Attn IVF mommys, need your help!

[jen8675309]

Hello Ladies!

I have been researching all kinds of numbers, etc for IVF, but I think I need your feedback instead! I am preparing for my first IVF and want some info. Can you answer these.....

Me ~ 31; DH ~ 36
how old are you and DH?
Did you get PG on 1st IVF?
How many follicles?
How many eggs retrieved?
How many fertilized?
How many transferred?
What meds were you on?
Did you do injections?
If so, did you do them or DH?
Did you eat, drink, or do anything special to help?
How much rest/activity did you do during whole cycle?

I am so nervous and anxious to start my cycle. Hopefully I'll start in March or April.

Thanks girls!

[CroElla]

dear jen,

welcome to this forum, for most of us it was a rock during most difficult times of our lives. I wouldn't like to discourage you in asking questions, but the specific one that you are after won't really help. Even if 100 of us respond it you will soon discover that each one of us is so different that it is difficult sometimes to compare only one subject of your list, never the less the entire list. Also, you are on a good track, those are the facts that you have to educate yourself at, but soon you'll discover that answers and opinions will be es different as all of us are. My personal belief is that the strongest factors for success are the strong unity of your DH and yourself and undoubted feith that you will succeed

Just to satisfy your curiosity here is my story in short:
Me 37, DH 33; blocked ovarian tubes; 1st IVF they harvested 2 eggs and they didn't fertilize. Our doctor told us to give up because my eggs were just not good. I changed the diet according to the book by Dr. D'Adamo "Eat right for your blood type" and started going to the acupuncturist every week. Also we changed a specialist. Our second IVF started with new doctor and increased meds (Follistim, Lupron; I did the Follistim and DH helped later with Progesteron injections) and the result is 9 harvested eggs, 6 fertilized; they transfered 4 embryos on day 3 and today I am a healthy and happy pregnant chick expecting a little girl on April 10th. Also, I have to tell you that we consider ourself to be lucky for making it in our second try; but we never lost our faith and unity.

I wish you a first try success!!! And keep posting

[jen8675309]

Thank you CroElla! Congrats are your coming bundle of joy! I appreciate all your words of encouragement. I guess I'm just trying to "figure my odds"! Luckily and fortunately, my health is great, no probs at all with me, but my DH has low sperm count and low morph. Thank goodness we are doing ICSI.

Again, I appreciate you and am so excited for you!

[Mandy J]

I agree that we all have different stories, there are loads of ladies on here who it worked for 1st time, it is a stressful time, but it can make your relationship very strong with DH. Anyway heres my answers, I'm now 26 weeks pregnant at a stage we thought we were going to stop trying anymore.

DH had vasectomy, (4 adult children from previous relationship) had reversal but no sperm present in semen.

how old are you and DH?
Me 37 DH 54
Did you get PG on 1st IVF?
No, 5th Attempt
How many follicles?
Not sure
How many eggs retrieved?
Ist attempt 19, x2 FET, 4th 13, 5th 15
How many fertilized?
Good quality eggs 1st 6, 4th 4, 5th 4, (2 still in storage)
How many transferred?
2 each time
What meds were you on?
Buserellin, Gonal F
Did you do injections?
Yes
If so, did you do them or DH?
I did them DH would faint!
Did you eat, drink, or do anything special to help?
On final attempt lost 3 stone, healthy diet, ate pineapple! Acupuncture sessions, drank LOADS of water
How much rest/activity did you do during whole cycle
On final attempt, took 3 weeks off work to relax, no lifting etc

Good luck with your upcoming treatment, I hope it works for you 1st time
x

[JustinesBaby]

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[jen8675309]

Thanks Mandy and Justine!!

Reading your posts made me a little more excited (if that's possible!), especially Justine, since we have such similar backgrounds. I can't believe you got PG naturally after your IVF!! Wow!

We will definitely do ICSI. Did your DH do anything special before giving his specimen?

Thanks again!

[JustinesBaby]

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[carolina1girl1]

i just wanted to wish you all the best of luck.

how old are you and DH?
me 28 dh 31
Did you get PG on 1st IVF?
yes
How many follicles?
don't remember
How many eggs retrieved?
i think 16
How many fertilized?
6
How many transferred?
2
What meds were you on?
lupron, gonal f
Did you do injections?
yes
If so, did you do them or DH?
i did the ones in my tummy dh did the ones in my hip
Did you eat, drink, or do anything special to help?
nope
How much rest/activity did you do during whole cycle?
i am a stay at home mom of an 11 year old so i didn't do much of anything.

[LauraLou]

How old are you and DH?
Me 38 DH 52
Did you get PG on 1st IVF?
2nd
How many follicles?
Don't remember
How many eggs retrieved?
15
How many fertilized?
9
How many transferred?
3
What meds were you on?
Lupron, Follistim, Menapur
Did you do injections? If so, did you do them or DH?
I did most of them. DH did the progesterone.
Did you eat, drink, or do anything special to help?
No
How much rest/activity did you do during whole cycle?
I didn't do best rest after the ET, just sat on the couch for a day. I then resumed my normal activity.

We had great quality embies the first time. I did complete bedrest for 48 hrs after the ET, didn't lift, bend, push or pull during the 2ww. I had a positive 1st beta but it didn't increase properly and I m/c'd.

The second time we had very poor quality embies. I was sure it wouldn't work, so I didn't do bedrest, lifted bags of books, pushed heavy carts, etc. I ended up with twins! I really don't think there is much you can do to influence the outcome. It is hard to have so little control over something that is so important to us.

Good luck!

[deepa100]

how old are you and DH?
38 and 32 at the time of IVF
Did you get PG on 1st IVF?
Embryo from 1 st IVF using first FET
How many follicles?
14 or 15
How many eggs retrieved?
9
How many fertilized?
3
How many transferred?
2 the first time and one using FET
What meds were you on?
Foiistim, Progesteron and the rest don't remember
Did you do injections?
No, DH did all of them
If so, did you do them or DH?
Did you eat, drink, or do anything special to help?
Nope
How much rest/activity did you do during whole cycle?
Lots of rest, minimal activity

[tryw8]

how old are you and DH? Me: 39 DH: 43

Did you get PG on 1st IVF? No, had a BFN at the two week wait.

How many follicles? 16 on the left, 22 on the right

How many eggs retrieved? 15

How many fertilized? 7

How many transferred? Fresh ET, we did four and froze the rest.

What meds were you on? Metformin 500mg x3/day, 81mg Aspirin 1x/day, prenatal vitamins 1x/day. As it got closer to the day of retrieval and transfer, Anaprox, Medrol and Doxycline was also added to my list.

Did you do injections? Yes: Lupron, Follistim and Repronex. Followed by the IM Progesterone 2cc. Then for the FET, IM Estradiol Valerate .4cc x2/week was added to the Progesterone IM injections.

If so, did you do them or DH? The clinic only asked my husband to help me with IM injections. The others, I could do them by myself.

Did you eat, drink, or do anything special to help? Tried to eat healthier and avoid any type of stress as much as possible.

How much rest/activity did you do during whole cycle? I only advised to bedrest for three days after the transfer. Then I'm on restricted duties. No climbing stairs/ladders and no lifting heavier than a gallon of milk for example.

[shantala]

hey jen and welcome to this board!!! you've definitely found the right place for support!! as for your questions...

Me ~ 22; DH ~ 47

Did you get PG on 1st IVF? no, 2nd

How many follicles? 1st round about 20, 2nd round about 30

How many eggs retrieved? 1st round 15 (only 5 were mature), 2nd round 19 (only 10 were mature)

How many fertilized? 1st round all 5, 2nd round 9 out of 10

How many transferred? 2 each time, both times they were grade As (best grade)

What meds were you on? synarel nasal spray to downreg, puregon to stimulate, cyclogest pessaries for after EC until end of 2ww

Did you do injections? yes for stimms

If so, did you do them or DH? i did them...didnt want to rely on DH in case he couldnt be there for one. i threw a tantrum with the first one but soon got used to them.

Did you eat, drink, or do anything special to help? with my first round i did everything and anything to increase my chances (and not feel guilty about anything if it didnt work). i gave up caffeine for 3 months before my 1st cycyle and during (no coffee, tea, coke, etc), gave up alcohol for 3 months before and during cycle, did accupuncture, etc. When it didnt work i thought "i've done all these things, had a text book cycle (according to the clinic) and it still didnt work. if its gonna work, its gonna work, regardless of what i do". so i decided with my 2nd cycle to REDUCE caffeine and alcohol and not to have accupuncture. i actually had a couple of glasses of wine before EC because i was nervous! and it worked.

How much rest/activity did you do during whole cycle? no more/less than usual. activity should be kept to a minimum during stimms though!

I am so nervous and anxious to start my cycle. Hopefully I'll start in March or April. best of luck!!! its very exciting and its a truly emotional rollercoaster but it will be worth it in the end!!!

[Fed7281]

Hope this helps, and i wish you all the best!

how old are you and DH? Me 26 DH 42
Did you get PG on 1st IVF? Yes, with twins
How many follicles? 5
How many eggs retrieved? 5
How many fertilized? 5
How many transferred? 2
What meds were you on? Lupron, Follistim, Repronex
Did you do injections? yes
If so, did you do them or DH? DH did them a few times but I ended up feeling more comfortable doing it myself
Did you eat, drink, or do anything special to help? Honestly I had the same habits I had before TTC.
How much rest/activity did you do during whole cycle? Kept up almost all my same activites with the exception of bedrest after the transfer

[tinaO]

Good luck - hope this helps! Just try to relax and take it easy! I didn't change mush before ER and ET - just kept doing my thing!

How old are you and DH? Me 37 DH 38
Did you get PG on 1st IVF? Yes, I am pregnant with one little baby (we put 2 embryos in, one took)
How many follicles? I had tons, but they took a conservative approach and only grew them until a certain time to avoid OHSS.
How many eggs retrieved? 13 (12 ended up being mature)
How many fertilized? 10
How many transferred? 2
What meds were you on? Lupron, Follistim, Menopur
Did you do injections? Yes - ugghh!!
If so, did you do them or DH? DH did them!!! I could never bring myself to do them!!!

Did you eat, drink, or do anything special to help? No! I kept drinking my occassional cups of coffee, glasses of wine, kept exercising, etc....even up until the ER. After that, I took it easy and stopped exercising, drinking wine, and had very minimal amounts of caffeine.

How much rest/activity did you do during whole cycle? Kept up almost all my same activites! I did do 2 solid days of bedrest after ET. I really recommend it. It can't hurt and I felt it was the right thing to do and what my doc recommended it. I did do accupuncture starting about 2 weeks before ER. I did it twice before ER, once the day after ER, and then I believe twice after the ET.

GOOD LUCK!!! Most importantly, make yourself believe this will work! Do not stress yourself out about it and just try to roll with it all. My husband was adamant it was going to work the first time and he made me believe it. I tested positive on a HPT a week after ET and at 11 weeks, all still looks great!!! So, just stay positive. My husband's belief from the beginning it was going to work helped me to focus positively. Again, best of luck!

[kerribell]

Good luck.

how old are you and DH?
me ~33, dh 34
Did you get PG on 1st IVF? yes, with ICSI
How many follicles? 4
How many eggs retrieved? 4
How many fertilized? 2
How many transferred? 2
What meds were you on? lupron and gonal-f
Did you do injections? yes
If so, did you do them or DH? I did all but IM, dh did those
Did you eat, drink, or do anything special to help? no
How much rest/activity did you do during whole cycle? I only rested ~2days after ET, and just took it a little easy after that