Hi! This is our first IVF, dr put us on Antagonist Protocol, start stims on 10/4 and expected ER on 10/13-10/15. Diagnosis was MF and I had surgery inMay for some mild Endometriosis. Super nervous about all the injections but hopeful and excited! Best of luck to you with your October Journey!
Hello everyone!! This is my first ever post on the bump. I'm excited to find some IVF cycle buddies. I started my stims today! This will be my 2nd IVF try. Our last try was 5 years ago and it was an absolute failure... Only 4 eggs with 0 fertilization after icsi (very rare). We've always suffered from severe mfi, but now I'm older and have dor (amh 0.44). This cycle I'm starting on Gonal F 275, Menopur 225, & HGH.
@leela00 Hello Sorry to hear that your first cycle was such a bust. This is my second cycle as well, and I also have low AMH. Are you doing an antagonist protocol? Good luck with the stimming!
My temp dropped today and I started spotting, which is annoying because it means AF will arrive 2-3 three days earlier than expected. I'll have to call my clinic and hopefully they'll be able to start my injections earlier than planned because otherwise I feel like it will be too late. Stupid ovaries.
@kmmmpom Sorry, missed your post I hope this is the one and only cycle for you! The injections really aren't so bad. I found it easier to do it myself and be able to control it, than to have someone else jab me. Just pinch hard and vary the location!
@leela00 Sorry to hear about your first cycle, wish you best of luck on this try, FX it will give you great results ! Keep us posted
@kmmmpom welcome !! This is also my first try and I’ll be starting stims a couple days behind you! I totally get you on being nervous, excited, hopeful , anxious and so many mixed feelings.
Hey @bakerstreetboys, were you able to talk to your clinic? When are you starting stims ?
AFM, I’m still waiting for my medications , if I receive all of them on time (FX!!) I will have my baseline monitoring on 10/5.
Hope everyone has a great week and lots of babydust and positive vibes to all of us !
Thanks for the warm welcomes! I was on bcps for 5 weeks before starting because I had cysts and non stop bleeding this summer. I still have 1 cyst but it is not affecting my hormones so we are moving forward with ivf. I'm hoping it doesn't affect my follicle growth on that side. My E2 at baseline was under 10, so it may take my body awhile to jumpstart. I hate how bcps affect me! I used bravelle, Menopur, and lupron last time, so we'll see how things change this time since I'm using gonal f, Menopur, Hgh, and cetrotide. So far the infections haven't been too bad!
@optimisticmrsk Yes, I did! I had to push to start earlier, but thankfully the nurse I got on the phone was reasonable. We picked up my meds yesterday and I'll start stimming tonight. My first u/s and b/w will be on Saturday. I hope your meds arrive on time!
I ended up getting another calendar after the RN noticed an additional error with the doseage. I guess that makes me feel better she had reviewed it again?
I'm still hoping for an October cycle. I came back positive for NK cells and we did additonal testing and the results should be in by next week. Best case scenario, the issue can be addressed by medications. Worst case scenario, according to the RN, we would be recommended to use either donor sperm or a surrogate. The Dr said it would be "difficult" but didn't mention how it would be addressed. Donor egg/sperm is not right for us. I could only imagine the use of a surrogate would be financially not an option. Medications are supposed to begin on 10/5 if we can proceed.
Hi @leela00 I’m glad to hear your injections haven’t been too bad ! Sending you good vibes so it stays that way for you. I will be taking all the same medications as you, so hopefully I don’t get too many side effects either. Also, I hear you on the BCP!! I hate it too do you have a tentative date for your ER yet ?
Hey @bakerstreetboys, yay for starting stims!! Wishing you great progress on Saturday !
@ah80 sorry about your results. It sucks being in limbo. Hopefully your additional testing comes back ok and your doctor is able to help you ! Sending you all the positive vibes !!
AFM, they gave me a tracking # for my meds and looks like everything will be delivered tomorrow !! Which means I will be on time according to my clinic’s schedule. They will make me stop BCP on Tuesday 10/2 and then go for baseline monitoring on Friday 10/5. That means I would be on BCP for a total of 19 days. Do you guys know if I have risk of being over suppressed with that amount of days ? I’m sure the clinic would tell me to stop earlier if they thought it, but for the ladies that have done this before just wanted to ask for how long you were on BCP before IVF and if you were oversuppresed ?
@optimisticmrsk Yay for everything being scheduled to arrive on time! They have never put me on BCP because I already have DOR and low AMH, but I'd ask them anyway. One thing I have learned during this whole process is to not be shy, and to push when you have any questions or concerns!
@ah80 Fingers crossed that you'll be able to proceed.
After 3 1/2 days of stims, my ultrasound showed 3 follicles today and my E2 was only 52. He said it was still early. So it looks like I'm starting off really slow, but hopefully things will pick up!
IVF education day was yesterday : Got there at almost noon. So went in building first to use restrooms and look and see where fertility place was and then back to car till almost 1 when we went to lab for Andrew's appointment and he had to fill out some papers since he hadn't been there before. Gave us a little card to call our doctor Thursday for results. Then, that didn't take long so back to car till almost 2 and then into IRH and picked up a copy of the book fertility doctor helped write. then sat there for a few minutes and then billing person called us to go with her and she went over price sheet and found out doctor put us down for assisted hatching. So, she said to include that in price. Then, she left room after she finished and then a nurse came in and I was going to record her telling us stuff but phone ran out of storage on video. But, got a little bit cause they said it would be fine just ask nurse so she would know what was going on. She went over med stuff, then retrieval and transfer part and said the ICSI would be determined by Andrew's test results. And gave us a prescription order for a antibiotic we both have to take on certain day of cycle and birth control pills I have to take. But, i am going to ask about that cause in July doctor said I wouldn't be on them since it is harder on my ovaries to recover. After she finished she looked at my list of questions and went down through them to answer ones she didn't cover in her talk. Then, we read and signed consent form while she went to get me some samples of prenatal vitamins Dr said ask them for and us a soda. After we finished in that room, went to get blood from me and Andrew. Left there around 4 something and got back close to 6 and stopped at Cheddar's and ate dinner and then went to in-law's and only stayed a few minutes and picked up Boogie.
The nurse also asked if we met the new female doctor there and I said we haven't met any of the doctors except Dr. S. then she said they were all great. Also, said when making appts for things they try to get me with Dr. S if possible since he is our main doctor. But it depends on if he is there or at one of the other places or in surgery or what. and said they usually do retrievals Mon, Tues and Wed or try to or that is when they like it when lab is fuller and usually times are between 6:30-9:30 am for that.
I hadn't heard anything about bcp over suppressing? Eek! Another thing to worry about. I also have DOR/very low AMH. I started bcp on 8/26. My last day is 10/8. I was also told this was for the Dr to get control of my cycle and everyone doing the October cycle starts at the same time.
And I also found out that "someone" made a mistake and cancelled the labs I did over two weeks ago. The Dr's office blames the lab, the lab blames the Dr's office. Now it's pretty much an impossibility for me to get the results back before this is starting on 10/5. The price tag for the meds is over $7000, so I'm super hesitant to purchase everything in case something comes back with labs that's won't allow us to move forward. I'm just on Lupron for the first week, so I'm considering just buying that one which will give me more time for the results. So I won't be delaying he cycle and out just over $500 if we have to stop.
Hi @bakerstreetboys thanks for your advice about not being shy ! You’re totally right ! We’re going through all these protocols that leave so little room for error so I feel it’s normal for us to question or double check if something seems odd. I will definitely keep applying your advice they did say that they’re not worried about BCP. How are you doing with the stims ? Do you find them easier this time ?
@leela00 it’s still early ! Hopefully they’ll see nice progress on your next monitoring. Did they increase your meds dosages?
@drewsdarlin it sounds like they kept you in there for so long ! Good luck with starting your cycle !
@ah80 that really sucks ! Now they’re making you wait even longer. Ugh I know how feel, we’ve also had many setbacks, I’ve been waiting since April to even start the first part of the IVF cycle. I hope you get answers pretty soon! And I think you’re right to only order Lupron, it’s so much money for the meds, you don’t need to add financial stress to the mix. I think it’s a very wise decision since you’re not 100% sure you will be able to continue this cycle yet.
AFM, I received all my medications and supplies today. It’s starting to feel so real now !! I can’t wait to start the next phase. Hope this cycle is successful for all of us , FX!
Hi @bakerstreetboys thanks for your advice about not being shy ! You’re totally right ! We’re going through all these protocols that leave so little room for error so I feel it’s normal for us to question or double check if something seems odd. I will definitely keep applying your advice they did say that they’re not worried about BCP. How are you doing with the stims ? Do you find them easier this time ?
@leela00 it’s still early ! Hopefully they’ll see nice progress on your next monitoring. Did they increase your meds dosages?
@drewsdarlin it sounds like they kept you in there for so long ! Good luck with starting your cycle !
@ah80 that really sucks ! Now they’re making you wait even longer. Ugh I know how feel, we’ve also had many setbacks, I’ve been waiting since April to even start the first part of the IVF cycle. I hope you get answers pretty soon! And I think you’re right to only order Lupron, it’s so much money for the meds, you don’t need to add financial stress to the mix. I think it’s a very wise decision since you’re not 100% sure you will be able to continue this cycle yet.
AFM, I received all my medications and supplies today. It’s starting to feel so real now !! I can’t wait to start the next phase. Hope this cycle is successful for all of us , FX!
Hubby had to do semen analysis which didn't take long and appt was at 1 at the lab there. then our education day didn't start till 2 . first about 10-15 minutes with someone from billing. then a while with nurse and filling out consent forms and then doing blood work on me and hubby. by time we got to leave it was after 4. so i guess we were there for 2 hours and something.
Hi everyone! I am also new and this is my first ever post on the bump. I started stims on Thursday last week. This is my first IVF experience and I'm grateful to learn more about the process and appreciate having others to talk with about it. Had US and bloodwork Monday and found out my antral count had gone down significantly and my estradiol was lower than expected. Extended FSH (Puregon) 3 more days and I went again this morning for testing. Crossing my fingers for better news that I am responding to treatment. Have a fabulous day!
Hi @vanessa lynne welcome to the board! Sorry you find yourself here but the positive thing is you’re already receiving treatment to overcome IF Did they give you a possible explanation as to why your antral follicle count and estradiol would drop so significantly? Wishing you best of luck for the rest of your cycle !!
@Vanessa_lynne Welcome to the board The same thing happened to me with my first round. My E2 went up, but I was told never to expect as many follicles to develop as you see on the AFC ultrasound. Many are "there", but won't mature. That just may be the case for women with DOR and/or low AMH, but I know I'm hoping to see more tomorrow than I did on my first day 5 u/s! Fx for you that your numbers increase!
@optimisticmrsk I figure, we're paying so much for this, and it takes so much emotional energy and time...we deserve to have all of our questions answered! They do make mistakes too, so I'm always double checking things. When the nurse called for this round, she said we'd have to come in for instructions again because we were doing a totally different protocol...um no, we're doing exactly the same protocol! When the billing department called, they quoted me $2K higher than last time. When I asked why, they said "because of ICSI, just like last time". Wrong again, we didn't do it last time, and we're not doing it this time! It's kind of unsettling, so I always ask. I find if I'm nice and polite about it, they don't mind Stims are going well, but tomorrow will be the first u/s and blood work, so we'll see. How are you doing?
@leela00 Have you had another check? How are you doing?
Thanks for the warm welcome! My levels were almost at 1000 yesterday so things are looking up. They saw 8 follicles on the left side with 2 @ 13mm and 1 @ 12mm, and 4 on the right side all less than 10mm. So I started Orgalutran and Luveris yesterday in addition to staying on the Puregon. I go back for US and bloodwork on Sunday morning. Then hopefully off to Toronto (TRIO) shortly thereafter.
Still only 3 follicles... My E2 doubled but still was only 105. My dosages are staying the same. I go back on Monday. Then we'll decide to move forward or cancel
I had my day 5 check today; don't have E2 levels yet, but there were three measurable follicles. Not much, but on my last cycle, there was only one measurable on day 5, so I guess that's good. I go back on Monday too. @vanessa_lynne I'm in Ontario too Are you using your OHIP cycle? We're on the wait list, but our name won't likely come up for at least another six months so we're doing self funded cycles until then.
@bakerstreetboys oh my gosh I can’t believe the mistakes they made at your clinic. Thankfully you caught them and are double checking everything. Regarding your us check , that’s good news ! It’s an improvement from last cycle ! Sending you all the positive vibes ! Are they keeping all your dosages the same ?
@vanessa lynne those look like great numbers! Keep it up ! So will they let you know on Sunday when to do the trigger shot for the retrieval ?
@leela00 don’t lose hope yet ! Hopefully on Monday they’ll see better progress.
AFM, no major updates. Still on BCP until Tuesday. I find it I’m getting more anxious/ trouble sleeping the closer I’m getting to start the injections. It’s not the injections themselves that are making me nervous, but the fact that it’s my first stim cycle I’m afraid I won’t respond or won’t get good results. I’ve tried some meditation and also talking to my DH has helped but still fighting not be a nervous wreck all the time lol. Hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend and for all of you already on stims wishing you the best of luck !!
@leela00 We ended up with three mature eggs that cycle, two of which fertilized @optimisticmrsk Thanks Yes, I'm on the highest dose, so we'll keep that going. I started Cetrotide today, which was a few days earlier than last cycle. Fingers crossed! Have a good weekend...you're almost at the stimming stage!
Hi everyone! Feels good to know we're not alone! We're doing our first IVF cycle this month after two failed IUIs. My DHs results have made it so that other means are unlikely to work. I was terrified about the injections (gonal f, menopur, cetrotide), the needles and the side effects, however, so far, I haven't found them to be as bad as the letrozole (made me beyond irritable and I felt like I was crawling out if my skin). Has anyone else had that experience? Hoping to do retrieval next weekend if all goes right. Does anyone else have difficulty getting the caps off of the cetrotide needles? I don't have a challenge with any of the other injections, though I find that the menopur burns. Baby dust and prayers to everyone!
Welcome @drewsdarlin ! Good luck on your info session ! Have you tried other fertility treatments before IVF ? Or are you going straight to IVF?
We did 6 IUI's with clomid and one IUI with injections in 2010-11 and only second IUI worked but ended in 4th loss in 2010. then had a 5th loss in 2015.
Side note, I have found you really do have to be your own advocate. Twice now my mail order pharmacy has not sent the correct needles but since they usually ship right before I need them because of challenges with insurance, I only have a day or less to rectify it. My clinic has been great though and the after hours nurse is my new favorite person. Though the laws in my state have made it difficult at times since they can't dispense more than a few needles at a time without a managers approval if they do not hold the prescription the needles go to. So it has meant having to go back to pick up the remaining supply after waiting 48 hours for the pharmacy manager to talk to my doctor. So I check everything thoroughly. I keep a binder of all instructions. If the clinic seems rushed when giving instructions, I explain this is my first time doing a new medication and ask them to slow down (they repeat somethings several times a day so I realize they're simply experienced and don't think about it). And if I'm unsure I always call the on call clinician. This is one of the hardest things I've done and that my husband and I have gone through emotionally, physically, financially... and we've both been through a lot. Light and love to all of you!
Welcome, Jazziep! Last night, I used my teeth to get the cetrotide needles open lol! My retrieval should be next weekend too, if I continue to progress.
Hi. We are on our second IVF round. Day eight of stims with ER on 10/4. MFI. First round 11 eggs retrieved. Nine mature. Three fertilized and none made it to blast. That was in June/July. Hoping for some sort of success. My follicles are not progressing at all like last time. They are still small and I'm not bloated at all. I'm starting to get nervous. I am a super postive optimistic person. And was fine up until yesterday. Now I'm just worried. I hope everyone has a stress-free positive outcome.
Hello We are in our first round of IVF. I had been freaked out about having to self-inject for gonal-f but it hasn't been that bad. I think some acupuncture points/needles had been more painful. My DH is very nervous dreading when he has to administer the progesterone later this month. In some ways this has been a great learning/strengthening experience for us so far. I'm keeping a private blog as a means to document the process for myself; come what may.
@bakerstreetboys Yes we are using our funded cycle. We were referred last August and were actually offered in October last year but the timing was not good for us. Everything started up again early last month and here we are - @optimisticmrsk likely taking our trigger shot tonight (will know around 1pm) but maybe tomorrow. US yesterday showed L - 20, 17, 16, 12 and R - 15, lining is good and think at 11mm. I am starting to feel pretty crampy, bloated and sore. Surprisingly not hating the injections (doing them all myself) and feeling pretty good. More tired than usual, but I think that's just the changing of the seasons. I haven't been blogging, but I am keeping a journal. I think it is very helpful to write everything down and digest emotions through this process. I have been pretty calm and open to whatever happens. Luckily, I have been previously blessed with 2 boys (7 & 10) but my new spouse and I would really like another (he doesn't have children). My heart pours out to you ladies who have not been successful to date and I wish you all the very best. Hang onto hope and believe that it can and will happen Thanks for being here, ladies. It is truly helpful to have your knowledge and support.
@mnpersephone I told my spouse he will have to kiss my bum after each injection too. Haha. You gotta find some fun through this complex and uncomfortable process, right? I am not looking forward to those shots either...
@ladypeace82 Did they change your protocol this time around? Hang in there. My follicles were small and they finally caught up. Now I have a good group of larger ones almost ready to go.
@jazziep Yes, I actually stabbed myself in the finger with my needle because i had to pull so hard to get the dang cap off. It bounced back and pricked me pretty hard - ouch. I find if I squeeze the cap firmly then pull, that it comes off smoother. I haven't had any negative side effects so far either. Only the BCP which gave me my first migraine with aura as well as hand and lower arm numbness and tingling. At a wedding... spent 4 hours sleeping in my car that night. Oh well! I woke up in time to eat dessert so it worked out. Glad you are speaking up for yourself and keeping everything in check. It is truly a challenging experience with our partners, but those are the things that bring us all closer together, right? Keep up the great work!
so many new ladies have joined since I last checked in. @optimisticmrsk looks like we'll be on a similar schedule. I have my baseline later this week. I was on BCPs for about 4weeks. I have a low AMH, but I also had a large cyst on each ovary and the RE wanted to ensure that they shrink before I start stims. I think that anxiety/worry is a normal reaction. I know for my first cycle I was so worried it wouldn't work, but I had to keep telling myself I was doing all that I could do and that the rest was really out of my hands. It helped, for a while. @leela00 so sorry you had to cancel this cycle. do you have a follow-up/WTF meeting scheduled with your RE? @ladypeace82 FX for you. you said you're positive and optimistic, so maybe look at this cycle progressing differently as the possibility that you will have a different, more positive outcome. @bakerstreetboys how are you doing with stims and centrotide? do you have a tentative ER date yet? @drewsdarlin@kmmmpom@vanessa_lynne@jazziep@mnpersephone GL with your cycles ladies. Hope to see updates from all of you soon.
TTC#1 10/2016 TTC/IF:included medicated cycles, IUIs and 2 rounds of IVF with 1 embryo each. BFP finally in 12/2018
TTC#2 06/2021 planning FET
"Some days are diamonds, some days are rocks, some doors are open, some roads are blocked"
@jazziep welcome ! Glad to hear the injections haven’t been that bad! Also thanks for your tips about thoroughly checking everything and keeping a binder. That will make it easier for me when I start injections this weekend! Best of luck on your retrieval ! How many measurable follicles do you have so far ?
@ladypeace82 stay positive !! I’ve seen on this forum many ladies who suddenly start seeing better response between days 8-12 of stims. Hopefully your follicles will come around asap! Sending you positive vibes !
@leela00 sorry you cycle was cancelled! That really sucks. Will you be trying a different protocol next time?
@mnpersephone welcome ! Wishing you a successful cycle ! What day of stims are you on?
@vanessa lynne so exciting ! Your ER is only a few days away! I might try journaling as well , it seems like it would be a good way to both reflect on each day as well as processing everything. Thanks for the inspiration let us know when you have an ER date so we can cheer you on !
@bakerstreetboys how are you doing ? When is your next monitoring ?
AFM, I will be starting stims in a few days and all of you ladies have been so helpful. Hearing about your experiences has made me less anxious because I feel a little more prepared now !! So thank you all and hope everyone has great cycles !
Re: October 2018 IVF
Diagnosis was MF and I had surgery inMay for some mild Endometriosis. Super nervous about all the injections but hopeful and excited! Best of luck to you with your October Journey!
My temp dropped today and I started spotting, which is annoying because it means AF will arrive 2-3 three days earlier than expected. I'll have to call my clinic and hopefully they'll be able to start my injections earlier than planned because otherwise I feel like it will be too late. Stupid ovaries.
@kmmmpom welcome !! This is also my first try and I’ll be starting stims a couple days behind you! I totally get you on being nervous, excited, hopeful , anxious and so many mixed feelings.
Hey @bakerstreetboys, were you able to talk to your clinic? When are you starting stims ?
AFM, I’m still waiting for my medications , if I receive all of them on time (FX!!) I will have my baseline monitoring on 10/5.
Hope everyone has a great week and lots of babydust and positive vibes to all of us !
How is everyone else doing?
I'm still hoping for an October cycle. I came back positive for NK cells and we did additonal testing and the results should be in by next week. Best case scenario, the issue can be addressed by medications. Worst case scenario, according to the RN, we would be recommended to use either donor sperm or a surrogate. The Dr said it would be "difficult" but didn't mention how it would be addressed. Donor egg/sperm is not right for us. I could only imagine the use of a surrogate would be financially not an option. Medications are supposed to begin on 10/5 if we can proceed.
Hey @bakerstreetboys, yay for starting stims!! Wishing you great progress on Saturday !
@ah80 sorry about your results. It sucks being in limbo. Hopefully your additional testing comes back ok and your doctor is able to help you ! Sending you all the positive vibes !!
AFM, they gave me a tracking # for my meds and looks like everything will be delivered tomorrow !! Which means I will be on time according to my clinic’s schedule. They will make me stop BCP on Tuesday 10/2 and then go for baseline monitoring on Friday 10/5. That means I would be on BCP for a total of 19 days. Do you guys know if I have risk of being over suppressed with that amount of days ? I’m sure the clinic would tell me to stop earlier if they thought it, but for the ladies that have done this before just wanted to ask for how long you were on BCP before IVF and if you were oversuppresed ?
@optimisticmrsk Yay for everything being scheduled to arrive on time! They have never put me on BCP because I already have DOR and low AMH, but I'd ask them anyway. One thing I have learned during this whole process is to not be shy, and to push when you have any questions or concerns!
@ah80 Fingers crossed that you'll be able to proceed.
The nurse also asked if we met the new female doctor there and I said we haven't met any of the doctors except Dr. S. then she said they were all great. Also, said when making appts for things they try to get me with Dr. S if possible since he is our main doctor. But it depends on if he is there or at one of the other places or in surgery or what. and said they usually do retrievals Mon, Tues and Wed or try to or that is when they like it when lab is fuller and usually times are between 6:30-9:30 am for that.
@Vanessa_lynne Welcome to the board
The same thing happened to me with my first round. My E2 went up, but I was told never to expect as many follicles to develop as you see on the AFC ultrasound. Many are "there", but won't mature. That just may be the case for women with DOR and/or low AMH, but I know I'm hoping to see more tomorrow than I did on my first day 5 u/s! Fx for you that your numbers increase!
@optimisticmrsk I figure, we're paying so much for this, and it takes so much emotional energy and time...we deserve to have all of our questions answered! They do make mistakes too, so I'm always double checking things. When the nurse called for this round, she said we'd have to come in for instructions again because we were doing a totally different protocol...um no, we're doing exactly the same protocol! When the billing department called, they quoted me $2K higher than last time. When I asked why, they said "because of ICSI, just like last time". Wrong again, we didn't do it last time, and we're not doing it this time! It's kind of unsettling, so I always ask. I find if I'm nice and polite about it, they don't mind
Stims are going well, but tomorrow will be the first u/s and blood work, so we'll see. How are you doing?
@leela00 Have you had another check? How are you doing?
@vanessa_lynne I'm in Ontario too
@vanessa lynne those look like great numbers! Keep it up ! So will they let you know on Sunday when to do the trigger shot for the retrieval ?
@leela00 don’t lose hope yet ! Hopefully on Monday they’ll see better progress.
AFM, no major updates. Still on BCP until Tuesday. I find it I’m getting more anxious/ trouble sleeping the closer I’m getting to start the injections. It’s not the injections themselves that are making me nervous, but the fact that it’s my first stim cycle I’m afraid I won’t respond or won’t get good results. I’ve tried some meditation and also talking to my DH has helped but still fighting not be a nervous wreck all the time lol. Hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend and for all of you already on stims wishing you the best of luck !!
@optimisticmrsk Thanks
Feels good to know we're not alone! We're doing our first IVF cycle this month after two failed IUIs. My DHs results have made it so that other means are unlikely to work.
I was terrified about the injections (gonal f, menopur, cetrotide), the needles and the side effects, however, so far, I haven't found them to be as bad as the letrozole (made me beyond irritable and I felt like I was crawling out if my skin). Has anyone else had that experience?
Hoping to do retrieval next weekend if all goes right.
Does anyone else have difficulty getting the caps off of the cetrotide needles? I don't have a challenge with any of the other injections, though I find that the menopur burns.
Baby dust and prayers to everyone!
So I check everything thoroughly. I keep a binder of all instructions. If the clinic seems rushed when giving instructions, I explain this is my first time doing a new medication and ask them to slow down (they repeat somethings several times a day so I realize they're simply experienced and don't think about it). And if I'm unsure I always call the on call clinician.
This is one of the hardest things I've done and that my husband and I have gone through emotionally, physically, financially... and we've both been through a lot.
Light and love to all of you!
We are on our second IVF round.
Day eight of stims with ER on 10/4.
MFI.
First round 11 eggs retrieved. Nine mature. Three fertilized and none made it to blast.
That was in June/July.
Hoping for some sort of success.
My follicles are not progressing at all like last time.
They are still small and I'm not bloated at all. I'm starting to get nervous. I am a super postive optimistic person. And was fine up until yesterday. Now I'm just worried.
I hope everyone has a stress-free positive outcome.
We are in our first round of IVF. I had been freaked out about having to self-inject for gonal-f but it hasn't been that bad. I think some acupuncture points/needles had been more painful. My DH is very nervous dreading when he has to administer the progesterone later this month. In some ways this has been a great learning/strengthening experience for us so far. I'm keeping a private blog as a means to document the process for myself; come what may.
US yesterday showed L - 20, 17, 16, 12 and R - 15, lining is good and think at 11mm. I am starting to feel pretty crampy, bloated and sore. Surprisingly not hating the injections (doing them all myself) and feeling pretty good. More tired than usual, but I think that's just the changing of the seasons.
I haven't been blogging, but I am keeping a journal. I think it is very helpful to write everything down and digest emotions through this process. I have been pretty calm and open to whatever happens. Luckily, I have been previously blessed with 2 boys (7 & 10) but my new spouse and I would really like another (he doesn't have children). My heart pours out to you ladies who have not been successful to date and I wish you all the very best. Hang onto hope and believe that it can and will happen
Thanks for being here, ladies. It is truly helpful to have your knowledge and support.
Glad you are speaking up for yourself and keeping everything in check. It is truly a challenging experience with our partners, but those are the things that bring us all closer together, right? Keep up the great work!
@optimisticmrsk looks like we'll be on a similar schedule. I have my baseline later this week. I was on BCPs for about 4weeks. I have a low AMH, but I also had a large cyst on each ovary and the RE wanted to ensure that they shrink before I start stims. I think that anxiety/worry is a normal reaction. I know for my first cycle I was so worried it wouldn't work, but I had to keep telling myself I was doing all that I could do and that the rest was really out of my hands. It helped, for a while.
@leela00 so sorry you had to cancel this cycle. do you have a follow-up/WTF meeting scheduled with your RE?
@ladypeace82 FX for you. you said you're positive and optimistic, so maybe look at this cycle progressing differently as the possibility that you will have a different, more positive outcome.
@bakerstreetboys how are you doing with stims and centrotide? do you have a tentative ER date yet?
@drewsdarlin @kmmmpom @vanessa_lynne @jazziep @mnpersephone GL with your cycles ladies. Hope to see updates from all of you soon.
TTC#1 10/2016
TTC/IF:included medicated cycles, IUIs and 2 rounds of IVF with 1 embryo each.
BFP finally in 12/2018
TTC#2 06/2021
planning FET
"Some days are diamonds, some days are rocks,
some doors are open, some roads are blocked"
@ladypeace82 stay positive !! I’ve seen on this forum many ladies who suddenly start seeing better response between days 8-12 of stims. Hopefully your follicles will come around asap! Sending you positive vibes !
@leela00 sorry you cycle was cancelled! That really sucks. Will you be trying a different protocol next time?
@mnpersephone welcome ! Wishing you a successful cycle ! What day of stims are you on?
@vanessa lynne so exciting ! Your ER is only a few days away! I might try journaling as well , it seems like it would be a good way to both reflect on each day as well as processing everything. Thanks for the inspiration
@bakerstreetboys how are you doing ? When is your next monitoring ?
AFM, I will be starting stims in a few days and all of you ladies have been so helpful. Hearing about your experiences has made me less anxious because I feel a little more prepared now !! So thank you all and hope everyone has great cycles !