MAY/JUNE CYCLE BUDDIES!!

[turtlesonastump]

Hey everyone, I am like LoveBug and in the April/May group. I was wondering if it was o.k. to be on two groups at once? I am at the end of their group and the beginning of yours since you guys overlap. My ER is May 13th or so. I go in on Friday for my baseline and hopefully start my stims then. This is my first full IVF. I started just the Lupron in Feb. but ended with a ectopic prengnancy that took my last tube. It was horrible having hot flashes along with pregnancy hormones.

What protocol are you guys on? Looks like I will take Gonal-F, Repronex, and menopur for stimms. They gave me donated medicines. How much do most of you use? I have 2 Gonal F 450 IU vials, 3 Repronex 75 IU vials, and 3 Menopur 75 IU vials. Does that sound like enough? Thanks.

I have heard a lot of you go to acupuncture. What about massage? Is that o.k?

[kimmysq]

Hi Everyone! I didn't know that decaf coffee was bad. No more for me!
My RE told me that Gatorade will help (a little) with the OHSS.

This is just a great thread!
Kim

[Love Bug]

PCOS does effect OHSS. We will almost always get it if we are not careful. I dont know how or why, but my dr. said no carbs and no sugar while stiming and that will help my OHSS.

I felt that Gatorade did not help at all, but I was bad. I gained 28lbs of fluids and needed to be drained twice- that was the worst pain of my life!!! Besides feeling like I was about to explode, and barely able to breath, they stuck a foot long needle into me to drain me I screamed.

So, you can understand my anxiety about round 2. I asked about a lupron trigger rather than the normal rigger, but my DR said that with the lupron trigger, eggs don't mature and people end up with lots of eggs but few that are good quality.

Rinnie Good luck starting everything on Wednesday. I will be thinking of you.

Turtles Welcome! I am glad youre here! I did accupuncture my first time, but I am not going to do it this time. It was just not for me...I would MUCH rather have a massage!

Baby dust to all

[kyw]

Bloody hell - I go to London for the day and look what happens! We are having a party now!

Nice to see you again Lovebug I remember you and your OHSS from Jan/Feb. Although I wish it had worked out for you.
Welcome to all the other newcomers!

Am very depressed about stopping decaf but not too bothered about soda. Soda gives you cellulite!

I had my final scan yesterday! ET has moved forwards! It is now 5/5. I had better get my act together as I am taking two weeks off work and need to cancel some appts!

Gotta go am late for work - again!!!

Karen

[IMBlessed]

For the ladies who've done acupuncture.......do you think it really aids fertility? I've read many posts from infertile women who've done acupuncture, and I just want to know if it helps fertility.

[DNT0809]

Hi Eveyone,
This is my first FET. I have already done 3 fresh cycles.No luck. But I have 6 frosties. 5 from first cycle 1 from the last cycle. I had surgey in Dec. 07 to remove at first we thought 2 fibroids but when the Dr. got in there there were 6. It might help it might not. The Dr. is totally stumped as to why this isn't happening for us. The Dr. says all of my numbers are like a 22 year old. (I'm 39) wow that sounds kind of old being compared to a 22 year old But I have a feeling the man upstairs is saying yes its our time(all of us) I start on Friday the 2nd for bloods & sono they think the transfer might be on the 9th or 10th. I took off the following week. Hey what the heck it can't hurt. I have 5 friends where they went thru IVF & the frozen cycle is when it worked. The Dr. explained to them sometimes you are putting your body thru too much it needs a well rested break. I did three fresh cycles one right after the other no breaks just, shots, patches, supps,sonos,retrievals,transfers. I don't need to tell you ladies but it is a lot when you look at it that way. Then times it by how many times you did it in a row YIKES. SO just make sure you all relax and many wishes of baby dust to each & everyone of you.
GOD BLESS:):)

[LB]

Good morning ladies!

I had my baseline appt this morning and I start stims tonight! Projected ER somewhere between 5/08-5/10, although those dates have never been right in my last cycles. But at least we are moving forward. RE himself did my scan and said my ovaries look much better (many less follicles), but that he hopes I don't "blow up" again on the stims. I am doing Bravelle and Repronex (menopur).

Love Bug - I totally understand about the OHSS. I didn't have it, but the fear of it is what caused the end of my first 2 cycles. I have severe PCOS, and in both my cycles I had between 30-40 follicles, and was a huge risk for OHSS. The way it was explained to me, the follicles have fluid in them, and when the eggs are retrieved, the fluid gets released. The more follicles with mature eggs you have, the more fluid you will have, which contributes to OHSS. My first cycle, they triggered me with lupron instead of hcg and I only had one mature egg out of 30 plus follicles. The second cycle the exact same thing was happening, so my doc cut back my meds to let me coast, and consulted with another doc to see what he could do - he didn't want me to get OHSS, but he knew if he didn't trigger with hcg it might not work. So he came up with a plan to trigger with a little hcg and lupron. However, because they took me off the stims, while the follicles still grew, my estrogen level plummetted so we didn't get to ER, the cycle had to be cancelled. That is why I had the ovarian drilling surgery, to try to get rid of some of the follicles to hopefully avoid the risk of OHSS this cycle so we can trigger with the hcg.

I have been on dexamethasone since I was diagnosed with PCOS - dear god I hope there are no bad effects from that!

Sorry so long!

Kyw - so excited ET is so soon - best of luck!

As for acupuncture, there are lots of different thoughts as to whether it helps or not, but I have never heard that it hurts, so I figure why not? I also know if nothing else it helps keep me relaxed and focuses on positive energy, which I personally need during this rollercoaster! In fact, I am headed there at lunch time!

Have a great day!!!

[AdsGirl]

KYW – Approx ET 5/5!!
DNT0809 - Approx FET 5/9-10
LoveBug - Approx ER 5/9, Approx ET 5/12-14
LB - Starts Stims Today! Approx ER 5/8-10 ET 5/11-15
Turtles - Approx ER 5/13, Approx ET 5/16-18
Rinnie – Approx ER 5/13, Approx ET 5/16-18
ImBlessed – Approx ET 5/26
AdsGirl – Start Lupron 4/30, Approx ET 5/26
IrishHope – Start Lupron 5/1, Approx ET 5/27
Kimmysq – Start Syneral 4/30, Approx ET 5/30
Faith88 – Start Lupron 5/7, Approx ET end of May
FaithHopeLove – BCPs – Approx ET 6/1
Sharona – On BCPs – Approx ET beginning of June
Neffi211 – BCPs - Approx ET 6/7
Prawnster – Approx ET 6/10
Queenie77 – Waiting for AF – Approx ET 6/14
Bichonmom – Approx ET July
Hopinginpa – Waiting for AF
ForMaggie – on BCP, RE Appt 5/6

[AdsGirl]

LB - Wow! It's crazy how the waiting so quickly turns into GO-Mode! Good luck tonight!! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with OHSS...I can only imagine how frustrating that must have been. Hopefully you and your doc have taken the right steps to prevent it this cycle so you can get your BFP. Going into this with mild PCOS, I really appreciate you and LoveBug sharing your stories (even the foot-long needle reference...kind of!).

Welcome Turtles and DNT! I think the meds really cary by individual and reason for infertility. I will start Lupron tomorrow then wait for AF to start the follistim. Hopefully she will be prompt! The metformin seems to have helped her speed up a bit recently...

Karen - Get those appointments canceled then take it easy! Your time is coming so quickly!! We're all sending you good vibes!!

Wishing everyone a fantastic day. I updated the list with recent changes and also added our newcomers...if I missed anything or have anything wrong, please let me know!

[Rinnie]

Hi Turtles I'm glad you came over! I'm not the one to ask if you have enough meds...I have to take a ton (225 Follistim in the am & 3 vials menopur in the pm). I think the repronex is the same as menopur & you take those at night. But if you do one vial a day, you only have enough for 6 days of that. But they may just have you take all the follistim & then go to the menopur etc. if you don't need big doses, and it looks like you have enough for that.
IMBlessed
I'm a big acupuncture fan, but you have to go to the right person who knows about fertility. There was a study done with women that did it twice a week during IVF & imediately before ET that said success went up 42%. It helps blood flow to the uterus which builds up the lining (import because the stims thin it) and it relaxes it for better implantation. All good.

kimmysq I don't have a problem with lots of eggs but i read on another thread that Gatorade has a lot of salt which isn't goodfor water retention, so they have some alternatives (can't remember the names but just ask).
Lovebug that sounds like a nightmare...I'm sending out good vibes it doesn't happen again. I'll take a few follies

kyw Wow...you're close....grow follies grow!

DNT0809 Yes, it's tough on your body.. I think the FET will be much easier mentally & emotionally. Good luck!! I waited 3 months to get my body strong, so I'm hoping it was the right strategy.
LB Good luck with the Stimming!! I'm 2 days behind you....grow follies! Ovarian drilling sounds wild, but good to be safe.
adsgirl You're the best...thanks so much for the list....it's really moving!

[jharris12]

I was just lurking through other posts, and I just noticed some of my girls from the April/May thread have wandered over here! But it looks like I'm in the same boat as them. We are in between both! There are a lot of women getting their BFP's already on the other board, and I don't start stimming until this Saturday. But it is so encouraging reading those with successful cycles over there! So do you mind if I am part of both boards? Looks like another great group of women over here! Good luck to you all!

[*kristen*]

I am not only new to the board but new to IVF. My name is Kristen and DH & I have decided after almost 2 years of prayer and talk that we want to try for another child.
I am currently waiting for my period to start, so I can start BC and labs and hysteroscopy. My RE has tenatively penciled in June 16th for a retrieval, so I guess that puts me on the same cycle as you all?
I have no idea really what to expect. The nurse coordinator was very informative, but I was so overwhelmed that I have no clue really what she said. Can't wait to learn more, and I hope to get to know you all too...

ETA: I have edited my post, as some of the information is irrelevent. I am looking for IVF support and information... Thanks!

[IrishHope]

Kristen - I am not 100% sure this is the appropriate forum for you. I am sorry you feel you made a mistake and I truly hope you and your husband are successful in having another child...however, many of us here have 0 children and live w/ diseases out of our control and could only hope to have a baby and IVF is our only hope...

I am not trying to be insensitive or rude but IVF for a 4th child and tubal reversal is TOTALLY different than what most of us here are going thru.

[*kristen*]

Forgive me then, and I will find somewhere else....

[to_have_fun08]

Kristen,
I don't see why this board would not be a help. I always thought this was for anyone going through IVF regardless if it was their 1st child or their 30th child. Please anyone can correct me if I am wrong. IVF is a big step and I wish you luck in your journey. My IVF cycle was just canceled and changed into an IUI cycle. I did IUI yesterday and now in my 2ww. Welcome to the board.

Chris