IVF first timers - Welcome!

[PMApsy]

Hello ladies!

First of all, a warm WELCOME to Hollie! Glad you joined and please feel free to vent about anything or ask any question you want! You might also want to join either the Dec/Jan cycle buddies thread or the Feb/March thread; both are on the General Forum. You'll find tons of ladies who are cycling at the same time there!

About the shots, you might want to take a look at:

http://www.pinelandpress.com/faq/ivfhints.html

It might take some of the stress off the shots. And well, even of the Progesterone-in-the-tush hurt, remember that you're still the one who controls the speed at which the injection goes... so you can go as slow as you want and keep the burning under control.

I've had the same symptoms on Lupron, except for the mood swings (my mood seemed unaffected), but the good news is that the fatigue seemed to subside slightly even before I started stimming (I was on Lupron for 16 days). And I had menses, too, at the very beginning but nothing after that.

When is your suppression check? You might consider making yourself a ticker to keep us posted on your progress. Check www.tickerfactory.com in the "event" section. You just copy-paste the links in the "signature" section of your profile. Have fun!

Shantala LOL it was SOOOO funny to watch how the more you spoke, the more you dug your on hole on that one! I'm 28, Hollie is 29, and YES, we are both young of course, LOL! You are so cute sweetie! mwah! How are you doing? we didn't get much news about you lately...

Kissies!

Sophie

[shantala]

sophie - hahaha...yes, i did dig myself, didnt i...not much news from me really...except that trial ET and scan went ok...cant wait till tuesday when we find out whether we can start feb or march! i've also replied to you on the dec/jan thread!

xx

[Hollie]

Thanks for the great welcome ladies. Great to be able to talk about this issue without feeling people are getting bored of it or really just can't relate.

Shantala, thanks for making me feel young, well for a minute Just kidding, I still feel young. Really hoping that I'm preg. for the big 30 b-day party later this year, maybe make me feel like I did accomplish something in my 20s. Just wondering why did you have to a trial ET?

Soophie, thanks for the site on the shots, it put my mind at ease. I'm really embarresed to say this, but I didn't know what meses was when I saw it on my chart, I had to look it up. Mad me feel pretty stupid, but I got a good laugh.

So Silva, how are you doing on the waiting? I have everything crossed for you to get a BFP. How have you been feeling? I've heard ladies have lots of different side effects.

Well Thursday is almost over for most of you and it's just beginning for me. Back to the chalkboard for me.

[SilvaCharm]

Hi, Hollie.

I'm glad you're feeling a little better about the progesterone shots. When will you start taking your other meds, besides the Lupron?

As for how I'm doing with the 2WW, I was actually doing really good with it, not thinking about it much at all -- until today when I had really bad cramping and still have some cramping, but not as bad as earlier today. I was hunched over in pain and could barely walk. I thought for sure I was getting my period - I was scared to go the bathroom for fear I would see the dreaded "red intruder". I was relieved AF hadn't reared her ugly head, but this frazzled me and made me want to just get this 2WW over with so I know the results already. My heart can only take so much!

Then to top it off, I came home and used a heating pad for the cramping and found out on the Dec/Jan Board that one of the ladies' clinic said it was a big no-no to use a heating pad after ET, so then of course my heart sank to my toes, cuz I'm like OMG what have I done??

So as of today, the 2WW has become agony b/c now I'm just going to be worried/anxious for the rest of the wait

Well you take care of yourself and I'll chat with ya later.

SC

[Hollie]

Silva-

So sorry to hear the last part of 2ww isn't going too well. I also didn't know about the heating pad thing, I thought you were supose to use it if cramping. I'll have to check into that a bit more. Is there anything you can through yourself into to make the last 5 days go bye faster? I'm trying to really focus on my students and have been working late almost everyday. It has helped make the time pass bye.

I start my stim meds on Sun., Follistim and Menopur. I had my suppression check today and all looks well. I actually had to go to another dr. today too. This morning my husband tripped over the dog and dropped a piece of fire wood on my bare foot. Sooooooo now I am also in a walking cast with a fracture. I'm kinda getting sick of going to the dr. all the time. I guess I'd rather have bad news from the foot dr. than from the fertility dr.

Hope you have a good weekend, I'll be taking it very slow.

[EneKay]

Hello SilvaCharm!

This is my first post and first time on the site. I am in the 2WW after IVF and like you...came home after the ET and used a heating pad. The nurse actually said I could use it! I even called the clinic the following day to verify. I told her that I had been using it for several hours and wanted to be sure it was safe. She said to use it as much as needed. But I'm very worried now and really sad that I could possibly have ruined my chances. I have done a lot of searching for information regarding this and am getting conflicting reports. Did you ask your RE if you could use it? The nurse said that a heating pad doesn't penetrate to your uterus and doesn't raise your core temp. I just don't know what to believe!

My test is not for 5 more days!

ELN

[PMApsy]

Silva: hey sweetie! I'm so sorry all these worries kicked in! But almost everybody had mild to severe cramping during their 2ww; Progesterone does that... remember becleo, who commented about how she felt exactly the same during her 2wws... and she is now happily on her way to mamahood! Just don't trust the messages your body is sending you; it's all rendered misleading because of the meds and worry. And about the heating pad, well... even if it's truly a no-no, it doesn't mean that it ruined your chances. You're two days away from your pregnancy test and AF still hasn't reared her ugly head. It's a horribly long wait but it will soon be over! Hang in there sweetie!

Holly: Congrats on starting stimming! How do you feel? Aunty keeps talking about how many nice things she heard about Menopur, so... I'm sorry about the fracture, though... ouch!!! That was really unlucky! Well, look at the bright side... you've earned your "princess status" earlier that way, and your toes are thankfully very far from your belly!

Enekay: Welcome to this thread! you definitely want to join the Dec-Jan thread... you'll find tons of other people who are in their 2ww as well! Hey, looks like your pregnancy test is coming as well! More than half of the wait is behind you now, congrats! About the conflicting info, I'm afraid that's true for most do's and don'ts of IVF... Personally, my clinic never said anything about it, but I didn't ask specifically. Sorry I can't help more...

Take care ladies!

Sophie

[SilvaCharm]

Hi, Ladies.

I took a few days from the board to prepare myself for a BFN, cuz after the cramping, the next day I found out I had a bladder infection, then on Sunday I started bleeding, lightly, but it was a lot and was spotting yesterday and this morning. So, I thought for sure it was over, but my test result today was positive, so I'm a bit relieved. I have to go back on Friday and my HCG levels should be double what they were today and then everything should be okay, I hope.

PMA: thanks for the PMA . Seems I was all worried over nothing!

Hollie: I hope everything is going well with your injections and that those eggies are growing, growing, growing! Ouch on hubby dropping firewood on your foot. Awww, he probably feels so bad...I hope it heals quickly.

EneKay: Welcome!
You know, as far as the heating pad, I would say don't worry about it (even though I did!). If the nurse said it was ok, it must be ok. They wouldn't tell you anything that would hurt your chances. See, with me the nurse said it was okay to use the heating paid after the egg collection. After the egg transfer, she didn't mention the heating pad. I assumed it would be okay. When I heard on the other thread it was a no-no after egg transfer, I got worried b/c the nurse didn't tell me it was okay specifically after the ET and I didn't ask. DH tried to find info for me on the web, but he couldn't find anything. I didn't ask the RE about it after I heard about the no-no, though. You know some of the ladies on this board have been through this so many times, I sometimes take their word as gospel, ya know. When I shouldn't automatically do that.

But, I did get a BFP, so it must be okay, right? I'm gonna ask RE on Friday or one of the nurses if he's not around. I'll let you know what they say. I think different docs have different rules and those rules could probably sometimes be based on the individual patient as well, so don't worry. Like I said, the nurse wouldn't tell you anything to hurt you. But I'll let u know what my clinic says so we can compare notes.

Take care, ladies.

SC

[mominwaiting]

Congrats Silva!!!!
I am on day 15 of shots I had a little disappointment with last E2 my level was only 20.8 RN said it should be at least 100, so I go back today for retest. Apparently the follistim is not working, the RN said that it is common for it to take a while sometime to kick start. So that is what I am hoping for they upped my dose to 450 IU a day, I had a borderline high FSH at initial visit so the DR said that it might take a higher dose for me. Supposed to do ER somewhere around the 8th or 9th, so I hope that E2 is better and sono shows some follies!!
Have a great day ladies I will post more as I find out

[Hollie]

How have you ladies been? Hope it has been a good week.

Silva- Yeah for you and your BFP!!! So excited for you. It's good to hear what you went through with the different side effects and still get a BFP. I probably won't panic as bad now if I excperience that too.

mominwaiting- Sounds like we're on the same track. I'm now on day 16 and think they are also going to up my Follistim a little. Think my ER should be about the same time as yours too. Well lets hopes those little embies grow like mad. I just scheduled an accupuncture appt. for next week, little nervous but from the studies I've looked at it can't hurt.

Well my achy foot (fractured) has taken my mind off some of this lately. It's not too bad, just a real pain in my rear

[EneKay]

Hello Everyone!

Silva....What wonderful news!! I'm so excited for you!!
I look forward to hearing that your hCG level has doubled tomorrow. Also, let me know what your clinic says about the heating pad. I know if I have to go through IVF again, I will NOT use a heating pad!!! Your BFP gives me hope...I go tomorrow for my preg test. I'm really afraid to go because I don't want to get a BFN... although I'm trying to stay positive!

Ellen

[SilvaCharm]

EneKay: Sending you postive baby vibes for tomorrow along with sacks and sacks of sticky baby dust. Praying you get your BFP!

[mominwaiting]

ENEKAY GOOD LUCK AND KEEP US POSTED!!!! GOT EVERYTHING CROSSED FOR YOU!!!
SILVACONRGATULATIONS HON LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE GREAT NEWS!!!!
HOLLIE WOW that is really cool that we are on same schedule keep me posted on your progress and we can compare.
As for me my E2 level was up to 61.7 which is still not where it should be but it is better, my sono showed on follie on left side that measured a 10 and one on right that was 8, RN said they needed to be at least 18 before considered mature, so I go back tomorrow to do it again, I am still on 450 IU of follistim, and I am hoping it will be better tomorrow. I will keep you all posted. Thanks for the replies.
YOU ARE ALL IN MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS!!!!!

[Hollie]

ENEKAY- Many baby wishes coming your way. Hope today is your day!! Keep us posted.

Mominwaiting- Sounds like we're kinda in the same boat as well as on the same timeline. I don't know what my ES levels were, but I also had a follies 10 and 8 mm. Although my doctor decreased my follistim to 200. Maybe he wants the rest of the follies to catch up????

Well I got the final go ahead to leave home and come to the clinic for the rest of the cycle. I live 5 hrs away from out clinic in Seattle, WA. Thank godness we have a relative who lives near the clinic so we don't have to shell out even more $$$ for a hotel for 2 weeks. Cause you know we all have so much left over after paying for these fertility treatments.

[SilvaCharm]

Enekay: where are ya, hun? I hope you're off celebrating your BFP!!

I asked the doc about the heating pad and he said it was fine to use. So I don't know why some docs think its fine and others don't. I would just follow whatever your personal doc tells you.

Take care!

SC