A little background on me and our situation. I’m 28 and my husband is 26. We have been planning and saving for IVF since we got married almost 3 years ago. We knew we would have to do IVF in order to have children since my husband has a genetic disorder that would require PGD testing. My blood work and ultrasound have come back good and my husbands sperm analysis came back fairly good (morphology could be a little better).
We we are currently slated to begin our first round of IVF with my period in mid March. Our doctor feels comfortable that given my follicle count and blood work we should have at least two genetically and chromosomally normal embryos. He doesn’t think we will get much more than that though and is encouraging us to complete a mock cycle for our FET transfer. This would be an extra expense ontop of our estimated 36k in IVF expenses but we would could make it really would increase our chances.
Have any of you had a mock cycle done? Do you feel it was worth it? They are also offering for me to start my mock cycle now to get it out of the way. Has anyone down a mock cycle before there actual IVF round?
Sorry for the super long post and thank you in advance for all your help!
@sam23lc I did a mock FET before starting IVF. They do this so can measure where exactly they need to place the embryo. It's really good to have done, as you don't want the doctor going in placing your embryo blindly without measurements. I'm assuming this is what your doctor meant, not a whole cycle of meds like you are doing the transfer. If so, I myself wouldn't bother with it. Maybe good to check with the nurse to clarify, but that's usually what they mean. I think mine was labeled MOC, so sounded like a "mock" trail run so maybe the confusion
TTC #1 since April 2015 June 2016 - CP 2017 - Medicated Cycles & IUI's IVF w/ PGS - January 2018 FET #1 - April 2018 - BFN ERA Cycle May / June 2018 ERA Biopsy June 2018 ~ Results: receptive (no change) FET #2 - July 2018 - BFP Beta #1 - 137 Beta #2 - 410 U/S #1 7wk1d - HB 144 U/S #2 9w1d HB 166 Anatomy Scan 1st 11/2/18 2nd AS 11/19 EDD March 28, 2019 Baby Girl born 3/26/19
I was super confused when they first brought it up but apparently they want to do a mock cycle with the PIO shots 😬. Apparently this helps them know when my body is most ready to receive the embryo and if I need more or less progesterone. Sorry I should have explained this better in the op. 😊 I hadn’t heard of it before that why I wanted so second opinions.
@sam23lc Oh that's an ERA cycle. They will usually send a sample off to have tested at a lab to make sure your timing it right for your FET. I did that as well after my failed FET. I am glad I did that one, as there is 20% of women that need their timing adjusted. Just most doctors don't do it unless there's been a failed cycle (least that's how my RE was). I wish I was given the option to do that at the beginning. I felt like the scratch they did for it helped my cycle after it work.
TTC #1 since April 2015 June 2016 - CP 2017 - Medicated Cycles & IUI's IVF w/ PGS - January 2018 FET #1 - April 2018 - BFN ERA Cycle May / June 2018 ERA Biopsy June 2018 ~ Results: receptive (no change) FET #2 - July 2018 - BFP Beta #1 - 137 Beta #2 - 410 U/S #1 7wk1d - HB 144 U/S #2 9w1d HB 166 Anatomy Scan 1st 11/2/18 2nd AS 11/19 EDD March 28, 2019 Baby Girl born 3/26/19
@sam23lc I know nothing about ERA cycles, but curious as to where you're doing IVF that will cost $36K.
People think we become mothers when we give birth but the truth is we become mothers the moment we start calling our babies to us in our thoughts, dreams and prayers. Some paths are short and some are so long that you can easily forget where you were headed.
How I feel all of the time. My 7 Year Journey ***Tw in spoiler***
IVF IVF #1 - September 2018; Follistim, Menopur, Cetrotide & Lupron/HCG combo trigger; PGS; ICSI Back on Levothyroxine FET #1 - October 2018; cancelled, all PGS aneuploid FET #1 - November 30th, transferred anyway Wondfo BFP 5dp5dt, CB Digi 6dpt, 1st Beta on 7dpt 93 2nd Beta on 10dpt 510!
TTC #1 since 2011. Tried for 5 years before we knew there was a one year rule. Diag w/MS 2016; w/PCOS & IF 2017 New RE 2018; PCOS diagnosis taken away, IF due to ovary adhesions, but prev. RE insists PCOS IF
IUI IUI #1 July 2017 w/100mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts IUI #2 October 2017 w/50mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts IUI #3 February 2018 w/5mg Femara+trigger; low P BFP February; mc March; Subclinical hypothyroid started Levothyroxine IUI #4 March 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN Medicated cycle & TI April 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN Tried several cycles on our own; all BFN
We are going to a clinic in LA but what really is driving up our price is our PGD and PGS testing. We have a couple extra fees through the genetics company because my husbands genetic disorder is a mutation versus a heredity disorder which means more work up front to build the probe. The price also includes one FET.
Thank you so much for the help everyone! Hearing everyone’s experiences is very helpful! I’m definitely leaning towards doing the ERA or mock cycle. I think we will wait till after the Ivf cycle and do it just prior to our FET.
@sam23lc I recommend researching other clinics in Los Angeles. I also live here and there are other clinics that don't charge $36K even with PGS plus PGD. We did ICSI, embryo freezing, egg retrieval with anesthesia, PGS, meds, ultrasounds, everything for less than $20K. If we had added PGD, it would've been less than $25K. My RE has a 60% success rate and is one of the pioneers in making the cost of IVF more affordable by allowing payment plans and 1/2 off labs and such.
They have many different kinds of packages. They include one FET but if that fails, the next cycle is only like $2800 which is really great. Another great thing is the PGS test price is included for up to 8 embryos. If you only test say like 5 or 7, you not only get a credit back for the 8th embryo that you didn't have to test, but they don't recharge you $4K for the next batch if you should need to do another egg retrieval. Instead, it's like $200 per embryo.
USC fertility doesn't even charge as much as you're paying. There's a great RE there too who also works at Kaiser's fertility center if you want her info. I also know of a fertility pharmacy in Northridge where you can get your meds for like half the price and they will deliver to you. Message me if you want any info from me. I'll share all that I know as I was at this for 7 years. At the end of the day, you will choose the place that's right for you and your family. I'm just letting you know there are other options in case you didn't realize. Sometimes we think that uniqueness means we have to pay a bunch more and have to just deal with it, but it doesn't always mean that.
People think we become mothers when we give birth but the truth is we become mothers the moment we start calling our babies to us in our thoughts, dreams and prayers. Some paths are short and some are so long that you can easily forget where you were headed.
How I feel all of the time. My 7 Year Journey ***Tw in spoiler***
IVF IVF #1 - September 2018; Follistim, Menopur, Cetrotide & Lupron/HCG combo trigger; PGS; ICSI Back on Levothyroxine FET #1 - October 2018; cancelled, all PGS aneuploid FET #1 - November 30th, transferred anyway Wondfo BFP 5dp5dt, CB Digi 6dpt, 1st Beta on 7dpt 93 2nd Beta on 10dpt 510!
TTC #1 since 2011. Tried for 5 years before we knew there was a one year rule. Diag w/MS 2016; w/PCOS & IF 2017 New RE 2018; PCOS diagnosis taken away, IF due to ovary adhesions, but prev. RE insists PCOS IF
IUI IUI #1 July 2017 w/100mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts IUI #2 October 2017 w/50mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts IUI #3 February 2018 w/5mg Femara+trigger; low P BFP February; mc March; Subclinical hypothyroid started Levothyroxine IUI #4 March 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN Medicated cycle & TI April 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN Tried several cycles on our own; all BFN
Re: To do a mock cycle or not?
June 2016 - CP
2017 - Medicated Cycles & IUI's
IVF w/ PGS - January 2018
FET #1 - April 2018 - BFN
ERA Cycle May / June 2018
ERA Biopsy June 2018 ~ Results: receptive (no change)
FET #2 - July 2018 - BFP Beta #1 - 137 Beta #2 - 410
U/S #1 7wk1d - HB 144 U/S #2 9w1d HB 166
Anatomy Scan 1st 11/2/18 2nd AS 11/19
EDD March 28, 2019
Baby Girl born 3/26/19
June 2016 - CP
2017 - Medicated Cycles & IUI's
IVF w/ PGS - January 2018
FET #1 - April 2018 - BFN
ERA Cycle May / June 2018
ERA Biopsy June 2018 ~ Results: receptive (no change)
FET #2 - July 2018 - BFP Beta #1 - 137 Beta #2 - 410
U/S #1 7wk1d - HB 144 U/S #2 9w1d HB 166
Anatomy Scan 1st 11/2/18 2nd AS 11/19
EDD March 28, 2019
Baby Girl born 3/26/19
My 7 Year Journey ***Tw in spoiler***
IVF #1 - September 2018; Follistim, Menopur, Cetrotide & Lupron/HCG combo trigger; PGS; ICSI
Back on Levothyroxine
FET #1 - October 2018; cancelled, all PGS aneuploid
FET #1 - November 30th, transferred anyway
Wondfo BFP 5dp5dt, CB Digi 6dpt,
1st Beta on 7dpt 93
2nd Beta on 10dpt 510!
TTC #1 since 2011. Tried for 5 years before we knew there was a one year rule.
Diag w/MS 2016; w/PCOS & IF 2017
New RE 2018; PCOS diagnosis taken away, IF due to ovary adhesions, but prev. RE insists PCOS IF
IUI
IUI #1 July 2017 w/100mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts
IUI #2 October 2017 w/50mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts
IUI #3 February 2018 w/5mg Femara+trigger; low P
BFP February; mc March; Subclinical hypothyroid started Levothyroxine
IUI #4 March 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN
Medicated cycle & TI April 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN
Tried several cycles on our own; all BFN
They have many different kinds of packages. They include one FET but if that fails, the next cycle is only like $2800 which is really great. Another great thing is the PGS test price is included for up to 8 embryos. If you only test say like 5 or 7, you not only get a credit back for the 8th embryo that you didn't have to test, but they don't recharge you $4K for the next batch if you should need to do another egg retrieval. Instead, it's like $200 per embryo.
USC fertility doesn't even charge as much as you're paying. There's a great RE there too who also works at Kaiser's fertility center if you want her info. I also know of a fertility pharmacy in Northridge where you can get your meds for like half the price and they will deliver to you. Message me if you want any info from me. I'll share all that I know as I was at this for 7 years. At the end of the day, you will choose the place that's right for you and your family. I'm just letting you know there are other options in case you didn't realize. Sometimes we think that uniqueness means we have to pay a bunch more and have to just deal with it, but it doesn't always mean that.
My 7 Year Journey ***Tw in spoiler***
IVF #1 - September 2018; Follistim, Menopur, Cetrotide & Lupron/HCG combo trigger; PGS; ICSI
Back on Levothyroxine
FET #1 - October 2018; cancelled, all PGS aneuploid
FET #1 - November 30th, transferred anyway
Wondfo BFP 5dp5dt, CB Digi 6dpt,
1st Beta on 7dpt 93
2nd Beta on 10dpt 510!
TTC #1 since 2011. Tried for 5 years before we knew there was a one year rule.
Diag w/MS 2016; w/PCOS & IF 2017
New RE 2018; PCOS diagnosis taken away, IF due to ovary adhesions, but prev. RE insists PCOS IF
IUI
IUI #1 July 2017 w/100mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts
IUI #2 October 2017 w/50mg Clo+trigger; BFN; benched w/big cysts
IUI #3 February 2018 w/5mg Femara+trigger; low P
BFP February; mc March; Subclinical hypothyroid started Levothyroxine
IUI #4 March 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN
Medicated cycle & TI April 2018 w/7.5mg Femara+trigger; BFN
Tried several cycles on our own; all BFN