Started Stim June 29th, any buddies?
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hoping4bfp
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Started Stim June 29th, any buddies?
I'm fairly new to this board. I'm on my first IVF cycle and I started stims with Gonal-F last Friday. I saw an early June buddy thread and one for Aug but I wondered if there is anyone interested in a July buddy thread. It just seems like it would be nice to talk to other people going through it at the same time.
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lightcomingon
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hoping4bfp
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Hi, Good to know there's someone else fairly close to my timing. I'm not totally sure I understand your question about tracking egg growth. But I'll tell you my current protocol. The way they have me going with the stim meds, and I'm on 5units of Lupron, and 225 units of Gonal-F, is to have me come in every other day for either an E2 or an E2 and u/s. I went in on Monday for E2 blood work, and they said my estrogen level was 208 and they told me to continue with the current amounts of the Lupron and Gonal-F. I'm to go in tomorrow for another E2 and an u/s and they'll call me that afternoon and tell me whether or not they want me to change the dose. They told me that as we get closer to HCG shot they may have me coming in daily. But in the beginning they said that their goal was to get my body to produce as many eggs as possible while keeping my estrogen below a certain level. I don't know what that level is.
What are they doing for you as far as monitoring? What are the Menopur and Ganerlix for?
I'll tell you what, I've never had so many shots/needles in my life. Yesterday when they took blood from the same arm they did it from on Friday it really hurt. I guess my vein didn't have time to heal.
You said this is your 4th cycle. Do you have any children from previous cycles? Or is this all for your first?
What are they doing for you as far as monitoring? What are the Menopur and Ganerlix for?
I'll tell you what, I've never had so many shots/needles in my life. Yesterday when they took blood from the same arm they did it from on Friday it really hurt. I guess my vein didn't have time to heal.
You said this is your 4th cycle. Do you have any children from previous cycles? Or is this all for your first?
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lightcomingon
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This is all for my first child. My partner and I are using anonymous sperm from a donor and I did 4 IUI cycles before going to IVF. I miscarried back in November and have had negatives the rest of the time. Even with three good eggs after PGD the last cycle, (where they test your eggs for chromosomal abnormalities) it was a negative.
Your protocol sounds very much like mine. I think instead of lupron, I'm on menopur. I believe it is pretty much the same thing. Ganerlix is to make sure you don't ovulate too soon. I believe it is similar to cetrotide.
My monitoring question I guess comes from the fact that with my old RE I was in every other day for bloodwork and u/s. He meticulously counted each egg and measured them, telling me all about them. With me new RE he just checks to see that they are progressing and I go on about every third day. They call me back and let me know if I need to change anything based on my bloodwork as well.
I'm not too concerned as long as things are progressing, I get good eggs and a baby or two at the end of it!
Your protocol sounds very much like mine. I think instead of lupron, I'm on menopur. I believe it is pretty much the same thing. Ganerlix is to make sure you don't ovulate too soon. I believe it is similar to cetrotide.
My monitoring question I guess comes from the fact that with my old RE I was in every other day for bloodwork and u/s. He meticulously counted each egg and measured them, telling me all about them. With me new RE he just checks to see that they are progressing and I go on about every third day. They call me back and let me know if I need to change anything based on my bloodwork as well.
I'm not too concerned as long as things are progressing, I get good eggs and a baby or two at the end of it!
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andrea2251
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Hi there. I'm brand new to this board, too, but I saw that you are on the same schedule as me. I started 10 units of Lupron around June 18th. I went in for a base ultrsound on Friday, June 29th and then I started 225 units of Follistim that day. I went in for an ultrasound and blood work on the following Monday, July 2nd. My RE doesn't ever tell me the estrogen, but I can ususally catch the follicle sizes by what the ultrasound shows. On July 2, I had about 7 follicles, all around 6 mm, my RE is keeping me at 225 Follistim and I'm not supposed to go back until Friday. I guess that means I'm not progressing as fast as she would like.
This is my first IVF. I've been ttc for two years. My husband has antisperm antibodies and I'm not sure if I have any problems. I used to have a luteal phase defect, but that seems to have fixed itself over the last couple years. I'm 33, my husband is 34. We've done numerous IUIs and one with superovulation. I've never been pregnant. I'm completely terrified that I'm using my "safety net". I've also decided to try acupuncture this cycle to aid in my IVF (even if it is just for the placebo effect).
My RE doesn't really give me a lot of information. I assume it's to stop all this obsessing over numbers and statistics. . . however, I actually enjoy the obsessing. Maybe that's my problem?
Good luck to you. I wish you all the best.
This is my first IVF. I've been ttc for two years. My husband has antisperm antibodies and I'm not sure if I have any problems. I used to have a luteal phase defect, but that seems to have fixed itself over the last couple years. I'm 33, my husband is 34. We've done numerous IUIs and one with superovulation. I've never been pregnant. I'm completely terrified that I'm using my "safety net". I've also decided to try acupuncture this cycle to aid in my IVF (even if it is just for the placebo effect).
My RE doesn't really give me a lot of information. I assume it's to stop all this obsessing over numbers and statistics. . . however, I actually enjoy the obsessing. Maybe that's my problem?
Good luck to you. I wish you all the best.
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hoping4bfp
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andrea2251...
My guess with what they told you on Monday isn't that you're not progressing as fast as they'd like, but rather you're right on track. I would think if they were worried they'd have you in sooner than Friday. Maybe 225 units is just what you need. When you went in on Monday it was very early in your cycle. I also had an apt on Monday, but they didn't even bother to do an ultrasound, just E2. When I went in yesterday they counted all of the follicles and did the E2 again, and actually ended up lowering my dose a bit. But Everyone responds differently to the medication which is why they do so much monitoring.
As far as the information your RE gives you. Sometimes mine gives me the actual values from the labs and sometimes I have to ask for them. But I'm like you, I want to know what they are. It's almost like doing the research and knowing exactly what's going on takes up the time I might be spending worrying. And I'm trying really hard not to worry too much.
I'm curious about the acupuncture, I've read a number of people post that they are doing acupuncture with their ivf. But I am not doing that, I didn't really know in time I guess, and I'm not sure what's involved with that. Where did you read about it?
What do you mean that you're terrified that you're using your "safety net"?
My guess with what they told you on Monday isn't that you're not progressing as fast as they'd like, but rather you're right on track. I would think if they were worried they'd have you in sooner than Friday. Maybe 225 units is just what you need. When you went in on Monday it was very early in your cycle. I also had an apt on Monday, but they didn't even bother to do an ultrasound, just E2. When I went in yesterday they counted all of the follicles and did the E2 again, and actually ended up lowering my dose a bit. But Everyone responds differently to the medication which is why they do so much monitoring.
As far as the information your RE gives you. Sometimes mine gives me the actual values from the labs and sometimes I have to ask for them. But I'm like you, I want to know what they are. It's almost like doing the research and knowing exactly what's going on takes up the time I might be spending worrying. And I'm trying really hard not to worry too much.
I'm curious about the acupuncture, I've read a number of people post that they are doing acupuncture with their ivf. But I am not doing that, I didn't really know in time I guess, and I'm not sure what's involved with that. Where did you read about it?
What do you mean that you're terrified that you're using your "safety net"?
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hoping4bfp
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lightcomingon ...
Wow, you've already been through so much. I really hope that this cycle is the one for you. I thought that the Lupron that I'm still on along with the Gonal-F was to help prevent early ovulation. But maybe I'm wrong on that since you're on something similar to the Lupron and then something totally different to prevent early ovulation. I hope I don't end up with that problem.
What you described with the monitoring you're old RE did sounds very much like what I'm dealing with now. I'm going in every other day now. The first time after I started Stim I just had an E2 but then yesterday they did both u/s and E2 and they counted all the follicles, and measured the size of anything at least 10mm. And I'm supposed to go back on Friday for the same thing.
I assume you're new RE has all of the medical information from your other IVF cycles? Maybe they have enough background knowledge on how your body responds to be able to make his decision based on how they are progressing?
Wow, you've already been through so much. I really hope that this cycle is the one for you. I thought that the Lupron that I'm still on along with the Gonal-F was to help prevent early ovulation. But maybe I'm wrong on that since you're on something similar to the Lupron and then something totally different to prevent early ovulation. I hope I don't end up with that problem.
What you described with the monitoring you're old RE did sounds very much like what I'm dealing with now. I'm going in every other day now. The first time after I started Stim I just had an E2 but then yesterday they did both u/s and E2 and they counted all the follicles, and measured the size of anything at least 10mm. And I'm supposed to go back on Friday for the same thing.
I assume you're new RE has all of the medical information from your other IVF cycles? Maybe they have enough background knowledge on how your body responds to be able to make his decision based on how they are progressing?
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andrea2251
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lightcomingon -
I am very sorry about your loss and even though this sounds insensitive to say, you should feel some relief in knowing that you were able to get pregnant. That means that you're "working" and your chances are pretty good that it'll happen again.
Like I said earlier, my RE isn't as meticulous as your first. I actually think that your first RE was the exception, not the rule. Good luck. Keep us posted.
hoping4bfp -
You make me feel so much better! You seem to see the positive in everyone's situation. Thank you.
About acupuncture. Here is the article that convinced me http://www.ivf1.com/acupuncture-ivf/. It's basically goes through 4 studies that were done on acupuncture and IVF. The bottom line of these studies is that women who do acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer right before ET and right after EF (in the same day) have an increased success rate. The author points out that this improvement could be based on the "placebo effect" or random occurrence. Either way, it seems to help in all four studies. If I learned that women who stand on my heads and sing Mary had a Little Lamb consistently had higher IVF success rates, I would do it! My RE says that she supports acupuncture for stress relief, but not for fertility per se. However, stress relief helps fertility, so it can't hurt. If you're really interested, you still have time to do it on the day of embryo tranfer. I assume you have at least another week until transfer? I've also been doing deep breathing and meditation (to try to calm my mind, which seems to be going 1000 mph thinking about all this!)
For the last two years of not being pregnant, I always kept IVF in the back of my mind as my safety net. It basically made me feel better every time I failed, because I knew that we always have IVF. Now that I'm actually trying it, I'm afraid that it won't work and I'll be all out of options.
I am very sorry about your loss and even though this sounds insensitive to say, you should feel some relief in knowing that you were able to get pregnant. That means that you're "working" and your chances are pretty good that it'll happen again.
Like I said earlier, my RE isn't as meticulous as your first. I actually think that your first RE was the exception, not the rule. Good luck. Keep us posted.
hoping4bfp -
You make me feel so much better! You seem to see the positive in everyone's situation. Thank you.
About acupuncture. Here is the article that convinced me http://www.ivf1.com/acupuncture-ivf/. It's basically goes through 4 studies that were done on acupuncture and IVF. The bottom line of these studies is that women who do acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer right before ET and right after EF (in the same day) have an increased success rate. The author points out that this improvement could be based on the "placebo effect" or random occurrence. Either way, it seems to help in all four studies. If I learned that women who stand on my heads and sing Mary had a Little Lamb consistently had higher IVF success rates, I would do it! My RE says that she supports acupuncture for stress relief, but not for fertility per se. However, stress relief helps fertility, so it can't hurt. If you're really interested, you still have time to do it on the day of embryo tranfer. I assume you have at least another week until transfer? I've also been doing deep breathing and meditation (to try to calm my mind, which seems to be going 1000 mph thinking about all this!)
For the last two years of not being pregnant, I always kept IVF in the back of my mind as my safety net. It basically made me feel better every time I failed, because I knew that we always have IVF. Now that I'm actually trying it, I'm afraid that it won't work and I'll be all out of options.
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andrea2251
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correction
In my last post, I said that the studies were specfic to acupuncture immediately before and after ET. That's not correct. The studies varied in timing of the acupuncture. Sorry. Either way, it's an interesting and seemingly objective evaluation of the 4 studies.
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hoping4bfp
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"For the last two years of not being pregnant, I always kept IVF in the back of my mind as my safety net. It basically made me feel better every time I failed, because I knew that we always have IVF. Now that I'm actually trying it, I'm afraid that it won't work and I'll be all out of options."
Ok, that's what I thought you meant. I know exactly how you feel. Before my husband and I got to the point of seeing a RE I felt like there would be all kinds of things they could do to help us. I was very disappointed to find out how little there really is. I also think/thought of IVF as a last resort. And to tell you the truth, I just can't even bring myself to think about what I'll do if this doesn't work. I never thought I'd have to do all of this, yet here I am. Right now I'm just trying to stay concerned with this part of the cycle. How I'm responding to the stim. That's what my RE said to try to do, think about it one step at a time. And the longer I can put off thinking about the "what if" the better. I mean, this has to work right? it just has to!
Ok, that's what I thought you meant. I know exactly how you feel. Before my husband and I got to the point of seeing a RE I felt like there would be all kinds of things they could do to help us. I was very disappointed to find out how little there really is. I also think/thought of IVF as a last resort. And to tell you the truth, I just can't even bring myself to think about what I'll do if this doesn't work. I never thought I'd have to do all of this, yet here I am. Right now I'm just trying to stay concerned with this part of the cycle. How I'm responding to the stim. That's what my RE said to try to do, think about it one step at a time. And the longer I can put off thinking about the "what if" the better. I mean, this has to work right? it just has to!
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andrea2251
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Hoping4bfp -
Before my husband and I started trying to conceive, I actually told my friends that I'd never go through fertility treatments. Yeah, until I started to see my chances for a child slip away. I sure changed my tune!
I, too, have been concentrating on each step as it comes. I really didn't do any research on IVF, until I realized that superovulation and IUIs wouldn't work for me (I've been very optimistic this whole time and I didn't ever think I'd get here).
I've kind of rationalized that if it doesn't work this time, we can always save up and do it again, and during that time there's always the possbility for a natural BFP. Our insurance doesn't cover IVF, but we have a health care reimbursement account through work in which we set aside the full amount. It helps alleviate some of the financial burden. I've seen plenty of women on various message boards who had to do 2 or 3 (or even 7!) IVFs before it worked. I don't have that kind of money, but just knowing that it doesn't work on the first try for everyone makes me feel a little better. At first, I thought it seemed like it worked for everyone on the first try and that actually made me even more afraid that I'd be the only one for which it didn't work! Now, I realize that it's just like any of the other methods, sometimes it takes a couple tries. (I'm not even going to think about it not working at all).
So, to answer your question, yes, it does have to work! It will!
I've had a bunch of girlfriends who all had some minor infertility problems at the same time as I did. However, they have all gotten pregnant and now have babies. I'm soooo happy for them, but the pain of going through that has just been awful. Being able to talk about this stuff on message boards has been very helpful emotionally. There will always be someone who shares my fears. Hopefully, there will be someone to share in my joy, too. . .
Before my husband and I started trying to conceive, I actually told my friends that I'd never go through fertility treatments. Yeah, until I started to see my chances for a child slip away. I sure changed my tune!
I, too, have been concentrating on each step as it comes. I really didn't do any research on IVF, until I realized that superovulation and IUIs wouldn't work for me (I've been very optimistic this whole time and I didn't ever think I'd get here).
I've kind of rationalized that if it doesn't work this time, we can always save up and do it again, and during that time there's always the possbility for a natural BFP. Our insurance doesn't cover IVF, but we have a health care reimbursement account through work in which we set aside the full amount. It helps alleviate some of the financial burden. I've seen plenty of women on various message boards who had to do 2 or 3 (or even 7!) IVFs before it worked. I don't have that kind of money, but just knowing that it doesn't work on the first try for everyone makes me feel a little better. At first, I thought it seemed like it worked for everyone on the first try and that actually made me even more afraid that I'd be the only one for which it didn't work! Now, I realize that it's just like any of the other methods, sometimes it takes a couple tries. (I'm not even going to think about it not working at all).
So, to answer your question, yes, it does have to work! It will!
I've had a bunch of girlfriends who all had some minor infertility problems at the same time as I did. However, they have all gotten pregnant and now have babies. I'm soooo happy for them, but the pain of going through that has just been awful. Being able to talk about this stuff on message boards has been very helpful emotionally. There will always be someone who shares my fears. Hopefully, there will be someone to share in my joy, too. . .
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lightcomingon
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Hey Stimming Friends!javascript:emoticon(':D')
Just had my last b/w and u/s before my retrieval on Monday. Everything looks good. My hormone level is about 4200, which is kinda on the high side, but it looks like I've got quite a few eggs.
I do my HCG shot at 2am this morning. Wish me luck!
How about everyone else's timing?
Just had my last b/w and u/s before my retrieval on Monday. Everything looks good. My hormone level is about 4200, which is kinda on the high side, but it looks like I've got quite a few eggs.
I do my HCG shot at 2am this morning. Wish me luck!
How about everyone else's timing?
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andrea2251
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Hi everyone -
Looks like I will be triggering tomorrow (my doctor will be calling to tell me what time) and retrieval will be on Tuesday. I think I'll have about 10 follicles and my estrogen is 1360. Don't really know what that means, but my doctor seemed happy about all my numbers. (I know that my follicle count is lower than normal, but I'm hoping for quality.)
Good luck on Monday, lightcomingon!
Looks like I will be triggering tomorrow (my doctor will be calling to tell me what time) and retrieval will be on Tuesday. I think I'll have about 10 follicles and my estrogen is 1360. Don't really know what that means, but my doctor seemed happy about all my numbers. (I know that my follicle count is lower than normal, but I'm hoping for quality.)
Good luck on Monday, lightcomingon!
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hoping4bfp
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Hey, that's great that both of you are getting ready, or have already taken, your HCG shot. You must be excited. I hope you both get lots of eggs and that they all fertilize for you.
I really thought that they were going to tell me that I was ready for the HCG trigger when i went in for E2/u/s this morning. But instead they told me that my E2 was 3662, which is high, and my eggs aren't yet big enough to trigger. They told me that they want me to "coast" for a bit to let my Estrogen level drop and allow my eggs to get bigger. To do that they are having me continue taking 5ut Lupron and no Gonal-F. Hoping that the high level of Estrogen in my system will allow the follicles to continue to grow. I think they are worried about OHSS at this point. And I'm terrified that they are going to cancel my cycle and all of this will be for nothing. I have to go back in tomorrow for another E2 and u/s and I guess they will take it day by day. Unfortunately I've had so much blood work done for this that my veins don't have time to heal and now even getting the blood drawn hurts.
I want to hear that I'm almost done and that I'm ready for retrieval, not that they don't know when I'll be able to do it. This is terrible...
I really thought that they were going to tell me that I was ready for the HCG trigger when i went in for E2/u/s this morning. But instead they told me that my E2 was 3662, which is high, and my eggs aren't yet big enough to trigger. They told me that they want me to "coast" for a bit to let my Estrogen level drop and allow my eggs to get bigger. To do that they are having me continue taking 5ut Lupron and no Gonal-F. Hoping that the high level of Estrogen in my system will allow the follicles to continue to grow. I think they are worried about OHSS at this point. And I'm terrified that they are going to cancel my cycle and all of this will be for nothing. I have to go back in tomorrow for another E2 and u/s and I guess they will take it day by day. Unfortunately I've had so much blood work done for this that my veins don't have time to heal and now even getting the blood drawn hurts.
I want to hear that I'm almost done and that I'm ready for retrieval, not that they don't know when I'll be able to do it. This is terrible...-
andrea2251
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hoping4bfp -
I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. I've read a lot of posts about people who had to "coast" and even though it's frustrating, the outcomes were still good. The good news is that you clearly must have a good number of follicles! Just remember that your RE is doing what's best for you and your follicles.
I think I read that if you drink some water prior to getting your blood taken, it goes a little more smoothly.
Good luck.
Andrea
I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. I've read a lot of posts about people who had to "coast" and even though it's frustrating, the outcomes were still good. The good news is that you clearly must have a good number of follicles! Just remember that your RE is doing what's best for you and your follicles.
I think I read that if you drink some water prior to getting your blood taken, it goes a little more smoothly.
Good luck.
Andrea