The Over 40 Crowd

[sarad]

....Alexander and Evie are the result of my only cetrotide cycle I had a poor response to the long protocol in the cycle before and only got 3 eggs. On the short cetrotide cycle I had 13 eggs, which resulted in 10 embies, 8 went to blasto. I found it a much nicer way as I always felt soo grim when I had to down reg, although that cetrotide really does sting

Hi Girls,

Sorry to barge in on this thread, I admit I have been lurking! I am 38 and recently had my first cycle cancel due to poor (almost zero) response to a long protocol. My FS says that he will up the Puregon from 350 to 450 and do a short cycle this time, but I would be interested to know what a Cetrotide cycle is??

I am starting my next cycle in late June, so I have 6 weeks to research options incase my 2nd cycle goes the same way as the 1st!

I have been lurking in here to find some hope, and sounds like there are some real inspirations!

Kind Regards
Sara

[AMck]

Hi Ladies, happy Saturday.
Good to see you back Amfy. It was strange that I asked after you and there you were! Wishing you lots of luck with the FET next week. Keep us posted

Bev, a few more days to wait.....hope all goes well. What drugs are you on now? Getting excited for you as your tmt progresses! Still right behind you

Sara, a cetrocide or 'short flare' cycle is when you don't down reg. You just stim and take meds to stop you ovulating until the follies are ready. It's a much shorter protocol which uses the natural hormones in your body. You then take a booster HCG inj 36 hours before EC just as with the long protocol. Lots of ladies here have had success with this protocol after a poor reponse previously. Good luck

Jeni, how's the stimming going? Sending you a bucket of follie dust to help them on their way Hope scans go well.

Randa, hope your 2ww is flying by. Thinking of you, sending good luck and babydust your way.

Lisa, the debate on further tmt is soooo difficult to resolve. I think I would go for it if I had the energy. I would want to know in my heart that I had tried everything possible. Only you and dh can make the final decision on what is right for you. PMA to you xx

Hi to Tammy, Mitzy, Gail, Kat, Debra and all lovely ladies on this thread.
Keep smiling
Bye for now
Anna x

[Jeni Babes]

Hi all

just popped in to give you a quick update...now have 4 follies and still keeping stimming (to day 15) on wed...then hopefully HCGthen EC on friday...this short cycle does produce less follies but i seem to have been stimming for ages Not that i am complaining 4 follies is better than none ( i have been thare too)..finger crossed we get to EC then ET

love to ya all...sorry no personals


jen
xxxx

[amfy]

Hi Jeni! Good to see that you are still around too and we may be going through this madness together again! 4 would be great - but try to keep warm and healthy and there could be more!

AMck - Where are you up to at the moment?

The story so far for me is that a scan on day 8 (last Tues) showed that everything was going great - a big follicle each side and a good lining.

Went back on Fri expecting to be ovulating Fri or Sat and to have a final scan before an ET today. Everything had pretty much stopped! They then decided that I probably wouldn't ovulate after all this month but booked me in for today to have a last look before abandoning the cycle.

Then the wee stick showed a surge yesterday morning and the clinic said to come in and I have ovulated - everything looks great again!

I'm now due to have the ET on Weds 24th, but have to ring up and check that the embryos have made it tomorrow.

It's a rollercoaster this thing!

[Jeni Babes]

Good luck amfy

hang in there...my EC has changed to thursday as my E2 is good...so if all okay ET changes to this week and Saturday!!!!

wooo-hoo...roller coatser ride of 2ww here we come Amfy....

love jen
xxxx

[BevT]

Hi Everyone,

Cannot believe this weather we are having in the Midlands - so so wet!!! It hasn't stopped raining for 4 or 5 days. Oh well, I suppose the reservoirs need topping up before summer sets in, if it ever does.

Jeni, wishing you loads and loads of luck for EC on Thursday, and then for a successful ET Saturday. Buckle up your safety belt - you're on your way!

Amfy, so relieved at the end of your post to see that you are on the way too, it was a bit of a roller coaster just reading your message, up, down the up again. Wishing you loads and loads of luck too for ET on Wednesday. Gosh what a busy week.

Anna, my drugs are currently Trental and Methypred for increasing the blood supply to the uterus, and I have just started 4 days ago taking Progynova which I understand is to promote the thickening of the endo. I am also on Vit E, and have just started to take Zita's vits also (have been taking Folic Acid since the year dot!). I know that in Spain they give you BCP to bring you in line with your donor. In Kiev, they match you to a donor with the same cycle - so no need for the BCP.

Our trip has been delayed until the 30th May now (which is what I originally though it may be). I am having another scan on Friday 26th, just to see how endo is behaving, and if all going to plan we will fly out following Tues. Of course this could all be subject to change if the donor has a problem, or if she is suddenly ready earlier etc etc. Only just today managed to find an apartment, as I didn't want to be in Kiev without an internet connection (have to stay in touch don't I?). Finally have found one which is right in the centre of the city. Last time we were 20 minute walk from the centre and it sort of put us off just popping out for a coffee. It was either "in the apartment" or out for most of the day. With us being in the hub of things, I think it will be more enjoyable.

Do you have any idea when you may be travelling to Barcelona? Have they allocated you a donor yet? So exciting. I just hope that if I go first, I will have a BFP to give you some inspiration following on. It obviously goes without saying that I am keeping my fingers crossed for you.x

Hi Sara, and welcome. Even though you are not yet 40, you are very welcome, and hope that you do get some inspiration and support from us old birds!! Good luck with your cycle in June. It will soon be here.

Caroline, you lucky girl. Are you still awaiting the arrival of your BFP? And is it one or two?

Randa, you're now half way through. How are you doing?x

Sending good wishes to everyone else on this thread.

Lol Bev xxx

[Seattlite]

Well . . . . I'm 39.5 and heavily engaged in my first IVF cycle. Tomorrow is my ET. I stim'd well with 18 eggs retrieved, 14 of which were mature. All 14 were fertilized via ICSI (DH is just 39). As of Day 3, things were looking good enough to blast (uh sorry for the pun) on to Day 5. Two had slowed down, but I had one embie with 9 cells, four with 8 cells, four with 7 cells, and 3 with 6 cells. I hope those little guys (gals?) have hung on for a few more days. It seems I go from one worry to the next.

I would highly recommend acupuncture - I think that is why I had a good cycle.

Best of luck to all of my "advanced maternal age" IVF sisters from across the pond.

take care!!!

lisa, from Seattle

[ogr1]

i used to live in port townsend...

hello and good luck

[BevT]

Welcome Lisa (from Seattle).

I say that as we have a Lisa already posting! You are very welcome. Wow, what a fantastic result with your egg collection. Such a bumper crop and all going so well. Wishing you loads of luck with this cycle. Do you know when ET will be? Fingers crossed for you.

Lol Bev xxx

[amfy]

Seattlite - those are loads, and all those cells too, they sound healthy. On my first cycle I think i had only produced about 6 follicles and then I had acupuncture and 3 days later I had about 16! I believe it works too, yet I haven't done it this time. Although I had about 16 follicles, the numbers just fell away as it went to eggs, then to fertilized eggs, then to fertilized eggs that actually divided, and I ended up with just 4. Your 14 seem to all be well on thier way though - Well done!

I had to ring up and find out about my frozen pair this afternoon. I was so nervous I felt sick and I could hardly speak on the phone. The news so far is that one didn't make it, but the other looks good with 5 cells. I thought five sounded wrong but it is good to see there are other people with odd celled babies! Reassuring, you get the oddest bits of info from this site!

jeni - good luck with the EC - can't believe our dates are so close! Could we do it this time?

[AMck]

Hi all

Amfy, good luck for tomorrow. Hope all goes well and you are soon at home resting up and being pampered.

Welcome Lisa (Seattle) what a fab follie grower you are! Good luck for tomorrow.

Jen, thinking of you. Hope follies are Ok and your ec goes smoothly. Fingers crossed for you x

Randa, how's the 2ww? Are you keeping busy? Thinking of you and hope the days aren't dragging by too slowly for you. Not long til that BFP! Everything crossed for you.

Caz, how are you. Are you still on track? How's the tmt going?

Bev, not long now. It's getting ever closer! I emailed IM today as I couldn't remember the actual protocol for my cycle! I know the dr explained it all whilst I was with her but the brain has gone awol ever since. Anyway she emailed back very quickly reassurring me that it was OK to email anytime with queries! She may live to regret that I now stay on bc pills for a couple of weeks whilst they allocate me 2 donors. (they do 2 as a back up for some reason?) Then she tells me to stop pills. When AF arrives I then start oestrogen patches to help the lining. Then I have a scan and then off for ET! All sounds so simple doesn't it? Wishing you loads of luck with your cycle. I really appreciate having you to 'talk to ' about this

Our list:
New 40+ Mommies:
Alette (own eggs). Son Nov 05
Jude - twins (DE) 05
Joy - twins (DE) 05
CarolineP - Daughter Nov 05
Squew - twins 05
Debbieed - own eggs. Daughter May 06

Ladies in waiting:
BigJ (Jules) - BFP 9/12/05 - EDD 15/08/06 praying hard
DPerry (Donna). DE. BFP July 05
Darby (DE) - BFP
Nuala - natural BFP EDD 8th Dec, 1st scan 31st May

On 2ww:
Lisa - BFN hugs xx
Randa - test May 28

On meds:
Yasmina - Lupron begins May 9
Jen- short cycle, EC 25th May

Preparing:
Bev- DE cycle in Kiev, all set to go! fly out 30th May
Anna - DE cycle in Barcelona, start bc pills 17th May
Caz - started bcp 18th April, for 5th cycle, EC/ET week beg 12th June
Gail - considering DE tmt abroad
Tammy- post IVF apptmt soon, adoption papers being organised
Mitzy - April BFN - follow up apptmt 24th May
Sara- starting cycle in late June

Good friends not currently seeking tmt:
Kat - holidays booked to Mallorca and France
Debra - Finished with tmt. Off to Sicily in June. Want a new job by Dec.

Hugs to all here
Bye for now
Anna x

[Seattlite]

Thanks for your support Ladies!

I had my egg transfer this morning. They looked beautiful - so perfectly round! At the end of all this, I had only 4 to freeze - so I had a total of 6 blasts. My doc was quite happy and I'm satisfied as well. I'm in bed with my laptop contemplating what state my body is in exactly.

My test is June 2nd. Just one week from Friday. I can make it.

Best of luck with locating a donor Anna. Once you do, it's bound to go well! Also, thanks for compiling the list - it's encouraging!

Here's a question - when is the body considered pregnant? My guess is that once the embryo implants into the uterine lining and joins its blood with its mother's blood.

Lisa in Seattle

[032323]

Hi Anna

My last bcp is on Friday and I then go for my first scan next Wednesday and if all is well start stimming straight away.
I am on the cetrotide cycle so no down reggin. Apparantley i will inject cetrotide once trillions of follies!! are about 14mm. I have heard it really stings!! Can anyone tell me how often cetrotide is injected or is it a one off??
Good luck to you - where is IM??

[Kat]

Hi all

Welcome to Lisa no. 2 - well done on all those follies & good luck on the 2ww.

Caz - Cetrotide stings and comes up like a huge insect bite but doesn't last that long, honest. One cycle I had to have 2 a few days apart but another I only had one, depends on how you react I suppose.

Anna - I think I emailed IM just about every day so I wouldn't worry.
They told me the reason they don't give you your donor info beforehand is that because they have those 2 donors on the go (to be sure of getting a good crop of eggs) they wouldn't want you to get your heart set on what the donor was like to find it was the other one after all.

Nice to hear from you Jen & Amfy - thinking of you both as you go for EC. Will keep everything crossed.

Hi to everyone else too

Please can we have summer now, fed up with all this rain...although if it means we don't get a drought order enforced on us I suppose it has to be a good thing...
Lots of love
Kat xx

[BevT]

Please can we have summer now, fed up with all this rain...although if it means we don't get a drought order enforced on us I suppose it has to be a good thing...

Hi Kat, how are you doing? I quite agree with the above! But it would be good now to have some sunshine (or even dry weather eh?).

Lol Bev xxx