Starting My 1st IVF Cycle in Jan - Advice Anyone?

[tikamom2Be2007]

Advice? Tips? Pointers? All comments are welcome!
What should I expect besides the unexpected?  I’m very nervous and although I thought that giving myself shots on a daily basis would be the scariest part…its not. Its actually the least of my worries. Has anyone experienced the dreaded “OHS?”
Thanks, in advance, for any help you can provide.

[sassynlv]

tikamom: Welcome to the boards!!! You are in the right place. I SOOO wish i had the support of the women here for my first cycle.

OOOH, where to start re: advice, tips pointers. Hmmmmmm....

1. Never be shy about calling fertility center w/concerns or questions. You are paying them a lot of $, and it is important that you feel comfortable with what you are doing. Ask your RE lots of questions...that is part of his job.

2. Don't take yourself too seriously during cycles. If you are anything like most of us, you will be on an emotional rollercoaster during and after stims. I chalk my moods during that time up to the meds/hormones, and know they will change soon enough (like the wind!!!), so try hard not to take them too seriously.

3. Find a thread that will be cycling at the same time as you. Esp as it is your #1 cycle, they will be able to help you with questions, concerns, be a shoulder to cry on and vent to.

4. Keep a schedule for yourself. Now, maybe this is important for me as i am neurotic... so you can take this w/ a grain of salt.... but i have a notebook where each page represents one day of stims, on it i have what meds in am and pm, along w/any appts. I keep this on the counter in my bathroom right next to my meds. For me, it was helpful so that i felt i was on top of what meds, when, etc. At the back of the notebook, i would write an entry every few days re: how i was feeling, how appts went (i.e., us results w/follicle sizes, etc). It was a good release for me, but also was helpful going through cycles #2 and #3 to be able to go back and compare results as i went through stims.

5. Connect w/dh. This is his process too, but most men feel helpless as they have to watch us go through this difficult time. Don't necessarily use him to vent (that's what these forums are for ), but keep him posted on how you are doing so he can share in it with you.

6. Try to find balance in your life. IVF is a very intense experience that can easily consume you. I did 3 fresh cycles back to back and felt when i was done, i emerged from an "IVF haze". I did not do a very good job of continuing to pursue other interests, etc. Everything was about my IVF cycle. Now that i have had some time off and done some soul-searching, i have things back in perspective.

7. Be careful who you tell. My #1 cycle, i did the "classic 1st timers" mistake and told all sorts of people. As a result, i had people calling me everyday wanting an update. I think it fed my obsession w/IVF... and also made it much more difficult when the first cycle tanked. So just be conscious about who you tell, and be sure they will be supportive.

So that is all i can think of for now... my 2 cents worth. Lessons i learned from doing 3 cycles. Hope it helps.... and best of luck!!!

ooh, and as for OHSS, it is not very common to have a serious case anymore (my RE says he hasn't had one in over 10 yrs). Mild or mod cases can occur, but your RE will know during stims if you are at risk... so be sure to ask him if you are concerned.

[tikamom2Be2007]

Thank you for your reply. That helps. I feel like I am at the top of the rollercoaster just before it drops. Its a weird feeling...scary but exciting at the same time. I'll look for threads that are doing a cycle same time as me. THat was a great idea. Thanks so much...talk to you soon!

[jenhope]

I too will be starting my first IVF/ICSI in January. I will start Lupron closer to the end of January and then ER in Febuary. So we will see. It is very exciting, especially to have someone going through the same thing and around the same time. We will have to keep eachother posted. Good Luck, I can't wait to start. Hopefully it will be a Great start to a Wonderful New Year.

[tikamom2Be2007]

Yes, Jen. I truly believe it will be a great start and a great year. I just talked to my RE a little while ago and he wants me to do the Microdose Lupron because he believes I may have problems responding to the stims. My first FSH test had a bad level. I retested two days ago and it was 8. I'm told that that is good. Since I'll be on a different protocol than the one he previously quoted me, I'll have to go back in for another IVF talk. That's fine. I want to be sure I know what I'm doing. (Smile). So please keep me posted on your status and I"ll see you 'round the boards.

[Raintree]

Hi Jen,

I will start stimulation on Dec 31. hope we all will have a wonderful new year!

[99]

I will be starting my first cycle in January as well. The embryo transfer will be the first week in February. Good luck to everyone! Please keep us posted with your progress! (I'm trying to learn from all of you!)

[jenhope]

well I guess we are all around the same time, I guess a few of you will be ahead of us, That is good, because you can let us know what to expect. I just finished my Provera on the 27th, so now within the next 5-14 days AF should be here. I think timing happens for a reason. I hope it means I will have a good 2007. Time will tell, I am so scared to get my hopes up, but it is hard not too. I try to stay positive, but sometimes I expect the worse, because it that is the case I am not so let down. But this is our only try. If it doesn't work, we move on to adoption. Well hope everyone has a good new year.

[99]

Is this your first try? My husband and I agree that we will only do two IVF cycles (so that will be two fresh cycles and two FET's) and then we will move on to adoption. We are relatively young to be going through this (under 30) and so we certainly do not have tons of savings at this point. So we said our max we'll spend is $25,000. That seems like so much and I know it is going to be so hard to write those checks to the lending agency every month if it was all for nothing... But we can't think like that, we have to stay positive! Speaking of adoption, are you considering international adoption? We were looking at a web site for Russian adoption and it said the wait time is only about 6 months. That's less than the 9 months to have a baby so that really gave us hope to know that we WILL have a baby this time next year, even if IVF fails.

[sassynlv]

tikamom: just as an aside.... my first 2 cycles i did the more "standard" stim protocol (although the 2nd was more aggressive). As i had dismal results, RE switched me to a modified "microdose lupron flare" protocol. It worked wonders for me!!! I have 3 times the # of ferts as the other two times. I am thinking that may be the protocol he is using for you. If so, hoping you have the same luck as i did w/it!

To the rest of you... lots of 1st timers to keep you all company. Good luck to all of you!!!!

[jenhope]

Yeah this is my first IVF and we are doing the ICSI with it. I am 24 years old, my husband is 26, we have been ttc for 3 years. we really have unexplained fertility, but my husband may have abnormal sperm, they like 4% and his was 2%, but they don't know if that is the reason. I use to not ovulate regularly, but found out I have hypothyroidism and been on meds and have been pretty much regular since. We have done multiple rounds of Clomid, and also a IUI. Negative results. We were suppose to start December with the beginging of our IVF, but AF was late, really late, we thought for sure we were pg because I am have not been like that for over a year, but it was negative, go figure. My husband was let down more than I was, because I didn't get my hopes up and he did. A cousin of ours cannot have kids, so they adopted. It is very nice to have someone in the family to discuss these things with, she has given me hope, and always makes me feel better when we talk. She said that she went through the emotions before her husband, and I guess I am past all the emotional parts of maybe maybe not every month. But IVF will be a whole new experience. IVF will cost us around $15,000, and this will be our only try. Then we will adopt. We are going to do a domestic adoption, I have always wanted international like from India, Columbia but it cost way to much and we wouldn't get a baby, they would be around 6 months or older. And we didn't want to do the traveling thing. Our cousin fills us in in the adoption process, so that is nice. And I guess the list is short now for Wisconsin, and if IVF fails we will get on it this winter yet. It took them 3 years to get a baby, when the list was long. Well sorry this is so long, just alot to say, and not alot of people to talk too, I think they get sick of hearing everything.

Yeah this will be a next, time will tell. I believe everything happens for a reason, and what is ment to be will. It helps me think positively. I think if IVF fails within 3-5 years we will be parents.

[Mikal]

I start taking the bcp sunday and then lupron soon after on 1-27. Where are you on your cycle?

I too will be starting my first IVF/ICSI in January. I will start Lupron closer to the end of January and then ER in Febuary. So we will see. It is very exciting, especially to have someone going through the same thing and around the same time. We will have to keep eachother posted. Good Luck, I can't wait to start. Hopefully it will be a Great start to a Wonderful New Year.

[jenhope]

I just received my box of medications on Tuesday. I will start them on 1/19, I was shocked with how much there was. I will be fine with most of them but when it gets to the Progesteron oil, The needles are huge, I work in a Clinic and that size freaks me out. But I will have to get over that, hopefully it will be all worth it in the end. I am getting excited now, and more nervous because this is actually happening, it is real now. I am kind of confused why everyone is on BCP, our RE didn't put us on that. But that is good, I don't like it anyways. I am hearing stories regarding the Lupron, and headaches and moodiness, I already get headaches, that kind of worries me, but oh well. Take care and keep in touch.

[Mikal]

Jenny, haven't received my medication yet. Everytime I did a cycle I went on the bcp, only for 2 weeks. I forget the real reason why I went on it. There is too much to remember. I have a problem with headaches as well. And with lupron I was fine. I did get a little moody at the end by not sure if it was just me being nervous or the meds. I have been working out hoping that will get rid of any stress that may be coming. Don't worry about the needles. The shots were no problem for me. I think the lupron in the tummy is the easiest. When I did the progesterone I put a heating pad on where I had the shot- it made it feel better. Good luck and keep in touch. I start my shots on the 1-27-07

I just received my box of medications on Tuesday. I will start them on 1/19, I was shocked with how much there was. I will be fine with most of them but when it gets to the Progesteron oil, The needles are huge, I work in a Clinic and that size freaks me out. But I will have to get over that, hopefully it will be all worth it in the end. I am getting excited now, and more nervous because this is actually happening, it is real now. I am kind of confused why everyone is on BCP, our RE didn't put us on that. But that is good, I don't like it anyways. I am hearing stories regarding the Lupron, and headaches and moodiness, I already get headaches, that kind of worries me, but oh well. Take care and keep in touch.

[jenhope]

I am getting over the needles thought now. I mean I give shots to others, but hard when I think of it for me, just the Progesteron shots. I can handle the others. I believe it will be worth it. I am getting so excited. I can't wait until 1/19, only 3 days left. I bet I will be nuts when it gets closer. I just seems as if it is ment to be, things are just falling into place, It just seems peaceful, I am not so stressed as I was before when we were planning on what to do. Talk to everyone later.