IUI buddy for October?

[maineknitter]

steph and mkdig sucks bad about your bfn's. it's so darn frustrating at this point. mkdig, hang in there for one more, it's worth the try since the IVF will be so much more involved and expensive.

steph i'm jealous you got to start your bcp already! i'm dying to get going on this! my consult is wednesday, but i don't think i can start bcp until after my next period..is that correct? if so, i won't be starting them until around the 22nd. do you take a whole pack of pills? or just two weeks worth?

my friend just had success with ivf, first try, so it's hard to remain patient! i feel sad sometimes that i missed out on being pregnant with all my friends...so i feel like this might be my last chance! all my other friends are done at this point!

[stephjim]

You start the BCP on the 2nd day of your period so you don't have to wait until after it. I did not have to do a special consultation with my doc I was lucky and could go right into it. I go today for a mock transfer so they can check out my uterus, Sounds painful, eh? I will confirm when I start the shots today, I hope. I think the 27th.

I know the three of us will do it this time. Right?

[mkdig]

Hey guys! Does everyone take bcp's the month before iui? do you know why? I guess Im trying to get prepared in case I am joining you soon. I hope all of us get our bfp's soon.
Stephjim-do you know what meds they will have you on? Have you looked into the cost yet? (Im scared to know!!)

[stephjim]

Mk I have never heard of them putting anyone on BCP before IUI. They do do it for IVF.

I went yesterday and did my mock transfer (ooowheee that was uncomfortable. I have a tiny opening to the cervix so they had to dilate it. Anyways My uterus looks good no polyps etc.

I then got to talk to the business person.

I will be on BCP then starting on the 29th of Feb I will take my last BCP and start Lupron shot once a day in the am.

I have my IVF Start Date on March 5th where I go in and we sign consents and I think they do a US. Then that night I start on Bravelle and Menopur mixed together. I do that all the way up until the retrieval with a few US and Blood tests in between. they are shooting for a retrieval of the week of the 16th, probably the 18, 19 or 20th. I hope the 19th. Anyways after the retrieval they 2 days after I start on the big daddy progesterone shots. These go in the butt. and then either three or 5 days after the retrieval I will go back in and they will be transfered. We are paying extra for ICSI as well as Assisted Hatching and all together it is going to be about 12025.00 give or take a few dollars. I had a couple of meds, of course the cheaper ones covered under my insurance but the Bravell and the Menupur make up most of the money you spend on meds.

Hope I did not scare you off. I know I was in a little shock once I actually got the paperwork. I knew it was going to cost a lot I just did not think about it because I hoped IUI would work, you know?

So are you doing IVF next or IUI?

[mkdig]

Im a dork. I meant to ask if you always do bcp before ivf. im just so used to typing iui I did that instead .
No you did not scare me off. Unfortunately I have already gotten all the financial info
I am mostly worried about the finances and all of the appointments because I have such a hard time getting out of work. But we will make it work if we have to.
Im doing one more iui next week and if thats a negative then we will do ivf in april.
Im glad everything looked good during your mock transfer (how crazy they do a practice run!! I guess its better to know if there are any problems ahead of time).
I hope this is it for you. Keep us posted on what the meds are like and how many follicles you have!!

[stephjim]

I will let you guys know what is going on as it happens. I start the pain torture on the 29th. Two weeks from today. I am actually looking forward to getting started so I can get it over with> I just don't want to deal with anymore weight gain.

[tinaO]

Hey, girls. I just wanted to wish my old IUI buddies success in their next steps! It looks like many of you are heading down the IVF route. It is definitely much more involved, but when I look at what it brought me, I can't complain now!!! Yes, I got sick of the shots and the money was scary (it still is when I think about it), but now that I am at the 13 week point and free of shots, my fertility clinic, and everything else - it is wonderful!!!! Just to give some of you an idea of how it works....

1. Yes, you typically start on BCP's first for about 2 weeks or so. I took them from Oct 22nd through Nov 10th.
2. On Nov. 6th (while still taking BCP's), I started on Lupron (this is the drug you take throughout the cycle to stop you from ovulating - since your egg retrieval is your "ovulation"). It is a quick stick of a needle.
3. I had an estradiol check and sonogram the week of Nov. 11th-16th.
4. I started Menopur and Follistim (but you all might take different drugs) on Nov. 17th and continued to of course take Lupron. It is 3 shots a day, but you get used to it. Well, ok - it sucks, but it doesn't last forever. The Menopur burned a little more for me, but the Follistim pen was pretty easy.
5. The following week was the week of appts!!! I was in the clinic every other day for hormone checks and scans.
6. My egg retrieval was Nov 28th. They got 13 eggs, 12 were mature, and 10 fertilized.
7. My egg transfer was Dec 1st. They transferred 2 embryos - a Grade A, 8 cell and a Grade B, 8 cell. Out of all those embryos, we only ended up with one to freeze and it is currently awaiting us when we are ready again - but not any time soon!!! I was disappointed at first and cried because I was hoping for more to freeze, now I am glad because we are pregnant and I wouldn't want a bunch left in the freezer to decide what to do with them. So, remember that if it happens to you.
8. And as you know, I tested positive officially at the clinic on Dec. 13th (although I had been doing HPT's for a week at home and getting positives!!). We have one little baby in there!

Hmmm....what else can I tell you? I also took progesterone oil shots from the 1st day after the egg transfer up until almost 12 weeks. Those suck and I was so sick of them. But now that they are over, I have already forgotten about them. You just have to suck it up and think positive because it does get really hard sometimes. This is esp true for us IUI girls who have already been through many needles, scans, lots of disappointments, etc. Right before egg retrieval, you are VERY bloated and just frustrated because your ovaries are mass producing, but I swear a couple of days after the transfer, I felt great! I am back to walking 3 miles a day and have had a very easy pregnancy. I am off my shots, estrogen patches (another thing I had to do), and everything is great. I tell you that so that you always remember that there is an end in sight. IVF can be tough, but I swear you get through it!!!! And I am always here for you if you need help, advice, etc.

Ok, I hope that helps. I just know how confused I was in the beginning!!! I wish you all the very best - IUI, IVF, and everything else!!! Let me know if you have questions along the way and I will check on you all from time to time!!!

[mkdig]

Thanks Tina! the number of appointments seems so overwhelming at first.....but look what you have to show for it. Thanks for your post!

[maineknitter]

steph-lets jump over to the ivf thread. there is already a thread there, but there are so many people on it that it's hard to keep track, so i might start a new one.

mkdig-i really hope this iui works for you and that we DON'T see you over on the ivf thread!!