1st IVF in August - Any possible cycle buddies?

[ICSI GIRL]

ceiba: got my meds this past weekend and i too was a bit overwhelmed!!! i'm actually going to doc's today for lupron injection and to teach dh how to administer all other injections.....AF expected next week - which will be starting point for my gonal-f & menopur (stimms)..... i'm bringing all my rx's w/ me to doc appt today so that i can label everything and know when to take what and when and where!!!!!

[nicoleslp99]

I noticed that many people have to have bloodwork quite often during this- I only have to have bloodwork done twice during this and 3 ultrasounds- does this sound normal or should I be having more???

[Jill_n_Mark]

Well this is my first try at IVF, but I did go thru 3 IUI attempts. My dr had me come in every other day on the IUI cycles, but I believe he mentioned with IVF, it will be everyday. On each visit, whenever they are, they draw blood and do those lovely vaginal ultrasounds. I am sure every dr does things differently so nothing to worry about. Do you know your dr sucess rates? If they are pretty high, then this regimen works for his/her patients. From my understanding, the bloodwork and ultrasounds are to determine if you increase/decrease your meds.

I go in tomorrow for the tentative dates of everything, so I will know more then. As for the shots...the subcutaneous ones are not so bad, but I have not take the POI shots before. I have read on these boards that those are not pleasant

Take care everyone....BFPs are right around the corner

Jill

[ceiba]

ICSI girl: yes, we have a training session too, and the nurse will help administer the first Lupron shot as well. I'm so glad they train us- I'd hate to mess up and waste any of that very expensive medicine! We're a week or so behind you- start Lupron Mon 7/23 and the Follistim and Menopur the following week with my period. So I hope your first shot today was a piece of cake- please let us know how it's going!

And nicole, my dr has me coming in almost every day once I start the meds too. But Jill seems right- if your dr has good success rates then s/he probably knows what s/he's doing and this is the right procedure for you. Since we started this whole process, I've been amazed at how many, many options are out there. I think it's different for everyone.

Jill, good luck tomorrow!

[ICSI GIRL]

ceiba: lupron injection WAYYYYYYYYYY piece of cake!!! and let me tell you - i was wayyyyyyyy nervous about it!! mostly cuz my doc's office alluded to the fact that they would administer because it was more "difficult" than the others..........knowing what i know NOW --- i believe doc's office has alterier (sp??) motive!! i'll explain that in a minute... but for the lupron --- dh actuall did it w/ nurse erin coaching him --- upper hip area.....had me put hands on table - kinda just bent over a bit, expose hip area (so i didn't have to get naked!!) and ta-da!! you literally barely feel a THING....and i am a freak about needles/pain... so take a load off your mind --- wish somebody had shared similar experience w/ me before i went in!!!

now for the alterior motive part......so my calendar shows "1/2 dose" of lupron on 7/18.....well what happens or when do i receive other 1/2??? i don't know about you - but this was one of the most expensive rx's of all of mine......$650.00!!!! and no insurance to pay for it..........so i ask about the other 1/2 only for nurse erin to say "oh - you only get 1/2.... we use the other 1/2 for patients w/out insurance (DUH - what about me??) or just throw it out if unable to use in coordination w/ other cycle.... ticked me off that i didn't know about this ahead of time --- would be nice if they actually coordinated this kind of thing among their patients.....

anyway.....i now am feeling MUCH better about the entire pharmacy that i have to contend w/ over the next few weeks --- know the location, time, amounts, etc......i took everything w/ and labeled!!

good luck!! i'll be checking in on you

[julianna26]

ICSI GIRL - So how are things? Is it really overwhelming when you get all your meds? I should be getting mine soon and a little nervous I'm going to get confused and scared. What's the best way to get organized with all of it? Does it all come in a big box or something?

How is everyone else doing? Is anyone close to starting shots 7/28 with me? My mock transfer and blood tests are a week from today. It's getting so close to finally here that it's like WOW!! This might really happen. I think about holding a little one in my arms and hoping it's healthy and I just tear up. I'm sure all of you are the same way.

I think I'm going to take some vacation time between the ER and the ET for my own sanity and to just RELAX. I've been saving up some TV shows on DVR and plan on waiting to read the last Harry Potter book (yes, I really am a Harry Potter book and movie fanatic!) during my five days of ANXIOUS bed rest after the transfer. But that's still 5 weeks away and seems like an ETERNITY!!!!!!!!! I hope the time goes by fast.

My husband and I are amateur photographers and we really enjoy it so we are starting up a website to show our shots and hoping to get it up and rolling during this process to KEEP OUR MINDS OCCUPIED. I hope it works!! LOL....

We all SOO DESERVE THIS!!! BFPPPPssss and sending sticky sticky sticky BABY DUST to ALL!!! I can't wait to congratulate all of you when you get that beta test!!

[ICSI GIRL]

julianna: things are GREAT!! not that i really have much of anything going on at the moment.....to answer your question --- yes, it is overwhelming when you get your meds.....mine came from freedom fertility (is who my doc office perferred pharmacy) -- they overnight your meds in a big box!! inside the box there's just all this "stuff"..... all different needle sizes, syringes, boxes of this and that.....numerous bottles of pills ---- aaaahhhhhh......HOWEVER - is really not that bad once ya kinda know what stuff is.....which is why i took the whole box of stuff w/ me to my lupron inject appt (7/18).....what regime of meds are you on?? what doc/clinic are you going to?? ya know - depending on what rx regime your on --- we could be pretty close in our timing..... you said you start your shots 7/28 --- i start mine 7/26.......we'll have to keep track and see how we progress

i had the dose of lupron (just the one dose at doc appt yesterday).... expecting AF next week.....supposed to start stimming w/ gonal-f pens and menopur on 7/26.....but seriously - had the whole box of stuff w/ me at appt and nurse erin was very patient w/ me and my neverending questions!! she had samples of EVERY kind of med i was taking and showed me and dh how to use.....we labeled everything too - which helped me -- i'm an organizational FREAK.....so when you first get it - just sort through it all, take a look at everything just to familiarize yourself w/ your newly acquired pharmacy (ha, ha, ha) and take w/ to see your doc/nurse!!

HEY - WHEREABOUT's in OHIO DO YOU LIVE????????

[Jill_n_Mark]

I am kinda bummed today. I was so excited to meet with the nurse and get my dates. She called me at 11:00 and said she needed to reschedule for 7/25. Now I have almost another week to wait. I've waited this long so another week is not going to hurt me

It seems I will be about a week behind everyone else with stimming, but that's ok. I cannot wait for us all to share our BFPs

Talk to you all later.
Jill

[cyclone]

I thought it was time to join in with you all as I too will have an August IVF/ICSI. This will be our first IVF. I started the BCP last Wednesday and will start on Lupron 7/25. Our ER date is approximately 8/23.

I just got home from the pharmacy and it is overwhelming. Thankfully the pharmacist sat down with me and went through all of the medications and explained them all to me again (I had a class on this with the doctor but it helped to go over it again). I am definitely not a needle person and I am still a little worried about the number of needles there are in the bag, but it will be worth it

Good luck to us all!!

[julianna26]

I got my official "calendar" in the mail this afternoon from the Dr office and they are tentatively scheduling ER 8/24 & ET 8/27. (Will be nice if that ends up holding true because it's a Fri/Mon and I can be a vegetable all weekend and try and relax before the ET ). Preg test 9/10. So neat to get dates, huh?

So everyone on August cycle will have babies with very adorable spring/summer clothes. LOL.

Very very exciting yet in the back of my mind the hidden fear still awaits. I know, I know... PMA, PMA, PMA. I need to learn to chant this in my head. LOL.

ICSI GIRL My Dr is Dr. Daniel Williams WestChester OH (Center for Reproductive Health - anyone else used him?) and I really like him and trust him so far. Hopefully he doesn't do anything to screw that up. I am around Dayton Ohio, or north of Cincinnati. I recently had to make a trip to Detroit, MI, though for business (GM). Whereabouts are you in MI? Kind of cool I got all this meds info finally in my "calendar" today. My meds are Lupron, Bravelle, Zithromycin before ER. Progesterone, Doxycycline, Medrol and baby low-dose aspirin between ER and ET. Are these similar to what meds you will be on?

nicoleslp99 - I will have to have blood tests drawn close to every other day to monitor the follicle or egg growth through out the process up until the ER. GOOD LUCK on your cycle! You will find out your BFP a little earlier than me, about a week, I think.

ceiba - GOOD LUCK!! GOOD LUCK!! 3 more days to go, right? How exciting! I know you are nervous but do the "tricks of the trade" I have read on here and take the meds out of the fridge 45-60 min prior to injection to try and get them room temperature, and put a warm cloth immediately over area after injection and massage. This is supposed to help, especially with the shots in the muscle. I hope it is a piece of cake for you.

kbat - Sending baby dust your way! GOOD LUCK too! And have fun on your Labor Day trip!


Jill_n_Mark - How did your consult go today? What are your
dates?

cyclone - Welcome! Hearing all the stories about seeing the meds the first time has me feeling a little scared. I guess I will get mine next week sometime. eeekk.

Well, good night everyone! And keep up the PMA. We'll all have BFPPPPPs soon!!

[ceiba]

Hi ladies,

ICSI girl, thanks for the reassurance on the Lupron injections! Although I thought those were in the belly, not the butt. I guess I'm still confused. We have a home visit with a nurse from our clinic on Mon evening, to go over everything like you and cyclone did and to give me the first shot. And I cannot believe your clinic charges you for drugs that they give to other patients or throw away! I'd be raising some serious h**l with their finance office if I were you.

The box of meds is overwhelming at first but now that everything has been sitting on our dining room table and in the fridge for a few days I'm starting to get used to it. I even have a spreadsheet to keep everything straight! Julianna, thanks for the tips for easing my injection jitters- I need to start reading more of this board before Monday, I guess!

Jill, too bad about your consult. But at least you won't have so long to wait between getting all the info and then getting started. I feel like I've forgotten half of what they told me already.

Welcome, cyclone, and positive vibes to all!

[meggs1012]

Hey! I see that you're from Michigan as well!!! Whereabouts? Thats crazy-where are you doctoring?!

[meggs1012]

Hey girls! Sorry Ive been MIA lately-u all have been so busy in here i was just catching up on where everyones at while ive been on vacation up north! Exactly what the DR ordered.....really nothing better than the Northern part of Michigan in the summer-

I am stilllllllllllllllllllllllll waiting for AF so i can call the dr and figure dates out-wooohoo, cant believe that its soooo close to starting everything. I wont be doing the actual transfer til early Sept though from what were figuring....which makes sense since im not starting meds til CD 21. How come this is? I read that some of you are starting like the day after you get your period....hmmmm

Ok, so hope you're allllll doing well and I hope to hear from ya soon!

***BABY DUST*BABY DUST*BABY DUST*BABY DUST*BABY DUST***

[hopealways]

Hi eveyone,
I'm a little late joining this chain of emails. I'm also starting 1st IVF/ICSI next month!

Meggs1012,
I'm in the same boat as you, waiting for AF which is taking forever. RE said should be week of Jul 15.... and to see him on day 21. Keep in touch and we should have lots to share!

[ICSI GIRL]

Jill: i know it's a bummer that your appt got pushed back a week ------ but once you start, things progress VERY quickly...... hard as it may be, hang in there girl!! hang out on these message boards and learn and read as much as you possibly can so that you have 101 questions for your nurse next week ---- then maybe she'll regret having post-poned!! ha, ha

Julianna: WOO--HOO!!!! "the calendar" i was insane trying to figure out dates before actually getting mine......i very exciting --- i know! doesn't sound like we're on same meds - in face, from what i've been able to determine - every doc does something a little different!! long as it works - right??! not familar w/ your doc/clinic....i live about 20 min south of jackson and go to ann arbor to see dr. shamma -- he's a pioneer in the world of ICSI...am SO hoping for 1st round BFP!!!!! (aren't we all???!!!!!!!!!!!) just wondered where you were in OH cuz my sis lives in toledo.....

ceiba: your doc may well want your lupron inject in your tummy ---- every doc is different!!!!! am learning that thru these message boards.....is good & bad all at same time cuz while we're all going thru this craziness together ---- all of us are on very different regiments!!!! GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR APPT ON MONDAY!!!

cyclone: WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME nice to have you along for the journey meds are overwhelming at first, but trust me when i say - they are not that big of deal.....and i'm SO not a needle person either --- but again, just think of the end result ---- BFP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! is SO worth it!! and is such a tiny little poke --- you really don't even know is a "needle"!! my dh doing all my shots ---- bless his heart!! that is helping a TON (the fact that he's doing!!)

meggs1012: i live about 20 min south of jackson, mi.....going to midwest ivf in ann arbor - dr. shamma.....this clinic actually has several locations in mi......i'm guessing if you went "up north" for vaca --- you live somewhere "downstate" as well??? where do you live/what doc/clinic you going to?????