Columbus, Ohio

[the3lowes]

Hey girls. Just checking in to see how your BFPs are going. Any recent tests or scans?
I have decided to put off my FET for a few months, maybe through the summer. We just bought our house in December, and will be opening our pool here within a couple of weeks, so I may take the summer to just rest and enjoy the pool, the house, and my little girl. Then maybe when Emma goes back to school, we will try again.
I am still so happy for you both.
2 Buckeye BFPs down, 1 to go!
-Sherry

[miel]

Glad to hear you have a plan. You are right, enjoy the summer. There are three months I would never give up.... June July and August. (Well, I guess being a teacher, I am partial). Then you can relax, and enjoy it. Wow, a pool! That sounds great. Are you still going in for your appt Today? Hope that goes well.

I have been so tired that I can barely get through dinner. I thought DH was taking care of everything during treatment, you wouldn't believe how much I am NOT doing now. My belly is still swollen from retrieval. I look alrealdy prego. According to Williams, my ovaries will stay swollen until the end of 1st trimester. Progesterone shots are starting to get to me. Not the shot itself, but I am kinda moody. On a good note, I am still not naucious and hoping it never comes.

Had my last beta. It was 2144, and progesterone was 70. My scan is scheduled for May 23 (one day before my bday). It seems so far away.

Well, take care everyone! Here's to the Buckeyes!
Miel

[LisaB75]

Hi girls. Miel - I am with you on the bloating and stuff. I already have gained enough weight that my jeans barely fit and it started with the stimulation meds back in March. And I am so, so exhausted it's unreal. The prog shots don't bother me either - but my level was low - only 26 - so they can't switch me to suppositories. They said I have to do the shots until May 25. That is fine with me - whatever it takes! Marla, one of the ART nurses, called me and said a lot of women opt for the shots over the suppositories anyway because they are so messy.

I had a scan on 4/30 b/c I had a bit of spotting Sat. night that scared me. We saw one beanie on the scan with a heartbeat of 117 bpm. Dr. Grossinsky said everything looked very good. I go in to see my doctor (Schmidt) for another scan on Monday. Needless to say - I am excited.

Sherry - it sounds like you have a great attitude. Good for you for deciding to just relax and enjoy your summer with your doctor. Hopefully by fall you will be refreshed and ready to go again! Let us know how your appt. goes.

Have a great weekend ladies

[Lisama]

I am new to the site and quite excited to see ORM patients out there. How exciting. I had my blood drawn today and currently waiting for the call. I am so NERVOUS!!

My hubby and I lost a child in Feb 04 due to an ectopic and have been unsuccesful after meds, IUI and now we just completed IVF so, we are hoping for that little miracle.

Good luck to all of you.

-Lisa

[LisaB75]

Hey Lisa! Good luck with your blood draw today!! ORM seems to have very high success rates. Which doctor is your primary? Mine is Schmidt and I love him! I saw him on Monday for my 2nd scan and he said everything looks great and he is sending me back to my regular OB. I asked him if he could just see me through the whole pregnancy - he said "no they won't let us". Bummer....

Anyway - let us know how the results come back!!

[Kelly72]

I just had my fourth and last failed cycle of follistim/IUI this past weekend. I am also a patent at ORM. My husband and I just filled out the paperwork to start with the IVF process. I am not afraid of any of the shots or anything, but I must say the retrieval is very much making me nervous. I know I have a while before that would occur. I start the BCP this coming Friday, and move on from there. I have never been pregnant, now trying for over 2.5 years. I am 33, and they think my chances are good at this point. I also according to them do not have any fertility issues that they have found, and my husband’s sperm seem to be normal as well. Frustrating. Anyway I was happy to find this forum of other patients. I have been feeling very alone in all of this (even thought I know I am not). I am at the point that all my friends are on their second children and no ones seems to have issues. Or if they did they got preg. on Clomid or IUI with injectables.

Anyhow I have read ORM website a lot, and of course all the risks for the retrieval scare me. How was everyone's experience with that? My Dr. is Dr. Grosskinsky, who I really like and do have faith in.

Glad to have found all of you!

[LisaB75]

Hi Kelly. I thought that the egg retrieval was no big deal. I had a hydrosalpinx (fluid filled fallopian tube) as a result of the stim meds. I have blocked tubes (my reason for infertility) and sometimes they can fill with fluid during IVF. Anyway - here is how my egg retrieval went. They prescribe you a xanax to take 2 hrs before. So, by the time I got to the doctor's office, I was feeling pretty relaxed. Then the nurse gives you a shot of dilautid (pain killer). At this point I was feeling no pain and I couldn't stop giggling - it was funny. I felt nothing during the procedure - and I was awake the whole time. It was quick and painless. The only time I felt any pressure was when they drained the fluid in my tube with the needle - even that wasn't that bad. You won't need to worry about that. The whole thing took maybe 15-20 minutes and they count the eggs as they get them. It's pretty cool. I felt nauseous later that day from the pain killer but I slept it off. It's a piece of cake - really. I wouldn't worry.

I really like Grossinsky - I have seen him a couple of times myself. The only doctor I saw there that I wasn't crazy about was Kennard (the woman). She was in a hurry and made me feel like I was bothering her. She actually did my embryo transfer and it worked- so I guess I shouldn't come down on her too harshly. Just wish she would have taken more time to answer my questions.

I have a lot of faith in ORM - their success rates are higher than the national averages and they have all been doing this for many, many years. The odds were even against me b/c of the hydrosalpinx, yet I still got pregnant!

Good luck - let us know how it all goes for you.

[Kelly72]

Thanks so much for your feedback LisaB. You don't know how nice it is to have someone to talk to about all of this. My family never understands what I am saying exactly! But they do try. I feel much better about the retrieval.

I agree about Kennard. She was my Dr. at first, and when I went to her she always made me feel like she did not like me or something. My husband felt the same way. I have always had female OBGYN's so that is why I wanted to see her. Well as you well know once you start going in for scans you see everyone.. So when I met Dr. G, I really liked him. He is kind and takes time with you and makes you feel like you are the most important person at that moment. I was so impressed with him that I sent him a thank you note recently just for being such a good Dr. (Even though I am not Preg yet)..

I will keep you posted on everything with me. We are going through the paperwork, blood test phase right now. We will start next month hopefully with the process.

How far along are you now?

[LisaB75]

Hey Kelly. That's funny about Dr. Kennard - I think everyone I have talked to that goes to ORM dislikes her. Makes you wonder how she has stayed in practice this long.

I will be 9 weeks tomorrow. I can still hardly believe it. About a year ago my dh and I were considering a life without children - now I am pregnant! It's funny how things change. I couldn't be happier with our decision to pursue IVF. I felt like I at least had to try it or I might have regrets the rest of my life.

When you start with all the meds and everything - time will go really, really fast. Then, once you are on the 2ww, it will come to a screeching halt. And it really isn't even two whole weeks - it's more like 9 or 10 days but it lasted an eternity! That was the hardest part of all of it for me - the waiting to see if it had worked. I nearly drove myself crazy analyzing every symptom and I was so crampy and PMSy that I swore I was getting my period. Obviously - I was wrong! So if you feel any of those things - don't let it discourage you.

Do you live close to ORM? One girl on this site had to drive there from Lima for every scan, etc. I think ORM is the only place (except maybe OSU) that does IVF in central Ohio. I live about 45-50 minutes north of Columbus - but I work in Columbus every day plus I grew up here so I am used to the drive.

Well keep in touch - I am happy to answer any questions you might have as you go through this. I know exactly how you feel.

[Kelly72]

LisaB

Thanks for all the information and advice. It really does help. I live in the New Albany area so it is pretty close for me. Plus I work downtown so after my appts it is very close to just pop back over the work. So it really does work out. I know people do drive really far, and that would be so hard. Especially if you live far and are planning on doing anything that requires blood work and scans all the time!

I will keep you posted. Thanks again for the advice. I am SO happy for you and your DH.. You must feel wonderful.

[LisaB75]

I know New Albany very well. My parents live in Gahanna off of 62 - and my Uncle lives in N. Albany of St Rt 605. I actually take 605 to work everyday b/c I work off of E. Broad St in Reynoldsburg/Blacklick area. Anyway - it's a small world.

I don't know if I already mentioned this - but I am leaving for vacation tomorrow and will be offline until May 30 - just in case you wonder why you don't hear from me until then.

I hope everything goes well with your treatment. I found the drugs and shots to be a piece of cake.

I'll pop back in when I get back from vacation to see how you are doing!

[Kelly72]

Lisa B,

Hi there... Just got back from Vacation as well.. Was in Florida with my husband and parents visiting my brother, his wife and their new baby! Nice trip. Hope your Vacation was great!

I have not started any treatment yet. I have done all my blood tests and my husband is suppose to go in this week for all his blood work. Then we have our Orientation beginning of June. Then I have to wait for my period to start in a few weeks. From there I start with the three weeks of BCP, and you know how it goes from there. So it has been nice to have a break from everything. Even though I am anxious to move on from here to the treatment.

I will keep you posted...