February 2018 IVF

mrsa2017 · January 2018

@MissBrittBritt hopefully it goes be fast for you

misbehaeven · January 2018

Thanks ladies. I didn’t think it should be taking that long but wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, you know? Definitely frustrating.

mrsa2017 · January 2018

@misbehaeven have you heard anything, or you canceled the shipment?

kristimh80 · January 2018

Started stims last night...eek! I will say menopur for me didn't burn as bad as I had been told. But I did ice the area a little bit before and let the menopur sit for a few minutes before as well. Just a thought if anyone is going to be starting soon! Maybe it could save you a little discomfort

mandurz · January 2018

I am gonna hop in this group, haven't gotten timing quite yet but I went through stimming late Dec nand ER early Jan to end with only one embryo make it to freeze. We want to go through another ER to see if we can add more and are going to be doing PGS testing for reasons listed below.

**TW** child and loss mentioned****
I did my first round of IVF 3 years ago and it was successful, I had twin boys at 29 weeks. It was scary but they both made it home happy and healthy after almost 2 months in the hospital. Dec 2016 we decided to work towards trying another transfer and found out I had scar tissue that I had to have removed. June 2017 3 months before 2nd birthday one of my boys passed suddenly and were basically told it was because his lungs were bad from being born so early. We went ahead and moved forward with the transfer after some talking we decided that it was what was best for us even through the grief. Gmit was successful again, but in Oct we found out the baby had stopped growing at 8 weeks. After having a D&E for the missed miscarriage, we found out that the baby was a girl and had trisomy 9.
**END TW**

Last year was an awful year but we have high hopes that 2018 will be an amazing year and we will make it through so much better than last. We decided that for us it's too much of a risk to only test the one embryo and possibly not be able to transfer at all, so a 2nd ER it is for us. I just started AF after having the last ER. And will be starting BCP but waiting for nurse to call to tell me how many days (last time it was only for 9 days). Then will order meds and get started.

Bababatty · January 2018

Hi all,

First, @mandurz I am so sorry for your losses! You’ve had a horrible year, and I know I can’t say anything or do anything to make it better, but I really hope you get some happiness this year.

Also, hi @kristimh80! I’m glad I get to be on this board with you since I had to leave January.

Good luck with your stims!

AFM Looks like I’ll be doing my second IVF cycle with you all in February, and I’m excited to join this group. Quick synopsis: we are dealing with MFI and have been trying since August 2015. Our first IVF cycle in July yielded 9 eggs of which 3 made it to blast. We did one fresh transfer, which failed, followed by a FET in November resulting in a *TW* CP. *end TW*

We were planning to do another cycle with my clinic in January, but at our second opinion visit with another clinic, we decided to switch clinics. I do have insurance coverage for meds (but not anything else IVF-related), and the process of getting prior approval for the meds delayed us so February it is.

I’ll be doing an antagonist protocol with possible fresh transfer. This new clinic requires a trial transfer, so that’s this week. It’s nice to feel like we’re doing something while I mostly sit here twiddling my thumbs. No BCP for me, so we’ll start stims around Feb. 13 when my next cycle starts.

Good luck, all!

mandurz · January 2018

@Bababatty good luck! My appointment to get a schedule is Wednesday so I may be looking at a March ER depending on timing but we shall see.

kristimh80 · January 2018

@mandurz So sorry you have to be here again, but happy to have you here! Hopefully starting BC this early, will land you in Feb still! Nothing else, I'll still be here in March waiting on phase 2

@Bababatty So happy to be here with you on here too!! My possible ER is 2/1 so just jumped on here as well...since we know that can always be drawn out. Plus most of the Jan board is done with ER and onto ET. Good luck on your trial transfer! I did that in November...it was pretty quick and easy. Hardest part was them telling me to chug a bunch of water and having to hold it until the mock transfer was over! Of course DH hit every red light on there way there lol

mrsa2017 · January 2018

Welcome, welcome to the February train ladies!

@mandurz Wow! You had one hell of a year in 2017. I too am sorry for all you've went through and had to endure

. I have already decreed and declared 2018 OUR YEAR!! So you'll be Stimming early Feb as well if all goes as planned. I start 2/2 and I'm pumped. This is my first cycle so I feel like I've waited forever to get here.

@Bababatty hey there. I actually followed your story on a previous monthly thread and I had my fingers crossed for you hoping things had worked out. It sucks your still on this side but happy you've come to join us on the February Express. And I'm sorry for your loss

. I'm doing a fresh cycle as well as an antagonist protocol. I have PCOS so I'm eager to see how this will go. We are all OOP so I pray this goes well this first time even though I know nothing is guaranteed no matter how good everything looks on paper.

@kristimh80 Stimmmmming! You're leading this charge so we're rooting for your eggies to strive for excellence and hopefully ours will follow suit

. I'm ordering my ice pack tonight!

AFM... This spotting would not let me be great. It only happens when I take my BCP so my DHs theory is that he hopes the pill is destroying that fibroid lol. Next Friday will be here before I know it and we are ready to rock, roll, and inject

... I wanted to ask those of you who went through ER before, did your Dr tell you what prevents OHSS? I have read about electrolytes and salty snacks but no one really mentions increasing protein in your diet. I'm curious as to what can really help me. My DH and I are traveling for our procedure so I'm praying for no OHSS and a fresh transfer. Whatever advice you can offer would be great.
This is our month!

mandurz · January 2018

@kristimh80 even if I do get bumped to the first week of March I will hang out in both, it never hurts right. With my last transfer it was awful the day of, my Dr was running late...so I sat with a bladder feeling like I was gonna burst at any moment for over 1.5 hrs (30 mins of it was laying there after).

@mrsa2017 I haven't experienced ohss but my Dr triggers with lupron instead of HCG cuz he said it reduces the risk majorly. But I have heard the same as you, saltly snacks and electrolytes in bulk.

I got an email from my nurse today (as AF started today) and she told me that I don't start BCP right away. I have an appointment to get my schedule on the 24th and discuss whether we are changing protocol or not (since we only ended up with one embryo this time). My wonder is if being sick during the stimming process (like literally the whole time) hurt the quality of eggs and we should just stick with the same protocol cuz it might have been better if I wasn't sick. Anyone else have issues getting sick during all of this and feel like it hurt your progress?

kristimh80 · January 2018

@mrsa2017 I've heard the same with salt and electrolytes.

@mandurz Omg...poor thing!! I told myself at transfer, I'm going to not drink so far ahead of time just in case! So sorry you have to wait to start it all.

roisis · January 2018

Hello all, if you're willing to have me I'd love to jump in on this board too

Like @kristimh80 I've been in the January board but AF simply will not come (8 days late today!!!) and I'm getting so frustrated and upset - like I'm at the bottom of the class - which logically I know is ridiculous! So I think the only way I can help myself relax is to accept that this is not happening until February. This is my second round of IVF and I had bad OHSS last time so I'll be doing a frozen transfer in March, or possibly April.

I'm so sorry to read all of your stories, I wish none of us had to be here, but I'm glad we can help each other by actually understanding what we're all going through. IF sucks - in every way - physically, emotionally, even socially. I think having an outlet like this where you can be honest about what's happening and get advice and support from women in the same situation (as opposed to well-meaning but frustratingly ill-informed family and friends!) is such an invaluable support system. I wish you all the best of success and happiness - 2018 will be awesome

ChristenMA83 · January 2018

@kristimh80 I feel you on holding the bladder. I had to do that for my SIS and everyone was just so amused by my discomfort. Ha!

@mandurz I'm so sorry for your losses in 2017. Hoping 2018 will be a year of joy.

@mrsa2017 it's getting so close!

@roisis Welcome to the February Train! I'll be doing a frozen transfer in March as well since it's my clinic's standard protocol. Good luck with your cycle! It is nice to find a support system that is going through the same thing. Another tool I've really been enjoying is following IVF journeys on instagram. It's nice to see the similar struggles and know you're not alone, getting tips and seeing success stories. I've only told a handful of people in real life because I really don't want everyone's two-cents

AFM: Switched from BCP to Estrace Saturday. I spotted nearly every day on BCP, and now that I started estrace, AF came full force a week early. My stims are paid for and due to arrive today for my start on 2/3. This felt so far away when the February thread started and now it feels like the snowball is gaining momentum.

Orlaa · January 2018

Hello ladies, I thought I'd join in here.
I'm having my first round of IVF in February.
I just started taking BCP yesterday and was told to take it for 15 days.
On Thursday we'll be meeting with the doctors at the clinic to discuss everything in detail but I think I'll be starting stims around early or mid - February.
I don't want to get my hopes up too much as I know there are no guarantees. We're going to try a fresh transfer. I kind of wish we could skip ahead 6 weeks and know how it all turns out already.
Best of luck to all of you!

kristimh80 · January 2018

@roisis So sorry you're still waiting for AF! Can you talk to your clinic and see if they can give you something for it to come? I know some people do BC for a few days and when they stop it makes it come. Hopefully, today is your day and it shows up!

@ChristenMA83 It'll be here soon!! January for me seem to take forever if felt like! Now I'm on day 3 of stims and it's still kind of surreal. Though the menopur headaches remind me it's real lol

artemis618 · January 2018

Hi ladies! I’m so sorry you all find yourselves here, but I hope that the prospect of a first or new cycle brings optimism and excitement. I admit it’s a little harder for me at this point, but I am determined to find them (optimism & excitement).

CD1 has arrived, so I thought I’d jump in here. I’ve been on a bit of a Bump hiatus after TW miscarrying (losing? I guess actually just a chemical pregnancy since we only saw the gestational and yolk sacs and no heartbeat) the first PGS normal embryo we transferred in November, then inseminating my frozen eggs from five years ago and getting only one abnormal blast from those in December.

I took January as a diagnostic cycle since my body didn’t cooperate with my RE’s schedule and did a natural cycle ERA (which I just found out was normal/receptive) since I really didn’t like the Estrace with my medicated FET. Sadly I am a bit of a veteran, with this cycle being my fifth in about a year (or 6th ever if you count the egg freezing).

I’ll be on the same natural start microdose lupron protocol as I was for my September cycle, so I imagine I’ll start stimming on Thursday if all looks well. Last time I only stimmed 7 days (no luteal phase suppression), but who knows what my body will do this time (that cycle was 4 months ago - this will be my first cycle at age 40). Best guess at this point is that my retrieval will be 2/3-5ish. History/details of prior cycles are in my signature.

Depending on what we get (I hate the thought that this might not be our last cycle - we thought we were comfortable proceeding with 5 pgs normals, but after *TW* losing one, we’re not so sure because of my age), we might be looking at March for our next FET as well.

I’m happy to answer questions if I can help anyone. Not sure how active I will be, but know that I am rooting for each and every one of you!

kristimh80 · January 2018

@artemis618 So sorry for the rought years you've undergone!! I think I remember seeing you on here last Spring when I was going IUI's...I'm sure I was lurking around! Hate you have to be here, but we are happy to have you join us!

Bababatty · January 2018

@artemis618 Hello, my old November transfer buddy! I’ve been wondering how you were doing after your loss. I’m so sorry to hear that December brought even more sadness and frustration. But it sounds like you’ve gotten some good news in January at least as regards your ERA results. I look forward to cycling with you again—well, not quite since our cycles are off but you know what I mean.

@kristimh80 Your comment reminded me that I forgot about the full bladder thing. It’s the worst part of transfer! The scheduler didn’t tell me to, but I except I should have a full bladder so I’ll come prepared. Easier to empty than to take in!

@mrsa2017 I’ve seen you on other boards, too, I believe. For the OHSS, I agree on the electrolytes and salty foods. When I got home from ER, I mostly drank vitamin water or similar and ate graham crackers and peanut butter. Also, your RE will be monitoring you so they may make last minute adjustments to, say, your trigger if they’re worried. For instance, my estrogen was getting quite high so my RE halved the Novarel dose for my trigger because I was at risk of developing OHSS. (I only found out that’s why he did it when my new RE looked at my records and told me, so if you’re concerned, you might just ask while you’re stimming how your hormones look and if youre an OHSS risk.)

Welcome @roisis and @orlaa!

artemis618 · January 2018

@Bababatty Hey there, sorry about the delay. But yay for natural start cycles! I’m very grateful to have coverage for meds too - and since I met my OOP max last year, I ordered all my meds except for the limited shelf life MDL before year-end. Insurance can be a pain through.

Re OHSS, I’ve taken Cabergoline after each of my ERs to try to avoid it. 8 tablets, 1 nightly starting the night of retrieval. I think I’ve heard of women starting it even the day before. My PA wasn’t familiar with this use, but my current RE prescribed what my old RE did. There was mention of a chance of nausea (and I’m super sensitive), so I took them vaginally. Don’t know if I would have gotten it without it, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt. I also tend to drink lots of G2 for electrolytes (maybe pedialyte would be better - I have smart water too but I understand those electrolytes are for flavor and not as “functional”) and eat salty snacks (loving those Cello Cheese Whisps - Trader Joe’s has a version too - for salt and protein). I can’t remember from where the protein thing came, but I have gross protein drinks on hand too. The highest my E2 has been before trigger was 5700-something.

MissBrittBritt · January 2018

Am I the only one that wishes it was ice cream instead of salty snacks to ward off OHSS?

these are great tips though, I had no idea! I need to stock up on electrolyte drinks.

mrsa2017 · January 2018

I see some new ladies have come on board, Welcome Welcome Welcome!
I will be stocking up on all things salty and with electrolytes before we visit our clinic. I can't believe that my first u/s and bw won't be til stimming day 8... Hopefully I am responding very well.

@ChristenMA83 we are so close I can almost feel the first needle LOL!

AFM... I am sick as a dog. This reminds me of my wedding last year, I caught the flu 6 days before. Every time something big is about to happen for me I get sick smt!

Did anyone purchase an IVF journal? I'm contemplating whether to get one or not.
I'm not too great at doing spreadsheets , probably because I'm always on my mobile, but if any of you nice ladies are willing to create one for our group, that would be amazeballs!
Confession : I longed to see my name on a spread sheet for months. I would check the other threads sheet and watch progresses while silently cheering on the ladies. I finally feel like it's my time to be apart of the spreadsheet crew hahahaha

kristimh80 · January 2018

@mrsa2017 Oh no...hope you get to feeling better!!! I'm shocked they aren't doing sonograms and blood work until your day 8 stimming too! I'm going tomorrow (CD4), then go back again Friday / Saturday and Monday for monitoring. Usually with stims, they monitor you very closely. But maybe your meds and dosage are different and why they have that protocol.
I'm not doing an IVF journal, but have these IVF cards that I put in frames that I downloaded off Etsy and printed. I'm planning on making a photo album with them, so I try to take a photo of something when I go in for appts or having shots.
If I didn't work at a computer looking at spreadsheets daily, I'd try to do one for us! After awhile, they make me go cross-eyed! lol Maybe after my ER, if someone doesn't start one I can work on something

alfieb-2 · January 2018

@mrsa2017, I have no advice for ohss, but as for after transfer, some tips are to wear socks throughout the tww, eat foods such as soup, drink warm liquids...all this to keep your uterus warm for your embaby (embabies). I also heard to eat pineapple core after ET, since it’s supposed to help in implantation.

@Bababatty I start stims the week of February 12th and we are also dealing with MFI. So excited to have a stimming buddy.

Baby dust to all! 2018 will be our year, ladies!

roisis · January 2018

@kristimh80 Thanks for the suggestion but my clinic doesn't seem to give BCP, so I think I just have to wait it out. Got excited when I saw a little spotting today but it went away again!

@Orlaa I saw your intro post - I'm Irish too

I actually suspected you may have been from your name! I guess you're living in a nicer climate at the moment though

Sorry to see you here, but I'm sure we'll have lots of good luck this year! (2 Irish on the same board - bound to be lucky!!)

Great tips for dealing with OHSS. I had it before, and so will likely get it again - had never heard about the salty snacks and electrolytes - I shall be prepared this time.

Oooo @mrsa2017 - I had to do it!! I want you to see your name on a progress spreadsheet

I asked the January ladies could I clone their spreadsheet - but they went one better and actually added a February tab (thank you @northbeach3 !!)

So it's available for us to add ourselves here:
February worksheet

roisis · January 2018

artemis618 · January 2018

Thanks for creating a spreadsheet for us, @roisis - did you mean to make it view only? Or maybe it’s just me?

Did you also take Cabergoline when you had OHSS? Eek, so sorry you had to go through that.

kristimh80 · January 2018

@roisis Thanks for making a spreadsheet!! So much easier to keep up!

mandurz · January 2018

That spread sheet is awesome. Just had my consult to get next steps for another ER. Dr wants me to try the "whole 30" diet to reduce inflammation and eat more anti-inflammatory foods. Next follow up is Feb 28th so I definitely won't be stimming in Feb lol. Oh well. I will do what I have to do cuz if I don't and get poor results I will always wonder if it was because I didn't follow orders. I will still lurk here and there cuz I like to see others successful in this endeavor. Good luck ladies. This year is our year!

kristimh80 · January 2018

@mandurz Glad you got a plan going!! You're welcome to still hang out in here! I'll prob be in March FET unless, so will look forward to following your journey!

alfieb-2 · January 2018

@roisis thank you so much for creating a spreadsheet!

misbehaeven · January 2018

Wow! So excited to have so many new ladies. Welcome!!! @mrsa2017 so my overseas meds actually came!!! It's such a crazy story. I contacted them over and over again, stating that I needed the meds here by Monday, 1/22 or I would cancel. No response. I emailed them and told them I was cancelling the order and disputed the charges through my bank. Still no response. Guess what showed up on Monday?! So crazy! And amazing timing as I was about to order the meds from a different local pharmacy that day. @kristimh80 so glad to hear the menopur wasn't as bad as you thought! Thanks for the tips. I start stims on Friday! Eek! Thank you @roisis for the spreadsheet! That's awesome!

mrsa2017 · January 2018

@kristimh80 thank you, I hope this goes away real soon. We actually have to travel to another country to our clinic so they have you stim at home for 7 days then come and see them on day 8 for u/s and bw. DH and I stay for about two weeks to do ER and hopefully a ET then we travel back home and go back to my OB for beta. I'm actually sad that I won't get all the monitoring you do with an RE and actually get to "graduate". If it works, I feel like I'll miss all the senior year stuff and be going straight to college with no graduation

I like the Etsy idea.

@alfieb-2 thanks love... I'll add those to my shopping list for things to pick up.

@roisis @northbeach3 you all are amazing! This made my week! Thanks so much

@mandurz is the whole 30 diet recommended for women with PCOS? It's good that you still have a plan. We will still be here when your time comes to root for you.

@misbehaeven what a close call. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay meds are there even after all the stress. It's almost Go Time!

AFM is it January 28th yet?! Last day of BCP. AF is so pissed at me right now that she may come with a vengeance

. Still managing to go to work, because I only feel crappy in the evenings for some reason. And I'm trying to save my sick days for when I need them for you know when in about 8/9 months hopefully

A girl can dream! DH and I decided to document this journey for ourselves and our future kids to see some day, So we'll do videos.

roisis · January 2018

I can't take credit for the spreadsheet - I'm only sharing it (also I added a link to it in my signature as that makes it easier to access)
@artemis618 I see your name there, so I take it you can edit now? Also I didn't take any Cabergoline for OHSS - I hadn't heard of it. Actually I didn't know much about it at the time, I just followed what my RE said. I had to take heparin injections to avoid blood clots. And - I don't want to scare any newbies or sound like a total wuss - but I hate the feckin injections! I've always managed to do them (let's face it - we just have to get on with it) but I was most upset that I actually had to take more injections at that point. And they were particularly stingy - the needles were actually quite blunt - I felt like I was stabbing myself with a crayon!! I'm hoping I won't need them this time as I'll be using a different trigger (but if I do, I do....)

misbehaeven - you finally got them - yay! Lucky you ordered well in advance

@mrsa2017 - oh I believe my AF is going to be vengeful too! She is so late now that I'm scared of her! My clinic has limited appointments at the weekends, so if mine doesn't arrive before 3pm tomorrow I won't be stimming until Monday

@kristimh80 how are you finding the stimming?

kristimh80 · January 2018

@roisis Stimming is going well! I had my 1st post-stim sonogram yesterday. Everything is looking good, but think moving faster than needed. They called and asked to decrease meds and have to go in for bloodwork today to check estrogen levels again. Sigh...get ready for back to back appointments!

@mrsa2017 I feel your pain! Being on BC was the worst! I felt loopy at work and like a zombie! Then when time to start stims, had light annoying spotting for a few days.

ChristenMA83 · January 2018

@misbehaeven so happy you got your meds! how weird and frustrating though with the lack of response.

@mrsa2017 I bought the ivf journal and I'm not all that happy with it. It's a good reference for what I want to keep track of but I don't love the format. I bought a fun binder and I'm making my own.

AFM: had an insurance debacle last night where they told my clinic I needed to do 6 cycles of IUI to move to IVF - even though insurance confirmed for me in December that with our MFI diagnosis the IUI was not required. Looks like we're going to get it sorted out, but it's just so frustrating that they put us through rounds of phone tag and hours of hold music to take advantage of benefits we pay for.

Oh and the cherry on top - the insurance company told my RE that I called on 1/23 and reported I was pregnant, then argued with the RE when they said that wasn't the case. um....I'm pretty sure I would have mentioned that when I talked to the RE and insurance on 1/24.

mandurz · January 2018

@mrsa2017 honestly I am not sure if it is recommended just for PCOS but he said it should reduce inflammation all over the body which that part I know is recommended during IVF in general.

Orlaa · January 2018

@roisis thanks for adding the spreadsheet! Nice to have another irish person here. Let's hope we bring some luck with us - I'd be drinking shamrock smoothies if I thought it would help! I definitely don't miss the irish weather though.

Thanks for the tips for avoiding OHSS, my doctor thinks I could be at risk because I've a high AFC and fairly high AMH but he didn't mention anything I could do to avoid it other being monitored closely.

We had our first consultation at the clinic today and I'm feeling very positive. They were so friendly and seemed to think we've a very good chance at success so I hope they're right.

Also my SO had to provide a sperm sample for analysis which he was totally stressed out about because when we went for the IUI he just couldn't do it and we ended up having change the day. I'm pretty worried it could an issue during IVF but today he managed without too much bother.
Anyone else have this problem?

I'll be finishing BCP on the 5th and starting stims on CD3 which I guess could be around the 10th or so.
Getting excited now!

kristimh80 · January 2018

@orlaa Sounds like you have great things to look forward to! You sound like me, high AFC and high AMH. My DH use to take samples in, so I'm curious how he'll do with IVF also since won't have that convience!

Orlaa · January 2018

@kristimh80 Although my high levels are most likely the reason we're having fertility problems, my doctor said it can actually be a positive thing during IVF because we'll be more likely to get a good number of eggs. I just hope there will be both quantity and quality.

ChristenMA83 · January 2018

@Orlaa my DH has issues almost every time (about 6 in total now). He's able to finally do it but it's an issue and he says it's never a normal amount or consistency. Headphones have helped. But your guy definitely isn't alone in this.

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