins in Jan and still no answer i'm afraid the same thing will happen and want to make sure i triple checked everything! I find your thoughts interesting on PGS testing as I'm leaning to have my round from cycle 4 retested...I know i'm being paranoid and haven't mentioned it to my clinic yet so I better see how mad thats gonna make them.

Momifbysea I hate hearing the age thing BUT unfortunately for some that is the case and i'm with in that land - it sucks! It does sound like you're responding well 5/6 just on one side is huge!! Hoping they keep growing together. What protocol did you did this cycle?

artemis618 · June 2017

@Aera11 I have to admit I totally swung by Chick-fil-a for breakfast on the way to work this morning (at the cost of some play time with the dog - DH would be horrified if he knew) - I need salt (okay but not the carbs) to help ward off OHSS, right?

I did wait till after my retrieval and think the cravings are out of my system now. Eek, that nausea does sound terrible

. Can they triple the dose of Zofran in your IV? I usually only take the norco the day of ER, but I woke up at 1:30 this AM in pain, so I took one more dose. My RE also biopsied (to make sure whatever that doxy course was supposed to address is gone), so that may have made the cramping a little worse. Re the lead follicle size, although I was concerned last cycle, my first one went so terribly I was more open to doing things differently. Unless I'm contemplating a day 3 xfer (I was last cycle, but not my first or this), I generally don't get any news between the fert report and days 5/6 (since I've never had a day 5 blast). I hope this ER uneventful. You're triggering tonight?

@Hopeful_mom I'm sorry the word "fault" comes up anywhere in the infertility conversation with your DH

. You're in this together so I don't like the sound of that. My shots hurt more toward the end of stims this round - and especially on night 11 since I wasn't expecting to have to do a night 11

@Momifbysea Welcome back! Your break sounds great - we're looking forward to escaping to Portland for a quick trip later this week. Hard to say when we don't yet know what's fertilized, but thanks. You had twice as many morulas as I had my first cycle (Jan/Feb) - for me the protocol change made a huge difference, and I hope this cycle is the one for you!

@bionerdsteph Hope the polyp removal goes/went smoothly and I'm glad you were able to take care of it ASAP.

I'm still waiting...to hear if we get to wait 5 more days... This part really is the worst.

EDIT: Waiting feels like this

ttcndc · June 2017

Hello everyone. I moved over here from the May IVF board. My baseline was May 25th and I am currently on Day 9 of stim medications. I am on the Microdose Lupron Flare protocol. I was originally schedule to take 40 units of Lupron per day, 225 of Gonal-F and 3 vials of Menopur. My estrogen was not rising quick enough so my RE upped my dosage of Gonal-F to 300. This is how my cycle is going so far...

BASELINE - May 25

Estrogen - below 5
Progesterone - 0.11
Right ovary - AFC 7
Left Ovary - No AFCs and a big ass cyst

CYCLE DAY 4 - May 30

Estrogen - only 111 so they up'd my meds.
Progesterone - 0.14

CYCLE DAY 6 - June 2

Estrogen - 333 (at least it's getting higher)
Progesterone - 0.25
Endo Lining - 7A
Right Ovary - 5, 6, 8, 12
Left Ovary - 5, 7, 11, 13

CYCLE DAY 9 - June 5

Estrogen - 947
Progesterone - 0.3
Endo Lining - 9B
Right Ovary - 7, 9, 16, 16, 21
Left Ovary - 9, 11, 17, 19

Aera11 · June 2017

Welcome back @Momifbysea! Did you get your retrieval date? Your numbers are sounding pretty good & I am super jealous of your unplugged vacay. I am seriously considering something like that after this round.

@Hopeful_mom yes, my last retrieval was a bit scary! I think everything had just gone so smoothly and felt so easy the first round, that I assumed it would be like that, but turns out our bodies do what they want...haha.

@bionerdsteph so glad everything is done! How long do you have to wait for screening results? FX everything comes back clear!

@artemis618 I think one little chick-fil-a splurge is well deserved! Especially breakfast, it's so good! I probably only get it once a year when we're road tripping or on vacation. The egg whites I eat every morning are sounding so depressing now. I am actually going to talk to them about the Zofran! Do they automatically put that in the IV? I feel like I should know this by now, but by the time retrieval day rolls around, I literally am checked out. My dad actually brought it up this afternoon as well, so I am definitely going to ask the anesthesiologist about it.

Welcome @ttcndc!

AFM, I am actually NOT triggering tonight. What the heck. I am kind of in disbelief, I thought if anything I'd go early instead of late...so as of now, I should trigger tomorrow with a Thursday retrieval. They want one more night of stims for a large group of follicles that are all around the same size. This morning they measured: 21, 20, 20, 19, 19, 18, 18, 17, 17, 16, 16, 16, 16, and then quite a few 15 & 14's. I have been known to have empty follicles, so even with those numbers looking really good, it doesn't mean much. My estradiol was 2,090. The most annoying thing is that I am running out of meds and don't want to buy more since I can't return them, so the clinic is giving me what I need and I can reimburse them for what I use.

Hopeful_mom · June 2017

Aera11 lmao! I'm going through the same thing with running out of meds...I think I'm just going to have to give in and place an order. I think I will wait till tomorrow to see how my US and bw goes. Its amazing how nicely you're responding to this protocol! It was horrible for me! I also did the cycle back to back too so who knows if I would've reacted differently if i had some down time in between cycles. Everything looks really promising for you this is awesome!!

@artemis618 how r u staying so calm! Did you call the office! They usually have the info right in the AM when they look, i'm shocked. I'd be flipping out right about now! And you're right my OH is an ASS through and through, i'm disliking him ALOT today! He's older and his champion swimmers aren't as rock solid as he thinks they are but whatever...the RE still says its my eggs and not him.

ttcndc glad to see you here I responded to you on May IVF. My E2 is pretty low right now and I'm already at the max of 600 meds (300) gonal f (300) menupar (4 powders) so there really isn't more up I can go. Hopefully tomorrow my US will show some better growth. When do you think your ER will be?

artemis618 · June 2017

Well, I hate to admit that I'm disappointed (having seen better percentages last cycle - 8/10 fert, 6/8 blast), but I just have to keep hoping (for survival then a normal) for my five (still better than the 3 fertilized my first cycle, not as good as the 8 last cycle). The RE said she didn't think it was a matter of fertilization, but rather that a bunch of them were just part of a smaller cohort that weren't ready (but we didn't want to lose the biggest ones to wait any longer for those). We've definitely decided that this isn't worth it for us to go through again though

@Aera11 I've been making zucchini and mushroom crustless quiche for my breakfasts every day at the office (I make it Sunday and eat a quarter M-Th), so a breakfast burrito last week and this morning's Chick-fil-a were quite the treats

.

I don't think they put Zofran (I just ask for "anti-nausea" medicine) in your IV automatically - I usually just make sure to mention because again, I'm pretty prone to nausea (and definitely to motion sickness) anyway. For my first ER, the guy put the normal dose in, and it did NOT do the job. They sent me home with more oral Zofran and a barf bag - DH had to pull over for me less than a mile away. For my hysteroscopy and for these last two egg retrievals, they put a double dose in my IV and that worked out SO much better for me. So it's definitely worth asking (and for a double dose).

Anyhow, I certainly hope more of yours are mature than mine were! Hopefully the extra day will help get them to where they need to be

@Hopeful_mom. I guess I'm mostly just resigned to the news being what it is. The lab posts it to their web site, then my RE's office (separate) grabs it from there then calls me with the report. I hope for the best, but it's hard after having gotten bad news before. DH was chewing his finger nails all day today.

bionerdsteph · June 2017

@Hopeful_mom What is the NK test & what are they looking for. NK are natural killer cells that can destroy virally infected or abnormal cells. Is it just drawing blood & looking at numbers? Bc that wouldn't tell you much other than ur body is reacting to something most likely a virus. I think there could be an immune component to some IF but anyone that tells you they can test for it or treat it isn't basing that on any science I know. There are theories but no actual proven science at this point, besides mismatched blood type/Rh factor which is checked for by any dr.

Hopeful_mom · June 2017

bionerdsteph I guess my acupuncturist (who is a dr) thinks i should rule out whatever findings the (nk) blood test could show. I think she knows I'm so desperate to not MC again and to try to have answers to the WTF happened. If I didn't have an US the morning of the MC seeing my babies move around perfectly and such maybe it would be easier to believe the unknown or that they stopped growing or something like that. After I had the MC it did come back that I have the mthfr gene (which why they don't do that bw in the genetic test is beyond me) so i probably should've been taking baby aspirin during my pregnancy. Can my regular dr request the blood test? My RE seems to be against requesting it...not sure why.

artemis618 Did I miss an update that 5 came through? I know we always want more and I get it, really hoping you have 5 strong fighters on your hand and they all pull through!!! Did they mention if they were going to try any with icsi after or waiting on some of them.

bionerdsteph · June 2017

@Hopeful_mom If you've had a CBC recently ur NKs are part of the lymphocytes and you'd probably see that number be off if there was an issue with NKs. Other subsets within the CBC panel (neutrophils, etc) are much more indicative of inflammation kinds of reactions that could indicate something that would have led to a MC. I'm guessing that your RE is against it bc it wouldn't tell you anything & is useless. I'm unsure what a NK blood test could tell you other than an exact number & thats encompassed in a CBC- complete blood count. Maybe there is a specific NK test I'm not farmilar with but I can't think of anything worth testing.

waiting sucks! I should be starting Lupron in a week and then stims the next week. Waiting waiting waiting blah blah blah. I might be a little stoned from polyp removal still, I had crap ton of polyps- he didn't even count just kept removing.

Hopeful_mom · June 2017

bionerdsteph thanks again for the info...i have no clue what it would show, never even heard of that type of cell until she mentioned it to me.
I can't believe you had so many polyps but glad you can have piece of mind that they are out!! When do u get the results back on it? How are you feeling?

waiting is never fun and I feel like thats all you do in this process, take tests and then you wait, take shots, take tests and then you wait some more...

artemis618 · June 2017

@Hopeful_mom Yup, only 5 fertilized. Still this is not my worst percentage (that was 3 of 12 retrieved, all ICSI'd), but not awesome. My RE didn't seem to think that ICSI would have made a difference (not sure if she was trying to make us feel better) and assumed the others just weren't mature enough. Who knows? Of course I'm hopeful for our five (despite attrition), but we're feeling pretty beaten down at the moment. I start to wonder if our path is to have to go thru multiple *TW* losses to find our good one(s). You are one tough lady to go through so many cycles!

When is your next monitoring appointment?

liljoy-2 · June 2017

@bionerdsteph Yeah, the PGS labs having different DNA amplification methods explanation for getting different PGS results on the same embryos didn't sound too reassuring to me, either. But my RE wasn't a big fan of PGS to begin with, she said the science is still in its infancy and didn't trust it 100%.
PS: glad your polyps are out already, I had several too!

And to be honest, there are small studies in Europe, Israel on implanting PGS abnormal embryos that result in healthy births. There is one RE on the East Coast that has gone through a similar experience as mine himself and is skeptical of the PGS science as of now. It can't all be lab "mistakes", can they? I'm so confused!! @Hopeful_mom

Aera11 · June 2017

Ugh I hate that medicine can't be returned if it wasn't opened @Hopeful_mom! It's so expensive and you never know how much you'll need. It seems like I'm responding better this time, I guess I'll know in a few days

I pretty much went back-to-back too. I had a few extra weeks this time in between because of the uterine scratch, otherwise 3 rounds in 4 months...I am dreading adding up the expenses.

@artemis618 the barf dish they give me is the smallest thing ever, like such a joke. And since I know I throw up the minute I wake up, I just have DH ready with a trash can if they can't get me to the bathroom fast enough. It's crazy everything our bodies have to go through. Crossing my fingers for your 5! That is still a great number, but I know it's hard when you hope for more. I will literally do a freaking cartwheel if I get more than two to fertilize this time. No matter how many we've retrieved, that seems to be our number.

June IVF

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