Feb/Mar 08 Cycle Buddies

JustJenis · Post by **JustJenis** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:36 am

Mrs. G....

Thanks!! We are around the same time. I'm schedule for ER around 2/23 and ET around 2/26ish. So we'll be on the same nail biting time frame

Are you doing anything else this round that you didn't do in the others??

*HUGS*
Jenis

cornybaby · Post by **cornybaby** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:39 am

Jenis - I gotta tell ya, I haven't quit the alcohol yet, and I start lupron in less than a week. As a matter of fact, I'm having a glass of wine right now! Last cycle, RE told me I could drink right up until ET, but I didn't drink once I started stimming. This time I am a little more laid back about it. to be honest, I find a glass of wine every now and then is quite relaxing, and they say to try and stay relaxed...so why not! Like last time, I will probably quit when the stims start, but until then, I really don't think a glass here and there will hurt. As for the caffeine, I don't drink coffee, but for the most part I have given up sodas, although more because of the empty calories that because of IVF.

cyclone · Post by **cyclone** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 4:02 am

Hi Ladies,
I just had my follow up with my doc yesterday and he has given me the go ahead to start my 2nd invitro as soon as my next cycle starts which should hopefully be in the next few days. So my retreival and transfer should be in the beginning of March.

As far as our insurance goes we are very lucky for now. Our insurance pays 100% (we do have a co-pay of $10). However there is a life time maximum of $15,000 and we talked with our doctor about this and we are over half way thru our limit. He thought we would probably get thru this attempt, maybe, but after that we will pay out of pocket for everything. Hopefully, fingers crossed, we won't have to worry about that.

During our chat we did talk about why the the last two tries (one fresh,one frozen) weren't successful. The doctor had no reasons. He said everything was perfect. The embryos were perfect and all of my numbers were good. So we are kind of worried about this, wondering why it hasn't worked yet.

Cathann- My husband also has a brain tumor and is on chemo that is why we are doing invitro. My thoughts are with you and your husband thru this as I know how difficult it is dealing with both of these issues.

Looking forward to the next few months with all of you ladies!! Hope we all get those wonderful BFP's.

kbat · Post by **kbat** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:13 pm

My doctors never said anything about alcohol prior to doing e/t. I don't really have much to begin w/. We usually have some on the week-ends only I usually have about 1-1.5 glasses on Friday and Sat. Although, both of us are trying to give it up for calories. Don't really drink coffee, but I am a tea drinker. I could give it up when necessary because during my last 2ww I didn't even have any chocolate, tea, alcohol, etc. until I knew that things played out. I go back to work next week, so I am sure that will cut down on things. I do a seasonal job w/ the tax division. When I get ready to do my next cycle--which at this point looks like it'll be in March, I will have to figure something out. I will probably just tell the guy that I am having some outpatient surgery and will need to go in for some bloodwork and test before hand. I think I can get most of the bloodwork and u/s before work and only be about 10 minutes late (only because the guy puts the clock ahead by 10-15 minutes and I have to be there for 8 according to his clock.) It may not even be an issue because if we switch insurance plans before then, I will have to resubmit everything for approval, which could delay cycle and then I would just wait until May probably. Then the job will be done.

Gotta get ready for the gym.

IrishHope · Post by **IrishHope** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:47 pm

Cornybaby - good to hear that your doc didn't suspect the endo as the reason for poor response. My doc has not mentioned that to me but I read so much on the internet and some studies say it's proven endo sufferers produce less quality/quantity during stims and some say the exact opposite! So we shall see...one of my sisters had endo and successfully had a baby thru IVF and responded terrific and then had a second baby on her own...

as for alcohol/caffeine - I drinnk BOTH and love BOTH!

However, I have switched to half decaf in the morning for now and have greatly reduced the number of Amstels in one sitting...typically I don't drink during the week but weekends in Boston are geared around Red Sox adn now the Pats so there is alot of beer! I think I will stop once I start Lupron on or about 1/31...

JustJenis - I think I'll be about a week behind you for E/R and E/T. At least that is what I'm thinking but it's my first round of any of all this (my doctor is awesome and skipped IUI's b/c w/ our insurance being so limited he wants to give us our best chance so when I count things out I figure E/R will be on or about 3/25 or 3/26 but it will depend on how I stim and when AF comes after Lupron etc. etc.

Cyclone - my insurance is the same as you $15k lifetime max so we'll hope for round #1 we get results and luckily we financially will be able to do a second and third if need be...I also should be right around end of Feb/early March so we look close in timing...

Have a great day all...we are almost into February so time is moving...!!

kbat · Post by **kbat** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:03 pm

IrishHope--Where in Mass do you live? I am orginally born in Mass. but really never lived there. However, my mother grew up there and is one of 10 and her 9 brothers and sisters always lived in the Boston area. She now lives in Quincy and will head up there on Friday.

I am in Glocester, RI (northwest part of this little state where we get lots of snow). But only about 15 miles from Providence and about 20 minutes from Attleboro.

IrishHope · Post by **IrishHope** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:21 pm

kbat - I was born and raised on the North Shore - and still there! I work in Boston but love to retreat back to the burbs so I get a good mix of city/suburbia...haha

One of my other sisters lived and worked in Providence for many years but now moved to the Cape -

FYI to all - I am one of 4 girls and each sister (I am the youngest) has been successful with IVF and or IUI...so I have hopes for all of us! Oddly enough some needed "help" the first pregnancy and others had babies on their own and then 2nd or 3rd baby needed modern medicine to get them there...

JustJenis · Post by **JustJenis** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:37 pm

Hmm interesting. So the link to infertility being hereditary is there???

anyone else have family as well that had problems such as ours?

To date I'm the only one in my family, but I'm not the only one with ovarian cancer.

So very interesting all the things we learn.

*HUGS*
Jenis

RunnerKate · Post by **RunnerKate** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:41 pm

Really? You guys are stopping the caffeine and alcohol? I drink ~2-3 Coke Zero's every day. Should I stop? I start my Lupron tomorrow. Should I stop alcohol, too?

K

IrishHope · Post by **IrishHope** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:10 pm

my RE does not feel that our issues are linked/genetic/hereditary...2 of us have endo and the other 2 do not...I think on some level there is some family link but nothing significant since the other 2 had different issues...

They say alcohol is never great while trying to conceive so it's a personal decision I would say - I don't think you have to have zero but to cut down and scale back cannot hurt...same with caffeine...I am also having my husband cut caffeine/alcohol out two weeks prior to when he has to give his sample for fertilization...it can't hurt

who knows...I know plenty of people who drank, smoked and bingo pregnant first few months of trying...BUT given I know I have some issues I figure I want to do everything I can to be as healthy as possible for this to work...

I'm also doing acupuncture starting Saturday...I was going since Sept. but the woman I went to made me feel terrible...all she would do is take my pulse and say "hmmm weak..." put the needles in and leave the room...after 4 months of this I said "see ya" ...already the guy I'm going to seems much more interactive/informative etc.

P.S. - are we all in the US? Does anyone else see that our post times are way off? do we know how to fix that? It's only 1030a.m. here but my post says 330pm or so....maye it only bothers me b/c I have a little OCD

cornybaby · Post by **cornybaby** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:58 pm

Irish - you can change your time zone by clicking on "Profile" and then there is a time zone option down towards the bottom.

JustJenis - it looks like our ER is scheduled for the same week. Mine should be around 2/18,2/19 or 2/20.

Hugs everyone! Have a great day!

cathann · Post by **cathann** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 4:23 pm

cyclone ~ I hate that you & your husband are having to go through the same stuff we are. My DH had his tumor removed last April and is taking 5 days of Temodar/month. Thankfully, he doesn't seem to have any side effects from it - no nausea, etc. His doctor told us that once all of the chemo is out of his system that his swimmers should be ok. I don't know if that's true or not so we are using a frozen sample given before he started chemo/radiation, etc. I sure hope your hubby is doing ok. Dealing with the stress of infertility is bad enough, but when you add that on top it can be almost unbearable at times. I try not to let those sneaky little thoughts about his longevity get in, but sometimes they do and it's scary.

To all of you other wonderful ladies ~ how is everyone? I can't wait until Monday when we have our pre-cycle visit with our nurse. I feel SO in the dark about everything. I am also a little OCD, so I like to KNOW when things are going to happen!!

Have a great day!!
Cathann

kbat · Post by **kbat** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:27 pm

Irish--
to change time go into profile and it's GMT - 5. That's what I use it works.

I too did acupuncture for #5. I thought it was quite relaxing and in the end I think it did seem to help. I start again tomorrow. I'll probably go twice a week. That's the one thing that's not covered by my insurance. I do think it made my embryos better quality. i was still a poor responder, but they seemed to grow faster and they seemed to be better quality.

Got my plan in the mail today. I'll probably firmly be a mid-March cycle (unless insurance changes before then). We are following the same cycle as before--although I did see one change--an estrogen patch that goes on after all the drugs. That's new and don't know if it's because last one ended as etopic pregnancy. I won't be doing Lupron. On Day #2, I will start Clomid at night. Then on day 3 I'll do gonal-f and Clomid (Clomid for 5 nights). Then at some point I'll be on ganerelix--although last time I only took it for 2 days. Then I'll have e/r. This current clinic doesn't even give me a target date--which I like to have--but they do some things strangely.

IrishHope · Post by **IrishHope** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:30 pm

kbat

Good luck w/ everything! I am not very knowledgeable about some of the meds you mentioned and or the protocol you are on...did your RE give you any insight as to why you respond not so great? As I mentioned I've read us "endo" girls respond poorly but cornybaby's doc didn't seem to think it was the endo...just curious...endo is so mysterious I never know what to think...I guess I can ask my RE but until I start we won't know how I respond...

all my dates are pretty much just my own estimates...the only date they gave me was cycle day 21 which is 1/31 to get bloodwork to show I've ovulated and then start Lupron...and wait for AF...

JustJenis · Post by **JustJenis** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:34 pm

Irish I go in on Feb 1st for day 21 bloodwork and start estrace?? Not sure if that's the right spelling or not. 1st cycle so I'm not overly familiar with the drug names and such.

Good to know someone else is on my schedule!!!!

*HUGS*
Jenis

Feb/Mar 08 Cycle Buddies

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